Summary: China's Central Committee and State Council issued a new directive on strengthening social work in the new era, emphasizing the Party's overall leadership and the need to implement Xi Jinping's thoughts on social work. The document outlines requirements for Party building in emerging sectors, including new economic organizations, social organizations, and employment groups, as well as grassroots governance and public service. It stresses improving mechanisms for Party-led social governance, enhancing the role of grassroots Party organizations, and fostering a coordinated work system involving various departments and social forces. The directive also calls for better handling of public complaints, protecting rights of all social groups, and expanding volunteer services. No specific officials or mention of the United States were reported in the article.
Summary: In a report on the "Yiwu development experience," President Xi Jinping was quoted emphasizing that Yiwu's transformation of small commodities into a large market and industry is a successful model for county-level economic development tailored to local conditions. He instructed regions to further study and apply this experience, respecting grassroots innovation and pursuing high-quality development. Yiwu Party Secretary Ye Bangrui noted the city's focus on market expansion, digitalization, and global trade integration, while金华 Party Secretary Zhu Chonglie highlighted the city's long-term adherence to its strategic blueprint. The article underscores Yiwu's use of reform and innovation to overcome challenges, with no direct mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: President Xi Jinping, in April 2025, issued instructions emphasizing the need to further summarize and apply the "Yiwu development experience" as a successful model of county-level high-quality development tailored to local conditions. During his tenure in Zhejiang, Xi had repeatedly visited Yiwu and stressed learning from its approach of creatively implementing central policies, respecting local realities, and fostering grassroots innovation. The article highlights that Yiwu's transformation from a small-commodity market into a global hub exemplifies the correct political performance view, with a focus on integrating into the national development strategy. It calls for localities to adopt a holistic perspective, leverage their unique strengths, and pursue reform-driven innovation to achieve high-quality development in the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Zhao Leji, chairman of China's National People's Congress, met with Czech Chamber of Deputies chairperson Markéta Pekarová Adamová in Beijing, accompanied by Zheng Jianbang. Zhao emphasized the importance of maintaining and developing China-Czech relations, noting the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership and praising the Czech government's pragmatic China policy. He called for strengthening political trust, expanding cooperation in areas such as new energy and electric vehicles, and enhancing exchanges between legislative bodies. Zhao also highlighted a recent speech by Xi Jinping on global AI governance, expressing China's willingness to collaborate with the Czech Republic and other nations. Pekarová Adamová reaffirmed Czech adherence to the one-China policy and expressed interest in boosting tourism, economic ties, and cultural exchanges.
Summary: Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, met with Czech Chamber of Deputies Speaker Markéta Pekarová Adamová in Beijing. Wang noted the 10th anniversary of the China-Czech strategic partnership and emphasized potential for cooperation, urging mutual respect for core interests and revitalizing traditional friendship. He reiterated China’s principled positions on Taiwan and Tibet. The Czech speaker affirmed adherence to the one-China policy and expressed interest in strengthening dialogue and cooperation, particularly in trade, tourism, direct flights, and people-to-people exchanges.
Summary: China's State Council released the "National Fitness Plan (2026–2030)," outlining goals to integrate fitness with public health and build a high-level service system by 2030. Targets include reaching 4 square meters of sports space per capita, 3.3 social sports instructors per 1,000 people, and 40% regular physical activity participation. The plan tasks ten areas, such as leveraging AI to boost fitness development and ensuring equal access to facilities. It emphasizes Party leadership and requires local governments to align the plan with their socio-economic strategies. No U.S.-China relations or specific official statements were mentioned in the report.
Summary: President Xi Jinping emphasized energy as a strategic development issue and stressed the importance of clean, low-carbon pathways. The article reports that China's energy supply has remained stable amid global market volatility, with record-high domestic production of crude oil, natural gas, and electricity in the first half of the year. It highlights the resilience of China's energy system, supported by diversified import channels and enhanced storage and transmission infrastructure. The rapid growth of renewable energy—wind and solar now account for nearly half of installed capacity—is accelerating the country's green transition. The piece also describes new projects linking clean energy with high-tech industries, such as "computing-power synergy" initiatives, as part of building a new energy system to fuel high-quality development.
Summary: The article presents Xi Jinping's thought on Party building as having significant theoretical value for the contemporary era. It emphasizes the importance of this framework for strengthening the Chinese Communist Party. No specific official statements, actions, or accompanying figures are reported. The piece does not address U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the National Basic Education Conference in Beijing, where Xi Jinping's recent instructions on basic education were conveyed, emphasizing its foundational role in building China's education strength. Officials including Jiangxi's Wu Yongming and Beijing's Li Yi pledged to implement the directives by prioritizing moral education, student health, and educational equity. Others, such as Shandong's Chen Bichang, highlighted the need for comprehensive reforms and a high-quality teacher workforce. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the article.
Summary: Minister of Education Huai Jinpeng delivered a special report titled "Striving to Advance the Building of a Strong Education System and Run Education to the Satisfaction of the People" at the sixth session of a policy series on ensuring and improving people's livelihoods amid high-quality development, co-hosted by multiple central party and state organs. He stated that under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has built the world's largest and quality education system, achieving notable progress in fairness, basic research, and comprehensive reform. Huai noted that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period presents profound changes in the internal and external environment, requiring adaptation to technological revolution and demographic shifts. He emphasized adhering to Xi Jinping's thought on education, prioritizing moral cultivation, and promoting high-level openness in education to serve Chinese-style modernization. The event was chaired by an official from the Central and State Organs Work Committee and attended by about 730 representatives from party, government, military, state-owned enterprises, and universities.
Summary: China’s general public budget revenue grew 4.7% year-on-year in the first half of 2025, reaching 12.1 trillion yuan, with tax revenue rising 5.3%. Expenditure totaled 14.33 trillion yuan, up 1.5%, with notable increases in health (10.8%), social security (7.6%), and housing (6.1%). The Ministry of Finance accelerated budget disbursement, releasing 90.3% of central-to-local transfer payments by June. It also adjusted subsidies for consumer goods trade-ins and issued 2.07 trillion yuan in new special bonds for infrastructure and urban renewal. Basic research funding reached a record 277.8 billion yuan in 2025, rising from 55.5 billion in 2013.
Summary: Vice Minister of Commerce Yan Dong reported at a July 23 press conference that China's commerce sector performed steadily in the first half of 2026, with retail sales of consumer services up 5.3% and high-tech foreign investment surging 33.2%. Officials Yang Mu, Yang Tao, Meng Huating, and Li Li also detailed consumption trends, foreign trade resilience, and Belt and Road cooperation.
Summary: At the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians held in Philadelphia, USA, Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu and Wang Hong were awarded the Fields Medal, marking the first time Chinese citizens have won the prize. The article notes that the award, often described as the "Nobel Prize of mathematics," is given every four years to scholars under 40. Previous Chinese-heritage winners include Shing-Tung Yau and Terence Tao. The event took place in the United States, highlighting an intersection of Chinese academic achievement with an American-hosted international forum.
Summary: China’s National Medical Products Administration approved the world’s first selective orexin type 2 receptor agonist, a breakthrough drug for narcolepsy, making China the first country to approve it among simultaneous submissions in the U.S., Japan, and the EU. The drug received accelerated review in all four regions, including U.S. breakthrough therapy designation and fast-track status. Chinese regulators used their priority review and breakthrough therapy channels to achieve this “first submission, first approval” milestone.
Summary: On July 23, Shanghai's Jing'an District opened the "Ningjia Quwo Market," a 1,200-square-meter community hub with 55 stalls offering fresh food, dining, and services like tailoring and shared laundry. The market was renovated over six months as a key "practical project for the people," now serving as a "community living room" for nearby residents. No officials are cited. No mention of U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 World AI Conference in Shanghai and delivered a keynote speech, outlining a Chinese approach to global AI governance centered on development, security, civilization, and governance. He announced concrete measures including 5,000 AI training slots and the deployment of the "Mazu" weather model in 30 countries. The article notes that 29 countries signed the agreement to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization, which international experts said enhances Global South representation. Various commentators praised China's open, cooperative stance and its efforts to make AI technologies accessible to developing nations. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: During his first state visit to China since taking office, Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba (referred to as En Daitewa) met with President Xi Jinping, and the two leaders jointly announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a "China-Namibia community with a shared future in the new era." The visit coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between China and Africa, and Namibia reaffirmed its commitment to the One-China principle and UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. Both sides signed multiple cooperation documents spanning infrastructure, energy, agriculture, and education, while opposing the politicization of human rights. China welcomed expanded market access for Namibian products such as grapes and lamb. The article emphasizes deepening political trust, closer international coordination within the Global South, and enhanced people-to-people exchanges ahead of the 2026 China-Africa People-to-People Exchange Year.
Summary: Peng Qinghua, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, met with an Italian multi-party delegation led by Peruffo, chairman of the Italian Parliament's "Friends of China" association, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on July 23. The two sides exchanged views on China-Italy and China-EU relations, legislative exchanges, and issues of mutual concern.
Summary: The article reports that China Harbour Engineering Company and CCCC Second Highway Bureau have completed the mid-span closure of the Sijingkat Bridge in Sarawak, Malaysia. The bridge, located in the state capital Kuching, is a 1,281.2-meter-long, 119.06-meter-tall cable-stayed concrete structure, claimed to be the world's largest of its harp-type twin-tower design. It is expected to open to traffic later this year, aiming to improve Kuching's urban road network and traffic efficiency. No U.S.-related content or official remarks appear in the report.
Summary: Liu Haixing, head of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, met in Beijing with a multi-party politicians’ delegation led by Italian parliamentary “Friends of China” association president Peruffo. They discussed jointly implementing the consensus of the two countries’ leaders and enhancing party-to-party exchanges. The talks also focused on advancing China-Italy and China-EU relations.
Summary: The article reports a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness in Harbin, attended by about 500 representatives from government, universities, and cultural organizations. Attendees stated that China-Russia relations serve as a "stabilizing force" in a turbulent world and called for deeper political trust, mutually beneficial cooperation, and people-to-people ties. They urged both sides to continue advancing bilateral relations to higher levels and contribute to international fairness. The event also featured a photo exhibition on local cooperation. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the report.
Summary: The 85th anniversary of the Flying Tigers' service in China was commemorated in Nanjing, where the city's foreign affairs office, the Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall, and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation jointly launched a search for missing Flying Tigers personnel. Foundation Chair Jeffrey Greene presented a list of missing personnel derived from U.S. archives, noting that cross-checking with the memorial hall's existing 2,605 American aviator names revealed around 300 close matches and 113 new names. Peter Moyer, son of 105-year-old former pilot Harry Moyer, and Foundation Executive Committee member William Cantenberger attended; Cantenberger highlighted Chinese civilians' rescue of Doolittle Raid survivors, stating "most would not have survived without their selfless help." Greene described the Flying Tigers spirit as a symbol of U.S.-China friendship and pledged continued exchanges, especially among youth. The event included a tribute at the martyrs' monument, underscoring ongoing bilateral historical cooperation.
Summary: The 2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting, chaired by Chinese Minister of Industry and Information Technology Li Lecheng, was held in Chengdu and adopted the "Chengdu Declaration" to enhance digital and AI cooperation in the Asia-Pacific. Li Lecheng emphasized accelerating communication and computing infrastructure, supporting SMEs with lightweight digital tools, and prioritizing digital inclusion and skills. The meeting highlighted cybersecurity, data security, and supply chain resilience, and elevated "open source" to the APEC ministerial level for the first time. No U.S. or U.S.-China relations were discussed in the article.
Summary: The third China-Canada High-Level National Security and Legal Dialogue was held in Beijing on July 22, co-chaired by Yin Bai, Secretary-General of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, and David Morrison, Senior Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister for Foreign and Diplomatic Affairs. The two sides exchanged views on combating transnational crime, counter-terrorism, drug control, and immigration enforcement cooperation. They agreed to implement the cooperation consensus reached by the two countries' leaders and strengthen security and judicial cooperation to promote a new type of strategic partnership. Officials from China's Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Public Security, and Ministry of State Security also attended the dialogue.
Summary: South Korea formally returned a pair of Qing dynasty stone lions to China at a ceremony in Seoul, with the Chinese National Cultural Heritage Administration taking delivery from the National Museum of Korea. The lions, originally from a prince or princess's residence, were purchased in 1933 by the Gansong Art Museum's founder, who intended to return them. Chinese Vice Minister of Culture and Tourism and National Cultural Heritage Administration Director Rao Quan stated that the return implements the consensus of the two countries' leaders to deepen people-to-people exchanges. He noted that both China and South Korea share the pain of lost cultural relics and are working to recover them, adding that the gesture reflects respect and goodwill.
Summary: The China Public Diplomacy Association hosted a briefing where Central Party School officials Wang Yi, Zheng Huan, and Zhang Shiyi discussed the Communist Party of China’s history, experiences, and global contributions. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Shandong Heavy Industry Group held a global partner conference and green intelligent product exhibition in Hanoi, Vietnam, on July 22, themed "Technology Empowers Good Equipment." Over 1,600 partners from more than 60 countries attended to discuss cooperation opportunities in the green intelligent industry and global development. No U.S. officials or references to U.S.-China relations were mentioned in the report.
Summary: Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing opened the 2026 APEC Digital and Artificial Intelligence Ministerial Meeting in Chengdu, delivering a speech that emphasized AI as a new engine for global growth and a driver of common prosperity and security. He outlined China’s commitment to innovation-driven development and called for deeper cooperation on digital and AI under four global initiatives. Zhang urged APEC members to jointly advance open innovation, shared standards, and inclusive digital infrastructure to empower the Asia-Pacific community. The meeting, themed “Digital and AI Technology Empowering the Asia-Pacific Community,” brought together over 170 delegates from APEC economies, secretariat, and observers.
Summary: A joint notice from the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission, and the National Double Support Office calls for activities to strengthen military-civilian unity ahead of the PLA's 99th anniversary. It urges support for the military's modernization and readiness, including addressing practical difficulties in training and operations. The notice also directs the military to assist in economic and social development, particularly in border and revolutionary areas, and to prepare for flood relief. Additionally, it emphasizes enforcing laws protecting service members and veterans' rights. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: State Councilor Chen Yiqin conducted a research trip on veterans' affairs in Ningxia from July 21 to 23, accompanied by local officials. She stressed the need to deepen reforms, improve policies, and enhance service and support for veterans in line with President Xi Jinping's directives. Chen highlighted veterans as vital to China's modernization and called for boosting their employment and entrepreneurship, as well as strengthening grassroots governance roles. She also visited enterprises and service stations to assess the support system's development. Additionally, Chen inspected youth football training, urging better youth training centers and school football to accelerate the sport's revitalization.
Summary: The State Council approved a joint issuance by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Development and Reform Commission of the "15th Five-Year Plan for the Revitalization and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine." The plan sets a 2030 goal of establishing a more comprehensive TCM service system covering the entire population and life cycle, with breakthroughs in treating major diseases and upgraded grassroots services. It aims to significantly enhance basic research, industrial innovation, and TCM’s cultural and international influence. The plan outlines priorities across medical care, research, talent, industry, culture, and open development. No officials or U.S.-related topics are mentioned.
Summary: The article highlights the summer consumption peak season, with local governments across China enhancing services to offer diverse cultural and tourism experiences. The film market features a mix of genres, including mainstream historical films, domestic animated works, and international blockbusters, sustaining high consumer interest. A photo accompanying the article shows consumers viewing movie posters at a cinema in Fuyang, Anhui Province, credited to Wang Biao for Image China. No statements or actions by officials are reported, and the article does not address U.S. or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The National Healthcare Security Administration reported that all regions in China completed 2025 medical insurance fund settlements by May 27, with 154 regions finishing by March. A new three-year action plan has streamlined processes, reducing settlement times significantly. A total of 2.74 trillion yuan was disbursed for medical expenses, with monthly settlements accounting for 94.7% and annual settlements only 5.3%. Compared to three years ago, the share of annual settlements dropped nearly three percentage points, easing financial pressure on medical institutions.
Summary: President Xi Jinping highlighted Yiwu's transformation of small commodities into a major industry as a successful model for county-level economic development tailored to local conditions, instructing that the "Yiwu development experience" be further summarized and applied. During his time in Zhejiang, Xi emphasized learning from Yiwu’s creative implementation of central policies, respect for grassroots innovation, and locally adapted development paths. The article underscores the importance of this experience as the 15th Five-Year Plan begins, advocating for correct performance-oriented governance to drive high-quality development. It calls on regions to align with national strategy, leverage local advantages, and pursue reform and innovation. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article details the "Yiwu Development Experience," a model for county-level economic growth endorsed by Xi Jinping, who in April made an instruction emphasizing its successful adaptation of local resources. It highlights Yiwu's transformation from a small commodities market into a global hub, with officials like Party Secretary Ye Bangrui and Mayor Wen Jianfei citing continued innovation and digitalization. The piece notes that Yiwu's "brand export" plan boosted exports to the U.S. by 25% last year, reflecting its resilience amid complex international conditions. Xi's 2023 visit to Yiwu International Trade Mart, where he engaged with merchants, is also recalled. The summary concludes that the experience offers lessons for other regions pursuing high-quality, localized development.
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Summary: At the 2026 World AI Conference, Xi Jinping emphasized that AI should serve as a "power source" for common prosperity and security, rooted in a people-centric and ethical approach. He highlighted China's push for technological self-reliance amid foreign decoupling pressures, citing breakthroughs in chips and other core technologies. The article underscores China's dual focus on fostering innovation while managing risks like data security and employment displacement. It also notes Xi's call to help Global South countries bridge the digital divide, avoiding "new historical injustices" in AI. China's initiatives, including the Global AI Governance Initiative, aim to promote shared benefits and collaborative governance, implicitly countering U.S.-led technology restrictions.
Summary: The article argues that China's current industrial and technological breakthroughs must address fundamental, long-term challenges to maximize their impact, as the country transitions from follower to leader in innovation. It cites achievements such as China's first reusable rocket stage, a new AMOLED production line, and leadership in global research output, notably with Zhang Tao's team winning a national science award for single-atom catalysis after 20 years of work. The piece stresses the necessity of exploring "no-man's land" in science, where autonomous problem-finding and patience are critical. It calls for systemic reforms—including longer evaluation cycles, support for high-risk research, and patient capital—to sustain innovation. The article concludes that independent innovation is a long journey requiring strategic foresight and institutional flexibility, echoing broader themes of industrial self-reliance.
Summary: "Waimai poet" Wang Jibing won the poetry prize at the 9th Lu Xun Literature Award on July 15 for his collection *Low-Altitude Flight*, which he wrote after interviewing over 140 delivery riders. His verse, drawn from everyday working-class life, has resonated deeply with readers. The article highlights how ordinary people like Wang, a former sand miner and now a middle-aged delivery driver, are becoming cultural creators. It attributes the rise of such grassroots literature to digital tools, public services, and official policy—noting that "new mass literature and art" under internet conditions was written into China's 15th Five-Year Plan. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China's domestically produced C919 passenger jet will operate its first international commercial flight on the Beijing-Ulaanbaatar route, while Cambodia's national carrier has placed a bulk order for the C909, becoming the first foreign flag carrier to acquire the model. The article notes these moves accelerate the international expansion of Chinese-built aircraft, aiming to boost overseas market recognition.
Summary: The article reports on Hao Guoying, Party Secretary of the Chaoyang Community in Taiyuan, Shanxi, who highlighted a volunteer service model where 376 “shared children” volunteers hold keys to the homes of over 500 elderly residents, providing daily care and companionship. Since 2019, the volunteers have conducted over 30,000 home visits, reflecting a shift from management to service-oriented grassroots governance. The community employs mechanisms like the “bench discussion meeting” to align services with resident needs, particularly for the elderly, children, and new residents. This model has earned the community a spot among China’s 100 exemplary volunteer service communities. The article presents the initiative as a replicable example of grassroots good governance addressing the challenges of an aging society.
Summary: The article uses the metaphor of mountain climbing to discuss the virtues of humility and perseverance after achieving success, emphasizing that "descending" requires as much resolve as "ascending." It cites educator Zhang Guimei, who urged students to return and serve their rural communities, and war heroes Zhang Fuqing and Wang Yuchang, who concealed their past accolades to work in ordinary jobs. The central message is that every endpoint should be treated as a new beginning, and that maintaining a steady heart amid both triumph and obscurity is a noble character. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article is a call for submissions to columns such as "Dajiatan" and "Wenre Pinglun" in the People's Daily opinion section. It invites readers to send manuscripts to a specified email address, advising against submitting the same work to multiple publications. No official statements, actions, or references to the United States or U.S.-China relations are present.
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Summary: The article profiles the Beijing 12345 citizen hotline service center, featuring an interview with Party Secretary and Director Yao Lei, who stated their duty is to "receive every hope of the masses" and to continue using citizen demands to drive the modernization of mega-city governance. Deputy Secretary and Deputy Director Feng Yingyi explained that while speed is the baseline, precision in task distribution is key, achieved through a new five-level classification framework. Yao Lei noted that by analyzing data on common pain points like elevator installations, the center provides special reports to the municipal government to facilitate policy optimization, citing the replacement of the "one-vote veto" rule for elevator projects. The center’s Party committee established a "enter three scenes" mechanism to connect operators directly with citizens and field research. Yao Lei emphasized that the hotline’s response, resolution, and satisfaction rates are not cold numbers but "trust votes" from citizens, with the hotline handling 25.8 million calls in 2025, achieving a 97.3% resolution rate and a 97.7% satisfaction rate.
Summary: The article reports on the Nanzuo archaeological site in Qingyang, Gansu, which was selected as one of the top ten archaeological discoveries of 2025. The site features nine large rammed-earth platforms arranged in an inverted U-shape, enclosing a prehistoric core area of about 300,000 square meters, with a total area of at least 6 million square meters. Excavations have revealed a palace complex, courtyard-style dwellings, and evidence of early state-level society in the Loess Plateau around 5,000 years ago. Artifacts include carbonized rice, white pottery, and cinnabar-painted items, indicating long-distance trade with regions like the middle and lower Yangtze. The discovery underscores the importance of the Loess Plateau, particularly the Longdong area, in the origins of Chinese civilization.
Summary: President Xi Jinping emphasized energy as a strategic issue requiring clean, low-carbon development, as China’s energy supply remains stable amid global market volatility. The article reports that domestic crude oil, natural gas, and electricity output hit record highs in the first half of the year, with officials such as Feng Shuo of CNOOC and Lü Wenbin of the NDRC Macroeconomic Research Institute highlighting the resilience from diversified production and import channels. Accelerated clean energy growth—including wind, solar, and large-scale projects like the Kubuqi Desert transmission line—is shifting renewables toward a dominant role. The new energy system is increasingly integrated with digital and AI industries, with officials like Tang Jie of State Grid and Jin Liang of China Datang detailing breakthroughs such as “point-to-point” green power supply to computing parks. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Shanghai has released a new set of measures to enhance sci-tech financial services by leveraging direct financing, aiming to support the full lifecycle of tech enterprises and promote the integrated development of Shanghai's international financial and sci-tech innovation centers. The 20 measures span five areas, including improving early-stage investment pricing, building a continuous equity investment mechanism, and deepening the "tech board" of the bond market. The initiative seeks to strengthen Shanghai's role as a national hub for sci-tech investment and financing. No specific official was quoted as accompanying the announcement, and the article does not address the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: On July 23, the 2026 "100 Jurists and 100 Reports" lecture campaign held a special session in Beijing focused on implementing the Ecological Environment Code. Wang Hongxiang, Party secretary and executive vice president of the China Law Society, presided and stated that the code represents a landmark achievement of Xi Jinping's thought on ecological civilization and rule of law. Huang Wei, deputy director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, reported that this is China's second codified law after the Civil Code, marking the entry into a codification era for ecological rule of law. The event was co-organized by central Party and government bodies including the Central Organization Department and the Central Propaganda Department, with over 700 attendees including officials and university faculty.
Summary: In Sichuan's Wangcang County, extreme heat and drought have threatened crops, with farmer Zan Huaxiang expressing concern over 30-plus mu of corn. Agricultural technician Feng Linyuan identified the damage as a combination of heat and improper pesticide application, advising specific irrigation and shading methods. The county has mobilized 23 agricultural service teams and nearly 200 technicians to conduct field inspections and provide targeted guidance for crop protection. They are coordinating irrigation resources and repairing water facilities to address the urgent need for drought relief and tea harvest stability. No mention was made of U.S. or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: China's service exports have grown rapidly, with average annual growth of 14% over the past five years, driven by intelligent, integrated, and localized offerings. The article highlights three cases: a Chinese drone company (led by Li Aimin) providing full-service crop protection in Kazakhstan; Dongsoft's global in-vehicle system (overseen by Guan Xin) expanding into international markets; and Sichuan Language Bridge (chaired by Zhu Xianchao) localizing games to transmit Chinese culture. Officials like Shenyang's Feng Yasai and Chengdu's Chen Chao are cited supporting these trends through platforms and trade missions. The piece does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The 2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum was held in Xi'an on July 22, gathering about 800 global participants. Speakers including John Higgins (International AI Governance Association), Wang Binying (World Intellectual Property Organization), and Francis Gurry (World Internet Conference Vice Chair) called for strengthening cooperation to build a digital Silk Road and a shared future in cyberspace. They highlighted opportunities in AI, big data, and e-commerce, while emphasizing the need for digital infrastructure, cultural heritage digitization, and cybersecurity. Cuban Communications Minister Maira Arevich Marin and others stressed that technology should serve cultural diversity and that digital tools must be governed responsibly. The forum also discussed the importance of trust and ethical governance in AI and intelligent agents to ensure sustainable development.
Summary: The article reports on the popularity of a newly developed badminton park in Chongqing’s Wansheng Economic Development Zone, where residents enjoy evening fitness during the summer heat. It highlights that the zone has created multiple parks integrating ecology, culture, fitness, and leisure to meet local residents' exercise needs conveniently. No officials or U.S.-related topics are mentioned.
Summary: China Exim Bank issued nearly 650 billion yuan in foreign trade loans in the first half of 2023, with about 40% directed at stabilizing trade entities and supply chains. The bank set up special quotas to boost financing for digital and green trade, and supported firms in global production chains and overseas expansion. It also funded e-commerce and logistics companies' international projects, including overseas warehouses. Additionally, the bank financed major sci-tech innovation projects and promoted panda bonds for Belt and Road countries to advance RMB internationalization. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on Chengdu's hosting of APEC's Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting and "Digital Week" events, highlighting local advances in robotics and AI. Chengdu Economic and Information Technology Bureau Director Zhao Chungan stated the city plans to identify over 100 application scenarios this year in fields like embodied AI and low-altitude economy. Chengdu Scene Innovation Technology Deputy General Manager Wang Ying noted the city aims to bridge the "last mile" between innovation and industrial chains. The report details Chengdu's AI core industry reaching 150 billion yuan in 2025 (39% growth), and its "smart transformation" of 4,073 industrial enterprises, achieving nearly 80% coverage—the highest in western China. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: China's shipbuilding sector achieved robust growth in the first half of 2025, with completion, new orders, and outstanding orders all rising significantly and maintaining a leading global market share. Li Yanqing, vice chairman and secretary-general of the China Shipbuilding Industry Association, stated that China's share of global green ship orders has exceeded 68% for three consecutive years, indicating an accelerated transition to mid-to-high-end production. At Guangzhou-based GSI, deputy party secretary and general manager Zhou Xuhui noted that the company's order book is nearly 100 billion yuan, with over 95% international orders and production scheduled through 2030. Wang Lei, deputy general manager of Hengli Heavy Industries in Dalian, highlighted the use of AI for scheduling and automation, with the firm's orders also extending to 2030, primarily from overseas clients. The article attributes China's sustained global appeal to cumulative systemic advantages in smart manufacturing, green technology, and efficient customs clearance procedures.
Summary: Li Ji, deputy general manager of Dushanzi Petrochemical and executive commander of the project, announced the successful startup of China's first full-chain green low-carbon ethylene project in the Taklamakan Desert. CNPC Chairman Dai Houliang described the facility as a milestone for zero-carbon production and regional industrial optimization. The plant replaced traditional steam turbine drives with electric drives for core compressors and captures low-concentration CO₂ to produce green urea for agriculture. Innovations also included on-site modular construction to overcome logistical challenges in the desert. The project achieves 99% domestically produced technology and integrates oil, gas, chemicals, new energy, and new materials into a full industrial chain.
Summary: The article reports on the 2026 Lijiang Folk Music Season, which transforms the ancient city into a venue where visitors become active participants rather than passive listeners. The event emphasizes a "no-limits" approach, featuring daily open-mic sessions at the Old Town Waterwheel and a nationwide four-day songwriting program at 30 landmark locations. Folk music is described as deeply embedded in Lijiang's daily life, with over 130 taverns and 190 resident singers in the Old Town, making it a signature cultural IP. The season promotes Lijiang’s appeal as a slow-paced travel destination, leveraging its UNESCO heritage, summer climate, and new tourism products like mountain trains and low-altitude flights. Attendance figures show strong growth, with the 2025 peak performance reaching over 100 million online views.
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Summary: Xi Jinping’s thought on Party building systematically addresses four major questions—China’s, the world’s, the people’s, and the era’s—by emphasizing the Party’s core leadership role in Chinese modernization, its global governance contributions, its people-centered approach, and comprehensive strict Party governance. The article quotes Xi as stating that the Party is the highest political leadership and must always represent the fundamental interests of the people with no special interests. It highlights that this thought provides strategic direction for navigating the intersection of national rejuvenation and global changes, while offering other parties, especially those in developing countries, lessons in political governance. No accompanying officials are mentioned, and the United States or U.S.-China relations are not discussed.
Summary: President Xi Jinping criticized some localities and departments for implementing central decisions in a simplistic, "one-size-fits-all" manner, such as blindly launching industrial parks or imposing abrupt energy cuts. He traced the root cause to deviations in the "overall switch" of performance outlook, including weakened commitment to serving the people and lack of scientific policymaking. Xi cited his own past practices—like tailoring a "semi-suburban" economy in Zhengding and the "Thousand Village Demonstration" project in Zhejiang—as models of adaptable, long-term governance. The article calls for correcting these issues by enhancing investigation, improving cadre capabilities, and reforming evaluation mechanisms to align with local realities. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article, citing President Xi Jinping's call to boost cultural innovation and the cultural industry, discusses the importance of cultural industry parks as key drivers of economic transformation and urban development. It identifies shortcomings in park management, such as imitation of external models and weak post-construction services, and proposes solutions including standardized management, clear development positioning, deeper collaboration among stakeholders, and digital empowerment. The piece emphasizes shifting from a "landlord economy" to an ecosystem-building role, with examples like Beijing's 798 Art Zone and Jingdezhen's Taoxichuan Creative Block. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article emphasizes that social work is a critical component of the Party and state's governance, with Xi Jinping issuing directives ahead of the 2024 Central Social Work Conference to stress unwavering adherence to the socialist social governance path with Chinese characteristics. It highlights the recent issuance of the "Opinions on Strengthening Social Work in the New Era" by the CPC Central Committee and the State Council, which outlines the overall approach, key tasks, and measures for high-quality social work development. The piece underscores the necessity of this path for consolidating the Party's governance foundation, achieving Chinese-style modernization, meeting people's aspirations for a better life, and maintaining social stability amid global uncertainties. It calls for deepening Party leadership, people-centered approaches, cultural heritage, co-governance, systematic governance, and grassroots strengthening to implement these tasks effectively. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the use of a "digital intelligence AI" model by He Shibin, the newly appointed head of the Dingyuan County Organization Department in Chuzhou, Anhui, to generate analysis reports on local leadership teams. He Shibin noted the AI tool functions like an experienced colleague, helping new officials quickly understand team structures and performance. The piece emphasizes that while AI reduces the burden of paperwork and allows officials to spend more time conducting on-the-ground investigations, it cannot replace face-to-face interactions and direct input from the public. The author, a Chuzhou city organization department official, warns against over-reliance on technology and stresses the need to combine data-driven insights with grassroots footwork. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the article.
Summary: Spokesperson Zhang Han of the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office expressed high appreciation for Papua New Guinea’s decision to close the “Taipei Economic and Cultural Office” in the country. He stated that the One-China principle is a basic norm of international relations and a universal consensus, and that the DPP’s stubborn pursuit of “Taiwan independence” will be isolated.
Summary: A new 200-person offshore oil field living support platform, built by Qingdao Haixi Heavy Machinery, departed from Shandong for trial navigation. The vessel features 1,000 square meters of deck space and two 100-ton marine cranes. Qingdao maritime authorities conducted on-site inspections to ensure safety, pollution prevention, and emergency response protocols. The article does not mention any official statements, accompanying personnel, or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) announced the expulsion of Tian Xuebin, former Deputy Minister of Water Resources, for serious violations of party discipline and laws, including corruption, abuse of power, and illicit financial dealings. Tian was found to have accepted bribes, engaged in improper relationships, and used his position to benefit others in areas such as company listings and project approvals. His misconduct was deemed severe and ongoing after the 18th National Congress of the CPC. The CCDI decided to expel him from the party and public office, confiscate illicit gains, and transfer his case to prosecutors for criminal investigation. No mention was made of U.S. relations or accompanying officials.
Summary: The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and National Supervisory Commission, upon approval from the Communist Party Central Committee, concluded an investigation into Wang Jun, former deputy director of the Tibet Autonomous Region People's Congress Standing Committee, for severe disciplinary and legal violations. Wang was found to have lost his ideals, deviated from the Party's requirements on Tibet's ecological protection and mineral resource development, engaged in misconduct, accepted bribes, and illegally profited from mineral rights and land use approvals. He violated political, organizational, integrity, and work discipline, and is suspected of bribery offenses, with behavior continuing after the 18th Party Congress. As a result, Wang was expelled from the Party and public office, had his representative status terminated, illicit gains confiscated, and his case transferred to prosecutors for criminal investigation. No accompanying officials were named in the report.
Summary: The Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) and the National Supervisory Commission announced the expulsion of Guo Xueyi, former vice president of Central South University, from the Communist Party and public office following an investigation. Guo was found to have violated political, organizational, and ethical discipline, including accepting bribes, engaging in power-for-money deals with private entrepreneurs, and illegally appropriating conference funds. He also attempted to obstruct the investigation and used his position to seek personal gain and favors for others. The case has been referred to prosecutors for criminal investigation. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: On July 25, World Drowning Prevention Day, the article highlights that drowning is the leading cause of unnatural death for children aged 1-14 in China, with about 57,000 annual fatalities, 56% of them minors. Citing the 2022 China Youth Drowning Prevention Big Data Report, drowning accounts for 33% of injuries and deaths among those aged 0-17. The piece outlines new approaches from various regions, including institutional innovation, technology, and parent-child education, to combat the issue. It offers a special guide on prevention and rescue methods, emphasizing that prevention is more critical than rescue. The article concludes with a call to expand safety measures to more waters for a safe summer.
Summary: The article, issued by Chinese authorities, outlines child drowning prevention guidelines for summer, emphasizing "six no’s" for minors and "four knows" for parents. Lu Le, deputy secretary-general of the China Disaster Prevention Association’s Science Education and Training Branch, warned of common misconceptions, including that calm or shallow water is safe, that swimming ability prevents drowning, and that direct rescue is advisable. He advised against blind rescue and promoted the "call, call, reach, throw" method for safe intervention. No mention is made of U.S. relations or any political official beyond Lu Le’s expert role.
Summary: Hainan implemented regulations on drowning prevention for schoolchildren, with the provincial education department reporting a 30.8% drop in incidents. In Xuzhou, police officials Xu Zhigang and Chen Chen oversaw a tech-driven system using drones and AI that reduced drowning deaths. Fuxin's Liu Hongyu promoted free parent-child swimming safety training to improve self-rescue skills.
Summary: A Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security official outlined measures under the “15th Five-Year Plan” to enhance labor protections for workers in new forms of employment, including expanding social insurance coverage and establishing a statistical system for reporting platform company labor conditions. The official also emphasized promoting negotiations over platform labor rules and algorithms, as well as strengthening dispute resolution mechanisms. The plan calls for publishing a dedicated “Measures for Protecting the Rights of Workers in New Forms of Employment” to regulate platform practices and clarify employer responsibilities. No U.S.-related content was mentioned in the article.
Summary: The article reports that on July 22, the medical insurance departments of Ningxia and Fujian signed an agreement in Yinchuan to establish a comprehensive cross-provincial cooperation mechanism covering six areas, including remote medical settlement, fund supervision, and smart healthcare. The two provinces will explore direct settlement for day surgeries and maternity expenses, cross-provincial facial recognition payments, and shared oversight of healthcare institutions. They will also facilitate “cross-provincial service” for vulnerable groups, share pricing data to reduce inflated costs, and collaborate on talent development. Over the past 30 years, Fujian has sent over 1,400 medical experts to Ningxia, while Ningxia has dispatched nearly 1,500 medical staff to Fujian for training. No reference to the United States or U.S.-China relations is present.
Summary: The China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone工作领导小组办公室 issued 19 measures to support the full-chain open innovation of the biopharmaceutical industry, integrating policies from over 20 departments. The measures accelerate administrative reforms, establish key enterprise lists, and explore mutual recognition of work permits for foreign high-end biopharmaceutical talent across FTZ zones. They also promote breakthroughs in critical drug R&D, with a mechanism for expediting approval of clinically urgent and regionally distinctive drugs. Additionally, the measures encourage international cooperation with Belt and Road partner countries on drug registration standards. The FTZ, hosting over 70% of Xinjiang’s biopharmaceutical firms, prioritizes ethnic medicine innovation to build competitive advantages.
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Summary: China’s National Forestry and Grassland Administration, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Natural Resources, jointly issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Forestry and Grassland Protection and Utilization." The plan outlines six key tasks and nine major projects, targeting a forest and grass coverage rate of 56.4%, a forest coverage rate of 25.8%, and a total output value of the forestry and grassland industry of 14 trillion yuan by 2030. It emphasizes scientific large-scale land greening, construction of a national park-based protected area system, and ecological security capacity building. The plan also details projects such as the third phase of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Program and the protection of 165 critically endangered species. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: The article reports that China's flood control efforts are under heightened pressure during the "seven up, eight down" period (late July to early August), exacerbated by the developing El Niño event. Experts including Yan Denghua, chief engineer at the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, and Liu Yunyun from the National Climate Center warned that this El Niño may become one of the strongest on record, increasing climate risks for the 2026 flood season and potentially extending impacts into 2027. Tan Zhemin, president of Nanjing University, noted that El Niño tends to increase flood risks in the Yangtze River basin and heatwaves in southern China, while northern regions face greater flood pressure due to heavier rainfall and stronger typhoons. Officials emphasized the need for improved monitoring, infrastructure resilience, and public preparedness, cautioning against overreaction while stressing the importance of proactive risk management.
Summary: The article reports on Karamay City in Xinjiang, emphasizing its efforts to "forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation" (铸牢中华民族共同体意识) under the leadership of the municipal Party committee and government. It details a comprehensive work system involving six mechanisms—such as education, risk assessment, and accountability evaluation—to integrate ethnic unity into all aspects of governance and public life. The city focuses on targeted measures for different groups, including state-owned enterprises like PetroChina Xinjiang Oilfield, which launched an education practice base with Minzu University of China and has invested 750 million yuan in poverty alleviation over 70 years. Karamay also highlights achievements in building "four homes" (spiritual, modern, harmonious, legal) to foster inter-ethnic integration, with full mixed-class schooling and zero unemployment among settled households. The article makes no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The article reports on young Chinese cadres embodying Xi Jinping's call for a correct view of political achievements, balancing visible and hidden accomplishments. At the Maqu hydrological station on the Yellow River, station chief Guo Fan and technician Wang Xiangting emphasize precise, unglamorous data collection to ensure the river's long-term stability. In Baicun village, successive first secretaries including Chen Hongren and Nong Junhai have digitized the late Huang Wenxiu's "people's sentiment maps" to sustain grassroots development and poverty alleviation. In Suzhou's High-Tech Zone, tech recruiters like Bai Yanling and Duan Hongju prioritize long-term support for startups over immediate results, guided by a performance evaluation system that rewards patient service. The article underscores how these cadres build foundations for future gains, aligning with the Party's ongoing education campaign on correct performance evaluation.
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Summary: The article reports on Tianjin University's implementation of President Xi Jinping’s directive to build world-class universities tailored to China's needs, highlighting achievements in earthquake simulation facilities and offshore wind technology. It notes Xi’s 2025 letter urging the university to strengthen basic research and talent cultivation for national strategic goals. President Chai Liyuan is quoted emphasizing the need to train future engineering leaders by integrating industry projects and interdisciplinary reforms. Party Secretary Yang Xianjin reaffirmed the university’s commitment to self-reliant talent development and technological innovation for educational power. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: General Secretary Xi Jinping's letter to Tianjin University provided guidance for the university to fulfill its fundamental task of moral education. The university's party secretary outlined plans to reshape the education system to cultivate talent for national rejuvenation, focusing on future-oriented disciplines and research. Reforms include integrating "patriotic sentiment" into teaching, restructuring knowledge and skill frameworks, and aligning with national strategic needs. The university aims to enhance talent training through new engineering, digital education, and industry-academia integration. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Feng Jicai, former head of the China Folk Literature and Art Association, recounts his work at Tianjin University establishing a humanities institute and leading a national project to rescue endangered folk culture. He emphasizes a field-based teaching approach, with students conducting surveys and oral histories to build archives for heritage protection. Feng cites President Xi Jinping’s call for the "creative transformation and innovative development" of traditional culture as a key inspiration. Under state support, Tianjin University launched the country’s first master’s degree program in intangible cultural heritage studies, producing its first graduates and establishing museums and field research bases. Feng stresses the importance of professional talent and scientific methods for cultural heritage, expressing confidence in the mission ahead.
Summary: Song Chunfeng, Deputy Director of Academic Affairs at Tianjin University, identified key weaknesses in traditional engineering education, such as insufficient interdisciplinary integration and outdated curricula. He outlined the university’s “new engineering” reforms, which include cross-departmental academic clusters, personalized “one-student, one-plan” training, and full-access to practical platforms. The reforms also embed corporate engineers in classrooms and require students to work on real industry problems from their first year. These measures aim to equip graduates with hands-on experience and problem-solving skills for immediate deployment in core technical roles.
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Summary: The article reports on the 2026 RoboCup in Incheon, where Chinese universities Tsinghua and China Agricultural University won first and second place in the humanoid robot soccer competition. It discusses advances in robot hardware, control systems, and AI learning methods, highlighting China’s growing capabilities in embodied intelligence. The piece places these developments in the context of global competition, including comparisons to Boston Dynamics and Sony, and notes the accelerating pace of Chinese robotic achievements on public stages. It concludes by framing robot sports as a driver of technological progress for exploration, manufacturing, and medical applications. No U.S. relations or official statements are mentioned.
Summary: NASA's SPHEREx space telescope has mapped vast interstellar ice regions in the Milky Way, including the Cygnus X star-forming area, revealing that water ice exists in these cold, dark environments and may be delivered to nascent planetary systems. The study, published by the SPHEREx team in *The Astrophysical Journal*, indicates that water on Earth likely originated from such interstellar ices. SPHEREx, launched in March 2025, complements the James Webb Space Telescope by providing a wide-field survey of ice distribution across the galaxy. The mapping found that ice concentrations are highest in dense molecular cloud cores, where dust shields ice from ultraviolet radiation. This research provides key clues to the origin of water and organic molecules essential for life on Earth.
Summary: A Swedish study led by the Karolinska Institute has classified acute myeloid leukemia into 16 subtypes by mapping epigenetic signatures, as published in *Nature*. The research aims to supplement existing genetic classifications and improve understanding of patient differences. This advance may provide a basis for more personalized treatment in the future. No U.S. officials or U.S.-China relations are mentioned in the article.
Summary: A new AI system called "DinoTracker" has been developed by researchers from the Helmholtz Centre in Germany and the University of Edinburgh to analyze dinosaur footprints. Dr. Gregor Hartmann, the lead researcher, stated that the system uses unsupervised machine learning to quantify morphological features, reducing reliance on subjective human judgment. The model identified eight independent traits from 2,000 footprint images, achieving 90% alignment with expert classifications. The study found that some 200-million-year-old dinosaur tracks closely resemble modern bird footprints, suggesting either an earlier bird origin or convergent evolution. Associate Professor Xing Lida from China University of Geosciences (Beijing) noted the innovation shifts paleontology from experience-based to data-driven analysis, though he cautioned that limited training data and geological context still constrain the model's generalizability.
Summary: A Cambridge University research team, as reported by Xinhua, found that applying stable physical pressure (around 12.5 bar) to lithium batteries can double their lifespan. The study used inflatable气囊 to maintain constant pressure on pouch cells, preventing electrode degradation. This technology could reduce battery replacement frequency in electric vehicles, lower waste and demand for nickel and cobalt, and benefit the used EV market. No mention was made of U.S. officials or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The article profiles Palestinian poet and scholar Refaat Alareer, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike in December 2023, and his posthumously published collection *If I Must Die*. It highlights how Alareer used English-language poetry and teaching to bear witness to Gaza's suffering, emphasizing that writing is an act of resistance and survival. The piece situates his work within the broader tradition of Palestinian "resistance literature," referencing figures like Ghassan Kanafani and Mahmoud Darwish. It notes that Alareer's poem, originally written for his daughter in 2011, has been translated into over 40 languages, though his daughter and infant grandchild were also later killed. The article concludes by observing that Palestinian writers continue to produce hope and testimony from devastation, with newer voices like Mosab Abu Toha and Roa’a Samir carrying on the legacy.
Summary: The article reports on the revival of Lahore's Basant kite festival after a 19-year ban, highlighting the city’s cultural heritage and the government’s decision to restart it with strict safety regulations, including mandatory motorcycle safety poles and a ban on coated kite strings. The festival, which dates back nearly eight centuries, draws large crowds, generates significant economic activity—with kite-related retail sales reaching 30 billion Pakistani rupees—and has become a trending topic on Pakistani social media. No references to the United States, U.S.-China relations, or any Chinese officials were found in the article.
Summary: The article profiles Dutch diplomat and sinologist Robert van Gulik (1910–1967), who created the globally renowned *Judge Dee* series by blending Chinese detective fiction with Western conventions. It details how van Gulik immersed himself in Chinese culture, joining the Tianfeng Qin Society in Chongqing, interacting with scholars like Xu Beihong and Yu Youren, and marrying Chinese woman Shi Shifang. His scholarship challenged Western stereotypes of Chinese legal traditions by highlighting their rationality and humanity through works like *Tangyin Bishi*. The article notes the "cultural return" phenomenon as his works were translated back into Chinese, impressing Chinese readers with his accurate portrayal of classical civilization. Van Gulik's legacy is presented as a model for cross-cultural dialogue, transcending Eurocentrism through material culture and deep engagement with Chinese literati life.
Summary: The article describes Naples' layered underground city, starting with Greek quarries and Roman aqueducts, later used as bomb shelters during World War II. It notes how residents once used the tunnels for resistance against German forces in 1943. Since 2015, the "Underground Garden" project has cultivated vegetables using artificial light in the humid tunnels. The piece does not discuss any official's statements or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The article contrasts genuine rural live-streaming efforts by officials like Party Secretary An Jin and village chief Liu Yong with fraudulent "pro-farmer" broadcasts that use actors and rented venues to sell low-grade tea as premium. It notes that these scams often originate from former fake jade-selling teams, harming both consumers and real tea farmers. The text warns that such staged content erodes public trust and undermines authentic agricultural e-commerce, which has driven national online rural retail sales past 3 trillion yuan. It calls for stricter penalties, cross-platform blacklists, and stronger platform oversight to curb these deceptive practices. The piece concludes that while livestreaming can boost rural revitalization, only sincerity and integrity can sustain long-term industry growth.
Summary: The article reports on China's efforts to mitigate agricultural losses during extreme flooding, highlighting a shift from reactive disaster relief to a comprehensive system of rapid response ("qiang"), technological prevention ("fang"), and long-term reinforcement ("gu"). Officials such as Chongqing's agricultural technicians and Zhejiang's party service teams are described as assisting farmers with replanting, emergency harvesting, and drainage operations. In Shandong, technician Lan Xiaobang advised on post-storm field management, while in Hebei, station chief Jia Zhizhong detailed how greenhouse infrastructure withstood hailstorms. The piece also notes that the Ministry of Agriculture dispatched four working groups to seven key provinces to guide early prevention and recovery measures. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A 1990s overseas returnee, Yu Qingyun, left a stable job in Shanghai to open a floating coffee shop on a disused reservoir in Xinchang County, Zhejiang. The township government designated her project a "No. 1 Project for Youth Returning to Hometown," coordinating with State Grid to resolve electricity issues. Village Party Secretary Liang Zhenguo praised Yu for revitalizing local tourism, while town Party Secretary Lu Yunjiang highlighted comprehensive support policies for young entrepreneurs. The business created 18 direct jobs and spurred nearby农家乐 and camping sites, with the reservoir attracting 50,000 visitors in 2025. The success has drawn over 20 other young returnees, shifting local attitudes toward rural entrepreneurship.
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Summary: An article describes a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) health event in a Beijing community, then discusses a May 2024 national guideline urging TCM integration into grassroots public health committees. It proposes embedding TCM services into community governance via shared facilities, training, and embedding TCM into chronic disease and elderly care. The commentary emphasizes closing the “last mile” for TCM access in rural and urban communities, including incorporating TCM culture into local customs.
Summary: The article reports that China's biomedical industry is advancing rapidly, with 38 innovative drugs and 42 medical devices approved in the first half of 2025, including several globally first-of-their-kind products. It highlights companies like Rongchang Bio and Microport, which have developed proprietary technologies to break monopolies, with executives Fang Jianmin and Ji Xiaofei emphasizing the importance of independent innovation. Government initiatives, including a 217-billion-yuan fund in Beijing and streamlined approval processes, have supported these efforts. An unnamed official from the National Medical Products Administration stated that the agency will further shorten clinical trial and review timelines to accelerate the launch of "Chinese-made, globally new" products.
Summary: The article provides flood-related health guidance from the director of the Emergency Department at the Emergency General Hospital, emphasizing water safety (boiling or chemical disinfection), food hygiene (discarding flood-contaminated items, thorough cooking), skin protection against contaminated water, and environmental cleaning with disinfectants to prevent disease. No U.S. or U.S.-China relations are discussed.
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Summary: This article reflects on the contradictions in Yuan Longping’s life, highlighting his dedication to hybrid rice research at the cost of family obligations, such as missing his parents’ final moments. It contrasts his free-spirited personal life—enjoying mahjong, music, and swimming—with his relentless pursuit of scientific breakthroughs, including manually finding a rare male-sterile rice plant. Yuan’s limited involvement in his sons’ upbringing is juxtaposed with his deep mentorship of students, exemplified by recommending one to Cornell University for doctoral studies. The narrative underscores that Yuan’s seeming contradictions stem from a singular commitment to solving China’s food security. The article does not discuss U.S.-China relations directly, but Yuan’s support for his student’s U.S. education ties to American academic connections.
Summary: Wen Jieruo, a renowned translator and retired editor at People's Literature Publishing House, celebrated her 100th birthday on July 15. The article highlights her lifelong dedication to translating foreign literature, particularly Japanese works, and her remarkable work ethic, including her habit of meticulously revising drafts on homemade纸条. Despite her age, Wen remains intellectually engaged, recently expressing interest in reading a novel by Osamu Dazai about Lu Xun. She earlier declared her intention to "live to 100 and work to 100," emulating the centenarian scholar Zhou Youguang. Her advice to young people, delivered on her birthday, was to "work more while young."
Summary: The article discusses the book *Super Species: Human Evolution and the Development of Civilization*, which adopts an Eastern perspective to counter the Western-centric view of human history. It argues that civilization is a product of natural selection, driven by the need for food and mates, with group stability and male competition shaping social structures. The author highlights how hunting, brain evolution, and warfare influenced human development, noting that patrilocal residence helped reduce conflict. The book traces civilization from the Congo River to the Eurasian steppes, examining the interplay between agricultural and nomadic societies, the rise of industrial civilization, and the implications of artificial intelligence. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: An editor from Central Compilation & Translation Press describes receiving a manuscript on Chinese cave temples that reveals a vast, previously underappreciated network of grottoes, including small sites with Persian-style motifs from the Tang dynasty and caves in Northeast China that expand the historical map. The book, authored by Dunhuang Academy researcher Sun Xiaofeng and cave-translation scholar Yang Xiangling, uses field-surveyed images and text to show how stylistic shifts in sculptures and murals reflect dynastic changes, ethnic integration, and cross-border exchanges along the Silk Road. The editor laments that most visitors only take photos without understanding the historical depth, framing the book as a remedy for this cultural disconnect.
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Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 23 (Xinhua) — Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Opinions on Strengthening Social Work in the New Era (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions), making arrangements for strengthening social work in the new era.
The Opinions point out that social work is an important component of the work of the Party and the state, bearing on the Party's long-term governance and the country's enduring peace and stability, and bearing on social harmony and stability and the people's well-being and happiness. To strengthen social work in the new era, we must adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, thoroughly implement the spirit of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party and successive plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, earnestly implement the deployments of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, comprehensively implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on social work, profoundly comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), enhance the Four Consciousnesses (四个意识), strengthen the Four Confidences (四个自信), achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护), uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over social work, adhere to a people-centered approach, follow the Party's mass line in the new era, uphold and develop the Fengqiao Experience (枫桥经验) in the new era, improve the social governance system of co-construction, co-governance, and co-sharing, prominently focus on Party building in new economic organizations, new social organizations, and new employment groups (新经济组织、新社会组织、新就业群体), continuously enhance the Party's appeal, cohesion, and influence in emerging fields, focus on Party building leading grassroots governance and grassroots political power construction, focus on the work of uniting and serving the masses, unswervingly follow the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics, promote high-quality development of social work in the new era, and use high-efficiency governance to promote a positive interaction between high-quality development and high-level security, so as to better serve and safeguard the work of the Party and the state.
The Opinions require that the systems and mechanisms for the Party to lead social work be improved. Uphold the centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, and improve the working mechanisms for implementing the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments on social work. Perfect the system for studying and implementing the Party's innovative theories, making General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on social work an important part of the theoretical study center groups of Party committees (Party leadership groups) (党委（党组）) at all levels, and incorporating them into cadre education and training and social worker training content. Improve the mechanisms for theoretical propaganda and explanation in the field of social work, promoting it to enter villages, communities, enterprises, new economic organizations and new social organizations, and new employment groups. Build a work pattern of unified leadership by Party committees, overall coordination by Party committee social work departments, coordination and cooperation by relevant departments, and extensive participation by social forces. Party committees (Party leadership groups) at all levels must attach great importance to social work, regularly study and make deployments, and resolve key and difficult issues.
The Opinions require strengthening Party building in emerging fields. Promote the tangible and effective coverage of the Party's organizations and work. Strengthen Party building work in new economic organizations, improve the quality of Party building work in non-public enterprises, do a good job in Party building work on Internet platform enterprises, explore new paths for Party building work in science and technology innovation enterprises, strengthen classified guidance for Party building work in mixed-ownership enterprises, and promote Party building work in small and micro enterprises, individual industrial and commercial households, and specialized markets based on actual conditions. Strengthen Party building work in new social organizations, deepen the reform of social organizations, strengthen Party building work in social groups, foundations, social service agencies, and social intermediary organizations, support urban and rural community social organizations in participating in grassroots governance and serving the masses under the leadership of township (street) and village (community) Party organizations. Strengthen the regulation of elections and the management of leading personnel in industry associations and chambers of commerce, and continuously promote the governance of industry practices. Strengthen Party building work in new employment groups, explore effective ways to strengthen Party building in new employment groups, strengthen care, cohesion, service, and management for new employment groups, strengthen the governance of Internet platform algorithms, and improve the social security system that suits the characteristics of new employment groups.
The Opinions require strengthening Party building to lead grassroots governance and grassroots political power construction. Strengthen the leading role of grassroots Party organizations, build and strengthen grassroots Party organizations, continuously rectify weak and lax grassroots Party organizations, improve the grassroots oversight system, and continuously rectify unhealthy practices and corruption issues around the people. Strengthen grassroots political power construction, build a township (street) management system that is led by Party committees, coordinated by the Party and government, simple, efficient, and convenient for the people, and enhance capabilities in administrative execution, serving the people, deliberation and consultation, emergency management, and safe construction. Continuously reduce burdens and empower grassroots, fully implement the list of duties for township (street) performance, improve the access system for village (community) work items, promote the integration of multiple grids into one at the grassroots level, consolidate and deepen the results of clearing and rectifying the excessive hanging of signs (滥挂牌) at grassroots organizations. Improve the urban and rural grassroots governance system led by Party organizations and combining autonomy, rule of law, and rule of virtue, strengthen rural governance, improve community governance, effectively play the role of city charters, resident conventions, village regulations and agreements, etc., and improve the mechanism for the role of family, family education, and family tradition building.
The Opinions require doing a good job in the work of uniting and serving the masses. Strengthen and improve the people's petition work, deepen the reform of the petition system, promote the legalization of petition work, and continuously promote the source governance of petition issues and the resolution of backlog cases. Strengthen service management for social groups, strengthen ideological and political guidance, legally protect the legitimate rights and interests of all types of social groups, smooth the channels for reflecting interests and appeals, promptly respond to the concerns of different social groups, and solve the people's urgent, difficult, and anxious problems with heart and soul. Expand channels for regular contact with the masses, give play to the role of Party organizations and Party members, people's organizations, people's congress deputies, CPPCC members, etc., resolve conflicts in the bud and at the grassroots level. Do a good job in the collection of people's suggestions, establish a sound system for collecting people's suggestions at different levels and tiers, smooth and expand collection channels, and improve the mechanism for transforming achievements. Develop the volunteer service cause, improve the volunteer service system, cultivate volunteer culture, select and publicize outstanding models, improve incentive and reward measures, and stimulate the vitality of volunteer service.
The Opinions emphasize strengthening basic guarantees. Improve a complete, scientific and standardized, practical and effective, and smoothly functioning system of laws and regulations for social work. Strengthen position construction, improve the urban and rural grassroots service system, enhance service functions for new employment groups and others, expand social work service platforms, and support, regulate, and guide the development of social work service institutions. Make good use of information technology means, promote the construction of smart communities and digital villages, improve the mechanism for responding to and handling people's demands, and promote the digital and intelligent transformation of social work. Coordinate the promotion of social worker team building, give play to the role of community workers, social work professionals, volunteers, and Party workers in the field of social work, and improve the professional service level of social work. Strengthen the self-construction of social work departments, and build a social work cadre team that is politically steadfast, of excellent quality, caring for the masses, serving society, and with a strong work style.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 何 聪 吴秋余 窦瀚洋
How long does it take to stroll through the Yiwu International Trade Market? Even if you spend three minutes at each shop and eight hours a day shopping, it would take more than a year. That is because it has more than 80,000 shops, and a business area of 8 million square meters crammed with a dazzling array of goods.
Neither leaning against a river, nor facing the sea, nor bordering any frontier, Yiwu, this "city built on a market," has more than 1.29 million business entities engaged in "buying and selling globally," marketing over 2.1 million kinds of goods, and linking more than 230 countries and regions. In the first quarter of this year, Yiwu's total import and export value increased by 25% year-on-year, surpassing the 200 billion yuan mark one month earlier than last year.
During his work in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping visited Yiwu many times for research, summed up and promoted the "Yiwu Development Experience" (义乌发展经验), and insightfully pointed out that Yiwu's development is a development of "inexplicable" (莫名其妙 - mò míng qí miào - "unable to name or describe its wonder," i.e., defying conventional explanation), a development of "something out of nothing" (无中生有 - wú zhōng shēng yǒu - "creating something from nothing"), and a development of "turning stone into gold" (点石成金 - diǎn shí chéng jīn - "touching stone and turning it to gold," i.e., making the ordinary valuable).
A single rattle-drum shook the whole world. Over the years, Yiwu has "persisted in revitalizing the city through commerce, promoted industrial linkage, emphasized urban-rural coordination, advanced harmonious development, enriched cultural heritage, and strived for proactive Party and government action," using hard work to drive "small commodities, big markets, continuously creating new brilliance." The "Yiwu Development Experience" has shown vigorous and lasting vitality.
In April this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction emphasizing: "Yiwu's small commodities broke into a big market and became a large industry, forming the 'Yiwu Development Experience.' This is a successful practice of developing county economies in accordance with local conditions." "It is necessary to combine the study and education on establishing and practicing the correct concept of political achievements, to further summarize and make good use of the 'Yiwu Development Experience,' guide all localities to base themselves on their own resource endowments, respect the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, reform and innovate, work hard and do solid work, and persevere without letup, to explore high-quality development paths that suit their own realities, and better serve and integrate into the overall national development situation."
As the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" begins, the "Yiwu Development Experience" has important enlightening significance for all localities to keep their feet on the ground, work hard and do solid work, and solidly promote high-quality economic development.
Base on oneself, adapt to local conditions
Persist in the main regional development strategy of revitalizing the city through commerce, and iteratively upgrade the big market through relay efforts
The market is Yiwu's root and soul; it has been continuously iterated and updated, and now has reached the sixth generation.
"One click to open a store, open a store globally." Follow Futian Road north, then turn onto Yinhai Road; the fifth-generation market — Yiwu International Trade Market (义乌国际商贸城) Districts 1 through 5 — spreads out in sequence. Walking eastward, the sixth-generation market, which opened in October last year — Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center (义乌全球数贸中心) — is fashionable and modern, realizing integrated indoor and outdoor artificial intelligence navigation, and scenario applications such as robot interactive explanations and on-site inspections give the market a strong sense of technology.
Three generations of Yiwu merchants have witnessed the transformation of Yiwu's small commodities market through perseverance and innovation. The 74-year-old Zhang Chunhua (张春花) came to visit the new shop of her grandson, He Tao (何涛). She looked up and looked around, her eyes full of novelty: "The market in my day simply cannot compare." Beside her, Zhang Chunhua's daughter, Zhang Qiaomei (张巧妹), stroked the plush toys in the shop with great affection: "The plush toys my son sells are more trendy."
In 1992, Zhang Chunhua had a stall in the fourth-generation small commodities market, Huangyuan Market (篁园市场). "That was Yiwu's first large indoor market; when doing business, you were neither blown by the wind nor exposed to the sun." Following the pace of reform and opening up, she ran a booming plush toy business.
The baton was passed to her daughter Zhang Qiaomei. Zhang Qiaomei seized the opportunity of China's accession to the WTO, actively dealt with foreign customers, and achieved impressive results from a 9-square-meter stall. "I have regular customers in dozens of countries and regions."
"Actively embrace the artificial intelligence era, and let innovation and creativity become a new growth point for trade." By the time it was He Tao's generation — he was born after 2000 — he had opened up sales channels on social media, changed the traditional way of distributing goods, added a dedicated experience area in the shop, focused on "combination of wholesale and retail" for trendy toys, and attracted many customers through internet traffic.
