Summary: President Xi Jinping, during his 2020 and 2024 inspections of Ningxia, emphasized a people-centered approach and the need for distinctive, differentiated industrial development paths. The region has since modernized its specialty agriculture through technologies like 5G smart systems and hydroponics, boosting yields and quality. Branding efforts, including traceability codes for Tan sheep and Goji berries, have raised market competitiveness, with 647 agricultural brands generating over 70 billion yuan in annual sales. Cooperative models, such as the “joint production” system in Huoji Village, have tripled household incomes, lifting average rural per capita disposable income to 7,947 yuan in the first half of 2025. The top official of the Ningxia Party Committee reaffirmed the region’s commitment to transforming its geographic advantages into industrial gains.
Summary: In a speech marking the 105th anniversary of the CPC, Xi Jinping called on all Party members to strengthen confidence and continue striving to meet the missions of the new era. The article then details how various regions, departments, and state-owned enterprises are implementing Xi’s emphasis on a correct view of political achievement. These efforts include self-examination, red-education, and targeted problem-solving on issues like flood control, parking shortages, and elevator upgrades. Several localities, such as Lingqiu County and Wuzhishan City, have established long-term mechanisms like handover systems and performance evaluation rules to prevent short-sighted policy-making. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations in the article.
Summary: The article reports on recent Chinese policies improving livelihoods, citing President Xi Jinping’s July visit to Shanghai where he stressed that citizens’ wellbeing is both a family and national concern. It details employment initiatives, including a "order class" program linking vocational schools with firms and 16 measures to boost youth employment. Elderly care is expanded through a new long-term care insurance system targeting nearly 300 million people, alongside childcare subsidies of 3,600 yuan per child annually and increased affordable daycare slots. Healthcare reforms feature mobile clinics in rural Zhejiang, a new tiered diagnosis system, and an expanded national drug list with 114 new medicines. The summary emphasizes that these measures aim to ensure stable jobs, support for the elderly and young, and accessible medical services, without reference to the United States.
Summary: In a September 2025 speech commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, President Xi Jinping praised the contributions of aid-work cadres, whom he credited with driving Xinjiang’s transformation. Xi led a central delegation at the event, emphasizing that years of aid work have yielded “fruitful results.” The article details how the 11th batch of aid cadres—drawn from multiple provinces and agencies—completed their three-year tours in July 2025, focusing on industrial development (e.g., Anhui’s gourd project, Henan’s green aluminum initiative), improved healthcare and education (e.g., Hunan’s “Doctor Mao” medical team, Hubei’s 100% high-school graduation rate), and ethnic unity efforts (e.g., Jiangsu’s cultural sites, Fujian’s settlement projects). The report underscores that these efforts are part of implementing the Party’s governance strategy for Xinjiang, with the 12th batch of cadres now succeeding the outgoing teams.
Summary: The China Association of Performing Arts reported that in the first half of 2024, China’s commercial performances reached 324,300 shows, generating 30.408 billion yuan in box office revenue and attracting 98.81 million viewers, with year-on-year increases of 1.96%, 9.41%, and 5.28%, respectively. The sector saw steady growth, with large concerts and music festivals (over 5,000 attendees) posting stronger gains: 1,300 events, 17.11 billion yuan in revenue, and 23.28 million attendees, up 13.06%, 17.70%, and 20.37%. The industry’s upgrade was noted to enrich cultural life and boost consumption. No U.S.-China relations or official statements were discussed.
Summary: Chongqing is leveraging its revolutionary heritage to promote the "Red Rock Spirit," as instructed by Xi Jinping during his 2019 visit. Officials like Xu Guangxu, director of the Chongqing Red Rock Revolutionary History and Culture Center, highlighted the transformation of 54 historic sites into 28 teaching points. The city is deepening red culture through academic publications, immersive "red思政" programs, and tourism initiatives such as the "Red Rock Soul" stage productions. These efforts aim to instill revolutionary values in cadres and the public, with the Red Rock museum receiving 4.59 million visitors in the first half of 2024. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: On July 24, the first fully domestic 9000-tonne grain membrane silos underwent their initial grain-loading operation at Sinograin's Changsha depot, marking the application of China's fourth-generation grain storage technology. The five silos have a combined capacity of 45,000 tonnes and feature integrated insulation, waterproofing, and structural layers, achieving airtightness over six times the national standard. The smart storage system maintains grain temperatures below 15°C to reduce losses, cutting electricity costs by 4.33% per tonne and operational costs by over 30% compared to traditional silos. No U.S. or bilateral relations were mentioned.
Summary: Vice Minister Zhang Xingwang, joined by officials Chen Bangxun, Zhou Yunlong, and Xu Jianmin, reported at a July 24 press conference that China's agricultural economy maintained stable growth in the first half of the year, with summer grain output exceeding 300 billion jin for the first time. He noted that high-standard farmland totaling over 1 billion mu has mitigated disaster impacts, and agricultural technology innovation is advancing. The government has allocated 177 billion yuan for poverty alleviation, with per capita income in formerly poor counties outpacing national rural averages. Rural infrastructure, including roads and sanitation, continues to improve, and a new "15th Five-Year Plan" for agricultural modernization has been released. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A new regulation on offshore trust taxation was jointly issued by China's Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration on July 24. Officials from the Ministry's Tax Policy Department and the Administration's Income Tax Department explained that the rules target individuals using offshore trusts in low-transparency, low-tax jurisdictions to transfer assets, hide wealth, or evade taxes. The regulation applies a 20% tax rate on property transfer gains or interest/dividends at the setup, operation, and termination stages. It requires annual tax filing and sets deadlines for retroactive payment of unpaid taxes, with a five-year installment option for hardship cases.
Summary: The Ministry of Finance, State Taxation Administration, and Ministry of Ecology and Environment jointly announced a pilot policy to levy a new environmental protection tax on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) across eight high-emission industries, effective January 1, 2027, at a rate of 8–12 yuan per pollution equivalent. A Ministry of Finance official stated the pilot will roll out in two phases, targeting sectors responsible for over 70% of industrial VOCs emissions, while existing taxes on 18 specific VOCs will be deducted from the taxable amount. The policy also introduces a graded tax reduction of up to 50% for enterprises rated A-level on atmospheric environmental performance. This measure aims to leverage tax incentives to encourage cleaner production and deeper VOCs control, supporting China’s “blue sky defense” campaign.
Summary: In September 2025, Chinese President Xi Jinping led a central delegation to attend the 70th anniversary of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and praised the achievements of aid-Xinjiang cadres, emphasizing their indispensable role in Xinjiang's transformation. The article outlines coordinated provincial efforts in industrial, medical, and educational assistance, highlighting specific projects like Anhui's melon-growing initiative and Hunan's "Dr. Mao" medical team. It also details cross-regional collaborations, such as Jiangsu's tourism projects and Henan's green aluminum industry, to boost local livelihoods and ethnic unity. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations. The piece concludes by noting the transition to the 12th batch of aid cadres continuing this work.
Summary: The article reports that the Chongqing Caiyuanba Yangtze River Railway Tunnel, part of the Chongqing-Xiamen high-speed rail line (Yuxia High-Speed Railway), successfully broke through on July 24, becoming the first high-speed rail tunnel to cross the Yangtze River. The tunnel, stretching 11,942 meters, required advanced construction techniques including a custom "Yangtze River" slurry balance shield machine to achieve millimeter-level settlement control under high water pressure. This tunnel is a key component of China's "eight vertical and eight horizontal" high-speed rail network, linking Chongqing with Xiamen via multiple provinces. No officials were quoted or mentioned as accompanying the event.
Summary: In the first half of 2024, the nine mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) posted total imports and exports of 5.3 trillion yuan, a 20.9% year-on-year increase that outpaced the national average by 4 percentage points and contributed 24.9% to national trade growth. June alone saw a record monthly figure of 1.02 trillion yuan, up 31.1% from the previous year. Private enterprises drove the expansion, accounting for 67.5% of the total and contributing 83.1% of growth. The share of electromechanical products in exports rose to 71.7%, while imports surged 34.4% for such goods. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: President Xi Jinping emphasized that AI development must prioritize humanity's well-being, advocating for genuine multilateralism and a UN-centered global governance framework. On July 16, 29 countries signed an agreement to establish the World AI Cooperation Organization, with China playing a leading role. International officials and analysts praised China’s approach as distinct from Western paths, highlighting its focus on open-source collaboration, capacity building, and narrowing the global AI divide. The article notes China has launched initiatives like the Global AI Governance Initiative and the "AI+" International Cooperation Initiative, while promoting public goods such as open-source models and the "Mazu" weather warning system. No mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article is authored by the President of the German Tourism Association, reporting on his participation in the "China-Europe Tourism Dialogue" at the 2026 Shanghai International Tourism Trade Expo. He stated that amid rising geopolitical tensions, tourism serves as a crucial bridge for building trust and understanding, particularly in EU-China relations. He emphasized that China's tourism advantages—such as visa-free policies for Germans, immersive experiences, and sustainable infrastructure—are key to attracting more European visitors. The official called for enhanced accessibility and emotional connection to boost travel confidence. The text does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister and Politburo member, attended the SCO Foreign Ministers Council in Kyrgyzstan on July 24, where he highlighted the "Shanghai Spirit" and proposed four suggestions for regional security and global governance. He noted that 2025 marks the 105th anniversary of the CPC and the start of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, reaffirming China’s role as a contributor to world peace. The meeting issued a joint statement and approved preparations for the SCO Bishkek summit. Wang also held bilateral talks with the foreign ministers of Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan. The article did not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov on July 24 in Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) foreign ministers’ meeting. Wang highlighted the recent Xi-Putin summit in Beijing and stressed the need to uphold the “Shanghai Spirit,” oppose Japan’s rearmament, and support the APEC “China Year.” Lavrov praised the role of head-of-state diplomacy, noting over 50 bilateral leader meetings, and expressed opposition to Japan’s accelerated militarization and nuclear ambitions. Both sides agreed to strengthen strategic coordination and promote a more democratic, multipolar world. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Chinese State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong met with FBI Director Christopher Patel in Beijing on July 24. Wang emphasized the importance of the historic May meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump, which set the direction for bilateral cooperation. He called for more constructive dialogue based on mutual respect and deeper cooperation in areas such as counter-narcotics, fighting telecom fraud and child pornography, anti-money laundering, and fugitive repatriation. Wang stressed the need for tangible results to help build a constructive and stable U.S.-China strategic relationship. Both sides agreed to continue deepening exchanges and cooperation in law enforcement.
Summary: Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul met with Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun in Bangkok on July 24. Anutin reaffirmed Thailand's firm commitment to the One-China policy, stating it will not be swayed by external pressure. He highlighted the importance of China-Thailand defense cooperation and expressed willingness to deepen strategic trust and military exchanges through the "2+2" foreign and defense ministerial dialogue. Anutin also thanked China for its constructive role in mediating the Thai-Cambodia conflict. Dong Jun emphasized the historic friendship between the two countries and called for higher-level military collaboration to support the China-Thailand community with a shared future and regional stability.
Summary: The Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that Slovak President Pellegrini will pay a state visit to China from July 27 to 29, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.
Summary: China's Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced that President Xi Jinping's special envoy, Minister of Science and Technology Yin Hejun, will travel to Lima, Peru, to attend the Peruvian presidential transition ceremony on July 27–28, at the invitation of the Peruvian government.
Summary: China delivered a supercomputer center project to Tunisia's Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research on July 23, at the Khwarizmi Computing Center in Tunis, with the aid provided by the Chinese government. The project is intended to bolster Tunisia's development in digital economy, artificial intelligence, and e-government. No U.S. or U.S.-China relations were mentioned in the article.
Summary: The article reports that the 2026 APEC High-Level Forum on Artificial Intelligence was held in Chengdu, China, as part of APEC Digital Week. The forum released a declaration outlining future cooperation pathways on AI safety, responsible deployment, innovation, and inclusive development. China announced it will establish a "China Center for Promoting APEC Data Cross-Border Flow Cooperation" in Shenzhen’s Qianhai area to facilitate a comprehensive data flow platform. The event was hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China and featured participants from APEC member economies and international organizations. No specific Chinese official or accompanying person was named in the report.