In the "Golden Dream Beauty" (金梦佳人) accessories shop in the Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center, the owner, Lou Yiyang (楼依洋), was using the "Xiao Shang AI Vision Creation" (小商AI视创) module in the "World Yiwu" (世界义乌) commerce big model application to make videos. Just by capturing voice and inputting product keywords, a product promotion short video with AI-generated copy and matching music based on the original voice is completed in a few minutes. "Now it's more convenient and efficient to do business with foreign customers," Lou Yiyang said.
"You are all participants, builders, and contributors to Yiwu's development. You must continue to work hard and create new brilliance." In September 2023, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected the Yiwu International Trade Market, he had a cordial exchange with merchants and representatives of small business owners and encouraged them.
"Government acts, merchants dare to venture" — this contains the code to Yiwu's success.
Merchants break new ground through innovation; the market upgrades through transformation. "Promoting the expansion and upgrading of specialized markets is the leading and foundational aspect of Yiwu's development. We persist in revitalizing the city through commerce, continuously innovate and improve the market system around reducing transaction costs and improving circulation efficiency, achieving a leap from 'buying and selling nationwide' to 'buying and selling globally,'" said Ye Bangrui (叶帮锐), Secretary of the Yiwu Municipal Party Committee. In recent years, Yiwu has positioned e-commerce as a strategically leading industry for market expansion, applying digital supply chain platforms such as Zhijie Yuangang (智捷元港) and the "Yiwu Payment" (义支付) platform that provide one-stop trade services for global traders, driving deep integration of digital technology and market trade, and accelerating the digital transformation of the market.
Each region nurtures its own special characteristics; each special character gives rise to its own industry.
Over the years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the importance of adapting to local conditions, instructing all localities to "open each lock with its own key," and "adapt to local conditions, foster strengths and compensate for weaknesses, and find a high-quality development path suitable for the actual conditions of the region."
Basing themselves on their own resource endowments, respecting the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, insisting on combining an effective market with a proactive government, Yiwu has created a legend of county economic development in China, providing useful reference for all localities to explore high-quality development paths that suit their own realities.
Learning from the "Yiwu Development Experience," all localities should base themselves on differences in endowments, adhere to adapting measures to local conditions, implementing classified policies, and making targeted efforts, and take a specialized and differentiated path of high-quality economic development.
Anchor on special characteristics, persevere without letup (久久为功 - jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "long-term persistent effort")
Persist in drawing one blueprint to the end, and through industrial linkage promote small commodities into a large industry
Since the reform and opening up, a number of well-known specialized markets have sprung up like mushrooms. After decades of weathering the storms, Yiwu has grown stronger and stronger, topping the world as the largest distribution center for small commodities.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "A good blueprint, as long as it is scientific, practical, and conforms to the people's wishes, must be carried out one batch after another; what is achieved through hard work are all real results."
The ability to turn a "grassroots economy" into a "global business" relies precisely on the perseverance of "drawing one blueprint to the end." Over the years, Yiwu has not blindly chased trends, but has anchored on the path of "small commodities trade" for decades, cultivating an industrial ecosystem of "nationwide production, Yiwu distribution, and global sales."
In late April, a palm-shaped hat that can be fixed on a brim for sun protection became popular online; from prototyping to mass production took less than half a day, and from production to cross-border shipment was completed within 48 hours. At the same time, Yiwu innovatively launched fun derivative styles such as the "orchid finger sun hat," driving over 200 local factories to collaborate in production, with a single-day production capacity of 500,000 pieces, and goods were quickly shipped to Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and other places.
"The market drives industry, and industry supports the market. Yiwu's biggest advantage is its concentrated supporting facilities and flexible production," said Wang Hongjian (王洪健), Office Director of the Yiwu Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. Yiwu, with small and medium-sized enterprises as the main body, deeply cultivates segmented links, with fine division of labor and quick response, driving the Yiwu market to launch an average of more than 500,000 new products annually, and supporting the production and operation of over 2.1 million small and micro enterprises nationwide.
In the shop of Zhejiang Aoge Clothing Co., Ltd. (浙江傲哥服饰有限公司) on the second floor of the Huangyuan Market, shirts of various fabrics and styles are dazzling. The company's baton passed to Pan Xiangqian (潘向前), born after 1990, who uses the Chinagoods digital trade platform to sell shirts all over the world.
"In the past, I made whatever the customer asked for; there was no core competitiveness." After Pan Xiangqian took over the company, he abandoned the previous homogeneous market goods and focused on the R&D and production of high-quality products. "The company develops about 200 new models each year, and the annual factory output of shirts totals about 1.8 million pieces."
On the other side, in the Digital and Intelligent Garment Industry Community (数字与智能化服装产业社区) in Dachen Town (大陈镇), intelligent manufacturing has become a "standard configuration." The traditional manufacturing model of measuring, garment making, and delivery for the shirt category has been compressed to 40 minutes here. According to the person in charge of the park, Dachen Town, which produces over 130 million shirts annually, has always taken the linkage between trade and industry as a core engine for high-quality development, establishing Yiwu's first trade-industry linkage industrial park — the Digital and Intelligent Garment Industry Community — forming a new type of trade-industry linkage industrial service complex integrating seven functional centers of production and manufacturing, cultivation and incubation, R&D and innovation, commerce and trade services, logistics and warehousing, smart operations, and living services, driving the overall upgrading of the industry.
One industry thrives, a hundred industries flourish. Today, Yiwu's industry, which grew out of market stalls, has given rise to over 1,100 industrial enterprises above designated size, achieving an output value of more than 150 billion yuan last year, forming a distinctive industrial system represented by new energy vehicles and parts, daily necessities, and others.
A correct regional economic development strategy must be pursued consistently. Zhu Chonglie (朱重烈), Secretary of the Jinhua Municipal Party Committee, said that over the past 20 years, under the guidance of the "Yiwu Development Experience," Jinhua and Yiwu have successively written a new chapter of development characterized by "inexplicable, something out of nothing, turning stone into gold."
Small commodities prop up a big market; small industries form a large cluster — this has become a distinct mark of the "Yiwu Development Experience." The "Yiwu Development Experience" enlightens all localities that the prerequisite for high-quality economic development is to identify one's own positioning; it is necessary to abandon the mindset of following trends and homogenization, rely on local resources, industries, culture, and location endowments, establish a development track suitable for oneself, maintain strategic resolve, and engage in long-term intensive cultivation.
Reform and innovate, work hard and do solid work
Deeply integrate into and serve the construction of a new development pattern through creative practice
How to quickly clear customs and "go to sea" for the massive number of small commodities, selling them all over the world?
"Consolidate several dozen types of goods into one container for customs clearance and 'going to sea.'" Cheng Keyuan (程科源), head of Zhejiang Yinghe International Logistics Co., Ltd. (浙江盈和国际物流有限公司), told reporters that the market procurement trade method reform pioneered by Yiwu solved the problem of convenient customs clearance for single-small, mixed-cargo goods, and "consolidating goods for going to sea" has become an important path for exports of domestic products.
"Why can't we only inspect the batch that is selected, instead of unpacking the entire container?" In June 2022, at a government-enterprise symposium, facing the responsible comrades from Yiwu City and Zhejiang Province, Cheng Keyuan spoke bluntly about the industry's pain point: originally, when consolidated container shipping became the norm, facing random inspection during customs clearance, all goods in the container had to be taken out for checking before being repacked, often delaying order fulfillment time.
Proceeding from reality, using reform methods to solve industry difficulties and pain points, relevant departments listened to the demands and acted quickly. In 2023, the country's first "inspect first, load later" (先查验后装运) innovation pilot landed in Yiwu, moving the inspection step forward: goods entered the supervised area, were inspected in batches, and then loaded into containers only after passing. In 2024, Yiwu launched a new round of comprehensive reform of international trade, with "inspect first, load later for export consolidated cargo" listed as a key breakthrough item. In 2025, this model was further extended to cross-border e-commerce.
Using reform methods to solve problems in development — this is the simple truth contained in the "Yiwu Development Experience."
A child grows too fast, but the clothes are too small; "a fast-growing child must be given a larger set of clothes." During his work in Zhejiang, regarding the institutional and mechanism obstacles encountered in Yiwu's development, Comrade Xi Jinping once made such a vivid analogy. At that time, Yiwu was developing rapidly but faced certain institutional and mechanism constraints, like ill-fitting small clothes restricting Yiwu, the "fast-growing child," from continuing to stride forward. In 2006, Zhejiang issued a document to solve the "small horse pulling a big cart" (小马拉大车) problem in Yiwu, promoting Yiwu to open a new chapter of reform and development.
Yiwu, having "changed into larger clothes," has continuously grown taller and stronger. In the comprehensive deepening of reform in the new era, Yiwu continues to polish the "golden card" of the World's Capital of Small Commodities.
Along the way, adhering to the spirit of reform to promote development practice, Yiwu has focused on "buying and selling globally," smoothed the global logistics network, continuously deepened the comprehensive reform of international trade, innovated new foreign trade formats and models such as brand going global, effectively responded to challenges from changes in the external environment, and driven Yiwu to gradually become a representative city serving the domestic and international dual circulation.
"Doing it alone is not as good as doing it together." He Lihong (何犁红), President of the Yiwu Brand Development Promotion Association (义乌市品牌发展促进会), often says this. As a pioneer in the "Yiwu Good Goods" (义乌好货) brand going global, she visited 28 countries last year in one go to promote the "Yiwu Selection" (Yiwu Selection) Yiwu brand collection store, which has already landed in 12 countries and regions including Kenya. "Compared with a single brand venturing out alone, a collection store can integrate industry advantages, form economies of scale, improve bargaining power, and effectively respond to the current complex and volatile international situation."
Since its launch in 2023, the "Yiwu China Small Commodity City" (义乌中国小商品城) brand going global plan has deployed 88 going-global projects in 38 countries and regions worldwide, driving more than 5,000 merchants to go overseas, helping exports to the United States increase by 25% last year, and exports to countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" increase by 22%.
Reform never stops, opening up never ceases — this has forged Yiwu's confidence for development through wind and rain, undeterred and unyielding.
Some regions face difficulties such as many constraints, small authority, and scarce resources. Only by promoting reform and innovation based on local realities can they effectively break development bottlenecks. To promote high-quality economic development, all localities should learn from Yiwu's reform spirit of emancipating the mind and bold exploration, insist on breaking the deadlock and empowering through reform, and promote localized and precise innovation.
Enrich the people and strengthen the county, achieve common prosperity between urban and rural areas
Fully leverage the radiating and driving role of the big market, and through urban-rural coordination, find an effective path for urban-rural integration and common prosperity
The growth of GDP brought about by economic development must ultimately be reflected in the people's sense of gain.
The developed Yiwu has always adhered to the original aspiration for development.
Walking into Lizu Village (李祖村), which strives to build itself as an "International Cultural Maker Village" (国际文化创客村), white walls and black tiles of village houses exude simplicity; cross-border trade live-streaming rooms, handcraft experience halls, cafes, and specialty restaurants are scattered along both sides of the village road; the sounds of woodworking and live-streaming interactions interweave in the ancient houses; over 100 new types of business forms such as design studios, intangible cultural heritage workshops, lifestyle brand stores, and creative markets are full of youth and creativity.
The "Desert Dyeing Workshop" (沙漠的染坊) is filled with laughter from time to time. Several villagers, under the guidance of the post-90s young maker Lou Shamoshuang (楼沙漠霜), are producing a batch of custom tie-dyed bunnies for customers. The 75-year-old villager Chen Meiying (陈美英) takes great pleasure in it.
"I can earn more than 3,000 yuan a month." For Chen Meiying, this is not only a job but also a joy in her old age. "There are more and more young people in the village; being with them makes me younger too."
Lizu Village, covering about 1 square kilometer, originally had about 700 villagers and was once a "hollow village" with a preponderance of left-behind elderly. After introducing professional managers, Lizu Village turned young makers into its most dynamic development resource, gathering 282 young makers, driving rapid growth in villagers' income. Last year, the village collective economic income was 4.656 million yuan.
Today, with Lizu Village as the center, linking 8 surrounding administrative villages, a "Greater Lizu" (大李祖) area of 18 square kilometers has been formed, taking a path of regional linkage development for common prosperity. By the end of last year, the area had more than 500 young makers returning to the countryside for development, and the annual cumulative sales of more than 240 business forms reached 125 million yuan.
Fully leveraging the radiating and driving role of the big market, Yiwu takes building the "World's Capital of Small Commodities" as an engine, plans seven major areas including the "Greater Lizu" area, and does a good job on three articles: "strengthening the city," "revitalizing the village," and "integrating." According to Wen Jianfei (温建飞), Mayor of Yiwu City, by 2025, Yiwu's urbanization rate has risen to 83.1%, the collective operating income of all 343 administrative villages has exceeded 1 million yuan, 225 e-commerce specialized villages have been formed, more than 1,390 agricultural makers have been cultivated, the disposable income of urban residents has ranked first among counties and cities nationwide for 19 consecutive years, and the urban-rural income ratio has narrowed to 1.76.
Letting everyone become wealthy through labor, becoming participants and builders of Chinese-style modernization. Over the years, Yiwu has always adhered to driving the countryside with the city and promoting industry with commerce, achieving two-way flow of industries and factors, balanced coverage of public services, allowing urban and rural residents to share the dividends of development, and achieving mutual promotion and progress between city and countryside.
Development for the people, development relying on the people, and development results shared by the people — this is the essential meaning of establishing and practicing the correct concept of political achievements, and also the starting point and foothold of Yiwu's development.
Learning from the "Yiwu Development Experience" means adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, and continuously finding effective paths for urban-rural integration and common prosperity through urban-rural coordination.
*** ***
Twenty years: a history of unswerving struggle, a history of reform and innovation and tackling tough issues, a history of connecting the five continents in development.
In the "Yiwu Development Experience" are hidden the original aspiration of "exchanging chicken feathers for sugar" (鸡毛换糖 - jī máo huàn táng - "trading chicken feathers for sugar," referring to the early peddler trade), the dream of "goods reaching the whole world," the wisdom of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and a model of high-quality development of county economies.
"Under the guidance of the 'Yiwu Development Experience,' Yiwu has relied on reform and innovation to break difficulties and increase advantages, continuously driving reform and development to achieve new results," said the main responsible comrade of Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee. Firmly establish and practice the correct concept of political achievements, continuously push the "Yiwu Development Experience" to go deeper and more solid, and promote high-quality economic development in Zhejiang.
Plan one region from the overall perspective, serve the overall situation with one region. By further summarizing and making good use of the "Yiwu Development Experience," reforming and innovating, working hard and doing solid work, and persevering without letup, all localities will surely blaze high-quality development paths that suit their own realities.
(Our reporter Dou Hao (窦皓) contributed to this article.)
Return to TopBy: 本报评论员
Yiwu’s small commodities broke into a big market and built a big industry. “This is a successful practice of 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí – “adapt measures to local conditions,” doing things according to local circumstances) for developing county-level economy.” In April of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction emphasizing, “It is necessary to combine the study and education on establishing and practicing the correct view on political achievements (正确政绩观), to further summarize and apply the Yiwu development experience (义乌发展经验), and to explore and find a path of high-quality development that suits each region’s actual conditions.”
This year marks the 20th anniversary of Comrade Xi Jinping personally summarizing and promoting the Yiwu development experience. During his work in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping visited Yiwu multiple times for investigations and stressed: “When all regions study the Yiwu development experience, the main point is not to learn Yiwu’s specific practices and unique features, but to learn Yiwu’s experience of how to creatively implement the central spirit and provincial party committee decisions and deployments from actual conditions; to learn Yiwu’s experience of how to base itself on local fundamental realities, carry forward local historical traditions, and blaze a development path suited to local characteristics; to learn Yiwu’s experience of how to respect the masses’ pioneering spirit and promote the masses’ creative practice.” Yiwu has always adhered to reform and innovation, truly grasping and doing solid work, and persisting for a long time to achieve success, continuously writing a new chapter of “small commodities, big market,” creating a miracle in China’s county-level economic development.
In the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan (十五五), it is of great significance to further summarize and apply the Yiwu development experience. County-level economy is the basic unit of the national economy. The study and education on establishing and practicing the correct view on political achievements focuses on leading bodies and leading cadres at the county level and above, especially the “first in command.” One important aspect is to lead high-quality development with the correct view on political achievements and to consolidate the county-level foundation of Chinese-style modernization. The Yiwu development experience is a vivid practice of the correct view on political achievements in county governance, a fresh sample of promoting high-quality development through solid work. It provides important inspiration for all regions to 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì – “stand on solid ground,” to be down-to-earth) and 善作善成 (shàn zuò shàn chéng – “good at doing and good at achieving,” to be good at doing things and achieving results), and to walk out of a high-quality development path that suits their own realities.
To promote high-quality development, the first priority is to establish a holistic perspective. The county is connected to cities on one side and to villages on the other, and the quality of its economic development directly affects the national economic cycle and coordinated regional development. Only by planning its own development with a broad vision and a big picture can it better serve and integrate into the overall national development. In line with the great tide of reform and opening up, whatever the market needs, it actively creates. It brings together more than 2.1 million types of commodities, becoming a “world supermarket” that “buys globally, sells globally.” Taking advantage of the favorable wind of high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road, the Zhejiang China-Europe Railway Express (Yi-Xin-Ou) (义新欧) spans the Eurasian continent, and the sea-rail intermodal transport connects with the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”… Without relying on rivers, not facing the sea, not bordering the border, Yiwu has developed and grown by continuously expanding domestic and international markets and smoothing the domestic and international dual circulation. It is a county-level model of “jumping out of Zhejiang to develop Zhejiang.”
“We must firmly establish the thinking of ‘the whole country is one chess game.’ Planning and promoting work in one’s own region and department must take implementing the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments as the premise, and carry out work creatively, achieving the effect of both adding luster to one’s own area and adding brilliance to the overall situation.” By precisely positioning oneself in the national overall situation, finding the connecting point between one’s own advantages and the overall work, planning one’s area from the overall situation and serving the overall situation with one’s area, one can continuously open up new horizons for development.
To promote high-quality development, the key is to adhere to 因地制宜. Each region should follow a path of rational division of labor and optimized development according to its conditions, so that each can display its strengths and 相得益彰 (xiāng dé yì zhāng – “each benefits from the other’s presence,” bring out the best in each other). Adhering unwaveringly to “promoting commerce to build the city,” promoting the leap from traditional trade forms to digital trade ecology; implementing the strategy of promoting industry through commerce and linking trade and industry, giving rise to more than 10 advantageous industrial clusters… It is precisely by adhering to one’s own endowments and step-by-step intensive cultivation that Yiwu has carved out a uniquely distinctive path of high-quality development.
Striving forward in the 15th Five-Year Plan, all regions must adhere to proceeding from actual conditions in everything, set reasonable goals, find the best path: where suitable for grain, develop grain; where suitable for agriculture, develop agriculture; where suitable for industry, develop industry; where suitable for commerce, develop commerce; do what is appropriate, refrain from what is not, and actively explore new paths of high-quality development with regional characteristics.
To promote high-quality development, it is necessary to deepen reform and innovation. Boldly explore in practice, and promote the development of the cause through reform and innovation, in order to better activate development momentum. Since Yiwu launched a new round of comprehensive reform of international trade, it has produced more than 40 “first orders,” “first cases,” and “first creations” at the national and provincial levels. From implementing a 史无前例 (shǐ wú qián lì – “unprecedented in history,” unprecedented) power expansion reform, to the landing of the nation’s first “inspect first, then load” innovative pilot model, removing ideological and institutional obstacles that restrict high-quality development, Yiwu’s development capacity has been continuously elevated.
To complete the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan, it is necessary to deal with a more complex environment and resolve more deep-seated contradictions. This requires all regions to respect the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, break through the situation with reform, empower with innovation, further liberate and develop social productive forces, and stimulate and enhance social vitality.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: “High-quality development is the primary task in comprehensively building a modern socialist country, and adhering to high-quality development must become an important content of leading cadres’ view on political achievements.” Taking the opportunity of the study and education on establishing and practicing the correct view on political achievements, drawing on the Yiwu development experience, opening up and innovating, working solidly and practicing sincerely, we will surely promote China’s high-quality development to continuously reach new levels.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 23 (Xinhua) -- Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, held talks with Gangcun Fufu, Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies of the Czech Republic, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on the 23rd.
Zhao Leji stated that maintaining and developing China-Czech relations serves the fundamental and long-term interests of both countries and also meets the common expectations of the peoples of both countries. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Czech strategic partnership. China is willing to work with the Czech side to carry forward traditional friendship, enhance understanding and mutual trust, strengthen exchanges and cooperation, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-Czech relations.
Zhao Leji noted that the new Czech government and Chamber of Deputies have adopted a positive and pragmatic policy toward China, and the Chinese side highly appreciates this. Both sides should consolidate the political foundation, solidify the momentum of improvement and progress in bilateral relations, and restart and strengthen exchanges and interactions across all fields and at all levels. Further tap cooperation potential, make good use of mechanisms such as the China-Czech Economic Joint Committee and the China-Central and Eastern European Countries Expo, explore strengthening cooperation in areas such as new energy and electric vehicles, and support enterprises from both countries in expanding investment and cooperation. Deepen people-to-people and cultural exchanges, expand cooperation in education, culture, science and technology, tourism, sub-national levels, and other areas, encourage the peoples of both countries, especially the younger generation, to increase interactions, and promote people-to-people connectivity. Strengthen coordination and collaboration in international affairs, practice true multilateralism, safeguard the multilateral trading system and the stability and smoothness of industrial and supply chains, and promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.
Zhao Leji emphasized that legislative body exchanges are an important component of the China-Czech strategic partnership. The National People's Congress of China is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with the Czech Chamber of Deputies, carry out exchanges and mutual learning on topics such as legislation and oversight, economic development, and improvement of people's livelihoods, formulate, amend, and approve legal documents conducive to bilateral cooperation, and maintain close communication and collaboration within multilateral mechanisms such as the Inter-Parliamentary Union. More Czech deputies are welcome to visit China.
Zhao Leji stated that President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, expounding China's positions and propositions and announcing a series of measures to further support global AI development and promote global AI capacity building. China is willing to work with all countries, including the Czech side, to strengthen exchanges and cooperation in relevant fields and promote the building of a fair and reasonable global AI governance system.
Gangcun Fufu said that the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the Czech-China strategic partnership holds special significance for the two countries, and he believes that on this solid foundation, bilateral relations will continue to advance. The Czech Republic adheres to the One-China policy. It hopes to strengthen tourism cooperation with China and welcomes more Chinese tourists to the Czech Republic; expand cooperation in areas such as trade and economy, cultural relic exhibitions, and direct flights, and increase people-to-people and cultural exchanges. The Czech Chamber of Deputies is willing to strengthen friendly exchanges with China's National People's Congress to enhance the friendship between the two peoples.
Zheng Jianbang attended the talks.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 23 — Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, met with Speaker of the Czech Chamber of Deputies Tomio Okamura in Beijing on the 23rd.
Wang Huning said that the friendly exchanges between the Chinese and Czech peoples have 源远流长 (yuǎn yuǎn liú cháng – “source distant, flow long,” meaning a long history). This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Czech strategic partnership. China-Czech cooperation has great potential and broad prospects. China is willing to work with the Czech side to make joint efforts, respect each other’s core interests and major concerns, strengthen practical cooperation, and promote the revitalization of China-Czech traditional friendship. Wang Huning introduced China’s principles and positions on the Taiwan issue and Tibet-related issues, and said that the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference is willing to contribute to promoting the healthy and stable development of China-Czech relations.
Tomio Okamura said that the Czech Republic adheres to the One-China policy, which is an important pillar of bilateral relations. The Czech side is willing to take the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the bilateral strategic partnership as an opportunity to strengthen dialogue and cooperation with China and promote the development of Czech-China relations. The Czech Chamber of Deputies is willing to advance exchanges and cooperation in areas such as economy, trade, tourism, direct flights, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries, and to enhance friendship between the peoples.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 23 – The State Council recently issued the National Fitness Plan (2026–2030) (《全民健身计划（2026—2030年》）) (hereinafter referred to as the “Plan”), making arrangements for promoting the high-quality development of the National Fitness (全民健身) endeavor during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
The Plan emphasizes that it is necessary to adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as a guide, adhere to the people-centered development thinking, promote the deep integration of National Fitness and National Health (全民健身和全民健康深度融合), continuously improve the public service system for National Fitness, actively construct a work pattern for National Fitness featuring Party committee leadership, government dominance, department coordination, social collaboration, multi-stakeholder participation, and legal guarantee (党委领导、政府主导、部门联动、社会协同、多元参与、法治保障), further enhance the balance and accessibility of basic public services for National Fitness, and accelerate the building of a sports powerhouse and a Healthy China.
The Plan specifies that by 2030, a higher-level public service system for National Fitness will be increasingly improved, the product and service supply capacity will be continuously enhanced and quality will be steadily raised, venues and facilities around the masses will be more abundant and high-quality, mass sports events and National Fitness activities will be more abundant, National Fitness public services will be safer and more standardized, various types of sports organizations will develop in an orderly manner, the concept of National Fitness will be deeply rooted in the people’s hearts and the atmosphere will be increasingly strong, and sports activities will become a lifestyle widely participated in by the masses. The per capita sports venue area will reach about 4 square meters, the number of social sports instructors per thousand people will reach about 3.3, the proportion of people who regularly participate in physical exercise will reach about 40 percent, and the national physical fitness level will continue to improve.
The Plan deploys 10 main tasks, including continuously improving the institutional system for National Fitness, further strengthening the construction of fitness venues and facilities around the masses, carrying out rich and colorful mass events and activities, improving the service network of National Fitness organizations, enhancing the ability to provide scientific fitness guidance services, using artificial intelligence to empower the development of National Fitness, meeting the differentiated fitness needs of different population groups, popularizing the culture of National Fitness, giving play to the multiple functions and comprehensive value of National Fitness, and strengthening the safety management of National Fitness, among others. The Plan also proposes safeguard measures around the completion of the goals and tasks.
The Plan requires that the Party’s comprehensive leadership over the National Fitness work be upheld and strengthened. Local people’s governments at or above the county level shall integrate the development of the National Fitness endeavor with the implementation of their regional national economic and social development plans.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云杉 邱超奕
Energy is vital to the national economy, the people's livelihood, and national security.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The energy issue is a strategic issue in development" and "we must firmly follow the path of clean, low-carbon development." The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes to deeply implement the new energy security strategy, accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system, and build an energy-strong nation.
Since the beginning of this year, the global energy market has experienced剧烈波动. China's energy supply is sufficient, relying on both independent production and diversified imports to effectively meet all types of energy demand.
In the first half of the year, domestic crude oil, natural gas, and electricity production all reached record highs for the same period. Crude oil output from industries above the designated size increased by 0.9% year-on-year, natural gas by 1.6%, and power generation by 3.5%. Production of major energy products was stable... Under pressure, transforming and improving quality, the energy industry has withstood shocks and demonstrated strong resilience.
Resilience: Effectively Responding to External Shocks
On May 27, the first phase of China's billion-tonne oilfield, the Kenli 10-2 oilfield group in the Bohai Sea, was fully put into production, with daily crude oil output exceeding 2,800 tonnes.
Feng Shuo, chief engineer of the Bo'nan Operations Company of CNOOC Tianjin, said that the Kenli 10-2 oilfield is located in the southern Bohai Sea, with proven geological reserves of over 100 million tonnes. It is China's largest offshore shallow-layer lithologic oilfield. This production will provide important support for the stable and increased production of the Bohai oilfield, the country's largest crude oil production base.
With energy market turbulence, how has China, as the largest oil-importing country, maintained stable economic and social operation? The stability of energy supply has played a key role.
The raw coal production safety net is solid and strong. In the first half of the year, industries above the designated size produced 2.37 billion tonnes of raw coal, with an average daily output of 13.07 million tonnes, the second highest for the same period in history.
Oil and gas output reached a record high for the same period. In the first half of the year, crude oil output from industries above the designated size increased by 0.9% year-on-year, and natural gas output increased by 1.6%, both record highs for the same period.
Electricity production maintained growth. As of the end of June, the country's cumulative installed power generation capacity reached 4.04 billion kilowatts. In the first half of the year, power generation from industries above the designated size was approximately 4.8 trillion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 3.5%.
Stronger multi-energy coordination guarantee capability. The continuous improvement of the energy production, supply, storage, and sales system (能源产供储销体系), and the accelerated construction of supporting capabilities such as ultra-high voltage transmission, pumped storage, and new energy storage, ensure that large-scale new energy installations are "built, delivered, and consumed," enhancing the energy system's risk resistance and independent controllability from the source.
The diversified import strategy layout provides a strong guarantee. At present, China has built four major energy import channels — northwest, northeast, southwest, and maritime — covering more than 100 countries and regions.
"Looking outward, China has relied on the diversified energy import strategy layout to resist risks; looking inward, high corporate inventories and the huge domestic market volume have offset fluctuations and stabilized expectations, while precise regulation and appropriate bottom-line support for refined oil product prices have reduced the transmission pressure of international oil prices to the real economy," said Lü Wenbin, director of the Energy Research Institute of the Academy of Macroeconomic Research under the National Development and Reform Commission. Currently, China's energy supply and demand are generally stable, with stronger resilience.
Green: Clean Energy Accelerates to Become the "Leading Role"
In the vast deserts and seas, green energy builds the foundation. On July 10, the supporting coal power project for the Kubuqi Desert power transmission to Shanghai project commenced in Dalad Banner, Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, marking the start of the construction phase of the Huaneng Kubuqi ten-million-kilowatt-level "sand, Gobi, and barren land" (沙戈荒) base.
"After the Kubuqi large base is completed, it can transmit approximately 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Shanghai each year, of which new energy annual power generation reaches 23.3 billion kilowatt-hours, and it can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 17 million tonnes annually, further promoting the achievement of the 'dual carbon' (双碳) goals," said Hao Wenyi, general manager of Huaneng Kubuqi Power Generation Co., Ltd.
Looking across the country: In Lhasa, Tibet, the world's highest-altitude trough-type solar thermal power station — the CGN Tibet Wumatang 50 MW solar thermal project — has started construction; in Ningde, Fujian, the dome hoisting of Unit 5 of the CGN Fujian Ningde nuclear power plant was completed, laying the foundation for subsequent installation, commissioning, and grid connection; in Kunming, Yunnan, the first batch of units of China's largest single-unit-capacity plateau mountain wind power project — the China Datang Julongliang Wind Farm expansion project — were successfully connected to the grid... New energy power generation projects are constantly refreshing the "progress bar," reflecting the strong "green" trend of China's energy transition.
Looking at installed capacity: As of the end of June, combined wind and solar installed capacity accounted for nearly half of the total installed capacity across all sources. China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, and the energy structure is becoming more distinctly green and low-carbon.
Looking at power generation: As of the end of April, renewable energy power generation reached 1.2 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 36.4% of total social electricity consumption. Today, for every 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity used in China, nearly 4 kilowatt-hours are green electricity. As one of the fastest countries in the world in reducing energy intensity, China is driving the output of more green GDP with surging green productivity.
Progress: The New Energy System Supports the Accelerated Development of New Quality Productive Forces
A new channel for "West-to-East electricity transmission" (西电东送) has been added! On June 30, the Shaanbei–Anhui ±800 kV ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project was fully completed and put into operation.
Tang Jie, executive project manager of the Hezhou Converter Station owner's project of State Grid Anhui Construction Company, said that after the project is fully completed and put into operation, it can transmit more than 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Anhui each year, of which new energy electricity accounts for over 50%, adding a powerful energy engine for Anhui's development of industries such as new displays, integrated circuits, and artificial intelligence.
New power grids are an important carrier of the new energy system. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, 15 new ultra-high voltage direct current green electricity corridors will be put into operation, the scale of West-to-East electricity transmission will exceed 420 million kilowatts, and fixed asset investment in the national power grid will reach more than 5 trillion yuan.
Looking at energy from beyond energy, the deep coupling of the new energy system with emerging industries will provide solid support for the development of new quality productive forces.
In Zhongwei, Ningxia, photovoltaic arrays stretch endlessly. In May this year, China's first large-scale "computing-electricity synergy" (算电协同) green electricity direct supply project — the China Datang Zhongwei Cloud Base 500 MW photovoltaic power station — was put into operation here.
"This photovoltaic power station generates 970 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually. Its electricity does not pass through the large power grid but is transmitted 'point-to-point' directly to the nearby computing power park, forming an integrated closed-loop system from photovoltaic power generation to computing power consumption, achieving a deep coupling of clean energy and the digital information industry," said Jin Liang, senior engineer of the China Datang Zhongwei New Energy Project.
From "watt" to "bit," the value of one kilowatt-hour of electricity leaps. In the Shantou Overseas Chinese Economic and Cultural Cooperation Pilot Zone, Guangdong, one kilowatt-hour of electricity costing about 0.5 yuan, after being processed into tokens (词元) by AI computing power and exported, can see its value jump to 11 yuan, a 22-fold increase. If calculated at offshore wind power prices and using high-end chips to deploy popular closed-source models, the value leap can exceed 60 times.
In Jiangsu, the country's first land-sea integrated flexible direct current converter station has set sail; in Chongqing, the country's first 550 MW F-class gas turbine project has been put into operation; in Tibet, the hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River is steadily advancing... At present, many new projects are being pushed forward in an orderly manner. By building a new energy system and accelerating the construction of an energy-strong nation, high-quality economic and social development will gain more solid energy security.
(Xue Ziyi contributed to the reporting.)
Return to TopTheory: The Great Epochal Value of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building
Ninth Edition
By: 本报记者 丁雅诵 吴 月 闫伊乔
To build a powerful country in education, the starting point lies in basic education. On July 22, the National Basic Education Work Conference was held in Beijing. The meeting conveyed the important instructions recently made by General Secretary Xi Jinping regarding basic education work.
The important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping have pointed the direction for doing a good job in basic education work during the new era and on the new journey. The participating representatives and the vast number of educators were deeply inspired and their enthusiasm has doubled; everyone expressed that they will study and comprehend them deeply, ensure thorough implementation, and with even more high-spirited fighting spirit and pragmatic actions, devote themselves to the reform and development of basic education to continuously create a new situation of high-quality development in basic education.
The important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping possess strong political, ideological, and guiding qualities. "We feel greatly inspired, and also feel the heavy responsibility on our shoulders," said Wu Yongming, Secretary of the Education Working Committee of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. "We must take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as guidance, comprehensively implement the Party's educational principles, implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, anchor the goal of running education that satisfies the people, and cultivate socialist builders and successors who develop comprehensively in morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor."
What kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate them, and for whom to cultivate them are the fundamental questions of education, and also the core topics for building a powerful country in education.
"Implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education," "unswervingly using the Party's innovative theories to forge souls and educate people"... Studying the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, Zhou Sunxin, a teacher of Morality and the Rule of Law at Zhangjiang Gaoke Experimental Primary School in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, had deeper reflections on future work.
Ideological and political courses are the key courses for implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education. "As an ideological and political course teacher, we must guide students to 扣好人生第一粒扣子 (kòu hǎo rén shēng dì yī lì kòu zi - "fasten the first button of life," to establish correct values and principles from an early age)." Zhou Sunxin stated that they must persist in using textbooks as the foundation, transform grand themes into perceptible and reachable dialogues of growth, and utilize resources such as red education venues and artificial intelligence interactive experiences to create ideological and political classrooms that children find pleasing.
General Secretary Xi Jinping always cares about the healthy growth of adolescents and emphasized "implementing the 'health first' education concept." With light in their eyes, dreams in their hearts, and paths under their feet, the healthy growth of children concerns family happiness and is even more related to the future competitiveness of the country.
"General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that we must follow the laws of education, implement the 'health first' education concept, improve the quality of education and teaching, and promote the physical and mental health and the growth and success of the broad student body. This has clarified the direction and path for our next steps of work," said Li Yi, Director of the Beijing Municipal Commission of Education. "We must treat the promotion of students' physical and mental health as the foundational work of fostering virtue through education, persist in the idea that the greatest achievement of education is the transformation of 'people,' and promote the cultivation of healthy lifestyles in multi-dimensional ways."
"To thoroughly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, we must discard the bad tendency of 'emphasizing scores while neglecting health,' and through strengthening physical exercise, aesthetic education, and labor practice, help every child grow toward the sun and become successful with confidence," said Tao Jianwen, Principal of Kechuang Road Primary School in Yanta District, Xi'an, Shaanxi.
Educational equity is an important foundation for social equity, and basic education is an important starting point for educational equity. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized "advancing the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education, and firmly guarding the bottom line of educational equity," which has made the vast number of basic education workers feel a heavy responsibility.
Liu Yanbing, Director of the Chongqing Municipal Commission of Education, stated that they will closely follow the people's new expectations for "attending good schools," taking the expansion of quality and improvement as the main line and fairness and inclusivity as the background color, to promote a new leap in Chongqing's basic education. Focusing on structural optimization, they will promote the expansion of central urban areas and the integration and quality improvement of rural schools; focusing on excellent education sharing, they will deepen the construction of educational communities and expand the coverage of high-quality resources; focusing on people's benefits and sense of gain, they will deepen "sunshine enrollment" to guarantee the enrollment rights of children of migrant workers and children with disabilities.
"Guarding the bottom line of educational equity requires persisting in the public welfare attribute of basic education, accelerating the expansion of quality and improvement, and continuously adapting to the new expectations of the people." Facing the new demands brought by population changes, inclusive childcare services have become the focus of work for An Huixia, Principal of Xinghua Etiquette Kindergarten in Wanbolin District, Taiyuan, Shanxi. An Huixia stated that they must implement accessibility and inclusive high quality into reality, allowing more families to enjoy high-quality preschool education.
Teachers are the foundation of establishing education and the source of flourishing education. Only with high-quality teachers can there be high-quality education. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must carry forward the educator spirit, strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and professional conduct, and cultivate and create a high-quality professional teaching force."
Wang Shen, Vice Principal of the Affiliated Experimental School of Tianjin Normal University, stated that they must strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and professional conduct, promote the integration of the educator spirit into the entire process of teacher cultivation and training, and guide school teachers to establish themselves through virtue, pursue learning through virtue, and teach through virtue, using noble teacher ethics to illuminate the growth path of every student.
"Cultivating and creating a high-quality professional teaching force requires us to earnestly guard our main responsibilities and main business, and continuously supply more excellent teachers to basic education," said Shang Qingfei, Party Committee Secretary of Nanjing Normal University. The university will actively implement the "National Excellence Program" and other initiatives, focusing on researching new situations, solving new problems, and forming new experiences in the reform of excellent teacher cultivation, using pragmatic measures to promote the construction of a high-quality professional teaching force.
Basic education is the undertaking of the whole society. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Deepen the comprehensive reform of education and promote schools, families, and society to exert strength in the same direction."
During the summer vacation, museums and science and technology museums within Shandong Province have welcomed many visiting students. In recent years, Shandong has deeply promoted the comprehensive reform of basic education, launching reform measures such as the collaborative cultivation of students by families, schools, and society.
"The fundamental point of building a high-quality education system and running education that satisfies the people lies in deepening the comprehensive reform of education," said Chen Bichang, Director of the Shandong Provincial Department of Education. "We will earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, continue to use comprehensive reform as a grip and the expansion of quality and improvement as the main line, adapt to the new expectations of the people, strive to consolidate the strategic starting point of basic education, and run education that satisfies the people."
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Xinhua) — The sixth session of the series of policy briefings on the theme "Ensuring and Improving People's Livelihood in the Course of High-Quality Development," jointly organized by the Central Publicity Department (中央宣传部), the Central and State Organs Work Committee (中央和国家机关工委), the Ministry of Education (教育部), the Political Work Department of the Central Military Commission (中央军委政治工作部), and the Beijing Municipal Committee (北京市委), was held in Beijing on July 23. Huai Jinpeng (怀进鹏), Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Education, delivered a special briefing titled "Striving to Advance the Building of an Educationally Strong Country, Running Education to the Satisfaction of the People."
In his briefing, Huai Jinpeng pointed out that since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to education work, making major arrangements to give priority to the development of education, accelerate the modernization of education, and build an educationally strong country. Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee and with vigorous support from the whole of society, China has established the world's largest and quality-oriented education system. The country's levels of education popularization and equity rank among the highest in the world. Notable achievements have been made in fulfilling the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing talent (立德树人), providing universal and high-quality public education services, strengthening basic research and scientific and technological innovation to support economic and social development, deepening comprehensive education reform, and building an important global education center with significant influence. The education enterprise of the new era has undergone a transformative change in its landscape.
Huai Jinpeng stated that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the internal and external environments facing the building of an educationally strong country have undergone profound changes. China's education has entered a critical juncture of systemic leapfrogging from large scale to high quality. The accelerating new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is driving deep innovation in educational paradigms. Profound adjustments in the world landscape, as well as changes in demographic and social structures, have placed urgent demands on education. It is necessary to recognize changes, respond to them, seize opportunities, and take proactive action to comprehensively advance the building of an educationally strong country, effectively serving Chinese-style modernization and serving the comprehensive development of the people.
Huai Jinpeng stated that it is necessary to firmly adhere to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses on education, and resolutely implement the Party Central Committee's important arrangements for accelerating the building of an educationally strong country during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. It is necessary to uphold the principle of educating people for the Party and nurturing talent for the country, shaping a new landscape of fostering virtue and nurturing talent. It is necessary to adhere to putting people's livelihood first and basic education foremost, striving to provide equitable and quality public education services. It is necessary to strengthen education's supporting role for science, technology, and talent, helping to enhance the overall effectiveness of the national innovation system. It is necessary to cultivate and bring forth a high-caliber teaching force, continuously deepen comprehensive education reform, and unswervingly promote high-level opening up of education, making new and greater contributions to comprehensively advancing the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization.
The briefing was chaired by a responsible comrade from the Central and State Organs Work Committee. Approximately 730 representatives attended the briefing, including officials from Party, government, and military organs in Beijing, employees of central state-owned enterprises, faculty and students from capital universities, and representatives from all sectors of society in the capital.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Qu Zhehan (曲哲涵)) In the first half of this year, China's fiscal revenue grew steadily, the growth rate of tax revenue continued to increase, fiscal expenditure on the whole maintained a front-loaded发力, and expenditure in key areas was effectively guaranteed.
In the first half of the year, national general public budget revenue was 12.1 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 4.7%, with the cumulative growth rate rising month by month. Among the 31 provinces, 28 provinces saw revenue growth, three more than the number of provinces with revenue growth in the first quarter. In the first half of the year, national tax revenue was 9.79 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 5.3%, with the growth rate 3.1 percentage points higher than that in the first quarter.
In the first half of the year, national general public budget expenditure was 14.33 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 1.5%. Among the major areas, expenditure on health and hygiene grew by 10.8%, expenditure on social security and employment grew by 7.6%, expenditure on housing security grew by 6.1%, expenditure on science and technology grew by 1.3%, and expenditure on education grew by 0.6%.
Since the beginning of this year, the financial departments have intensified the implementation of fiscal policies, playing a positive role in ensuring the implementation of major national strategies, safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods, and promoting the stable operation of local finances.
The pace of budget issuance has been accelerated. At the central government level, budget approvals for all central departments were completed by the end of March this year; regarding central government transfer payments to local governments, as of the end of June, 9.4 trillion yuan had been issued, accounting for 90.3% of the initial budget, with the issuance progress 0.5 percentage points higher than the same period last year.
Tools such as government bonds, fiscal discounting, and special funds have been coordinated and utilized to continuously promote the expansion of investment and consumption. Among these, the scope and standards of subsidies for trading in old consumer goods for new ones have been adjusted and optimized, with 125 billion yuan in related subsidy funds issued.
Efforts to safeguard and improve people's livelihoods have been intensified. In the first half of the year, 1.2 trillion yuan in basic old-age insurance subsidy funds, 386.4 billion yuan in basic medical insurance subsidy funds for urban and rural residents, approximately 100 billion yuan in childcare subsidy funds, 24.1 billion yuan in subsidy funds for exempting childcare and education fees for the year before primary school, and 156.7 billion yuan in assistance subsidy funds for people in difficulty were issued.
In the first half of the year, various regions strengthened the management of the issuance and use of special bonds: 2.07 trillion yuan in new special bonds were issued, with an issuance progress rate of 47%, mainly used for key areas such as municipal and industrial park infrastructure, transportation infrastructure, urban renewal, and social undertakings.
To increase support for basic research, driven and guided by fiscal funds, China's total societal investment in basic research funds grew from 55.5 billion yuan in 2013 to 277.8 billion yuan in 2025, firmly ranking second in the world, and its proportion of total societal R&D expenditure increased from 4.68% to 7.08%, a record high. The central government's basic research budget for 2026 increased by 16.3% compared to the previous year.
This year, China has experienced 18 large-scale heavy rainfall processes and 25 severe convective weather processes, with dangerous situations and disasters severe in some areas. Since the start of the flood season, the central finance has initiated the rapid fund verification and allocation mechanism 8 times in total, allocating 1.19 billion yuan cumulatively to disaster-stricken areas. At the same time, the central finance has arranged a budget of 14.5 billion yuan through channels such as agricultural disaster prevention and mitigation and water conservancy disaster relief funds, key project funds in the transportation sector, and central budget investment, strongly supporting the repair of disaster-damaged water conservancy projects, the restoration of disaster-damaged agricultural production and livestock breeding facilities, and post-disaster emergency recovery.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 罗珊珊
Since the beginning of this year, China has effectively responded to external risks and challenges, actively expanded consumption, stabilized foreign trade, and stabilized foreign investment, with commercial development making steady progress. On July 23, the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办公室) held a press conference, where Yan Dong (鄢东), Vice Minister of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部), introduced the commercial work and operation situation for the first half of 2026.
Among the 16 major categories of commodities in total retail sales of consumer goods, 10 categories saw growth.
Yan Dong introduced that in the first half, total retail sales of consumer goods and services grew by 2.7%. Retail sales of services grew by 5.3%. New growth points such as domestic services and cultural tourism were accelerated in cultivation, and residents' tendency to "buy experiences, buy services" increased. Retail sales of goods grew by 1.1%.
How to view the consumer market in the first half? Yang Mu (杨沐), Director of the Department of Market Operation and Consumption Promotion (市场运行和消费促进司) of the Ministry of Commerce, stated that from the perspective of commodity consumption, the slowdown in the growth rate of total retail sales of consumer goods was mainly due to the dragging effect of two categories of commodities: automobiles and petroleum. Among the 16 major categories of commodities in total retail sales of consumer goods, 10 categories achieved growth, of which 7 categories had growth rates exceeding 5%. Consumption of green, smart, and healthy commodities maintained strong growth, with sales of smart glasses, high-energy-efficiency household appliances, action cameras, ECG monitors, etc., all achieving double-digit growth.
Service consumption presented three "new" characteristics. Quality upgrade "emerged as new." In the first half, retail sales of tourism consulting and leasing, and cultural and sports leisure services grew by 11.3% and 10.4% respectively, and sales revenue from tourism sightseeing and entertainment services increased by 12.3% year-on-year. Kinetic energy conversion "introduced new," with rapid development of new business forms such as digital entertainment, online fitness, and "Internet + medical health," and online service retail sales grew by 6% in the first half. Inbound consumption continued to be active, with the number of visa-free entry foreigners increasing by 30.6% year-on-year in the first half. Business form models "renewed," with the growth rate of immersive experience-type sales revenue such as literary and artistic performances and museums reaching 28.3% and 24.6% respectively in the first half. National railways operated 1,797 tourist trains, and customized "fan special trains" for music fans and sports fans were operated 445 times.
Since the beginning of this year, the Ministry of Commerce has deeply implemented special actions to boost consumption. The leverage ratio of funds invested in the consumer goods trade-in program (消费品以旧换新) increased from 1:7.8 last year to 1:10.3 currently, driving sales of over 1.25 trillion yuan and benefiting 169 million person-times. The pilot of invoice lottery (有奖发票) enhanced consumption willingness, with 50 pilot cities investing 9.05 billion yuan, over 860 million person-times participating, 380 million person-times winning prizes, a winning rate of 44.5%, and the invoice amount involved in the activity exceeding 360 billion yuan. The departure tax refund (离境退税) version 2.0 policy stimulated inbound consumption vitality, with the number of departure tax refund stores exceeding 15,000. In the first half, the number of outbound tourists who handled tax refunds increased by about 4 times year-on-year.
Foreign investment attraction in high-tech industries grew by 33.2%.
Yang Tao (杨涛), Director of the Department of Foreign Trade (对外贸易司) of the Ministry of Commerce, introduced that foreign trade in the first half showed development characteristics of stable total volume, excellent quality, and strong resilience. In the first half, China's total import and export of goods reached 25.5 trillion yuan, setting a new historical high for the same period. Import and export products showed development characteristics of moving toward new, intelligent, and green, with integrated circuits, industrial robots, and green products all growing rapidly. The foreign trade "circle of friends" is expanding wider, and the number of exhibitors and overseas buyers at the 139th Canton Fair exceeded the levels of previous sessions.
The absorption of foreign capital showed a trend of stabilizing and improving, with nearly 4,800 foreign-funded enterprises increasing their investment in China in the first half. Meng Huating (孟华婷), Director of the Department of Foreign Investment Administration (外国投资管理司) of the Ministry of Commerce, introduced that actual use of foreign capital reached 402.14 billion yuan in the first half, with the decline narrowing by 10.2 percentage points compared to the same period last year, and both May and June achieved positive year-on-year growth. The stock is stable and the increment is rising. As of the end of 2025, China's stock of absorbed foreign capital had approached 4 trillion US dollars. In the first half of this year, the number of newly established foreign-funded enterprises increased by 5.3% year-on-year. More than 530,000 foreign-funded enterprises contribute approximately 2.5 trillion yuan in tax revenue each year. The "World Investment Report" released by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) in July believes that China's capital attraction has shown signs of stabilization.
Moving toward new and better, iterating and optimizing, multinational corporations continue to increase investment in advanced technology and frontier fields. In the first half, foreign investment in high-tech industries grew by 33.2%, accounting for 42.4%, a record high; the proportion of capital attraction in the modern service industry reached 57%, electronic and communication equipment manufacturing grew by 52%, science and technology achievement transformation services grew by 57.1%, and research and development and design services grew by 82%. This strongly supports the industrial upgrading toward intelligence, greening, and integration.
The proportion of investment in countries jointly building the Belt and Road (共建“一带一路”国家) increased to 26.7%.
Yan Dong introduced that since the beginning of this year, outbound investment and cooperation have developed more healthily and orderly, and the pace of enterprises "going global" has become more rational and steady. In the first half, outbound non-financial direct investment reached 453.1 billion yuan, and the completed turnover of outbound contracted projects reached 606.3 billion yuan. Among them, the proportion of investment in countries jointly building the Belt and Road and the completed turnover of outbound contracted projects increased to 26.7% and 85.9% respectively. Overseas economic and trade cooperation zones developed rapidly, with cumulative investment in cooperation zones included in the Ministry of Commerce's statistics reaching nearly 56 billion yuan, making positive contributions to the economic and social development of China and host countries and the stability of global industrial and supply chains. Focusing on guiding the rational and orderly cross-border layout of industrial and supply chains, the following main work was carried out:
Effectively implement outbound investment management. The State Council (国务院) issued the "Regulations on Outbound Investment," which for the first time in the form of State Council regulations clarified systems for outbound investment supervision, services, and protection, providing a strong legal guarantee for the healthy and orderly development of outbound investment. Continue to promote the facilitation of outbound investment. As of the end of June this year, the national commerce authorities had issued 72,000 electronic certificates for outbound investment, and will accelerate their promotion and application.
Improve the overseas comprehensive service system. In February this year, the national-level overseas comprehensive service platform was launched, linking over 1,000 websites, forming a "one window," "one-stop" overseas service platform.
Promote the construction of bilateral investment cooperation mechanisms. Deepen cooperation in fields such as bilateral green development, digital economy, green minerals, new infrastructure, and new energy, promote the establishment of equal, mutually beneficial, inclusive and constructive global industrial and supply chain partnerships, and cultivate a win-win and shared global market. China fully implemented zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations, signed framework agreements on common development economic partnership with 38 African countries, and also accelerated upgrade negotiations for free trade agreements with South Korea, Switzerland, etc.
Li Li (李莉), Director of the Department of Comprehensive Affairs (综合司) of the Ministry of Commerce, introduced that in the first half, China's total import and export of goods with countries jointly building the Belt and Road reached 13 trillion yuan, an increase of 14.8% year-on-year. Imports of integrated circuits, mobile phones, and aquatic products from jointly building countries grew by 46.7%, 40.3%, and 25.7% respectively, sharing the opportunities of China's large market.
Two-way investment with jointly building countries continued to deepen. In the first half, China's non-financial direct investment with jointly building countries reached 120.77 billion yuan, accounting for 26.7% of the total during the same period, an increase of 0.5 percentage points. A number of photovoltaic and other new energy projects, data centers and other artificial intelligence industry cooperation projects have been successively implemented. In the first half, the number of newly established enterprises in China by jointly building countries exceeded 10,000, a year-on-year increase of 21.6%. China and jointly building countries, leveraging their respective comparative advantages, continue to expand more mutually beneficial and win-win new spaces in emerging fields such as green development and digital economy.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Reporter Wu Dan (吴丹)) – At the opening ceremony of the 2026 International Congress of Mathematicians held in Philadelphia, USA, on the 23rd, Chinese mathematicians Deng Yu (邓煜) and Wang Hong (王虹) won the Fields Medal. This is the first time that mathematicians of Chinese nationality have won the Fields Medal.
The Fields Medal is awarded every four years, with no more than four recipients usually, to scholars under the age of 40 who have made outstanding contributions in the field of mathematics. It is one of the highest honors in the international mathematics community, known as the "Nobel Prize of Mathematics." Previously, ethnic Chinese mathematicians Shing-Tung Yau and Terence Tao have won this award.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (People's Daily) — (Reporter Shen Shaotie (申少铁)) The National Medical Products Administration (国家药监局) recently approved the world’s first selective orexin type 2 receptor agonist for marketing, for the treatment of type 1 narcolepsy in adolescents aged 16 and above and adults. This drug is an original-target, new-mechanism rare disease treatment drug that was simultaneously submitted for regulatory review in China, the United States, Japan, and the European Union. China took the lead in completing the review, achieving a historic breakthrough of global “first submission, first launch.”
It is understood that this innovative drug is a rare disease treatment drug. It submitted marketing applications simultaneously in multiple countries and regions around the world. In China, it received breakthrough therapy designation and was included in the priority review and approval procedure, obtaining a “dual acceleration channel”; in the United States, it received breakthrough therapy designation and was included in the fast track; in Japan, it received pioneer and orphan drug designations and was included in expedited review and approval; in the European Union, it received orphan drug designation.
In recent years, the National Medical Products Administration has established four acceleration channels — breakthrough therapy drugs, conditional approval, priority review and approval, and special approval — implementing for key varieties “early intervention, one policy per enterprise, full-course guidance, linked research and review,” increasing guidance and support for the research and development of innovative drugs and devices, implementing priority review and approval for clinically urgently needed drugs, rare disease drugs, and innovative medical devices, and accelerating the marketing of innovative drugs while ensuring quality.
Return to TopOn July 23, in Jing'an District, Shanghai, citizens were shopping for groceries at the "Ningjia·Quwo Market."
The market is located on Quwo Road in Jing'an District. It is a key project for doing practical things for the people. After half a year of renovation, it has become a "community living room" for nearby residents. The market covers an area of about 1,200 square meters, with 55 stalls. It mainly focuses on dining and fresh food shopping, and embeds multiple convenience services such as barbering, darning and mending, shared kitchens, and self-service laundry.
Photo by Wang Chu (王初), People's Daily Online reporter.
Return to TopFrom July 17 to 20, the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-level Meeting on Global AI Governance was held in Shanghai. President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony and delivered a keynote speech, elaborating on China’s proposal for building a just and reasonable global AI governance system from four aspects — development, security, civilization, and governance — charting the course for global AI development and governance.
International figures interviewed by our reporter said that this conference has built a high-end platform for international AI exchange. A series of measures taken by China to respond to the calls of the Global South, unite the international community, and actively promote AI development and governance will surely make new contributions to building a just and reasonable global AI governance system, enabling AI to truly promote shared prosperity and benefit all of humanity.
“China has always upheld the spirit of openness and cooperation in the field of AI”
AI is a new engine for world economic growth and an accelerator for the transition between old and new growth drivers, moving from the “digital world” to the “physical world.” President Xi Jinping pointed out that we should seize this rare historic opportunity, encourage open-source, open, cooperation, and sharing, comprehensively promote AI technological innovation, industrial development, and application scenarios, and coordinately push forward the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries, the cultivation and expansion of emerging industries, and the forward-looking layout of future industries, so that AI empowers the thousands of industries.
In recent years, China has strengthened AI technological innovation and fully implemented the “AI+” action. AI has been deeply integrated into key industries such as intelligent manufacturing, agriculture, healthcare, and finance. Currently, China’s daily token calls have reached hundreds of trillions, the cumulative global downloads of open-source large models have exceeded 10 billion, and open-source communities such as AtomGit have gathered over 11 million registered users. In 2025, the core AI industry scale broke through 1.2 trillion yuan, with a large number of innovative applications being implemented, continuously activating the momentum of real economic development. On the eve of this conference, China’s new-generation model Kimi K3 was released, with parameters reaching 2.8 trillion. This is currently the world’s largest open-source model in terms of parameters, marking a new step forward in the development of China’s AI models. China has proven with action that when openness and win-win become a consensus, innovation breakthroughs are no longer a solitary boat going alone, but a convergence of a hundred rivers, surging forward.
Matt White, Chief AI Technology Officer of the Linux Foundation, said that he has visited hundreds of AI-related companies in China, including automakers and robotics companies. What impressed him most was the speed and scale of China’s AI development and the constant introduction of new technologies and products, as well as “the spirit of openness and cooperation that China has always upheld in the field of AI.”
German international affairs expert Stefan Lubrich believes that China always puts the interests of the people first and upholds the concept that AI development should be “people-centered and oriented toward goodness and upward progress.” The release of the Kimi K3 model fully demonstrates the rapid progress China has made in large model development and also shows that China’s AI systems are capable of competing with leading international products.
Sari Rishan, Assistant Professor at the University of Technology in Baghdad, Iraq, visited China in 2025 and witnessed the great achievements China has made in multiple AI application scenarios, including healthcare, intelligent manufacturing, food industry, and autonomous driving. “What impressed me is not only the advanced technology itself, but also China’s innovation-driven development strategy,” Rishan said. China advocates jointly building a just and reasonable global AI governance system, providing developing countries with opportunities to enhance their own technological strength through participation in international cooperation.
Tong Meng Daiwei (通孟戴维), Deputy Director of the China-ASEAN Research Center at Cambodian Chinese Polytechnic University, said that China’s proposal provides important guidance for improving the global AI governance system, responds to the common expectations of Global South countries to strengthen capacity building and share development achievements, and “demonstrates the responsibility of a major country in promoting the universal and beneficial development of AI.”
Valderrama, a researcher at the Center for Economic Teaching and Research in Mexico, said that China promotes the participation of all countries in the development of AI technology and the formulation of rules, fostering a more open, inclusive, and orderly development of AI.
“Provides opportunities for the world, especially developing countries”
Providing 5,000 special training places for AI research; building an international AI application cooperation center; promoting the application of the meteorological intelligent early warning solution “Mazu” (妈祖) in 30 countries — the series of pragmatic and forceful measures announced by President Xi Jinping this time have drawn high attention from the world.
“President Xi Jinping has pointed the way for the inclusive development of global AI,” said Sultan Hali, a Pakistani expert on China. “China is not only an important driving force for AI development, but also actively participates in global AI governance with an open and inclusive attitude, sharing its development technology, experience, and governance concepts with other countries in a timely manner, and is committed to making the fruits of AI development benefit all of humanity.”
Professor Ziad of Egypt University of Science and Technology said that China’s announced major measures supporting global AI development echo the eight actions proposed in the “AI Cooperation and Development Action Plan,” demonstrating China’s sense of responsibility in making AI an international public good that benefits all of humanity.
Roysa, a researcher at the Meritorious Autonomous University of Puebla in Mexico, said: “China’s promotion of open and shared AI technology helps create more equitable conditions for development, allowing more countries to share the fruits of scientific and technological progress.”
During the conference, China formally delivered the “Mazu” Djibouti 2.0 version to Djibouti, providing technical support for African countries to enhance their capabilities in extreme weather monitoring, early warning, and disaster prevention and mitigation. “China has not only achieved rapid development in the AI industry, but also actively promotes the global benefits of AI development achievements,” said Abdon Atangana, Fellow of the World Academy of Sciences and Chair of the Research and Innovation Committee of the African Mathematical Union. China continues to advance technological openness and sharing, talent cultivation, and capacity building, responding to the concerns of Global South countries and working to bridge the digital and intelligence divide.
Drabeck, an Egyptian expert on China, said: “China closely integrates scientific and technological innovation with improving people’s livelihood and well-being. While promoting the rapid development of its own AI, it adheres to openness and cooperation and shares innovation achievements, providing opportunities for the world, especially developing countries.”
“An important step forward for global AI governance”
On July 16, the signing ceremony of the “Agreement on the Establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization” was held. Twenty-nine countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe signed the agreement on-site, becoming founding members. The significant progress made by China in advocating for the establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization has notably enhanced the representation and voice of Global South countries in global AI governance and will become an important milestone in the history of AI development.
“The formal establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization marks an important step forward for global AI governance,” Atangana said. China has made contributions to bridging the global digital and intelligence divide and promoting the universal and beneficial development of global AI.
Vito Petrocilli, Chairman of the Italian Association for BRICS Studies, said that the establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization fully demonstrates China’s leadership and sense of responsibility.
Jung Jae-heung, Director of the China Research Center at the Sejong Institute in South Korea, said that the establishment of the World AI Cooperation Organization marks that global AI governance has formally entered a new stage of institutionalized construction and substantive cooperation from conceptual advocacy and rule discussion, which is an important milestone. China actively promotes enhancing the representation and voice of Global South countries in the global AI governance system, providing an institutional platform for more equitable and in-depth participation of developing countries in AI development and governance.
Tong Meng Daiwei said that Cambodia is among the first signatories of the agreement on the World AI Cooperation Organization. He believes that relying on this platform, Cambodia and China will continue to deepen cooperation in talent cultivation, industrial application, and capacity building, and make new contributions to jointly bridging the digital and intelligence divide for Global South countries and sharing the development opportunities of the intelligent era.
At this conference, a series of outcome documents were intensively released, including the “AI Cooperation and Development Action Plan,” the “International AI Ethics Governance Action Plan,” and the “Global Cooperation Initiative on Trust, Interconnection, and Interoperability of AI Agents.” In the field of global AI governance, China has always been committed to being a provider of international public goods, continuously demonstrating the responsibility of a major country with an open attitude.
Claudia Yanuzzi, President of the Brazil-China Innovation Economy Institute, said that China actively promotes the universal and beneficial development of AI and the improvement of the AI governance system. These measures will broaden access channels to AI technology and reduce usage costs, bringing tangible development dividends to the Global South.
(People’s Daily, Beijing, Islamabad, Mexico City, Rome, Johannesburg, Berlin, Bangkok, Dubai, Seoul, Rio de Janeiro, Cairo, July 23 — Reporters Yu Jinghao, Chen Shangwen, Zhao Yipu, Wang Xiaobo, Xie Yahong, Dai Kairan, Liu Zhonghua, Bai Yuanqi, Zhang Zhiwen, Wang Siyuan, Shi Yuanhao, Huang Peizhao; Inas Ibrahim of People’s Daily Middle East Center Branch contributed to the reporting)
Return to TopBy: 赵卫平
In the height of summer, China-Namibia relations have once again undergone a historic "warming." At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Namibian President Ndeutala recently paid a successful state visit to China. This visit is President Ndeutala's first visit to China since taking office, and it is also an important visit by an African leader to China on the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the opening of diplomatic relations between China and Africa. President Xi Jinping held talks with President Ndeutala, and the two leaders jointly announced the elevation of the bilateral relationship to a China-Namibia community with a shared future in the new era (新时代中纳命运共同体), fully demonstrating the far-sighted vision of promoting the development of China-Namibia relations from a strategic height. Looking ahead, China-Namibia relations in the new era have broad prospects, unlimited potential, and a bright and promising future.
The political foundation has become more solid. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990, and especially since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation in 2018, the bilateral relationship has withstood the tests of international vicissitudes. The two sides have always stood by each other and advanced hand in hand, being good brothers with deep friendship and unwavering bonds. During this visit, the two sides unanimously decided to deepen political mutual trust and continue to firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. The Namibian side reaffirmed its long-standing commitment to adhering to the One-China principle and upholding the authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758. The two sides oppose the politicization of human rights issues and oppose interference in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights. The two sides are willing to intensify exchanges and cooperation at all levels and in all fields, including between governments, political parties, legislatures, and local entities, and to strengthen exchanges on party and state governance concepts and development experiences. Against the backdrop of the profound evolution of the current international situation and the accelerating transformation unseen in a century, this mutual trust and firm support are particularly precious.
Practical cooperation has become stronger. China has long been Namibia's largest source of foreign investment and second-largest trading partner. The two sides have achieved fruitful results in practical cooperation in fields such as mining, infrastructure, communications, and agriculture, making them good partners with complementary advantages and win-win cooperation. During this visit, witnessed by the two heads of state, the two sides signed multiple cooperation documents including a framework agreement on a common development economic partnership, which will deepen cooperation in infrastructure construction, energy, mining, agriculture, education, youth, science and technology, and other fields, pushing bilateral mutually beneficial cooperation to continuously reach new levels. The Chinese side welcomes the Namibian side to fully utilize zero tariffs, the upgraded "green channel" for products exported to China, and other preferential policies, to help more high-quality products from Namibia, such as fresh grapes, mutton, and wild aquatic products, enter the Chinese market more quickly and in greater quantities.
International collaboration has become closer. China and Namibia are both important members of the Global South, share broad common interests and similar value pursuits, and have always actively committed to jointly upholding international fairness and justice. They are 志同道合 (zhì tóng dào hé - "same aspirations, same path," like-minded) travelers who support each other. The Namibian side appreciates the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi Jinping, high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and the four global initiatives (四大全球倡议), and clearly expressed its willingness to strengthen communication and coordination with the Chinese side, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. The two sides will continue to adhere to the concept of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, adhere to respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, adhere to the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and remain firmly committed to promoting the unity and self-strengthening of the Global South, jointly defending international fairness and justice, and maintaining the solidarity and cooperation of the international community.
People-to-people and cultural exchanges have become closer. Although China and Namibia are separated by 万水千山 (wàn shuǐ qiān shān - "ten thousand waters, a thousand mountains," a long and arduous journey), both emphasize respect for the diversity of world civilizations, promote the common values of humanity, and strengthen exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. They are good friends who know each other well and have a close affinity. During this visit, the two sides unanimously expressed their willingness to take the 2026 "China-Africa People-to-People and Cultural Exchange Year" as an opportunity to deepen exchanges and cooperation and enhance people-to-people bonds. The Namibian side's economic and trade exchange activities held in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangdong, and Sichuan were well received by Chinese entrepreneurs. Chinese robots danced on the same stage with Namibian professional dancers, demonstrating the magical charm of the integration of technology and culture. All sectors of Namibian society continued to follow the visit closely and frequently praised the achievements of Namibia-China cooperation. These warm and vivid scenes fully highlight the profound friendship between the peoples of the two countries, who understand and feel close to each other.
精诚所至，金石为开 (jīng chéng suǒ zhì, jīn shí wèi kāi - "where sincerity reaches, metal and stone open," complete sincerity can move even the hardest obstacles). This meeting between the two heads of state is an important milestone in the history of China-Namibia relations, drawing a new blueprint for the development of China-Namibia relations in the new era. The two sides will take head-of-state diplomacy as the strategic guide, fully implement the outcomes of the summit, jointly write a new chapter in building a China-Namibia community with a shared future in the new era, and build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era (新时代全天候中非命运共同体).
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia)
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 23 (Xinhua) -- On July 23, Vice Chairman Peng Qinghua of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会) met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with an Italian multi-party politician delegation led by Perufo, chair of the Italian Parliament's "Friends of China" Association. The two sides exchanged views on China-Italy and China-EU relations, exchanges between legislative bodies, and issues of common concern.
Return to TopRecently, the Sejingkat Bridge (塞京卡特大桥) in Sarawak, Malaysia, constructed by China Harbour Engineering Company (中国港湾) and specifically implemented by CCCC Second Highway Engineering Bureau (中交二公局), successfully completed its mid-span closure. The bridge is located in Kuching, the capital of Sarawak state, with a total length of 1,281.2 meters and a tower height of 119.06 meters. It is the world's longest-span harp-style double-cable-plane double-tower concrete cable-stayed bridge. The bridge is expected to open to traffic within this year, which will effectively improve the urban traffic network of Kuching and enhance traffic efficiency. Photo by Yang Ning and Wei Xiang (杨宁、魏湘).
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 23 — On July 23, Minister Liu Haixing (刘海星) of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (中共中央对外联络部) met in Beijing with a multi-party delegation of politicians led by Peruffo, President of the "China's Friends" Association of the Italian Parliament (意大利议会“中国之友”协会). They exchanged views on jointly implementing the consensus of the leaders of the two countries, strengthening inter-party exchanges and cooperation, and promoting the development of China-Italy and China-Europe relations.
Return to TopOur newspaper Harbin, July 23 (correspondent Zhu Dawei (祝大伟)). On the 22nd, the conference celebrating the 25th anniversary of the signing of the Sino-Russian Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation was held in Harbin City, Heilongjiang Province. Approximately 500 representatives from relevant departments, universities, cultural and tourism associations, women’s organizations, and media of both China and Russia attended.
Participating guests believed that China-Russia relations have become a stabilizing cornerstone in today’s turbulent world, and expressed the hope that the two sides would build higher-quality political mutual trust, empower higher-quality mutually beneficial cooperation, promote higher-quality people-to-people connectivity, and carry out higher-quality international coordination, so as to push China-Russia relations toward higher-quality development.
Participating guests stated that, standing at a new historical starting point, the two sides should continue to march forward hand in hand, continue to drive bilateral relations toward deeper and higher-level development, and make greater contributions to perpetuating the two countries’ friendship for generations, promoting the development and revitalization of both countries, and upholding international fairness and justice.
In addition to the celebration conference, supporting activities such as a photo exhibition on China-Russia local friendly cooperation were also held on the same day.
This event was hosted by the China-Russia Committee on Friendship, Peace and Development (中俄友好、和平与发展委员会), and jointly organized by the committee’s Council on Local Cooperation (地方合作理事会) — with Heilongjiang Province serving as the Chinese chair unit and Primorsky Krai (滨海边疆区) as the Russian chair unit.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 尹晓宇
The launching ceremony of the 85th anniversary commemoration activities of the Flying Tigers’ arrival in China for the War of Resistance was recently held in Nanjing, Jiangsu. The Foreign Affairs Office of the Nanjing Municipal People’s Government, the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall, and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation jointly released a search plan for missing personnel of the Flying Tigers who aided China in the War of Resistance, publicly soliciting leads and historical materials related to the martyrs of the Flying Tigers who went missing during combat in China, and advancing the work of adding names of martyrs and correcting information.
During the event, the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation provided a list of missing personnel of the Flying Tigers who aided China in the War of Resistance. Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, introduced that the list’s information originates from relevant archives of the U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, unit combat history archives of the U.S. Air Force Historical Research Agency, and others.
On the martyrs’ stele at the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall, there are currently inscribed 2,605 names of American aviation martyrs from the War of Resistance. According to Jiang Qinyuan, a staff member of the memorial hall, after preliminary cross-referencing, approximately 300 people from the list provided by the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation have a high degree of similarity with the names on the martyrs’ stele, and 113 others are newly discovered from the list. The memorial hall will cooperate with the foundation to verify their identities and excavate relevant historical information.
After the launching ceremony concluded, Chinese and foreign guests proceeded to the memorial hall’s exhibition area to view the exhibition “Allied Combat, Eternal Memory — A Special Feature on American Aid to China’s History.” “This is my father!” exclaimed Peter Moyer, a descendant of a Flying Tigers veteran, pointing at a photo in surprise. In the photo, a young man in his twenties is sitting in an airplane cockpit; he is Harry Moyer, a fighter pilot of the U.S. 14th Air Force. “My father is already 105 years old; this is a photo he just sent today,” Peter Moyer said, opening his phone’s photo album to show everyone, then placing his father’s current photo together with the historical photo, taking a picture as a souvenir.
In the “Doolittle Raid” exhibition area, William Cantenberg, an executive committee member of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, spoke about the combat experiences of his grandfather and fellow soldiers back then, as well as the story of being rescued by the Chinese people. “Without the selfless rescue of the Chinese people, most of the Doolittle Raid crew members might not have survived,” Cantenberg said.
After the tour, Chinese and foreign guests bowed and laid flowers before the Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Monument in tribute to the martyrs. Cantenberg also specifically went to the Z5 stele for American martyrs to lay a white chrysanthemum; the list on the stele includes the names of 12 martyrs from the Doolittle squadron.
Greene said that the Flying Tigers spirit is a symbol of friendship and cooperation between the United States and China. Seeing the names of the Flying Tigers martyrs engraved on the huge monument, he was deeply moved. He has visited China many times and witnessed China’s rapid development day by day. In the future, the foundation will organize more activities to promote exchanges between the American and Chinese people, especially among youth, so that the spirit of friendship is passed down generation by generation.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Chengdu, July 23 (Reporters Zhou Yuan (周圆) and Li Qianwei (李倩薇)) — The 2026 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Digital and Artificial Intelligence Ministerial Meeting was held in Chengdu on the 23rd. The meeting adopted the "2026 APEC Digital and AI Ministerial Statement (Chengdu Statement)," unanimously agreeing to jointly promote digital and AI technology empowering the Asia-Pacific community, building an action framework for APEC to deepen cooperation in the digital and AI fields for a period of time to come.
The Digital and AI Ministerial Meeting is one of the important ministerial-level meetings under the APEC framework and an important platform for promoting exchange and cooperation in the digital and information and communication fields in the Asia-Pacific region. This meeting, with the theme of "Digital and AI Technology Empowering the Asia-Pacific Community," saw the economies discuss topics such as strengthening digital and AI technology empowerment for development, promoting universal and meaningful digital connectivity, and supporting digital inclusion and digital skills enhancement.
Regarding the outcomes of the meeting, Li Lecheng (李乐成), Minister of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) and chair of the meeting, introduced that the meeting further emphasized accelerating the construction of communications and computing power infrastructure. The consensus reached at the meeting, especially some specific elaborations such as promoting the digital-intelligent transformation of traditional industries and supporting micro, small, and medium enterprises in using lightweight digital tools to enhance competitiveness, provided a people-centered and locally-tailored development path for Asia-Pacific economies.
In addition, this meeting placed digital inclusion and digital skills in a prominent position. The statement specifies that it will expand educational opportunities and enhance individuals' digital literacy and skills. All parties unanimously agreed to adhere to balancing development and security, and to share practical experience in areas such as cybersecurity, data security, and supply chain resilience. The meeting, for the first time, elevated "open source" to the APEC ministerial-level cooperation level for emphasis, and while acknowledging the importance of respecting intellectual property rights, encouraged economies to support open source practices.
Li Lecheng said that China has always been an advocate, promoter, and pioneer of international cooperation in areas such as AI capacity building, global governance, and digital-intelligent empowerment. China will continue to promote the role of the APEC mechanism, strengthen cooperation with economies, effectively implement the consensus reached at this meeting, deepen exchanges and cooperation, bridge the intelligent divide, share the digital-intelligent dividend, and jointly create a better future.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Our Newspaper) — The third China-Canada High-Level National Security and Rule of Law Dialogue (第三次中加高级别国家安全与法治对话) was held in Beijing on the 22nd, and the two sides conducted in-depth exchanges of views on issues such as combating transnational crime, counter-terrorism, drug control, and immigration enforcement cooperation. Yin Bai (訚柏), Secretary-General of the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央政法委), and Morrison, Senior Adviser to the Prime Minister of Canada for Foreign and International Affairs, co-chaired the dialogue.
The two sides unanimously stated that they are willing to jointly implement the cooperation consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries in the security field, leverage the role of the national security and rule of law dialogue mechanism, strengthen cooperation in areas such as national security and law enforcement and judiciary, and help promote the building of a new type of strategic partnership between the two countries. Personnel from the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (外交部), the Ministry of Public Security (公安部), and the Ministry of State Security (国家安全部) attended the dialogue.
Return to TopSeoul, July 23 (People's Daily) — (Reporter Wang Siyuan) The handover ceremony for South Korea's return of a pair of Qing dynasty stone lions to China was held on the 23rd at the Gansong Art Museum (涧松美术馆) in Seoul. The National Cultural Heritage Administration (国家文物局) of China formally received the pair of stone lions from the National Museum of Korea.
The stone lions returned by the Korean side are made of marble. Based on a comprehensive assessment of specifications, material, carving technique, stylistic features, and other factors, they are judged to be gate lions for the residences of Qing dynasty princes, princesses, and other nobles. According to an introduction, in 1933, the Japanese company Yamanaka & Co. auctioned this pair of stone lions in Osaka, and they were purchased by Jeon Yeong-pil (全蓥弼), founder of the Gansong Art Museum. After the Gansong Art Museum opened in 1938, the stone lions were placed at the main entrance of its Baohua Pavilion (葆华阁). During his lifetime, Jeon Yeong-pil always remembered that the stone lions were Chinese cultural relics and hoped to send them back to China. In December 2025, commissioned by the Gansong Art Museum, the National Museum of Korea and China's National Cultural Heritage Administration initiated consultations on returning the stone lions and ultimately reached an agreement.
Rao Quan (饶权), Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and Director of the National Cultural Heritage Administration, delivered a speech at the ceremony, saying that the cooperation on returning the stone lions is a pragmatic measure to implement the consensus between the heads of state of China and South Korea on deepening people-to-people and cultural exchanges. Both China and South Korea have experienced the pain of cultural relic loss, and both have been making efforts for the return of lost cultural relics. South Korea's return of the stone lions to China reflects the Korean side's respect and goodwill toward Chinese cultural relics, writing a vivid cultural footnote for the people-to-people connection between the two countries.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Reporter Li Yan (李琰)) — The China Public Diplomacy Association held a special briefing of the Linjia No. 7 Salon (临甲7号沙龙) in Beijing on the 23rd. Wang Yi (王毅), Deputy Director of the Teaching and Research Department of CPC History at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance) (中央党校（国家行政学院）), Zheng Huan (郑寰), Professor of the Teaching and Research Department of Party Building at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC (National Academy of Governance), and Zhang Shiyi (张士义), former Director of the Sixth Research Department of the Institute of Party History and Literature of the Central Committee of the CPC (中央党史和文献研究院), exchanged views and interacted with Chinese and foreign journalists on the development process, experience, and global contributions of the Communist Party of China.
Return to TopHanoi, July 23 (Our reporter Bai Xiaochuan (白晓川)) — On July 22, the Shandong Heavy Industry Group (山东重工集团) Global Partner Conference and Green Intelligent Product Exhibition, themed "Technology Empowers, Equipment Makes Life Better" (科技赋能 装备美好), was held at the Hanoi International Exhibition Center in Vietnam. Nearly 1,600 partners from over 60 countries around the world attended the event, jointly discussing new opportunities for cooperation in the green intelligent industry and jointly planning a new future for globalization.
Return to TopChengdu, July 23 (Xinhua) -- The 2026 APEC Digital and Artificial Intelligence Ministerial Meeting was held on the 23rd in Chengdu, Sichuan. Zhang Guoqing, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the opening ceremony and delivered a speech.
Zhang Guoqing stated that President Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that artificial intelligence is a new engine for world economic growth and an accelerator for the transition from old to new drivers of growth, and that artificial intelligence should be made an important source of power for promoting common prosperity and maintaining common security. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping, China is deeply implementing the innovation-driven development strategy and actively integrating into the global innovation network. China is willing to work with all parties to actively implement the four global initiatives (四大全球倡议), deepen practical cooperation in the fields of digital and artificial intelligence, and inject stronger impetus into building an Asia-Pacific community. Adhere to innovation-driven development, comprehensively promote AI technological innovation, industrial development, and application scenarios, and lead the digital and intelligent upgrade of the Asia-Pacific. Adhere to openness and win-win cooperation, promote joint development of standards, joint discussion of rules, joint promotion of industries, advance open-source and open cooperation in technology, and promote digital prosperity in the Asia-Pacific. Adhere to inclusive and shared benefits, advance the construction of digital and AI infrastructure, promote the safe and orderly flow of data and its efficient development and utilization, and bring more benefits to the people of the Asia-Pacific. Adhere to AI for good, strengthen alignment and coordination of development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards, and work together to build a fair and reasonable global AI governance system.
Themed "Digital and AI Technology Empowering the Asia-Pacific Community," the meeting was attended by over 170 representatives from APEC economies, the Secretariat, observers, and others.
Return to TopThis newspaper, Beijing, July 23 (Reporter Li Longyi (李龙伊)) — As the 99th anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army of China draws near, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs (退役军人事务部), the Central Military Commission Political Work Department (中央军委政治工作部), and the Office of the National Leading Group for Double Support Work (全国双拥工作领导小组办公室) jointly issued a notice, requiring all localities and all troops to firmly adhere to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era (习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想), vigorously promote the fine tradition of supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families (拥军优属), supporting the government and cherishing the people (拥政爱民), and solidly carry out the work of supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families and supporting the government and cherishing the people during the "August 1" period, continuously consolidate and develop the 坚如磐石 (jiān rú pán shí - "as firm as a rock," extremely stable and unshakable) unity between the military and the government and between the military and the people, and gather strong strength for advancing the strengthening of the country and the strengthening of the military.
The notice points out that all localities and all troops should take the opportunity of celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Chinese Communist Party and commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March to deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important discourses and important directive spirit on double support work, guiding the vast numbers of military and civilian personnel to profoundly comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立), enhance the Four Consciousnesses (四个意识), strengthen the Four Confidences (四个自信), and achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护). Extensively carry out military-civilian fellowship activities such as military-local visits and literary performances, vigorously propagate the advanced deeds of groups such as the Most Beautiful New Era Revolutionary Soldiers (最美新时代革命军人) and the Most Beautiful Figures in Supporting the Military (最美拥军人物), release double support public service advertisements and micro-videos in light of local conditions, and solidly organize double support propaganda activities such as the Military-Civilian Affection on the Long March Road (长征路上军民情), creating a festive double support atmosphere and thickening the social custom of loving the people and loving our military.
The notice requires that all localities and all departments, with a view to helping to fight the tough battle for achieving the centenary goal of building the military, should proactively understand the practical difficulties encountered by troops in combat readiness training, construction, and reform, and study and introduce targeted measures to support and resolve them. Improve and perfect the institutional mechanisms for supporting the military and supporting the front line (拥军支前), focus on the military tasks carried out by troops such as joint exercises and joint training, cross-regional maneuvers, and maritime rights protection, go all out to provide all kinds of support including site facilities, transportation and communications, grain, oil, water and electricity, and security and alerting, assist in the protection of military facilities and compensation for civilian losses, and create favorable conditions for troop training and combat preparation. Highlighting the front line of border defense and maritime defense tasks, deeply carry out special activities for supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, actively do practical things for the troops and solve difficult problems, and inspire the vast numbers of officers and soldiers to 心无旁骛 (xīn wú páng wù - "heart has no distractions," to concentrate single-mindedly without diversion) defend the country's borders, prepare for combat, and fight wars.
The notice points out that all troops should faithfully implement the fundamental purpose, conscientiously carry out the work deployment of the Military Leading Group for Participation in and Support of Economic and Social Construction (军队参加和支援经济社会建设领导小组), and leverage military advantages to vigorously support economic and social construction. Highlight attention to border areas, old revolutionary base areas, and ethnic areas, support the revitalization and development of paired assistance villages, continuously improve the school-running conditions of August 1 Love-the-People Schools (八一爱民学校), actively carry out medical services for the people, and deepen consumption assistance actions. Extensively carry out warm-sending and love-donating convenience service activities, proactively visit hardship groups such as urban and rural subsistence allowance recipients, families with persons with disabilities, elderly people living alone, and left-behind children, and help solve practical difficulties in life. At present, our country has fully entered the main flood season; all troops should proactively strengthen coordination and linkages with local authorities, closely monitor changes in the flood situation, solidly make all preparations for rescue and disaster relief and emergency response, ensure immediate action when situations arise, and make every effort to guarantee the safety of people's lives and property.
The notice requires that all localities and all departments should increase the publicity and popularization of policies for supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to military families, conscientiously implement laws and regulations such as the Law on the Protection of the Status and Rights and Interests of Military Personnel (军人地位和权益保障法), the Law on the Protection of Veterans (退役军人保障法), and the Regulations on Military Personnel Pension and Preferential Treatment (军人抚恤优待条例), and lawfully and effectively protect the legitimate rights and interests of military personnel and their families, veterans, and other entitled groups. In conjunction with a new round of the creation of National Double Support Model Cities (Counties) (全国双拥模范城（县）), promote and improve double support measures such as military retirement placement, family member employment, children's school enrollment, and elderly care services for military parents, and concentrate on solving a batch of worries for officers and soldiers. Extensively carry out activities such as Dedication of Love to Meritorious Veterans (爱心献功臣) and Double Support at the Grassroots Level (双拥在基层), visit and express sympathy for Red Army veterans living in the countryside, old demobilized soldiers, and family members of martyrs and military personnel, help solve difficulties and eliminate worries, and convey the care and warmth of the Party and the government.
The notice further requires that during the holiday period, when all localities and all troops carry out activities, they must strictly implement the requirement for Party and government organs to be accustomed to tightening their belts, strictly observe relevant regulations on military-local interactions and security confidentiality, and achieve frugality and economy, while being practical and effective.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Yinchuan, July 23 - State Councilor Shen Yiqin investigated the work on retired military personnel in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region from the 21st to the 23rd. She emphasized that it is necessary to deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, earnestly implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, continuously deepen reform and innovation, improve policies and mechanisms, and solidly carry out service and support for retired military personnel and the dual support work (双拥工作) in the new era.
Shen Yiqin successively visited Shizuishan City and Yinchuan City, going deep into enterprises, retired military personnel service stations, preferential treatment institutions, industrial parks, etc., to investigate and understand the employment and entrepreneurship of retired military personnel, the construction of the service and support system, and other situations. She pointed out that retired military personnel are a precious wealth of the Party and the state and an important force in advancing Chinese-style modernization. It is necessary to give full play to the role of retired military personnel as human resources, strengthen support for employment and entrepreneurship, guide the broad masses of retired military personnel to throw themselves into the front line of grassroots governance, rural revitalization, and industrial development, and contribute to economic and social development. It is necessary to continue to build a strong service and support system for retired military personnel, vigorously promote the reform and development of preferential treatment institutions such as preferential treatment hospitals, and serve retired military personnel and other preferential treatment recipients with 满腔热忱 (mǎn qiāng rè chén - "full cavity of fervor," with great enthusiasm). It is necessary to carry forward and develop the fine tradition of supporting the military and giving preferential treatment to families of servicemen and martyrs, and supporting the government and cherishing the people (拥军优属、拥政爱民), innovate the carriers of dual support activities according to local conditions, continuously consolidate and develop the military-government and military-civilian unity that is 坚如磐石 (jiān rú pán shí - "as firm as a rock," stable and unshakable), and jointly write a new chapter of the era of 'love the people, love the army' (爱我人民爱我军).
Shen Yiqin also investigated football youth training work, emphasizing the need to deeply implement the spirit of the National Football Work Conference, respect the laws of football development and the laws of youth growth, build football youth training centers at all levels well, solidly promote the development of campus football, continuously deepen the integration of sports and education, accelerate the revitalization and development of football, and actively promote forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
Return to TopOur newspaper Beijing, July 23 (dispatch) — Reporters learned from the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (国家中医药管理局): after approval and consent by the State Council, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委) recently jointly issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Revitalization and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine (中医药振兴发展‘十五五’规划), making comprehensive arrangements for traditional Chinese medicine work during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.
The Plan puts forward the goals for the development of traditional Chinese medicine during the 15th Five-Year Plan period: by 2030, the traditional Chinese medicine service system covering the entire population and the full life cycle will be more complete; new breakthroughs will be achieved in the prevention and treatment of major diseases with traditional Chinese medicine; the quality of grassroots services will be improved and upgraded; basic research capabilities will be greatly enhanced; the innovation and creativity of the traditional Chinese medicine industry will be greatly strengthened; the culture and international influence of traditional Chinese medicine will be further elevated; the revitalization and development of traditional Chinese medicine will reach a new level; and everyone will have access to traditional Chinese medicine services.
The Plan comprehensively considers key areas of traditional Chinese medicine development such as medical care, scientific research, talent, industry, culture, and open development, and proposes ten major tasks: improving the high-quality traditional Chinese medicine service system; enhancing the capacity of traditional Chinese medicine to provide health services across the full life cycle; promoting the high-quality development of the integration of Chinese and Western medicine; building a high-quality traditional Chinese medicine talent team; advancing the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine; promoting the modernization of the traditional Chinese medicine industry and health services; driving the flourishing development of traditional Chinese medicine culture; expanding the open development of traditional Chinese medicine; accelerating the digital-intelligent empowerment and standardization of traditional Chinese medicine; and deepening reform and governance in the field of traditional Chinese medicine.
Return to TopEntering the summer consumption peak season, various localities continuously optimize and upgrade services to create rich cultural and tourism experiences for consumers. The movie market is full of excellent films, gathering diverse types including main melody historical, domestic-style animation, overseas blockbusters, etc., and consumer enthusiasm for watching movies continues to rise.
The image shows consumers watching movie posters in the lobby of Jiuzhou Zhongyuan Cinema at Baolong Plaza, Fuyang City, Anhui Province.
Photo by Wang Biao (王彪) (Image China)
Beijing, July 23 (Reporter Sun Xiuyan (孙秀艳)) — A reporter learned from the National Healthcare Security Administration (国家医保局) that all pooling regions (统筹地区) nationwide have fully completed the 2025 medical insurance fund settlement work by May 27, among which 154 pooling regions completed it before the end of March.
In 2025, the National Healthcare Security Administration launched a three-year action plan to improve settlement quality and efficiency (清算提质增效三年行动计划), actively optimized the settlement process, and significantly shortened the settlement cycle. Data shows that for medical expenses incurred by insured persons at designated medical institutions (定点医药机构) in 2025, the medical insurance fund disbursed a total of 2.74 trillion yuan. In terms of disbursement structure, monthly settlement disbursements totaled 2.60 trillion yuan, accounting for 94.7% of total disbursements; annual settlement disbursements totaled 0.14 trillion yuan, accounting for 5.3% of total disbursements. Compared with three years ago, the share of annual settlement decreased by nearly 3 percentage points. A large amount of medical insurance funds had already been disbursed to designated medical institutions on a routine basis, and settlement funds arrived earlier, greatly alleviating the operational pressure on designated medical institutions.
By: 本报评论员
Yiwu’s small commodities have broken into a big market and built a big industry. “This is a successful practice of 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - “act in light of local conditions,” to suit measures to local conditions) in developing county-level economies.” In April this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping issued an important directive, emphasizing: “We must, in conjunction with carrying out study and education on establishing and practicing the correct view on political performance (正确政绩观), further summarize and utilize the ‘Yiwu development experience’ (义乌发展经验) well” and “explore and walk a path of high-quality development that conforms to each locality’s actual conditions.”
This year marks the 20th anniversary since Comrade Xi Jinping personally summarized and promoted the “Yiwu development experience.” While working in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping visited Yiwu multiple times for research, emphasizing: “For localities studying the Yiwu development experience, it is mainly not about learning Yiwu’s specific practices and unique features, but about learning Yiwu’s experience in how to proceed from reality and creatively carry out the spirit of the Central Committee and the decisions and deployments of the Provincial Party Committee; learning Yiwu’s experience in how to base itself on local basic conditions, inherit local historical traditions, and blaze a development path suited to local characteristics; learning Yiwu’s experience in how to respect the pioneering spirit of the masses and promote the creative practice of the masses.” Yiwu has always adhered to reform and innovation, 真抓实干 (zhēn zhuā shí gàn - “grasp firmly and act solidly,” to work earnestly and practically), and 久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - “persevere over time,” to keep at it unremittingly), continuously writing new chapters of “small commodities, big market,” creating a miracle in China’s county-level economic development.
In the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, further summarizing and utilizing the “Yiwu development experience” is of great significance. County-level economy is the basic unit of the national economy. The learning and education on establishing and practicing the correct view on political performance, focusing on leading bodies and leading cadres at the county and departmental level and above, especially the “first in command,” has an important aspect: it is to guide high-quality development with the correct view on political performance and to consolidate the county-level foundation of Chinese-style modernization. The “Yiwu development experience” is a vivid practice of the correct view on political performance in county-level governance, a fresh sample of promoting high-quality development through solid work. It holds important inspiration for localities to be 脚踏实地 (jiǎo tà shí dì - “feet on solid ground,” to be down-to-earth and practical), 善作善成 (shàn zuò shàn chéng - “good at doing and good at achieving,” to do well and achieve good results), and to walk a path of high-quality development consistent with their own realities.
To promote high-quality development, the first is to establish a holistic perspective. County-level areas connect cities on one side and villages on the other, and the quality of their economic development directly relates to the circulation of the national economy and coordinated regional development. Only by planning one’s own development with a broad vision and a big-picture mindset can one better serve and integrate into the overall national development landscape. Following the tide of reform and opening up, whatever the market needs, it actively creates, amassing over 2.1 million types of commodities, becoming a “world supermarket” that “buys globally, sells globally.” Riding the east wind of high-quality joint construction of the “Belt and Road,” the Zhejiang China-Europe Railway Express (Yixin’ou, 义新欧) spans the Eurasian continent, and the sea-rail intermodal transport connects with the “21st Century Maritime Silk Road”… Not dependent on rivers, not bordering the sea, not along the frontier, Yiwu has developed and grown strong through continuously expanding domestic and international markets and smoothing the domestic-international dual circulation. It is a county-level model of “developing Zhejiang by leaping beyond Zhejiang.”
“We must firmly establish the thinking of the ‘nation as a single chessboard’ (全国一盘棋); planning and promoting the work of one’s own region and department must take implementing the Central Committee’s decisions and deployments as a prerequisite, and carry out work creatively, so as to add luster to one’s own domain and add brilliance to the overall situation.” By positioning oneself precisely within the overall national context, identifying the point of convergence between one’s own advantages and the overall work, planning one’s domain from the overall perspective and serving the overall situation with one’s domain, one can continuously open up new vistas for development.
To promote high-quality development, the key is to adhere to acting in light of local conditions. Only when each region takes a path of rational division of labor and optimized development according to its conditions can each give full play to its strengths and both benefit — 相得益彰 (xiāng dé yì zhāng - “each complements the other, making both shine,” to bring out the best in each other). Adhering unswervingly to “prospering commerce to build the city” (兴商建市), promoting the leap of traditional trade forms to a digital trade ecology; implementing commerce to spur industry, linking trade and industry, giving rise to more than ten advantageous industrial clusters… It is precisely by adhering to basing itself on its own endowments and deepening meticulous work step by step that Yiwu has walked a uniquely distinctive path of high-quality development.
Forging ahead during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, all regions must adhere to proceeding from reality in everything, set goals reasonably, find the optimal path, where grain is suitable, grow grain; where agriculture is suitable, pursue agriculture; where industry is suitable, develop industry; where commerce is suitable, engage in commerce; do some things and refrain from doing others, and actively explore new paths of high-quality development rich in regional characteristics.
To promote high-quality development, it is necessary to deepen reform and innovation. Only by boldly exploring in practice and promoting the development of undertakings through reform and innovation can development momentum be better activated. Since Yiwu launched a new round of comprehensive reform of international trade, it has given birth to more than 40 “first orders,” “first cases,” and “first creations” at the national and provincial levels. From implementing an 史无前例 (shǐ wú qián lì - “unprecedented in history,” never seen before) power-expansion reform (史无前例的扩权改革) to the nationwide first “inspect first, then load” (先查验后装运) innovative pilot model being implemented, breaking down ideological concepts and institutional and mechanistic barriers that constrain high-quality development, Yiwu’s development level has continuously risen.
To accomplish the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it is necessary to cope with a more complex environment and resolve more deep-seated contradictions. This requires all localities to respect the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, break new ground through reform, empower through innovation, further emancipate and develop social productive forces, and stimulate and enhance social vitality.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “High-quality development is the primary task of comprehensively building a modern socialist country, and adhering to high-quality development must become an important part of leading cadres’ view on political performance.” Taking the learning and education on establishing and practicing the correct view on political performance as an opportunity, draw lessons from the “Yiwu development experience,” blaze new trails, innovate, work hard, and act earnestly, and we will surely be able to promote China’s high-quality development to constantly reach new heights.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 何 聪 吴秋余 窦瀚洋
How long does it take to walk through the entire Yiwu International Trade Mart? If you spend 3 minutes in one shop and shop for 8 hours a day, it would still take over a year. Because here there are more than 80,000 shops, an operating area of 8 million square meters filled with a dazzling array of goods.
Neither adjacent to a river, nor facing the sea, nor along the border, Yiwu, this "city built on a market," has more than 1.29 million operating entities trading globally, selling over 2.1 million kinds of goods, and connecting with more than 230 countries and regions. In the first quarter of this year, Yiwu's total import and export value increased by 25% year-on-year, surpassing 200 billion yuan one month earlier than last year.
During his work in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping visited Yiwu many times for research, summarized and promoted the "Yiwu Development Experience" (义乌发展经验), and incisively pointed out that Yiwu's development was a development of "inexplicable" (mò míng qí miào, "cannot name or explain its mystery," puzzling but successful), a development of "creating something from nothing" (wú zhōng shēng yǒu, "to create something where there was nothing"), and a development of "turning stone into gold" (diǎn shí chéng jīn, "touch stone and turn it to gold," to transform something ordinary into something precious).
A single rattle-drum shook the world. Over the years, Yiwu has "persisted in promoting the city through commerce, facilitating industrial linkage, emphasizing balanced urban-rural planning, advancing harmonious development, enriching the cultural foundation, and striving for effective Party and government action," using solid work to promote "small commodities, big market, continuously creating new glories." The "Yiwu Development Experience" has shown vigorous and enduring vitality.
In April of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction emphasizing: "Yiwu's small commodities have broken into a big market and formed a big industry, giving rise to the 'Yiwu Development Experience.' This is a successful practice of developing county-level economies according to local conditions." "It is necessary to combine the study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of performance, further summarize and apply the 'Yiwu Development Experience' well, guide all regions to base themselves on their own resource endowments, respect grassroots and mass pioneering spirit, reform and innovate, work hard and solidly, and make sustained efforts for lasting results, exploring and finding a path of high-quality development that suits their own realities, and better serving and integrating into the overall national development situation."
As the 15th Five-Year Plan begins and takes off, the "Yiwu Development Experience" has important enlightening significance for all regions to be down-to-earth, work hard and solidly, and steadfastly promote high-quality economic development.
Base oneself on one's own situation, adapt measures to local conditions
Persist in the main regional development strategy of promoting the city through commerce, iteratively upgrading the big market through successive efforts
The market is the root and soul of Yiwu, continuously iterating and updating, now reaching its sixth generation.
"Open a shop with one click, open a shop globally." Heading north along Futian Road, then turning onto Yinhai Road, the fifth-generation market — Yiwu International Trade Mart Districts One through Five — unfolds in sequence. Walking eastward, the sixth-generation market — Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center (义乌全球数贸中心), which opened last October, is fashionable and modern, achieving indoor and outdoor integrated AI navigation. Scene applications such as robot interactive explanations and on-site inspections make the market highly technological.
Three generations of Yiwu merchants, with persistence and innovation, have witnessed the transformation of the Yiwu small commodities market. 74-year-old Zhang Chunhua came to visit the new store of her grandson He Tao. She looked up and looked around, her eyes full of novelty: "My market back then can't compare at all." Beside her, Zhang Chunhua's daughter Zhang Qiaomei stroked the plush toys in the store, unable to put them down: "The plush toys my son sells are more trendy."
In 1992, Zhang Chunhua had a stall in the fourth-generation small commodities market, Huangyuan Market (篁园市场). "That was Yiwu's first large-scale indoor market; doing business there, the wind couldn't blow on us, the sun couldn't shine on us." Following the pace of reform and opening up, she sold plush toys with great success.
The baton was passed to her daughter Zhang Qiaomei. Zhang Qiaomei seized the opportunity of China's accession to the World Trade Organization, actively dealing with foreign customers, and achieved remarkable results in a 9-square-meter stall. "I have regular customers in dozens of countries and regions."
"Actively embrace the era of artificial intelligence, let innovation and creativity become new growth points for trade." By the generation of He Tao, this post-2000 individual opened up sales channels on social media, changed the traditional method of stocking shelves, added a dedicated experience area in the store, focused on "combining wholesale and retail" for trendy toys, and attracted many merchants through online traffic.
In the "Jin Meng Jia Ren" (金梦佳人) accessory shop at Yiwu Global Digital Trade Center, owner Lou Yiyang was using the "XiaoShang AI Vision Creation" (小商AI视创) module in the "World Yiwu" (世界义乌) business large model application to make a video. Just by collecting voice, inputting product keywords, a short video for promoting products, with original sound, automatically generated copy by AI, and matching music, was completed in a few minutes. "Now doing business with foreign customers is more convenient and efficient," Lou Yiyang said.
"Each and every one of you is a participant, builder, and contributor to Yiwu's development. You must continue to work hard and create new glories." In September 2023, during his inspection of the Yiwu International Trade Mart, General Secretary Xi Jinping warmly communicated with representatives of merchants and small business owners and encouraged everyone.
"Effective government, daring merchants" — this contains the code to Yiwu's success.
Merchants break through in innovation; the market transforms and upgrades. "Promoting the expansion and upgrading of specialized markets is the dragon head and cornerstone of Yiwu's development. We persist in promoting the city through commerce, focusing on reducing transaction costs and improving circulation efficiency, continuously innovating and perfecting the market system, achieving a leap from 'buying and selling nationwide' to 'buying and selling globally.'" Yiwu City Party Secretary Ye Bangrui (叶帮锐) introduced that in recent years, Yiwu has positioned e-commerce as a strategically leading industry for market expansion, providing a one-stop trade service for global traders through the application of digital platforms such as the Smart Yuan Gang (智捷元港) digital supply chain platform and the "Yiwu Pay" (义支付) platform, promoting the deep integration of digital technology and market trade, and accelerating the digital transformation of the market.
A patch of land nurtures a patch of characteristics; a patch of characteristics achieves a patch of industry.
Over the years, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized the importance of adapting measures to local conditions, urging all regions to "use one key to open one lock" and "adapt to local conditions, foster strengths and compensate for weaknesses, and find a path of high-quality development suitable for the region's actual conditions."
Based on its own resource endowments, respecting the pioneering spirit of the grassroots and the masses, adhering to the combination of an effective market and a proactive government, Yiwu has created a legend of Chinese county-level economic development, providing a useful reference for all regions to explore and find their own path of high-quality development.
In learning from the "Yiwu Development Experience," all regions should base themselves on differences in endowments, persist in adapting measures to local conditions, implementing categorized policies, and targeting efforts precisely, and take a path of specialized, differentiated, high-quality economic development.
Anchor on characteristics, persist for lasting results
Persist in drawing a blueprint to the end, promote small commodities into a big industry through industrial linkage
Since the reform and opening up, a number of well-known specialized markets have sprung up like mushrooms. After decades of trials and tribulations, Yiwu has grown stronger and stronger, ascending to the world's largest distribution center for small commodities.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "A good blueprint, as long as it is scientific, practical, and conforms to the people's wishes, everyone should carry it forward one after another. What results from doing so are all real achievements."
The ability to turn a "grassroots economy" into a "global business" relies precisely on the persistence of "drawing a blueprint to the end" (一张蓝图绘到底). Over the years, Yiwu has not blindly chased trends, but has anchored itself on the path of "small commodity trade" for decades, nurturing an industrial ecology of "production nationwide, distribution in Yiwu, sales globally."
In late April, a palm-shaped hat that can be fixed on a brim for sun protection went viral online; from prototyping to mass production took less than half a day, and from production to cross-border shipment was completed in 48 hours. At the same time, Yiwu innovatively launched fun derivative products such as the "orchid finger sun hat," driving over 200 local factories to coordinate production, with a daily production capacity of 500,000 pieces, and goods quickly shipped to Europe, America, Southeast Asia, and other places.
"The market drives industry, industry supports the market. Yiwu's biggest advantage is its concentrated supporting industries and flexible production." Wang Hongjian (王洪健), Director of the Office of the Yiwu Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology, introduced that Yiwu, with small and micro enterprises as its main body, deeply cultivates segmented links, with fine division of labor and agile response, promoting the Yiwu market to launch an average of over 500,000 new products annually, driving the production and operation of over 2.1 million small and micro enterprises nationwide.
In the shop of Zhejiang Aoge Clothing Co., Ltd. (浙江傲哥服饰有限公司) on the second floor of Huangyuan Market, shirts of various fabrics and styles are dazzling. The company's "baton" was passed to the post-1990 Pan Xiangqian, who, through the Chinagoods digital trade platform, sells shirts all over the world.
"Before, we just made whatever customers wanted, without core competitiveness." After Pan Xiangqian took over the company, he abandoned the past homogenized market goods and focused on the R&D and production of high-quality products. "The company researches and develops about 200 new styles per year, with an annual factory shipment of about 1.8 million shirts."
On the other side, in the Digital and Intelligent Garment Industry Community in Dachen Town (大陈镇), intelligent manufacturing has become the "standard configuration." The traditional manufacturing model of measuring, producing finished garments, and shipping for shirts is compressed to 40 minutes here. The park's person in charge introduced that Dachen Town, which produces over 130 million shirts annually, has always treated trade-industry linkage as the core engine of high-quality development, established Yiwu's first trade-industry linkage industrial park — the Digital and Intelligent Garment Industry Community — forming a new type of trade-industry linkage industrial service complex integrating seven functional centers: production and manufacturing, incubation and cultivation, R&D and innovation, commerce and trade services, logistics and warehousing, smart operations and maintenance, and lifestyle services, driving the overall upgrading of the industry.
One industry thrives, a hundred industries prosper. Today, Yiwu's industry, which emerged from market stalls, has grown into over 1,100 industrial enterprises above designated size, achieving an output value of over 150 billion yuan last year, forming a distinctive industrial system represented by new energy vehicles and parts, daily necessities, and others.
Correct regional economic development strategies must be consistently implemented. Jinhua City Party Secretary Zhu Chonglie (朱重烈) said that over the past 20 years, under the guidance of the "Yiwu Development Experience," Jinhua and Yiwu have successively written a new chapter of development characterized by being "inexplicable, creating something from nothing, and turning stone into gold."
Small commodities support a big market; small industries achieve a large cluster — this has become a distinct mark of the "Yiwu Development Experience." The "Yiwu Development Experience" enlightens all regions that the prerequisite for high-quality economic development is to find one's own positioning. It is necessary to abandon the mindset of following trends and homogenization, rely on local resource, industrial, cultural, and geographical endowments, establish a development track that suits oneself, maintain strategic focus, and engage in long-term, meticulous cultivation.
Reform, innovate, work hard, and achieve solid results
Deeply integrate into and serve the construction of a new development pattern through creative practice
How can the massive volume of small commodities be quickly cleared through customs and sent to all corners of the world?
"Consolidate dozens of types of goods into one container for customs clearance." The head of Zhejiang Yinghe International Logistics Co., Ltd. (浙江盈和国际物流有限公司), Cheng Keyuan (程科源), told reporters that the "market purchase trade" (市场采购贸易) reform pioneered by Yiwu solved the problem of facilitating the customs clearance and export of small, mixed shipments of goods. "Consolidating goods for export" has become an important path for Chinese goods to go abroad.
"Why can't we only inspect the batch of goods that was randomly selected, instead of unpacking the entire container?" In June 2022, at a government-enterprise symposium, facing the relevant responsible comrades from Yiwu City and Zhejiang Province, Cheng Keyuan spoke frankly about an industry pain point: originally, when consolidated container shipping became the norm, facing random inspections during customs clearance, all goods in the container had to be taken out for verification and then repacked, often delaying order fulfillment times.
Proceeding from reality, using reform methods to solve industry difficulties and pain points, relevant departments listened to the demands and acted quickly. In 2023, the country's first "inspect first, then load" (先查验后装运) pilot project was implemented in Yiwu, moving the inspection step forward: goods enter the supervision site, are inspected in batches first, and then packed into containers after passing. In 2024, Yiwu launched a new round of comprehensive international trade reform, listing "inspect first, then load for export consolidated goods" as a key breakthrough item. In 2025, this model was further expanded to the cross-border e-commerce field.
Using reform methods to solve problems in development — this is the simple truth contained in the "Yiwu Development Experience."
A child grows too fast, but the clothes are too small; "we must give the fast-growing child a larger set of clothes." During his work in Zhejiang, regarding the institutional and mechanistic obstacles encountered in Yiwu's development, Comrade Xi Jinping once used this vivid analogy. At that time, Yiwu was developing rapidly but faced certain institutional and mechanistic constraints, like ill-fitting small clothes restricting Yiwu, this "fast-growing child," from continuing to stride forward. In 2006, Zhejiang Province issued a document to solve Yiwu's "small horse pulling a big cart" problem, pushing Yiwu to open a new chapter of reform and development.
Yiwu, having "put on larger clothes," has continuously grown taller and stronger. In the era of comprehensively deepening reform, Yiwu continues to polish its golden business card as the "World's Capital of Small Commodities."
Along the way, by persistently promoting development practice with the spirit of reform, Yiwu has focused on "buying and selling globally," smoothed its global logistics network, continuously deepened comprehensive international trade reform, innovated new foreign trade formats and models such as brand globalization, effectively responded to challenges from changes in the external environment, and gradually pushed Yiwu to become a representative city serving the domestic and international dual circulation.
"It's better to work together than to work alone." He Lihong (何犁红), President of the Yiwu City Brand Development Promotion Association (义乌市品牌发展促进会), often says this. As a pioneer in the overseas brand promotion of "Yiwu Good Products" (义乌好货), she visited 28 countries last year alone to promote the "Yiwu Selection" Yiwu brand overseas collection store, which has already been established in 12 countries and regions including Kenya. "Compared to a single brand venturing out on its own, a collection store can integrate industry advantages, form economies of scale, enhance bargaining power, and improve the ability to effectively respond to the current complex and volatile international situation."
Since its launch in 2023, the "Yiwu China Commodity City" brand globalization plan has cumulatively deployed 88 overseas projects in 38 countries and regions, driving over 5,000 merchants to go global, helping last year's exports to the United States increase by 25% and exports to countries jointly building the Belt and Road (一带一路) increase by 22%.
Reform does not stop; opening up does not cease — this has forged Yiwu's confidence for development, enabling it to move forward regardless of difficulties.
Some regions face difficulties such as many constraints, small permissions, and few resources in development. Only by promoting reform and innovation based on local realities can they effectively break through development bottlenecks. In promoting high-quality economic development, all regions should learn from Yiwu's reform spirit of emancipating the mind and bold exploration, persist in using reform to break through bottlenecks and empower development, and promote localized, precise innovation.
Enrich the people, strengthen the county, achieve common prosperity between urban and rural areas
Fully leverage the radiating and driving role of the big market, find an effective path for urban-rural integration and common prosperity through balanced urban-rural planning
The GDP growth brought about by economic development must ultimately be reflected in the people's sense of gain.
The developed Yiwu has always adhered to its original aspiration for development.
Entering Lizu Village (李祖村), which is focusing on building an "International Cultural Maker Village," the whitewashed walls and black-tiled roofs of the village houses exude simplicity. Cross-border trade live-streaming rooms, handicraft experience centers, cafes, and specialty restaurants are scattered on both sides of the village paths. The sounds of woodworking and the interactive chatter of live-streaming sales intertwined within the ancient houses. Over 100 new types of business forms, including design studios, intangible cultural heritage workshops, lifestyle brand stores, and cultural and creative markets, are full of youth and creativity on every side.
Laughter and chatter come from the "Desert Dyeing Workshop" (沙漠的染坊). Several villagers, led by a post-1990 young entrepreneur, Lou Shamoshuang (楼沙漠霜), were making a batch of custom tie-dyed rabbits. 75-year-old villager Chen Meiying (陈美英) was enjoying it.
"I can earn over 3,000 yuan a month." For Chen Meiying, this is not just a job but also a joy in her elderly life. "There are more and more young people in the village. Being with them makes me feel younger too."
Lizu Village, covering about 1 square kilometer, originally had about 700 villagers and was once a "hollow village" with a majority of left-behind elderly. After introducing a professional manager, Lizu Village turned young entrepreneurs into its most dynamic development resource, gathering 282 young entrepreneurs, driving rapid income growth for villagers. Last year, the village's collective economic income was 4.656 million yuan.
Today, with Lizu Village as the center, it is linked with 8 surrounding administrative villages to form the "Greater Lizu" (大李祖) area, covering 18 square kilometers, walking a path of regional coordinated development towards common prosperity. By the end of last year, the area had attracted over 500 young entrepreneurs to develop in the countryside, and more than 240 business types achieved cumulative annual sales of 125 million yuan.
Fully leveraging the radiating and driving role of the big market, Yiwu, with the construction of the "World's Capital of Small Commodities" as its engine, plans seven major areas including the "Greater Lizu" area, doing a good job on the three major tasks of "strengthening the city," "revitalizing the village," and "integration." Yiwu Mayor Wen Jianfei (温建飞) introduced that in 2025, Yiwu's urbanization rate rose to 83.1%, the collective operating income of all 343 administrative villages exceeded 1 million yuan, 225 e-commerce specialized villages were formed, over 1,390 rural entrepreneurs were cultivated, promoting the per capita disposable income of urban residents to rank first among national counties and cities for 19 consecutive years, and narrowing the urban-rural income ratio to 1.76.
Allowing everyone to become prosperous through labor, to be participants and builders in Chinese-style modernization. Over the years, Yiwu has always insisted on cities driving townships, commerce promoting industry, achieving two-way flow of industries and factors, balanced coverage of public services, allowing urban and rural residents to share development dividends, and achieving mutual promotion and progress between cities and villages.
Development for the people, development relying on the people, development achievements shared by the people — this is the inherent meaning of establishing and practicing a correct view of performance, and it is also the starting point and foothold of Yiwu's development.
Learning from the "Yiwu Development Experience" requires adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, continuously finding effective paths for urban-rural integration and common prosperity through balanced urban-rural planning.
20 years: a history of unswerving struggle, a history of tackling hard problems through reform and innovation, a history of connecting the five continents and developing.
Within the "Yiwu Development Experience" lie the original aspiration of "exchanging chicken feathers for sugar" (鸡毛换糖), the dream of "goods reaching the world," the wisdom of upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, and a model for high-quality development of the county-level economy.
"Guided by the 'Yiwu Development Experience,' Yiwu relies on reform and innovation to break through difficulties and increase advantages, continuously achieving new results in reform and development." The main responsible comrade of the Zhejiang Provincial Party Committee stated that we must firmly establish and practice a correct view of performance, continuously promote the deepening and solidification of the "Yiwu Development Experience," and advance Zhejiang's high-quality economic development.
Plan one region from the overall situation; serve the overall situation with one region. By further summarizing and applying the "Yiwu Development Experience" well, reforming and innovating, working hard and solidly, and making sustained efforts for lasting results, all regions will surely be able to walk a path of high-quality development that suits their own realities.
(Our reporter Dou Hao (窦皓) participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 彭 飞
Not only can it nurture abundant fruits of innovation, it can also effectively resist the risks and challenges brought by new technologies and new things — this is the strength of China's innovation system.
By the banks of the Huangpu River, such a question of the era prompts deep thought: When machines begin to think, how should humans get along with them? When algorithms participate in decision-making, how is safety guaranteed? When technology challenges ethics, how does governance keep up? When the gap keeps widening, how is universal benefit achieved?
At the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence, President Xi Jinping gave an answer: "Upholding the concept of putting people first and pursuing goodness and upwardness, let artificial intelligence become an important power source that promotes common prosperity and safeguards common security."
In the opening year, the "first lesson of the year" stressed "solidly building a modern industrial system," the first local inspection tour came to the National Information Technology Innovation Park (国家信创园) in Beijing Yizhuang (北京亦庄), the first collective study session of the CPC Central Committee Political Bureau focused on future industries… General Secretary Xi Jinping's speeches and footprints highlight the strategic significance of scientific and technological innovation for China's development during the "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period and even longer.
A new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating breakthroughs. "The situation urges people, and also compels people." How will China grasp the future?
Hold fast to the people-oriented nature, anchor the foundation of goodness. Good ideas in the laboratory, good projects on the financing market, must ultimately be transformed into good applications in order to realize their maximum value.
Residents' appeals at two o'clock in the morning — who responds instantly? The trash bin is full — who knows first? In many street communities in Beijing, 24-hour AI (artificial intelligence) social workers have quietly "come on duty," with results that 立竿见影 (lì gān jiàn yǐng - "set up a pole and see its shadow," to obtain instant results). Embedding AI into grassroots governance makes services more efficient, management more refined, and the masses enjoy convenience.
Promoting the upgrade of traditional manufacturing, improving urban grassroots governance, raising the level of agricultural modernization — which of these does not need innovation support? "Promoting close integration of science and technology with the economy," "highlighting the application orientation," "seamlessly connecting the innovation chain and the industrial chain" — these development requirements embody the value principle that science and technology must benefit the people.
Any cutting-edge technology, when all is said and done, must serve the real economy, serve the solution of practical problems, and serve the improvement of people's livelihood. Many scenarios, wide application, fast iteration, benefit to the people — these are the characteristics of China's innovation and also the advantages for winning the future.
Ensure safety and security, consolidate the foundation of development. "Key core technologies cannot be obtained by asking, buying, or begging;" only by advancing high-level self-reliance and self-strengthening.
Unfearing foreign supply cut-offs and suppression, domestic chips and others have continuously achieved new breakthroughs; cracking the "bottleneck" (卡脖子) of germplasm resources, accelerating the realization of independent and controllable seed sources; breaking through the monopoly and blockade of high-end industrial machine tools, five-axis linkage machine tools and others have been conquered… giving full play to the advantages of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources (新型举国体制), facing difficulties head-on and overcoming obstacles, we firmly grasp the initiative in development.
Cutting-edge and novel also often mean unknown and risk. "Cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence are accelerating iterative application, and the 'double-edged sword' effect is increasingly apparent."
Establishing an AI employment impact assessment system to minimize its impact on employment; issuing data security and personal information protection regulations to strictly rectify excessive collection of private data; perfecting the access and OTA (Over-the-Air) filing system for intelligent connected vehicles to guard both autonomous driving safety and data security… China's practice of balancing development and security sets a benchmark.
Not only can it nurture abundant fruits of innovation, it can also effectively resist the risks and challenges brought by new technologies and new things — this is the strength of China's innovation system, and also the resilience of China's economy.
Realize inclusiveness and universal benefit, broaden the path of win-win. Advanced technology, if used well, benefits the whole world; if used poorly, no country can 独善其身 (dú shàn qí shēn - "to care for one's own perfection alone," to look after one's own interests while ignoring others). Sharing and co-governance are the only path.
Relying on China's Smart Agriculture Integrated Development Plan, Cambodian farmers have seen a substantial increase in the survival rate and quality of giant freshwater prawn seedlings, and annual income per hectare of land has increased from about 1,000 US dollars to over 3,000 US dollars. BeiDou empowers, green electricity goes overseas, large models are open-sourced… China uses action to prove that cutting-edge technology is not the "patent" of any one country, but should better benefit human society.
"Helping Global South countries strengthen capacity building, bridge the digital-intelligence divide, promote sustainable development, and avoid creating new historical injustices in the field of artificial intelligence" — President Xi Jinping's declaration is inspiring. Ensuring that cutting-edge technology is inclusive and universal for all — China has always been in action.
Proposing the Global Artificial Intelligence Governance Initiative, initiating the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, supporting the establishment of the World Data Organization in Beijing… sharing dividends, solving difficulties together, sharing risks, the Chinese way of harmony and coexistence is also a golden key to addressing global challenges in the field of science and technology.
"Smart Partners, Co-Creating the Future" is the theme of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and High-Level Meeting on Global Governance of Artificial Intelligence. "Partners" means taking technology as a companion and making good use of intelligence, and even more means that on the road of development, all countries are fellow travellers and dream chasers.
Shouldering the arduous mission of supporting and leading Chinese modernization with scientific and technological innovation, cherishing the grand vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, China forges ahead with innovation, ceaseless, its steps moving forward.
Return to TopBy: 喻思南
The extent to which current industrial breakthroughs and technological advances respond to those long-cycle fundamental and key issues often determines how far they can go and how much impact and value they can generate.
As some fields shift from following, running alongside, and leading, more "uncharted territory" (无人区) now lies across the path of technological innovation.
On the industrial side: China successfully carried out the first controlled recovery of a launch vehicle's first stage, the first 8.6-generation AMOLED production line achieved mass production, and new principles guiding industrial development were proposed for the first time in the global semiconductor sector. Industrial innovation is raising more and more scientific questions; we must not only hold our ground in known domains but also break new paths in "uncharted territory."
On the research side: The recently released Nature Index 2026 Research Leaders list shows that China continues to rank first globally in research output. Among the seven disciplines tracked by the Nature Index, China ranks first in five. Situated in such a research niche, it is increasingly difficult to find answers from others' "museums"; more often, one must use one's own "compass" to find breakthroughs.
Stepping into the "uncharted territory" of innovation, the ability to independently pose scientific questions and define frontier directions becomes critically important. This requires not only sustained effort and hard work, but also tests the patience and wisdom of waiting for blossoms to bloom.
Not long ago, the team led by Zhang Tao, academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and researcher at the Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, won the first prize of the National Natural Science Award for their achievements in "single-atom catalysis." For a long time, the microscopic mechanism of catalysis was obscure and difficult to understand, regarded as a "black box" in research. Anchored in national strategic needs, the team devoted nearly 20 years of effort, advancing the scale of catalytic research from the nanometer level to the atomic level.
A 20-year period of deep immersion — the cycle is indeed long, but such 久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - "persistently exert effort over a long time," sustained and unremitting effort) is indispensable and extremely worthwhile. As a core support for modern industry, catalytic technology is widely applied in fields such as grain production, energy conversion, and fine chemicals. The achievements of Zhang Tao's team have opened up a new research paradigm, promising to solve the industry's long-standing problem of ambiguous catalytic mechanisms. This has attracted follow-up research from hundreds of countries and thousands of research groups, and is likely to generate immense value that is difficult to estimate in the future.
Looking at the entire history of human technological civilization, major original innovations, disruptive innovations, and leading innovations have always been critically important variables, bringing about major transformations in economic structure and industrial form.
From this perspective, the extent to which current industrial breakthroughs and technological advances respond to those long-cycle fundamental and key issues often determines how far they can go and how much impact and value they can generate.
It must also be recognized that trekking through the technological "uncharted territory" is difficult and highly uncertain. Cultivating historical patience that looks toward long cycles cannot rely solely on the foresight and determination of a few individuals; it must be supported by systematic institutional design. From funding allocation and outcome evaluation to talent cultivation and resource support, every link must leave interfaces and "breathing spaces" so that researchers can focus wholeheartedly on real problems, big problems, and deep problems.
For example: improve the long-cycle evaluation mechanism, using representative works and scientific "milestones" as the yardstick, being tolerant of 十年不鸣，一鸣惊人 (shí nián bù míng, yī míng jīng rén - "silent for ten years, startling the world with a single cry," to remain unknown for a long time and then achieve a stunning success); innovate the selection and funding mechanism for major non-consensus projects to support high-risk, high-value basic research; develop patient capital to inject vitality into science and technology innovation fields that are long-cycle and require large investment… Today's China, with more and more innovation entities reaching the frontier of scientific research, must further strengthen policy coordination, resource integration, and evaluation linkage, and with a longer-term vision and more flexible mechanisms, increase support for "from 0 to 1" research, injecting more source water into economic and social development.
Independent innovation has no shortcuts; it is destined to be a long trek. Looking far ahead and maintaining steadfastness — ahead lies boundless scenery, and moving forward unfolds a vast horizon.
Return to TopBy: 牛梦笛
【人物】 “Delivery-driver poet” Wang Jibing (王计兵)
【事件】 On July 15, the ninth Lu Xun Literature Prize (鲁迅文学奖) was announced, and “delivery-driver poet” Wang Jibing won the poetry prize for his collection Low-Altitude Flight (《低处飞行》). To write this collection, he interviewed over 140 riders on the streets, and the stories of one-armed riders and late-night delivery workers were transformed into moving lines of poetry.
【点评】 Wang Jibing’s writing contains no detached imagery; it is filled with the resilience and tenderness hidden in the daily lives of ordinary people. As rich as life is, so enduring are the poems. These verses, “grown” from life, voice the innermost thoughts of common people.