Summary: The Third Beijing Park Art Season's key event, the "Jingyuan·Central Axis" bonsai exhibition, opened at Jingshan Park, showcasing fine bonsai from across China. The exhibition has attracted both domestic and foreign visitors to appreciate the miniature landscapes and traditional garden art. No official statements or accompanying figures were reported. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: At a UN Security Council debate on peaceful dispute resolution, China's acting UN representative Sun Lei stressed the obligation to settle conflicts through dialogue and oppose unauthorized use of force. He called for de-escalation in the Gulf region, urging parties to restore normal passage through the Strait of Hormuz and respect coastal states' rights. Sun attributed global conflicts to unequal application of international law and insisted on adherence to the UN Charter and treaty obligations. He also demanded a permanent ceasefire in Gaza, improved humanitarian conditions, and implementation of the two-state solution to end Palestinian suffering. No U.S. or U.S.-China relations were mentioned.
Summary: Chinese journalists and foreign counterparts from the U.S., Morocco, South Korea, Japan, and Vietnam participated in a "Walking Reading China" event in Tongliao, Inner Mongolia. They observed local ecological restoration, new energy production, and cultural industries. The visiting journalists stated that China’s optimization of its energy structure and its "green great wall" desertification control model offer a global template. They urged countries, including the U.S., to deepen ecological cooperation and share governance experiences.
Summary: The China-ASEAN Tourism Dialogue was held on July 22 in Langkawi, Malaysia, with over 300 participants including tourism officials and industry representatives from China and ASEAN countries. Themed "Building Consensus, Strengthening Cooperation – Future-Oriented China-ASEAN Tourism," the event aimed to deepen exchanges and cooperation in the tourism sector. It sought to inject new momentum into regional tourism development and help build a closer China-ASEAN community. No specific official statements or accompanying figures were reported. The article did not address the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on a July 24 press conference where Vice Minister of Public Security Qi Yanjun announced a 16.5% drop in criminal cases and 11.3% drop in public security cases year-on-year in the first half of 2025, highlighting a "Chinese-style sense of security" trending abroad. Qi emphasized enhancing public security capabilities to support the "15th Five-Year Plan," accompanied by department heads including Jiang Guoli (criminal investigation) and Wang Qiang (traffic management). In the context of U.S.-China relations, the article notes that Chinese police conducted their first joint law enforcement operation with the U.S. and UAE, dismantling nine fraud sites and arresting 276 suspects. Additionally, China has deepened cooperation with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and other nations, repatriating over 20,000 telecom fraud suspects. The conference also covered measures to improve public safety, road traffic management, and collaborative governance for food security and crime prevention.
Summary: During a recent inspection in Shanghai, Xi Jinping emphasized that the Party must serve the people and ensure their安居乐业, highlighting the successful completion of a decades-long renovation project that ended the practice of residents carrying chamber pots in old urban areas. The article presents this achievement as a tangible example of Xi's call for officials to adopt a correct performance view, prioritizing long-term, people-centered results over short-term gains. Xi was reported to have previously urged persistent efforts on old district renovation during his time working in Shanghai and later as national leader, stressing that such projects must address both immediate needs and urban sustainability. The summary focuses on Xi's statements and the significance of the housing reform as a model for cadre performance evaluation, with no mention of the United States.
Summary: The State Council has established an investigation and assessment team, led by the Ministry of Emergency Management and involving multiple ministries and the Guangxi regional government, to probe the July 6 dam breach at Liulan Reservoir in Hengzhou, Guangxi, which caused heavy casualties. On July 24, the team held its first plenary meeting in Nanning, chaired by Vice Minister Chen Min, who outlined the investigation arrangements and requirements. Before the meeting, attendees observed a moment of silence for the victims. The team was instructed to thoroughly identify the causes of the disaster and assign responsibilities, following directives from Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang. The meeting also urged all relevant departments to learn from the incident and strengthen flood prevention measures to safeguard lives and property.
Summary: The article reports that the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site held a mobilization meeting on July 24, marking the completion of civil works for Phase II and a full transition to equipment debugging. The project, located near the existing Phase I site in Dongjiao Town, Wenchang, covers about 1,100 mu and will enable a combined annual launch capacity of 60 missions. Phase II includes two liquid rocket launch pads (No. 3 and No. 4), a water tower, and technical facilities such as assembly and test buildings and a command center. The new pads adopt a unified design based on the existing No. 2 pad and use the “three-level horizontal” test-launch model. No U.S. relations or official statements beyond the event’s logistics are mentioned.
Summary: The Cyberspace Administration of China (CAC) and the Ministry of Public Security jointly issued the "Simplified Measures for Personal Information Protection by Small-Scale Processors," effective September 1, 2026. The regulation defines a small-scale processor as one handling data of fewer than 100,000 individuals. It allows such processors to adopt simplified compliance measures, including for data processing rules, consent, and deletion. It also exempts them from cross-border data transfer requirements such as security assessments and standard contracts under specified conditions. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: President Xi Jinping, in a speech at the 105th anniversary of the CPC’s founding, stressed that Party members must maintain confidence and continue striving to create new achievements. The article details how various regions and departments are studying and implementing Xi’s speech, with a focus on correcting “performance view” deviations. It reports on local officials in Xiong’an, Jiangxi, Beijing, and elsewhere taking concrete actions to address public concerns, such as flood prevention and parking issues. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article highlights Chongqing’s efforts to preserve and promote the “Red Rock spirit” (红岩精神), following President Xi Jinping’s 2019 remarks during his inspection of the city, where he praised the unyielding sacrifice of Communist Party members imprisoned at Zhazidong and Baigongguan. Officials such as Xu Guangxu, director of the Chongqing Red Rock Revolutionary History and Culture Center, and Wang Chao, a professor at the Red Rock Cadre Academy, are cited describing initiatives to develop 28 on-site teaching points and protect over 2,000 artifacts. The report details educational programs like Southwest University of Political Science and Law’s “walking history class” and the city’s “Red Rock education” brand, which covers nearly 200 schools. Cultural tourism integration is exemplified by the immersive “Chongqing 1949” theater performance and the “Red Three Cliffs” sightseeing bus connecting 78 heritage sites. In the first half of this year, the Red Rock Revolutionary History Museum received 4.59 million visitors, reinforcing the regime’s narrative of revolutionary heroism and ideological education.
Summary: Li Xiaolu, former deputy secretary-general and Party leadership group member of the Fifth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), died in Beijing on July 13, 2026, at the age of 107. Central leaders expressed condolences to his family. The article notes his extensive revolutionary career, including underground work in Beijing and later roles in municipal government and the CPPCC. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The article highlights the China Exim Bank's Gansu branch Party branch's role in revitalizing a traditional Chinese medicine company in Min County through tailored loans and technical support, helping local farmers increase income. Party members Fan Jinke and Zeng Chaozong were reported as leading efforts to connect the company with university experts and ensure funds were used effectively. During a 2025 flood in Yuzhong County, branch secretary Liang Ding led a team that approved a 10 million yuan emergency loan within two days, with members later verifying fund use on-site. The branch also supported a cross-border M&A project, with Zeng Chaozong mentoring young staff to navigate foreign regulations. The branch has facilitated over 90% of Gansu's outbound investment projects and 70% of the province's foreign trade volume.
Summary: The State Council approved the designation of Weifang, Shandong as a National Historic and Cultural City, citing its rich history, cultural heritage, and well-preserved traditional layout. The approval requires local authorities to implement文物保护 laws, systematically research and protect cultural relics, and strengthen the preservation of the ancient city's spatial structure. It emphasizes balancing urban development with heritage protection through "survey before construction" and "excavation before land transfer" rules. The directive also calls for renovating historic districts, improving public facilities, and enhancing the living environment. No mention was made of U.S.-China relations or any accompanying officials.
Summary: Wang Dongming, vice chairman of the National People's Congress Standing Committee, led a law enforcement inspection team in Qinghai from July 21-24 to examine implementation of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law. He stressed the need to implement Xi Jinping's ecological civilization thought and central directives, and to use legal means to strengthen ecological protection and sustainable development. The team conducted field inspections in Xining, Hainan, and Haibei. Wang emphasized prioritizing ecological protection, promoting green and low-carbon development, and improving local livelihoods by leveraging regional resources.
Summary: The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly released the 15th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development. Officials from both agencies outlined the plan’s focus on expanding renewable energy capacity and quality while achieving reliable substitution for traditional energy sources. Key 2030 targets include renewable energy consumption reaching 1.8 billion tons of standard coal, total installed renewable capacity of 3.5 billion kW, and wind-solar combined capacity exceeding 2.8 billion kW. The plan emphasizes the need to balance energy security and green transition amid rising global energy security risks and technology-driven transformation. No direct mention was made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The 34th National Book Fair, hosted by the National Press and Publication Administration and co-organized by the Zhejiang provincial and Hangzhou municipal governments, opened in Hangzhou on July 24 and runs through July 27. The event features over 1,000 exhibitors, nearly one million book titles for online and offline sale, and thousands of reading activities across four physical venues and three online platforms. The main venue includes eight exhibition halls with thematic displays on topics such as cultural heritage and digital innovation, alongside nine special exhibitions and 11 key events. To stimulate book purchases, the fair distributes 5 million yuan in vouchers and a cultural tourism package worth over 10 million yuan. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A propaganda event titled "Protecting Cultural Heritage: We Take Action" was held on July 24 in Huangshan, Anhui, focusing on studying Xi Jinping’s cultural thought and his directives on cultural heritage protection. Organized by the Central Propaganda Department’s Civilization Creation Bureau and other agencies, the event featured speeches from grassroots volunteers, retired cadres, museum guides, and heritage experts sharing local preservation experiences. The goal was to mobilize broad social participation in building a comprehensive protection framework for cultural heritage. No U.S. or U.S.-China relations were mentioned.
Summary: Fifteen county-level intangible cultural heritage inheritors formed a volunteer team in Longtu Village, Congjiang County, Guizhou, to offer free summer classes in Dong grand song, opera, pipa, and safety education. The photo shows children learning embroidery from inheritor Liang Liuying at the Laxuezhai cultural center.
Summary: On July 24, 2026, China successfully launched five satellites—including Tianyi-48, Gande-1 01, and Xiguang-2 03—using a Lijian-1 Y15 carrier rocket from the Dongfeng Commercial Space Innovation Experimental Zone. The satellites entered their预定 orbits, marking the 15th flight of the Lijian-1 rocket. The report does not quote any official statements or mention accompanying personnel, nor does it discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: China’s Central Meteorological Observatory issued an orange typhoon warning for Typhoon Hongxia, expected to land between Zhuhai and Raoping in Guangdong. The National Flood Control Headquarters activated a Level IV emergency response for Guangdong and Fujian, dispatching a work team to assist. The Ministry of Emergency Management also activated a Level IV geological disaster response for these provinces. Authorities emphasized evacuating fishing vessels and offshore personnel, strengthening flood control coordination, and pre-positioning rescue resources. The Water Resources Ministry and Fujian’s maritime bureau implemented traffic controls in the Taiwan Strait and urged dam safety measures.
Summary: President Xi Jinping, during a July 15 inspection in Shanghai, emphasized that the people's livelihood is both a family and national affair, stating that the Communist Party serves the people. The article details China's ongoing efforts under the 15th Five-Year Plan to strengthen social welfare, including housing renovations, employment support for graduates, elderly and child care services, and healthcare improvements. Specific policies mentioned include long-term care insurance expansion, a 2026 annual childcare subsidy of 3,600 yuan per child, and a new medical insurance drug list with 114 additions. The piece also highlights grassroots initiatives such as mobile medical clinics in Zhejiang and targeted job training programs, framing these as concrete steps to enhance public well-being and support economic growth. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations appears in the text.
Summary: Scientists at the China Rice Research Institute, led by researcher Wang Kejian, have developed a breakthrough “one-line method” hybrid rice named “Yixi No.1,” achieving over 99% cloning stability with normal fertility. The achievement, published in the journal *Life*, could eliminate the need for annual hybrid seed production by enabling clonal seeds that retain heterosis across generations. The team overcame previous low cloning efficiency by identifying and expressing the endogenous “HUAXU” gene in rice egg cells, which induces parthenogenesis combined with clonal gamete strategies.