A netizen commented after reading his poems: when we are on the commuting bus, when we suffer grievances in life, when we call our parents far away in our hometown and say everything is fine, it is hard not to be struck by these poems.
As the new mass literature and art (新大众文艺) thrives, more and more ordinary people are becoming creators of the era. This confirms a simple truth: the growth of literature and art cannot be separated from the nourishment of the people, and ordinary people can also use literature and art to brew life and nourish their own lives. In his early years, Wang Jibing dredged sand, set up street stalls, and scavenged. Approaching age 50, he became the oldest delivery rider in his station. In the long years without readers, without applause, and unknown to anyone, it was literature that allowed him to find his own world.
Perhaps every person has in their heart a desire to be seen, to be remembered, to be recognized. Literature stitches back, thread by thread, the time that has been chopped up by algorithms, offering a possibility of “slowness” for life, responding to people’s inner pursuit of meaning and value.
With a pen and a mobile phone, one can place their heart’s concerns in any corner. Mining worker Chen Nianxi (陈年喜) once wrote poems on the box he used as a bed, saying, “Life is lonely; writing is to light a lamp to push loneliness away.” Fan Yusu (范雨素), who works in domestic service, accompanies herself with literature; the publication of her autobiographical novel Long-Awaited Reunion (《久别重逢》) allowed her to bloom in ordinary days. For ordinary people, at the moment they spread out paper and pen, each person is the protagonist of their own spiritual world, and can construct meaning and seek solace through recording and writing. From “being narrated” to “I write,” the participation of ordinary people makes the garden of literature and art like a field brushed by spring breeze, where all things grow and vitality bursts forth.
One pen lights up ordinary daily life; ten thousand pens paint a sky shining with stars. Today, professional singers hold “concerts” in parks, noodle-pullers step onto the stage of village song contests, farmers set up easels in the fields… “Everyone writes for everyone.” More ordinary people gain from literature and art the power to settle themselves and to rise, collectively creating the vast sky of literature and art in the new era.
Amateur writing has become a prevailing trend, benefiting from the development of the times. “Prosper the new mass literature and art under conditions of a thriving internet” (繁荣互联网条件下新大众文艺) has been written into the Fifteenth Five-Year Plan Outline (十五五规划纲要), serving as a vivid footnote to Chinese-style modernization (中国式现代化). The modernization that coordinates material and spiritual civilization has granted hundreds of millions of ordinary laborers not only the will to express themselves but also the tools and platforms for expression; the popularization of education, the empowerment of digital technology, and the sinking of public cultural services have fully released creative vitality.
At the end of the day, literature and art is a form of public expression; when one has words to speak and feelings to express, setting them on the page is creation. The vigorously growing new mass literature and art, integrated into the ordinary writing of everyday life, allows ordinary people, no matter where they are, to find a spiritual habitat, to encounter a better self, and to see a larger world. This is a spiritual epic of an era, and also a magnificent sky of an era.
Return to TopThe C919 will operate its first international passenger flight, officially entering service on the route between Beijing and Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia; Cambodia's national flag carrier has placed a batch order for the C909 passenger aircraft, becoming the first foreign national flag carrier to introduce this model in bulk. In recent days, domestically produced passenger aircraft have accelerated their international deployment, helping to raise recognition in overseas markets and broaden the space for international development.
This is exactly:
The passenger jet soars through distant skies,
Proudly displaying its form and grace.
Reputation has no shortcut,
Only by accumulating inch-by-inch effort.
Shen Qiuwen (沈丘文)
Return to TopBy: 邢云鹏
“In our community’s Party and Mass Service Center, many keys are placed in metal cabinets. When elderly people have needs, the ‘Shared Children’ (共享儿女) volunteer team can visit them at the first moment to help solve their difficulties.” For Hao Guoying (郝国英), Party Secretary of the Chaoyang Community (朝阳社区) Party Committee in Nanzhai Subdistrict (南寨街道), Jiancaoping District (尖草坪区), Taiyuan, Shanxi, these keys are the community’s warmest “token of trust.” 376 volunteers have formed kinship pairs with empty-nest and elderly living alone in the community, making home visits to care for them and accompany them in conversation. This close neighborly mutual assistance has forged the warm foundation of good grassroots governance.
Against the backdrop of an aging population, more appropriately caring for empty-nest and elderly living alone has become an unavoidable livelihood issue for grassroots governance. Chaoyang Community has a permanent resident population of over 6,000, among whom more than 500 are empty-nest or elderly living alone. Many elderly people face practical difficulties such as lack of daily care, no one to attend to them in emergencies, and deficiency in spiritual companionship. How to meet the subtle rigid needs close to the elderly’s lives, such as daily supervision and emotional comfort, directly reflects the degree of refinement in grassroots governance.
The keys entrusted for safekeeping have built bridges connecting hearts, ensured safety, and provided convenience. The elderly voluntarily entrusting their home keys to the community is the purest trust in the community; volunteers pairing up to provide assistance, with a cumulative total of over 30,000 home visits over five years, is a long-lasting commitment. Behind this heartwarming service is the iterative upgrading of grassroots governance. The community has built a full-age volunteer service matrix, gathering diverse volunteer forces to precisely serve the key groups of “the elderly, the young, and the new arrivals” (一老一小一新); relying on diversified projects such as “Shared Children,” “Children’s Garden” (童心园), and “New Companion Housekeeper” (新搭子管家), and through “Bench Councils” (板凳议事会) to listen to public voices and align with public opinion, it has achieved a transformation from management to service.
A glimmer of light gathers into a torch, condensing into a galaxy of stars. Today, Chaoyang Community has been selected as one of the National 100 Outstanding Volunteer Service Communities; the community, in collaboration with North University of China (中北大学), has created a “Shared Children” visual chronicle, which was selected for the 11th China Oral History International Exhibition. The story of neighborly watchfulness has ascended to a larger stage. This sustainable and warm governance model provides a paradigm for community elderly care and good grassroots governance.
The warmth of development lies in the tender watchfulness amidst the hustle and bustle of the streets and alleys. Use good governance to brighten the background of people’s livelihood, making the home warmer and life better.
(Excerpted from Shanxi Daily, originally titled A Key of Trust Unlocks the Happiness Code of Elderly Care)
Return to TopBy: 李 斌
Treat every mountain foot as a new starting point, treat every reset as a new prelude. Suddenly turning around (蓦然回首, mò rán huí shǒu - "suddenly turn the head," to glance back unexpectedly), you will find that the thorns along the path have already bloomed with flowers.
Taking the child to climb the mountain in the rain, by the time we descended the mountain the sky was already dark, the steps were slippery, and the rain showed no sign of stopping. Such a scene made me unable to refrain from teaching the child to recite a poem by Su Shi: "Listen not to the rain beating through the forest leaves; why not chant and stroll unhurriedly? Bamboo staff and straw sandals are lighter than a horse — who is afraid? A single coir raincoat lets me face life's wind and rain." From the author's life to the poem's background, and then to how to face difficulties in studies and life, we talked as we walked, and the mountain foot gradually drew nearer.
Only after reaching the summit and descending safely is the entire challenge completed. Whether it is the reminder that "ascending the mountain is easy, descending the mountain is difficult," or the reflection that "don't say that going down the ridge is without difficulty — it tricks the traveler into false joy," both speak of the "descent" being not easy. In the return journey one sees steadfastness; in looking back one tempers the mind. Though the journey of "descending" lacks the heroic spirit of meeting at the summit or the stunning beauty of first glimpses of scenery, it is not without its rewards.
"Going up" tests the will; "coming down" tempers the mind. When climbing upward, the goal is clear, the direction is distinct, and each step shortens the distance to the summit. But when walking downward, the goal incentive of reaching the peak is lost, yet one may have to cross mountains already crossed before, descend slopes already ascended before — the spirit may slacken, the attention may drift. If "going up" is about braving difficulties and going forward (迎难而上, yíng nán ér shàng - "face difficulties and forge ahead," to confront challenges directly), then "coming down" is about being as careful at the end as at the beginning (慎终如始, shèn zhōng rú shǐ - "be cautious at the end as at the beginning," to maintain the same care throughout). It especially requires seeing the road ahead clearly, sorting out the weary body and mind, and ensuring that one walks more steadily and more solidly.
Returning from the clouds to the mountain foot often requires adapting to the drop. Just as when doing those hidden achievements that do not show the mountain or reveal the water (不显山露水, bù xiǎn shān lù shuǐ - "not show the mountain or reveal the water," to act without drawing attention) but bring long-term benefits — there is no applause or spotlight at the summit; one must sink the heart and bend down to invest, holding fast to the original aspiration in the ordinariness, accumulating strength in the everyday. Life has no permanent peak; prosperity and simplicity are both normal. To dare to sink silently, to dare to start over from the beginning — this choice is itself brave and extraordinary.
No matter where one is, there must always be a certain drive. Zhang Guimei (张桂梅) has taken root in remote areas, and for over a decade she has used her hands, covered with medicinal plasters, to lift up the study dreams of more than 2,000 children, telling them, "Don't look back, go upward." Many of the children, after completing their studies, did not cling to the prosperity of big cities but voluntarily returned to their hometowns, either standing on a lectern or carrying a medical kit, just like Zhang Guimei, "holding up the hope of the mountains." Bending down and willingly being a ladder for others (甘为人梯, gān wéi rén tī - "willing to be a human ladder," to sacrifice oneself for others' advancement) is a very high realm.
The steps of "descending" are still moving forward. It is the end of one journey, and yet is it not also a new beginning? The mountain is there; climbing up and descending are both practices, and in every look up and down lies growth. "Going up" teaches us to look up to the peak and seek the vastness of heaven and earth; "coming down" teaches us to be humble and to settle the rivers and mountains within our hearts. If every mountain foot is treated as a new starting point, and every reset as a new prelude, then when we suddenly turn around, we will find that the thorns along the path have bloomed with flowers. "Turning to look at the path I have come from — a vast expanse of green lies across the misty slopes" — that is roughly it.
Coming and going with ease, advancing and retreating freely — the key lies in conviction. Zhang Fuqing (张富清), who performed outstanding military exploits in the War of Liberation, after his transfer to civilian work actively concealed his achievements for more than 60 years. Wang Yuchang (王於昌), who twice participated in shooting down enemy reconnaissance planes, after demobilization worked as a shop assistant in a department store for over 20 years, never mentioning his past exploits. Not being trapped by past heights, not being infatuated with former glory, remaining clear-headed and self-possessed when receiving applause, and holding fast to the original aspiration when returning to the ordinary — this in itself is a rare and commendable (难能可贵, nán néng kě guì - "rare and valuable," praiseworthy because hard to achieve) character.
Time flies like a shuttle (岁月如梭, suì yuè rú suō - "years and months like a shuttle," time passes quickly), the green mountains bear witness. From the heroic sentiment of "I will climb to the top of the mountain" to the thorough understanding of "no wind or rain, no clear sky," the mountain does not answer, yet with its eternal majesty it inspires strivers to move forward and gives answers to those who seek. May each of us have both the courage to climb step by step and bravely reach the peak, and the equanimity to descend smoothly and return to the ordinary, holding fast to a normal heart in the midst of climbing and descending, and seeking the true essence of life in the midst of advancing and retreating.
Return to TopDear readers, this edition's columns "Everybody Talks" (大家谈), "Warm News Hot Commentary" (暖闻热评), "China Road, Chinese Dream" (中国道路中国梦), "Comments" (来论), and others are long-term open for submissions. Contributions are welcome; please do not submit the same manuscript to multiple columns.
This edition's email: rmrbpl@peopledaily.cn (when submitting, please indicate the column name).
By: 本报记者 王昊男
In the height of summer, stepping into the Beijing Municipal Citizen Hotline Service Center (北京市市民热线服务中心) call hall, the scene is orderly, and operators attentively answer every incoming call.
“Hello, this is the 12345 citizen hotline. How may I help you?” As the call connects, auxiliary squad leader Shi Xinyu (史新宇), wearing a headset, fingers flying rapidly over the keyboard. As a seasoned operator, he once set a record of answering 180 calls in a single day and has experienced a single call lasting two hours.
“Efficiency and warmth – how can they coexist on one hotline?” Facing the reporter’s question, Shi Xinyu gently touches the Party member badge on his chest and looks resolutely at the slogan on the hall pillar: “A thousand strands and ten thousand threads of affairs, in the final analysis, are the affairs of a thousand and ten thousand households” and “The people’s aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle”… Every word is clear, every word weighs a thousand jun.
“Our duty is to receive every hope the people place in us,” said Yao Lei (姚磊), Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Beijing Municipal Citizen Hotline Service Center. “We must continue to walk the path of using citizen appeals to drive the modernization of mega-city governance, so that ordinary people’s lives become more comfortable and more secure.”
Speed is the most intuitive feeling the capital’s residents have about this hotline. How long does it take to add a bench at a bus stop? From the moment the hotline is answered to the bench being installed — three days.
Not long ago, a Mr. Zhang reported that the Taijichang Intersection East Station (台基厂路口东站) lacked a waiting bench. Beiba Media Company (北巴传媒公司) took the order and acted immediately: investigation, design, and installation were completed in one go. Looking at the brand-new bench, Mr. Zhang said, “This hotline really gets things done, and it gets real things done.”
“Speed is the baseline; accuracy is the key,” said Feng Yingyi (冯颖义), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Citizen Hotline Service Center. To achieve precise dispatch, the Center’s Party Committee set up a special task force to conduct an in-depth review of the original more than 2,600 categories of appeals. Through disassembly, refinement, and supplementation, they ultimately built a five-level standardized classification framework containing nearly 10,000 items. Coordinated with the closed-loop mechanism of “receive, dispatch, handle, evaluate” (接、派、办、评), this ensures that “every matter has a response, and every case has a result.”
A single hotline is not only a channel for solving problems but also a “barometer” for observing the city’s pulse. In the call hall, a giant electronic screen displays intake data in real time. Behind the screen, a full-cycle analysis and judgment mechanism — “daily reports, weekly analysis, monthly briefings, annual check-ups” — is operating efficiently.
“Relying on massive data, we continuously strengthen the identification and early warning of budding, trending, and risk-bearing appeals,” Yao Lei said. By mining the common patterns behind the data, the Center’s Party Committee moves its work forward, pushing relevant parties to transform from “passively receiving orders” to “actively governing.”
Installing elevators was once a common difficulty facing old residential communities. At Taiping Road No. 48 Courtyard (太平路48号院), Yongding Road Subdistrict (永定路街道), Haidian District, more than half of the 60 households were elderly. The 12345 citizen hotline received multiple reports — “No elevator; going downstairs is hard!” However, due to property rights issues, disputes among multiple parties, and especially the constraint of the then-existing “one-vote veto” (一票否决) rule, the project stalled.
“In the past, if one household disagreed, the entire building’s project would halt,” Yao Lei explained. The Center’s Party Committee, relying on routine analysis and judgment, dug deep into similar appeals across the city, precisely pinpointed common pain points such as sunlight obstruction, noise, and compensation difficulties, and formed special reports submitted to the Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. Elevator installation work was included in the “Monthly One Topic” (每月一题) special governance, and policies were subsequently optimized: the “one-vote veto” was abolished, a reasonable voting ratio was set, and a compensation mechanism for upper and lower floors was clarified.
With the institutional ice broken, implementation accelerated. Subdistricts actively built platforms to explain the policies; construction companies adopted “off-peak operations” to reduce disturbance to residents; considering the impact of construction during the high school entrance exam period, the elevator company proactively promised “three months of free elevator use for affected households.” In the end, the elevator at Courtyard 48 was solidly installed.
To study new situations and solve new problems, the Party’s innovative theory is the “golden key.” The Center’s Party Committee innovatively established a “go to three sites” working mechanism: go to the hotline site to listen to citizens’ appeals; go to the site where problems arise to conduct investigation and research; go to the negotiation site to push for problem resolution. Each of the four Party Committee members is linked to one call squad; six hotline Party branches have established fixed liaison mechanisms with 116 call squads; more than 60 hotline center Party members regularly go down to the front line to discuss operations and solve difficulties.
Whether the work is good or not is decided by the people. “We take the response rate, resolution rate, and satisfaction rate — the ‘three rates’ (三率) — as important yardsticks for testing our work,” Yao Lei said. “These ‘three rates’ have never been cold numbers on paper; they are the ‘votes of trust’ that ordinary people cast through one call after another, one follow-up after another.”
Handling one matter well warms one heart; handling ten thousand matters well warms a whole city. “If there’s a problem, call 12345” has become the consensus of the capital’s residents. In 2025, this hotline received 25.802 million appeals from citizens and enterprises, with a resolution rate of 97.3% and a satisfaction rate of 97.7%.
As evening lights come on, Shi Xinyu’s phone still keeps ringing. Not far from his workstation, on the most prominent wall of the call hall, a line of large red characters shines brightly: “Continue to walk this path steadfastly — ‘Receive and Act Immediately’.”
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曾亦辰
From a high altitude overlooking the Dongzhi Plateau (董志塬), on the left bank of the Pu River (蒲河), a first-level tributary of the Jing River, nine large rammed-earth platforms are symmetrically arranged in an inverted "U" shape, enclosing a prehistoric city core area of about 300,000 square meters. This is the Nanzuo site (南佐遗址), located in Nanzuo Village (南佐村), Houguanzhai Town (后官寨镇), Xifeng District (西峰区), Qingyang City (庆阳市), Gansu Province. Not long ago, this site was selected for the 2025 National Top Ten Archaeological New Discoveries.
A folk saying in Longdong (陇东) goes: "Eight hundred li of Qinchuan cannot compare to the edge of the Dongzhi Plateau." In the summer season, the reporter passed through winding field paths among village houses and entered the Nanzuo site archaeological excavation scene, to explore the stories being unearthed shovel by shovel beneath this loess land.
"Joy and happiness all come from shoveling one shovel at a time"
In the spring of 1957, archaeological worker Ni Sixian (倪思贤), assigned by the Gansu Provincial Cultural Relics Management Committee (甘肃省文物管理委员会), based on a clue provided by local cultural worker He Shubi (贺书璧), went to Geda Qu (疙瘩渠), then located in Nanzuo Commune, Houguanzhai Township (后官寨乡), to conduct professional archaeological survey. At that time, Geda Qu was still a loess gully. Ni Sixian walked and stopped along the gully, and after careful inspection and prudent judgment, confirmed that this was a Neolithic site, and published a brief report titled "A Neolithic Site Discovered in Qingyang County" in the 1959 issue of Cultural Relics magazine. Since then, the Nanzuo site officially entered the public view.
In 1984, Zhao Jianlong (赵建龙) of the Gansu Provincial Museum Archaeological Work Team (甘肃省博物馆文物工作队), after finishing his excavation work at the Dadiwan site (大地湾遗址) in Qin'an County (秦安县), Gansu, together with Yan Weiqing (阎渭清), an archaeological worker from the same team, came to Nanzuo to begin excavation. In the years of dealing with countless pottery shards and house sites at Dadiwan, Zhao Jianlong came to understand the settlement patterns of the Yangshao culture, and also forged a pair of 金睛火眼 (jīn jīng huǒ yǎn - "golden eyes and fiery eyes," meaning keen observation) — by the color, decoration, and manufacturing technique of pottery shards, he could roughly judge their age. And at the Nanzuo site, those scattered red pottery, gray pottery, and traces similar to the "white lime surface" of Dadiwan gave Zhao Jianlong a judgment in his mind: this was very likely a late Yangshao culture remnant.
Unlike the buildings at Dadiwan, which were mainly "wood-framed mud walls," at Nanzuo, Yan Weiqing led the team to discover a 25-meter-long rammed-earth wall. This technique of strengthening walls or foundations by layered ramming was previously thought to have matured only in the Shang dynasty. This discovery provided more space for subsequent archaeological excavations.
In 1994, the second phase of archaeological excavation was launched. Zhao Xueye (赵雪野), a research librarian at the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology (甘肃省文物考古研究所), led the team to continue the archaeological excavation of that rammed-earth wall. As the excavation area expanded, the wall turned a corner, enclosing a larger space. "It turned out this was not a city wall, but the outer wall of a giant house site," Zhao Xueye said. "At first, a corner of the wall was found. As the excavation continued, we eventually excavated a space of about 630 square meters." This area is the core area of the Nanzuo site: the main hall F1.
In 1996, the second phase of excavation ended. To effectively protect the site, the archaeological team backfilled the F1 house site, leaving it for later excavation when technology matured.
"When going to the Nanzuo site for archaeology, the vehicle that came to pick us up at the airport was a hand tractor, heading straight from the airport to the archaeological site, with dust flying all the way," Zhao Jianlong recalled. "Someone once asked, after many years of archaeological research, are there any moments that make one 心潮澎湃 (xīn cháo péng pài - "heart tide surging," emotionally stirred)? In fact, joy and happiness all come from shoveling one shovel at a time. The work we do is to uncover a corner of the Nanzuo site."
"Conduct anatomical excavation like performing surgery"
In 2021, to understand the chronological stages, settlement structure, and social conditions of the Nanzuo site, and to further explore ancient civilization on the Loess Plateau, the third phase of archaeological excavation at the Nanzuo site was launched. After nearly two years of archaeological survey and excavation, a joint archaeological team composed of the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Renmin University of China, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Lanzhou University, and other units discovered that there were also a row of rammed-earth wall side chambers on the east and west sides of the main hall. The core area of the site has nine rammed-earth platforms symmetrically distributed in an inverted "U" shape. Outside the "Nine Platforms" (九台) there are also two ring ditches. The total area of the site is at least 6 million square meters, and the core area surrounded by the "Nine Platforms" and their ring ditches alone is about 300,000 square meters.
The archaeological team turned their gaze to the peripheral area and adopted a 5m × 5m excavation square method. Every inch dug down was carefully recorded for soil texture and inclusions. As they dug, a piece of earth with different soil texture and color happened to be stuck under the baulk between two squares.
This suddenly appearing earth corner had a softer texture than the surrounding loess, and its edges faintly showed traces of processing. "We conducted anatomical excavation like performing surgery," introduced Zhang Xiaoning (张小宁), a librarian at the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. "It was finally confirmed that this was a small corner of a house." Zhang Xiaoning recalled that during that period, the team members rooted themselves in the fields every day. By day they excavated and recorded; by night they sat together discussing and speculating. From the extension direction of the house to the thickness of the walls, every speculation had to be verified through subsequent excavation. Every dig carried a nervous feeling: "If we find the right direction, we might unlock a history buried under the loess."
After one house was completely found, the team members started a new "brainstorm": what was around the house? What was the structure? After more houses were excavated, the team realized: this might be a sunken courtyard (地坑院). Further excavation confirmed that the several houses were indeed not scattered architectural remains, but formed a sunken courtyard embodying the survival wisdom of Loess Plateau residents — a form of dwelling where the ground is dug down to form a pit, and cave dwellings are excavated around the sides.
"There is a saying in the archaeological community: 'If you can't imagine it, you can't dig it up.' From digging up this single house to conceiving that it might be a sunken courtyard, bold hypothesis and careful verification, piecing together its full picture bit by bit — this process is very satisfying," Zhang Xiaoning said. Many members of the team grew up on the Loess Plateau and were extremely familiar with the rammed-earth construction using board frames. Between layers of compacted earth walls lies a construction logic of continuity across ancient and modern, and 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - "adapt measures to local conditions").
"We found that each courtyard was first excavated several meters down from the ground surface, then cave dwellings with nearly circular floor plans were dug around the sides, and the rooms were decorated with white lime. The cave-dwelling style courtyard group at the Nanzuo site is the largest and most structurally complete cave-dwelling settlement remnant of the Yangshao period in northern China to date," introduced Han Jianye (韩建业), the person in charge of the Nanzuo site archaeological excavation project.
"From the very beginning, a multidisciplinary cooperative research approach was adopted"
White pottery gui vessels, cinnabar-painted pottery, stone arrowheads with cinnabar on the surface... "In the sacrificial space east of the palace city, we also discovered millions of grains of carbonized rice, unprecedented in the Loess Plateau region," said Chen Guoke (陈国科), director of the Gansu Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology and leader of the Nanzuo site archaeological team.
In a corner of the palace city site, there are still traces of carbonized rice on the walls. Where did this rice come from? "The possibility of local cultivation cannot be ruled out, but it could also have been obtained through long-distance trade from the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and other areas. These were two scientific hypotheses we initially raised," Zhang Xiaoning said. "Through strontium isotope and phytolith analysis of some samples, researchers found that the rice may have been locally grown."
"The archaeological work at the Nanzuo site adopted a multidisciplinary cooperative research approach from the very beginning, which can better restore the social picture 5,000 years ago," Chen Guoke said.
The puzzle of the rice source was not yet fully solved when another type of precious artifact — white pottery — issued a "challenge" to the archaeological team. Inside the Nanzuo site workstation, white pottery jars restored by craftsmen are placed. On close inspection, the surface shows a warm luster, completely different from the rough texture of ordinary pottery shards. What is its body material? Kaolin or china stone? The team used a thermal expansion apparatus, optical microscope, Raman spectrometer, and other equipment to analyze the firing temperature, composition, microstructure, etc., of the white pottery from the Nanzuo site. "We found that the inner and outer surfaces of the white pottery are also coated with a layer different from the body material, made from aquatic organisms such as shellfish," Han Jianye said.
Test results show that the Nanzuo white pottery used three types of body materials: kaolin, china stone, and a local high-calcium, low-iron, easily fusible white clay. The first two may have come from long-distance trade; the use of the latter indicates that Nanzuo potters already had a basic understanding of the relationship between clay, temperature, and product. "Ethnographic surveys were very helpful in answering our questions," Zhang Xiaoning said. "When we communicated with a local highly skilled pottery artisan, he took us to a place where he collects clay for making pottery and found a white clay, confirming our archaeological inference. Culture has continuity. Observing traditional techniques still in use today can build a bridge for understanding the behavior of ancient people 5,000 years ago."
Extended Reading
The Nanzuo settlement not only has a large overall scale, but also has considerable construction quantities such as palaces, rammed-earth platforms, ditch and water conservancy facilities. The artifacts unearthed in the Nanzuo "palace city" area show connections with the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the lower reaches of the Yellow River, and other regions, indicating that the Nanzuo settlement engaged in long-distance resource transportation and other activities with these areas.
The Nanzuo core area and "palace city" area have a strict closed pattern of choosing the center for residence, clear primary and secondary differentiation, and progressive layering. The "Nine Platforms" and core area are at the center of the settlement; the "palace city" is at the center of the "Nine Platforms"; the main hall is at the center of the "palace city." The door of the main hall and the door of the palace city form a central axis. The side chambers on the east and west sides also have a central axis symmetry structure, overall forming a closed central-symmetry, central-axis-symmetry palace pattern. This Nanzuo settlement with such strict layout reflects the ritual nature of order.
The discoveries at the Nanzuo site indicate that around 5,000 years ago, the Loess Plateau had already entered an early state or civilized society stage. This is of great significance for understanding the key position of the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River, the Loess Plateau, especially the Longdong region, in the origin and formation process of Chinese civilization.
(Reported by our staff reporter Zeng Yichen (曾亦辰))
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云杉 邱超奕
Energy concerns the national economy, people's livelihood, and national security.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Energy issue is a strategic issue in development" "We must adhere to the path of clean, low-carbon development." The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes to deeply implement the new strategy for energy security, accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system, and build an energy powerhouse.
Since the beginning of this year, the global energy market has experienced drastic fluctuations. Our country's energy supply is ample; on one hand grasping independent production, on the other hand grasping diversified imports, effectively meeting various energy demands.
In the first half of the year, domestic crude oil, natural gas, and electricity production all reached record highs for the same period in history. Crude oil output of industries above designated size increased by 0.9% year-on-year, natural gas by 1.6%, and power generation by 3.5%. Production of major energy products was stable... Advancing under pressure, transforming and improving quality, the energy industry withstood shocks and demonstrated strong resilience.
Resilience: Effectively Responding to External Shocks
On May 27, the first phase of my country's Bohai Bay billion-ton oilfield, the Kenli 10-2 (垦利10—2) oilfield group, was fully put into production, with the oilfield's crude oil daily output exceeding 2,800 tons.
Feng Shuo (冯硕), chief engineer of the Bonan Operation Company of CNOOC Tianjin Company, introduced that the Kenli 10-2 oilfield is located in the southern sea area of Bohai Bay, with proven geological reserves exceeding 100 million tons. It is the largest shallow-layer lithologic oilfield offshore in China. This commissioning will provide important support for the sustained stable production and output increase of the Bohai Oilfield, the country's largest crude oil production base.
Energy market turmoil — how has China, as the largest oil importing country, maintained stable economic and social operation? The stability of energy supply has played a key role.
Raw coal production provides a solid and strong safety net. In the first half of the year, industries above designated size produced 2.37 billion tons of raw coal, with an average daily output of 13.07 million tons, the second highest for the same period in history.
Oil and gas output reached record highs for the same period in history. In the first half of the year, crude oil production by industries above designated size increased by 0.9% year-on-year, and natural gas production increased by 1.6% year-on-year, both historical highs for the same period.
Electricity production maintained growth. As of the end of June, the national cumulative installed power generation capacity reached 4.04 billion kilowatts. In the first half of the year, power generation by industries above designated size was approximately 4.8 trillion kilowatt-hours, up 3.5% year-on-year.
Diversified collaborative support capabilities are stronger. Continuously improving the energy production, supply, storage, and sales system, and accelerating the construction of supporting capacities such as ultra-high voltage transmission, pumped storage, and new energy storage, so that large areas of newly added new energy installations can be "built, transmitted, and absorbed," fundamentally enhancing the energy system's risk resistance capability and level of self-controllability.
The diversified import strategy layout provides strong support. Currently, my country has built four major energy import channels: northwest, northeast, southwest, and maritime, covering over 100 countries and regions.
“Looking outward, my country relies on the diversified energy import strategy layout to resist risks; looking inward, enterprise high inventories and the huge domestic market size offset fluctuations and stabilized expectations. Accurate price regulation of refined oil products and moderate safety nets reduced the transmission pressure of international oil prices to the real economy.” Lyu Wenbin (吕文斌), director of the Energy Research Institute of the Academy of Macroeconomic Research of the National Development and Reform Commission, believes that currently, my country's energy supply and demand are generally stable and more resilient.
Green: Clean Energy Accelerates Growth to Become the “Protagonist”
Vast deserts and seas, green energy builds the foundation. On July 10, the supporting coal power project for the Kubuqi Desert (库布齐沙漠) power transmission to Shanghai project started construction in Dalad Banner (达拉特旗), Ordos City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, marking that Huaneng's Kubuqi ten-million-kilowatt-level "sand, Gobi, and barren" (沙戈荒) base has entered the construction stage.
“After the Kubuqi large base is completed, it can transmit approximately 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Shanghai each year, of which new energy annual power generation reaches 23.3 billion kilowatt-hours, and can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by over 17 million tons annually, further promoting the realization of the ‘dual carbon’ goals.” Hao Wenyi (郝文艺), general manager of Huaneng Kubuqi Power Generation Co., Ltd., introduced.
Looking across the country: in Lhasa, Tibet, the world's highest-altitude trough-type solar thermal power station – CGN Tibet Wumatang (乌玛塘) 50 MW solar thermal project – started construction; in Ningde, Fujian, the dome of CGN Fujian Ningde Nuclear Power Unit 5 completed hoisting, laying the foundation for subsequent installation, commissioning, and grid connection; in Kunming, Yunnan, the first batch of units of China's largest single-unit capacity plateau mountain wind power project – China Datang Julongliang (巨龙梁) Wind Farm Expansion Project – successfully connected to the grid for power generation... Various new energy power generation projects are refreshing their “progress bars,” reflecting the strong “green” flavor of my country's energy transition.
Looking at installed capacity: as of the end of June, wind and solar installed capacity together accounted for nearly 50% of the total comprehensive installed power generation capacity. The world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system has been built, and the green and low-carbon characteristics of the energy structure are more distinct.
Looking at power generation: as of the end of April, renewable energy generated 1.2 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 36.4% of total social electricity consumption. Today, for every 10 kilowatt-hours of electricity used in China, nearly 4 kilowatt-hours are green electricity. As one of the fastest countries in the world in reducing energy intensity, my country is using surging green productivity to drive the output of more green GDP.
Advancement: New Energy System Supports Accelerated Development of New Quality Productive Forces (新质生产力)
A new channel for “west-to-east power transmission”! On June 30, the Shaanbei–Anhui ±800 kV ultra-high voltage direct current transmission project was fully completed and put into operation.
Tang Jie (唐杰), project executive manager of the Hezhou Converter Station owner's project of State Grid Anhui Construction Company, stated that after the project is fully completed and put into operation, it can transmit over 36 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity to Anhui each year, of which new energy electricity accounts for over 50%, adding a powerful energy engine for Anhui's development of industries such as new displays, integrated circuits, and artificial intelligence.
New-type power grid, an important carrier for building a new energy system. During the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, 15 new ultra-high voltage DC green electricity corridors will be put into production, the scale of west-to-east power transmission will exceed 420 million kilowatts, and the national power grid fixed asset investment will reach over 5 trillion yuan.
Looking at energy beyond energy, the deep coupling of the new energy system and emerging industries will provide solid support for the development of new quality productive forces.
In Zhongwei, Ningxia, photovoltaic arrays stretch endlessly. In May this year, my country's first large-scale “computing-electricity synergy” green electricity direct supply project – China Datang Zhongwei Cloud Base 500 MW photovoltaic power station – was put into operation there.
“This photovoltaic power station generates 9.7 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, and its electricity does not pass through the large power grid but is directly transmitted ‘point-to-point’ to the nearby computing power park, building a closed-loop system from photovoltaic power generation to computing power absorption, achieving a deep coupling of clean energy and the digital information industry.” Jin Liang (靳良), senior engineer of China Datang Zhongwei New Energy Project, introduced.
From “watts” to “bits,” 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity achieves a leap in value. In the Guangdong Shantou Overseas Chinese Economic and Cultural Cooperation Experimental Zone (华侨经济文化合作试验区), 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity costing about 0.5 yuan, after being processed into tokens by AI computing power and exported overseas, its value can jump to 11 yuan, a 22-fold leap. If calculated based on offshore wind power prices and using high-end chips to deploy popular closed-source models, the value leap can exceed 60 times.
In Jiangsu, the country's first land-sea integrated flexible direct current project converter station set sail; in Chongqing, the country's first 550 MW F-class gas turbine project was put into operation; in Tibet, the hydropower project on the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River is steadily advancing... At present, many new projects are being orderly promoted. Building a new energy system and accelerating the construction of an energy powerhouse will provide more solid energy guarantees for high-quality economic and social development.
(Xue Ziyi (薛子怡) contributed to this article)
Our newspaper, Shanghai, July 23 (dispatch) (Reporter Wang Yinxin (王崟欣)) On the 23rd, a reporter learned from a press conference convened by the Shanghai Municipal Financial Office (上海市委金融办) that Shanghai has formally issued the Several Measures of Shanghai Municipality on Fully Leveraging Direct Financing Functions to Further Strengthen Sci-Tech Financial Services (上海市充分发挥直接融资功能进一步加强科技金融服务的若干措施), aiming to fully leverage Shanghai’s direct financing functional advantages, strengthen financial services for the entire life cycle of sci-tech enterprises, solidly advance the linked development of Shanghai’s international financial center and sci-tech innovation center, and inject financial vitality into enterprise sci-tech innovation.
The Measures propose five aspects and 20 items of content, including enhancing early-stage investment lead-pricing capabilities, building and perfecting the equity investment continuation mechanism, giving full play to the key hub role of the capital market, enriching diversified long-term capital supply, and optimizing the supporting institutional environment, along with specific measures such as optimizing the angel investment capital contribution mechanism, strengthening state-owned capital guidance, perfecting the sci-tech M&A ecosystem, promoting the continuous deepening of reform of the STAR Market, and deepening the construction of the “Sci-Tech Board” of the bond market.
The Measures not only strengthen early-stage hard-tech investment cultivation but also focus on building a full-cycle financing ecosystem, which will help Shanghai continuously consolidate its core advantage in direct financing serving sci-tech and build a national highland for sci-tech investment and financing. In recent years, the quality and efficiency of Shanghai’s direct financing development have been continuously improving, with equity investment fundraising scale growing by more than 40% year-on-year for two consecutive years; it has continuously cultivated and introduced patient capital, facilitated the National Social Security Fund to successively land in Shanghai the National Social Security Fund Yangtze River Delta Science and Technology Innovation Special Fund, the SDIC Science and Technology Innovation Fund, etc., and gradually formed a “50+100+1000” hundred million yuan sci-tech innovation fund system.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Reporter Ni Yi) — The 2026 "100 Legal Experts, 100 Reports" (百名法学家百场报告会) rule-of-law lecture activity’s central- and state-organ special report session was held in Beijing on July 23. The theme of the report session was "Implementing and Enforcing the Ecological Environment Code."
Wang Hongxiang (王洪祥), Secretary of the Leading Party Members’ Group and Executive Vice President of the China Law Society, stated when presiding over the report session that the "Double Hundred" activity is a professional and authoritative rule-of-law publicity brand; it is necessary to further strengthen rule-of-law publicity work, focus on publicizing laws and regulations closely related to the people, and consolidate the rule-of-law foundation for law-abidance by the entire people. The Ecological Environment Code (生态环境法典), which will take effect on August 15, is a landmark achievement in implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law; it is essential to earnestly study, publicize, implement, and enforce the Ecological Environment Code, and contribute rule-of-law strength to advancing the construction of a Beautiful China in the new era and promoting the modernization of harmony between humanity and nature.
Huang Wei (黄薇), Deputy Director of the Legislative Affairs Commission of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, stated in her report that the Ecological Environment Code is, following the Civil Code, China's second law named a "code," marking the entry of China's ecological environment rule-of-law construction into the codification era. To implement the Ecological Environment Code well, it is necessary to carry out the formulation, revision, and clean-up of supporting regulations, conduct study and training for law enforcement personnel, construct China's independent theoretical system and discourse system for ecological environment law, and promote broad study and publicity across society.
The report session was co-hosted by the Central Organization Department, the Central Propaganda Department, the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission, the Central- and State-Organs Work Committee, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice, and the China Law Society. More than 700 people attended the report session, including cadres from central- and state-organs, faculty and students from some universities in Beijing, and Party members and cadres from the China Law Society.
Return to TopChengdu, July 23 (Reporter Wang Mingfeng)
On the 23rd, in Wangcang County (旺苍县), Guangyuan City (广元市), Sichuan Province, temperatures approached 40 degrees Celsius. “I planted over 30 mu of corn this year. During this period of sustained high temperatures and drought, the leaves are being scorched dry and curled; I’m really afraid of a yield reduction.” Standing at the edge of the field, Zan Huaxiang (昝华香), a villager from Wuhong Village (五红村), Jiachuan Town (嘉川镇), said worriedly. After inspection, Feng Linyuan (封林元), an agricultural technician from Jiachuan Town, discovered that the corn drying and curling was not simply due to water shortage, but rather phytotoxicity caused by high temperatures combined with improper pesticide application. Feng Linyuan instructed Zan Huaxiang to conduct light irrigation with small amounts of water on the corn field during the early morning and evening periods, carry out foliar spraying with clean water, and moderately increase inter-row shading, etc.
In recent days, Wangcang County has encountered sustained high-temperature, sunny, and hot weather, with soil moisture continuously decreasing. At present, it is exactly the critical window period for the management and protection of main spring crops such as rice at the booting stage, corn at the grain filling stage, and soybeans at the podding stage. At the same time, tea plants in tea gardens are also being scorched by the sustained high temperatures, making the situation for drought resistance and seedling protection, as well as protecting tea plants and stabilizing the harvest, urgent.
Wangcang County rapidly deployed comprehensive drought resistance and seedling protection work across the entire area, consolidated the territorial responsibility of townships, coordinated and allocated irrigation water sources, repaired water conservancy facilities, and agricultural technicians went down to the fields at the first opportunity, conducting on-site “把脉问诊 (bǎ mài wèn zhěn – “feel the pulse and ask the diagnosis,” to examine and diagnose problems),” and carrying out field seedling protection operations by zone and category. Currently, Wangcang County has organized 23 agricultural science and technology service teams and nearly 200 agricultural technology extension personnel, implemented a mechanism of dividing areas and contracting fields, and circuit inspection guidance, conducted regular inspections of seedling condition, soil moisture, and pest and disease conditions, and pushed drought resistance management and protection technologies on a point-to-point basis.
Return to TopThis edition's graphic: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 者 胡婧怡 宋豪新
Chinese drone pilots perform skilled operations, helping cotton fields in Kazakhstan achieve bumper harvests; self-developed in-vehicle software serves overseas clients, also helping more Chinese automakers go global; the precise "translation" of domestic video games has made many overseas players fall in love with Chinese culture… In recent years, China's service exports have been accelerating, increasingly exhibiting characteristics of intelligence, integration, and localization.
The latest data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange shows that in the past five years, China's services trade exports have grown at an average annual rate of 14%, with the 2025 scale nearly doubling that of 2020. In the first five months of 2026, China's service exports increased by 21% year-on-year, among which revenues from computer information services, business services, and intellectual property services grew by a combined 17%, contributing 45% of the growth in service exports.
The increase in knowledge-intensive service exports and the optimization of export product structure support China's industries in leaping to higher value-added links in the global value chain. How can "Chinese wisdom" better go overseas? Our reporter conducted an investigation.
Overseas clients place orders, enterprises provide full management
Drone plant protection services for Central Asian cotton fields
At Arctic Gull Aviation Technology (Shandong) Group Co., Ltd. (北极鸥航空科技（山东）集团有限公司) located in the Jinan High-tech Zone of Shandong Province, drone pilot Li Bin is carefully inspecting drone equipment, preparing for an upcoming overseas plant protection service.
As a member of the company's service team, Li Bin traveled last year to a large farm in the Turkistan Region (图尔克斯坦州) of Kazakhstan to provide plant protection services for local cotton fields. When the farm was purchasing drones, during communications it learned that Arctic Gull was also training pilots, and ultimately settled on a "whole-package service" model.
"If the farm purchased drones itself, the one-time investment would be high, and it would also need to train pilots, which takes a long time, not to mention bearing costs for equipment maintenance, personnel training management, etc.," explained company chairman Li Aimin. For agricultural production with a certain degree of seasonality, buying services is more cost-effective.
"Clients place orders by the acre, enterprises provide full management" became the company's first attempt to shift from "selling products" to "selling services" overseas. The total contract value was about 6 million yuan, covering not only the sale of agricultural drones but also a "whole-package service" solution including hardware, software, pilot training, and personnel management.
To this end, Arctic Gull Aviation Technology formed a service team of 46 pilots who set foot on Kazakh soil, including skilled operators, plant protection technical experts, and localized training instructors.
Above the boundless cotton fields, silver-gray drones cruised precisely, atomized pesticide fell like a fine curtain of rain evenly… Inside the ground command vehicle, pilots focused intently on smart screens, moving their fingertips slightly to perform route calibration, altitude adjustment, flow control, and other operations. Due to strong winds and high temperatures during the daytime in Kazakhstan, and also to avoid drone damage, the pilots worked through the night, successfully completing plant protection services for 2 million mu of cotton fields in Central Asia.
"We have set up more than 50 training points domestically, with an annual training capacity of over a thousand people," Li Aimin said. The company will partner with universities and research institutes to build a low-altitude economy industry-education integration platform, continuously supplying highly skilled pilots and professional operations and maintenance personnel.
Software continuously upgraded to enhance competitiveness
Intelligent in-vehicle systems open up international markets
"Open the navigation, play music, query the weather at the destination, find charging stations along the way." The driver gives commands, and the in-vehicle AI system automatically calls up different application modules to respond to user needs. At the 2026 Beijing International Automotive Exhibition, the global intelligent in-vehicle mobility solution version 7.0, independently developed by Neusoft Group (东软集团), attracted the attention of domestic and foreign vehicle manufacturers as well as upstream and downstream partners as soon as it was launched.
"Just over a month after the new version was released, we have already received dozens of cooperation intentions, 15 of which are from international markets," said Guan Xin, Vice President of Neusoft Group and General Manager of the Automotive Intelligent Innovation Solutions Business Unit. He explained that this solution breaks down barriers between different in-vehicle software functions, significantly reducing the communication costs for Chinese automakers dealing with various international in-vehicle application suppliers.
From a single in-vehicle navigation service to a complete global intelligent in-vehicle mobility solution, the iterative upgrading of software technology services has continuously enhanced the competitiveness of Chinese automobiles in overseas markets. "In recent years, we have deeply integrated software services into the vehicle research and development stage, better participating in the globalization process of automakers," Guan Xin said. The company helped several automobile brands complete iterative upgrades in advance in response to local new regulations, smoothly entering the European market as planned.
In recent years, Neusoft Group's global intelligent in-vehicle mobility solution overseas business has grown at an average annual rate of about 50%. Currently, the company has established deep collaboration with more than 20 overseas partners, building a one-stop global in-vehicle ecosystem that aggregates over 17 categories and nearly 1,300 in-vehicle applications, covering more than 130 countries and regions.
In Shenyang, Liaoning Province, where the company is located, the local government in recent years has improved the service system, promoted coordinated overseas expansion of the upstream and downstream industrial and supply chains, and helped enterprises conveniently and efficiently connect with high-quality global resources. Feng Yasai, Deputy Director of the Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Commerce, introduced that in the first five months of this year, Shenyang completed offshore service outsourcing execution value of 370 million USD, a year-on-year increase of 297.2%.
Rooted in overseas cultures, precise translation
Overseas language services convey Eastern charm
"Follow my command, attack together!" In the overseas version of a certain domestic game, vivid and authentic foreign-language character dialogues allow overseas players to immersively experience the charm of Chinese games. This smooth and natural game dialogue comes from the game localization service of Sichuan Language Bridge Information Technology Co., Ltd. (四川语言桥信息技术有限公司).
"In the wave of game industry globalization, localization translation is not only language conversion but also cultural transmission," said company chairman Zhu Xianchao. Game dialogue must not only fit character personalities and match plot pace but also fully consider the culture and player language styles of different countries and regions. To this end, the company established a dedicated game localization team. Among its more than 1,000 members are both veteran game enthusiasts and professional cultural researchers, possessing both professional translation ability and industry knowledge.
In 2025, a domestic game manufacturer commissioned Language Bridge to assist in the overseas localization of a large cross-platform game. The game was planned to be simultaneously released in multiple language markets including Japanese and Korean, requiring high precision in cultural adaptation for localization. "Not only must high-quality multilingual translation be completed, but it is also essential to ensure that character lines, story texts, and interface copy accurately match the folk culture and compliance frameworks of each target market," said Zhang Xuejie, head of Language Bridge's Digital Entertainment Business Unit.
"First, we use a self-developed intelligent system based on large models to conduct large-scale compliance pre-checks and cultural adaptation rewrites of game texts; then localization experts perform closed-loop verification," Zhang Xuejie introduced. After the project went online, it was well received. "Works carrying the charm of Chinese culture, transcending language barriers, have won the affection of players both at home and abroad. We have also沉淀 this capability into reusable standardized product modules."
"Our goal is to be the 'language escort' for enterprises going overseas," Zhu Xianchao said. As demand for China's service exports continues to rise, the company's services now cover multiple fields including digital cultural creativity, high-end manufacturing, and biomedicine. Its self-developed multilingual machine translation engine supports inter-translation among more than 300 languages.
Chen Chao, Deputy Director of the Artificial Intelligence Industry Division of the Digital Economy Bureau of the Chengdu High-tech Zone in Sichuan Province, introduced that in order to solve the pain points of language services for enterprises going overseas, the Chengdu Tianfu Software Park (成都天府软件园) has partnered with enterprises to build a "Digital Intelligence Language Public Service Platform." This platform deeply integrates the actual needs of park enterprises with professional capabilities, providing not only general written translation for business documents, annual reports, etc., but also covering localization services for industries such as games, software, and website interfaces, as well as translation support for specialized fields such as international patent applications and book publishing. In addition, the platform has built a global talent pool, providing overseas personnel deployment and foreign talent liaison services in over 100 languages.
In Chengdu, the comprehensive pilot program for expanding the opening-up of the service industry is being deepened. Relying on five national service export bases, public service platforms for technology support, trade matching, and talent supply have been established; the "Chengdu Services Overseas Trip" activity has been implemented, continuously promoting high-quality local service resources to the global market. In the past three years, more than 200 high-quality service trade enterprises have been regularly organized to participate in more than 80 international professional exhibitions, facilitating intended cooperation worth over 1 billion yuan.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 亓玉昆
July 22, the 2026 World Internet Conference Digital Silk Road Development Forum was held in Xi'an, Shaanxi. The forum, with the theme "Intelligence Converges on the Silk Road, Digital Technology Opens a New Journey — Jointly Building a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace," gathered approximately 800 guests from global political, industrial, academic, and research sectors to jointly deliberate on strategies for the innovation and development of digital intelligence technology, jointly discuss the path of interconnection and interoperability of digital infrastructure, and jointly build the road of exchange and mutual learning among digital civilizations.
At the forum, guests from various sectors stated that building a Digital Silk Road is an inevitable choice and the responsibility of the era for jointly building a community with a shared future in cyberspace. Countries should strengthen cooperation and exchange, allowing the Silk Road spirit of "peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning and mutual benefit" to radiate and be elevated in the era of digitalization, networking, and intelligence.
Seize the Opportunity, Share Digital Intelligence Dividends
In ancient times, the Silk Road connected trade between East and West. Today, a complex intelligent system is undertaking the same duty.
After attending the World Artificial Intelligence Conference in Shanghai, John Higgins, Chair of the International Association for AI Governance, arrived in Xi'an. At the opening ceremony of this forum, he stated that global practitioners in the network field should fully protect the Digital Silk Road, this bond of interconnection and interoperability, enhance mutual respect, cultivate shared values, and enable it to benefit the entire world.
The Digital Silk Road is not only the connectivity of technological infrastructure but also the interconnection and interoperability of innovation ecosystems. Wang Binying, Deputy Director General of the World Intellectual Property Organization, said that through mechanisms such as the WIPO Standards Committee, coordination of standards for intellectual property data, documentation, and information systems will be promoted, making intellectual property the anchor of trust, the bridge of innovation, and the vessel of prosperity for the Digital Silk Road.
Currently, a new generation of information technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing are accelerating their evolution, profoundly changing the modes of medical health services, forms of industrial development, and models of global health governance. Francis Gurry, Vice Chair of the World Internet Conference, stated that at a time when AI (artificial intelligence) is comprehensively reshaping medical innovation, the key to breaking the global health digital divide and achieving health equity is no longer traditional international norms, but rather international cooperation relying on open-source models, open datasets, and infrastructure.
"Only together globally can we accelerate technological innovation, and only then can the world's scientific and technological civilizations jointly advance to the next stage," said Wang Xingxing, founder of Unitree Robotics. He stated that the Digital Silk Road brings opportunities of the era, and expressed willingness to work with partners from various countries, promoting cooperation through openness, connecting people through digital technology, and making intelligent robots a friendly terminal for building a community with a shared future in cyberspace.
Digital Empowerment, Jointly Protect the Roots of Civilization
As the digital tide surges, civilization constantly renews itself. As a new type of international organization in the digital field, the World Internet Conference has always regarded promoting exchange and mutual learning among civilizations as an important mission.
"Technology should help every culture find its own position and voice," said Myra Arevich Marin, Minister of Communications of Cuba. She stated that AI and digital tools should become partners in disseminating the art, history, culture, and language of various countries. Protecting cultural heritage in the digital intelligence era requires strengthening international cooperation, respecting cultural diversity, and letting technology serve humanity.
In recent years, the Shaanxi History Museum has relied on its rich collection of cultural relic resources to effectively utilize digital intelligence technology and innovate exhibition display methods. Pang Yani (庞雅妮), Director of the Shaanxi History Museum, stated that digital intelligence technology is reshaping the form of conservation and utilization of museum collections and cultural heritage, and is also transforming museum workers from cultural custodians into creators of cultural experiences and disseminators of knowledge. She expressed willingness to strengthen cooperation with all parties to tell China's story well in cultural heritage and innovation.
Mohammad Nasim Khan, Professor at the Institute of World Art History at Shanghai International Studies University, stated that the digitalization of cultural heritage is not simply a digital project, but a strategic investment aimed at protecting cultural heritage, enhancing its accessibility, promoting knowledge transfer, and sustainable development, thereby ensuring that fragile cultural heritage has a sustainable future.
At the forum site, many guests mentioned that several popular films and TV series cleverly integrate Eastern aesthetics, intangible cultural heritage, etc., into their gripping plots, allowing global audiences to appreciate the charm of Chinese culture. However, once films and TV works go online, they are easily pirated and infringed upon. In response, Diao Yunyun (刁云芸), Vice President of Legal Affairs at Tencent Group, stated that in recent years, infringement and piracy have shown the characteristic of "piracy upon release," and copyright protection requires comprehensive protection from administrative organs, judicial organs, and the public.
Mutually Beneficial Collaboration, Jointly Guard the Bottom Line of Security
E-commerce acts like the "camel caravans" of the new era, closely connecting the markets, enterprises, and consumers of countries jointly building the "Belt and Road."
"The Digital Silk Road will significantly promote the popularization process of artificial intelligence technology and enhance the development momentum of e-commerce," said Nahima Diaz, Director General of the Nicaraguan Institute of Telecommunications and Postal Services. She stated that to narrow the technology gap and promote shared prosperity, it is necessary to continuously strengthen digital infrastructure construction, invest in talent training, and build a reliable digital environment to facilitate electronic transactions and support the sustainable development of the digital economy.
"The Digital Silk Road and a unified, trustworthy African market have ample space for integration," said Latina Cohen, Director General and CEO of the Smart Africa Alliance. She stated that a smart market is built with trust as its underlying architecture. The future Digital Silk Road will not be a one-way flow of innovation, but a two-way co-creation interaction, allowing goods, information, and culture to flow in unprecedented ways.
In recent years, Renmin University of China has launched an AI agent related to foreign-related rule of law to help solve issues for Digital Silk Road enterprises going overseas. In response to risks such as data collection expansion and infringement brought about by the rapid development of AI agents, Yang Dong (杨东), Dean of the Law School and Dean of the Foreign-Related Rule of Law School at Renmin University of China, stated that a full lifecycle closed-loop regulatory system should be built, clarifying the rights and responsibility boundaries of platforms, users, and other parties. At the same time, technical prevention should be strengthened, enhancing the capabilities of identity recognition, operation authorization, and compliance verification.
"The greater the autonomous authority an AI agent possesses, the clearer its authority boundaries should be, and the supervision mechanism must also be more powerful," said Has Somalin, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Post and Telecommunications of Cambodia. He stated that AI agents should be able to enhance human capabilities; responsible governance is not an obstacle to innovation, but a means to win public trust and create lasting value.
Return to TopJust in the height of the dog days of summer, on the evening of July 22, the Badminton Park in Chongqing's Wansheng Economic Development Zone (万盛经开区) was brightly lit, with venue reservations in high demand, as citizens enjoyed summer fitness.
In recent years, the Wansheng Economic Development Zone has been 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - "according to local conditions," to adapt measures to local circumstances) creating a batch of public parks integrating multiple functions such as ecology, culture, fitness, and leisure, meeting the fitness needs of the masses at their doorsteps, which has been welcomed by citizens.
Photo by Cao Yonglong (曹永龙)
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Reporter Wang Guan (王观)) Our reporter learned on the 23rd that in the first half of this year, the Export-Import Bank of China (中国进出口银行) newly disbursed nearly 650 billion yuan in foreign trade loans, of which nearly 40% was directed to the areas of stabilizing foreign trade entities and stabilizing foreign trade industry chains.
It is understood that the Export-Import Bank of China has set up a special quota, continuously increasing the supply of financial resources in the foreign trade sector, coordinating support for exports and imports, goods trade and services trade, traditional trade and new business forms and models, and helping develop digital trade and green trade. It creates a full-chain, cross-market comprehensive financial service plan, helping enterprises deeply participate in global industrial division of labor and cooperation, driving advantageous production capacity and high-quality equipment to "go global." It supports the overseas layout of e-commerce and logistics enterprises, implements multiple overseas warehouse projects, and explores the formation of diversified financing service models that support the daily operations, platform settlement, and upstream suppliers of small and micro cross-border e-commerce enterprises. It vigorously promotes financing for major science and technology innovation projects, supports the growth and expansion of growth-stage science and technology innovation enterprises, and focuses on meeting financial needs such as technology transformation, product export, and overseas layout. It promotes foreign entities to issue panda bonds (熊猫债), creates the first panda bond basket for countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" (一带一路), and steadily advances the internationalization of the renminbi.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王明峰
Panda robots with 憨态可掬 (hān tài kě jū - “endearing manner that can be held,” charmingly naive), smart glasses that can “see” translations, AI software that can change voice at any time, and “cyber courier brothers” weaving through the crowds… This summer, the 2026 APEC “China Year” has entered “Chengdu Time,” and the APEC Digital and Artificial Intelligence Ministerial Meeting and related “Digital Week” activities have opened in Chengdu, Sichuan, drawing attention to many products.
Since the beginning of this year, Chengdu has been fully promoting the high-end, intelligent, and green development of advanced manufacturing, deeply implementing the “AI+” action, vigorously advancing “intelligent transformation and digital transformation” (智改数转), and accelerating the construction of a national advanced manufacturing base.
Not long ago, the first robot trading center in western China officially began operations on Jiaozi Avenue in the Chengdu High-tech Zone, and Chengdu Scene Innovation Technology Co., Ltd. (成都场景创新科技有限公司) was also inaugurated on the same day. The former marks the leap of embodied intelligence from technical verification to large-scale application, while the latter signifies that the city’s scene resources, through a model of government-enterprise collaborative coordination services, are accelerating the landing of prototype products at scale.
Real-scenario practical training is the key to Chengdu’s problem-solving. In June this year, relevant national ministries and commissions launched a special action on real-scenario practical training for humanoid robots and embodied intelligence. Chengdu responded quickly, relying on its industrial foundation, and has cultivated over 60 real-scenario practical training scenes, covering industrial manufacturing, livelihood services, special operations, etc. “In 2025, Chengdu has released 79 scenes, and this year plans to explore over 100 scene demands in areas such as embodied intelligence and the low-altitude economy,” said Zhao Chungang (赵春淦), Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the Chengdu Municipal Bureau of Economy and Information Technology. Currently, Chengdu has normalized the real-scenario verification of robots and AI in scenes such as cultural tourism, consumption, and transportation.
At the “world’s highest dam,” the Shuangjiangkou Hydropower Station on the Dadu River, the “Belt Conveyor Inspection Robot” developed by the Chengdu Humanoid Robot Innovation Center has achieved 24-hour uninterrupted operation, with an anomaly recognition accuracy of over 99%; at the Natural History Museum, the robot “Xiaoxin” has served over 600,000 person-times in half a year; at the Polar Ocean Park, the robot “Aiqiu” brings tourists a cross-border experience of technology and marine culture.
“From cultivating scene capabilities and tapping scene demands, to jointly promoting scene innovation, Chengdu has carried out in-depth planning. The ultimate goal is to break through the ‘last kilometer’ between the innovation chain and the industrial chain,” said Wang Ying (王莹), Deputy General Manager of Chengdu Scene Company.
In 2025, the scale of Chengdu’s core AI industry exceeded 150 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 39%; it has gathered over 100 robot enterprises, and the Chenghua District (成华区) Intelligent Robot Industry Cluster has become the only national-level full-industry-chain cluster in western China.
The large-scale landing of scenes cannot be separated from the support of a solid foundation.
As a hub node of the “East-to-West Computing Resource Transfer” project (东数西算), Chengdu has built a multi-level computing power system, with a total computing power scale of nearly 30,000 P, accumulated over 80,000 5G base stations, pioneered the “computing voucher” (算力券) and issued a total of over 20 million yuan, becoming the second “supercomputing + intelligent computing” dual-center city in the country. In 2025, Chengdu’s industrial added value above designated size exceeded 500 billion yuan, and revenue from industries above designated size reached 1.79 trillion yuan. It has cultivated and formed two trillion-level industrial clusters in electronic information and equipment manufacturing, as well as 13 hundred-billion-level key industrial chains including AI, aerospace, and software and information services.
Today, production chains are being redefined by digitalization.
Entering the production workshop of Chuankai Electric Co., Ltd. (川开电气有限公司), data from the entire chain of design, procurement, production, and logistics is displayed in real time on a large screen. “Power distribution switchgear has a high degree of customization. In the past, each link 各自为政 (gè zì wéi zhèng - “each acts as its own government,” acting independently without coordination), leading to long delivery cycles and serious inventory backlog,” introduced Yang Jie (杨杰), General Manager of Chuankai Electric Co., Ltd. Through in-depth development of the “Cloud Hub” system, “design efficiency increased by 60%, unit cost decreased by 17.5%, annual operating costs decreased by 579 million yuan, monthly production capacity doubled, and energy consumption decreased by 30%.” As a result, the company was selected as a typical case of industrial internet “chain-network collaboration” (链网协同) in 2025.
In the aviation field, Aerospace Cloud Network Data Technology (Chengdu) Co., Ltd. (航天云网数据科技（成都）有限公司) has built an intelligent maintenance platform for complex aviation equipment, increasing fault location accuracy from 75% to over 95%, no longer relying on experts to “fly to the site.” “The time for emergency troubleshooting has been shortened by 20%, and the maintenance process R&D cycle has been shortened by 40%,” said Yang Pengfei (杨鹏飞), Director of Aerospace Cloud Network Company. This is equivalent to installing a “smart brain” for aviation maintenance.
At the same time, Chengdu systematically promotes the “intelligent transformation and digital transformation” of manufacturing, having pushed 4,073 industrial enterprises above designated size to complete “intelligent transformation and digital transformation,” with a coverage rate of nearly 80%, firmly ranking first in western China; its “informatization and industrialization” integration level (两化融合), digital R&D design tool penetration rate, and smart manufacturing readiness rate all rank among the top among sub-provincial cities. As of 2025, Chengdu has cultivated a total of 1 leading-level smart factory, 11 excellence-level smart factories, and 405 municipal-level smart factories (digital workshops); 11 pilot-scale platforms have been selected as key pilot-scale platforms cultivated by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 贺林平 人民网记者 申佳平
Beijing, July 23 (Reporters Liu Zhiqiang (刘志强) and Wang Zheng (王政)) — The reporter learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) that from January to June this year, China's shipbuilding completion volume reached 36.5 million deadweight tons, a year-on-year increase of 51.2%, accounting for 62.2% of the world total; new orders received reached 121.06 million deadweight tons, a year-on-year increase of 173.1%, accounting for 82.3% of the world total; as of the end of June, orders on hand reached 363.25 million deadweight tons, a year-on-year increase of 54.9%, accounting for 71.2% of the world total. China's three major shipbuilding indicators all grew, and the international market share remains globally leading.