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Summary: President Xi Jinping has called for enhanced safety measures during the critical flood season, emphasizing technological innovation to shift disaster response from passive to active. The article features three Chinese Academy of Engineering academicians—Shen Xueshun, Zhang Jianyun, and Yin Yueping—who detail advancements in meteorological, hydrological, and geological monitoring. Shen explains improvements in numerical weather prediction models, including higher resolution and AI integration, to forecast both large-scale and localized storms. Zhang describes the "three lines of defense" system using satellites, radars, and hydrological models that have extended flood lead times from three to ten days. Yin highlights the expansion of geological hazard monitoring from single points to broader areas, deploying over 300,000 devices and satellite-based observation to address increasingly extreme rainfall patterns. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: A Peking University professor reported that global warming increases the likelihood of severe hailstorms, as warmer air holds more moisture, fueling stronger updrafts that allow hailstones to grow larger. The research, published in *Nature*, was based on a "hail for agate" sample-collection initiative. The study warns that climate change is altering natural disaster patterns and provides a theoretical basis for future hail mitigation strategies. The professor was accompanied in the article by reporters from People's Daily, who facilitated the interview and editing.
Summary: The National Health Commission held a press conference on July 15, addressing health risks from typhoon-induced floods, lightning, and drowning. CDC researcher Zheng Canjun warned against drinking untreated water or eating flood-contaminated food, and stressed disinfection. Yan Shengtao, chief physician at China-Japan Friendship Hospital, explained that lightning strike victims are safe to touch and outlined safety measures. Yan also advised against hand-holding rescues for drowning, urging calls for professional help. No mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The article highlights the preservation and revitalization of Hangzhou's historic Liuxia Old Street, emphasizing "letting the city retain memories" and "keeping the culture alive." Liuxia Street Party Secretary Tang Rui stated that protection includes physical relics like ancient bridges and intangible cultural heritage, aiming to "restore the old as old" while "activating continuity." The street now features restored tea houses, a community center themed on Song Dynasty culture, and the Lin Huiyin Exhibition Hall, supported by Tsinghua University and her granddaughter. Local resident Hong Meiyu recalled the street's vibrant past, while cultural events like tea ceremonies and非遗 performances attract visitors. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article promotes Shennongjia as a year-round tourist destination, highlighting seasonal attractions from summer escapes to winter skiing. Tourism official Chen Famin emphasized the area's unique vertical climate and diverse scenic spots, including Shennong Summit and Dajiuhu Wetland. Photographer Xue Yang described the autumn foliage and spring azaleas, while advising visitors on safety and environmental protection. The piece notes local efforts to develop all-season tourism by expanding ski resorts and nighttime performances, aiming to reduce the historical summer-only peak. No mention is made of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article profiles Guilin rice noodles as a cultural and economic staple of Guilin, detailing their historical origins, traditional preparation methods, and dual serving styles. It notes that the noodle industry now includes over 9,000 restaurants and about 100 processing enterprises, with a total industrial output value of roughly 12 billion yuan in 2025. The text highlights that Quanzhou County has built China’s largest dried-rice-noodle production base, turning a local specialty into a major industry. No officials or their statements are reported, nor is there any mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
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Summary: The artists, a married couple, described their six-decade collaboration creating revolutionary historical paintings. They said their works "Yellow River in Roar" and "Taihang Iron Wall" symbolize Chinese resilience and military-civilian unity during the Anti-Japanese War, specifically noting that "Taihang Iron Wall" deliberately included Peng Dehuai and a "milk mother" figure. They explained their integration of Western cubism with traditional Chinese ink techniques to achieve a monumental, symbolic style. The couple concluded by reaffirming art's role in serving the people and reflecting the era.
Summary: The article, authored by the president of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, advocates for standardizing terminology in fine arts and calligraphy to build China's autonomous knowledge system, following the establishment of a national review committee. It argues that term standardization is essential to address confusion from traditional terms and new digital art concepts, preserve Chinese cultural roots, and enhance international influence. The effort aims to create a unified, authoritative terminology system that bridges tradition and modernity.
Summary: The article is a first-person reflection by a Chinese artist and professor from Renmin University, describing his painting practice that merges traditional Chinese garden aesthetics with oil painting techniques, emphasizing a "brush nature" (笔性) derived from Chinese calligraphy rather than Western brushwork. He recounts collaborating with French artists, touring Chinese gardens and museums, and creating a work that juxtaposes hand-painted pixel-like reconstructions of Ming dynasty ink painting with Western pictorial language. The piece highlights cross-cultural misreadings as opportunities for dialogue, positioning the artist as an active interpreter of Chinese cultural genes in international exhibitions. While no U.S. relations or officials are mentioned, the narrative aligns with broader Chinese efforts to promote "innovative development" of traditional culture globally. The author concludes that opening China's "garden realm" to the world is an endless artistic and cultural mission.
Summary: The article reports on the Beijing Fine Art Academy's "Exploring West Beijing" exhibition, which features the "Three Mountains and Five Gardens" (Xiangshan, Yuquanshan, Wanshou Shan; Jingyi, Jingming, Summer Palace, Old Summer Palace, Changchun Gardens). Painters employ both traditional and innovative techniques to capture the historical depth and contemporary spirit of these imperial gardens, often blurring temporal boundaries. The exhibition includes individual works that emphasize either grand panoramas or intimate ruins, as well as collaborative large-scale pieces depicting seasonal vistas. No mention is made of U.S.-China relations or any political official's statements or actions.
Summary: The article is a brief presentation of a Chinese painting titled "Morning Harmony" (清晨和韵) by artist Pang Yuan. No statements or actions of any officials are reported. There is no discussion of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article describes an 18th-century Chinese scroll, *Pottery Making Scroll*, which depicts the intricate 72-step process of porcelain production in Jingdezhen, the "Millennium Porcelain Capital." It highlights the extreme division of labor in the imperial kilns, where artisans specialized in single tasks such as drawing or dyeing. The scroll also illustrates Jingdezhen’s natural advantages—water systems and local kaolin clay—which enabled breakthroughs in porcelain strength and global trade. Jingdezhen’s export ceramics, especially blue-and-white ware, became a symbol of Chinese culture and a major commodity during the Age of Exploration. The piece concludes by noting that Jingdezhen’s millennia-old craft continues to thrive amid China’s enhanced cultural heritage protection.
Summary: The provided text contains only an email address (msfk@peopledaily.cn) and no article content. Please provide the full article for summarization.
By: 本报记者 徐元锋 张 文
It is the height of summer. In Tonggui Village (通贵村), Tonggui Township (通贵乡), Xingqing District (兴庆区), Yinchuan City, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, more than 20 mu of standardized crab ponds glisten with rippling light. Villager Liu Yuangui (刘元贵) is weighing freshly caught crabs. "Orders are already lined up more than ten days ahead." These large hairy crabs won four awards at the 2025 Shanghai International Crab Industry Expo, and now supply falls short of demand.
Ningxia, which possesses nearly 75,000 mu of saline-alkali wasteland, has adopted the approach of "transforming alkali through aquaculture, nurturing water through aquaculture" (以渔改碱、以渔养水), luring a variety of aquatic products such as mandarin fish, whiteleg shrimp, and salmon to "settle down and establish a home" (安家落户 - ān jiā luò hù, "settle down and establish a home")... Ningxia's aquaculture area has now reached approximately 500,000 mu.
In June 2020, during his inspection tour of Ningxia, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: "In developing modern characteristic agriculture and cultural tourism, it is necessary to implement the people-centered development philosophy, highlight the principal role of farmers, and place the protection of farmers' interests first." In June 2024, during another inspection tour of Ningxia, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Ningxia's geographical environment and resource endowments are unique; it must take a path of specialized and differentiated industrial development."
Deeply implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directives, Ningxia, based on its resource endowments, adheres to specialization and differentiation, vigorously develops modern characteristic agriculture, continuously improves quality, efficiency, and market competitiveness, and accelerates the pace of agricultural and rural modernization.
Technology empowers agriculture to improve quality and increase efficiency.
Washing, massaging, disinfecting, milking... In an intelligent pasture in Shangbaqing Village (上八倾村), Pingluo County (平罗县), Shizuishan City, black-and-white cows circle a rotating platform as robotic arms complete the above procedures 有条不紊 (yǒu tiáo bù wěn - "orderly and unhurried," methodically). "After using digital automatic milking equipment, milk production increased by 15%," said pasture manager Yang Yulong (杨玉龙). With a 5G intelligent system, this pasture, which produces nearly 50 tons of fresh milk daily, requires only five people for routine maintenance.
How tall can a single tomato plant grow? In the poverty-alleviation industrial park in Minning Town (闽宁镇), Yongning County (永宁县), Yinchuan City, the answer is nearly 20 meters, and it can be picked year-round without interruption. Walking into the smart curtain greenhouse covering more than 70 mu in this park, temperature, humidity, and light are all automatically controlled by computer. With the support of technologies such as soilless cultivation, water and fertilizer recycling, and agro-photovoltaic complementarity, tomato yield per square meter last year exceeded 60 kilograms.
Embryo transfer technology improves the fine breed rate of beef cattle; field smart management systems increase the per-mu yield of cool-climate vegetables... Ningxia's modern characteristic agriculture is transforming towards business models such as smart agriculture and agricultural factories. New technologies and new products appear one after another, and the characteristic agriculture continues to improve quality and upgrade.
Adjust measures to local conditions (因地制宜 - yīn dì zhì yí, "adjust measures to local conditions") to build distinctive brands.
"Scan the QR code with your phone, and you can know which pasture it comes from." In the smart pasture in Huamachi Town (花马池镇), Yanchi County (盐池县), Wuzhong City, hundreds of Tan sheep each wear electronic ear tags on their ears. "This is their 'ID card,' printed with a traceability code," said farmer Qiu Xingcai (邱兴才). The sheep meat packaging bags also have traceability codes, ensuring better quality.
Centering on industries such as beef cattle, Tan sheep, and wolfberry, Ningxia starts from key links such as production area and processing, formulates and releases multiple local standards and group standards for geographical indication products, and builds characteristic agricultural brands.
"In the past, I pushed a cart to sell wolfberries and couldn't get a good price; now the county promotes standardized planting and production, and the wolfberry brand is well-known," said Tian Youju (田友举), head of a wolfberry planting professional cooperative in Zhouta Township (舟塔乡), Zhongning County (中宁县), Zhongwei City. He has been growing wolfberries for more than 20 years, and now the wolfberries here have no trouble finding buyers and are favored by the market.
On both sides of the Yellow River, the wolfberry planting area in Zhongning exceeds 100,000 mu; the yellow beef from the foot of the Liupan Mountains sells well in major cities... Ningxia has cultivated a total of 647 characteristic agricultural brands, and the annual sales revenue of related agricultural products has exceeded 70 billion yuan, accounting for 70% of total agricultural product sales.
Linking farmers and driving farmers to promote sustained income growth.
"In the past, each household grew vegetables on their own, with small scale and little income increase. Now we work together, and income has multiplied several times!" At the foot of the Liupan Mountains, in Huoji Village (火集村), Jiangtaibao Town (将台堡镇), Xiji County (西吉县), Guyuan City, village party branch secretary Huo Yanhong (火彦红) watched bundles of celery being loaded onto trucks.
Huoji Village's collective implements a "joint production, individual management" (联产单干) model with unified planning and household-based management. The farmland is divided into zones for celery, cabbage, pepper, etc., while the professional cooperative established by the village collective is uniformly responsible for seedlings, technology, and sales. The village's cool-climate vegetable planting has reached 4,200 mu, with all 200-plus households participating. Last year, the per-household income was 140,000 yuan, and the village collective economic income exceeded 3 million yuan.
"Through brand building and interest linking, we effectively leverage the role of new types of business entities such as professional cooperatives, leading enterprises, and family farms to drive farming households to deeply integrate into modern characteristic agriculture," said Hua Zhimin (滑志敏), secretary of the Guyuan Municipal Party Committee.
In 2025, Ningxia allocated 130 million yuan of agricultural support funds for facility upgrades and technical training of business entities, and jointly launched targeted credit support with financial institutions. As of now, Ningxia has cultivated nearly 6,000 farmers' professional cooperatives and 12,000 family farms. In the first half of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in Ningxia was 7,947 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 7.2%, with about 40% of the income coming from modern characteristic agriculture.
"Keeping General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest entrustment firmly in mind, the cadres and masses of Ningxia continue to strive hard. Modern characteristic agriculture has become an important industry driving development and benefiting the people," said the main responsible comrade of the Party Committee of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Ningxia will fully transform its geographical environment and resource endowments into development advantages, realizing maximum industrial benefits.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, emphasizing: “Realizing the Party’s missions and tasks in the new era and on the new journey requires all Chinese Communists to strengthen confidence, continue struggling, and constantly create new achievements worthy of the times and the people.”
All regions, departments, and units deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech on July 1st, study and implement Xi Jinping’s thought on Party building, thoroughly study and deeply understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourse on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements, raise political stance, strengthen responsibility and action, and respond to the people’s expectations with concrete work and tangible results.
固本培元 (gù běn péi yuán - “strengthen the foundation and cultivate the root,” to consolidate fundamentals and enhance self-cultivation) 强修养
“Is there a tendency to ‘emphasize progress and neglect people’s feelings’?” “Have we truly treated the ‘key small matters’ of the relocated units as ‘matters of utmost importance’?”... The Administrative Committee of the Starting Area of Xiong’an New Area, Hebei (河北雄安新区启动区管委会) conscientiously aligns itself with the spirit of the Party Central Committee, deeply investigates problems in the view of political achievements, finds gaps, traces roots, and strengthens self-cultivation from the perspective of Party spirit. Through repeated study discussions and warning education, Party members and cadres have been touched in thought, baptized in Party spirit, and the coordinates of their thinking and action have been calibrated.
“When General Gan Zuchang (甘祖昌) returned to his hometown to become a farmer, he sought not illustrious fame and title, but to enable his fellow villagers to live a good life. The deeds of the revolutionary predecessors have made me more deeply realize that ‘bringing benefit to the people is the greatest political achievement.’” Recently, at the red teaching site of Gan Zuchang’s Former Residence (甘祖昌故居) in Lianhua County, Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province (江西省萍乡市莲花县), after the conclusion of the tea-picking opera “Twin Lotus Flowers” (采茶戏《并蒂莲花》), a student expressed these feelings.
Lianhua County insists on 正本清源 (zhèng běn qīng yuán - “rectify the root and clear the source,” to radically reform) and consolidating fundamentals and cultivating the root from the ideological perspective, fully utilizing local red resources, and through situational teaching, immersive experience, interactive seminars, etc., guides Party members and cadres to take revolutionary predecessors as examples and comprehensively examine the deviations in the view of political achievements existing in their own Party spirit and work style.
The Party Committee of China Life Insurance Group (中国人寿集团) regards implementation as an important indicator of leading cadres’ Party spirit and view of political achievements, organizing 38 key training sessions including special seminars for leading cadres and young cadres, special training classes for “top leaders” of provincial institutions, and demonstration training classes for young Party members’ Party spirit education, taking “implement without any discount, implement with 雷厉风行 (léi lì fēng xíng - “thunderous vigor and swift action,” resolute and speedy implementation), implement with truth-seeking and pragmatism, implement with boldness and good performance” as key course content. At the same time, it organizes Party members and cadres to recount specific matters and things around them concerning establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements, promoting the integration of learning and application.
动真碰硬解民忧
Beijing’s Shijingshan District insists on putting people’s livelihood first, deeply investigates hidden dangers in flood prevention and preparedness work, carries out a special action for safety escort, builds “high-ground fortresses” in three natural villages in the western shallow mountainous area, equips them with satellite communication equipment, backup power supplies, and other emergency materials; relying on the “double reporting” activity of on-duty Party members, distributes cards for understanding geological disaster avoidance to residential areas involved in geological disaster risk points, posts a “one map” for flood prevention and disaster reduction in communities involving key mountainous areas, downstream rivers, and areas prone to waterlogging, and establishes a “one household, one file” paired guarantee system for key populations, to build a solid safety line during the flood season.
Since the study and education began, the Party Leadership Group of State Grid Corporation of China has insisted on advancing learning, inspection, and rectification as a whole, implementing the correct view of political achievements into the practice of promoting high-quality development of the power grid and serving the real economy. State Grid Yiwu Power Supply Company (国网义乌市供电公司), based on the characteristics of Yiwu’s foreign trade industry agglomeration, relies on the Red Boat Communist Party Member Service Team (红船共产党员服务队) to go down to the front line, promotes the Energy-Carbon Service Station (能碳服务站) to settle in the Digital Trade Port of the Global Digital Trade Center (全球数贸中心数贸港), and integrates universal services such as green electricity and green certificate trading, carbon footprint accounting, interpretation of relevant tariff policies, energy saving and carbon reduction transformation, energy consumption optimization diagnosis, and green qualification agency, to assist small and medium-sized micro-enterprises in going overseas.
Shuyang County, Suqian City, Jiangsu Province (江苏省宿迁市沭阳县) keeps in mind that “bringing benefit to the people is the greatest political achievement,” closely focuses on the pain points of people’s livelihood such as the difficulty of parking in residential areas that the masses have strongly reflected, and carries out a targeted special rectification action on underground parking spaces in residential communities, comprehensively regulating the order of management and operation of underground parking spaces. Focusing on 11 key residential communities, it accurately investigates and sorts out underground parking spaces, standardizes rented and sold parking spaces, revitalizes idle parking spaces, and truly transforms the results of the special rectification into tangible and achievable benefits for the people.
Chongqing Liangjiang New Area (重庆市两江新区) insists on open education, promoting Party members and cadres to go deep into communities, industrial parks, and the fields, to listen to public opinion, examine the actual situation, and solve problems. Among them, Renhe Subdistrict of Liangjiang New Area (两江新区人和街道) faces difficulties and takes the initiative, organizes cadres to go door-to-door to work and build consensus, and solves the funding problem through the “national bonds + public revenue + district-level fiscal funds” model, completing the renovation of all old elevators, achieving zero complaints and satisfaction of the masses.
建章立制管长远
“Taking over this list means taking over a heavy responsibility; I will continue to strive, leading cadres and the masses to work and start businesses, and struggle together!” Recently, at the handover site for changes of principal Party and government leaders in Shijiatian Township, Lingqiu County, Datong City, Shanxi Province (山西省大同市灵丘县石家田乡), a newly appointed leading cadre said firmly.
To rectify the problem of “new officials ignoring old accounts,” Lingqiu County has comprehensively implemented a handover system for changes of principal Party and government leaders, established a handover list covering 7 items including Party building, finance, and assets, brought in more than 10 units such as organization, discipline inspection, political and legal affairs, and letters and visits to review the handover matters and put forward opinions and suggestions, forming a long-term work mechanism for leaving-post handover that has clear rights and responsibilities, comprehensive content, standardized procedures, in-place supervision, and traceable evidence.
Wuzhishan City, Hainan Province (海南省五指山市) regards establishing rules and systems as an important measure to consolidate the results of study and education and prevent deviations in the view of political achievements, cleans up institutional mechanisms and relevant normative documents that do not meet the requirements of the correct view of political achievements, abrogates 4 normative documents and revises 8 documents according to law. At the same time, it establishes a working system for regular answer-phone days for city leaders at the 12345 Government Service Convenience Hotline (12345政务服务便民热线), organizes current city-level leading cadres to answer calls and accept appeals, and promotes the resolution of a number of long-accumulated key and difficult issues.
Jinchang City, Gansu Province (甘肃省金昌市) has established an evaluation mechanism for the correct view of political achievements and embedded it into the entire process of “three major matters and one large amount” decision-making (三重一大). In the construction of the National Pilot City for New-Type Technological Transformation of the Manufacturing Industry (国家制造业新型技术改造试点城市), it improves mechanisms such as decision-making evaluation for government investment and investment attraction projects and evaluation of per-mu output benefits, using rigid constraints to eliminate from the source problems such as 急功近利 (jí gōng jìn lì - “eager for quick success and instant benefit,” seeking short-term gains) to expand scale and blindly rushing into projects.
(Reporters of this newspaper: He Zhaoyu (何昭宇), Pan Junqiang (潘俊强), Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿), Bai Guangdi (白光迪), Yang Yanfei (杨颜菲), Wang Xinyue (王欣悦), Ma Ruishan (马睿姗), Dong Zeyang (董泽扬), Zeng Yichen (曾亦辰))
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陆凡冰
In April this year, in the Shimin New Village residential area of Shanghai's Huangpu District, 69-year-old retired resident Zhu Guoli (朱国莉) moved back into her renovated home. The days when ten households shared one bathroom and three families shared one kitchen are gone forever; now she has her own bathroom, and the kitchen is fully equipped with a range hood and gas stove. She has tidied up her new home neatly and cleanly, and her life has become increasingly comfortable.
On July 15, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during an inspection in Shanghai: "Every twig and leaf touches the heart — the lives of the common people are family affairs, and even more so, national affairs. The Communist Party serves the people; only when the masses are securely settled and content in their work, and live comfortably, can the Party and government be at ease."
The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes to adhere to safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods amid high-quality development, to do one's utmost while acting within one's means (尽力而为、量力而行), to improve the basic public service system, to implement fairer, more inclusive, more precise, and more forceful social policies, to strengthen inclusive, foundational, and safety-net livelihood construction, to solve the people's urgent, difficult, anxious, and anticipated problems (急难愁盼), to smooth channels of social mobility, and to raise the quality of people's lives.
Since the beginning of this year, China's new driving forces have grown rapidly, livelihood guarantees have been strong and effective, and development resilience has continued to manifest. All regions and departments have implemented the people-centered development philosophy, insisted on safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods amid development, pushed policies to tilt toward key groups, and extended public services to the grassroots. Livelihood policies have been implemented with greater detail and substance, both lifting up the stable lives of thousands of households and providing strong support for stabilizing expectations, expanding domestic demand, and increasing confidence.
Liu Mengyang (刘孟阳), a 2026 graduate of the Mechatronics Technology major at Anhui Fuyang Vocational and Technical College (安徽阜阳职业技术学院), once worried that classroom knowledge would be insufficient in the workshop. In 2024, he entered a customized training class (订单班) jointly formed by the school and Anhui Haoyuan Chemical Industry Group Co., Ltd. (安徽昊源化工集团有限公司), learning programming, frequency converter debugging, and chemical instrument maintenance from corporate mentors; during his internship, he learned equipment maintenance from veteran workers in the thermal workshop. This June, he passed the graduation assessment and job confirmation defense and smoothly entered employment: "In the customized training class, we combine classroom knowledge with practice, and we can directly take up positions upon graduation."
Policies continue to empower, and measures to stabilize jobs and expand job opportunities are being precisely implemented. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job of Youth Employment Work for 2026 College Graduates and Others," proposing 16 policy measures, including vigorously promoting private enterprises to absorb employment, implementing a plan to develop one million employment internship positions, providing safety-net assistance for those in difficulty, and carrying out a tough campaign to provide employment services to graduates not yet employed after leaving school, all to fully promote the employment of college graduates and other youth. The "Action Plan for Stabilizing Jobs, Expanding Capacity, and Improving Quality" issued not long ago proposes 18 measures to promote employment and entrepreneurship for key groups such as college graduates and migrant workers, to fully stabilize employment in key industries, tap employment potential in all channels and fields, and raise employment quality.
Employment services have improved in quality and efficiency, and supply-demand matching has become more efficient. Since the beginning of this year, the Spring Breeze Action and the Employment Assistance Season activities have been carried out, with a total of 59,000 job fairs held and 36 million job postings released; the "Warm Spring for Migrant Workers" service action has been carried out, with extensive care services provided, and nearly 1 million migrant workers transported point-to-point.
On a weekend morning, in the science museum of Tong'an Yuan Community (同安苑社区), Wenchang Road Street, Xixia District, Yinchuan City, Ningxia, 58-year-old Ma Fugen (马福根) and his 5-year-old grandson were doing a science experiment. "I didn't expect that we, grandfather and grandson, would become 'classmates'," Ma Fugen said. Tong'an Yuan Community regularly carries out "grandparent-grandchild co-learning" activities, serving over 400 residents cumulatively; each month, doctors from the community health service station and partner hospitals are invited to provide free consultations for the elderly. It has also built the "Fengcheng Baby House" (凤城宝宝屋), using a "public-benefit + low-cost" model to provide temporary childcare, parent-child classes, and other services for over 200 families with infants and young children in the surrounding area.