Li Yanqing (李彦庆), Vice President and Secretary-General of the China Shipbuilding Industry Association (中国船舶工业行业协会), stated that China's share of global new orders for green ships has reached over 68% for three consecutive years, and still maintained a high proportion in the first half of this year, demonstrating that China's shipbuilding industry is accelerating its transformation to the mid-to-high end.
At CSSC Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard (沪东中华造船厂), the 174,000 cubic meter LNG carrier "Green Energy Cloud" and "Kedah Princess", and the 13,000 TEU dual-fuel container ship "Jiacheng" — three clean energy vessel types with world-leading technical standards — were delivered ahead of schedule on the same day; the full-rotation semi-submersible crane vessel "Sihang Yongsheng" (四航永盛), constructed by CCCC Fourth Harbor Engineering Co., Ltd. (中交四航局), was delivered in Guangdong... Recently, China's shipbuilding industry has made a series of new progress in greenization, intelligentization, and special engineering equipment fields, with multiple types of vessels and marine engineering heavy equipment being delivered successively.
"The pace now — saying 'capacity full, firepower maximal' is no exaggeration!" At the assembly platform of CSSC Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd. (广船国际有限公司) in Guangzhou, Guangdong, Zhou Xuhui (周旭辉), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Guangzhou Shipyard International Co., Ltd., introduced while inspecting production progress. The company's contract amount on hand has approached 100 billion yuan, with international orders exceeding 95%, and the production schedule has been extended to 2030.
The Pearl River Delta where Guangzhou Shipyard International is located is one of the three major clustered shipbuilding bases in China. On Longxue Island (龙穴岛) in Nansha, Guangzhou alone, there are two core shipbuilding enterprises under CSSC. In the first half of the year, 35 newly built domestic ships have been inspected and cleared for departure with "zero delay" by the Nansha Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station (南沙出入境边防检查站), a year-on-year increase of nearly 30%.
Not only Guangdong, but not long ago, two 306,000 deadweight ton Very Large Crude Carriers (VLCCs) built by Hengli Heavy Industry Group Co., Ltd. (恒力重工集团有限公司) in Dalian, Liaoning were named and delivered, setting a new global shipbuilding industry record. "Very satisfied!" said Panagiotis (帕诺乔斯), shipowner representative and site manager of a Greek shipping company at the delivery site. As of now, this company has placed orders for over 40 ships at Hengli Heavy Industry.
Why do Chinese ships continuously "attract fans" overseas? The reporter conducted in-depth visits to the production front line.
Intelligent
"Millimeter-level calculation hidden inside the 'giant behemoth'"
Rollers turning in unison, sparks flying everywhere — this is the daily scene of Guangzhou Shipyard International's intelligent thin-plate section production line. In the vast workshop, few workers are visible, yet the output efficiency is 2.4 times that of traditional methods.
Gong Zhenyu (龚振宇), the line manager, took out his mobile phone, placed it flat on the edge of a freshly processed steel plate, and squatting down to compare from the side, the steel plate was thinner than the phone. "This kind of thin plate with a thickness of 4 to 6 millimeters is widely used in the superstructures of luxury ro-ro passenger ships and car carriers. It is a key material for lowering the ship's center of gravity and ensuring navigation safety."
Difficulties then arise — shipbuilding requires repeated welding and cutting; the thinner the steel plate, the more prone it is to thermal expansion, contraction, and deformation during processing. After processing, frequent transportation and hoisting may also cause deformation of the hull structure.
"The industry is developing, and requirements are rising. Dealing with giant behemoths of tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of tons relies on millimeter-level calculation," said Gong Zhenyu. The intelligent thin-plate section production line integrates laser composite welding panel assembly stations, cutting and marking stations, longitudinal member assembly and welding stations, robot welding stations, etc. Throughout the process, rollers evenly support the bottom, an intelligent brain controls each process, and cutting and welding are automatically completed by robots. It is equivalent to a hull section "printer," capable of "printing" 4 thin-plate sections per day.
"The entire workshop covers an area of 27,000 square meters. With this kind of capacity, at least 200 people would have been needed before; now, including management, only 50 people per shift can operate it," Gong Zhenyu introduced. "More importantly, quality control — relying on intelligent manufacturing, the welding deformation error of a 5.5 mm thin plate is strictly controlled within 1 mm; even the weld seams are narrowed by 2 to 3 millimeters compared to manual work."
Smart manufacturing is also common at Hengli Heavy Industry. Hengli Shipbuilding's "Future Factory" has deployed 10 intelligent production lines, while also improving efficiency through techniques such as section and block enlargement. At the same time, with the help of cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), the enterprise has achieved full-process system operation from design, procurement, and manufacturing to quality control.
Taking the production scheduling process as an example, "A shipyard with an annual steel processing capacity of 3 million tons is extremely complex in scheduling. By introducing AI scheduling technology, work that originally took one to two weeks can now be completed in just two to three hours, effectively achieving balanced production of multiple factors," said Wang Lei (王雷), Deputy General Manager of Hengli Shipbuilding (Dalian) Co., Ltd. (恒力造船（大连）有限公司). Currently, the orders on hand have been scheduled until 2030, with customers basically from overseas.
Green
"Carbon emissions more than 30% lower than traditional fuel ships"
On April 28, the 10,000-vehicle car carrier "GLOVIS Leader" was named and delivered in Nansha. Its single-vessel maximum loading capacity reaches 10,800 vehicles. Calculated based on a standard car of 5 meters each, the loaded vehicles lined up end to end would extend over 50 kilometers.
How is the sailing energy consumption of such a large ship? Zhang Fuli (张付利), technical manager of Guangzhou Shipyard International's 10,800-vehicle car carrier, stated that the vessel uses a dual-fuel propulsion system of LNG and fuel oil, integrating exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) technology; at the same time, it is equipped with a domestically developed 1,450 kW high-performance permanent magnet shaft generator system, which can utilize the surplus power of the main engine to generate electricity efficiently while sailing, reducing overall carbon emissions by more than 30% compared to traditional fuel ships.
Luo Hanhua (罗汉华), chief designer of the Passenger Ship R&D and Design Institute at Guangzhou Shipyard International, introduced that LNG fuel is stored in liquid form at low temperatures, and the ultra-high internal pressure places extremely high demands on welding technology. "By 'crossing the river by feeling the stones,' we have gradually achieved complete independent mastery of this technology."
Not only in the car carrier field, but also in the very large crude carrier field, the green transformation is accelerating. In Hengli Heavy Industry's engine assembly workshop, the site is spacious and clean, and production is orderly. This workshop can produce 180 marine engines per year, achieving full coverage of four low-carbon and zero-carbon dual fuels: LNG, LPG, methanol, and ammonia. Wang Lei introduced that the VLCC delivered this time was independently developed and designed by Hengli Heavy Industry, with an overall length of 332.8 meters, a beam of 60 meters, a depth of 30 meters, and a speed of 14.5 knots. The ship type adopts new-generation desulfurization and denitrification technologies and the latest energy-saving and environmental protection devices, meeting the latest international green environmental protection requirements.
Efficient
"Newly built ships head to sea with 'zero delay'"
Late at night, the walkie-talkie of Bi Daobing (毕道冰), a police officer of the Second Duty Squad at Nansha Border Inspection Station, transmitted an order: "A ro-ro passenger ship is being delivered for departure; immediately board for inspection." After receiving the instruction, he and his colleagues quickly carried equipment and climbed onto the ship. 50 minutes later, the hull inspection was completed and customs clearance procedures were finished. Focusing on the entire process of trial voyage, delivery, and departure of new ships, Ye Yuanfeng (叶元丰), Director of Nansha Border Inspection Station, introduced that the station has launched a new "smart speed inspection and release" customs clearance model exclusive to new ships, achieving "zero delay" customs clearance.
Trial voyage is the "final kick" before a ship goes to sea. In the past, the process of "inspection — trial voyage — return to port — second inspection — departure" meant that the giant vessel's round trip incurred huge costs in fuel, tugboat, berthing, etc. The convenience measure "trial voyage as departure" implemented by Nansha Border Inspection Station allows export ships to avoid the trouble of "returning to port for a second inspection." On average, each ship's berthing, turnaround, and formalities time is shortened by about 9 hours, saving a total of over 800,000 yuan in various costs such as fuel, tugboats, and berthing. Since 2025, it has accumulated direct cost savings of over 15 million yuan for shipping enterprises.
The continuous "fan attraction" of Chinese ships overseas reflects the systemic competitive advantages accumulated over many years by China's shipbuilding industry, mirroring the country's strong industrial supporting capabilities and comprehensive cost advantages. From "having" to "being good," from manufacturing to smart manufacturing, China's shipbuilding industry is accelerating its climb to the high end of the global value chain, outputting surging Chinese power for the low-carbon transformation and trade prosperity of the global shipping industry.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云杉
In the early morning of July 16, on the northern edge of the Taklamakan Desert, dozens of pairs of eyes were fixed on the temperature curve of the carbon-two hydrogenation reactor on the screen inside the central control room of China's first full-chain green and low-carbon ethylene project — the PetroChina Dushanzi Petrochemical Company Tarim 1.2 million tons/year Phase II Ethylene and Supporting Green Low-Carbon Demonstration Project.
At 4:58, Li Ji (李冀), deputy general manager of Dushanzi Petrochemical Company and executive commander-in-chief of the project start-up and commissioning headquarters, announced: "One-time start-up successful!" In 22 months, a modern factory was built on the desolate Gobi, and the project operation has entered the right track.
Dai Houliang, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of China National Petroleum Corporation (中国石油天然气集团有限公司), introduced that this modern zero-carbon petrochemical plant is a landmark project for optimizing regional industrial layout and also a benchmark project for promoting the green and low-carbon transformation of PetroChina.
"The project reflects a deep transformation of China's ethylene industry from power technology to resource utilization," Li Ji said. Take the core power of the ethylene unit as an example. For a long time in the past, most ethylene units in operation globally used steam turbine drives, which were reliable but had high efficiency loss and high carbon emissions.
At the end of 2023, Wan Jiachuan (万家川), head of Production Division 1 of the project start-up and commissioning headquarters, received a task: change the three core compressors of the unit from traditional steam drive to electric drive. The Beijing branch of China Huanqiu Contracting & Engineering Corp. (中国寰球工程有限公司) remotely simulated shaft system vibration data; Shenyang Blower Works Group (沈鼓集团) built a dedicated test stand for a giant motor weighing 63 tons with a rated power of 46,000 kilowatts; the on-site shift team repeatedly tested adaptability to extreme environments while braving sandstorms… In May 2026, the linked test run started, the three electric-drive compressors smoothly crossed the critical speed, and all parameters remained stable for a long time.
The petrochemical industry is a typical high-emission industry, and carbon capture recycling has become one of the important options for promoting carbon reduction and emission reduction in the industry.
The carbon dioxide concentration in the flue gas of the ethylene cracking furnace is only 7.5%–8.2%. It is very difficult to capture carbon dioxide at such a low concentration. The stable operation cycle of similar devices worldwide is generally less than one year. To meet the challenge, the team of Wang Xilian (王锡连), head of the carbon dioxide capture unit of Production Division 6, collaborated with the design institute and the patent provider to develop a super-concentration carbon dioxide capture process package, achieved engineering transformation, and produced qualified products.
An even greater innovation lies in the recycling path: carbon dioxide that was once directly emitted into the atmosphere and by-product hydrogen that was once directly burned have become green fertilizers nourishing the fruit base and cotton fields of southern Xinjiang. After reaching full production, the project will produce 800,000 tons of green urea annually.
At the factory, Hua Jianzhong (花建忠), chief expert of Dushanzi Petrochemical Company, pointed to a pipeline with a diameter of 6.5 meters and said: "We have opened up a green recycling chain connecting the chemical industry and farmland."
In addition to the difficulty of technological independence, it was also necessary to overcome the bottlenecks of engineering construction. The project is located at the edge of the Taklamakan Desert, with a weak industrial base and scarce supporting resources. There were 167 ultra-limit pieces of equipment, with a total weight of 38,500 tons. If they were manufactured in the interior and then transported over long distances to Xinjiang, not only would the freight costs be high, but the bridges and roads along the way would also be unable to bear the load.
What was to be done? The project team decided to "move" the factory to the Gobi. They built six mobile factories for ultra-limit equipment near the project site, completing the manufacturing of large equipment locally. "The construction site adopted modular prefabrication and assembly installation," said Liu Hui (刘辉), a project management personnel. This model greatly shortened the construction period and also explored a new path for large-scale engineering construction under special environments.
Among the project's 11 main production units, 9 use PetroChina's self-owned core technologies, and 5 new technologies are being applied at industrial scale for the first time, with an overall domestic localization rate of 99%. The large-scale extrusion pelletizing unit achieved a breakthrough from zero in the field of localization.
In the past, a large amount of Xinjiang's oil and gas resources were exported as raw materials. Now, the project has built a complete industrial chain on the Gobi for the coordinated development of oil and gas, chemicals, new energy, and new materials, strongly driving the optimization of the regional industrial layout.
Return to TopWith snow-capped mountains as backdrop, ancient town as stage, the melodies of folk music flow along the bluestone slabs and beside the Big Waterwheel. This summer, the 2026 Lijiang Folk Music Season is in full swing. This cultural event, which goes beyond mere musical performance, turns citizens and tourists from "people who listen to songs" into "people who sing songs," makes folk music and the life of the ancient town embrace each other with deep affection, uses folk songs to tell the story of Lijiang, and uses notes to perform beautiful times.
Blending into the smoke and fire of daily life, burnishing Lijiang's unique urban底色
In Lijiang, folk music has already blended into the daily smoke and fire of the streets and lanes.
Dayan Ancient Town (大研古城) now has over 130 folk-music bars, and more than 190 resident singers have taken root here year-round. Songs linger in Sifang Street (四方街) and Wuyi Street (五一街); everywhere you can see guitar-cradling singers and strolling tourists pausing to listen. In Lijiang, folk music is the sound of footsteps on the bluestone slabs, the soft humming in the courtyards of inns. One song, A Moment (《一瞬间》), tells all the mundane smoke and fire of the ancient town; another, Lugu Lake (《泸沽湖》), sings all the evening breeze and starry river of the lakeshore. Every person who comes to this city can find the song that suits their heart.
Since the first event was held in 2024, the Lijiang Folk Music Season has met the public in midsummer for three consecutive years, with its reputation and popularity rising year by year. The live broadcast viewership of the 2024 Grand Final reached 124 million; the 2025 "Night of the Ancient Town" peak performance once again broke 100 million across the entire internet; the 2026 event is now in full swing and is expected to once again break out of its niche and dominate screens. Today, folk music has become a signature cultural IP of Lijiang. The thousand-year-old ancient town has donned the cloak of folk music, using music to soothe countless travelers, using melodies to converse gently with the world.
Co-creation by the whole people, endowing folk music with fresh vitality
The biggest feature of the 2026 Lijiang Folk Music Season is "no limits."
This year's event, with the theme "Lijiang you can't bear to leave · Folk songs you can never sing enough" (舍不得的丽江·唱不够的民谣), places greater emphasis on developing new mass literature and art, comprehensively upgrades the mode of holding the event, uses the Internet to open a window for everyone who loves folk music, and highlights "light competition, heavy co-creation, participation by the whole people," creating a public-interest cultural feast for the masses.
From July 10 to August 9, the Lijiang Old Town Big Waterwheel Folk Music Station will open regularly every afternoon and evening. The "Corner Folk Music · Today I Sing Lead" activity invites professional guitarists to provide live accompaniment; citizens and tourists alike can go on stage for free to sing. At the same time, the event launches a "4-Day Creation Plan" for musicians nationwide, opening 30 characteristic Lijiang landmarks — including Jade Dragon Snow Mountain (玉龙雪山) and Lugu Lake (泸沽湖) — as exclusive creation locations. In mid-August, the "Night of the Ancient Town" peak performance will be staged at the Lijiang Old Town Yuhe Square, where outstanding musicians from across the country and representatives of the masses will perform together on the same stage.
Breaking the boundary between professional and amateur, giving everyone the opportunity to become a creator and disseminator; moving the stage from the concert hall to the streets and lanes, to the snow-capped mountains and lakeshores, bringing literary and artistic creation closer to the people. The Lijiang Folk Music Season strives to make music shift from being something to watch to being something to co-create and disseminate, so that everyone who comes to Lijiang is no longer a bystander, but becomes a participant and a creator.
With music as the medium, singing out the poetic sojourn of "slowing down"
Walking through Lijiang accompanied by folk music, there are many more reasons for this city to keep travelers.
Lijiang simultaneously possesses a World Cultural Heritage site, a World Natural Heritage site, and a World Memory Heritage site. The towering and magnificent Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the picturesque Lugu Lake, the colorful Danxia landform area, the majestic "First Bend of the Yangtze River" — every frame is a landscape. The average summer temperature in Lijiang stays around 20 degrees Celsius; it is a good place to escape the summer heat. New forms of integrated sports and tourism, such as the snow-mountain sightseeing train and low-altitude flight, continue to emerge. "A cup of coffee while watching the snow mountain" has become a new cultural tourism business card for Lijiang. Cultural and tourism events follow one after another: the Mountain Bicycle Race, the Midsummer Folk Music Season, the Matsutake Mushroom Gourmet Cultural Season take turns appearing — there are sights to see in every season and activities to attend every month.
Today, more and more people choose to sojourn in Lijiang. In the early morning, opening the window reveals the continuous snow mountains; during the day, in the ancient town's small lanes, you can hand-paint a Dongba painting or listen to a piece of Naxi ancient music; in the evening, beside the Big Waterwheel, you listen to folk-music singing and guitar playing; at night, in the courtyard of an inn, you drink tea and watch the stars — this kind of "slow down" life is exactly the daily routine of a Lijiang sojourn. In 2025, Lijiang received 87.0619 million tourist visits throughout the year, and it was continuously selected as a popular domestic sojourn destination.
Folk music blends into the ancient town's smoke and fire; sojourning meets poetry and the distant. Within the songs lie the morning light of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, the evening breeze by Lugu Lake, the moonlight of the ancient town's streets and lanes, and even more so the "slow down" ease and gentleness. The Lijiang Folk Music Season uses music as the medium, letting folk songs resound through the ancient town, letting travelers understand Lijiang; the sojourning time within the songs lets every visitor feel what "Lijiang you can't bear to leave" truly means.
A song is not yet finished; a city's poetry endures forever. Lijiang uses its婉转 notes to detain the hurried footsteps of passersby, uses its leisurely sojourning time to settle poetry and the distant horizon. This ancient town, surrounded by songs, uses music as an invitation, extending to friends and tourists a romantic summons to rush to the snow-capped mountain and ancient town.
Data source: Propaganda Department of the Lijiang Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China
Return to TopBy: 程美东
Xi Jinping's thought on party building, on the basis of comprehensively grasping the strategic overall plan of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the major changes unseen in a century in the world, scientifically answers the major epochal question of what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party, elevating our party's understanding of the laws governing the construction of a Marxist party to a new height, and having significant practical significance and long-term guiding significance for strengthening the party and the country. This thought stands at the tide of the times, responds to the needs of the times, strategically and creatively answers the questions of China, the questions of the world, the questions of the people, and the questions of the times, demonstrating its major epochal value.
Holding high the banner and setting the direction: firmly answering the questions of China
The questions of China are first of all questions of direction, questions of the path, questions of the leading force. In the process of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization, answering the questions of China well concerns the course of the rejuvenation and the success or failure of the cause. Xi Jinping's thought on party building clearly states that upholding the leadership of the party is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee, providing fundamental guidance for governing the party, running the country, and governing the state, and holding high the banner and setting the direction for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
The leadership of the party fundamentally ensures the correct direction of Chinese-style modernization. Direction determines the path, and the path determines destiny. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: "The Chinese Communist Party is the highest political leadership force" and "Upholding and improving the leadership of the party is the fundamental foundation and lifeline of the party and the country, and the interest and happiness of the people of all ethnic groups across the country." Looking back at the history since modern times, the most fundamental reason why the Chinese people and the Chinese nation reversed their passive and beaten situation and achieved remarkable great achievements that have attracted worldwide attention lies in the strong leadership of the Chinese Communist Party. Since its founding, our party has led the Chinese people in unremitting efforts to achieve national independence, people's liberation, national prosperity, and people's happiness, making the building of a modern socialist country an unswerving goal of struggle. In the new era, our party has more clearly outlined the grand blueprint for comprehensively building a strong modern socialist country and comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. Precisely because of the strong leadership of the party, Chinese-style modernization can always move steadily and far along the correct direction.
The leadership of the party allows us to calmly deal with the uncertainty brought about by the convergence and turbulence of the two overall plans. The strategic overall plan of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and the major changes unseen in a century in the world converge and clash. Our country's development faces both rare strategic opportunities and numerous risks and challenges. Uncertain and unpredictable factors increase, and it is inevitable to encounter tests of strong winds and rough waves, even 惊涛骇浪 (jīng tāo hài làng - "frightening waves and terrifying billows," extremely dangerous situations). The more ambitious the goal, the more arduous the task, and the more severe the challenge, the more firmly the leadership of the party must be adhered to. Xi Jinping's thought on party building emphatically highlights upholding the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee as the highest principle of party leadership, promoting the entire party to more deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the "two establishments" (两个确立), strengthen the "four consciousnesses" (四个意识), firm up the "four confidences" (四个自信), and achieve the "two safeguards" (两个维护). Firmly safeguarding the authority of the Central Committee and centralized and unified leadership, using the "two establishments" as the greatest certainty to deal with various uncertainties, uniting the entire party ideologically, politically, and in action into "a piece of hard steel" — this is the fundamental reason why the party can always be the most reliable backbone of the people across the country and always grasp historical initiative in properly responding to various risks and challenges.
The leadership of the party gathers the surging power for building a strong country and national rejuvenation. Party, government, military, civilian, and academic; east, west, south, north, and center — the party leads everything. Xi Jinping's thought on party building emphasizes that the leadership of the party must be reflected in all aspects and links of the economy, politics, culture, society, ecological civilization construction, national defense and the military, national reunification, diplomatic work, and party building; it emphasizes improving the party's leadership system, continuously enhancing the party's ability and determination to set the direction, plan the overall situation, set policies, and promote reform, ensuring that the party always commands the overall situation and coordinates all parties. Relying on comprehensive and powerful leadership, the party can gather the strength of the entire party, the entire military, and the people of all ethnic groups across the country into a combined force, transform the institutional advantages of socialism with Chinese characteristics into governance efficiency and development advantages, solidly advance Chinese-style modernization with the significant advantage of concentrating efforts to accomplish major tasks, and gather surging power for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
Embracing the world in mind: profoundly answering the questions of the world
At present, changes of the world, changes of the times, and changes of history are unfolding in unprecedented ways. Peace deficits, development deficits, security deficits, and governance deficits are intensifying. Human society faces unprecedented challenges. Political parties seek survival, countries seek strength, governance seeks change. Political parties across the world generally face the common difficulty of "what kind of political party to build and how to build it." Xi Jinping's thought on party building insists on embracing the world in mind, always thinking about the party's construction with historical vision and global perspective, closely linking the party's own construction with the future and destiny of humanity, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global party governance.
Gaining insight into the trends of human development and progress, ensuring the party always walks at the forefront of the times. The Chinese Communist Party seeks happiness for the Chinese people, rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, and also seeks progress for humanity and common prosperity for the world. Xi Jinping's thought on party building perceives the general trend of world political and economic development, draws on the experiences and lessons of the rise and fall of political parties around the world, and continuously deepens the understanding of the laws governing the construction of a long-term governing Marxist party. By virtue of its world vision that deeply observes the trends of human development and progress, our party recognizes changes and responds to changes in a volatile and turbulent international environment, calibrates its direction, always stands on the correct side of history and on the side of human civilization progress, and always walks at the forefront of the times.
With its own successful practice and original theories, it contributes Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global party governance. For a long time, the political party model of Western multi-party competition and alternating governance has been regarded as a standard by some. However, difficulties such as weakened party functions and insufficient governance effectiveness have appeared in many countries and have become the main contradictions restricting their economic and social development. Xi Jinping's thought on party building insists on self-confidence and self-reliance, upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, opens up a new path of relying on one's own strength to solve one's own problems, breaks the myth of the Western party system, and with its lofty value orientation and unique ideological charm, provides useful reference for political parties of various countries, especially political parties of developing countries, in strengthening their own construction and independently exploring modernization paths, making important contributions to the progress of human political civilization. More and more political parties and political figures from various countries are paying attention to the institutional secrets of the Chinese Communist Party's governance and to "why the Chinese Communist Party can." The truth power and practical power of Xi Jinping's thought on party building are further demonstrated.
By establishing a new type of party-to-party relations, it gathers strong forces to jointly build a better world. General Secretary Xi Jinping points out: "Political parties in different countries should enhance mutual trust, strengthen communication, and closely cooperate, explore building a new type of party-to-party relations on the basis of new international relations that seek common ground while reserving differences, respect each other, and learn from each other, build a network of international party-to-party exchange and cooperation in multiple forms and multiple levels, and gather strong forces to build a community with a shared future for mankind." Since the new era, our party has maintained regular contact with many political parties and political organizations in the world, uses the establishment of new type of party-to-party relations to help build new international relations, and promotes coordination and cooperation between countries by promoting consultation and cooperation between political parties. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes the responsibility of political parties, advocating that "political parties should closely combine their own construction with the country's modernization construction" and "lead the direction and gather strength for continuously advancing the modernization process," and better play the role of political parties in jointly addressing common human challenges. This global sentiment and international responsibility demonstrate the broad-mindedness and bearing of the Chinese Communist Party as a major party.
Putting the people first: vividly answering the questions of the people
The questions of the people, in the final analysis, are the questions of "for whom to govern and by whom to govern." How our party can always win the people's support and endorsement, maintain its youthful vigor, and consolidate its long-term governing position — this is a fundamental question concerning the party's survival or demise. Xi Jinping's thought on party building takes putting the people first as the fundamental value principle running through the entire process of governing the party with strict discipline, laying a deep and lasting foundation of popular support for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
It distinctly defines the fundamental stand of "for whom and by whom," forever maintaining the intrinsic character of a Marxist political party. The people's stand is the fundamental political stand of the Chinese Communist Party and a distinctive sign that distinguishes a Marxist party from other political parties. The question of for whom and by whom to rely is the touchstone for testing the nature of a political party and a regime. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly points out: "The Chinese Communist Party has always represented the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the people, shares weal and woe and life and death with the people, has no special interests of its own, and has never represented the interests of any interest group, any powerful group, or any privileged stratum." This distinct stand guides our party on the new journey to always place the people in the highest position in its heart, always stand with the people, think with them, and work with them, fundamentally ensuring that the party's nature remains unchanged, its purpose remains unchanged, and its intrinsic character remains unfaded.
Taking the people's aspiration for a better life as the goal of struggle, it consolidates the foundation for the party's long-term governance. The people are the fundamental basis for our party to strengthen the party and the country, and the fundamental force determining the future and destiny of the party and the country. Only by valuing the interests of the people, mindful of the people's expectations, continuously realizing, safeguarding, and developing the fundamental interests of the vast majority of the people, can we win the people's trust and support and consolidate the foundation for the party's long-term governance. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes: "We insist on taking the people's aspiration for a better life as the goal of struggle, adhere to the people-centered development thought, strive to guarantee and improve people's livelihood, strive to solve the people's urgent, difficult, and anxious problems, so that the achievements of Chinese-style modernization benefit all people more and more fairly." Since the new era, all the study and education activities carried out by the party have been aimed at better serving the people and bringing benefits to the people. The deepening and internalization of the party members and cadres' mass viewpoint and the improvement of their mass work ability all demonstrate the remarkable effectiveness of governing the party with strict discipline in the new era and the guiding role of Xi Jinping's thought on party building.
It systematically elevates the party's people's stand in terms of time and space, content and form. In terms of time, Xi Jinping's thought on party building proposes adhering to remaining true to the original aspiration and keeping the mission firmly in mind, establishing not forgetting the original intention and keeping the mission in mind as the eternal subject of strengthening party construction and the lifelong subject for all party members and cadres, sublimating the people's stand into an eternal stand that must be upheld for generations and never fade, connecting the party's past, present, and future. In terms of space, this thought implements putting the people first in all fields of economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological civilization construction and in all links of governing the party with strict discipline, becoming the fundamental guidance for doing a good job in all work. In terms of content, this thought proposes that bringing benefits to the people is the greatest political achievement, consciously becoming a selfless devotee who is determined to bring benefits to the people, etc., making the ideological connotation of putting the people first more profound and complete. In terms of form, this thought elevates the people's stand from a value concept to a scientific system supported by methodology and guaranteed by institutions, for example, vigorously promoting investigation and research, and improving various systems that govern for the people and rely on the people in governance. Putting the people first has become the deepest and most lasting value foundation of Xi Jinping's thought on party building.
Comprehensively governing the party with strict discipline: powerfully answering the questions of the times
In the new era, our party's historical position and governance environment have undergone profound changes. How to respond to and solve the major risk tests facing the party and the prominent problems within the party, forever maintain the party's advanced nature and purity, and forever maintain the party's vigor and vitality? In the face of this question of the times, Xi Jinping's thought on party building has made a powerful answer by insisting on comprehensively governing the party with strict discipline, guiding our party to become stronger and more powerful through revolutionary forging, radiating new strong vitality, and providing a strong political guarantee for the development of the party and the country's cause.
Carrying out self-construction in a systematic manner, promoting the continuous deepening of the great new project of party construction in the new era. Carrying out self-construction with a scientific attitude and in a systematic manner at a high degree of consciousness is a significant advantage of our party and a winning way to lead the times. Xi Jinping's thought on party building focuses on the organic connection, linkage integration, and coordination of all aspects of party construction, and has formed rich achievements in building a sound system for comprehensively governing the party with strict discipline. We coordinate political construction, ideological construction, organizational construction, work style construction, and discipline construction, integrating institutional construction throughout and advancing the anti-corruption struggle in an integrated manner, striving to improve the organizational system, education system, supervision system, institutional system, and responsibility system, and promoting the full coverage of content, full coverage of objects, full chain of responsibility, and full integration of institutions in governing the party with systematic thinking. Under the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee, by building a sound system for comprehensively governing the party with strict discipline and exerting its effectiveness in governing the party, the party's work style and political style have taken on a new look, creating a clean and upright political ecology within the party, providing a reliable guarantee for the party to forever maintain a healthy body and always maintain vigorous vitality.
Using comprehensive and strict governance of the party to eliminate diseases and cure ailments, making the party itself strong and able to calmly deal with various risk tests. In a deeply changing and complex domestic and international environment, our party, which has over 100 million party members and leads a country with over 1.4 billion people, must be prepared to withstand major tests of strong winds and rough waves, even frightening waves. The tests of governance, reform and opening up, market economy, and external environment will exist for a long time; the dangers of mental slackness, insufficient capability, detachment from the masses, and negative corruption will exist for a long time. The more so, the more necessary it is to make oneself strong. Xi Jinping's thought on party building proposes insisting on promoting the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style construction, insisting on using strict discipline to govern the entire party, insisting on advancing the integrated promotion of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, pointing out the direction for maintaining the party's advanced nature and purity and forging itself more strongly. Since the new era, our party has become stronger, more powerful, and full of vitality in eliminating diseases and curing ailments, passing the major tests of the times with its own strength, calmly dealing with the complex changes in the external environment with its own strong power, and achieving one victory after another. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes "must use the tenacity and persistence of forever being on the road, consistently advance comprehensive and strict governance of the party," continuously deepen the comprehensive and strict governance of the party, so that the solid effectiveness of governing the party can be continuously transformed into the party's creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness.
Thought is a product of the times and also a banner that leads the times. Holding high the banner and setting the direction, embracing the world in mind, putting the people first, and comprehensively governing the party with strict discipline — these four, based on China yet facing the world, focusing on the present yet facing the future, respectively from the four dimensions of fundamental guarantee, world vision, value stand, and self-forging, firmly, profoundly, vividly, and powerfully answer the questions of China, the questions of the world, the questions of the people, and the questions of the times in the field of party construction in the new era, centrally demonstrating the truth power and practical power of Xi Jinping's thought on party building in answering the questions of the times and bearing the mission of the times. At present, we are in a critical period of basically realizing socialist modernization, consolidating the foundation, and making full efforts. The more arduous the task, the more complex the situation, the more a strong and powerful Marxist ruling party is needed to steer the ship. Deeply studying and implementing Xi Jinping's thought on party building, continuously pushing the great new project of party construction in the new era deeper, our party will surely always walk at the forefront of the times, unite and lead the hundreds of millions of people, and continuously create new brilliance on the journey of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation with Chinese-style modernization.
(The author is Director of the Center for the Study of CPC History, Peking University)
Return to TopBy: 孟佳聪
General Secretary Xi Jinping once criticized some localities and departments for inadequate implementation of the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments, pointing out that some employ “simplification, ‘one-size-fits-all’ approaches, mechanically copy and imitate, making the upper and lower levels equally crude.” At present, it is a critical period for the start and commencement of the “15th Five-Year Plan”; vigorous and effective implementation of the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments is of utmost importance. However, a small number of localities and departments, in their concrete work, appear to implement with 雷厉风行 (léi lì fēng xíng - “thunder’s force, wind’s speed,” acting vigorously and decisively) and with resolute attitude, but in reality they break away from objective reality, violate laws of development, disregard the demands of the masses, and exhibit the problem of “one-size-fits-all” approaches. This runs completely counter to the requirement of establishing and practicing a correct view of political performance, and must be openly and clearly opposed and corrected.
The “one-size-fits-all” approach is a chronic problem in grassroots governance that is hard to cure permanently and that returns after being corrected; it is a typical manifestation of formalism and bureaucratism. For example, some regions, disregarding actual conditions, blindly launch related industrial parks, yet ultimately very few enterprises move in, and large swaths of land remain idle for long periods; some regions engage in “carbon charges” and campaign-style “carbon reduction,” simply and crudely shutting down lawful energy consumption and production enterprises; and so on. These problems of “one-size-fits-all” approaches, varied in form, cause benefit-oriented policies to distort in shape and taste and pro-people measures to be discounted upon implementation. They not only dampen the enthusiasm of grassroots Party members and cadres to start undertakings and innovate, hinder the vitality of innovation in grassroots governance, but also damage the credibility of the Party and government, erode the people’s sense of gain, and bury deep-seated hidden dangers that constrain high-quality development. The “one-size-fits-all” problem manifests in different forms yet shares the same root cause; the crux lies in emphasizing uniform standards while neglecting individual differences, emphasizing rigid implementation while neglecting adaptation to local conditions, emphasizing task accounting while neglecting practical governance effectiveness, and being accustomed to managing the entire region with one template and implementing everything in one way.
That the “one-size-fits-all” approach is repeatedly banned yet never stopped may appear to be a problem of work methods and of capability and competence, but in essence it reflects a loosening and deviation in the ideological “master switch” of the view of political performance. First, the original aspiration of seeking well-being for the people has faded. A small number of Party members and cadres set “being responsible upward” against “being responsible downward,” put personal gains and losses, advancement and retreat, and career promotion first, and cast aside the warmth and safety and long-term well-being of the masses. Second, there is a deficiency in the competence for scientifically devising policy. Facing the new tasks of forging ahead in the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, some Party members and cadres do not understand the new situation, do not know new methods, are not familiar with new pathways, and can only mechanically copy and imitate higher-level deployments, ultimately using “one-size-fits-all” approaches to cope and check off tasks. Finally, there are still shortcomings in the assessment and supervision system. Duplicative multi-level, layer-upon-layer inspections, supervisions, and assessments from higher levels exhaust grassroots Party members and cadres, and the “one-size-fits-all” approach, because it takes effect quickly, is easy to check off, and provides stable exemption from blame, has become the choice of some Party members and cadres, breeding the unhealthy atmosphere of lazy governance and mechanical implementation.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “A correct view of political performance requires us to proceed from reality, act according to laws, and through scientific decision-making and hard, solid work, create achievements that can withstand the test of practice and history, truly benefit the people, and be recognized by the masses.” From developing a “semi-suburban” economy according to local conditions in Zhengding, Hebei, to upholding the spirit of 弱鸟先飞 (ruò niǎo xiān fēi - “the weak bird flies first,” the less advanced must start early and work harder) and 滴水穿石 (dī shuǐ chuān shí - “dripping water penetrates stone,” perseverance ensures success), engaging deeply in solid work and 久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng - “persist for a long time to achieve success,” sustained and long-term effort) in Ningde, Fujian, to scientifically planning and implementing the “Thousand-Village Demonstration, Ten-Thousand-Village Improvement” project (千万工程) in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping, in his local governance practice, always adhered to a correct view of political performance, did not engage in “one-size-fits-all” approaches, marching in lockstep, or homogenization, and provided profound inspiration and important practical guidance for the broad masses of Party members and cadres in the new era to implement policies precisely and pragmatically promote development.
To correct the deep-seated malady and accumulated ills of the “one-size-fits-all” approach, we must deeply study and thoroughly comprehend General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on establishing and practicing a correct view of political performance, adhere to 正本清源 (zhèng běn qīng yuán - “rectify the root and cleanse the source,” tackle problems at their foundation) and 靶向施治 (bǎ xiàng shī zhì - “target-oriented treatment,” apply precisely targeted remedies), and from the dimensions of thinking, methods, capabilities, and mechanisms, comprehensively correct deviations and improve quality and efficiency in all aspects. At the ideological level, cultivate the political character of 求真务实 (qiú zhēn wù shí - “seek truth and be pragmatic,” be practical and realistic) and sustained long-term effort, discard erroneous thinking such as being eager for quick success and instant benefit, impetuous and rash advance, and lazy governance, and consolidate the value foundation of the correct view of political performance, trusting not only documents but only actual conditions, trusting not only progress but only practical effectiveness. At the methodological level, do a good job of investigation and research that is “入山问樵、入水问渔” (“rù shān wèn qiáo, rù shuǐ wèn yú” - “enter the mountains ask the woodcutter, enter the waters ask the fisherman,” seek guidance from those who know the local situation), routinely go down to the front line of industry, the front line of grassroots, the front line of people’s livelihoods, identify bottlenecks and difficulties, clarify priorities and trade-offs, promote the interconnection of top-level design and grassroots exploration, make macro policies fit grassroots realities, make higher-level deployments match local endowments, and make governance measures conform to the expectations of the people. At the capability level, continuously improve political capacity, investigation and research capacity, scientific decision-making capacity, reform and tackling-hard-problems capacity, emergency response capacity, mass work capacity, and capacity for implementing tasks, break through the dilemma of not knowing how to innovate and not daring to break new ground, and elevate the ability and level to creatively implement the decisions and deployments of higher-level Party committees and governments. At the institutional level, perfect the political performance assessment and evaluation system, make good use of the assessment baton, support, cheer on, and protect Party members and cadres who dare to innovate and are pragmatic and responsible, and promote the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee to take root, sprout, and flourish on the ground.
Return to TopBy: 陈 庚
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Enhance the vitality of cultural innovation and creation, and develop and expand the cultural industry" and "Improve the cultural industry system and market system." Cultural industry parks are an important component of the cultural industry system and market system, and are also an important carrier for culture to empower economic and social development; they hold great significance for stimulating the vitality of cultural innovation and creation, promoting the transformation of regional economic structures and high-quality development, and optimizing the quality of urban functions. The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes: "Promote the standardized and innovative development of cultural industry parks." To promote the standardized and innovative development of cultural industry parks, one should standardize the links of park construction, operation management, and service evaluation, transform the traditional "landlord economy" model, and continuously exert effort at the levels of park development strategies, ecological construction, and technological empowerment.
In recent years, cultural industry parks, including national-level cultural industry demonstration parks and experimental parks, as well as provincial-level cultural industry parks, have played an active role in revitalizing existing space, promoting industrial agglomeration, cultivating new types of consumption formats, and promoting the integration of culture and tourism, becoming important engines for the development of the cultural industry. At the same time, some shortcomings still exist: some parks simply copy models from other places, lacking in-depth research and judgment regarding local cultural resources, industrial foundations, consumer populations, and market radii; some parks focus on early-stage spatial renovation, image packaging, and investment attraction, but lack late-stage professional operation, enterprise services, and industrial cultivation, falling into development dilemmas; some parks have imperfect mechanisms in areas such as entry and exit, safety management, intellectual property protection, and public services, and so on. In response to existing shortcomings and weaknesses, effective solutions and paths must be explored to promote the standardized and innovative development of cultural industry parks.
Strengthen standardized management. Standardized management is the foundation for the innovative development of cultural industry parks. One must coordinate the planning and layout of cultural industry parks at all regions and levels; based on the development foundation, industrial characteristics, degree of enterprise agglomeration, and innovation capabilities of parks in various places, one should improve graded and classified management models and targeted support policies to achieve precise implementation of measures. For example, for mature parks, focus on enhancing brand influence and regional radiation; for growing parks, focus on making up for shortcomings in public services, enterprise cultivation, and industrial chain synergy; for resource-based parks, focus on promoting the industrial transformation and conversion of cultural resources; and for cultural-technology integration parks, focus on promoting the docking of technological platforms. In management practice, continuously strengthen the institutional construction and fine-grained management of cultural industry parks, and through establishing and improving institutional systems such as entry and exit, operational services, monitoring and management, and assessment and evaluation, consolidate the primary responsibility of park operation and management institutions, promoting the transformation of parks toward professionalized operation, platform-based services, and ecological governance. At the same time, one should also improve normalized monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, conducting tracking and evaluation around key indicators such as the main business income of park enterprises, the conversion of innovation achievements, and economic and social benefits, linking evaluation results with resource allocation such as policy support, project recommendation, financial docking, and brand promotion.
Clarify development positioning. Only through in-depth research and judgment and precise positioning to clarify comparative advantages can cultural industry parks break through the predicament of homogenized competition and achieve differentiated development. One must conduct cultural gene mining and value assessment from the historical context, intangible cultural heritage resources, and artistic traditions of the region where the park is located, selecting links with comparative advantages along the value chain of "creative incubation—content production—copyright operation—consumption experience," and clarifying the development positioning of the park based on the behavioral preferences and value needs of the target audience. One can focus on specialized cultural niche fields to shape exclusive cultural IPs, exploring development patterns and paths of "one park, one main industry; one park, one characteristic; one park, one IP," forming a unique logic of value creation. For example, cultural industry parks such as the Beijing 798 Art District, built upon the remains of old industrial workshops, and the Jingdezhen Tao Xichuan Cultural and Creative Block, built based on the integrated development of ceramic "production—display—experience—consumption," have relied on their own characteristics to form strong brand recognition and core competitiveness, transforming cultural characteristics into industrial advantages.
Strengthen deep collaboration. Under the traditional "landlord economy" model, a typical "principal-agent" relationship exists between cultural industry park operators and the resident entities, and there is also a lack of effective value coupling among the resident entities. To promote the innovative development of cultural industry parks, operators must transform their roles, shifting from "space providers" to "ecosystem builders," not only providing hardware such as venues and facilities, but also deepening services in terms of software such as capital, technology, and finance, forming a value symbiotic relationship with enterprises characterized by shared risks and shared interests. One can build public service platforms to drive linkage and deep collaboration among entities within the park. By establishing specialized asset platforms for sharing technology, data, and copyright transactions, the scattered capability advantages of enterprises can be aggregated into a systematic collaborative sharing network, making spatial agglomeration become an innovation community of complementary functions. One can also construct resource docking mechanisms, actively embedding into regional and global innovation networks, opening up resource interfaces such as government, universities, and markets, and promoting the precise matching of enterprise needs within the park with external resource supplies through the establishment of industrial alliances, industry-university-research bases, or development consultant mechanisms.
Deepen digital-intelligent empowerment. The rapid development of digital-intelligent technology deeply affects key links such as cultural production and creation, and management and services within cultural industry parks. One must strengthen technological application and build open digital creation and collaborative production platforms, relying on technologies such as cloud computing, blockchain, intelligent rendering, and real-time communication to break through the geographical boundaries and organizational barriers of traditional parks, constructing resource-sharing and collaborative production networks that cross regions and institutions. For example, the Wuxi National Digital Film Industry Park in Jiangsu has built a 5G smart virtual filming joint laboratory and rendering cloud platform, supporting the cross-regional cloud-based collaborative production of films. At the same time, one must accelerate the deployment of data-driven intelligent operation systems for cultural industry parks, reducing coordination costs by optimizing key resource elements such as computing power, storage, and physical space, achieving the transformation of parks from static, extensive management to dynamic, fine-grained services, and comprehensively improving resource allocation efficiency and response speed. For example, currently, some film and television cultural industry parks have launched "smart brains" integrated with multiple functions, providing high-efficiency, high-standard, and intelligent services for film crews, assisting in the transformation and upgrading of the film and television industry.
(The author is a professor at the National Institute of Cultural Development, Wuhan University)
Return to TopBy: 中央社会工作部
Social work is an important component of the work of the Party and the state. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has placed social work in an important position in governance, made a series of major decisions and deployments, and promoted social work to achieve important accomplishments. In 2024, on the eve of the Central Conference on Social Work (中央社会工作会议), General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions, emphasizing unswervingly taking the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics and improving the social work system and mechanism. Recently, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Opinions on Strengthening Social Work in the New Era (关于加强新时代社会工作的意见) (hereinafter referred to as the Opinions), further clarifying the overall thinking, key tasks, and work measures for social work in the current and future period, providing an action guide for the high-quality development of social work in the new era. It is necessary to earnestly implement the Opinions, continuously open up new prospects for social work, accelerate the modernization of social governance, and ensure that the people live and work in peace and contentment, society is stable and orderly, and the country enjoys long-term peace and stability.
I. Fully recognize the great significance of promoting high-quality development of social work in the new era and unswervingly taking the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: “Looking at the governance practices of various countries, if social governance cannot keep pace with economic development, and various social contradictions and problems are not effectively resolved, not only will economic development be unsustainable, but the entire society may fall into turmoil.” Currently, China is at a critical period of comprehensively advancing the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization. Unswervingly taking the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics is of great and far-reaching significance for doing a good job in social work, strengthening social governance, maintaining social stability, ensuring that society is both vibrant and orderly amidst profound changes, and writing a new chapter in the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.
An inevitable requirement for consolidating the Party’s long-term governance foundation. Currently, China’s economic structure, population structure, urban-rural structure, etc., are undergoing major changes. New economic organizations and new social organizations are emerging in large numbers. The scale of new employment groups continues to expand. Social groups are continuously differentiating and refining. Value orientations and interest demands are becoming increasingly diverse. Social work faces new situations and new tasks. It is necessary to unswervingly take the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics, continuously expand the Party’s organizational coverage and work coverage, give full play to the Party’s political and organizational advantages, closely unite all kinds of social organizations and groups around the Party, and continuously consolidate the Party’s class foundation, mass foundation, and social foundation for governance.
An inevitable requirement for realizing Chinese-style modernization. Chinese-style modernization is the cause of hundreds of millions of people. Currently, China’s economy has shifted from a stage of high-speed growth to a stage of high-quality development, and its economic strength, scientific and technological strength, and comprehensive national power have reached new heights. At the same time, the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development remains prominent, and there are still many difficulties and obstacles to overcome in Chinese-style modernization. The more complex the situation and the more arduous the challenges, the more we need to gather the wisdom of all and use the strength of all. It is necessary to unswervingly take the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics, promote all kinds of social organizations and groups to give full play to their abilities and strengths, enhance social vitality, unleash the innovation and creation potential of the whole society, and gather the mighty force to advance Chinese-style modernization.
An inevitable requirement for satisfying the people’s aspiration for a better life. China is at a critical stage of moving from a middle-income country to a moderately developed country level. The people’s aspiration for a better life is stronger, and there is a shift from “having or not having” to “good or not good” and “excellent or not excellent.” At the same time, China’s population generally shows trend characteristics such as fewer children, aging, and regional differentiation in population increase and decrease, which puts forward new and higher requirements for precision and refined services. It is necessary to unswervingly take the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics, improve the mechanism for seeking benefits, handling affairs, and solving worries for the people, and continuously enhance the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security.
An inevitable requirement for maintaining social harmony and stability. Currently, the world’s century-old changes are accelerating, major power games are more complex and intense, China’s development environment is facing profound and complex changes, strategic opportunities and risk challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors increase. Reform has entered a critical period and deep water zone, social interest relations are more complex, and various contradictions and risks present new characteristics and new situations of interweaving and overlapping. It is necessary to unswervingly take the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics, timely resolve conflicts, effectively prevent risks, enhance social resilience, and always achieve “the scenery here is uniquely good” (风景这边独好).
II. Deeply grasp the inherent requirements of promoting high-quality development of social work in the new era and unswervingly taking the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to the “two integrates” (两个结合), in the great practice of leading the people to promote the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, grasped the characteristics of the times, followed the laws of governance, strengthened practical exploration, continuously improved the socialist social governance system with Chinese characteristics, and strived to open up the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics. It is necessary to deeply grasp its inherent requirements to better promote social work in the new era and improve the level of social governance modernization.
We must adhere to and strengthen the Party’s overall leadership. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “The socialist system with Chinese characteristics and China’s basic national conditions determine that to achieve our goals and cope with the 惊涛骇浪 (jīng tāo hài làng - “frightening waves and monstrous billows,” perilous situations) on the way forward, we must adhere to the centralized and unified leadership of the Party and safeguard the authority of the Party Central Committee.” Social work faces the broadest social fields, the most extensive grassroots organizations, and the broadest masses of the people; it must adhere to the Party’s leadership without any wavering. We must adhere to the fundamental principle of the Party managing social work, resolutely safeguard the authority and centralized unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, improve the institutional mechanisms for the Party to lead social work, promote Party committees (Party groups) at all levels to assume political responsibility, consolidate the responsibility of relevant departments to “manage the industry and also manage Party building,” enhance the political functions and organizational functions of grassroots Party organizations, use Party building to lead and improve the level of social governance, and better transform the Party’s leadership and the advantages of the socialist system with Chinese characteristics into advantages in social governance.
We must adhere to a people-centered approach. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “To innovate social governance, we must take the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people as the fundamental coordinate and start from the issues of most immediate concern to the people.” Social work connects with the masses most extensively and serves the masses most directly; to a large extent, it is about doing mass work. We must always put the people in the highest position in our hearts, firmly stand on the people’s side, and deeply cultivate the feelings of serving the people. We must adhere to the people-centered value pursuit, take serving the masses and benefiting the people as the fundamental starting point and落脚点, coordinate and solve the common concerns and individualized demands of different social groups, and do practical things that conform to the will of the people, relieve their worries, and benefit their livelihood. Innovate the mechanism for organizing and mobilizing the masses, support the masses in relying on their own strength to solve problems in social governance, and make the wisdom of the masses an inexhaustible source of innovation in social governance.
We must adhere to promoting fine traditional Chinese culture. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “A country’s governance system and governance capacity are closely related to its historical heritage and cultural traditions.” To strengthen social work, we must base ourselves on national conditions, integrate ancient and modern, strengthen cultural confidence, and lay a solid cultural foundation for social governance. We must adhere to the prominent advantage of fine traditional Chinese culture, fully absorb the historical experience of ancient Chinese governance, effectively absorb the rich philosophical thoughts, humanistic spirit, and values of governance in fine traditional Chinese culture, use traditional Chinese virtues to influence and educate people (成风化人), promote the coordination of the genes of fine traditional Chinese culture with modern society, and better permeate people’s hearts and lead to good governance.
We must adhere to co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “Improve the social governance system of co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits, and enhance the effectiveness of social governance.” Co-construction highlights strength, co-governance embodies participation, and shared benefits emphasize results; the three complement each other and are organically unified. Co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits are not only practical needs to solve the main social contradictions in the new era but also practical paths for doing a good job in social work in the new era. We must adhere to the governance concept of co-construction, co-governance, and shared benefits, improve the social governance system of Party committee leadership, government responsibility, social coordination, public participation, and legal guarantee, promote consultative democracy at the grassroots level, improve the coordination mechanism for the interests of the masses, improve the level of public services, maintain social fairness and justice, build a social governance community where everyone is responsible, everyone fulfills their duties, and everyone enjoys benefits, and promote the comprehensive development of people and social progress.
We must adhere to systematic governance, law-based governance, comprehensive governance, and source governance. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “A modern society should be both full of vitality and have good order.” An important point in ensuring that society is neither a 一潭死水 (yī tán sǐ shuǐ - “a pool of stagnant water,” lifeless condition) nor turbulent is to grasp the dialectical relationship between vitality and order, pay more attention to linkage and integration, openness and co-governance, pay more attention to democracy, rule of law, and technological innovation, and enhance the foresight, precision, and efficiency of social governance. We must adhere to the methods of systematic governance, law-based governance, comprehensive governance, and source governance, plan and promote social governance within the overall national governance, give full play to the normative and guarantee role of law in social governance, comprehensively use various means, coordinate various resources, promote full-process and full-cycle governance, adhere to moving the gate forward to grasp the source and treat the disease before it occurs, and continuously improve the socialization, legalization, intelligence, and professionalization of social governance.
We must adhere to grasping the grassroots, strengthening the foundation, and consolidating the fundamentals. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “If the grassroots are strong, the country is strong; if the grassroots are secure, the world is secure.” The Party’s work’s most solid strength support lies at the grassroots level. Social work is frontline work, and its focus must fall on urban and rural grassroots. If the grassroots service and management capacity is strong, the foundation of social governance is solid. We must adhere to the clear orientation of focusing on the grassroots, do a good job in the fundamental work of grassroots governance modernization, improve the ability of grassroots Party organizations to lead grassroots governance, promote the sinking of resources, services, and management to the grassroots, improve the grassroots governance platform with grid management, refined services, and information support, and continuously consolidate the cornerstone of national governance.
III. Effectively implement the tasks of promoting high-quality development of social work in the new era and unswervingly taking the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics.
The Opinions have deployed the key tasks of social work in the new era. We must set goals, make precise efforts, solidly promote the implementation of various tasks, always move forward steadily in the correct direction of the path of socialist social governance with Chinese characteristics, and promote the positive interaction between high-efficiency governance and high-quality development and high-level security.
Continuously strengthen the theoretical arming of the Party’s innovation. Persist in using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to consolidate souls and minds. Deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on social work, make it an important content of the study of the theoretical study center groups of Party committees (Party groups) at all levels, and include it in cadre education and training and social worker training. Improve the theoretical propaganda and explanation mechanism in the field of social work, and promote it into villages, communities, enterprises, new economic organizations and new social organizations, and new employment groups. Strengthen research on theoretical and practical issues, and promote academic research and discipline construction in social work.
Improve and perfect the system and mechanism of social work. Promote all regions and departments to improve the working mechanism for implementing the Party Central Committee’s decisions and deployments on social work. Coordinate and use relevant mechanisms such as Party building leading grassroots governance and Party building in emerging fields, promote all departments and units to clearly define internal institutions or personnel responsible for social work, and build a work pattern with unified leadership of the Party committee, overall coordination of the Party committee’s social work department, coordination and cooperation of relevant departments, and broad participation of social forces.
Expand and deepen Party building in emerging fields. Promote the tangible and effective coverage of Party organizations and Party work in emerging fields, and promote the organic combination of Party building with production and operation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and social services. Explore the carrier mechanism for Party organizations and Party members in new economic organizations to effectively play their role, do a good job in Party building in Internet platform enterprises, explore new paths for Party building in science and technology innovation enterprises, and strengthen classified guidance for Party building in mixed-ownership enterprises. Improve the management system of Party building in new social organizations, promote Party building by classification in social groups, foundations, social service institutions, social intermediary organizations, and community social organizations, coordinate and promote the deepening reform and transformation development of industry associations and chambers of commerce, and continuously promote the governance of professional ethics. Strengthen Party building and service management for new employment groups, continuously optimize platform algorithms, protect legitimate rights and interests according to law, deeply promote the construction of friendly scenarios, and promote the construction of harmonious labor relations and a good working environment.
Deeply promote Party building leading grassroots governance and grassroots political power construction. Strengthen the leadership role of grassroots Party organizations, and continuously rectify weak and lax grassroots Party organizations. Build a township (street) management system with Party committee leadership, Party and government coordination, simplicity, efficiency, and convenience. 锲而不舍 (qiè ér bù shě - “carve without stopping,” persistent) rectify formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots, consolidate and expand the results of solving the problem of “small horse pulling a big cart” (小马拉大车) in grassroots governance, fully implement the list of items for fulfilling responsibilities in townships (streets), and improve the access system for village (community) work matters. Strengthen rural governance, improve community governance, promote the governance of “hollow villages” and urban super-large communities, and effectively address bad practices such as those in weddings and funerals.
Carefully and sincerely do a good job in uniting and serving the masses. Implement the system of “four down-to-the-grassroots” (四下基层), and follow the Party’s mass line in the new era. Strengthen the unified leadership of the Party committee’s social work department over petition work, fully implement the Regulations on Petition Work (信访工作条例), promote the legalization of petition work, continuously promote the source governance of petition problems and the resolution of accumulated cases, deeply carry out leading cadres’ receiving visits and going down to the grassroots, and give full play to the “barometer” role of petition work in reflecting social conditions and public opinion. Strengthen the service management of social groups, strengthen ideological and political guidance, smooth the channels for expressing interest demands, and timely respond to the concerns of different groups. Do a good job in collecting suggestions from the people, and promote the transformation of the people’s “golden ideas” (金点子) into the “golden keys” of social governance. Focus on serving national strategies, serving people’s livelihood, and serving social governance, improve the volunteer service system, strengthen the management of volunteer service organizations, and promote the standardization, professionalization, and normalization of volunteer services.
Strive to strengthen the construction of laws and regulations. Improve the social governance policy and legal regulation system, and improve a complete, scientific, standardized, practical, and effective system of social work laws and regulations. Improve laws and regulations such as the protection of the rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment, accelerate the revision of relevant laws and regulations on social organizations, and promote legislation in areas such as industry associations and chambers of commerce and volunteer services. Strengthen publicity and interpretation, improve systems for implementation supervision and effectiveness evaluation, and ensure that various policies and systems are implemented without discount.
Comprehensively strengthen the construction of talent teams. Coordinate and promote the construction of social worker teams, give full play to the role of community workers, social work professionals, volunteers, and Party workers in the field of social work, and improve the level of professional social work services. Give full play to the role of social work positions in expanding employment, explore and cultivate new professional sequences, and improve the professional qualification system. Strengthen the self-construction of social work departments, firmly establish and practice the correct view of achievements, and build a social work cadre team that is politically firm, of excellent quality, concerned about the masses, serving society, and with a strong work style.
Return to TopBy: 胡明荣
Using data well and making footsteps solid — when these two work in tandem, they can lighten the burden on grassroots cadres while unleashing more enthusiasm for undertaking endeavors and starting undertakings.
Not long ago, I went to conduct research in Dingyuan County, Chuzhou City. It was drizzling that day. He Shibin (何世斌), who had just taken up his post as a member of the standing committee of the county party committee and head of its organization department, opened a document on his tablet computer to show me — it was not a lengthy compilation of materials, but an analysis report on the operational status of the leadership team generated by the Chuzhou Digital Intelligence Organizational Work AI (数智组工AI) large model.
“For people like us who have just taken up new posts, the Digital Intelligence Organizational Work AI large model is like a veteran organizational work cadre who is always on duty and familiar with the situation,” He Shibin said. With this report, organizational work cadres can promptly acquaint themselves with matters such as the age structure of the team, how specialties are matched, and what situations in its operation require attention.
Organizational work involves evaluating people and recognizing teams; the greatest fear is evaluating people and recognizing teams through documents alone. Assessment and evaluation, inspection and research, heart-to-heart talks — none of these can be deemed unimportant. Yet when documents pile up, if one still relies on flipping through pages one by one and jotting down items one by one, it is inevitable that some things will be overlooked or not examined in detail. Take analyzing and judging a township-level leadership team as an example: in the past, one had to search through multiple documents item by item for information on team structure, assessment results, risk warnings, and so on, then connect the before-and-after changes and carry out a comprehensive analysis. After introducing AI, the large model first performs collection and comparison, “pulling out” information scattered across different documents and flagging situations that may require further understanding. Organizational work cadres no longer have to “fish a needle from the sea” (dà hǎi lāo zhēn - “to fish a needle from the sea,” a nearly impossible search), but can instead follow leads to dig deeper and investigate carefully along the thread.
Another organizational work cadre added: “The analysis report frees us from the tedious work of flipping through documents, allowing us to spend more time at the grassroots hearing true words and grasping real conditions. Whatever the report shows, why it shows that, and what cadres and the masses think about it — we now have the time to go to the front line and verify it.”
His words reminded me: the more smoothly AI is used, the more we must guard against developing a new dependence, and must not allow the convenience brought by technology to weaken our footwork. Organizational work cadres do the work of people; when people’s state changes, the work context differs, and the public’s praise or criticism cannot be fully presented through data. “Key-to-key” can certainly improve work efficiency, but it cannot replace the in-depth exchange of “face-to-face”; data can reflect a portion of the situation, but it cannot handle everything.
The true value of technology lies in helping grassroots cadres free themselves from complex and trivial affairs, so that they can have more time to go deep into the grassroots and get close to the masses. Using data well and making footsteps solid — when these two work in tandem, they can lighten the burden on grassroots cadres while unleashing more enthusiasm for undertaking endeavors and starting undertakings.
(The author is a cadre of the Organization Department of the Chuzhou Municipal Committee of Anhui Province)
Column submission email: rmrbzzb@peopledaily.com.cn
Beijing, July 23 (Reporter Zhang Shuo) — Zhang Han (张晗), spokesperson for the State Council Taiwan Affairs Office, stated in response to a question at a regular press conference on the 22nd that we highly commend the relevant actions of the government of Papua New Guinea.
A reporter asked: Recently, the government of Papua New Guinea announced the closure of the "Taipei Economic Office in Papua New Guinea." The foreign affairs department of the Taiwan authorities protested this. What is your comment? Zhang Han made the above response when answering.
Zhang Han stated that facts have repeatedly proved that the One-China principle is a basic norm of international relations and a universal consensus of the international community. Upholding the One-China principle is where justice lies and where the general trend is heading. 得道多助 (dédào duō zhù - "one who has the Way has many supporters," a just cause enjoys abundant support) and 失道寡助 (shīdào guǎ zhù - "one who loses the Way has few supporters," an unjust cause finds little support). The Democratic Progressive Party authorities stubbornly cling to the "Taiwan independence" separatist stance and go against the historical tide, and will only run into obstacles everywhere in the international community.