The difficulty of "one old, one young" (一老一小 - "one old, one young," referring to elderly and child services) services lies in the diversity of needs, and the priority is universal accessibility. Since the beginning of this year, elderly care services have paid more attention to tilting toward disabled seniors. Starting January 1, the Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Ministry of Finance launched and implemented nationwide a project to provide consumption subsidies for elderly care services for seniors with moderate or higher levels of disability. Seniors who are uniformly assessed as being moderately, severely, or completely disabled can apply for a monthly consumption subsidy for elderly care services of up to 800 yuan.
An important step has been taken in the institutional guarantee for disability care. In March, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council issued the "Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Long-Term Care Insurance System," proposing to basically establish a long-term care insurance system suited to China's basic national conditions within about three years. As of the end of 2025, long-term care insurance has covered nearly 300 million people, benefiting over 3.3 million disabled individuals, with an average annual burden reduction of about 12,000 yuan per person.
From January 5, the 2026 annual childcare subsidy was fully opened for application, with each child eligible to receive 3,600 yuan per year, paid until the child reaches the age of 3. In addition to cash subsidies, inclusive childcare continues to expand. On the basis of an increase of 890,000 inclusive childcare slots in 2025, another 150,000 inclusive childcare slots will be added this year.
Early in the morning, a mobile medical van drove into Xinzhuang Village (新庄村), Dajun Township (大均乡), Jingning She Autonomous County (景宁畲族自治县), Lishui City, Zhejiang. Dr. Chen measured the blood pressure of Uncle Liu, a villager, called up his electronic medical record, and inquired about his medication and diet. "In the past, if we wanted to do a fasting check-up, it was very inconvenient, and it took a long time on the road each time. Now the doctor and examination tools have come directly to our doorstep—it's really great!" Uncle Liu said. The mobile medical van is affectionately called the "hospital at the doorstep" by the mountain people.
The grassroots medical access system has been continuously improved, and the service closed loop has been steadily perfected. Zhejiang has innovatively built a "fixed + mobile + internet + artificial intelligence" model for grassroots medical and health services, providing diagnostic and treatment services to the masses, and striving to promote the integration of basic public health service systems and capabilities. In April, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Several Measures on Accelerating the Construction of a Hierarchical Diagnosis and Treatment System," proposing to accelerate the construction of compact medical alliances (紧密型医联体), strengthen the sharing of medical resources within compact medical alliances, promote the dispatch of physicians with attending doctor titles or above from secondary and tertiary hospitals to grassroots medical and health institutions, and promote normalized mobile medical services to achieve full coverage in areas with weak medical resources. In 2025, in over 90% of county-level medical communities (县域医共体) nationwide, grassroots member units had medical personnel dispatched from higher-level hospitals, and over 80% of counties had built shared resource centers for imaging, electrocardiography, testing, etc., serving over 330 million person-times.
The new version of the National Medical Insurance Drug Catalog took effect on January 1 this year, adding 114 drugs, of which 50 are Class 1 innovative drugs representing the global frontier of R&D, with an overall negotiation success rate as high as 88%, a new high in nearly seven years; the first version of the commercial insurance innovative drug catalog included 19 drugs. The per capita financial subsidy standard for residents' medical insurance in 2026 was raised by 24 yuan. With the expansion of the medical insurance drug catalog, the cross-provincial pooling of medical insurance personal accounts, and the tilting of payment policies toward grassroots, it has become more convenient for the masses to see a doctor, and the burden of medical expenses is being reduced.
Livelihood work involves a myriad of threads, but the point of departure and arrival is the specific matters of the masses. From stabilizing jobs and employment to increasing incomes and achieving prosperity, from "one old, one young" services to seeing a doctor and receiving medical treatment, each and every benefit policy has been implemented with tangible effect, continuously transforming into the real sense of gain, happiness, and security for thousands of households. Livelihood guarantees are solid and forceful, and development results are being shared more extensively and fairly among the people, laying a solid foundation for sustained high-quality economic development.
(Our reporters Luo Yangqi and Jiao Siyu participated in the writing of this article.)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 史一棋
“Our many years of assistance to Xinjiang have yielded fruitful results; Xinjiang has undergone such great changes, and the assistance cadres are of indispensable merit.” In September 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping, leading a Central Delegation to attend the celebrations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, emphasized this while warmly receiving representatives of assistance cadres.
In July this year, the eleventh batch of assistance cadres and talents completed their three-year assignment, marking another passing of the "relay baton" for paired assistance to Xinjiang.
Footprints are etched across the north and south of the Tianshan Mountains, and deep affection is being transmitted. Over the past three years, the vast number of assistance cadres and talents have thoroughly implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and important instructions regarding Xinjiang work, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implemented the Party's strategy for governing Xinjiang in the new era, rooted themselves in the frontier, and continued their struggle, contributing strength alongside cadres and masses of all ethnic groups to achieve long-term stability and high-quality development in Xinjiang.
Concentrating strength on industrial assistance to Xinjiang, promoting prosperous development according to local conditions
In Cangui Township, Pishan County, Hotan Prefecture, inside a Trichosanthes industrial park on the edge of the desert, technicians from Anhui are guiding local farmers to inspect drip irrigation equipment and organize seedling beds in preparation for the new year's Trichosanthes planting. Trichosanthes originates from the Yangtze River basin; its fruit, fruit skin, fruit kernels, and rhizomes are all high-quality traditional Chinese medicines, and Trichosanthes seeds are even popular health-preserving snacks.
“Because we could not find a way to develop, we were once very confused, not knowing how to drive income growth for the villagers. Thanks to the brilliant idea proposed by the assistance cadres and talents—planting Trichosanthes!” A comrade from the Pishan County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau expressed great gratitude for the positive role played by the Anhui assistance cadres and talents, “The market prospects for Trichosanthes are vast; because the root system is well-developed, it can also effectively stabilize sand, possessing both economic and ecological benefits.”
“Planting Trichosanthes under the guidance of the assistance cadres and talents, we do not have to worry about seedlings, technology, or sales channels.” A farmer from Cangui Township crouched by a seedling bed, carefully tending to the Trichosanthes, her face full of anticipation for a bountiful harvest.
Centering on the development needs of Pishan County, Anhui introduced the Trichosanthes industry to Pishan County. The base is operated by enterprises introduced by the Anhui Provincial Frontline Command for Assistance to Xinjiang, with a total planned investment of nearly 1.5 billion yuan and a planned construction of 100,000 mu of Trichosanthes planting bases. After the third phase of the project reaches full production, it can achieve stable employment for 11,000 people, constructing a new pattern of industrial assistance to Xinjiang that integrates “industry prosperity, people's enrichment, and increased greenery” in a 三位一体 (sān wèi yī tǐ - "three-in-one," an integrated trinity) structure.
Introducing one leading enterprise, driving one industry, and forming one cluster... assistance cadres and talents from various provinces take advancing industrial assistance to Xinjiang as an important lever for promoting the economic development and increasing employment of the recipient areas, using industrial development to drive people's enrichment and Xinjiang's prosperity.
Standing at the edge of the platform of the Yunduan Hotel and looking into the distance, snow mountains, fir forests, and grasslands are all within view.
Abundant cultural and tourism resources are the advantage of the Fourth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps in Keketuohuo City. Assistance cadres and talents from Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, based on local realities, introduced five cultural and tourism projects, promoting the qualitative upgrading of the homestay industry represented by the Yunduan Hotel; in 2025, they attracted 6.028 million tourists and drove various types of consumption totaling 2.54 billion yuan.
What to do if there are no good industrial projects? Assistance cadres and talents from Henan found the "golden key" of green aluminum industry—assisting the Thirteenth Division of the Production and Construction Corps in Xinxing City to create a green aluminum-based new material project.
Among them, the Huazhang Aluminum Green Intelligent New Energy Aluminum-based New Material Integration Project, invested and constructed by the Henan Yidian Group, is a typical representative; currently, civil engineering construction has entered the concluding stage, and production equipment is undergoing intensive debugging.
The green aluminum-based industry is extending from the heart of the Central Plains to Xinjiang. “This is not transferring excess capacity, but reshaping the industry's value chain,” said a comrade from the Organization Department of the Xinxing City Party Committee of the Thirteenth Division of the Production and Construction Corps. “An aluminum processing industrial chain that was previously unthinkable has actually been established here.”
If the pockets are enriched, the minds must also be enriched.
The Industrial Assistance Team of the Land Consolidation Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources helped Xinjiang successfully apply for a National Historical Legacy Abandoned Mine Ecological Restoration Demonstration Project, and also actively sought expert resources from central and national ministries, universities, and scientific research institutes to enter Xinjiang to conduct training and field guidance; the "group-style" assistance team of the National Medical Products Administration helped the Xinjiang Medical Products Administration establish and improve a local medicinal material standard system, established the first identification working committee for counterfeit and inferior drugs, and coordinated 26 professional backbones to carry out flexible technical guidance services... The vast number of assistance cadres and talents, based on local resource endowments and industrial foundations, both "provide blood" and "create blood," doing a good job in industrial assistance and intellectual assistance according to local conditions.
Vowing to create benefits for the people, solving the urgent, difficult, anxious, and worried problems of the masses
In Turpan City, Xinjiang, "Doctor Mao" is a warm and special title. And this title originated from a small episode.
At the end of 2022, doctors from the Hunan Provincial Medical Assistance Team successfully completed a heart stent surgery for a 94-year-old Uyghur grandmother, Patamkhan Nur. Upon waking up, she immediately asked for the doctors' names. Because of her age, she could not hear the reply clearly, so she said: "You are doctors from Hunan, from the hometown of Chairman Mao; I will just call you 'Doctor Mao'."
The Hunan Provincial Medical Assistance Team proactively took up this glorious title, and in May 2023, established the "Red Pomegranate · Hunan Assistance 'Doctor Mao' Medical Team" working brand, transforming the recognition of the masses into an action consciousness for assistance work.
Flying from Hunan the previous afternoon, performing a surgery overnight, and participating in consultations the next morning... Chen Guodong, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanhua University and President of Turpan People's Hospital, has a tight schedule.
“When I think of the ethnic minority masses queuing early to register and calling us 'Doctor Mao' in somewhat unpracticed Mandarin, I no longer feel tired,” Chen Guodong said.
Over the past three years, countless "Doctor Maos" like Chen Guodong have focused on local clinical needs and emphasized the cultivation of emotional bonds; assistance doctors have gradually become "family doctors" for the masses of all ethnic groups, and the doctor-patient relationship has transformed into ethnic kinship: promoting a significant increase in the proportion of minimally invasive surgeries and reducing the referral rate to 1.9%; overcoming medical technology difficulties and completing the clinical application of 159 cases of new technologies for the first time in Xinjiang; constructing a "master leads apprentice, platform nurtures, and whole-region trains" system, through which the capabilities of 59 local medical backbones have leaped forward, with 34 being able to perform surgeries independently; persisting in sinking to the grassroots front lines and creating the "Weekend Appointment" consultation service...
Assistance work is not easy and faces difficulties unimaginable to ordinary people. The Shenzhen Medical Assistance Team overcame natural hazards such as steep and dangerous mountain roads, high cold, and hypoxia on the Pamir Plateau, rushing to various townships and villages along the borderlines of Tashkurgan Tajik Autonomous County to enter herders' yurts to conduct free clinics and provide free medicine, allowing the masses in remote pastoral areas to enjoy diagnostic and treatment services at their doorstep.
“The altitude difference between Shenzhen and Tashkurgan is too great; every assistance cadre and talent has experienced more or less altitude sickness, some even very severely, but they gritted their teeth and persevered; this spirit of dedication moves the local masses,” recalled a comrade from the Assistance Work Section of the Kashgar Prefectural Party Committee Organization Department. They also went to the even higher altitude borderlines to conduct health examinations for border-guarding officers and soldiers, providing targeted diagnosis and treatment for high-altitude occupational diseases, teaching high-altitude emergency response and first-aid practical skills hand-in-hand, and delivering medical services to border guards and remote townships, “Salute to them!”
In addition to medical care, education is also an important link in livelihood assistance. Entering Bole Senior High School in Bole City, Altay Prefecture, the words "100% Undergraduate Admission Rate" on the exhibition boards in the hall are eye-catching.
Since Hubei Province began its "group-style" assistance of educational talents, the undergraduate admission rate of Bole Senior High School in the Gaokao has increased year after year, reaching 100% in 2025, with a "First Tier" admission rate of 83.28% and a "Double First-Class" admission rate of 51.49%. This year, the school was successfully selected as one of the first batch of high-quality ordinary high schools in Xinjiang.
Among many assistance educational talents, Chen Jianshu, a senior three mathematics teacher at Bole Senior High School, appears special. “Influenced by my mother, I have always firmly believed that educational assistance to Xinjiang is a meaningful thing.” Chen Jianshu's mother, Wang Qin, is also an assistance teacher, “My mother and I are working side by side, wanting to make a little more contribution to education in ethnic minority areas.”
One family, two generations, mother and son assisting Xinjiang, becoming a beautiful story.
Caring about the warmth of people's livelihoods, being a good confidant for the masses. The vast number of assistance cadres and talents insist that creating benefits for the people is the greatest political achievement, sincerely doing practical things and helping the masses solve their urgent, difficult, anxious, and worried problems.
As long as farmers and herdsmen raise cattle and sheep, they suffer deeply from ticks. Pearly disease in cattle and sheep is a major epidemic that harms beef and mutton breeding, and ticks are the main transmission vector.
Li Haili, an associate researcher at the Henan Academy of Agricultural Sciences and deputy director of the Hami Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, also noticed this problem, so he led researchers to carry out biological control research. After nearly two years, they successfully developed a highly efficient and safe biological agent for tick control, filling a gap in the field of tick biological control in Xinjiang.
“Scientific research cannot stay only in papers; it must allow farmers and herdsmen to truly benefit.” In addition to tick biological control, Li Haili's team also overcame the emerging infectious disease pathogen of hemolytic manchenxia in mutton sheep respiratory syndrome; targeting the pain point of diarrhea in local cattle, sheep, and camels, they developed a "micro-ecological preparation + Chinese herbal medicine" technical system.
“Solving the urgent, difficult, anxious, and worried problems of the masses is our greatest source of achievement,” he said.
Promoting ethnic unity, forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation
Entering the Pomegranate Flower Exhibition Hall in Yining City, Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, people of all ethnic groups come here to visit and tour. This venue, which integrates cultural display with cultural and tourism fusion, vividly presents the history of multi-ethnic cohabitation and prosperity in Ili through text, images, physical objects, and digital methods.
“It turns out there are so many diverse lifestyles in the world; we must learn to understand and respect the customs of others,” an admirer from the Yining No. 1 Primary School remarked.
To build cultural landmarks such as the Pomegranate Flower Exhibition Hall, the Nanjing Branch Command for Assistance to Xinjiang under Jiangsu Province coordinated assistance funds, continuously increasing the intensity of protection and development assistance for the Ili Old City cultural tourism zone where the Pomegranate Flower Exhibition Hall is located.
Over the past three years, assistance cadres and talents have closely followed the main line of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, exchanging true feelings for true hearts, building a bridge of connection among the masses of all ethnic groups, and weaving a bond of people's cohesion and united struggle.
Early in the morning, in Swan Town in Ashili Township, Changji City, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, the aroma of milk tea was already wafting from Hezhadi Saken's breakfast shop.
“I used to be a herder, but now I hire people to look after the sheep at home. Having opened this shop to sell buns and milk tea, I can earn more than 10,000 yuan a month!” Hezhadi Saken said with a smile.
Who could have thought that nine years ago, this place was still a piece of wasteland.
Thinking together with the masses and working together with the masses. The Fujian Provincial Frontline Command for Assistance to Xinjiang conducted serious research and careful site selection, understanding the production and life needs of herders who had not yet settled, and finally decided to build this herder settlement in the township center area in 2017.
“The construction process of the small town condensed the hard work of many assistance cadres and talents; all 502 herder households in the town remember their kindness,” said Wu Chen, the Party Secretary of Ashili Township.
And in the Guzi Alley of Kuqa City, Aksu Prefecture, characteristic buildings such as the reconstructed Nishahan ancient dwellings and Guli's home stand in rows, and the alley has become a new cultural and tourism landmark integrating cultural display, intangible cultural heritage experience, and characteristic homestays.
When constructing Guzi Alley, the Ningbo Branch Command for Assistance to Xinjiang under Zhejiang Province focused on the creation of cultural and tourism service formats. “The service industry is an industry that deals with people; the deeper and more frequent the contact between people, the more it can reflect the value and meaning of interaction, exchange, and integration,” said Yang Yong, commander of the Ningbo Branch Command for Assistance to Xinjiang, Zhejiang Province. “Improving the quality of cultural and tourism services to reflect the even more beautiful blooming of the pomegranate flowers is also a process of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.”
The level of participation in interaction, exchange, and integration is not only getting higher and higher, but its breadth and depth are also expanding.
“Relax your shoulders, look straight ahead, squat back...” At the roller skating rink of the Snow City Sports Park in Altay City, Altay Prefecture, the "Snow City of China," people can almost see Li Haixia, a Heilongjiang Province assistance talent and a national-level speed skater coach, wearing coach's attire almost every day, meticulously guiding students' training movements.
She has repeatedly given up returning home for holidays to immerse herself in the training field. From the most basic postures to every technical movement, she accompanies the children, refining and practicing bit by bit.
Over the past three years, Li Haixia has led the children to win 86 gold, 76 silver, and 58 bronze medals in various provincial ice and snow competitions, creating the best historical results for ice sports in the Altay Prefecture, and has also sent 15 excellent athletes to the autonomous region.
At the beginning of this year, seeing that the assignment was about to expire, Li Haixia proactively submitted an application to continue assisting Xinjiang. “I cannot bear to leave the children here, nor can I bear to leave this land that brings me strength,” Li Haixia said.
Walking on the land of Xinjiang, listening to the evaluations of Xinjiang cadres and the masses regarding the assistance work and the assistance cadres and talents, the two words said most often are “thank you.”
For the care and love of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee, as well as the vigorous support of the people nationwide, the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang always keep it in their hearts and are grateful in their hearts!
Taking up the "relay baton," the twelfth batch of assistance cadres and talents will embark on a journey to support and dedicate themselves to Xinjiang, striving together with the masses of all ethnic groups to inject surging momentum into the construction of a modern socialist Xinjiang.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (Reporter Zheng Haiou (郑海鸥)) — Data released by the China Association of Performing Arts (中国演出行业协会) on July 24 show that in the first half of this year, the number of commercial performances nationwide (excluding performances at entertainment venues) reached 324,300, a year-on-year increase of 1.96%; box-office revenue reached 30.408 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 9.41%; and audience numbers reached 98.8118 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of 5.28%.
In the first half of the year, the performance market grew steadily, and the performance industry upgraded in quality and efficiency, continuously enriching the spiritual and cultural life of the people, with an increasingly evident driving effect on consumption.
The market for large-scale concerts and music festivals continued to be hot, with cross-industry and cross-sector collaborations appearing frequently. In the first half of the year, large-scale commercial performances such as concerts and music festivals with an audience of more than 5,000 people numbered 1,300, a year-on-year increase of 13.06%; box-office revenue reached 17.111 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.70%; and audience numbers reached 23.2828 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of 20.37%.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李增辉 姜 峰
At the foot of Geleshan, on the banks of the Jialing River. At the former site of the Chongqing Baigongguan (白公馆) Prison, guide Liu Shuai (刘帅) is explaining in detail to visitors the process behind the formation of the “Eight Articles in Prison” (狱中八条). Outside, the summer heat is intense; inside, hearts are solemn and respectful.
Chongqing is a land of heroes, with a glorious revolutionary tradition.
In April 2019, during his inspection in Chongqing, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “During the War of Liberation, many Chinese Communists imprisoned in Zhazidong (渣滓洞) and Baigongguan endured all kinds of torture, 不折不挠 (bù zhé bù náo - “not bent, not subdued,” unyielding and indomitable), 宁死不屈 (nìng sǐ bù qū - “would rather die than submit,” preferring death over surrender), and gave their precious lives for the cause of the Chinese people’s liberation, condensing into the ‘Hongyan spirit’ (红岩精神).”
Keeping in mind the General Secretary’s earnest entrustment, Chongqing has solidly done its work on using red resources to forge the soul, red ideological and political education to nurture people, and red cultural tourism to integrate — letting the Hongyan spirit internalize into the powerful motivation for cadres and the masses to strive forward on the new journey.
——Deeply excavate the connotations, making the Hongyan spirit “stand up.”
“Among the Hongyan martyrs, 28 were born in 1921 and sacrificed in 1949, devoting their short 28-year lives to the revolutionary cause. Liu Guozhi (刘国鋕), who once served as the secretary of the special branch for the student movement of the Chongqing Shaci District (沙磁区) under the CCP, is one of them,” introduced Wang Chao (王超), associate professor of the Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College (重庆红岩干部学院). The former site of Zhazidong Prison is also an on-site teaching point of the Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College. In front of the exhibition wall, Wang Chao recounted the unyielding oath of martyr Liu Guozhi when faced with offers to surrender — “If I die but the Party remains, it is as if I have not died; if I betray the organization, what meaning is there in living?” — and visitors were all moved.
“Relying on 54 former sites including Zhazidong and Baigongguan, we have transformed and built 28 on-site teaching points for the Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College, and we are classifying, protecting, and utilizing the 2014 pieces (sets) of collections newly acquired in recent years, highlighting their educational function,” introduced Xu Guangxu (徐光煦), Party secretary of the Chongqing Hongyan Revolutionary History and Culture Center (重庆红岩革命历史文化中心) and dean of the Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College.
鉴往知来 (jiàn wǎng zhī lái - “examine the past to know the future,” learning from history to anticipate the future), the Chongqing “Hongyan Library” (红岩文库) book series is being published successively, and within 5 years will release 50 books on the theme of Hongyan revolutionary history and culture.
——Forge the soul and nurture people, making the Hongyan ideological and political education “shine bright.”
Southwest University of Political Science and Law has for 5 consecutive years carried out “walking school history ideological and political courses.” More than 150 teachers and students from 8 colleges walked 8 kilometers to the former site of the Southwest People’s Revolutionary University in Hongyan Village, using their footsteps to measure red history. “The predecessor of our school was the Southwest People’s Revolutionary University, and Hongyan spirit is our common root,” the guide said as the students took notes.
Let young people comprehend through walking, inherit through seeking, and grow through propagation. In the past two years, Southwest University of Political Science and Law organized the “Youth Walk, Chinese Heart” summer practice teams to go to 12 western provinces, with a cumulative journey of nearly 100,000 kilometers, seeking out more than 200 descendants of red martyrs, descendants of the university’s predecessors, and alumni rooted at the grassroots, collecting over 2 million characters of material and 320 hours of video footage, transforming them into vivid propaganda content.
The Chongqing Municipal Education Commission has innovatively created the “Hongyan Ideological and Political Education” (红岩思政) cultivation brand, established the “Hongyan Ideological and Political Education” education alliance, and has currently built nearly 200 Hongyan characteristic schools, departments, classes, and teams in universities, middle schools, and primary schools. The coverage rate of Hongyan spirit entering textbooks and classrooms exceeds 95%.
——Integrate culture and tourism, making the Hongyan story “come alive.”
Enter the Chongqing 1949 Grand Theatre in Shapingba District. The lights dim, and the giant rotating stage slowly starts. Tense chases under stilted houses between streets and stairways, unyielding cries from prisoners in cages with blood-stained clothes... Heart-shaking scene performances, combined with immersive audio-visual technology of sound, light, and electricity, bring the audience back to the deep autumn of the mountain city more than 70 years ago.
“New China had already been born, yet the martyrs sacrificed themselves before dawn. At the moment the music of ‘Praise of the Red Plum’ (红梅赞) sounded, it was deeply moving,” said Chen Yanwen (陈艳文), a tourist from Zhejiang, with great emotion.
Yuzhong District has opened the “Red Three Cliffs” (红色三岩) sightseeing bus, connecting the 78 cultural relic sites in the “Red Three Cliffs” area; has coordinated and promoted venues such as the Kangjianshe Theater (抗建堂剧场) and Guotai Art Center (国泰艺术中心) to stage nearly 30,000 performances of plays including the spoken drama “Soul of Hongyan” (红岩魂), the dance drama “Absolute Test” (绝对考验), and the Sichuan opera “Sister Jiang” (江姐); one Zhongshan Fourth Road, using red landmarks such as Zhou’s Mansion (周公馆), Guiyuan (桂园), and Teyuan (特园) as links, connects diverse business formats...