Return to TopOn July 23, a 200-person living support platform for offshore oil fields, newly built by Qingdao Haixi Heavy Machinery Co., Ltd. (青岛海西重机有限责任公司), departed from the Qingdao Haixi Heavy Machinery Port Basin (青岛海西重机港池) in Shandong Qingdao to the southern waters of the Qingdao Qianhai Anchorage (青岛前海锚地南水域) to carry out the platform trial voyage task. The platform has a deck area of 1,000 square meters for oilfield service use, and is equipped with two 100-ton-class slewing maritime cranes according to operational needs. The Qingdao maritime authority, through on-site verification, urged the vessel to implement the main responsibility for safety and to improve measures such as pollution prevention, lookout duty, and emergency response, to ensure the smooth trial voyage. Photo by Yang Xuemei (杨雪梅) (People’s Visual (人民视觉)).
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Shi Yiqi (史一棋)) Upon approval of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (中央纪委) and the National Commission of Supervision (国家监委) initiated an investigation and review into the serious violation of discipline and law by Tian Xuebin (田学斌), former member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice Minister of the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部).
The investigation found that Tian Xuebin lost his ideals and convictions, abandoned his original aspiration and mission, and resisted organizational investigation; disregarded the spirit of the Central Committee’s Eight-Point Regulation (中央八项规定精神) and accepted banquets that could affect impartial execution of official duties; violated organizational principles and sought benefits for others in matters such as staff recruitment and job promotion; lost the bottom line of integrity, illegally accepted gift money, had others pay expenses that should have been paid by himself, and engaged in power-sex transactions; illegally obtained and used false resident identity cards and other documents; was insatiably greedy and had no bottom line of discipline or law, alienating public power into a tool for seeking private gain, engaging heavily in power-money transactions, using his position to seek profits for others in areas such as company listings, coal mine restructuring, and project approval, and illegally accepting huge amounts of property.
Tian Xuebin seriously violated the Party’s political discipline, organizational discipline, integrity discipline, and life discipline, constituted serious duty-related violations and is suspected of bribery crimes. Moreover, he did not restrain himself or cease his actions after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. The nature is serious, the impact is egregious, and he should be dealt with severely. In accordance with relevant provisions such as the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Punishment (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 of the People’s Republic of China on Governmental Punishment for Public Officials (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法), after study by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and with approval from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, it was decided to expel Tian Xuebin from the Party; 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 Communist Party of China; to confiscate his illegal gains from discipline and law violations; to transfer his suspected criminal issues to the procuratorial authorities for review and prosecution in accordance with the law, and the involved property shall be transferred together.
Return to TopOur newspaper Beijing, July 23 (electric) (Reporter Shi Yiqi (史一棋)) — With the approval of the CPC Central Committee, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission (中央纪委国家监委) have initiated an investigation into Wang Jun (王峻), former Deputy Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Deputy Director of the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region, for serious violations of discipline and law.
Upon investigation, Wang Jun lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original aspiration and mission, had a distorted view on political achievements, deviated from the Party Central Committee's important requirements on ecological environmental protection and mineral resource development in Tibet, failed to act and acted recklessly, resisted organizational scrutiny; violated the spirit of the Central Committee's Eight-Point Regulation, accepted banquets that might affect the impartial execution of official duties; disregarded organizational principles, failed to truthfully explain issues during organizational correspondence inquiries, sought benefits for others and accepted property in the selection and appointment of cadres; lost the bottom line of integrity, illegally accepted gifts; leaked work secrets; had no awareness of discipline and law, alienated the public power entrusted by the Party and the people into a tool for personal gain, engaged in large-scale power-money transactions, used his position to seek benefits for others in mineral resource development and acquisition of construction land, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property.
Wang Jun severely violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, integrity discipline, and work discipline, constituted serious duty-related illegality and is suspected of accepting bribes. Moreover, after the 18th National Congress of the CPC, he did not restrain himself or stop his activities. The nature is serious, the impact is adverse, and he should be dealt with severely. In accordance with the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Punishment, the Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Government Affairs Punishments for Public Officials, and other relevant regulations, upon study by the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and reporting to the CPC Central Committee for approval, it has been decided to give Wang Jun the punishment of expulsion from the Party; the National Supervisory Commission will give him the punishment of expulsion from public office; terminate his qualification as a representative of the 10th Party Congress of the Tibet Autonomous Region; confiscate his disciplinary and illegal gains; and transfer his suspected criminal issues to the procuratorial authorities for lawful review and prosecution, and the property involved shall be transferred together.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Shi Yiqi (史一棋)) Upon approval by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Communist Party of China and the National Commission of Supervision (中央纪委国家监委) conducted an investigation into Guo Xueyi (郭学益), former member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and former Vice President of Central South University (中南大学), for serious violations of discipline and law.
The investigation found that Guo Xueyi lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original aspiration and mission, and obstructed organizational investigation; violated the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation (中央八项规定精神) by illegally accepting gifts and cash, accepting banquets, and giving gifts and cash to others in order to obtain academic awards and academic titles; illegally sought benefits for himself and others in matters such as job promotion; illegally engaged in business and ran enterprises; his greed swelled, he abused power for personal gain, engaged in large-scale power-for-money transactions with private business owners, used his position to seek profits for others in matters such as business operations and project cooperation, and illegally accepted huge amounts of property; he bribed relevant personnel to seek job promotion; illegally embezzled conference funds for his own use.
Guo Xueyi seriously violated the Party's political discipline, organizational discipline, and integrity discipline, constituting a serious violation of duty and suspected crimes of accepting bribes, offering bribes, and embezzlement. Moreover, after the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (党的十八大) he did not restrain or stop his misconduct. The nature is serious, the impact is vile, and he should be dealt with severely. 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), the Law of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Sanctions for Public Officials (中华人民共和国公职人员政务处分法), and other relevant provisions, and after study at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and approval by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, it was decided to expel Guo Xueyi from the Party; to expel him from public office by the National Commission of Supervision; to confiscate his disciplinary and illegal gains; and to transfer his suspected criminal issues to the procuratorial authorities for examination and prosecution according to law, with the related property transferred together.
Return to TopJuly 25 is World Drowning Prevention Day.
It is now the summer vacation period, and swimming, playing in the water, and seaside vacations are a way for many families to beat the heat. According to data from the World Health Organization, approximately 300,000 people die from drowning globally each year; in China, drowning is the "number one killer" among causes of unnatural death for children aged 1 to 14, with about 57,000 people losing their lives to drowning each year, of whom children and adolescents account for as high as 56 percent. The 2022 China Youth Drowning Prevention Big Data Report shows that drowning ranks first among causes of injury and death in the 0-to-17 age group, accounting for a full 33 percent.
Drowning prevention concerns the safety of millions of children and the happiness of millions of families.
In recent years, various localities have actively explored new pathways for drowning prevention work, making sustained efforts in areas such as institutional innovation, technology empowerment, and parent-child co-learning to accumulate experience. This edition launches a special World Drowning Prevention Day feature, sorting through common-sense knowledge on drowning prevention and scientific rescue methods, summarizing replicable and scalable experience and approaches from various localities, and also providing readers with a safety guide for drowning prevention.
Life is weightier than Mount Tai; prevention comes before rescue. May safety protection extend to more waters, and may every summer be a summer of safety.
— Editor
By: 本报记者 吴 丹 刘温馨 刘子赫
Children must firmly remember
Minors must firmly remember the anti-drowning "six don'ts" principle:
Do not swim in the water without permission;
Do not swim with others without authorization;
Do not swim without the accompaniment of a parent or teacher;
Do not swim in waters without safety facilities or rescue personnel;
Do not swim in unfamiliar waters;
Do not jump in to rescue without authorization.
Parents must pay attention
Parents are the first responsible persons for their children's summer safety. When children go out, parents must achieve the "four knows":
Know the whereabouts—know where the child is going;
Know the companions—know who the child is going with;
Know the content—know what the child is doing;
Know the return time—know when the child will be back.
Misconceptions must be dispelled, danger identified early
Lu Le (陆乐), deputy secretary-general of the Science Popularization Education and Training Branch of the China Disaster Prevention Association (中国灾害防御协会科普教育培训分会), reminds:
Misconception 1: The water looks shallow and the surface is calm, so it is safe
In places where the water looks very shallow, it may suddenly become deep after just two steps; the weather is hot, but the underwater temperature may suddenly drop, and the body's cold stimulus may cause cramps; beneath a calm water surface, there may also be undercurrents, jagged rocks, silt, waterweeds, fishing nets, etc.; reservoirs and river channels may also suddenly release water, and both the water level and flow speed can change rapidly.
Misconception 2: If you can swim, you will not drown
Many accidents are not caused by the drowning person being unable to swim, but by panic after encountering abnormal conditions in the water, leading to loss of motor control. Cold water, wind and waves, undercurrents, waterweeds, cramps, fatigue, alcohol consumption, etc., can all cause even a person who can swim to rapidly lose normal swimming ability.
Misconception 3: Jumping in to rescue is the most direct and bravest method
Without professional rescue capability and equipment, it is very likely to cause both the rescuer and the rescued person to drown simultaneously. It is recommended to "extend a pole if you can, throw a floating object if you can," and do not blindly enter the water to carry out rescue.
Misconception 4: A drowning person will call out loudly and make a big commotion
In many accidents, parents are nearby and people are constantly passing by, yet no one discovers that the child is already in a drowning state. In fact, when the drowning person's mouth and nose briefly surface, they will instinctively inhale with full force, and a large amount of water will be choked into the windpipe, leaving no time to make a sound.
Scientific rescue: the "call, call, extend, throw" method
If someone is found drowning, do not blindly enter the water to rescue. Firmly remember the four-step "call, call, extend, throw" method:
Step one "call"
Shout loudly for help, seeking assistance from more people around.
Step two "call"
Immediately call 110, 119, 120 and other emergency numbers for help, clearly providing the location of the incident and other information.
Step three "extend"
On the premise of ensuring your own safety, hand branches, wooden sticks, bamboo poles, etc., to the person who has fallen into the water. When rescuing, keep your body low and lower your center of gravity to avoid being pulled into the water.
Step four "throw"
Throw floating objects such as lifebuoys, wooden boards, foam blocks, sealed empty plastic bottles, etc., toward the drowning person to help them float and wait for rescue.
By: 本报记者 孙海天 尹晓宇 刘佳华
Hainan Issues Several Provisions on Preventing Drowning of Primary and Secondary School Students
Building a Dike with Institutions, Pushing the Defense Line to Before Falling into Water
Hainan Province is surrounded by sea on all sides, with water-loving activities throughout the year, and drowning incidents occur from time to time. How can protection be placed before danger and the defense line pushed to before falling into water?
On March 1 this year, the Several Provisions of Hainan Province on Preventing Drowning of Primary and Secondary School Students (hereinafter referred to as the Several Provisions) came into effect, clarifying the responsibilities of all parties and bringing possible dangerous situations near water into the institutional perspective: county-level and above governments establish coordination mechanisms, with funds included in fiscal budgets; townships and street offices are responsible for hazard investigation and patrol; parents or other guardians, as the first responsible persons for preventing drowning during the period when children are not in school, shall be subject to admonishment by public security organs and others if their failure to provide supervision is severe; water area patrols are incorporated into grid-based management.
Coastline patrol is the top priority in drowning prevention. The Several Provisions require the use of information technology means to strengthen drowning prevention measures and early warning capabilities. In Wanning Riyue Bay (万宁日月湾), fully automatic unmanned aerial vehicles serve as "air grid members," patrolling the beach along flight routes, and immediately calling out to warn and disperse people when they enter dangerous waters through image recognition, intercepting hundreds of dangerous water entries in one month of operation.
Inland water defense lines are also being tightened simultaneously. The Several Provisions clarify the safety responsibilities of water area managers. Taking Haikou Shapo Reservoir (海口沙坡水库) as an example, it has deployed 24 high-definition monitoring points covering the dam, entrances and exits, key water-related areas, and water level monitoring areas. Lin Xinli (林新丽), a staff member of the Haikou Longhua District Reservoir Management Center (海口市龙华区水库管理中心), introduced that each key area of the reservoir has implemented the "four ones": a warning sign, a lifebuoy, a life rope, and a life pole. The reservoir has also installed area intrusion monitoring equipment. When someone climbs over the fence or approaches dangerous areas near the water, the system automatically alarms, duty personnel persuade them to leave via broadcast, and patrol forces then follow up for handling.
To prevent drowning, it is necessary not only to strengthen the defense line before drowning but also to teach self-rescue skills in case of danger. The Several Provisions require the offering of swimming courses and encourage schools to build swimming venues. Primary and secondary schools across Hainan Province have completed the construction of 350 swimming pools, covering all townships; swimming classes are scheduled into the curriculum, and students from grades 4 to 9 across the province "should learn as much as possible, should master as much as possible" (应学尽学、应会尽会), with a cumulative total of more than 758,000 people trained.
In addition to teaching skills, summer vacation care must also not be absent. The Several Provisions require civil affairs departments to improve the care service system for left-behind children and children in difficult circumstances. During the summer vacation, more than 1,100 schools opened their facilities, and 260 "Love Care Stations" (爱心托管站) across the province simultaneously started classes, giving priority to left-behind children and children in difficult circumstances.
The Several Provisions incorporate incentives for social rescue into the provisions: encouraging persons with first aid knowledge and skills to provide on-site rescue to drowning persons, and giving recognition and rewards for active participation in accordance with "righteous and courageous acts" (见义勇为). After being included in the specialized regulations, the identification has a clear basis. On the evening of April 26 this year, a tourist drowned and suffered cardiac arrest in the waters of Wanning Shenzhou Peninsula. Four local villagers, including Cui Jingluo (崔经络), rushed into the sea and lifted the person ashore. Jiang Zhiwen (姜智文) and Yuan Yuan (袁苑), a nurse couple from the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University (浙大一院) who were on vacation, performed four minutes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in relay, saving a life. Four days later, Wanning City completed the identification and commendation of the righteous and courageous act.
According to statistics from the Hainan Provincial Department of Education, from the implementation of the Several Provisions to July 20, drowning accidents and deaths among primary and secondary school students in the province decreased by 30.8% and 35.7% year-on-year respectively.
The phased effects have already appeared, but there are still blind spots in monitoring of remote waters, some protective facilities are unevenly distributed, and holiday supervision remains a weak point. In early July, the Provincial Department of Education, together with the Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and the Provincial Department of Water Resources, visited 6 cities and counties, visiting schools and water risk points where drowning accidents had occurred in the past three years, and conducted inspections and rectification one by one. On the long coastline of the island, the strength of the system must ultimately fall on specific actions such as timely warnings and dispersals, life ropes that are available at any time, and the implementation of care responsibilities by each parent.
Jiangsu Xuzhou Builds Integrated Prevention and Control System
Technology Empowers, Using a "Smart Brain" to Guard Safety
After several heavy rains, the water level of the Yinlong River (引龙河) in Jiawang District (贾汪区), Xuzhou City, Jiangsu Province, rose significantly. The vegetation on the banks was lush, and the chirping of cicadas and insects was full of wild charm. At this moment, a voice came from the sky: "Fellow villager fishing for shrimp in the river, I am a drone patrol officer from the Jiawang Branch of Xuzhou Public Security Bureau (徐州市公安局贾汪分局). The river is dangerous, with deep water and hidden pits. Please pack up your things and come ashore immediately! Watch your step, slow down, don't panic!"
It turned out that a drone patrol officer from the Jiawang Branch of Xuzhou Public Security Bureau found a fellow villager fishing for shrimp in the river, and immediately dissuaded him via drone broadcast. The fellow villager stared at the hovering drone in the air for a few seconds, then slowly nodded, quickly packed up his net cages, and came ashore.
Xuzhou has a dense water network, with more than 5,000 rivers and nearly 100 reservoirs and lakes across the city. "In the past, drowning prevention work mainly focused on propaganda and rescue. In order to change from passive to active, Xuzhou Public Security has built an integrated prevention and control system of 'drone patrol + intelligent video inspection + on-site ground investigation,'" introduced Xu Zhigang (徐志刚), director of the Mengjiagou Water Police Station (孟家沟水上派出所) of the Xuzhou Public Security Bureau Water Police Bureau (徐州市公安局水上公安局).
After the video images captured during drone patrols are transmitted in real time to the "Pengying" (鹏鹰) platform developed by Xuzhou Public Security itself, the AI (artificial intelligence) system will analyze and judge them. Meng Jie (孟杰), deputy captain of the Internal Security Brigade of the Jiawang Branch, introduced that drone patrol officers simultaneously operate the drone patrol and monitor the platform. Once the AI analysis issues a warning, the patrol officer immediately begins drowning prevention broadcasts. Although AI recognition is efficient, factors such as water surface reflection on complex water environments, partially submerged human body features, and images cut by tree shadows may mislead the algorithm. To this end, the Jiawang Branch has established a dual judgment mechanism of "AI initial screening + manual review." After the AI's initial identification, the drone patrol officer then makes a precise judgment, while simultaneously pushing the police situation to the intelligence command center to arrange for nearby police forces to rush to the scene for handling.
Yunlong Lake Scenic Area (云龙湖景区) is a good place for Xuzhou citizens to relax and cool off. On the evening of July 19 this year, at a dangerous water area, a man was about to enter the water to swim. The infrared induction voice alarm system along the shore flashed warning lights instantly, and a looped voice immediately sounded: "You have entered a dangerous area. Swimming in the lake is strictly prohibited here. Please leave the shore immediately." The man who was about to go into the water quickly retreated to a safe area.
"Different water area characteristics require different drowning prevention technology products to be deployed," Xu Zhigang introduced. In areas like Yunlong Lake where citizens frequently engage in water activities, infrared induction voice alarm systems are deployed along the shore. This technology is not affected by light conditions, can work stably in daytime, nighttime, and rainy weather, and can effectively compensate for the shortcomings of cameras in low-light environments or under tree shadow occlusion.
"Technology empowerment is reshaping the security governance model of grassroots waters," said Chen Chen (陈琛), director of the Xuzhou Public Security Bureau Water Police Bureau. Relying on technological means, from January to July this year, Xuzhou successfully persuaded and dispersed more than 150 people in dangerous water-related situations, and the number of drowning deaths decreased by 18.6% and 7.1% compared with the same periods in 2024 and 2025 respectively. In addition, Xuzhou City has also opened 87 police aviation routes for drone patrols, and the drowning prevention network of "human defense + physical defense + technical defense" is being woven ever denser.
Liaoning Fuxin Promotes Public Welfare Training
Parents and Children Learn Together, Let Drowning Prevention Skills "Swim" into Thousands of Households
"Everyone follow me, hold your knees with both hands, press them tightly against your chest, lift your head high..." Inside the Fuxin City Gymnasium, swimming coach Liu Zijia (刘梓葭) stood half-squatting and bending down, breaking down the pose of the "jellyfish float" (水母漂) action by action. In front of her, more than 40 children stared at the coach's demonstration movements, following the commands to repeatedly adjust their postures...
On July 20, a parent-child drowning prevention public welfare training session began at the Fuxin City Gymnasium. The three-dimensional teaching system of theoretical explanation, scenario simulation, and in-water practical operation allowed parents and children to grow together in the same class, turning safety knowledge from content on display boards into practical skills.
"What is drowning? What is the process?" Accompanied by tense music, the projection screen played a video of the real feelings of a person during the drowning process, attracting the children's attention. Then, the four teaching sections of understanding drowning, dangerous waters, prevention measures, and rescue methods were clearly unfolded. "Don't be a 'solitary swimmer'," "Don't go on reefs when the tide rises, don't swim when the tide ebbs"... Liu Zijia turned the key points of drowning prevention into rhymes and taught them to the children, occasionally asking questions to mobilize the children's enthusiasm. Parents used their phones to record the key points, while the children sat up straight and listened attentively.
In the ground scenario simulation session, three coaches each led a group of children to learn key movements. The children lined up in a row, first simulating the "jellyfish float," then simulating the back float (仰漂) in water. These are two relatively energy-saving self-rescue floating postures that allow a person to maintain strength in the water while waiting for rescue. The coaches walked among them, adjusting the children's arm bending amplitude and head tilting angle, and correcting their force application methods hands-on.
After the ground practical training ended, the participating families moved to the swimming pool. The coach stood half-submerged in the water, raising his arms to demonstrate the force trajectory, and broke down the entire sequence of the "jellyfish float" and back float in slow motion. The children learned the key movements seriously in the water.
The next session was parent-child simultaneous practical training. Parents wore swim caps and stood beside their children, following the coach to learn standard rescue movements while watching over their own children, fully immersed in the process and simultaneously mastering drowning prevention skills.
Parent Shi Yufan (石宇凡) cooperated with the coach, one on the left and one on the right, steadily supporting the waist and back of his son Yang Haoning (杨灏宁), guiding the child to slowly stretch out his limbs and practice the basic movements of the back float. "In the past, relying only on school notices and propaganda was far less impressive than realistic simulations. Such a course is very meaningful," said Shi Yufan. Next to him, citizen Pan Tong (潘潼) and his son Pan Youxin (潘宥忻) were also learning earnestly: "I signed up as soon as I saw the course opening notice. I didn't expect it to be so effective. I feel much more at ease."
"Traditional drowning prevention education mostly focuses on warnings and prohibitions, which cannot solve the problem of how children actually respond when they encounter danger," said Liu Hongyu (刘宏宇), director of the Fuxin Sports Development Center (阜新市体育事业发展中心). Since 2025, the Fuxin Education Bureau and the Fuxin Sports Development Center have jointly launched the "Prevent Drowning, Grow Up Happily" (预防溺水，快乐成长) parent-child drowning prevention public welfare training, open for registration to families with children aged 6 and above in the city, providing free training, using immersive experiences to eliminate cognitive biases, and teaching scientific self-rescue and rescue methods. Each training session lasts 2 hours, including 30 minutes of theoretical explanation and scenario simulation, and 90 minutes of in-water practical operation.
Not only are classes held in the gymnasium, but the public welfare training is also actively expanding its service scope, having been held at the Fuxin Youth Palace (阜新市青少年宫) and the Fuxin Women and Children's Activity Center (阜新市妇女儿童活动中心). Liu Hongyu introduced that currently, the public welfare training has been successfully held for 7 sessions, benefiting more than 400 families. "Next, we will continue to enrich the course content, expand the coverage radius, and promote the expansion and upgrading of public welfare training into communities, schools, and villages," said Liu Hongyu.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 邱超奕
The "15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of Human Resources and Social Security" proposes to "explore the establishment of a labor rights protection system that adapts to different employment forms and employment modes, and enhance the inclusiveness and adaptability of labor laws, regulations, and policies. Promote the improvement of policies for protecting the rights and interests of workers in flexible employment and new forms of employment." Recently, a relevant official from the Department of Labor Relations of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security stated that in accordance with the requirements of the plan, it is necessary to innovate working methods, intensify efforts, promote the improvement of the level of rights protection for workers in new forms of employment, and continuously enhance the sense of gain, happiness, and security of workers in new forms of employment.
Study the establishment of a statistical system for new forms of employment. On the basis of grasping the employment situation of leading platform enterprises, conducting key surveys on labor remuneration in new forms of employment, and collecting occupational injury protection data, study the establishment of a statistical system for new forms of employment, establish and improve a reporting system for the employment situation of platform enterprises, clarify statistical calibers, strengthen inter-departmental data sharing, and enhance the application of data analysis to better support the work of protecting workers' rights and interests.
Promote the conduct of consultations on platform labor rules and algorithms. By increasing policy publicity, strengthening administrative guidance, implementing special actions, and reinforcing supervision and inspection, urge enterprises to employ workers in accordance with laws and regulations and fulfill labor protection responsibilities. Further improve the regulatory system for platform labor rules and algorithms, promote the conduct of consultations on platform labor rules and algorithms, and safeguard the right of workers in new forms of employment to know and participate in platform rules. Strengthen collaborative governance, and promote the win-win development of platform enterprises, platform-using cooperative enterprises, and workers in new forms of employment.
Expand social insurance coverage. Expand the pilot scope of occupational injury protection, improve the occupational injury protection system, optimize contribution policies, improve the contribution mechanism, and strengthen targeted governance of occupational injury prevention. Encourage and support workers in new forms of employment to participate in employee pension insurance, improve the pension insurance system that adapts to new forms of employment, and promote high-quality participation. Improve the system for the transfer and continuation of social insurance relationships, unify policy norms and benefit standards, and promote labor mobility.
Unblock rights protection channels. Promote the widespread establishment of labor dispute mediation committees in enterprises, striving to resolve conflicts and disputes at the grassroots level. Continuously advance one-stop mediation work, pooling the joint forces of labor dispute mediation, people's mediation, and judicial mediation to resolve conflicts early and at a small scale. Strengthen the connection between arbitration and adjudication, clarify adjudication rules, give play to the guiding role of typical cases, and effectively settle disputes and prevent their recurrence. Investigate and handle labor security violations in accordance with laws and regulations, and strengthen the protection of the rights and interests of workers in new forms of employment.
Accelerate the issuance of the "Measures for the Protection of the Rights and Interests of Workers in New Forms of Employment." Improve labor standards for workers in new forms of employment, regulate platform labor rules and algorithms, and clarify the responsibilities of enterprises for illegal employment. Summarize and evaluate the implementation of current policies, strengthen research on key and difficult issues in legislation, timely put forward proposals for improving labor security laws and regulations, and promote the establishment of a classified and tiered system for protecting workers' rights and interests.
Return to TopYinchuan, July 23 (Reporter Jiao Siyu (焦思雨)) — On July 22, the medical security authorities of Ningxia and Fujian signed the "Deepening the Cross-Provincial Min-Ning Cooperation Agreement on Medical Insurance" in Yinchuan. Focusing on the main demands of insured populations regarding cross-regional medical treatment, policy supply, fund security, and service convenience, the two sides will construct a comprehensive, three-dimensional cross-provincial medical insurance cooperation mechanism from six aspects: cross-regional settlement of medical treatment, medical insurance fund supervision, medical insurance handling services, smart medical insurance construction, sharing of pharmaceutical procurement experience, and joint building of talent teams.
In terms of cross-regional medical treatment settlement, the medical insurance authorities of Fujian (Min, 闽) and Ningxia will explore two-way direct settlement of day surgery and childbirth medical expenses, open up cross-provincial face-scanning payment via the medical insurance QR code, and alleviate the prepayment burden on the public. In fund supervision, they will share information on designated medical institutions, explore the cross-regional exchange of itemized data for medical treatment, jointly conduct unannounced inspections, and jointly build a fund safety line. In the "cross-provincial handling" of medical insurance services, they will provide two-way mutual recognition of "agency handling" for groups such as the elderly and persons with disabilities, and carry out routine policy outreach. In smart medical insurance, they will promote the sharing of key information such as participation in insurance and payment, and diagnosis and treatment data, learn from each other's experience with "Image Cloud" and one-stop settlement, and jointly explore the application of big data and artificial intelligence. In pharmaceutical pricing and procurement, they will advance the linkage of online drug and consumable prices and the sharing of governance experience, and work together to reduce inflated prices. The two sides will also share training resources, conduct joint research, and cooperate in cultivating professional talent.
Over the past 30 years, Fujian has dispatched a total of more than 1,400 medical experts to Ningxia for assistance, while Ningxia has sent nearly 1,500 medical骨干 (gǔgàn - backbone/core) personnel to Fujian for further training, bringing back 210 new technologies and new practices.
Return to TopOur paper Urumqi, July 23 (Reporter Shang Rongzheng (尚嵘峥)) The Office of the Leading Group for the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone (中国（新疆）自由贸易试验区工作领导小组办公室) recently issued the "Several Measures on Supporting the Open Innovation and Development of the Entire Biomedical Industry Chain in the China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone" (《关于支持中国（新疆）自由贸易试验区生物医药全产业链开放创新发展的若干措施»). Focusing on important links such as biomedical planting, research and development, manufacturing, and application, it integrates policies from over 20 departments including customs and health, and proposes 19 specific measures.
The measures propose accelerating the reform of government services in the biomedical industry, establishing a list of key biomedical enterprises to be cultivated and a contact system for key enterprises; advancing talent reform pilots, exploring the recognition of overseas professional qualifications in biomedical-related fields, and exploring mutual recognition of work permits for foreign high-end biomedical talents among the various areas of the Pilot Free Trade Zone.
To enhance the innovation capability in pharmaceutical research and development, the measures propose accelerating breakthroughs in key biomedical technologies, establishing an early intervention mechanism and special registration procedures for key pharmaceutical and medical device R&D varieties that are clinically urgent, fill gaps in the region, or have distinctive regional advantages, so as to expedite the market launch process of key R&D pharmaceutical and medical device varieties.
The measures also propose promoting international cooperation and exchanges, strengthening cooperation with international medical institutions and enterprises from countries jointly building the "Belt and Road Initiative," and encouraging pharmaceutical enterprises and research institutions to conduct research on international registration standards for pharmaceutical products.
The China (Xinjiang) Pilot Free Trade Zone gathers over 70% of the biomedical enterprises in Xinjiang. The measures take the innovative development of ethnic medicine as the key to enhancing Xinjiang's biomedical core competitiveness, reflecting differentiation, and embodying competitive advantages.
Return to TopBeijing, July 23 (Reporters Gu Zhongyang (顾仲阳) and Dong Siyu (董丝雨)) — The reporter learned from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration (国家林草局): The National Forestry and Grassland Administration, together with the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the Ministry of Finance (财政部), and the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部), jointly issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Forestry and Grassland Protection and Utilization" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"). During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the forestry and grassland sector will focus on six key tasks and nine major projects, promoting high-quality development of forestry and grassland through high-level protection. The goal is to achieve by 2030: a forestry and grassland coverage rate of 56.4%, a forest coverage rate of 25.8%, a forest stock volume of 22.4 billion cubic meters, a total output value of the forestry and grassland industry of 14 trillion yuan, a decisive victory in the three landmark battles of the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Program (三北工程), the completion of the integration and optimization of protected natural areas, continuously enhanced quality and service functions of forest, grassland, wetland, and desert ecosystems, more diverse supply and consumption scenarios for forestry and grassland, and the forestry and grassland industry reaching a new level.
The Plan proposes that during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, the forestry and grassland sector will deploy and advance six key tasks, including scientifically carrying out large-scale national land greening actions, comprehensively advancing the construction of the protected natural area system, cultivating and expanding the forestry and grassland industry, synergistically strengthening ecological security capacity building, continuously deepening reforms in key areas, and vigorously promoting innovation-driven development and opening-up cooperation.
In addition, the Plan details and implements the requirements of the "15th Five-Year Plan" outline regarding scientifically carrying out large-scale national land greening actions and comprehensively advancing the construction of a protected natural area system centered on national parks, and lays out nine major forestry and grassland projects. The first is the Sixth Phase of the "Three-North" Project, focusing on building an ecological security barrier in the north, with desertification prevention and control as the main direction, completing various construction and consolidation tasks of over 300 million mu. The second is the important ecosystem protection and restoration project, continuing to promote the construction of ecological barriers such as the Yangtze River key ecological area, completing national land greening tasks of over 100 million mu. The third is the protected natural area system construction project, strengthening the capacity building of protected natural areas and establishing new national parks in an orderly manner. The fourth is the wildlife protection project, carrying out rescue protection and monitoring early warning for 165 species of critically endangered national key protected wild animals and plants, and deeply implementing the China Action Plan for the Protection and Restoration of Migratory Bird Flyways. The fifth is the forest quality precision improvement project, carrying out forest tending and promoting the adjustment of forest structure and tree species composition, completing forest management area of over 100 million mu. The sixth is the forest and grassland fire prevention project, strengthening the construction of forest and grassland fire prevention and suppression infrastructure, with the average annual damage rate of forest and grassland fires controlled below 0.7‰ and 1.8‰ respectively. The seventh is the forest and grassland pest control project, enhancing the capabilities of forest and grassland pest monitoring and early warning, quarantine prevention, control and mitigation, and emergency disaster response, with the disaster rate of forest and grassland pests controlled below 1.5% and 9% respectively. The eighth is the forestry and grassland industry development project, vigorously developing the under-forest economy, stably developing woody grain and oil, promoting the construction of timber production bases, and building perennial artificial grasslands. The ninth is the forest region and forest farm infrastructure improvement project, advancing the construction of water, electricity, roads, and networks in forest regions and forest farms.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 浩 蒋雪鸿
Currently, China is in the seven-lower, eight-upper flood prevention critical period (七下八上), which means that flood prevention work will face more complex and severe tests.
On July 22, the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) held a consultation to assess the recent nationwide flood situation development trend. It is predicted that in the next 10 days, under the combined influence of the subtropical high, upper-level trough, and possible subsequent typhoon landfalls, some areas of the Pearl River, Yangtze River, Songhua River, and other basins will have significant rainfall, highly overlapping with the earlier rainfall areas. Within the rainstorm areas, some medium and small rivers may experience floods exceeding warning levels, and the risk of mountain torrent disasters within the coverage of heavy rainfall is high.
The sea surface temperature in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific has entered an El Niño state since May. Currently, the El Niño event has entered a development phase. What impacts does El Niño have on the seven-lower, eight-upper flood prevention situation? How to respond effectively?
Under the influence of El Niño, the climate risk during China’s main flood season has significantly increased.
Yan Denghua (严登华), chief engineer of the Disaster Reduction Center of the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (中国水利水电科学研究院), introduced that El Niño is a climate phenomenon in which sea water temperatures in the equatorial central and eastern Pacific rise abnormally, thereby affecting atmospheric circulation. It often leads to a rise in global temperatures and causes climate anomalies in multiple regions around the Pacific.
“It is predicted that the summer and autumn will develop into an El Niño event of moderate or above intensity, and the probability of a strong El Niño event is increasing,” Yan Denghua introduced. Historical statistical data indicate that in El Niño development years, China is prone to higher-than-normal precipitation in summer and autumn in areas south of the Yangtze River, and higher-than-normal temperatures in most parts of the country. Against this backdrop, the typhoons affecting China will have longer durations and stronger intensities.
“In May this year, the equatorial central and eastern Pacific entered an El Niño state, with the sea surface temperature warming rate setting a record for the same period,” said Liu Yunyun (刘芸芸), director of the Climate Prediction Office of the National Climate Center (国家气候中心) and senior engineer. Multiple global climate prediction institutions assess that the peak intensity of this El Niño may surpass the two super El Niño events of 1997 and 2015, and may rank among the strongest climate events since 1951. Superimposed on the background of global warming, this El Niño may help push the global hottest record to be refreshed in 2026. Under this influence, the climate risk during China’s main flood season has significantly increased, and the impacts of disasters may continue to be transmitted until 2027.
And in the winter of an El Niño year and the following summer, precipitation and temperature impacts will continue. “In the mature winter of El Niño, precipitation in southern China, especially in South China and the Jiangnan region, is usually above normal. In addition, the East Asian winter monsoon may weaken, which is not conducive to the southward movement of cold air, making most parts of China more prone to warm winters,” said Tan Zhemin (谈哲敏), academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and president of Nanjing University. “The impact of El Niño on China’s precipitation is often more prominent in the following summer, leading to an increased risk of flooding in the Yangtze River basin, and parts of North China are more prone to phased droughts. In the summer following a strong El Niño, heatwave activity in China, especially in South China and the Yangtze River basin, will significantly increase.”
During the critical flood prevention period, precipitation is higher in the south, and flood prevention pressure increases in the north.
During the critical flood prevention period, with El Niño superimposed, what impacts will it have on flood situation development? Yan Denghua introduced that precipitation in the south will be higher. In the summer of an El Niño year, the tropical Pacific sea surface temperature is anomalous, and this anomaly will remotely affect the Western Pacific subtropical high through circulation, making it stronger and more southerly, which is conducive to the transport of water vapor to southern China.
“Flood prevention pressure in the north increases,” Yan Denghua introduced. During this year’s flood season, rainfall in northern regions has been significantly higher than normal. It is predicted that during the seven-lower, eight-upper period, there will be relatively strong typhoons moving northward to affect the inland areas. It is predicted that the Nen River, Songhua River in the Songhua River basin, the Liao River, Hun River, Taizi River in the Liao River basin, and the Yongding River, North Three Rivers, Luan River in the Hai River basin may experience relatively large floods.
Yan Denghua introduced that some northern regions have relatively insufficient flood prevention experience and weak engineering foundations, and should adopt more forceful and precise measures to respond. Currently, the Ministry of Water Resources is promoting the construction of a flood prevention situation analysis and command dispatch system, focusing on developing a “one map” (一张图) for mountain flood prevention and disaster reduction, to solve the “last kilometer” (最后一公里) problem of warning transmission to the grassroots.
“El Niño exacerbates the uneven temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation, with drought and flood coexisting, and there is a possibility of ‘abrupt transition’,” Yan Denghua said. El Niño changes the water vapor transport path and atmospheric circulation configuration, making the temporal and spatial distribution of precipitation more uneven.
During the seven-lower, eight-upper period, Hubei, Hunan, Henan, Chongqing, northern Xinjiang and other places may experience phased droughts due to high temperatures and low rainfall. At the same time, some basins must strengthen the prevention of abrupt drought-flood transitions, do a good job of simultaneous prevention and treatment of drought and flood, coordinate the goals of flood fighting, water storage, and water supply, optimize the operation of water projects, steadily advance the drawdown of reservoir groups, promptly vacate flood control storage capacity; at the same time, strengthen drought monitoring and forecasting, implement drought relief scheduling and emergency water scheduling of water projects, and be ready at all times to respond to abrupt drought-flood transitions.
As of the end of 2025, China has built 318,000 kilometers of levees of grades 1 to 5. Zhang Wenjie (张文洁), director of the Operation Management Department of the Ministry of Water Resources, introduced that China’s levees are mostly of earth-rock structure. Once rivers and lakes continue to operate at high water levels during the flood season, the levees are prone to dangers such as piping, landslides, and seepage. It is necessary to fully do a good job in the safe operation and management of levees. On one hand, strengthen “human prevention” to timely discover and eliminate hidden dangers; on the other hand, strengthen “technical prevention” to explore and promote the use of ground-penetrating radar, high-density electrical method instruments, transient electromagnetic instruments and other equipment into the operation and management of levees.
China’s climate is affected by multiple factors working together; El Niño is not the only influencing factor. We should neither overreact nor underestimate the risks.
At the same time, El Niño will bring risks or opportunities to various industries.
Agriculture is one of the most significantly affected sectors by El Niño. “In the year following El Niño, precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and South China increases significantly,” Tan Zhemin said. It is necessary to pay attention to phased rainstorms, be alert to rice root hypoxia, lodging, and reduced yields caused by frequent farmland waterlogging and floods; at the same time, prevent the risk of increased crop disease and pest outbreaks due to high-humidity environments, and North China, Huanghuai, and southern Northeast China should prevent the risk of corn yield reduction caused by sustained high temperatures and phased droughts.
The impact of El Niño on energy shows regional characteristics. Peng Qihua (彭启华), associate professor at the School of Atmospheric Sciences of Nanjing University, introduced that higher precipitation in southern regions is favorable for hydropower generation, but may also increase flood control scheduling pressure. Extreme high-temperature events under the El Niño background may also increase summer air conditioning electricity demand, increasing grid load pressure. Coupled with the increase in the proportion of strong typhoons in El Niño years, it is necessary to strengthen grid peak shaving and energy reserves, and enhance the joint scheduling of reservoirs in key basins and the flood prevention capacity of critical infrastructure.
In the field of transportation and logistics, Luo Jingjia (罗京佳), professor at the School of Atmospheric Sciences of Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology (南京信息工程大学), said: “Extreme rainstorms induce urban rainstorm waterlogging, mountain torrents, and mudslides, which easily destroy highways, railway subgrades and bridges. Severe convective weather can cause large-scale flight delays and cancellations, and ports are forced to suspend navigation. Supply chain stability may therefore be impacted.” The focus should be on enhancing urban resilience and improving the disaster prevention capacity of infrastructure.
In the livelihood sector, Luo Jingjia introduced that extreme high temperatures threaten the health of outdoor workers and special groups, and rainstorm waterlogging threatens the life and property safety of residents in urban underground spaces and low-lying areas.
In the face of El Niño, Tan Zhemin reminded: “China’s climate is affected by multiple factors working together; El Niño is not the only influencing factor. We must make solid preparations based on rolling updated real-time monitoring and dynamic forecasting, neither overreacting nor underestimating the risks.” Scientifically understanding risks is not to create anxiety, but to let preparations “run” ahead of disasters.
In the face of the risks that El Niño may bring, Dong Xinning (董新宁), senior engineer of the Chongqing Climate Center (重庆市气候中心), reminds the public to control three points: believe in official meteorological warnings, do not believe rumors, and eliminate fear of the unknown; do a good job of graded response, and fully avoid danger when receiving high-risk warnings; turn disaster prevention into a daily habit, use controllable actions to resolve anxiety, do not blindly follow, and do not over-prepare. In addition, learn to understand meteorological warnings, and always prepare a simple family emergency kit, to enhance the awareness and ability to recognize risks, identify dangers, prevent disasters, and avoid dangers.
Return to TopKaramay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, is known as the "eldest son of petroleum of the Republic." In a city born because of oil and prosperous because of oil, people of all ethnic groups have taken root in the desert and Gobi of the Junggar Basin, opening up wasteland and developing industries, relying on and watching over each other, forging an urban foundation of mutual integration and symbiosis.
Establishing rules and strengthening the foundation; closed-loop governance shows results. In recent years, the Karamay Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government have always taken forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation (铸牢中华民族共同体意识) as the main line, based on the endowments of an oil city, deepened the "124" overall work path, firmly established the clear orientation of "every matter speaks of forging, every person speaks of forging," conducted normalization and long-term effectiveness in propaganda and education on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and people of all ethnic groups have worked together with one heart, joined hands in joint construction, empowering the city's high-quality development.
Establishing rules and perfecting the work system. Karamay runs the main line of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation through the entire chain of urban governance, issues special implementation plans, builds six mechanisms of learning and education, pre-review, propaganda guidance, risk investigation, responsibility implementation, and effectiveness evaluation, forming a closed-loop, quantifiable, long-term work system.
Consolidating the foundation and strengthening theoretical infiltration. Karamay incorporates the sense of community for the Chinese nation into the theoretical learning, cadre training, and national education systems, relying on five research bases to deepen theoretical interpretation; organizes the "Rose Flower" propaganda team to go down to the front line for propaganda, covering more than 400,000 person-times of the masses. Strictly guards ideological positions, implements the pre-review system for propaganda culture, major projects, and policy documents, strictly controlling the political gate. Layers of compacted work responsibilities, relies on nine categories of two-way evaluation indicators to carry out effectiveness assessment, ensuring that all decisions align with the main line, all tasks serve the main line, and promotes the work of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation to be implemented in detail, achieving tangible results and effectiveness.
Classifying policies to gather joint force; precise empowerment to increase momentum. Karamay focuses on different groups with precise policies, promoting the infiltration of the sense of community for the Chinese nation into all walks of life and into every household.
Leading swans guide; demonstration empowers to gather joint force. Karamay gives play to the leading and exemplary role of cadres and employees in government organs, public institutions, and central state-owned enterprises, insisting on taking the lead in study and practice. PetroChina Xinjiang Oilfield Company was the first in the national petroleum system to establish the Minzu University of China Education Practice (Xinjiang) Base for Forging a Strong Sense of Community for the Chinese Nation, implementing the "five-together work method," building platforms for master-apprentice pairing and technical mutual assistance. Over 70 years, PetroChina Xinjiang Oilfield Company has cumulatively dispatched nearly 400 cadres for counterpart assistance, invested 750 million yuan, benefiting more than 1.5 million people of all ethnic groups, demonstrating the mission and responsibility of a central enterprise.
Cultivating virtue and nurturing talents; continuing the bloodline to cultivate a new generation. Karamay promotes the education on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation to cover all stages of education. All primary and secondary schools and kindergartens in the city achieve full coverage of mixed classes, mixed dormitories, and shared meals, create distinctive school-based curricula, normalize research and exchange activities, and deeply embed feelings of family and country. Precisely connects with private enterprise employees, individual business owners, and the "three new" groups, promoting the integration of the sense of community for the Chinese nation into enterprise governance; adopts multiple measures, combined with comprehensive rural revitalization, to empower farmers and herders to live securely and increase income; activates the strength of 110,000 retirees, leveraging their silver-haired energy to assist grassroots governance, achieving whole-people unity of heart and full-people joint construction.
Deeply cultivating the homeland to benefit people's livelihoods; taking solid action to write a new chapter. People's hearts gather centripetal force; development thickens the root of unity. Karamay focuses on building the four major homelands of "spirit, modernity, harmony, and rule of law," consolidating the foundation of ethnic unity with solid achievements.
Nurturing the spiritual homeland; cultural enrichment of Xinjiang gathers consensus. Karamay launched fine literary and artistic works such as The Backbone of Petroleum, and was rated as Xinjiang's first "City of Chinese Poetry"; relying on the 101 Cave Dwelling Site of Xinjiang Oilfield No.2 Oil Production Plant and Karamay Museum, it built a "1+10+N" experiential cluster for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, with public cultural venues open for free, serving over one million person-times annually, building a shared spiritual homeland for people of all ethnic groups.
Building a modern homeland; developing industries and enriching the people warms hearts. Karamay relies on the oil and gas industry to consolidate the economic foundation, with urban and rural residents' income steadily ranking at the forefront of the region, dynamic elimination of zero-employment families, 17 modern civilized life indicators completed ahead of schedule, and five times awarded "National Civilized City," allowing development dividends to benefit people of all ethnic groups.
Jointly building a harmonious homeland; mutual embedding and integration promote unity of heart. Karamay has built 30 mutual-embedding demonstration communities (villages) and 40 mutual-embedding economic blocks and markets, achieving full coverage of mutual-embedding residence across the entire area, normalizing the "neighborhood pairing" activity, promoting extensive contact, comprehensive exchange, and deep integration among people of all ethnic groups.
Building a rule-of-law homeland; good laws and good governance protect peace. Karamay innovates and optimizes legal service measures, launching the "individual legal cost insurance system" and legal aid "full-region universal processing," implementing convenient legal aid, so that the achievements of legal construction benefit people of all ethnic groups more and more fairly.
From being the first in Xinjiang to initiate Ethnic Unity and Progress Education Month activities, to being named a "National Model City for Ethnic Unity and Progress," and then being established as one of the first pilot cities in Xinjiang for building a demonstration city for forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, Karamay's development history is a history of united struggle in which people of all ethnic groups have advanced hand in hand and worked together with one heart to build dreams. Forging ahead into the 15th Five-Year Plan, the oil city Karamay will uphold the clear orientation of "every matter speaks of forging, every person speaks of forging," closely focus on forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the building of the Chinese nation community, gather hearts and minds, act with determination and solid work, and contribute Karamay's strength to building a beautiful Xinjiang.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Karamay Municipal Committee, United Front Work Department of the CPC Karamay Municipal Committee.
Return to TopPersist on the high plateau, day after day measuring the hydrological data of the Yellow River; take root in the countryside, one batch after another working continuously, so that the common people's lives get better and better; provide precise services, accompanying technology enterprises from the "seedling" of innovation to grow into the "big tree" of industry... Pave the way with youth, let ideals shine. Since the new era, a large number of young cadres have increased their abilities and served development in silent dedication.
At present, the entire Party is deeply carrying out the study and education on establishing and practicing the correct view of performance. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "The view of performance is reflected not only in grasping development, but also in benefiting people's livelihoods and maintaining stability; it is reflected not only in immediate visible achievements, but also in latent achievements that lay foundations, increase momentum, and benefit the long term; it is reflected not only in solving current contradictions, but also in solving historical legacy problems."
Visible achievements and latent achievements are both performance; the two are dialectically unified and 相辅相成 (xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng - "mutually assist, mutually complete," complementary). "Latent" is the foundation of "visible," and "visible" is the result of "latent." The achievements of later generations are often built on the foundation laid by predecessors; without predecessors bending down to sow, the abundant fruits of visible achievements would be impossible to discuss.
"On the new journey, young cadres have heavy responsibilities on their shoulders and 大有可为 (dà yǒu kě wéi - "great has can do," promising future)." How should young cadres establish and practice the correct view of performance, properly grasp the relationship between latent and visible achievements, and consciously become selfless奉献者 who are determined to benefit the people?
Recently, our reporters visited the Maqu Hydrological Station of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部黄河水利委员会玛曲水文站), Baini Village (百坭村), Xinhua Town, Leye County (乐业县), Baise City, Guangxi, and the Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center of Suzhou New District (苏州高新区), Jiangsu, to listen to the stories of young cadres 勇挑重担 (yǒng tiāo zhòng dàn - "bravely shoulder heavy burden," to take on heavy responsibilities) and quietly work hard.
The young people at the Maqu Hydrological Station of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources —
Enduring loneliness, guarding the great river's peace
By our reporters Wang Jintao and Zeng Yichen
"Station chief, the radar water level gauge value has a deviation from the manual measurement data; we need to go to the river to calibrate the instrument bracket." Early in the morning, at the Maqu Hydrological Station of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources at an altitude of 3,400 meters, 22-year-old Wang Xiangting (王相廷) keenly detected the anomaly. 31-year-old station chief Guo Fan (郭帆) hurried to the river with him and deftly adjusted the bracket. The plateau oxygen is thin; the two exerted force without speaking, afraid they would be out of breath.
Maqu County (玛曲县), Gannan Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Gansu, because the Yellow River forms a 433-kilometer "big bend" here, enjoys the reputation of "the first bend of the Yellow River under heaven" and is an important water source conservation and recharge area in the upper reaches of the Yellow River. The Maqu Hydrological Station has a history of 67 years. Now young cadres are playing the leading role; the average age of all staff at the station is only 29 years old.
After fine-tuning the bracket, Guo Fan compared again to ensure that the radar water level gauge value matched the manual measurement data. "Although the station is equipped with modern instruments, the plateau weather is changeable, and thunderstorms may interfere with instrument operation, so necessary manual station observation is retained," Guo Fan said. In winter, the river channel freezes, and the hydrological cableway cannot be used; everyone has to chisel through the ice layer to carry out manual measurement. "Observation of key indicators such as water level and flow rate cannot stop for a single day."
The conditions are very harsh, yet the Maqu Station is not easy to produce "eye-catching" results. Guo Fan explained: in areas with complex flood conditions, before the flood comes, as long as the hydrological department measures key indicators and provides effective information in time, that is performance; while the Maqu Station is located in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, where the water regime is relatively stable, the annual difference between the highest and lowest water levels is only 3.5 meters. "The daily work of measuring, calculating, and reporting is monotonous and repetitive," Wang Xiangting once thought.
A conversation with Guo Fan untied Wang Xiangting's knot. "If the water level at Maqu Station is reported 10 centimeters more, the flow rate calculated downstream from this could change from 3,000 cubic meters per second to 4,000 cubic meters per second, and perhaps a flood storage and detention area would need to be activated," Guo Fan said. Accurately measuring each set of hydrological data is the most important job responsibility of the station's staff. "The measurement and reporting without a hair's breadth of error is the real performance of the hydrologist, solidifying the foundation for the long-term peace of the great river."
All staff of the Maqu Station come from elsewhere, going to the plateau to 自讨苦吃 (zì tǎo kǔ chī - "self seek bitter eat," to ask for trouble), with career expectations for growth and success, and more importantly, a sincere feeling of protecting the mother river. However, the harsh plateau environment inevitably wears down enthusiasm. How to transform a surge of passion into persistent hard work in the quiet years? The answer is first hidden in "passing on, helping, and leading."
Chang Xingyuan (常兴源), 25, has worked at the Maqu Station for more than three years and has become a technical backbone capable of 独当一面 (dú dāng yī miàn - "alone bear one side," to be competent in one's own field). Shortly after joining, he signed a "master-apprentice agreement" with the then station chief Chao Daihe (晁代河), following the master every day to watch water levels, record data, and issue reports. Every morning, Chao Daihe would always arrive half an hour early to debug the equipment, ensuring that measurements were foolproof. Once, a benchmark was buried by accumulated sand. Chao Daihe, then nearly sixty, without a word, directly inserted his arm into the narrow hole and dug out the sand bit by bit.
Chang Xingyuan saw it and kept it in mind. He took the initiative to debug and optimize the station's weighing rain-snow gauge, thinking of ways to understand the "temperament" of the high-tech equipment at high altitude. "The master's generation could estimate the water depth with the naked eye alone. As a young person, I not only need to practice skills like the master's, but also use high-tech equipment more skillfully."
Young people have the original intention of taking root and persisting, but to display their talents, they also need the organization to build a platform. The Upper Yellow River Hydrological and Water Resources Bureau of the Yellow River Conservancy Commission, to which the Maqu Station belongs, gives young cadres heavy burdens, allowing them to temper and grow in urgent, difficult, dangerous, and heavy tasks.
Liu Xing (刘星), born in 1994, has been responsible for the inspection and maintenance of the Zamtang Dedicated Water Level Station in Sichuan since 2020, collecting preliminary data for the Western Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (南水北调西线工程). The Zamtang Dedicated Water Level Station is more than 500 kilometers from Maqu County town, a bumpy drive of about eight hours, but he 乐在其中 (lè zài qí zhōng - "joy in it," to find pleasure in it): "Real data and scientific conclusions come from the front line, from the field." The daily monitoring at the Maqu Station also directly serves the water discharge and power generation decisions of the downstream "West-to-East Electricity Transmission Project" (西电东送) Ma'erdang Hydropower Station (玛尔挡水电站). Every precise measurement of every drop of water is the basic support for a major national project.
Last year, under the arrangement of the superior unit, Wang Xiangting participated in the surface water resources survey of the Maqu section of the upper Yellow River, using sounding equipment to measure cross-section information of the Yellow River. Trekking through desolate beaches, the road was tortuous, and there were often wild animals appearing and startling them. Although hard, he knew that every piece of cross-section information collected was basic data for water resource dispatch in the upper Yellow River, wetland ecological assessment, etc.
"Do more things that pave the way, lay foundations, and benefit the long term; understand the value of one's own work from the perspective of the entire river basin." This is Wang Xiangting's profound insight since starting work, and also the voice of all hydrologists at the station.
Every year-end, the annual data compilation is an important task of the hydrological station. The young people at the Maqu Station check, correct, and organize the raw data such as water level, flow rate, and sediment concentration measured day by day and time by time throughout the year, forming standardized result tables. On the bookshelf of the Maqu Station's water regime room, data materials from 1959 to the present are completely stored.
"These ledgers are not only a reference for current flood control and dispatch, but also an important basis that cannot be avoided for future research and management of the Yellow River." Guo Fan pulled out a comparison table of water regimes for the past ten years — in 2025, the outflow volume of the Yellow River Maqu section reached 11.06 billion cubic meters, an increase of 6.9% compared to ten years ago. "The change in outflow volume witnesses the effectiveness of ecological protection and water source conservation."
Over the years, the Maqu Station has repeatedly won honors such as "Outstanding Collective in Performance Assessment" (绩效考核优秀集体) and "Advanced Trade Union Group" (先进工会小组) awarded by the Upper Yellow River Hydrological and Water Resources Bureau. "Make every measurement accurate, ensure that historical data is uninterrupted and zero-error; this is the greatest performance of hydrologists, and also the most enduring protection of the mother river," Guo Fan said with emotion.
The resident cadres of Baini Village (百坭村), Xinhua Town, Leye County, Baise City, Guangxi —
Guarding the original intention, making good use of the "People's Sentiment Map Working Method" (民情地图工作法)
By our reporter Zhang Yunhe
In Baini Village, Xinhua Town, Leye County, Baise City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, the "Wenxiu Diary" (文秀日记) is quietly displayed in the Huang Wenxiu's Advanced Deeds Exhibition Hall (黄文秀先进事迹展览馆). Soft light spreads over the pages. On several hand-drawn sub-village people's sentiment maps, the residences of the then 195 registered poor households of the entire village are clearly presented.
"This is our 'family heirloom,' and even more a responsibility to be taken up continuously," said Chen Hongren (陈竑任), the fifth resident first secretary of Baini Village, with emotion.
Baini Village was once a deeply impoverished village, with deep mountains and scattered hamlets. In 2018, Huang Wenxiu (黄文秀) gave up the opportunity to stay in a big city for work and volunteered to become the resident first secretary. In her view, if you don't even know the location of the villagers' homes or understand the situation in their households, you cannot talk about targeted poverty alleviation. To this end, she traveled all over the mountain villages, drew people's sentiment maps, and implemented targeted measures for each household one by one.
In June 2019, Huang Wenxiu died in the line of duty. The subsequent two resident first secretaries, Yang Jiexing (杨杰兴) and Huang Xu (黄旭), did not allow the "People's Sentiment Map Working Method" to be interrupted. "The people's sentiment map is a practical starting point for responding to the concerns of the masses, a fundamental action to improve grassroots governance, and even more a practical action to lay the foundation for long-term development," Yang Jiexing said.
Relying on the people's sentiment map, Yang Jiexing visited more than 200 villagers, collecting opinions on road construction household by household. Many villagers actively contributed labor, and together they built 22 kilometers of industrial roads, naming this road "Wenxiu Road." Using the people's sentiment map as a reference, Huang Xu sorted out village resources, created a red tourism scenic area, revitalized wealth-generating industries, and drove an increase of more than 1 million yuan in villagers' income every year... The maps that Huang Wenxiu drew by visiting villages and households, which paved the way, laid foundations, and benefited the long term, were transformed into tangible achievements of road construction, industry development, and cultural tourism enrichment through the relay of resident cadres like Yang Jiexing and Huang Xu.
From the decisive battle to win the fight against poverty to the promotion of comprehensive rural revitalization, Huang Xu said with emotion: "The tasks have changed, but the working method of listening to the voices of the people, grasping their sentiments, and implementing targeted measures has not changed; the original intention of serving the people has not changed; the mission of continuous struggle has not changed."
To guard this original intention, the fourth resident first secretary of Baini Village, post-90s Nong Junhai (农俊海), used aerial photography technology to digitally upgrade the hand-drawn maps: "Limited by the conditions at the time, the hand-drawn people's sentiment map was simple, unable to see the overall layout of the village clearly; the information content was limited, mostly marking the location of households, lacking details on people's livelihoods; it did not list pro-agriculture policies, so when entering households, one had to separately consult the ledgers."
Inheritance is the best commemoration; practice is the most powerful inheritance. The process of digital upgrading was not easy. Nong Junhai 迎难而上 (yíng nán ér shàng - "face difficulty and go up," to tackle challenges head-on): The lush trees often blocked the aerial photography lens; one area required several trips into the mountains to change positions and reshoot, and he 不辞劳苦 (bù cí láo kǔ - "not refuse hardship," to spare no effort). Household conditions were constantly changing, and demands were varied; during the day, he visited each household door to door, carefully checking the trifles of a hundred families; late at night, he bent over his desk to sort out, compare, and correct errors item by item, calibrating the digital ledger.
"We surveyed the actual situation of all 495 households in the village and produced three sets of people's sentiment maps: a map of household locations, a map of household information, and a detailed map of the latest pro-agriculture policies," Nong Junhai said. In the eyes of others, the electronic people's sentiment map is not an eye-catching achievement. "When Secretary Wenxiu and the previous resident first secretaries did this, it was also hard to see 立竿见影 (lì gān jiàn yǐng - "set up pole, see shadow," immediate effect) results. What we are doing now is the same principle: constantly identify new situations and new problems, explore new countermeasures and new methods."
"As long as it is beneficial to the masses, we must 埋头苦干 (mái tóu kǔ gàn - "bury head, work hard," to work hard in silence) and do it solidly and well," Nong Junhai said firmly.
With the electronic people's sentiment map, village cadres can promptly grasp the production and living conditions of the villagers, and use it to improve the village's normalized mechanism for preventing the return to poverty, and to perfect the long-term assistance mechanism. During his tenure in Baini Village, Nong Junhai led 25 village-level monitoring and assessment meetings, redeemed 310,000 yuan of industrial reward and subsidy funds for 152 households, and helped 62 students apply for the "Rain and Dew Plan" (雨露计划) subsidy funds.
Thereafter, Baini Village gradually established three sets of autonomous operation mechanisms to ensure the long-term functioning of the people's sentiment map: the original intention inheritance mechanism of drawing spiritual strength from the hand-drawn people's sentiment maps in the "Wenxiu Diary"; the normal update mechanism for village cadres to dynamically update household information; and the ledger handover mechanism for completely transferring the entire set of electronic people's sentiment maps and continuing to improve the governance base when resident cadres are replaced. In 2025, post-90s Chen Hongren took up the post. Relying on the electronic people's sentiment map, he understood the actual situation of each household, introduced the "Six Morning Tasks" (晨起六件事) village regulations such as watering flowers and plants, sweeping the courtyard, etc., and promoted the construction of rural civilization.
Devoting themselves to comprehensive rural revitalization, batch after batch of resident cadres 凝心聚力 (níng xīn jù lì - "focus mind, gather strength," to unite efforts) and 笃行不怠 (dǔ xíng bù dài - "sincere action, not slack," to act diligently without slackening). Since 2019, Baini Village has grown from having two farm stays to 45 research and study homestays; the area of oil tea planting has expanded from 2,000 mu to 7,000 mu; the village collective economic income has increased from nearly 70,000 yuan to 310,000 yuan. "Make good use of the 'People's Sentiment Map Working Method,' do not seek empty fame, do more latent work, and strive to deliver a solid answer sheet for the villagers," Chen Hongren said.
The youth investment attraction team of the Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center of Suzhou New District (苏州高新区科技招商中心), Jiangsu —
Focusing on the long term, accompanying enterprises to grow
By our reporter Bai Guangdi
Recently, Shengrui Zehua Pharmaceutical Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (盛睿泽华医药科技（苏州）有限公司) has had good news one after another: in the field of cardiovascular diseases and other areas, the company's multiple product lines are steadily advancing, and it has also completed a business development transaction totaling approximately 100 million yuan.
As the investment director for the life health direction in the Third Investment Promotion Department of the Suzhou New District Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center, Bai Yanling (白艳玲), who has been accompanying the enterprise's growth, felt very gratified.
For the enterprise, this is just a node in the growth process; but for Bai Yanling, it means that the follow-up service that had shown no "results" for several years since the enterprise was founded in 2022 has finally received a response.
Such accompanying growth is not uncommon in the Suzhou New District Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center. The center, established in 2020, has a team of young investment promoters with an average age of 34. Among the 20 science and technology investment promotion personnel, 95% have a master's degree or above. Since 2021, Suzhou New District has introduced more than 2,000 high-quality technology projects.
In Bai Yanling's view, for young cadres to do latent work, the important thing is to maintain determination and focus on the long term. "Scientific and technological innovation is a long-distance race. Many start-up technology companies have no output value or tax revenue in the first few years, but are in the research and development stage," she said. "What we need to do is to respect time and laws, and provide timely services when the enterprise needs them."
"Technology enterprises need time to grow. Young cadres must not only 'sink their hearts in' but also 'sink accurately.'" Duan Hongju (端洪菊), head of the Suzhou New District Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center, believes that long-termism is not about waiting passively, but about continuously studying industries and technologies, knowing what the enterprise needs at what time.