In the first half of this year, the Chongqing Hongyan Revolutionary History Museum received more than 4.59 million visitors, allowing the Hongyan story to be widely sung, enduring and ever-new, educating and guiding Party members and cadres to strengthen their ideals and convictions, and cultivate a 浩然正气 (hào rán zhèng qì - “vast and noble spirit,” righteous awe-inspiring spirit).
Return to TopOn July 24, the first batch of fully domestically produced 9,000-ton class grain air-membrane silos underwent their first grain loading and silo-pressing operation after completion at the Changsha Direct Depot of Sinograin (中储粮长沙直属库), marking that China’s fourth-generation new-type grain silos have entered a new stage of application.
These five standardized new-type air-membrane grain silos have a single-silo storage capacity of 9,000 tons, with a total storage capacity reaching 45,000 tons. Each silo has a diameter of 24 meters and a height of 33.6 meters. The thermal insulation layer, waterproof layer, and structural layer of the air-membrane grain silo are integrally formed, and its air tightness reaches more than six times the requirement for national high-standard grain silos. The use of the intelligent grain storage system can keep the temperature of the grain pile stable below 15 degrees Celsius for a long period, achieving low-temperature grain storage and reducing grain loss. According to estimates, the electricity cost per ton of grain in the air-membrane silo decreases by 4.33%, and the operation and maintenance cost can be saved by more than 30% compared with traditional grain silos.
The picture shows China’s first batch of 9,000-ton class air-membrane grain silos.
Text by Wang Donghui (王东辉), staff reporter of this newspaper; photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郁静娴
The agricultural and rural economy maintains a good momentum of stable and improving performance, providing strong support for the national economy to continue its overall stable, new, and better-oriented trend. On July 24, the State Council Information Office held a press conference, where Vice Minister of Agriculture and Rural Affairs Zhang Xingwang (张兴旺) introduced the operation of the agricultural and rural economy in the first half of this year.
High-standard farmland has basically achieved less reduction in output during severe disasters, stable output during mild disasters, and increased output in the absence of disasters.
Zhang Xingwang introduced that in the first half of this year, the summer grain harvest was bountiful, and the supply quality of important agricultural products improved. The summer grain production overcame the effects of large-area late sowing and multiple rounds of rainfall during the harvest period, with output reaching 301.49 billion jin, breaking through 300 billion jin for the first time, achieving the first victory in annual grain production; the summer oil crop also had another bountiful harvest.
The supply of "vegetable basket" products was ample. In the first half of the year, the national output of pork, beef, mutton, and poultry meat reached 50.5 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 4.3%; domestic aquatic product output was 35.12 million tons, an increase of 4.4% over the same period last year; the supply of vegetables and fruits was stable and categories were abundant. The comprehensive regulatory effect on swine production capacity has initially emerged; the number of breeding sows in stock has currently been reduced to 37.8 million head, returning to the green reasonable range of capacity regulation. The area of standardized production of national green food raw materials reached 205 million mu; the overall pass rate of routine monitoring of agricultural product quality safety reached 98.2%.
Behind stable production and guaranteed supply, the integration of high-standard farmland, improved seeds, advanced machinery, and good methods has increased efficiency, and the level of agricultural modernization has steadily improved.
The country has cumulatively built over 1 billion mu of high-standard farmland. Chen Bangxun (陈邦勋), Director of the Department of Development Planning of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部发展规划司司长), introduced that in recent years with frequent and severe extreme weather, the high-standard farmland that has been built basically achieved less reduction in output during severe disasters, stable output during mild disasters, and increased output in the absence of disasters, effectively supporting the continuous decline in the proportion of agricultural disaster-affected area to sown area in China, falling from 27.7% in the 11th Five-Year Plan period to 16.6% in the 12th Five-Year Plan period, 12.6% in the 13th Five-Year Plan period, and further down to about 7% in the 14th Five-Year Plan period. In the first half of the year, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, together with relevant departments, issued 74.39 million mu of high-standard farmland construction tasks in five batches.
"Enhance the overall effectiveness of scientific and technological capacity building." Zhou Yunlong (周云龙), Director of the Department of Science and Technology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部科学技术司司长), introduced that major agricultural science and technology projects have gathered over 1,000 advantageous research institutes, universities, and science and technology enterprises, initially constructing an agricultural science and technology innovation system with clear tiers, division of labor and cooperation, and moderate competition. In the national major agricultural science and technology projects under the primary responsibility of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the proportion of enterprises taking the lead or participating exceeds 50%, allowing the market and users to directly test the effectiveness of research breakthroughs.
Autumn grain accounts for about three-quarters of the annual grain output and is the main part of the annual grain production. The latest crop condition monitoring shows that the autumn grain planting area is expected to be stable with a slight increase, and the current crop growth in the fields is generally normal, providing a good foundation for winning the annual grain harvest.
Currently, there are still more than two months until the large-area autumn grain harvest. Zhang Xingwang stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will continue to strengthen joint consultations with meteorological, emergency management, water conservancy, and other departments, scientifically analyze and assess rainfall, water conditions, and seedling conditions, establish and improve inter-regional mutual assistance and coordination mechanisms, and guide the implementation of measures such as farmland drainage, crop recovery, replanting and reseeding, and facility repair. For the 15th Five-Year Plan period and longer, it will accelerate the filling of shortcomings and weaknesses in agricultural disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief, and enhance agricultural climate resilience.
In counties that have been lifted out of poverty, the per capita disposable income of rural residents grew faster than the average level in rural areas.
Since the beginning of this year, normalized assistance has started steadily, holding the bottom line of preventing large-scale relapse into poverty. With development-oriented assistance as the main approach, the central government allocated 177 billion yuan in normalized assistance funds, focusing on supporting industrial and employment assistance and improving development conditions in less-developed areas. The "four forces" of East-West collaboration, designated assistance from central units, village-based assistance, and social assistance have fully played their roles, consolidating a strong joint force for normalized assistance.
"Under the premise of maintaining overall policy stability, all relevant departments have made moderate adjustments and optimizations, basically constructing a policy system for normalized assistance," Zhang Xingwang said.
The monitoring and assistance mechanism operated effectively. Various localities adopted multiple methods such as independent reporting by farming households, big data early warning from departments, and routine grassroots inspections to promptly identify targets for preventing relapse into poverty, accurately implement assistance measures tailored to individuals and households, and better achieve early detection, early intervention, and early assistance.
Industrial assistance continued to strengthen. All localities determined leading assistance industries according to local conditions at the county level. The total output value of national leading assistance industries exceeded 2 trillion yuan, and nearly three-quarters of the population lifted out of poverty have established benefit-linking mechanisms with new-type agricultural business entities.
Employment assistance continued to deepen. As of the end of June, the scale of employment for labor forces lifted out of poverty exceeded 32 million people, and the per capita disposable income growth rate of rural residents in counties lifted out of poverty continued to be higher than the national average level for rural areas.
Key areas developed steadily. In the western region, 160 key counties for national rural revitalization assistance were identified, and in the central and western regions, 390 key counties for provincial-level rural revitalization assistance were identified, concentrating resources to support the implementation of a number of projects to fill shortcomings, promote development, and benefit people's livelihoods.
Xu Jianmin (许健民), Director of the Department of Assistance of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部帮扶司司长), introduced that in the next step, the monitoring scope will gradually expand to the entire rural population. We will promote the implementation of the project for full-chain development of assistance industries to benefit and increase farmers' incomes, continuously exerting the role of industries in linking farmers with benefits. We will focus on two key groups — older labor forces and newly grown labor forces — and strengthen employment assistance. We will implement the "dual support of ambition and wisdom" (志智双扶) action on a normalized basis, effectively stimulating the endogenous motivation of assistance recipients.
Rural roads, water supply and drainage, toilets and other facilities have continued to improve.
Since the beginning of this year, rural investment and consumption have grown steadily, and the potential for rural demand has been continuously released, becoming an important force for expanding domestic demand.
In the first half of this year, fixed asset investment in the primary industry was 460 billion yuan, an increase of 0.9% over the same period last year; the added value of the primary industry increased by 3.7% year-on-year. Rural consumer goods retail sales reached 3.3216 trillion yuan, an increase of 2.5% over the same period last year, 1.3 percentage points higher than the growth rate in urban areas. The total import and export value of agricultural products reached 163.78 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 10.8%.
All localities have taken new steps in studying and applying the experience of the "Thousand-Village Demonstration, Ten-Thousand-Village Improvement" project (千万工程), and new progress has been made in building livable, workable, and beautiful villages.
Rural industries have improved in quality and increased efficiency. In the first half of the year, the added value of the national above-scale agricultural and sideline food processing industry increased by 4.8% year-on-year; new industries and new business forms such as rural leisure tourism and rural e-commerce have developed vigorously.
Rural construction has advanced in an orderly manner. In the first half of the year, the rural construction project database added over 300,000 new projects, with project funds that have been implemented approaching 100 billion yuan. Rural roads, water supply and drainage, sanitary toilets, domestic waste and sewage treatment, and elderly care service facilities have continued to improve.
The effectiveness of rural governance has steadily improved. Activities independently organized by farmers, such as "Village BA" (村BA) and "Village Run" (村跑), are healthy and uplifting, and brilliantly varied.
Rural reform has continued to deepen. We have solidly advanced the pilot of extending the second round of land contracts for another 30 years upon expiration at the whole-province level, with over 29 million farming households having smoothly signed extension contracts. We have deeply carried out rectification of prominent problems in the management of rural collective "three types of assets" (三资, i.e., funds, assets, and resources), recovering a cumulative total of 1.65 billion yuan in collective funds that were embezzled, misappropriated, intercepted, or fraudulently obtained. We have expanded new-type agricultural business entities and socialized service organizations, cultivating a cumulative total of about 6 million family farms and farmer cooperatives, and over 1.1 million for-profit social service entities, promoting the organic integration of small farming households with modern agricultural development.
According to statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, in the first half of the year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 12,699 yuan, a real year-on-year increase of 5.5%, faster than the growth rate of urban residents.
Recently, the state released the "15th Five-Year Plan for Accelerating Agricultural and Rural Modernization," which outlines the construction blueprint and roadmap for the development of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers over the next five years. Zhang Xingwang stated that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs will benchmark the goals of basically achieving agricultural modernization and making significant progress in rural areas basically having modern living conditions, gather forces and resources from all sides, improve policies and mechanisms, and strive to turn the grand blueprint step by step into a "realistic picture" that benefits the people and helps high-quality development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曲哲涵
The Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration issued on July 24 the “Announcement on Matters Concerning Personal Income Tax on Offshore Trusts,” which clarifies the tax levy rules for the establishment, continuation, and termination and liquidation of offshore trusts. What is the background for issuing this regulation? What is the tax rate? How is it paid? Relevant officials from the Tax Policy Department of the Ministry of Finance and the Income Tax Department of the State Taxation Administration provided answers to the relevant questions.
Levy tax according to law, enhance tax certainty and transparency
Q: Why is personal income tax levied on offshore trusts?
A: In recent years, some individuals have used the establishment of offshore trusts for intergenerational wealth transfer, cross-border asset allocation, and risk management. Because offshore trusts are often established in countries and regions with low information transparency and low tax burdens, some individuals use them to transfer assets, conceal wealth, and evade taxes. In accordance with the basic principle of China’s Individual Income Tax Law that taxes the global income of residents, the Announcement clarifies the tax levy rules for the establishment, continuation, and termination and liquidation of offshore trusts. This is conducive to increasing tax certainty and transparency, facilitating taxpayer compliance; it is conducive to promoting social fairness, safeguarding national interests, and stabilizing taxpayer expectations.
Apply the 20% tax rate as “income from property transfer” or “income from interest, dividends, and bonuses”
Q: How is personal income tax paid in the establishment, continuation, and termination stages of an offshore trust?
A: In the establishment stage: For a resident individual who places property such as company equity, stocks, and real estate into an offshore trust, the resident individual who placed the property is the taxpayer, the balance remaining after deducting the original value of the property and reasonable expenses from the market value of the placed property is the taxable income, and personal income tax is levied as “income from property transfer,” applying the 20% tax rate. For a non-resident individual who places the above types of property into an offshore trust, for the income from property transfer originating within China, the non-resident individual who placed the property is the taxpayer, and personal income tax is levied as “income from property transfer,” applying the 20% tax rate. If a non-resident individual places property into an offshore trust and the placed property is actually controlled by a resident individual, it shall be regarded as a resident individual placing the property into the offshore trust, and that resident individual shall pay personal income tax in accordance with the regulations.