This professional ability cannot be developed 一朝一夕 (yī zhāo yī xī - "one morning, one evening," overnight). As the investment director for the life health direction, Bai Yanling majored in biomedical engineering during her undergraduate and graduate studies, and worked for many years in a biomedical company. After coming to work at the Suzhou New District Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center, she continued to study the technology routes, R&D progress, and industrial directions in this field, anchoring herself to one goal: accurately judging the development stage and actual needs of the enterprise. "Enterprises at different stages of development have different key needs," Bai Yanling said.
When Shengrui Zehua was first founded, Bai Yanling was busy coordinating basic resources such as premises, talent, and policies for the enterprise. When it entered the R&D stage, she helped the enterprise connect with research institutes, jointly built a biomedical public experiment platform, and promoted the sharing of experimental equipment and scientific research cooperation. When it came to the financing stage, she introduced investment institutions to help the enterprise broaden its financing channels. "What we thought of and what we didn't think of, the staff of the investment promotion center thought of it all for us," said Deng Lisheng (邓立盛), head of Shengrui Zehua.
However, the outcome of accompanying is not always "皆大欢喜 (jiē dà huān xǐ - "all big happy joy," everybody happy)." Some enterprises, after growing, choose to develop elsewhere.
"Of course we hope the enterprise will stay," admitted Li Xiaohui (李晓慧), head of the Fourth Investment Promotion Department of the Suzhou New District Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center. Then she changed the subject, but investment promotion cannot only focus on the departure or stay of one enterprise; it should be considered within the entire industrial ecosystem. "If innovation resources can flow smoothly, even if the project does not stay locally, the companionship still has value; this in itself is a kind of gain."
During the interview, reporters found that at the Suzhou New District Science and Technology Investment Promotion Center, young cadres rarely mention indicators, but more often analyze enterprise needs; they rarely mention achievements, but more often discuss how to serve. They are willing to spend time and energy on work that is hard to see results in the short term, not only because of their own initiative, but also inseparable from the 保驾护航 (bǎo jià hù háng - "protect sword, escort sail," to safeguard) of the mechanism.
"If we take gross regional product, fiscal revenue, tax revenue, etc. as hard evaluation indicators, cadres will easily pursue those projects that yield quick results and have short cycles, while neglecting truly promising technology enterprises," said Cao Xiaosu (曹晓苏), a relevant official from the Suzhou New District Investment Promotion Bureau. In recent years, Suzhou New District has continuously optimized the assessment mechanism for science and technology investment promotion, incorporating the full life cycle service of enterprises into the assessment and evaluation system. "Recruiting in" is no longer the end point of investment promotion work, but the starting point for continuously monitoring the development status of the enterprise.
"In the first year, we focus on whether the project has smoothly landed and is operating normally. Starting from the second year, we pay more attention to whether the enterprise's R&D is progressing normally and how it is developing," Cao Xiaosu further explained. As long as the enterprise is operating normally and R&D is continuously advancing, even if it has not yet generated output value or achieved breakthroughs, it will not affect the assessment and evaluation of the investment promotion cadres.
"The assessment mechanism is the baton, the weather vane, guiding young cadres to pursue the unity of visible and latent achievements," Cao Xiaosu said. Only in this way can those cadres who truly spend their time on enterprises and put their efforts into long-term development set aside their concerns and work solidly and start businesses.
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Return to TopBy: 本报记者 吴 丹 闫伊乔
Column Opening Remarks
To build a powerful nation in education, the leading role of higher education must be played. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Run universities rooted in the Chinese soil, and forge a new path to building Chinese-style, world-class universities." This is the fundamental principle for the high-quality development of China's higher education in the new era, and it is also the mission of the era undertaken by universities.
Looking back at the more than one hundred years of development in China's higher education, the educational practices of numerous higher education institutions reflect the development trajectory of Chinese higher education moving from weakness to seeking strength, and are engraved with the magnificent journey of the Chinese nation moving from great victories toward great rejuvenation. At the same time, looking out at the world, a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation is developing deeply, and education is increasingly becoming a key factor in enhancing national core competitiveness and winning strategic initiative. Facing challenges, 守正创新 (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn - "uphold correctness and innovate," to maintain integrity while pursuing innovation), the vast number of universities grasp the general trend and dare to take responsibility.
Starting today, this newspaper launches the special report "Running Universities Rooted in the Chinese Soil," focusing on the faculty and students of universities implementing the important expositions, important instructions, and instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping on education, telling the vivid practices of vast universities adhering to the leadership of the Party, implementing the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education, strengthening independent scientific and technological innovation and independent talent cultivation, and advancing scientific research innovation by aiming at the frontiers of world science and technology and major national strategic needs, showcasing the striving path of building Chinese-style, world-class universities.
Entering the River, Ocean, Engineering Safety and Disaster Prevention Laboratory of Tianjin University, through sampling, testing, and reviewing, Zhang Jinfeng, head of the Port Engineering Department of the School of Civil Engineering, and her team have deeply cultivated offshore wind power technology for more than 20 years, with their achievements winning the first prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award.
For many years, Zhang Jinfeng and her team have overcome numerous difficulties, independently developing the original innovative technology of "integrated installation of offshore wind power composite cylindrical foundations." Scientific research drawings have turned into actual engineering scenes, with offshore wind turbines arrayed (Figure ①), transforming sea winds into a continuous source of green electricity, lighting up the lights of ten thousand homes.
In 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to all faculty and students of Tianjin University, emphasizing "focusing on major national strategic needs, deepening teaching and scientific research reform, strengthening basic research and scientific and technological breakthroughs, improving the quality of talent cultivation, and better serving economic and social development."
World-class universities all grow while serving the development of their own countries. As China's first modern university, Tianjin University was born amidst "establishing schools to strengthen the nation and saving the country from peril," and strives amidst "cultivating people for the Party and cultivating talents for the country." All faculty and students of Tianjin University remember the entrustment, strive to be at the forefront, and actively benchmark against national strategic needs, contributing strength to the building of a powerful nation in education, a powerful nation in science and technology, and a powerful nation in talents.
Strengthening Basic Research and Scientific and Technological Breakthroughs
"The 'earth-shaking' manufactured by Tian-Da is for the peace and happiness of the people"
At the Beiyang Gardens Campus of Tianjin University, the 76,000-square-meter National Large-scale Earthquake Engineering Simulation Research Facility (hereinafter referred to as the "Large-scale Earthquake Apparatus") stands majestically, like a giant ship waiting to set sail. It is equipped with the world's top earthquake simulation shaking table, with a maximum load capacity of 1,350 tons, equivalent to the weight of 20 high-speed rail carriages.
"The 'earth-shaking' manufactured by Tian-Da is for the peace and happiness of the people." The person in charge of the Large-scale Earthquake Apparatus introduced that after the Wenchuan earthquake occurred in 2008, constructing a major scientific and technological infrastructure capable of truly reproducing various forms of earthquakes became the common pursuit of the Tian-Da scientific research team. After several years and hundreds of demonstrations, this "super laboratory" capable of simulating a magnitude 9 earthquake was officially launched in 2019.
Providing seismic verification for national super-projects, consolidating China's technical reserves for disaster prevention and mitigation; breaking through disciplinary barriers to provide educational scenarios for new engineering disciplines such as water conservancy engineering and civil engineering... This "super laboratory" carries the mission of a heavy national instrument and is also a practical fertile soil for nurturing future engineering leaders.
Relying on its comprehensive disciplinary advantages, Tianjin University has built 11 national key laboratories, among which the scientific research achievements of the State Key Laboratory of Precision Testing Technique and Instruments have been applied to important projects such as the Fujian aircraft carrier and the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System;
Nearly half of the doctoral student enrollment indicators are tilted toward large platforms, large projects, and key core technology fields that serve major national strategies, urgent needs, and critical areas; Tian-Da has constructed a full-chain platform system from frontier science to technological application;
In May this year, a test device designed with the participation of Tian-Da traveled to space aboard the Tianzhou-10, where it will be "hung" outside the space station to conduct one year of on-orbit testing, solving the "space troubles" of material wear resistance, protection, and self-repair technologies in extreme environments. The "Haiyan" underwater glider, domestically produced brain-computer interface encoding and decoding chips, high-energy lithium metal batteries... In recent years, the cutting-edge equipment developed by the university has continued to emerge, with many technologies reaching the advanced level of the world.
What the country needs, scientific research aims for. "To practically transform China" is the oath written into the school song by Tian-Da people. On the new journey of striving, they work hard to tackle difficulties, using innovation to respond to the era and using their youth to serve the country.
Improving the Quality of Talent Cultivation
"Cultivating more future excellent engineering talents"
"One day, the sovereignty of those railways will belong to us Chinese people!" On the stage of the original Tianjin University drama "Hou Debang" (Figure ②), the shouts are vigorous. Below the stage, students listen quietly, some with eyes moistened.
After watching the play, Ma Yan, a master's student from the School of Chemical Engineering, found her scientific research goals even clearer: "The core technology of propylene production has long been controlled by others; I hope to find new, green, and inexpensive catalysts to transform the production process."
The seeds of serving the country through scientific research are sown in daily life.
The ideological and political class taught by Cheng Siyu, a teacher at the School of Marxism, is "hard to secure a seat." In front of the blackboard, he hand-draws a schematic map of the Long March march, restoring magnificent processes such as the "Four Crossings of the Chishui River" and "Cleverly Crossing the Jinsha River." The students below watch with undivided attention: "The teacher's hand-drawn map is so shocking."
By forming lecture groups and establishing the Research Center for the Spiritual Lineage of Communists of China, the school guides students to inherit red genes. At the same time, relying on major project groups, innovation teams, and scientific research platforms, Party branches are set up to expand the coverage of the Party's organization and work.
Changing from "one course" to "a whole game," Tianjin University integrates value guidance into the entire process of education, exploring specific paths for fostering virtue through education at the intersection of education, technology, and talent.
In the public laboratory of the Energy Storage Science and Engineering major, models of photovoltaic power generation huts are arranged in an orderly yet exquisite manner.
"These 'carbon-neutral huts' were built by freshmen themselves, starting from tightening screws and connecting water pipes, completing systematic learning of power supply, energy storage, and energy use through hands-on work," said Fu Xinyu, the first undergraduate graduate of the Energy Storage Science and Engineering major in the School of Energy. Students can communicate face-to-face with academicians as soon as they enter the school; "master guidance" makes professional learning more directional and deeper.
Larger classrooms are at engineering sites and where the country has needs. Participating in the precision protection for the "Chang'e" lunar exploration, developing differential protection technology for ultra-high voltage lines to guard the safety of the major artery of "West-to-East Power Transmission," tackling key processes in chip manufacturing... batches of Tian-Da students temper their skills and increase their capabilities in major scientific research tasks.
"As a research-oriented university known for engineering, the school must coordinate the three aspects of 'national needs, industry concerns, and student development,' promoting the interconnection of faculty between schools and enterprises, the integration of curricula, the fusion of platforms, and the smoothness of policies, using national strategic needs as the 'wind vane' for talent cultivation, transforming real enterprise projects and major national engineering projects into teaching topics, and continuously promoting the systemic leap of new engineering discipline reform to cultivate more future excellent engineering talents," said Chai Liyuan, President of Tianjin University.
Deepening the Reform of Schooling Systems and Mechanisms
"Let the 'solo' of a single discipline become a 'symphony' of multiple disciplines"
At the Tianta Campus of Tianjin Huahu Hospital in Tianjin, Liu Xiuyun, Deputy Director of the Tianjin University Brain-Computer Haihe Laboratory, uses brain-computer interface equipment to conduct cerebrospinal fluid circulation dynamics testing on patients. "The new technology, combined with artificial intelligence, brain-computer interfaces, and cerebrospinal fluid dynamics modeling, can effectively shorten diagnosis and treatment time and optimize treatment plans," said Liu Xiuyun.
"Let the 'solo' of a single discipline become a 'symphony' of multiple disciplines." Ming Dong, Vice President of Tianjin University, introduced that the school coordinates resources from the clinical front line, the medical school, the School of Automation, and the Institute of Intelligent Computing, etc., to form a brain-computer interface "dream team" led by academicians, offering project-based characteristic courses in brain-computer interface professional directions, and building an interdisciplinary scientific research and teaching echelon that connects the entire chain of basic theory, algorithm research and development, hardware manufacturing, and clinical translation.
Currently, as a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation develops deeply, Tianjin University uses "strengthening engineering, enriching science, invigorating culture, promoting medicine, and interdisciplinary (fusion)" as its layout logic, actively benchmarking against national strategic needs and deepening the reform of schooling systems and mechanisms.
Aiming at interdisciplinary studies. Breaking through the barriers of departments and disciplines, and forming interdisciplinary and cross-field scientific research teams. For example, the Synthetic Biology major joins with the Institute of Intelligent Computing to directly embed the core theoretical framework of artificial intelligence into the integrated undergraduate-to-doctoral cultivation system, achieving the integration of composite capabilities in "Artificial Intelligence + Synthetic Biology."
Focusing on future industries. Making an extraordinary layout for the cultivation of top-notch innovative talents, aiming at seven major frontier key fields such as the low-altitude economy and aerospace, and precisely recruiting doctoral students for new quality productive forces special programs. At the same time, constructing key cultivation directions in batches, such as integrated circuit intelligent chips and microsystems, artificial intelligence, and quantum technology, breaking fixed schooling systems, and encouraging students to "enter the laboratory early, enter the team early, and contact the technological frontier early."
Deeply cultivating the construction of new engineering disciplines. As the unit serving as the leader of the national working group for the construction of new engineering disciplines, Tianjin University continues to promote the reform and innovative development of new engineering education, constructing a new engineering standard system from all aspects such as faculty, curriculum, and practice, and striving to explore new paths to deal with five major challenges: engineering standardization, education globalization, knowledge systematization, disciplinary cross-integration, and industrial intelligence.
The "Fifteenth Five-Year Plan" period is a critical period for laying the foundation and exerting full strength to basically achieve socialist modernization. Serving national development is the unavoidable responsibility of universities. Yang Xianjin, Secretary of the Tianjin University Party Committee, stated: "The school will remember the entrustment, walk the path of independent talent cultivation and scientific and technological self-reliance and self-improvement, and strive to write the Tian-Da answer sheet for the construction of a powerful nation in education."
Return to TopBy: 杨贤金
The important reply letter from General Secretary Xi Jinping to all teachers and students of Tianjin University has pointed out the direction forward and provided fundamental guidance for universities to implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue and nurturing talent. Tianjin University deeply grasps the political attribute, people's attribute, and strategic attribute of education, focuses on the nation's major strategic needs, systematically reshapes the cultivation pattern, training paradigm, and supply-demand mechanism, to set an example and take the lead in serving the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation.
Reshaping the cultivation pattern, to cultivate pillars of talent capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation. What kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate people, and for whom to cultivate people are the fundamental questions of education and also the core issue of building a strong education country. Ensuring that the Party's cause has successors is the fundamental prerequisite for serving the construction of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation. Tianjin University deeply implements the project of fostering virtue and nurturing talent, constructs a full-staff, whole-process, all-dimensional, and full-domain ideological and political education pattern, fully integrates "family and country sentiments" into the main classroom of the Party's innovative theories, the great classroom of practical education in the great changes of the new era, and the new classroom of online-offline integrated education in the digital age, promoting the transformation of education from "flat instillation" to "three-dimensional shaping", leading the vast number of students to build a great ambition to serve the country and strengthen the country, and bravely become hardworking contenders who shoulder responsibilities.
Reshaping the training paradigm, to forge pillars of talent who lead the future. Achieving high-level technological self-reliance and self-strengthening ultimately depends on high-level innovative talents. Tianjin University adheres to the concept of "from the future to the future", makes forward-looking judgments on the new requirements of future industries and technologies for talents, systematically reshapes students' knowledge map, ability map, and literacy map, and cultivates top-notch innovative talents who can control and lead the future. Deepen teaching and scientific research reform, continuously promote the iterative leap of new engineering disciplines, focus on the new mechanism of integration, the new model of intelligence, the new system of standardization, and the new scenario of internationalization, and improve the quality of training outstanding engineering talents through systematic reform. Deepen the reform of digital intelligence education, promote the transformation of the "teaching and learning" model, the innovation of "learning and application" means, and promote the reshaping of the "teacher-student-machine" teaching form. Implement super-conventional undergraduate-graduate integrated training, focus on the "four orientations" to strengthen the organized scientific research and education model, forge original innovation ability and key core technology breakthrough capability, and accelerate the cultivation of talents who can "stand toe-to-toe and wrestle" on the world stage.
Reshaping the supply-demand mechanism, to deliver pillars of talent who serve the nation's major strategies. The effectiveness of talent cultivation lies in whether it can accurately serve the construction of a strong country and support national rejuvenation. Tianjin University engraves "the needs of the motherland are my aspiration" as the most steadfast value pursuit of teachers and students, deepens the reform of the supply-demand adaptation mechanism, realizes the full-chain connection of "enrollment—training—employment", and the vast majority of graduates actively choose to make contributions in the key industries and key fields most needed by the motherland. Adjust and optimize the layout of disciplines and specialties, set up emerging disciplines such as flexible electronics and energy storage in a super-conventional manner, make forward-looking layouts for future disciplines such as brain-computer interfaces and synthetic biology, promote the transformation and iteration of traditional disciplines facing industrial upgrading, and 有的放矢 (yǒu dì fàng shǐ - "shoot the arrow at the target," to act with clear purpose) cultivate national strategic talents and urgently needed talents. Deepen the integration of science and education, and the integration of industry and education, cultivate outstanding engineers and engineering scientists on the front line of industry, enhance the hard-core ability to serve new quality productive forces, and achieve the organic connection of the education chain, talent chain, industrial chain, and innovation chain.
Building a first-class university, the key is to continuously improve the quality of talent cultivation. We will continuously enhance the systematicness, wholeness, and synergy of talent cultivation, comprehensively improve the ability to independently cultivate talents, provide solid talent support for advancing Chinese-style modernization, and strive to answer the era's examination paper of building a strong education country.
(The author is the president of Tianjin University)
By: 冯骥才
I was born in Tianjin. At the beginning of this century, I was hired by Tianjin University to establish the Institute of Literature and Art. At the launch ceremony, facing ambitious young students, I felt a great sense of responsibility and could not help but point to the sky and say, “The affairs of Tian (Tianjin University) are for me affairs of Tian (heavenly) importance.” At that time I was nearly sixty years old, and the last great matter I took on in life was education.
At Tianjin University, I had three things to do. First, share with students my thoughts and gains in the fields of literature, art, and culture. Second, establish a pure and distinctive humanities center to influence the cultivation and temperament of young people. Third, bring the essence of China’s excellent traditional culture into the university to cultivate young people’s national pride and feelings for family and country.
After working at the Chinese Folk Literature and Art Association, I presided over and initiated the Chinese Folk Cultural Heritage Rescue Project — “conduct a census to take stock of our assets.” However, much of the extremely diverse folk culture was endangered, and the rescue work was urgent. But we lacked professional talent. So I led graduate students to go into the fields, walk the streets and lanes, conduct surveys and oral histories for each folk culture and art, compile them into archives, and provide a basis for protection work.
Our philosophy is “move the desk into the fields” — this is a need for cultural inheritance and also a need for teaching and cultivating people. Let students understand intangible cultural heritage in the process of cultural rescue and building field archives. The fields will tell them the questions that are difficult to answer in the classroom. In vivid practice, everyone learned knowledge and scientific methods, and gained a sense of responsibility for the inheritance and protection of intangible cultural heritage. Thus, we know that the study of intangible cultural heritage is a discipline that is practical, applied, and requires a sense of responsibility.
General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of China’s excellent traditional culture made me feel that China’s excellent traditional culture has been passed down from generation to generation, integrated with the lives, emotions, and dreams of the people, and possesses tremendous vitality. The General Secretary’s deep affection and high expectations are a huge driving force for me and my faculty and students.
Now, with the care and support of the Party and the state, Tianjin University has established the nation’s first master’s degree authorization point in the interdisciplinary subject of intangible cultural heritage studies. We have trained the first batch of masters in intangible cultural heritage studies, basically forming a complete set of teaching paradigms centered on field teaching. We have established two professional intangible cultural heritage museums, researched and published works such as “Principles of Intangible Cultural Heritage Studies,” and promoted the theoretical construction of intangible cultural heritage studies and intangible cultural heritage education to a new level. At the same time, we have built five field teaching bases across the country, launched the academic exchange website ICH Studies Net. A brand-new, promising education in intangible cultural heritage studies is unfolding vigorously.
Today, I deeply understand the importance of universities, the necessity of general education, and the significance of aesthetic education. Intangible cultural heritage is an important component of Chinese civilization and a resource for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. To inherit and develop intangible cultural heritage well requires scientific concepts, standards and methods, as well as professional talent. This major task has fallen on our shoulders, and there is still a great deal of work to be done. The burden is heavy and the road is long (任重而道远, rèn zhòng ér dào yuǎn – “heavy burden, long road,” to have a heavy responsibility and a long way to go). We are full of confidence and courage, and we will certainly do the work well.
(The author is the director of the Feng Jicai Institute of Literature and Art at Tianjin University.)
Return to TopShanghai high school student Li Zihan (李梓涵): In the future I want to become an engineering talent, and I want to understand what difficulties exist in the current traditional engineering education model, and how Tianjin University’s new engineering construction can break the deadlock?
Song Chunfeng (宋春风), Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office of Tianjin University: Insufficient integration between disciplines, curriculum system failing to keep pace with the intelligent development of industry, insufficient integration of practical teaching with real engineering scenarios, and room for improvement in the degree of internationalization of schooling and the cultivation of students’ global competence, are prominent problems in the traditional engineering education model.
In the past, some engineering majors did not connect with each other in teaching, textbooks were not changed for many years, and there was a lack of practical operational training. In response to these practical problems, Tianjin University’s new engineering (新工科) implements reforms down to the details of daily teaching. In terms of mechanism construction, we integrate advantageous resources across colleges and departments, form deeply intersecting disciplinary clusters, and implement a collaborative training model of college linkage, faculty sharing, and curriculum co-construction. In terms of talent cultivation, we support a “one student, one policy” (一生一策) approach to customizing individual training plans. Starting from their first year, students can deeply participate in the complete research process from basic research to engineering transformation, cultivating the ability to solve complex engineering problems through hands-on experience.
Xi’an high school student’s parent Wu Yuanli (武媛莉): Facing global technological and industrial transformation, how does Tianjin University cultivate future outstanding talent?
Song Chunfeng (宋春风), Deputy Director of the Academic Affairs Office of Tianjin University: The university has built a full set of intelligent practice platforms, opened up various scientific research equipment and computing resources, supports students in entering the arena to carry out innovation and tackle projects, and supports personalized training that is interdisciplinary and runs through to the doctoral level. We invite frontline engineers from enterprises to be permanently stationed in the classroom, allowing students to come into contact with the frontline work mode of the industry while at school, accumulate significant engineering practical experience, and quickly take up core technical positions upon graduation. Tianjin University is not building a laboratory in the traditional sense, but a training ground that allows students to enter a “working state” in advance. In this training ground, enterprises bring real problems in, students take real skills out; school-enterprise win-win is not a slogan, but a reality.
Return to TopLayout design: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟). All images on this page are provided by Tianjin University (天津大学).
Return to TopBy: 张时毓
In early July, in Incheon, South Korea. On a green field, humanoid robots ran, passed, and shot — no remote controller, everything relied on autonomous decision-making. This was a scene from the 2026 RoboCup Robot World Cup: two fully autonomous humanoid robot football teams completed an 11-on-11 full match for the first time. This year's competition attracted 364 teams from 45 countries and regions around the world, with nearly 3,000 researchers competing on the same stage. In the highly anticipated humanoid robot adult-size league, Tsinghua University's Vulcan team and China Agricultural University's Shanhai team won the championship and runner-up respectively. In this competition, the participating robots were larger in size, faster in speed, and the pace of the matches was significantly elevated, also giving people the feeling that the dream of "robot football teams surpassing human World Cup champions by 2050" might not be far off.
From the stunning backflip performed by Boston Dynamics' robot years ago, to domestic robots showcasing their skills on the Spring Festival Gala stage in recent years, to the robot marathon and robot sports meet launched in 2025, the sports robot craze has become a nationwide topic. Behind this is not only a leap in technological strength, but also a vivid footnote to the deep advance of artificial intelligence into the physical world. When robots can gallop on the playing field autonomously, flexibly, and stably, they are also bursting out of the laboratory and becoming partners exploring the world alongside humans.
Robot competitions are a comprehensive test of hardware design, motion control, and cognitive decision-making.
Why is the sports arena a touchstone for robotics technology? Taking football as an example, every contest on the field requires the organic coordination of real-time perception, motion control, and multi-robot cooperation. The same goes for table tennis, which requires a high degree of brain-eye-hand-leg coordination from the competitor: the robot must observe the incoming ball, predict its trajectory, decide on a stroke strategy, and swing the paddle to return the ball, all within milliseconds. The opponent's unpredictable tactics and the complex spin of the ball add further uncertainty. This forces robotics research to break away from reliance on perfect information, learn to face the changes of the real world, and make dynamic responses in real time — it can be said to be a comprehensive test of hardware design, motion control, and cognitive decision-making.
An excellent robot "athlete" is inseparable from the coordinated cooperation of "body," "brain," and "cerebellum." The "body" determines physical素质 (sùzhì - quality/capability). To support high-dynamic, high-explosive movements, a robot requires lightweight, high-strength body design and high-power-density motors. For example, after Boston Dynamics' Atlas series was upgraded to an all-electric system, its movements became smoother and its endurance longer. The "brain" ensures cognitive ability. As the decision-making center, it is responsible for understanding rules, processing on-field information in real time, and formulating tactics. For instance, a table tennis robot uses vision to predict the ball's trajectory and decide on a return strategy. The "cerebellum" supports motor skills. Responsible for motion control, it translates tactical commands into coordinated, stable, and agile actions, ensuring the robot can precisely return incoming balls, coordinate limb swinging, and maintain overall balance.
The exploration of robot "athletes" began as early as the last century. In 1983, the first-generation table tennis robot was born in a laboratory, capable only of simple swings within a limited range and under simplified rules. In 1992, Canadian scientist Alan Mackworth proposed the concept of robot football, giving rise to the RoboCup competition that continues to this day. In 2003, Sony overcame the control challenge of both feet leaving the ground simultaneously and developed the first humanoid robot capable of running.
Today, upgrades in hardware and algorithms are moving robots from the laboratory to a broader stage. In 2017, Boston Dynamics' Atlas demonstrated the potential for high-dynamic, high-explosive movements through parkour and backflips. In 2026, China's Unitree Robotics (宇树机器人) completed a series of highly difficult moves on the Spring Festival Gala stage, including continuous acrobatic table-running parkour and tumbling backflips, achieving the world's first fully autonomous humanoid robot group martial arts performance. In April of this year, the table tennis robot system developed by Sony defeated a professional athlete under official match rules for the first time. In the 2026 Beijing Yizhuang (北京亦庄) Half Marathon and Humanoid Robot Half Marathon, the champion robot "athlete" improved its time to 50 minutes and 26 seconds, surpassing the level of top human athletes and achieving a leap from being able to compete to being able to win.
With the continuous development and application of foundation models, sports robots are becoming more autonomous and intelligent.
How are robots driven to perform complex movements? There are currently two mainstream approaches: traditional model-based control methods and intelligent learning-based methods.
Traditional model-based control methods rely heavily on precise physical and mathematical models. By accurately limiting joint positions, torques, etc., they allow the robot to maximize its capabilities while ensuring safety. Boston Dynamics' early Atlas series adopted this approach and achieved good results in movements such as jumping. However, these methods are computationally intensive, the generated movements can sometimes appear stiff, and they are difficult to generalize to highly dynamic and complex scenarios.
In recent years, intelligent learning-based methods have gradually become mainstream, including reinforcement learning and imitation learning. Reinforcement learning allows the robot to explore new behavior patterns through continuous interactive trial and error and optimizes strategies via a "reward" mechanism. For example, in table tennis, strategies that successfully receive and return the ball are "rewarded," while mistakes are "penalized." Google DeepMind trained a competitive table tennis robot through autonomous learning, continuously improving its level through iterative cycles of simulation training and real-world matches. However, reinforcement learning depends on the ingenious design of the "reward" function; if poorly designed, unintended behaviors may arise. Additionally, transferring strategies learned in imprecise simulated environments to real-world scenarios is a major challenge.
Imitation learning, on the other hand, allows robots to efficiently master diverse motor skills, synthesize more natural movements, and even maintain a specific movement style by learning from experiential data or expert demonstrations. The core bottleneck of this path lies in the acquisition of demonstration data. One solution is to use the robot's own motion experience. While the data is reliable, the cost of large-scale collection is high. Another approach is to learn from the vast amount of human motion videos available on the internet, but issues such as differences in human-robot morphology and varying data quality must be resolved. To address this challenge, the tennis adversarial control algorithm LATENT from China's Galaxy General Company (中国银河通用公司) provides an innovative solution: extracting basic action skill units from a large number of human motion segments, such as hitting and lateral shuffling, and then, through correction and combination, enabling the robot to gradually master complete tennis competitive skills.
Model-based methods and learning-based methods are not opposed but are complementary. Sony AI's Ace project attempts to combine the strengths of both: using human competition data to synthesize a training set, training strategies through deep reinforcement learning, and then inputting these into an optimization model to generate safe and accurate movements, thereby achieving both tactical variability and action safety.
In the future, with the continuous development and application of foundation models such as large language models and vision-language-action models, further endowing robots with the ability to understand the world, the robot's "body," "brain," and "cerebellum" will be more tightly integrated, driving them to become more autonomous and intelligent.
Helping humanity greatly expand the capabilities and boundaries of exploration, and promoting a deepening of self-understanding.
Humanity invests vast resources in developing sports robots; the significance extends beyond viewing pleasure or training partners. It is more fundamentally an ultimate pursuit of technological heights. In 1997, when "Deep Blue" defeated the world chess champion, the inaugural RoboCup competition also kicked off that same year. When artificial intelligence has already surpassed humans on the chessboard, it will be embodied, stepping into the physical world. Embodied intelligence has become the next contestant to take the stage.
The original mission of robots was to help humans with dangerous, arduous, and monotonous work. Today, robots of various forms have entered factories, wildernesses, and even space, helping humanity greatly expand the capabilities and boundaries of exploration. Breakthroughs in motor abilities enable robots to perform more difficult tasks in more complex environments. For example, in the future construction of lunar research stations, robots with agile motor abilities and enduring stamina will become indispensable assistants. They can traverse treacherous terrain, perform arduous tasks such as moving heavy objects and assembling facilities, and support large-scale patrol surveys as well as the large-scale construction of infrastructure like energy stations and communication stations. Furthermore, precise perception and action coordination capabilities also provide a foundation for broader application scenarios such as assembly manufacturing and medical surgery.
Robots are also a mirror, reflecting humanity's imagination and inquiries about itself. The design of the humanoid body, the perception-decision-execution closed loop, neural networks, and so on all take humans themselves as the blueprint. As robots become increasingly adept at imitation games, the Turing test to distinguish human from machine is no longer a challenge for them, yet our questions have not diminished: Can robots truly understand the meaning of a competition? Will they be affected by nervousness during performance? Will they feel pride and relief after achieving victory? These questions extend to those 历久弥新 (lì jiǔ mí xīn - "long-lasting yet ever new," becoming more meaningful over time) inquiries — can robots possess consciousness, feelings, and self-awareness? Can thinking and movement be entirely simulated by algorithms? Are mind and body separate or unified? Answering these questions requires the joint exploration of multiple scientific fields including mathematics, physics, computer science, and biology. This will continuously drive the deepening of humanity's understanding of itself.
Robots are rapidly growing apprentices, while humans are teachers who also benefit from the process of teaching (教学相长, jiào xué xiāng zhǎng - "teaching and learning enhance each other," teaching benefits teacher and student alike). Humanity cultivates its own partners and assistants, and in this process completes repeated self-examination and self-questioning, thereby understanding and improving itself more profoundly.
(The author is an Associate Professor at the School of Intelligent Engineering and Automation, Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications)
By: 王 鑫
Water is the source of life. Where did the water on Earth come from? The answer may lie hidden in the coldest and darkest places in the Milky Way — the cradles of stars shrouded in gas and dust. Recently, the team of NASA’s SPHEREx space telescope published a result in The Astrophysical Journal: in star-forming regions such as Cygnus X, they detected vast ice zones extending more than 600 light-years. This is the first time humanity has mapped an interstellar ice distribution of unprecedented scale in the Milky Way, providing a key clue to answering "where did the water on planets originally come from" — water may have already existed as ice in interstellar space and, as stars and planets are born, been carried into newborn planetary systems.
SPHEREx stands for "Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer." It is a space telescope dedicated to infrared surveys. Simply put, it is a space camera capable of "separating colors" for the universe. Ordinary cameras record colors primarily through three primary colors — red, green, and blue — while SPHEREx can simultaneously record 102 infrared "colors." It was launched in March 2025 and operates in a sun-synchronous polar orbit, taking about 3,600 images per day. Many people compare it to the James Webb Space Telescope. Webb is like an "ultra-high-resolution microscope" capable of extremely deep and fine observations of a small area; SPHEREx is more like a "wide-angle camera" that can systematically scan the entire sky with very high efficiency. It can be said that Webb is responsible for seeing details, while SPHEREx is responsible for seeing the big picture.
The vast majority of water in interstellar space exists in the form of solid ice. The molecular clouds in star-forming regions are extremely cold, typically around minus 260 degrees Celsius. Water molecules freeze onto the surfaces of tiny interstellar dust grains, like frost on a window in winter, forming thin layers of "ice coats." The detection of interstellar ice relies on infrared spectroscopy, which can be understood as a kind of "chemical fingerprint identification": different ice molecules absorb specific wavelengths of infrared light — for example, water ice leaves an absorption signature at 3.0 micrometers, carbon dioxide ice at 4.27 micrometers, and carbon monoxide ice at 4.67 micrometers. SPHEREx’s 102 infrared bands precisely and fully cover these key wavelengths. The research team initially thought they could only rely on distant background stars as "flashlights" — the light from stars passes through the molecular cloud, ice absorbs part of the light, thereby leaving a signal. However, observations revealed that even the diffuse background radiation in interstellar space carries information about ice. This breakthrough allows SPHEREx to map the distribution of ice with unprecedented breadth.
In the Cygnus X region, scientists discovered a pattern: wherever dust is most dense, ice is most abundant. The highest ice concentrations appear in the densest cores of molecular clouds — structures stretching hundreds of light-years that scientists call "interstellar glaciers." Why is this so? In extremely cold molecular clouds, gas molecules condense like snowflakes onto the surfaces of dust grains, forming ice mantles. And the densest cloud cores act like thick "quilts," shielding against the intense ultraviolet radiation from newborn stars. Without this shielding, ultraviolet light would decompose the ice, just as the sun melts ice cubes. Therefore, the dense dust environment is both a "factory" and an "umbrella" for ice. SPHEREx’s wide-field perspective also makes comparisons under different environmental conditions possible: the relative abundances of water ice, carbon dioxide ice, and carbon monoxide ice vary with dust temperature and ultraviolet radiation intensity, providing clues for studying the formation pathways of different ices.
The significance of this ice distribution map is directly related to the origin of water on planets. When a molecular cloud collapses under its own gravity, a new star forms at the center, while the remaining material rotates faster and faster as it contracts, eventually forming a rotating disk — a protoplanetary disk. The dust grains coated with ice mantles in the disk carry essential elements for life — hydrogen, oxygen, carbon, etc. — constituting the raw materials for comets, asteroids, and planets. Without water, there would be no oceans; without carbon, there would be no organic molecules, and thus no basis for life. The ice map drawn by SPHEREx is precisely measuring the reserves of these raw materials in the Milky Way, suggesting that the vast oceans on Earth and the frozen material on comets likely originated from such interstellar ice zones.
SPHEREx’s mission continues. It completes a full-sky survey every six months and is expected to complete four surveys within two years. As data from multiple scans are stacked, the signals will become increasingly clear, allowing scientists to detect more distant and fainter ice signals. SPHEREx’s full-sky spectrum map will strive to help answer a series of questions: in the Milky Way, where are the water needed to form habitable planets and the organic molecules needed for the origin of life distributed? How large are the reserves? And how are they transported into newborn planetary systems? We may be getting closer to the answers step by step.
(The authors are from the School of Astronomy and Space Science, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences.)
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency, Helsinki (reporters Zhu Haochen (朱昊晨), Xu Qian (徐谦)) Stockholm: A new study involving Sweden's Karolinska Institutet has mapped an epigenetic landscape and divided acute myeloid leukemia into 16 subtypes. This achievement is expected to provide research evidence for future personalized treatment. The relevant research findings have recently been published in the British journal Nature.
A press release issued by Karolinska Institutet a few days ago stated that acute myeloid leukemia is a blood cancer that progresses relatively quickly. The medical community currently classifies patients and carries out risk stratification mainly on the basis of genetic characteristics such as gene mutations, gene fusions, and chromosomal abnormalities, but genetic characteristics still cannot fully explain differences in patients' disease progression and treatment outcomes.
The researchers this time focused on epigenetic changes. By comparing measurement results from different patients, the research team divided acute myeloid leukemia into 16 subtypes with distinct molecular and biological characteristics. The researchers stated that epigenetic classification cannot yet replace existing genetic classification, but it can serve as a supplement, helping doctors gain a more comprehensive understanding of differences among patients and providing a basis for the future development of more personalized treatment plans.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 黄发红 郭梓云
Dinosaur footprints spanning hundreds of millions of years are often likened to a wordless heavenly book (无字天书), containing the behavioral codes of prehistoric creatures. How to accurately interpret these trace fossils has long been a puzzle for paleontologists. Recently, a research team from the Helmholtz Centre (赫尔姆霍茨研究中心) in Germany and the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom developed an artificial intelligence recognition system named "DinoTracker." The system provides a new method for quantitative analysis and comparative study of dinosaur footprint morphology, signaling that research in this field is moving from subjective empirical judgment toward a new phase of objective data support.
"This AI-driven system means we no longer rely purely on human subjective judgment," said Dr. Gregor Hartmann, a researcher at the Helmholtz Centre, in an interview with this newspaper's reporter.
As an important component of fossil traces, dinosaur footprints are extremely precious behavioral records. Unlike skeletal fossils, clear footprints can accurately reveal the dinosaur's mode of locomotion, running speed, distribution of body center of gravity, and even determine whether it walked alone or migrated in a group, as well as the environmental characteristics of the time. However, the final morphology of a single footprint is influenced by multiple factors, including foot structure, behavioral state, substrate texture, and post-burial erosion. In the past, paleontologists mainly relied on manual annotation and empirical judgment to classify footprints, a method prone to bias and thus a bottleneck in research.
To break through this bottleneck, the research team collected approximately 2,000 footprint contour images covering major groups such as theropods, ornithopods, quadrupedal dinosaurs, and birds, and input them into an unsupervised machine learning model for training. The system ultimately autonomously identified and classified eight independent morphological features, such as the degree of toe splay, the position of heel load, and left-right asymmetry of the footprint.
Hartmann explained that the uniqueness of this unsupervised learning mode lies in the fact that the model did not receive any pre-infusion of human experience, enabling it to "think independently" without bias, to judge similarities and differences between footprints in a quantitative manner, and even to discover subtle patterns that are difficult for the human eye to detect. Research shows that the system can stably extract footprint morphological features, and its analysis results are highly consistent with the classifications made by paleontological experts, with a matching rate as high as 90%. In addition, the system can generate visualizations that intuitively display the impact of morphological features on footprints, helping scientists unravel more mysteries in the fields of archaeology and paleontology.
Using this model, the research team discovered that some dinosaur footprints formed more than 200 million years ago bear striking similarities to the footprints of modern and extinct birds. Based on this finding, two possibilities emerge: one is that the origin of birds may be tens of millions of years earlier than previously understood; the other is that certain early dinosaurs, although not directly evolutionarily linked to birds, have foot structures that are highly similar to those of birds due to convergent evolution. Furthermore, the model also found that mysterious footprints on the shore of a lagoon on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, formed about 170 million years ago, likely belong to the world's oldest known relatives of hadrosaurids. This research provides new insights into how prehistoric creatures lived and migrated.
However, the system currently also faces the challenge of a relatively small data volume. "For deep learning, the data set of 2,000 images is limited, which may cause the model to 'rote memorize' and make it difficult to extract generalizable patterns," said Hartmann. To address this problem, the team set up about 1,000 different network configurations for training, constructed a model architecture capable of capturing the core structural features of footprints, and employed data augmentation techniques with high fidelity to ensure data authenticity and diversity.
At present, the DinoTracker system has been made freely available. Hartmann hopes to collect feedback from users worldwide through this means, accumulate larger-scale and more diverse data, and make the system "smarter the more it is used." "This AI system makes footprint analysis more systematic and more reproducible, and also greatly lowers the threshold for participation, allowing more people to join this research," said Hartmann.
Xing Lida (邢立达), an associate professor at China University of Geosciences (Beijing), believes that the greatest innovation of this research lies in introducing machine learning methods into traditional unsupervised morphological analysis of dinosaur footprints, realizing a shift from "experience-based identification," which relies on manual integration, to a "data-driven" working mode in which programs automatically extract multi-batch information. Through an open-platform design, this application embeds cutting-edge algorithms into a research infrastructure accessible to the public. However, the current training sample size and footprint quality are limited, and sedimentary information has not yet been systematically incorporated into the model; these still constrain the generalizability of the results and the depth of paleoecological interpretation. The next step, if larger-scale annotated data under strict geological constraints can be obtained, will further help transform this technology into a standardized tool.
Return to TopXinhua London, (reporter Zhang Jiawei (张家伟)) — The University of Cambridge recently issued a press release stating that by applying appropriate and stable physical pressure to lithium batteries, their service life can be doubled.
The research team led by the University of Cambridge used inflatable airbags to continuously apply stable pressure to pouch cells and monitored the volume changes of the batteries in real time to study the effect of pressure on battery life. Experimental results showed that battery performance was best when the pressure was maintained at approximately 12.5 bar. Excessive pressure can cause metallic lithium to precipitate on the surface of the negative electrode, while insufficient pressure tends to cause cracking of the positive electrode material, both of which accelerate battery degradation.
The researchers believe that this technology has the potential in the future to reduce the frequency of electric vehicle battery replacement, decrease the pressure of recycling and processing spent batteries, and lower the demand for mineral resources such as nickel and cobalt, thereby mitigating the environmental and social impacts of related mining operations, and is of great significance to the rapidly developing electric vehicle market, especially the second-hand car market.
Return to TopBy: 沈小晓
Palestinian literature grows out of rubble and gunfire, yet it never crawls in grief and lament. On the sealed land, words guard the last homeland for the lives that have passed, and also light an inextinguishable lamp for the living.
If I Must Die is precisely such a collection from Gaza. The late Palestinian poet and scholar Refaat Alareer (里法特·阿里尔) uses poetry and prose to record his homeland, with writings spanning 13 years, allowing readers to enter a real world composed of countless specific people, ardent emotions, and a life experience of 向死而生 (xiàng sǐ ér shēng - "face death and live," living with the awareness of death), and to see how the people of Gaza have always responded to suffering with dignity, hope, and love.
His life was a heroic act of writing.
Born in 1979, Alareer was a native Gazan. He served as a professor of English literature at the Islamic University of Gaza. He chose to teach and write in English in order to let the world know what Gaza was experiencing. He firmly believed that Palestinians must have their own narrative: "If I don't tell it, that would be selfish."
In 2014, Israel launched a large-scale military offensive against the Gaza Strip, code-named Operation Protective Edge. The 50-day bloody conflict killed more than 2,000 Palestinians and wounded over 10,000. Alareer's home was destroyed by Israeli bombing, and his 31-year-old brother, Muhammad, was tragically killed. In a memorial essay, Alareer recalled how this shy yet witty and humorous brother grew up and performed in Gaza's most popular children's television program. For the sake of his wife and two children, Muhammad had worked hard to build his own apartment, but due to the blockade, he was unable to furnish it. War took the life of a son, a brother, a husband, a father — it took away countless stories that were never finished.
"Should I hug the child?" "Can I let the child have a second biscuit?" "Should the whole family sleep in the same room, or separately?" For Alareer, these everyday routines became life-or-death choices: every hug could be the last, the second biscuit might be the last mouthful of food... These questions Alareer raised are both breathtaking and heavy as a mountain.
In Alareer's view, resisting war's destruction of civilization through reading and writing was the best counterattack. He led his students in reading Shakespeare and Dickens, guiding them to break through prejudice and understand humanity through reading and dialogue, cultivating a steadfast will and noble character. He founded a club, encouraging young people to bravely take up the pen.
If I Must Die is a poem Alareer dedicated to his daughter, Hima, in 2011: "If I must die / you must live / to tell my story / to sell my things / to buy a piece of cloth / and some strings / (make it into a white kite with a long tail) / so that a child in some place in Gaza / looking up at the sky / waiting for a father who left in the flames — / a father who bid farewell to no one / not even to his own flesh / not even to himself — / sees the kite, the kite you made for me, soaring in the sky / and at that moment, he will think an angel has brought a message of love / If I must die / let it bring hope / let it become a story."
On December 6, 2023, Alareer was killed in an Israeli airstrike. He had received numerous death threats before that, and the last anonymous phone call even pinpointed his location. He was forced to leave, but the bomb still found him. After his death, If I Must Die was translated into more than 40 languages. People commemorated him in different corners of the world: reciting poems, singing, flying white kites with long tails... In 2024, a collection of his works under the same title was published. But cruelly, the daughter Alareer addressed in the poem also died a few months later in an airstrike, along with her two-month-old child.
Alareer devoted his life to education and writing. He once said that writing is a witness, a memory that transcends any human experience, and a responsibility to dialogue with oneself and the world: "We live to tell stories about loss, survival, and hope." And his life itself was a heroic act of writing.
"I write, therefore I exist."
Writing is resistance. On May 14, 1948, Israel declared its establishment. The next day, the First Arab-Israeli War broke out, and nearly one million Palestinians became refugees. People who lost their homes scattered in all directions, many of them flooding into Gaza and remaining trapped there. "I write, therefore I exist." Generations of Palestinian writers have used the pen as a weapon, fearlessly recording the various atrocities committed by the occupiers, and rebuilding a spiritual homeland on the ruins.
The Palestinian writer Ghassan Kanafani (格桑·卡纳法尼) was the first to systematically propose the concept of "resistance literature," defining it as literature that opposes oppression and occupation, and calls for freedom and independence. Amidst the ongoing warfare, writers also developed a unique style of expression, using symbols and metaphors to convey emotions. Kanafani's 1961 short story The Forbidden Weapon (禁忌武器) is a classic example.
The story revolves around the Palestinian elder Abu Ali seizing a gun from foreign soldiers. The gun forbidden by the occupying authorities (the "forbidden weapon" of the title) represents the right of Palestinians to armed resistance; the protagonist Ali symbolizes the silent but action-desiring force among the Palestinian masses; the village and the house are microcosms of the lost Palestinian homeland... The writer carefully weaves a series of symbolic symbols. At the story's end, the old man's fate is unknown; his wife stays behind in the house. The open ending hints that hope for the struggle still exists.
Long-term war and diaspora have made "Who am I?" a recurring question in contemporary Palestinian literature. The writing about the homeland, the people, and history guards the collective memory of the nation. The Palestinian national poet Mahmoud Darwish (马哈茂德·达尔维什) is one of the most important voices, and "identity" is a core proposition of his poetry.
When Darwish repeatedly chants "Write down, I am an Arab" in ID Card (身份证), he turns a line of poetry into a cry: you can keep interrogating me, register my name, serial number, number of children, but you cannot deprive me of the right to exist as an Arab. This poem has also become an important symbol of Palestinian national spirit and identity consciousness, profoundly influencing the creation of Palestinian resistance literature that followed.
In October 2023, a new round of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict broke out. Over more than two years, a large number of writers, scholars, teachers, and artists have been killed. But the disappearance of one poem gives birth to the growth of another. Mosab Abu Toha (莫萨布·阿布·托哈), born in 1992, was once Alareer's student and close friend. He wrote: "Don't be surprised when you see / a rose / standing tall / in the rubble of a home / This is how we survive." In 2025, his poetry collection Roses Upward (玫瑰朝上) was translated into Chinese, allowing Chinese readers to listen to the heartbeat of Gaza through his poems.
Batur Abu Aqleen (巴图尔·阿布·阿克林), now 21, has also published her first bilingual Arabic-English poetry collection, 48 Kilograms (48公斤). The collection consists of 48 poems, each representing one kilogram of her body weight. "I regard poetry as a part of my flesh, so I collected my body — in case I am blown to pieces and no one buries me."
Roa Samir (罗阿·萨米尔), a girl from Gaza, likes to post her poems on social media. Her home was bombed, and her relatives were killed in the war. Even though she is displaced, she has not given up reading and writing. "I like the works of Dostoevsky, Shakespeare, and Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes." She told me that reading is her refuge. During the war, she also opened an online bookstore: "I love collecting books, and I also want to help more people read books in times of crisis."
Reading words from Gaza, it is hard to remain completely rational. Those words are like sparks escaping from gunpowder smoke, carrying a scorching heat, crackling in memory. When reporting on the situation in Gaza, I always think of that poem If I Must Die. "Facing death and living" — this is a major characteristic of Palestinian literature. Even in the darkest moments, the writers still plant hope in their words, waiting for later generations to pick it up from the ruins. When poets write their own stories, they also entrust a message to the reader: Perhaps we cannot stop the gunfire, but at least we can choose not to ignore, not to remain silent, so that the stories under the smoke continue to be told and heard.
Return to TopBy: 赵益普
Lahore, a cultural ancient city in Pakistan, has a history of nearly 2,000 years and is called the "soul of Pakistan." While in the country's capital Islamabad, I often heard local friends say: "If you have never been to Lahore, you have not truly been to Pakistan."
The history of Lahore's founding can be traced back to the 1st to 2nd centuries AD. By the 10th century, trade and commerce in this area were increasingly thriving. Starting from the early 11th century, Lahore successively witnessed the expansion of the Ghaznavid dynasty and the dynastic changes of the Delhi Sultanate, ultimately entering its golden age during the Mughal Empire. In the 16th and 17th centuries, Lahore became a core stronghold of the Mughal Empire and one of the most prosperous cities in South Asia. Today, the large number of Mughal-style forts and mosques preserved within the ancient city still tell of the splendor of those days, rendering the foundational color of Pakistan's cultural capital.
Visiting Lahore, the first thing that aroused my curiosity was a special device on the motorcycles on the streets — a slender metal rod slanting upright in front of the handlebars, fixed at about an 80-degree angle beside the dashboard. At first glance, I couldn't help wondering: what use could this rod, always right in front of the rider's eyes, possibly serve?
When waiting for a red light at an intersection, I rolled down the window and asked a motorcycle taxi driver. The driver explained with a smile that this is a safety rod specially used for the Basant Festival, to block falling broken kite strings from the sky and protect the rider's safety. Half a month later, when I came to Lahore again, almost all motorcycles on the streets had the vertical rod installed, and Basant Festival posters could be seen everywhere throughout the city — after 19 years, kites once again floated back into the sky of this thousand-year-old ancient city.
In Lahore, Basant Festival is equivalent to the kite festival, with a history of nearly eight centuries. "Basant" originates from Sanskrit, originally meaning "spring day," carrying people's expectations of rebirth and warmth. The open sky and suitable wind conditions of the ancient city made kite flying the core custom of the festival. During the Sikh Empire period in the 19th century, royal participation made the festival's regulations increasingly complete, gradually becoming a citywide grand event. In the 1980s, with coverage by overseas media, this ancient folk custom began to become known to the world.
The core area of this Basant Festival celebration was set inside Lahore's ancient city. In the early hours of the first day of the festival, I stood on the ancient city's gate tower with many locals, waiting for the first kite to rise into the air. When a pink paper kite soared up on the wind, the festive atmosphere was instantly ignited — on the rooftops of every household, figures were busy, and colorful kites rose one after another, filling the sky.
The kites of Basant Festival not only decorate the scenery of the sky, but also serve as a vehicle for folk competition — people manipulate the kite strings to entangle and fight each other, and cutting the opponent's string is victory. Whenever a kite string in the air was cut, the people beside me would always shout in unison a signature "bo-kata," meaning "broken," with genuine joy in their eyes and brows.
The last time Lahore celebrated Basant Festival citywide was 19 years ago. At that time, in order to win in the competition, many people coated kite strings with metal coatings or mixed in glass shards. The sharp broken strings became "hidden dangers in the sky," repeatedly causing power line short circuits, injuries to cyclists, and other accidents. Out of safety considerations, the government called a halt to kite celebrations within the urban area.
But a folk custom passed down for hundreds of years is ultimately hard to give up. Under the continuous calls from the public, the government decided to restart the Basant Festival, while setting strict rules: metal-coated kite strings are prohibited, all kites must be purchased from compliant shops, motorcycles must be equipped with safety rods, and large gathering places must be reported in advance.
The return of the festival both responds to the public's cultural demands and allows the tradition to continue better. During the Basant Festival today, activities such as song and dance performances, food markets, and others unfolded one after another, and the people of Lahore also had a three-day festival holiday. During the festival, hotel rooms in Lahore were hard to find, specialty restaurants had long queues, and the retail sales related to kites alone reached as high as 30 billion Pakistani rupees (1 yuan is approximately 41 Pakistani rupees). "Go fly kites in Lahore" became the hottest topic on social media platforms in Pakistan.
Near sunset, the square of Badshahi Mosque was still bustling with people. This is the place with the most kites in the festival — children laughing and running while flying kites, young people leaning against the walls cheering for the kite battles in the sky, an old man selling oranges leaning against the corner basking in the setting sun, occasionally calling out to passing visitors. The ancient buildings that have weathered many vicissitudes and the vibrant, lively atmosphere of daily life blend together here; history and reality converse across time and space. The local people's cherishing and pride in their culture, together with the kites filling the sky, soar higher and higher in the gentle breeze.
Before leaving Lahore, I hesitated again and again, and instead of taking a kite as a souvenir, I chose a motorcycle safety rod. After returning to Islamabad, I installed this vertical rod on my own motorcycle. Whenever friends ask about its use, I will tell them about the long history of the Basant Festival and the interesting twists and turns of a kite.
Return to TopBy: 施 晔
In the history of 20th-century sinology, the Dutchman Robert van Gulik (born Robert Hans van Gulik, 1910–1967) is a phenomenon-level existence. He combined the tradition of ancient Chinese courtroom fiction with Western detective fiction, creating the globally renowned Judge Dee Mysteries series (《大唐狄公案》). He regarded himself as an ancient Chinese scholar-official, socializing and exchanging verses with figures in Chinese cultural circles, appreciating each other through music and calligraphy, and knocking on the door of Chinese culture through deep life practice. The biography Drifting with the Floating Clouds to This Homeland: A Biography of Robert van Gulik (漫逐浮云到此乡：高罗佩传) (see image, stock photo) published by Shanghai Translation Publishing House in March of this year tells the cross-border cultural journey of this Dutch diplomat, sinologist, and novelist.
Born in the Netherlands, van Gulik moved with his family to Batavia (present-day Jakarta, Indonesia) as a child, where he planted the roots of his love for Chinese culture in the local Chinatown. He began learning Chinese in middle school, studied other Asian languages widely during university, and after receiving his doctorate in 1935 entered the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with postings including Tokyo, Cairo, Chongqing, New Delhi, Beirut, and Kuala Lumpur. No matter where he served, van Gulik always had a heart for Chinese culture; he was deeply devoted to Chinese ancient books, literary curios, and his focus on sinological research even drew criticism from his superiors.
Among van Gulik’s sinological contributions, the most widely praised by the public is his reshaping of the historical figure Di Renjie (狄仁杰). In the early 1940s, the Qing dynasty novel The Four Great Strange Cases of Empress Wu (《武则天四大奇案》) brought van Gulik into an indissoluble bond with Di Renjie, the famous prime minister of the Tang dynasty more than 1,200 years earlier. From The Maze Murders written in 1950 to The Chinese Gold Murder completed just before his death, van Gulik created a total of 24 Judge Dee series novels in English (16 novellas, 8 short stories).
Van Gulik’s creation greatly enriched the image of Di Renjie as recorded in the Old Book of Tang — “In one year, he cleared seventeen thousand backlogged cases, with none who appealed unjustly.” The Judge Dee in his writing combines divine judgment and divine detection: “Though lacking fingerprint photography or other new techniques of learning, his thoroughness in investigating cases and his godlike skill in solving them are no less than those of Sherlock Holmes.” In the image of Judge Dee, van Gulik not only integrated the ideal demeanor of a scholar-official, but also placed his own sentiments: mastery of all arts — zither, chess, calligraphy, painting — fresh and refined in poetry and prose, possessing both the benevolence of Confucius and Mencius and the full range of human emotions. This “Oriental Sherlock Holmes” deeply conquered Western readers and also aroused broad resonance among Eastern readers. The Judge Dee Mysteries series has to date been translated into 29 languages, continuously spawning imitations, scripts, film and television adaptations, and further expanding to cross-media forms such as video games and artificial intelligence.
Western readers had long held stereotyped views of the traditional Chinese judicial system as “barbaric” and “dark,” but van Gulik keenly captured the rational brilliance and institutional flexibility inherent in the traditional Chinese judicial system. He translated and annotated the famous Song dynasty criminal jurisprudence work Parallel Cases from Under the Pear Tree (《棠阴比事》), thoroughly read the story collections “Three Words and Two Slaps” (《三言二拍》) and Ming and Qing courtroom fiction such as The Court of the Dragon (《龙图公案》) and The Four Great Strange Cases of Empress Wu (《武则天四大奇案》), and implanted the reasoning logic from these works into his writing, successfully enabling Western masses, within the framework of detective stories, to understand the rigorous, complete, internally self-consistent, and humanistic legal tradition of ancient China.
In the mid-20th century, European sinological circles were generally enthusiastic about philological research and exegesis of ancient texts, but van Gulik blazed a different trail into material culture studies, turning his gaze to objects such as inkstones, the qin zither, screens, calligraphy and paintings — artifacts that carried the refined culture of ancient China. However, his ultimate goal was to touch the spiritual pulse of the Chinese scholar-official class through these material forms. Take his monograph on qin studies, The Lore of the Chinese Lute (《琴道》): van Gulik discusses the Chinese qin and its music from the perspectives of history, philosophy, literature, aesthetics, and sociology, thereby elucidating the life philosophy of traditional literati.
In 1943, van Gulik left for Chongqing to take up his post. To truly understand the qin, van Gulik deeply participated in the formation and gatherings of the Tianfeng Qin Society (天风琴社), exchanging and studying qin skills and theory with qin masters such as Zha Fuxi (查阜西), Xu Yuanbai (徐元白), and Yang Shaowu (杨少五), and when they could not meet in person, they exchanged letters to share thoughts on qin studies. In van Gulik's mind, the qin was not only a musical instrument but also a vehicle through which scholar-officials cultivated themselves and expressed their sentiments. This approach of moving from the study of objects to the core of civilization allowed him to transcend Eurocentric prejudice and, in the contact between his fingers and the qin strings, complete a spiritual dialogue with Boya and Ziqi.
During his time in Chongqing, van Gulik married Shui Shifang (水世芳), a Chinese woman from a prestigious family. Through the Shui clan, van Gulik was able to shift from “sojourning” to “being local,” forging an even deeper emotional bond with this Eastern country he had always yearned for. In the correspondence between him and his father-in-law Shui Junshao (水钧韶), we see an old-fashioned Chinese patriarch’s acceptance and guidance of his foreign son-in-law, and the subtle interplay between them over etiquette, tradition, and transnational marriage. Beyond the small family, van Gulik’s social circle included the painters Xu Beihong and Fu Baoshi, calligraphers Yu Youren and Shen Yinmo, and academic giants such as Chen Yuan, Ma Heng, Gu Jiegang, and Liang Sicheng. Through high-level intellectual collision, van Gulik accumulated the rich foundation for constructing the Judge Dee Mysteries, Chinese Pictorial Art as Viewed by the Connoisseur (《书画鉴赏汇编》), and his qin monograph. This deep interaction based on shared aesthetic taste made van Gulik a “Dutch scholar-official” and “spiritual Chinese” under the starry sky of Republican-era academia, and also gave his sinological research a warmth and depth of its own.
Van Gulik’s life is a microcosm of the evolution of sinology from the study of the other to the mutual learning of civilizations. As a diplomat, van Gulik lived a wandering life, but wherever he resided, he would set up a Chinese-style study, accompanied by ancient books and a qin, practicing calligraphy, and burning incense on his desk. He named his study “Youcun Studio” (犹存斋), expressing his vision of preserving the flame of classical Chinese civilization amid the turmoil of war. He once lamented of himself: “You are in the West, but you can freely dwell in your own East.” When Chinese scholars translated van Gulik’s Judge Dee Mysteries and many of his sinological works into Chinese, it triggered a famous phenomenon of “cultural return” in the exchange of different civilizations — Chinese readers were astonished to find that a Dutchman could so precisely delineate the spirit and bone structure of classical Chinese civilization.
At this moment when a new edition of the Judge Dee Mysteries and the Biography of van Gulik appear, we commemorate van Gulik not only for his abundant sinological achievements and novelistic creation, but even more for the cross-cultural communication paradigm he provided: crossing the barriers of language, penetrating the fog of prejudice, and finding, through the sounds of the qin, traces of ink, and the smoke of daily life, the spiritual code that leads to the shared civilization of humanity. Van Gulik’s sinological journey ended in 1967, but the spiritual homeland he spent his life exploring and guarding still calls out across time and space to every later-comer who draws near to Chinese culture.
(The author is a professor at the School of Humanities, Shanghai Normal University. This article is a phased outcome of the National Social Science Fund major project “Research on the East India Company and the Westward Transmission of Chinese Culture.”)
Return to TopBy: 夏宇轩
When speaking of Naples, Italy, football fans often think of the glorious years when Maradona played for the Napoli club, food lovers relish the delicious Margherita pizza, and tourists linger over the many historic sites in the city. In fact, beneath the crisscrossing network of roads, more than 2,000 years of history have accumulated in a different form. Arriving at the entrance in the city's historic center, I descended along the stairs, and a hidden underground world came into view.
In the 4th century BC, the Greeks mined and quarried in Naples, excavating winding underground tunnels, and the tuff stone extracted outlined the initial shape of the city above ground. During Roman rule, people converted the quarry tunnels into a massive water supply network, with a total length of about 140 kilometers. The Romans' planning was not without ingenuity: they used the slope and width of the channels to regulate the flow of water, and assigned personnel to clean and maintain them; today, the cleaning marks on the walls and the water lines from the Roman period are still clearly visible.
From the 15th to the 17th centuries, newly built residential houses gradually covered the Roman-era buildings that had been abandoned due to disrepair. In the 19th century, the water channels that had been used for over a thousand years were replaced by modern water supply systems, and the underground city gradually fell silent. Yet the historical memories buried deep in the city did not disappear. According to documentary records, there is a Roman theater site in the city's historic center, where it is said that Nero, the fifth emperor of the Roman Empire, once performed on stage. Later, people discovered a hidden door leading underground under the bed of an ordinary residence; this had previously been used as a cellar, but was actually part of the backstage of the ancient theater. Entering the theater site from the backstage along the stone steps, the space opened up. In the 5th to 6th centuries AD, the theater was destroyed by floods. More than a thousand years later, people had forgotten its existence, yet the layout of the city's houses and the direction of the streets still faintly showed the former outline of the theater.
During World War II, tens of thousands of Naples residents again entered the underground city, and the underground water channels became temporary air-raid shelters for the citizens. In September 1943, the residents of Naples spontaneously rose up against the German occupation forces. The insurgents used the underground water channels to launch surprise attacks and ultimately won the victory. Today, people can still see the prayer texts on the walls, weapons left over from the war, and find beds, sanitary facilities, old photographs, and children's toys. Here, memories of war, life, and hope continue to be passed down.
Having traversed the vicissitudes of history, the Naples underground city is now radiating new vitality. In 2015, the Naples Underground City Association launched the "Underground Garden" project. The water channels have high humidity and are sheltered from modern industrial pollution; ordinary vegetables such as lettuce and basil thrive under the illumination of artificial light sources. Now, walking into the dark and damp corners of the tunnels, one encounters patches of lively underground "oases" at the turn of a corner, a sight that brightens the eyes.
Stepping out of the underground city, the sunlight brought me back to today's Naples. The narrow and winding streets are full of life, and pedestrians coming and go enjoy the beauty of this historic and cultural city. I cannot help but think that the underground city was once buried by history and forgotten by people, yet it has always been like roots deep in the earth, providing nourishment for every inch of the city's growth.
Return to TopEmail: rmrbgjfk@peopledaily.cn
Layout designer: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)
By: 晓 乐
A single cell phone—what can it bring to the countryside?
In Guangdong’s Xiadong Village, first-secretary stationed in the village An Jin (安锦) uses his camera to document daily rural life, takes ID photos for the elderly in their homes, and through 60 public-interest agricultural-assistance livestreams has driven over 4 million yuan in consumption-based poverty alleviation. In Liaoning’s Yangbao Village, Party branch secretary Liu Yong (刘勇) records piglet growth every day, shares breeding tips, and has attracted nearly 260,000 followers. In Rong County, Sichuan, “village livestreamer” He Jiandong (何建东) aims his lens at real life, and one morel mushroom livestream moved over 400,000 yuan in sales. A single cell phone is becoming the new farm tool for more and more villages and a new assistant for farmers.
But ironically, some people have turned “helping farmers” into a traffic script, harming farmers in the name of helping them.
Recently, the media exposed the chaos of Pu’er tea livestreaming: some livestream rooms, under the banner of “helping farmers,” pass off ordinary low-grade tea as “authentic ancient-tree tea from the core production area”; out of 27 “tea farmers” appearing on screen, 20 turned out to be actors, with “location appearance” and “performance acting” clearly listed on the labor settlement sheets. One team even rented village committee premises and hired people to play tea farmers to create a “helping farmers” persona for marketing. A livestream that should have connected farmers and consumers became a meticulously designed “dramatic show.”
Why do people always fall for such tricks? It is not that consumers lack judgment, but the phrase “helping farmers” carries too much weight.
In recent years, livestream e-commerce has built a new bridge for agricultural products to leave the village and enter the city. Data from the Ministry of Commerce show that in 2025, national rural online retail sales exceeded 3 trillion yuan for the first time. Major e-commerce platforms conducted over 4 million agricultural-assistance livestreams throughout the year, with sales of specialty agricultural products surpassing 10 billion orders and daily shipments exceeding 20 million orders. More and more “village livestreamers” are rooted in their hometowns, sharing real production and life as well as authentic rural flavors with netizens, and consumers are willing to pay for this sincerity and sentiment.
Precisely because the achievements of e-commerce in helping farmers sell agricultural products did not come easily, the fraud is all the more infuriating.
What is even more worthy of vigilance is that the Yunnan Provincial Tea Industry Association has confirmed that most of these fraud teams have “changed shells and been reborn” from teams that were selling fake jadeite in livestreams. From “farmers’ produce is unsalable” to “factory is closed down,” “scripted livestreams” come one after another. Fake “helping farmers” not only deceives consumers but also deeply harms tea farmers. Many tea farmers, after a hard season, not only fail to make money but even end up subsidizing the costs; and it is they who suffer the backlash of the fraud. The traffic gained from a single staged scene squanders public trust. When consumers begin to wonder, “Is this another act?” those who genuinely help farmers and accumulate traffic through quality and integrity end up paying the price for a few fraudsters.
Livestreaming can be innovative in expression, but it cannot fabricate facts; sellers can tell stories, but they cannot exploit goodwill.
To govern the fake “helping farmers” that “change shells and are reborn,” the key is to “treat the root cause.” Fraudsters must be severely punished according to law and the cost of illegality raised; moreover, a cross-industry, cross-platform “blacklist” system must be implemented so that even if they put on a disguise, they cannot “return.” Platforms must shoulder their responsibility, improve review and traceability mechanisms, and tilt traffic toward high-quality content; for highly concealed private-domain livestream rooms, regulatory gaps must be filled so that they operate in the sunlight.
Traffic can make a livestream room quickly “go viral,” but it is integrity that can make an industry truly “shine.”
Comprehensive rural revitalization needs traffic, but it needs trust even more. To safeguard the weight of the phrase “helping farmers” is to protect not only the goodwill of consumers but also the reputation accumulated by countless genuine farmer-helpers. Do not let a few people’s “traffic scripts” destroy the credibility that rural livestreamers have built with sincerity.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李晓晴 刘军国 刘新吾
This year's flood season, extreme weather has occurred frequently and repeatedly, bringing severe challenges to agricultural production. From protecting seedlings and replanting in paddy fields, rushing to harvest fresh fruits in orchards, to dredging ditches, draining water and controlling humidity in facility greenhouses... a race against disasters is underway, racing against time to minimize losses.
Facing disasters, agricultural production is no longer simply 靠天吃饭 (kào tiān chī fàn - "rely on heaven to eat," depending on nature for sustenance), but is gradually building a full-chain loss reduction system. From the "rush" of seizing the window period after a disaster to stop losses and restore production, to the precise "prevention" enabled by technology, and then to the long-term "consolidation" based on long-range planning and normal operation, how are various places making every effort to protect the "rice bag" and "vegetable basket" and stabilize the income of growers? The journalist conducted a visit.
"Rush" as the top priority, post-disaster loss reduction races against time.
"When the water recedes, people advance; the seedlings must be planted before the solar term!" It is the flood season, and days of heavy rainfall triggered mountain torrents. In Yongchuan District (永川区), Chongqing's Chashan Zhuhai Subdistrict (茶山竹海街道), large areas of rice paddies were covered by mud and sand, and some seedlings were lodged. Large-scale grain grower Wang Shijun (王世均) immediately plunged into the muddy fields: "With the help of the government and technical personnel, I replanted 300 mu of rice." Standing on the ridge, watching the newly replanted seedlings unfurling their leaves in the wind, lush green and growing evenly, a trace of relief appeared on Wang Shijun's tanned face: "Once the seedlings are replanted, my mind is at ease, and there is still hope for the harvest."
Farming waits for no one. After the disaster, Yongchuan District acted swiftly. The fields were muddy and slippery after the rain; agricultural technicians went deep into the fields to verify the disaster situation of rice, grain, and oil crops. They quickly formed a special team for agricultural production recovery, mobilized machinery and equipment, dredged ditches, improved plots, drained accumulated water, and rapidly repaired damaged field infrastructure. At the same time, they actively guided farmers to carry out self-rescue production. For rice that was lightly damaged and still growing, they individually straightened and washed seedlings, banked up soil and strengthened roots, helping the affected seedlings recover as soon as possible. The Chongqing Municipal Agriculture and Rural Committee (重庆市农业农村委员会) actively carried out post-disaster agricultural production recovery, promptly organized and carried out 2.8099 million mu-times of field management and seedling protection, restored production on 316,800 mu, and replanted and switched crops on 29,900 mu.
Rushing to harvest and transport is the first step in stopping losses; seizing the window period to pick and sell externally, reducing the rotting loss of fresh fruits, is also key to reducing losses during the flood season.
"I tossed and turned last night unable to sleep, staring at the typhoon path more than a dozen times. These peaches will be fully ripe in two more days. Once the wind and rain come, they will either drop or crack. Thousands of jin of peaches will rot in the fields, and half a year's hard work will be completely wasted..." At the Su Xiaomei (苏孝梅) Family Farm in Huanglong Village (黄龙村), Juyu Town (巨屿镇), Wencheng County (文成县), Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province, peaches hung heavy on the branches, about to be marketed en masse, but a strong typhoon was approaching step by step. Looking at the heavy fresh fruits on the branches, Su Xiaomei's face was full of worry.
At 4 a.m. on July 9, just as dawn was breaking, a Party member and cadre agricultural assistance service team rushed to the orchard. Everyone quickly divided tasks: picking peaches, sorting, and loading baskets proceeded simultaneously, a scene of bustling activity in the orchard.
To reduce the fruit rotting losses that the typhoon might bring, the service team simultaneously expanded sales channels through community promotion, cadre agency sales, etc., helping sell over 1,000 jin of peaches that same day, effectively avoiding losses from unsold and rotten fruit after the disaster. "If I had waited until the typhoon came to pick, all the peaches on this tree would have been lost. Thanks to the Party members and cadres helping to rush the harvest overnight, I finally feel at ease!" Su Xiaomei, watching the baskets of fruit being transported away, finally let go of the hanging anxiety.
"Prevention" as the top priority, the science and technology system weaves a dense protection net for flood season loss reduction.
"We prevented it!" In Yatou Village (崖头村), Nan Village (南村镇), Pingdu City (平度市), Qingdao, Shandong, tomato grower Wang Lunshi (王伦世) lit up his phone screen and saw the pop-up that the "typhoon yellow warning" had been lifted. He breathed a long sigh of relief: "We've made it through the first hurdle."
According to Wang Lunshi, before the typhoon came, he had already picked all the ripe tomatoes in advance, and flood prevention equipment such as water pumps and sandbags were also prepared early. Lan Xiaobang (兰孝帮), an agricultural technician from the Qingdao Municipal Agriculture and Rural Bureau (青岛市农业农村局), arrived promptly with the "Post-Disaster Field Management Clear Instruction Sheet" (灾后田间管理明白纸). While distributing materials, he bent down to inspect the tomato growth.
"Don't think that just because we suffered no losses this time, the flood season is far from over. The string of vigilance must not be loosened," Lan Xiaobang cautioned. "The top priority is to seize the gaps between rains to dredge ditches and prevent water accumulation. At the same time, focus on preventing fruit cracking, especially root damage caused by excessive soil moisture leading to flower and fruit drop. After waterlogging, the high temperature and humidity inside the greenhouse also provide a breeding ground for diseases. We must promptly spray fungicides to strictly prevent diseases such as soft rot and leaf mold induced after rain."
Having prevented it, we must not let up. Flood season loss reduction relies on unremitting vigilance of "human prevention", and also on the continuous precision of "technical prevention".
In Songxia Subdistrict (崧厦街道), Shangyu District (上虞区), Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, large-scale corn grower Cui Haiming (崔海明) received a weather warning text message in the early hours and had difficulty falling asleep. Songxia Subdistrict is adjacent to Hangzhou Bay, where strong winds and heavy rain are frequent. Before Typhoon Bavi struck, Cui Haiming received multiple warning messages, so he arranged to dredge the "three ditches" (三沟) in the fields, reinforce windbreaks, and check water pumps, preparing for the short-term strong wind and heavy rain. "Relying on precise warnings, under the guidance of agricultural technicians, I took various protective measures in advance, which saved the 600 mu of corn about to ripen and avoided losses of over 700,000 yuan," Cui Haiming said.
The loss reduction results come from a comprehensive flood prevention and disaster reduction system. Shangyu District has 323 regional automatic weather stations, and also specially set up 3 farmland microclimate stations to monitor meteorological elements around the clock. The "Fengtiao Yushun" smart platform (风调虞顺智慧平台) analyzes the collected data in real time. After screening by the agricultural department, targeted disaster prevention measures are matched and accurately pushed to farmers, reminding them to take various precautions in advance to minimize losses.
In response to the adverse factors of frequent extreme weather during the main flood season this year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部) promptly issued a notice deploying measures to prevent drought, flood, and strong typhoons, formulated the "Technical Opinions on Corn Typhoon Prevention, Reducing Waterlogging and Promoting Growth" (玉米防台风降渍涝促生长技术意见), sent four working groups to 7 key provinces to station at the front line and guide local areas in early prevention and early rescue, tight grasp and strong grasp, zoning and classification, fine management and careful management, and implementing and detailing key measures.
Compared to the "prevention" of field crops, facility agriculture, with its enclosure and controllability, shows stronger resilience in resisting extreme weather, becoming the ballast stone for ensuring the supply of the "vegetable basket" during the flood season.
In Piandian Township (偏店乡) and Lutou Township (鹿头乡), She County (涉县), Handan, Hebei, rainfall and hailstorm occurred from the afternoon to the night of July 5, but the tomatoes and cowpeas in dozens of mu of facility vegetable sheds were hardly damaged. "First of all, we prevented it at the physical level. Such large hailstones could smash tile-roofed houses, but when they fell on the facility vegetable shed film, there was a cushion; at most they punched a few holes." Jia Zhizhong (贾志忠), head of the Handan Municipal Vegetable Technology Extension Station (邯郸市蔬菜技术推广站), told the reporter.
Jia Zhizhong said: "Rainfall causes a drop in temperature and an increase in humidity. By using smoke agents and dust agents, while reducing the occurrence of pests and diseases, we also regulate the temperature and humidity inside the shed. In this way, the vegetable greenhouse can play the role of heat preservation, dehumidification, and pest prevention."
Shouguang (寿光), Shandong, targeting the pain point of greenhouses being prone to waterlogging during the flood season, actively explores smart early warning services for greenhouse groundwater levels. The meteorological department investigates waterlogging-prone plots, calculates critical values of water accumulation levels, builds prediction models using rainfall data to simulate water level trends; then, combined with precipitation forecasts, the system predicts waterlogging risks and pushes special warnings in the first time, guiding farmers to drain water and prevent waterlogging in advance. Subsequently, the local meteorological department will also improve the model, expand coverage, and safeguard stable vegetable production and supply.
"Consolidation" as the foundation, long-term mechanisms build a solid base for disaster prevention and loss reduction.
"The leaves stand erect, the ears are large and neat, the center of gravity is lowered, the basal internodes are short and sturdy — with this kind of 'skeleton', even strong winds can hardly topple it." Zhang Wujun (张巫军), an agricultural technology expert from the Chongqing Academy of Agricultural Sciences (重庆市农科院), explained the solid foundation of lodging resistance of the high-quality hybrid rice variety "Yuxiangyou 8133" (渝香优8133).
In Chongqing, high summer temperatures, summer drought, floods, and strong winds occur frequently, easily inducing waterlogging and lodging of rice. The municipal academy's Yuyou team, closely adapting to the mountainous and hilly climate, bred the "Yuyou" series of high-quality hybrid rice, which is waterlogging-tolerant and disaster-resistant, ensuring stable yields and increased income. Among them, the "Yuxiangyou 8133" variety, with measured total yield of main season rice and ratoon rice reaching 1,170.4 kg per mu, achieved the "ton-grain" (吨粮) target for mechanically harvested ratoon rice for three consecutive years under extreme weather.
Good seeds provide a foundation, giving support to flood season loss reduction, while the improvement of infrastructure builds a hard barrier for disaster prevention and loss reduction.
On the afternoon of July 15, after the typhoon passed, in the rice paddies of Tianjingyang (天井垟), Rui'an City (瑞安市), Wenzhou, the granary of southern Zhejiang, the rice ears were golden, and the stems and leaves were green. "Look, this is 'green stalk, yellow ripe' (青秆黄熟), with sufficient nutrients and plump grains." Large-scale grain grower Xiang Xianzhi (项贤治) held up a rice ear, his face showing no post-disaster worry. This calmness came from the local area having completely reversed the old appearance of "when not flooded, a vast expanse of white; once a rainstorm comes, climb onto the roof beams" (未满一片白洋洋，一下暴雨爬栋梁).
In recent years, Tianjingyang has continuously advanced the long-term project of comprehensive river channel management, widening the river channel to 40 meters, installing pine pile revetments, planting trees to consolidate soil, and through water conservancy measures such as reinforcing embankments, dredging river channels, and removing obstacles, the capacity for drought resistance, flood control, and disaster reduction has been significantly improved. Ditches and canals are connected, and drainage and irrigation are flexible, becoming the norm.
Before the typhoon, the local area relied on this mature water conservancy system to pre-discharge and empty reservoirs, reducing the average water storage rate of 27 reservoirs to 45%, and that of 16 earth-rock dam reservoirs to 40%. The typhoon's precipitation flowed into the reservoirs as it came, not only not causing disasters, but also saving later irrigation costs, turning "water disaster" into "water source".
Only by putting effort into normal times can losses be minimized. The Rui'an Municipal Water Resources Bureau (瑞安市水利局), relying on the flood and drought disaster prevention monitoring and early warning system, conducts round-the-clock dynamic monitoring of hydrological stations. When data exceeds limits, it triggers a multi-channel "call-and-response" (叫应) within 5 minutes. At the same time, 9 emergency rescue teams, 85 dryers, and 151 harvesters organized by the Rui'an Municipal Agriculture and Rural Bureau (瑞安市农业农村局) were on standby. The Mayu Grain Depot (马屿粮库) emptied 19,000 tons of storage capacity in advance, achieving "empty warehouse waiting for grain" (空仓等粮). Rui'an City's 67 grain drying centers (points) operate 24 hours a day, with a daily rice drying capacity exceeding 6,000 tons.
Advance deployment and cross-provincial joint prevention weave a dense region-wide collaborative disaster prevention network. During the flood season, field temperature and humidity remain relatively high, and the risk of pest and disease breeding and spread further increases. The rice "two migratory" pests (两迁), which migrate across regions with wind and rain, also need joint prevention efforts. The plant protection departments of Sichuan, Chongqing, and Guizhou, relying on the National Agricultural Technology Center Forecasting Office (全国农技中心测报处), timely share major pest information, build a pest information network for the three regions, and carry out unified prevention and control and emergency response according to "unified technology, unified standards", working together to "snatch grain from insect mouths" (虫口夺粮) during the flood season.
Relying on the "round-the-clock" operation of long-term mechanisms, the thresholds for early warning response and joint prevention and disposal are moved forward, making every effort to reduce agricultural disaster losses during the flood season, and continuously consolidate the comprehensive resilience of agricultural production against stress.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 窦瀚洋
The summer mountain breeze sweeps across the water's surface, stirring up layers of waves. At the Menxi Reservoir (门溪水库) in Huishan Town (回山镇), Xinchang County (新昌县), Zhejiang Province, a floating raft 269 meters long and covering 2,300 square meters lies quietly in the middle of the water, and a coffee shop is open on the floating raft, with many tourists inside the shop.
“Xiao Yu is 见多识广 (jiàn duō shí guǎng - “see much, know much,” experienced and knowledgeable) and full of ideas, and has ignited the town’s tourism.” It happened to be a weekend, and the reservoir’s tourist reception volume reached a new high. Liang Zhenguo (梁振国), Party branch secretary of Hetang Village (荷塘村) in Huishan Town, came to direct traffic. Speaking of coffee shop owner Yu Qingyun (俞青芸), he was 赞不绝口 (zàn bù jué kǒu - “praise without stopping the mouth,” to be full of praise).
Yu Qingyun, born in the 1990s, has ideas and dares to venture and struggle. After returning from studying overseas, she originally had a stable job in Shanghai, but two years ago she returned to her hometown to start a business. “Persist in your own choice, you can shine anywhere,” Yu Qingyun said, recounting her path of returning to her hometown to start a business. It turned out that the Menxi Reservoir at her doorstep, as a non-drinking water resource, had once been in a state of idleness. The town tried introducing projects such as fishing and camping, but all were 不温不火 (bù wēn bù huǒ - “not hot, not cold,” middling or tepid in popularity). Just this body of water was noticed by Yu Qingyun. “During my university years, I participated in an industrial site renovation project. In my eyes, the Menxi Reservoir was waiting to be activated.”
Yu Qingyun came up with the idea of a water coffee shop. To allow the plan to land, she and her team conducted research for over two months, repeatedly refining the business plan, and revising and discussing design plans and operational cooperation plans. Yu Qingyun also took the plan to the town government.
What surprised Yu Qingyun was that the town government did not regard her idea as a “天方夜谭 (Tiān fāng yè tán - “Arabian Nights,” a fantastic tale or absurd fantasy),” but instead listed the project as the “Huishan Youth Returning Home Entrepreneurship Project No. 1 (回山青年返乡创业一号工程).” Various difficulties were resolved one by one under the special coordination of the county and town governments.
“The most unforgettable thing was having to energize and increase power capacity on the water. The county government helped contact the State Grid Shaoxing Power Supply Company (国网绍兴供电公司) to carry out supporting power facility renovations. In less than a week, the once most troublesome power supply issue was properly resolved,” Yu Qingyun said.
After opening at the end of 2024, this immersive water space, integrating coffee, team building, fishing, and camping, rapidly became popular on social platforms, becoming a mountain-field destination that young people rush to check in. Last year, Yu Qingyun introduced emerging water sports such as paddleboarding and kayaking, and organized events such as a bread festival. In 2025, the Menxi Reservoir cumulatively received 50,000 tourist visits. The coffee shop directly created 18 jobs, spurred the opening of 3 new agritainments and homestays in the vicinity, and also revived the surrounding ecological restaurants and campsites all at once.
“Watching the reservoir gradually become lively, we also cooperated to set up camping around the reservoir,” said Liang Youwei (梁铕沩), a post-1995 youth returning to his hometown to start a business. He and Yu Qingyun 一拍即合 (yī pāi jí hé - “strike once and come together,” to see eye to eye immediately). On weekends, tents are scattered like 星罗棋布 (xīng luó qí bù - “stars spread, chess pieces placed,” dotted all over), adding a bit of charm to the 湖光山色 (hú guāng shān sè - “lake light and mountain color,” scenic beauty of lakes and mountains). In the small town of Huishan, over the past few years, more than 20 young people like them have gradually been attracted.
Lyu Yunjiang (吕云江), Party secretary of Huishan Town, introduced that with the successful case of Yu Qingyun, in recent years the town has further improved the youth returning home entrepreneurship support policies, providing a package of full-process support from transportation, internet, water and electricity utilities, to start-up funds for young entrepreneurs.
More importantly, the villagers’ mentality has also undergone a positive transformation. Villager Sister Yang used to rely on odd jobs to supplement the family income, but now she works as a waitress at the water coffee shop, earning 3,000 yuan per month. Her husband Brother Yang is now a boat driver on the reservoir, earning even more than her.
“Now these returning young people are showing us through their actions that the countryside can not only retain people but also enable them to achieve careers,” Lyu Yunjiang said.
Return to TopBy: 唐旭东
On the first day of the dog days, the First Community of Xiluoyuan, Fengtai District, Beijing (北京市丰台区西罗园第一社区) carried out a “sanfu” (dog days) health preservation science popularization activity. Chinese medicine physicians from Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University (首都医科大学附属北京天坛医院) and Xiluoyuan Community Health Service Center (西罗园社区卫生服务中心) provided multi-department free clinic consultations, health counseling, and Chinese medicine health knowledge science popularization for community residents. This is a vivid case of Chinese medicine entering the community to serve the masses.
As a unique health resource and cultural treasure of our country, Chinese medicine possesses the significant advantages of being “simple, convenient, efficacious, and inexpensive” in grassroots public health services. However, it must be soberly recognized that at the grassroots level, especially in rural communities, the masses find it difficult to access high-quality Chinese medicine services.
In May this year, the Guidance Opinions on Further Leveraging the Role of Village (Residents’) Committee Public Health Committees (《关于进一步发挥村（居）民委员会公共卫生委员会作用的指导意见》) jointly issued by six departments including the National Health Commission (国家卫生健康委) and the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (国家中医药管理局) proposed making full use of online and offline publicity positions to carry out health knowledge (including Chinese medicine) propaganda and education, popularize healthy lifestyles, build a healthy environment, and mobilize the broad masses to actively practice civilized and healthy behaviors. This puts forward clear requirements for Chinese medicine to enter rural communities, participate in public health services, and better serve the health of the grassroots masses. To implement this guidance opinion, it is necessary to promote the deep integration of the Chinese medicine strengthening foundation project and the public health committee, and unblock the “last kilometer” of Chinese medicine serving the masses.
Improve the system, promote the integration of positions and the fusion of grids. Village clinics and the activity venues of public health committees should be planned and used jointly to carry out experience of suitable Chinese medicine techniques; implement the requirement of “integration of multiple grids,” embed Chinese medicine chronic disease management, child health care, and other services into the daily visits of grid workers, coordinate with family doctors to carry out home health interventions; encourage high-level Chinese medicine practitioners to participate in mobile medical services, send suitable techniques such as acupuncture and moxibustion to remote areas and the homes of people with limited mobility, forming a closed loop of “demand discovery — service supply — effect feedback.”
Attract talent, enrich the Chinese medicine strength of public health committees. It is recommended to absorb village doctors and retired Chinese medicine physicians within the jurisdiction into public health committees, and ensure that at least one of the full-time (or part-time) members of the committee possesses the ability to provide Chinese medicine services. Conduct suitable Chinese medicine technique training for professional personnel in the committee, and conduct basic Chinese medicine knowledge and health promotion skills training for other committee members and grid workers, with at least one round of training per year.
Integrate services, it is recommended to embed Chinese medicine into the daily work of public health committees. In the health management of the elderly, the committee assists in helping family doctors complete TCM constitution identification for people aged 65 and above, track and follow up those with biased constitutions, and provide guidance on acupoint health care and dietary nursing; in child health guidance, the committee coordinates professional personnel to teach parents home massage techniques such as abdominal massage and spinal pinching during home visits; in chronic disease management, for patients with hypertension, diabetes, etc., incorporate Chinese medicine interventions such as medicinal diet, acupressure, and health exercises into routine follow-ups.
Promote Chinese medicine culture, integrate Chinese medicine culture into the daily life of the people. For example, write healthy lifestyles such as Chinese medicine seasonal health preservation, medicated diet regulation, Baduanjin (eight-section brocade) into village regulations and resident covenants, set up “Apricot Forest Station” or Chinese medicine culture corners in Party and community service centers, equip with health manuals, self-testing equipment, etc., organize activities such as “public health service + Chinese medicine + night market,” and promote models such as “Chinese medicine healthy community.”
Chinese medicine is a great creation of the Chinese nation, having safeguarded the health of the Chinese people for thousands of years. Building a healthy countryside cannot be separated from the empowerment of Chinese medicine. To make Chinese medicine “come alive” in rural communities, the key lies in deeply planting the “roots” of Chinese medicine in the health needs of the masses. When a silver needle, a cup of moxibustion, and a plaster of medicine become standard equipment in grassroots medical and health services, only then can Chinese medicine culture truly integrate into the daily lives of the people, better meet the health needs of the masses, and further consolidate the grassroots defense line of Healthy China.
(The author is a member of the Academic Division of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences (中国中医科学院学部委员) and former vice president.)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 申少铁 黄晓慧 王 沛
The biomedical industry concerns the life and health of the people, concerns national strategic security, and is also an important support for cultivating new quality productive forces (新质生产力) and promoting high-quality development. The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan explicitly lists the biomedical industry as a strategic emerging industry.
Data recently released by the National Medical Products Administration (国家药监局) show that in the first half of this year, China approved 38 innovative drugs for market, including 11 drugs with new targets and new mechanisms, all of which are domestically produced innovative drugs, and some are globally first-in-class therapeutic drugs; the number of innovative medical devices approved for market reached 42, including multiple "world's first" medical device products.
China's biomedical industry is striding towards the stage of high-quality development: its industry scale ranks second globally, and its pipeline of innovative drugs under development accounts for about 30% of the global total... How was this achieved? Reporters visited Beijing, Shanghai, Shandong and other places to conduct interviews.
"If we are to do it, we must do technology with independent intellectual property rights that breaks monopolies."
In the formulation workshop of Building K, the Antibody Building, of Rongchang Biopharmaceutical (Yantai) Co., Ltd. (荣昌生物制药（烟台）股份有限公司), robotic arms precisely fill the liquid drug, then lyophilize, package... An innovative drug comes off the production line and heads to various places.
This drug is the one for treating systemic lupus erythematosus — Telitacicept (泰它西普). On June 8 this year, Telitacicept was approved for new indications: Sjögren's syndrome and IgA (immunoglobulin A) nephropathy. "This achieves a global first in the treatment field," said Fang Jianmin (房健民), CEO of Rongchang Biopharmaceutical, proudly.
"From the very beginning, we aspired to create first-in-class and best-in-class innovative drugs," Fang Jianmin explained. For a long time, major pharmaceutical companies worldwide had repeatedly failed in the research and development of drugs for treating systemic lupus erythematosus, leaving patients without effective treatment drugs. After more than 10 years of dedicated research and development, Telitacicept was approved for market in 2021, with its first approved indication being systemic lupus erythematosus.
Fang Jianmin introduced that the company's R&D team is currently conducting Phase III clinical trials for indications such as connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease, ocular myasthenia gravis, and autoimmune encephalitis, all centered on Telitacicept.
Shanghai MicroPort Rhythm Medical Technology Co., Ltd. (上海微创旋律医疗科技有限公司) takes meeting clinical needs as an important direction for R&D innovation.
For a long time, domestic rotational atherectomy devices for treating coronary artery calcified lesions were entirely dependent on imports and were expensive. In 2020, Rhythm Medical, a subsidiary of MicroPort, was established, forming a multidisciplinary R&D team with young R&D personnel as the backbone. Ji Xiaofei (季晓飞), then director of the R&D department at Rhythm Medical, served as the project leader and embarked on a path of tackling difficulties.
"If we are to do it, we must do technology with independent intellectual property rights that breaks monopolies!" Ji Xiaofei clarified the direction for the team. He believed that if they continue to imitate behind multinational medical companies as in the past, the team would never be able to grow bigger and stronger, and might even get caught up in infringement disputes. Only by targeting high-end technology and strengthening independent R&D can they enhance product competitiveness and open up broader markets.
The burr of the coronary rotational atherectomy system is extremely small, with over 1,000 tiny diamonds inlaid on it, its fineness akin to completing micro-engraving on a strand of hair. Ji Xiaofei's team continuously tackled key challenges in aspects such as key materials, structural design, and manufacturing processes. They tested dozens of diamond micropowder formulations, continuously optimizing the burr structure and transmission system design.
During the R&D process, Ji Xiaofei's team discovered that similar foreign devices were not perfect. For example, in a single treatment, different-sized burrs and catheters needed to be changed according to the thickness of the blood vessels, increasing the duration of surgical steps and patient costs. Doctors had to watch the screen to observe the vessel condition, control the catheter advancement with both hands, and simultaneously control the device operation with their feet — a very inconvenient operation.
To solve these pain points, Ji Xiaofei led the team through hundreds of tests and optimizations, developing an adaptive flexible transmission system. This further enhanced the safety and stability of the burr, expanded the applicable range of a single burr, reduced the need for device changes in clinical scenarios, and integrated all control functions into the operating handle, allowing doctors to focus more on treating the lesion.
In December 2024, the coronary rotational atherectomy system developed by Rhythm Medical was approved for market, and has now completed over 600 clinical applications in more than 150 hospitals.
Enabling enterprises to dare to invest in scientific and technological innovation
The "North Brain No.1" (北脑一号) brain-computer interface technology helps paraplegic patients use their thoughts to control a robotic arm to drink water; gene therapies in clinical trials hold promise for restoring sight to the blind; multiple domestically developed anticancer new drugs have been born here and gone global... In recent years, the Zhongguancun Life Science Park (中关村生命科学园) located in Changping District, Beijing has achieved many breakthroughs in the biomedical field.
The built-up area of Zhongguancun Life Science Park is only 2.5 square kilometers, yet it houses more than 10 top domestic biomedical research institutions and brings together nearly 1,000 biomedical technology enterprises, with an output value exceeding 100 billion yuan in 2025.
The biomedical industry is a technology-intensive industry with huge capital investment and long product R&D cycles; industrial development cannot do without external support. Changping District has explored a diversified investment pattern of "government guidance + social capital participation": the Beijing Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Investment Fund and the Life Valley Pharmaceutical and Health Industry Fund have been successively established, joining with 31 market-oriented sub-funds for a total scale exceeding 21.7 billion yuan. The funds have achieved financial ecosystem coverage for the entire life cycle of biomedicine, enabling enterprises to dare to invest in scientific and technological innovation.
For biomedical R&D innovation, especially innovative drug R&D, conducting clinical trials is key, and it is also a practical challenge faced by many enterprises. Changping District promotes hospitals with drug clinical trial qualifications within its jurisdiction to support enterprise clinical trials. Hospitals such as Peking University International Hospital, Xiaotangshan Hospital, and Tsinghua Changgung Hospital, focusing on solid tumors, hematologic tumors, brain science and other fields, provide international multicenter clinical trials, allowing enterprises' candidate drugs to quickly enter the clinical evaluation stage.
The Shanghai Xiegu Innovation Medical Device Industrial Park (上海械谷创新医疗器械产业园), where Rhythm Medical is located, was jointly established by Jiading District and Ruijin Hospital (瑞金医院) in October 2023. As the core carrier for high-end medical devices in Jiading District, the industrial park has developed an industry-medicine integration model of "doctors as chain leaders, enterprises as chain hearts, government as chain chiefs, and the park as partners." Currently, the park has built the Ruijin Innovation Center, bringing together 11 high-level research institutes and enterprise joint laboratories.
"The high-quality services of the industrial park attract many enterprises to settle in," said Ge Xiaojing (葛晓靖), general manager of Xiegu (Shanghai) Enterprise Development Co., Ltd. (械谷（上海）企业发展有限公司). Xiegu has built a shared laboratory service platform with equipment worth over 100 million yuan, reducing enterprise R&D costs; it has introduced the Shanghai Biomedical Product Registration Guidance Service Station, with dedicated personnel guiding product registration and application, connecting with the municipal drug administration's evaluation and verification center, shortening the certification cycle.
From a national perspective, the reform of the evaluation and approval system has provided a favorable environment for the development of the biomedical industry. In August 2015, the State Council issued the "Opinions on Reforming the Evaluation and Approval System for Drugs and Medical Devices." The National Medical Products Administration has continuously advanced the reform of the evaluation and approval system for drugs and medical devices, constantly improving evaluation and approval efficiency, opening green channels for innovative drugs and medical devices in urgent clinical need, implementing priority evaluation and approval, and providing personalized guidance to enterprises, accelerating the launch of innovative products. Taking innovative drugs as an example, the clinical trial approval time has been shortened from 14 months 10 years ago to 30 days now, greatly accelerating the speed of enterprise clinical trials.
Daring to open up new tracks "from 0 to 1"
Overall, China's biomedical industry is still in a stage of transitioning from being primarily imitative to independent innovation. There are not many enterprises with independent innovation capabilities, and the core components and parts of some high-end products are highly dependent on foreign sources, potentially facing the risk of supply cutoffs.
With the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology, the biomedical industry will usher in greater opportunities. How can China's biomedical industry achieve a transformation from following and running alongside to leading?
Chen Kaixian (陈凯先), academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and researcher at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica (上海药物所), Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that biomedical enterprises and research institutes should avoid homogeneous competition, should not be satisfied with making incremental innovations on tracks opened by others, and must strengthen original innovation capabilities. For example, in innovative drug R&D, more attention should be paid to the exploration of new targets, new mechanisms, and entirely new drug types, daring to open up new tracks "from 0 to 1."
"Only by always targeting the global frontier of biotechnology and unswervingly adhering to independent innovation and original innovation can technological breakthroughs be achieved," Fang Jianmin said. Rongchang Biopharmaceutical's global leadership in a segmented field is achieved by adhering to source innovation.
Talent is the key to scientific and technological innovation. Chen Kaixian believes that it is necessary to strengthen the deep integration of industry, academia, and research. Universities and research institutes should focus more on basic research and the discovery of new tracks. By building joint laboratories and strengthening talent cultivation, they can open up the chain of "basic research—candidate product—clinical translation." At the same time, they should broaden international perspectives, introduce globally high-level top talents, and consolidate the intellectual foundation of original innovation.
"Continuously optimize the whole-chain policy support environment." Chen Kaixian suggested that through measures such as guiding via major science and technology special projects, continuously optimizing the evaluation and approval mechanism for innovative drugs and medical devices, strengthening medical insurance access and fiscal, tax, and financial support, and encouraging capital to "invest early, invest small, invest in hard technology," an ecosystem that tolerates failure and provides long-term support should be created for original innovation in the biomedical industry.
Ge Xiaojing believes that biomedical industrial parks should focus on frontier tracks, deepen industry-academia-research cooperation with universities, institutes, and central enterprises, and strive to build segmented innovative advantage industries such as high-end medical devices, innovative drugs, and innovative biological products. "They must also provide good innovation support services, such as building shared experimental platforms, regularly organizing clinical verification and registration training, and truly act as the 'family' for enterprises."
"We will accelerate the implementation of innovative products." A relevant official from the National Medical Products Administration said that the drug regulatory department will always pay attention to the development trends of the drug and medical device industry, strengthen clinical trial and pre-market technical guidance for innovative enterprises, help enterprises optimize products, and on the basis of ensuring reliable quality, further shorten clinical trial and market evaluation and approval times, striving for more "Made in China, Global New" products to be first launched domestically, further meeting clinical needs and safeguarding the health of the people.
Return to TopBy: 缪国斌
After a flood disaster occurs, problems such as waterlogging, damp environment, and water source pollution follow one after another, making it easy for various health risks to emerge. How to protect health after a flood disaster?
Ensure drinking water safety to build the first line of defense for health. Do not drink raw water. In flood disasters, water supply facilities such as tap water pipelines and wells are easily submerged and contaminated by floodwater. Water sources may carry bacteria, viruses, parasite eggs, and various harmful substances, and must undergo strict treatment before consumption. Prioritize safe water sources; if conditions permit, give priority to drinking bottled water or barreled water; if using tap water, confirm that the water supply department has resumed normal supply and that water quality meets standards. If the tap water appears turbid, has an unusual odor, etc., it is strictly forbidden to drink it. For situations without safe drinking water, water can be appropriately treated: first choice is boiling disinfection. Bring water to a boil and keep it boiling continuously for 3–5 minutes, which can effectively kill pathogenic bacteria and parasite eggs in the water. Second, chemical disinfection. Disinfectants such as bleaching powder and bleaching powder tablets can be used, added according to the ratio specified in the instructions, stirred evenly, and left to sit for more than 30 minutes before drinking.
Strictly control the dietary gateway to prevent the occurrence of intestinal infectious diseases. Strictly select food ingredients. Choose fresh, uncontaminated food ingredients. Vegetables, fruits, meat, rice, flour, and other ingredients that have been soaked by floodwater, even if they appear normal on the outside, may have been contaminated by pathogenic bacteria; all should be discarded and not eaten. Thoroughly clean food ingredients. Fresh vegetables and fruits should be rinsed repeatedly with clean water, preferably with running water, to remove residual sediment and germs on the surface; meat and aquatic products should also be cleaned. Standardize food processing. All food must be cooked thoroughly, especially meat, eggs, and aquatic products; avoid raw or undercooked consumption. Knives, cutting boards, tableware, etc., used for food processing must be separated for raw and cooked foods, and after use, promptly cleaned and disinfected to prevent cross-contamination.
Do a good job of skin protection to stay away from skin diseases. Prolonged contact with floodwater and sewage leaves the skin in a damp environment, and sewage contains bacteria, fungi, parasites, and various irritating substances, easily triggering eczema, dermatitis, tinea of the hands and feet, folliculitis, etc.; in severe cases, skin infection and ulceration may occur. Try to avoid contact with sewage. Avoid prolonged immersion in floodwater as much as possible; if contact with sewage is necessary due to emergency rescue, cleanup, and other tasks, protection must be prepared in advance, wear waterproof gloves, rain boots, protective clothing, etc., to reduce direct skin contact with sewage. Do a good job of daily skin care. Change clothes and bedding frequently, keep clothing dry and clean, avoid damp clothing adhering to the skin for a long time; if symptoms such as itching, redness, swelling, papules appear on the skin, do not scratch with hands to avoid breaking the skin and causing infection; topical medications can be applied under a doctor's guidance to relieve symptoms.
Do a good job of environmental hygiene and disinfection to cut off the transmission routes of germs. After a flood, silt and garbage accumulate, the environment is damp, and it is very easy for bacteria, viruses, fungi, and other pathogenic microorganisms to breed. Timely clean up environmental debris. Give priority to clearing silt, standing water, and garbage in and around the living environment, especially rotten animal and plant remains; they should be collected and properly disposed of to avoid breeding mosquitoes and germs. Standardize environmental disinfection. Key areas for disinfection include house floors, walls, doors and windows, furniture, bathrooms, kitchens, etc. Chlorine-containing disinfectants (such as 84 disinfectant) can be used, diluted according to the instructions, and then wiped with a cloth or sprayed for disinfection. After disinfection, open windows for ventilation for more than 30 minutes to reduce the harm of disinfectant residues. Tableware and kitchen utensils can be disinfected by boiling, continuously boiling for 15–20 minutes. After washing with clean water, clothes and bedding should be exposed to sunlight for more than 4 hours. Do a good job of vector control. Standing water after a flood is the main breeding ground for mosquitoes; promptly clear standing water in roof, balcony, courtyard, and other areas, fill in pits and hollows to prevent mosquito breeding; install window screens and screen doors, use mosquito repellent incense, mosquito repellent liquid, mosquito nets, and other anti-mosquito supplies to reduce mosquito bites; properly seal food, promptly clean up kitchen waste, to prevent flies, rats, etc., from contacting food and spreading germs.
(The author is the Director of the Emergency Department and Chief Physician of the Emergency General Hospital; compiled by Mo Peng (莫鹏))
Return to TopBy: 周 桦
Writing a biography of Yuan Longping is a stroke of luck for a biographer, but also an enormous pressure. As an outstanding scientist, the hunger vanquisher and grain production guarantor in the minds of several generations of Chinese people, Yuan Longping's name has become a household symbol for half a century. To write about the driving force behind Yuan Longping's scientific spirit, which he maintained with the same dedication for decades, and to capture the richness and vitality of his life as an ordinary person dwelling in the mundane world, is no easy task.
When the publisher first came to request Yuan Longping’s authorization to write a biography of him, he habitually scratched his head and said: “My life has been plain and uneventful; there’s nothing worth writing about.” His tone was sincere and direct, and came from a genuine feeling that his life was insignificant—completely at odds with how the public sees him. I wondered: How could Yuan Longping manage to carve out a clear and quiet spiritual world for himself amid the clamorous applause of the world, and sustain it for more than half a century?
During nearly six years of interviewing and writing Yuan Longping: A Biography, I came to feel more and more: Yuan Longping’s magnificent life was one of constantly resolving various “contradictions.” These contradictions were not about opposition or regret, but about a profound choice: what a person, in a limited lifetime, chooses to dedicate his life to.
Having written biographies for so many years, I have always firmly believed that a person’s most moving qualities are often hidden in his contradictions. Yuan Longping’s contradictions are both poignant and thought-provoking.
Loving all under heaven, yet missing his parents’ final moments
At the end of 1974, Yuan Longping’s father, Yuan Xinglie (袁兴烈), was critically ill and hospitalized. At that time, Yuan Longping was in Sanya, Hainan, tackling a critical phase of the three-line hybrid rice project—the “seed production” bottleneck. His wife, Deng Ze (邓则), received a telegram and rushed to the hospital. When Yuan Xinglie learned that Yuan Longping was in Hainan working on the breakthrough, he instructed Deng Ze: “Don’t call him back. State affairs are important, family affairs are minor. Let him focus on his work.” So the whole family concealed the father’s condition from Yuan Longping. In January 1975, Yuan Xinglie passed away, and Yuan Longping thus missed seeing his father one last time.
Fifteen years later, in September 1989, Yuan Longping’s mother, Hua Jing (华静), was critically ill in Anjiang, Hunan (湖南安江). When he learned of it, Yuan Longping was at an important conference on hybrid rice research in Changsha. He finished the meeting and hurried to Anjiang, only to learn upon arriving at the hospital that his mother had already passed away while he was on his way. The 60-year-old Yuan Longping broke down and wept loudly—because he and his mother had parted forever, and because he had not been able to say a final goodbye to her.
He was absent at the deaths of both his parents. That might make Yuan Longping seem heartless, but in truth, he carried a powerful love within him. Because of that love, after experiencing famine in his youth and seeing people die of starvation, “letting the people of the world have enough to eat” and “increasing grain output, again and again” became his convictions. In his research notes and public speeches, the term “the problem of eating” appears repeatedly. In Yuan Longping’s view, this was not a simple matter of agricultural science and technology; it was about human dignity. If a person cannot even get enough to eat, how can they talk about life?
If there was one thing that was never absent or late in Yuan Longping’s life, it was the hybrid rice breeding experiments every year and the daily “date” with the paddy fields. The persistence of “I must be on site” was sustained by the conviction to continuously increase grain output. And that conviction, maintained with the same dedication for decades, was rooted in love for the people, for the country, for the nation. Because he loved, he urgently wanted to solve their most fundamental problem: the rice bowl, the food supply.
This love was so great that he unconsciously gave up some family affections, such as the final farewells to his parents. His love was never insufficient; it was so great that it far exceeded the boundaries of a single family.
Carefree in daily life, obsessive in work
Yuan Longping described himself as “free and undisciplined.” He indeed disliked being constrained; formal occasions were kept as simple as possible, and he rejected red tape and excessive formalities. Before their marriage, when Deng Ze first visited his dormitory, she was met with a scene of chaos: “There were even a few pairs of my smelly socks thrown in a corner,” Yuan Longping recalled.
The undisciplined Yuan Longping was very passionate about life. He liked playing mahjong, and played seriously—he would be frustrated when he lost and happy when he won. From his youth, he loved music and singing; he learned to play the violin in college and would play for a long time. He was also good at swimming, having won first place in the Eastern Sichuan district swimming competition, and even once rescued a drowning classmate in the Jialing River.
He had an almost instinctive enthusiasm for life; he wanted to make life fun. But it was this undisciplined person who fully enjoyed life who accomplished something that required extreme obsessiveness to achieve.
In 1964, Yuan Longping began searching for male-sterile rice plants—the key foundational material for hybrid rice breeding. Many crop male-sterile plants share a common feature: the anthers do not dehisce. Yuan Longping decided to use this as a breakthrough for finding natural male-sterile plants. 按图索骥 (àn tú suǒ jì - “search for a steed by following a picture,” to look for something according to a set pattern), he relied on the naked eye to search through the vast sea of rice paddies. He actually knew that the probability of finding this sterile line—later called the “C system”—was one in fifty thousand; finding it was almost like 大海捞针 (dà hǎi lāo zhēn - “fishing for a needle in the vast sea,” an impossible task).
But Yuan Longping actually fished out that needle! On the fourteenth day after starting the search, he found a male-sterile plant of the “Dongting Early Indica” variety. Examining tens of thousands of rice plants one by one, in fields where he could be scratched by rice awns at any time, he would squat down, look, record, then squat down again. For fourteen consecutive days, he got up before dawn every day, ate a quick meal, took two steamed buns to the paddy fields, and did not finish until after 4 p.m.
During the interviews, when I considered these details in retrospect, I occasionally wondered: Is this the same person as the one who plays mahjong, sings, and plays the violin, the one who calls himself undisciplined? But I quickly had a very definite answer: Of course! And the two sides complete each other: precisely because Yuan Longping was relaxed enough in daily life, he was able to concentrate all his focus when obsessiveness was needed, and do what others considered impossible.
People who truly love something do not need discipline to constrain them. For Yuan Longping, going to the field and playing the violin were actually the same thing: total concentration, living with full attention.
Absent from his sons’ upbringing, yet a “father” in the eyes of his students
Yuan Longping had three sons, but because he was busy with work, he did not accompany or nurture his children the way most fathers do. Hybrid rice research and promotion was a pioneering endeavor in international agricultural science, and Yuan Longping, as the founder of China’s hybrid rice research, devoted most of his time to this cause.
The eldest son was raised by Yuan Longping’s parents; the second son spent slightly more time with Yuan Longping and Deng Ze, and could be considered the one who spent the most time with his father among the three brothers—but “the most” was only relative; the youngest son grew up with the company of Deng Ze’s mother. To the young boy, his father was more like an occasional guest. He remembered often asking his mother and grandmother when he was young: “Where’s Dad?” The answer was always “planting rice.” As a result, when Yuan Dingyang (袁定阳) was a child, he imagined his father was rich, because only a rich man could own so many fields, and with so many fields he could never finish planting all the rice.
As for his sons’ education and careers, Yuan Longping also did not give much attention or help; the children all explored and grew on their own. His student Xie Changjiang (谢长江) remembered that he would occasionally have to handle the children’s school affairs on Yuan Longping’s behalf. “Xie Changjiang, can you make a run for me? I really can’t spare the time.” He would always toss such a sentence to Xie Changjiang and then go back to his own business.
However, on the other side, his students had a different memory.
Yuan Longping’s first master’s degree graduate student, Xie Fangming (谢放鸣), became Yuan Longping’s assistant after graduation, but Yuan Longping felt that Xie Fangming had great potential, so he secured a biology scholarship for him in the United States and recommended him to Cornell University for doctoral study. Xie Fangming later became a scientist at the International Rice Research Institute; it is fair to say that this was related to Yuan Longping’s full support back then.
There were many similar examples. Yuan Longping always seemed to care more about his students’ “feathers” than they did themselves. Once, an institution that employed one of his doctoral students, Wu Zhaohui (吴朝晖), planned to assign him to administrative work. Yuan Longping was very anxious and felt that this would waste Wu Zhaohui’s scientific research talent. The last time he saw Wu Zhaohui before his death, Yuan Longping repeated again and again: “Spend more time on research, do good research.” Yuan Longping’s consideration for his students was thorough and meticulous; he even worried about Wu Zhaohui’s marriage and personally chose a wedding date for him.
Sometimes Yuan Longping made one feel that he did far more for his students than for his own sons. During the writing process, I tried to understand this. I think perhaps it was because he shared something with his students: hybrid rice research. They were fellow travelers, speaking the same language, heading in the same direction. In his students, he could clearly see the continuation of his career, see that seed being taken up and then passed on.
Yuan Longping used the word “nurturing seedlings” for the paddy fields, and he also used it for people. In his own way, he turned the role of father into a form of inheritance.
Yuan Longping was indeed full of contradictions, but those “seemingly contradictory” aspects all originated from the same personality—devoting his finite life entirely to what he considered the most important and most valuable thing.
The highest-level contradiction in life is the choice, which can never be fully reconciled, between mission and family, freedom and responsibility, the small family and the larger community. Yuan Longping made his choice, and that choice made him who he was.
Return to TopBy: 陈 旻
The just-past July 15 was the 100th birthday of the renowned translator and retired editor of the People's Literature Publishing House, Mr. Wen Jieruo (文洁若). My colleagues and I once again came to the elder Wen's home at Fuxingmen in Beijing to celebrate her 期颐之寿 (qī yí zhī shòu - "longevity of a centenarian," a term for a 100-year-old birthday).
Over the past twenty-plus years, my contacts with Mr. Wen have mostly been about publishing her translations or taking over republication of books she had previously edited, communicating with her on matters of copyright, manuscripts, proofs, and sample copies. Every time I go to Mr. Wen's home, the first thing I see is her back — her desk is right against the wall facing the door. On the desk is a desk lamp, sometimes even turned on during the day because her eyesight has gradually weakened. Besides the lamp, on the desk are foreign-language original books and dictionaries, as well as piles of Mr. Wen's translation manuscripts. Her manuscripts are easy to identify: every stroke is clear, and in some places there are short or long strips of paper pasted on — these are strips that Mr. Wen hand-cut from waste paper she collected; when revising her translation drafts, she would cut the strips to different lengths depending on the amount of revision. A single desk encapsulates her diligence and frugality.
Mr. Wen has insisted on doing one thing her whole life: introducing and presenting excellent foreign literature to Chinese readers. She is a translator and also a publishing house editor, skilled in both Japanese and English. A considerable portion of the "Japanese Literature Series" published by People's Literature Publishing House in the 1980s was edited and translated by her. In 1982, the People's Literature Publishing House published "Selected Contemporary Japanese Novels" compiled by Mr. Wen, which included works by a group of powerhouse Japanese writers such as Junichiro Tanizaki, Kenzaburo Oe, and Shusaku Endo — just looking at this list of writers, you cannot help but admire the compiler's precise eye. Mr. Wen's translations of Ryunosuke Akutagawa's "Rashomon," Yasunari Kawabata's "The Tokyoites," and Seicho Matsumoto's "Japan's Black Mist" are classics, and her co-translation of "Ulysses" with Mr. Xiao Qian became a grand event in literary circles. Her translation language is simple and elegant, with profound meaning, and within its plainness there is a power that penetrates the heart. She has received the "Translation Culture Lifetime Achievement Award" (翻译文化终身成就奖) from the Chinese Translators Association, yet she says that in this life, "any small achievement I have attained is entirely due to diligence."
Besides work matters, we sometimes chat about hot figures and events. I recall around 2010, we talked about Mr. Zhou Youguang, who, though already past 100 years old, still 笔耕不辍 (bǐ gēng bù chuò - "to keep writing without stopping," describes diligent writing). Mr. Wen said 兴致勃勃 (xìng zhì bó bó - "full of enthusiasm and interest"): "I want to be like Zhou Youguang, live to 100, work to 100." When she said this, she was already over 80. This refusal to admit defeat secretly startled me — her thin, frail body contained an unexpectedly enormous energy.
As age increases, fewer and fewer things Mr. Wen can do, except translation. I thought that at such an advanced age, an old person would only gradually immerse herself in her own world, seldom receiving outside information. The facts shattered my prejudice. Around 2020, the works of Japanese writer Osamu Dazai became very popular among readers, and articles about him increased in newspapers and magazines, mostly introducing his well-known works. One day, I happened to read an article introducing Dazai's novel "Farewell," a novel rarely mentioned in his oeuvre, so it caught my attention. Unexpectedly, a few days later, when I visited Mr. Wen, she suddenly told me that she had recently read an article that introduced a novel by Dazai about Lu Xun, "Farewell," and asked if I could find an original copy for her — she wanted to read it. The over-90-year-old Mr. Wen is still full of enthusiasm receiving outside information, and from it finding the motivation to continue translating; one cannot but feel admiration.
That day, after celebrating Mr. Wen's birthday, we left her home at high noon. While waiting for a car under the scorching sun, I suddenly remembered that not long ago I had recorded a video with her and asked what she wanted to say to today's young people. Mr. Wen did not hesitate for a moment; she 脱口而出 (tuō kǒu ér chū - "to blurt out without thinking," to speak spontaneously): "Young people should work more while they are young." After saying this, she laughed herself.
In the eyes of the centenarian Mr. Wen, we are all young people. I think her words are a hope for each and every one of us.
(The author is an editor in the Foreign Literature Editorial Office of the People's Literature Publishing House.)
Return to TopBy: 史 钧
Eight or nine years ago, many anthropology books appeared on the market, many of which examined the development of human civilization from a Western perspective, while Eastern civilization was intentionally or unintentionally overlooked in the writing. Yet human civilization is the result of the integration and interconnection of Eastern and Western civilizations and all other civilizations of the world. Therefore, I began collecting materials to create Super Species: Human Evolution and the Development of Civilization, and in the process of writing, I deliberately strengthened the Eastern perspective.
The generally understood concept of civilization is the concentrated display of social capabilities, including the ability to record in writing, the ability to express artistically, the ability to summarize and transmit knowledge, and the ability to manage society systematically, among others. The achievement of the integration of various factors is civilization. The problem is that living things on Earth are 漫山遍野 (màn shān biàn yě - "covering the mountains and covering the plains," numerous and widespread) and beyond counting; some even appeared earlier than humans. Why is it that only humans have developed a 繁花似锦 (fán huā sì jǐn - "a myriad of flowers like brocade," splendid and flourishing) modern civilization?
To answer this question, this book takes the north bank of the Congo River as its starting point, beginning from the moment humans and apes diverged, to comprehensively review the leapfrogging process of human civilization, to explore the glorious journey of humans ultimately becoming a "super species," and then, from the perspective of natural selection, to analyze the biological and sociological characteristics of humans, thereby elucidating that human civilization is the result of natural selection.
At its essence, humans are still a kind of animal. The fundamental goal of survival is to obtain food and mates — this is what the ancients called 食色性也 (shí sè xìng yě - "food and sex are inherent in nature," the instinctive nature of appetite and sexuality). To achieve this goal, humans formed groups and engaged in endless male competition over limited territories. This competition, in turn, threatened the stability of the group. In order to alleviate excessive competition and maintain group stability, humans adopted various roundabout strategies, one of which was hunting. As a concomitant effect of hunting, the nutritional status of early humans was greatly improved, making it possible for the brain to expand. The evolution of the brain then drove abstract thinking ability, laying the foundation for the development of language and art, which in turn triggered the agricultural revolution and the religious revolution, and these paved the way for large-scale group warfare. Thereafter, magnificent heroic epics began to be repeatedly enacted in various civilizations.
All of this is not a linear evolutionary process; it is more like a river flowing across the wilderness, causing human civilization to exhibit complex diversity. Among this, maintaining group stability has always been the main task of different societies, and from this other social characteristics have derived. For example, the phenomenon of "virilocal residence," that is, the phenomenon of women marrying into the man's household, differs markedly from other mammals. From an anthropological perspective, "virilocal residence" weakens male competition and maintains group stability, so that there is an opportunity to achieve victory in large-scale group warfare. Based on this logic, the book focuses on analyzing the impact of group warfare on human civilization. The mode of action of group warfare is the most direct, and its effects are the most intense; to some extent, it has even influenced human social systems.
Taking the Eurasian continent as a window, the book strives to comprehensively sort out the overall framework of the evolution of human civilization. The millennia-long "entanglement" between agricultural civilizations in the "lucky latitudes" and the nomadic tribes of the grasslands is the key to the story; the transcendence of industrial civilization over agricultural civilization is the sequel to the story; and artificial intelligence dimly hints at the future of humanity. I am grateful that the deep black hole of time has not swallowed all the plotlines nor severed all the logical chains, allowing us to pass through the long channel of years, to understand the magnificent journey of human civilization's evolution, and to return to the past, browse through history, and at the same time look forward to the future in this book.
Return to TopBy: 张 科
Having worked as an editor for over ten years, I have handled no small number of manuscripts, but when I received this manuscript last year, I was still taken aback for quite a while. It was not that I was frightened by the heft of over 900 pages, but that when I saw the solid and vivid text and the never-before-published illustrations, I realized: it turns out that beneath the very land under our feet lies such a vast, such a complete world of grottoes.
The grotto craze has grown hotter year by year. Dunhuang tickets are hard to come by, Yungang is thronged with visitors, and check-in guides on social media are overwhelming. As a tourist who loves to join the excitement, I thought I knew a lot about Chinese grottoes. But it was only after following the two authors — Sun Xiaofeng (孙晓峰), a research fellow at the Dunhuang Academy, and Yang Xiangling (杨香玲), a professor and scholar of grotto translation and introduction — into the manuscript that I discovered that my so-called “understanding” was merely joining the excitement. Those medium and small grottoes scattered deep in the wilderness, those inconspicuous inscriptions in the corners of murals, those early statues eroded by wind and sand until they are almost impossible to make out — these too are important fragments that piece together the complete picture of Chinese grottoes.
Opening the manuscript, I carefully read the origins of each grotto’s excavation, the evolutionary threads of statue styles across different dynasties, and the historical foreshadowing buried behind each mural. Among them, one detail remains fresh in my memory: in an obscure small grotto, a Tang Dynasty mural unexpectedly featured a distinct Persian-style pearl roundel motif. This direct material evidence of civilizational blending along the Silk Road had never been included in any book before. Additionally, I was astonished to discover that there are multiple grottoes in my hometown region of Northeast China, of which I had previously been completely unaware. The vivid text and authentic illustrations gave me to understand that although the Northeast grottoes are small in scale, they are of extraordinary significance: they push the map of Chinese grottoes a major step eastward, and also record the interactions and integration within the big family of the Chinese nation.
Similar discoveries abound in the book. It makes readers understand that Chinese grottoes are not only the “Four Great Grottoes,” and Chinese grottoes are not only about the Buddha. From the boldness of the Northern Wei to the elegance of the Sui and Tang, from the realism of the Song and Yuan to the secularity of the Ming and Qing, every stylistic shift in grotto statues and murals behind it bears the imprint of dynastic changes, the trajectory of ethnic integration, and the traces of Sino-foreign exchanges. This manuscript is like a general history of China written in stone.
When selecting illustrations with the art editor teacher, my most frequent exclamation was: “I have never seen this before!” Because many of the grottoes mentioned in the manuscript had not even been included in specialized archaeological literature. The two authors, relying on years of field survey accumulation, brought them before the public for the first time. An old expert involved in the review said that the gaps this manuscript fills are far more numerous than he had anticipated. The quality of these pictures lies not in their quantity, but in their “liveliness.” They are like historical slices imbued with warmth: the piety on the faces of Northern Dynasties donors, the flowing rhythm in the sleeves of Tang flying celestials, the mundane vitality in every stroke of Song people’s inscriptions — thousands of years of time are frozen in a small space, making those silent stones truly “speak.”
After completing the editing and proofreading work, a word popped into my mind: “indebtedness.” The craze for grotto tourism has multiplied, but many people merely glance briefly, take a few photos, and then turn away. Those craftsmen who chiseled mountains and excavated grottoes, those painters who spent their entire lives painting murals, carved their most exquisite skills into stone, lifting up a civilizational treasure that spans a thousand years. Yet when we face these treasures, we often only take away images, not knowledge. It is not so much that we owe the ancients, but rather that we owe ourselves — we owe ourselves an opportunity to truly understand them. This book may be able to make up for this indebtedness, allowing those histories missed by hurried footsteps to be seen and read anew.
These beliefs, art, and history carved in stone are the unceasing cultural roots of a nation. I hope that readers who open this book will, before the statues and murals that have been silent for a thousand years, find their own way to converse with history.
(The author is an editor at the Central Compilation and Translation Press (中央编译出版社).)
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