In the continuation stage: For the income generated during the continuation period of an offshore trust into which a resident individual placed property, the resident individual is the taxpayer. Depending on the nature of the income, personal income tax shall be calculated and paid annually as “income from property transfer” and “income from interest, dividends, and bonuses,” applying the 20% tax rate. For an offshore trust into which a non-resident individual placed property, the resident individual who receives the income is the taxpayer. For the income actually distributed to the resident individual, personal income tax shall be calculated and paid as “income from interest, dividends, and bonuses,” applying the 20% tax rate.
Due to contract expiration and other reasons, some offshore trusts need to be terminated. The Announcement stipulates: First, for an offshore trust into which a resident individual placed property, the resident individual is the taxpayer, and the liquidation income from all trust property shall be used to pay personal income tax as “income from interest, dividends, and bonuses,” applying the 20% tax rate. Second, for an offshore trust into which a non-resident individual placed property, the resident individual who receives the distributed property is the taxpayer, the market value of the received trust property is the taxable income, and personal income tax shall be paid as “income from interest, dividends, and bonuses,” applying the 20% tax rate. Third, for circumstances such as a resident individual becoming a non-resident individual, the tax payment rules for corresponding tax liquidation treatment are also clarified.
Declare and pay annually during the continuation period
Q: How do offshore trust taxpayers handle tax filing?
A: When an offshore trust is established, if a resident individual places property into the offshore trust, the tax filing with the tax authority shall be done between March 1 and June 30 of the following year. If a non-resident individual places property into the offshore trust and tax is payable, the tax filing with the tax authority shall be done within 15 days of the following month. During the continuation period of the offshore trust, the resident individual shall file taxes with the tax authority between March 1 and June 30 each year for the tax payable for the preceding year. When an offshore trust terminates, the taxpayer shall file taxes with the tax authority within 15 days of the month following the completion of termination and liquidation. If due to difficulties the tax cannot be paid on time, after filing a record with the tax authority, the tax may be paid in equal installments evenly over a period of five years. In addition, for circumstances such as a resident individual becoming a non-resident individual, tax filing with the tax authority shall also be done within 15 days of the following month.
Q: For offshore trusts established before the issuance, how is the tax that individuals have not yet paid handled?
A: For unpaid tax in the establishment stage of an offshore trust, in principle a three-year collection period applies; that is, individuals who placed property into an offshore trust from January 1, 2023 onward shall declare and pay tax in accordance with regulations. For relatively large amounts, the tax authority may extend the recovery period in accordance with the Tax Collection and Administration Law. For income on which tax was not paid from income distribution in 2025 and earlier years, after a one-time “packaged” calculation, the full amount shall be declared and paid as “income from interest, dividends, and bonuses.” The taxpayer shall pay the above tax within 90 days from the implementation date of the Announcement. If payment is overdue, the tax authority shall handle it in accordance with the provisions of the Tax Collection and Administration Law.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (People's Daily) — (Reporter Qu Zhehan (曲哲涵)) With the consent of the State Council, recently, the Ministry of Finance (财政部), the State Taxation Administration (国家税务总局), and the Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部) jointly issued the "Implementation Measures for the Pilot Levy of Environmental Protection Tax on Volatile Organic Compounds" (征收挥发性有机物环境保护税试点实施办法), which will launch pilot work from January 1, 2027, and in 8 industries, will levy environmental protection tax (环境保护税) on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) (挥发性有机物) as a whole as a separate category of air pollutant, with the tax rate standard set at 8–12 yuan per pollution equivalent.
Volatile organic compounds are important precursors for the formation of ozone and fine particulate matter; they can trigger atmospheric environmental problems such as smog and photochemical smog, and are the focus and difficulty of current air pollution control. At present, more than 300 types of volatile organic compounds can be monitored. When the Environmental Protection Tax Law was enacted in 2016, due to insufficient monitoring and accounting capacity at the time, only 18 types of volatile organic compounds that are toxic or malodorous (such as benzene, toluene, formaldehyde) were taxed. In recent years, China's emission standards, product standards, and emission calculation methods for volatile organic compounds have been increasingly refined, providing technical support for bringing all volatile organic compounds within the tax scope.
Volatile organic compounds have many emission source items and involve many process steps, making emission calculation relatively complex. A relevant department head of the Ministry of Finance stated that, in order to promote the pilot work steadily, and taking into account the emission scale, environmental protection regulatory requirements, and regulatory conditions of enterprises in different industries, the pilot will be rolled out in two steps: first, piloting in 8 industries including printing; chemical raw material and chemical product manufacturing; petroleum, coal, and other fuel processing; pharmaceutical manufacturing; ironmaking and steelmaking; general equipment manufacturing; and automobile manufacturing. These 8 industries account for more than 70% of total industrial-source volatile organic compound emissions. During the pilot, the aforementioned 18 types of volatile organic compounds will still be taxed as individual substances in accordance with the Environmental Protection Tax Law, and their emissions will be deducted when calculating the overall taxable emission amount for the environmental protection tax on volatile organic compounds. In the next step, the three departments will, based on the pilot situation and after evaluating the effects, at an appropriate time comprehensively roll out the pilot levy of environmental protection tax on volatile organic compounds in other industries.
In order to leverage the guiding role of the tax lever for environmental protection and pollution control, the Measures specify that for taxpayers rated as A-grade and B-grade in the national key industry atmospheric environmental performance by the competent department of ecology and environment, the environmental protection tax on volatile organic compounds will be levied at a reduction of 50% and 75% of the tax amount payable, respectively.
In the next step, the three departments will strengthen coordination, publish specific calculation methods for each emission source item, provide collection and removal efficiencies for various types of facilities by level and by category, further clarify tax collection and management operational matters, and further improve taxpayer convenience in tax filing.
Experts state that this pilot directly links the environmental protection tax to volatile organic compound emissions, "more emissions, more tax; fewer emissions, less tax." By establishing an incentive and constraint mechanism, it makes green production truly a "plus item" and "hard advantage" for enterprises, guiding enterprises to implement source substitution, improve production processes, increase resource utilization efficiency, strengthen collection and treatment, promote deep governance of volatile organic compounds across the entire process, all links, and the whole chain, support the thorough fight for the blue sky defense battle (蓝天保卫战), and respond to the people's expectations for blue skies, white clouds, and a beautiful living environment.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 史一棋
Our many years of work assisting Xinjiang have yielded 硕果累累 (shuò guǒ léi léi - “abundant fruits,” fruitful results), and the great changes in Xinjiang would not have been possible without the 功不可没 (gōng bù kě mò - “merits cannot be erased,” indispensable contributions) of the cadres assisting Xinjiang. In September 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping led a central delegation to attend the 70th anniversary celebration of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and emphasized this while warmly meeting with representatives of cadres assisting Xinjiang.
In July this year, the eleventh batch of cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang completed their three-year assignment, and the “relay baton” of paired assistance to Xinjiang (对口援疆) was passed once again.
Footprints have been printed across the Tianshan Mountains from north to south, conveying deep affection. Over the past three years, the vast number of cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang have deeply studied and implemented the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speeches and important instructions on Xinjiang work, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implemented the Party’s strategy for governing Xinjiang in the new era (新时代党的治疆方略), taken root in the borderlands, continued to strive, and together with cadres and people of all ethnic groups, contributed to realizing Xinjiang’s 长治久安 (cháng zhì jiǔ ān - “long-term governance and enduring peace,” long-term stability) and high-quality development.
Concentrate efforts on industrial assistance to Xinjiang, and 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - “according to local conditions,” adapt measures to local conditions) to promote prosperity and development.
In the trichosanthes industrial park at the edge of the desert in Zanggui Township (藏桂乡), Pishan County (皮山县), Hotan Prefecture, technicians from Anhui are instructing local farmers to inspect drip irrigation equipment and prepare seedling beds, getting ready for the next year’s trichosanthes planting. Trichosanthes is native to the Yangtze River basin; its fruit, peel, seeds, and roots are all high-quality medicinal materials, and trichosanthes seeds are especially popular as a health snack.
“We once were very confused because we couldn’t find a way to develop, and didn’t know how to drive villagers’ income growth. Thanks to the clever idea from the cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang — plant trichosanthes!” The comrade from the Pishan County Agriculture and Rural Bureau was very grateful for the positive role played by the Anhui cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang. “Trichosanthes has broad market prospects, and because its root system is developed, it can also effectively fix sand, combining economic and ecological benefits.”
“Planting trichosanthes under the guidance of cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang, we have no worries about seedlings, technology, or sales channels.” A farmer from Zanggui Township crouched by the seedling bed, carefully tending the trichosanthes, his face full of expectation for a bountiful harvest.
Focusing on the development needs of Pishan County, Anhui introduced the trichosanthes industry to Pishan County. The base is operated by an enterprise introduced by the Anhui Provincial Forward Command for Assisting Xinjiang, with a planned total investment of nearly 1.5 billion yuan, and plans to build a trichosanthes planting base of 100,000 mu. After the third phase project reaches full production, it can achieve stable employment for 11,000 people, constructing a new pattern of industrial assistance to Xinjiang that is 三位一体 (sān wèi yī tǐ - “three in one,” trinity) of revitalizing industry, enriching the people, and increasing greenery.
Introduce one leading enterprise, drive one industry, form one cluster… The cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang from various provinces take promoting industrial assistance to Xinjiang as an important lever to promote economic development and increase employment in the recipient areas, and use industrial development to promote enriching the people and revitalizing Xinjiang.
Standing by the platform of the Cloud Hotel and looking into the distance, snow-capped mountains, fir forests, and grasslands 尽收眼底 (jìn shōu yǎn dǐ - “all received into the eyes,” a panoramic view).
Abundant cultural and tourism resources are the advantage of Kekedala City (可克达拉市) of the Fourth Division of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (兵团). The cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang from Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, based on local conditions, introduced 5 cultural tourism projects, promoted the quality improvement and upgrading of the homestay industry represented by the Cloud Hotel, attracted 6.028 million tourists in 2025, and drove various consumption of 2.54 billion yuan.
What to do when there are no good industrial projects? The Henan cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang found the “golden key” of green aluminum industry — assisting the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps’ Thirteenth Division and Xinxing City (新星市) to create a green aluminum-based new materials project.
Among them, the Huazhang Aluminum Green Intelligent New Energy Aluminum-based New Materials Integrated Project invested and built by Henan Yidian Group is a typical representative. Currently, civil construction has entered the final stage, and production equipment is being intensively debugged.
The green aluminum-based industry extends from the Central Plains hinterland to Xinjiang. “This is not transferring excess capacity, but reshaping the value chain of the industry,” said a comrade from the Organization Department of the Party Committee of the Thirteenth Division and Xinxing City of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. “An aluminum processing industry chain that we previously dared not even think about has actually been established here.”
When the pocket is rich, the head must also be rich.
The industrial assistance Xinjiang team of the Land Consolidation Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources helped Xinjiang successfully apply for a national demonstration project for ecological restoration of abandoned mines left over from history, and also actively secured expert resources from central and national ministries, universities, and research institutes to enter Xinjiang for training and on-site guidance. The “group-style” assistance Xinjiang team of the National Medical Products Administration helped the Xinjiang Medical Products Administration establish and improve a local medicinal material standard system, established the first counterfeit and substandard drug identification working committee, and coordinated 26 key business personnel to carry out flexible technical guidance services… The vast number of cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang, based on local resource endowments and industrial foundations, both “blood transfusion” and “blood creation” (i.e., providing aid and building capacity), and adapt measures to local conditions to do a good job in industrial assistance and intellectual assistance to Xinjiang.
Resolve to benefit the people, solve the pressing and urgent problems of the masses.
In Turpan City (吐鲁番市), Xinjiang, “Doctor Mao” is a warm and special name. And this name originated from a small episode.
At the end of 2022, doctors from the Hunan medical team assisting Xinjiang successfully performed a cardiac stent surgery on a 94-year-old Uyghur grandmother, Patamkhan Nur (帕塔姆汗·努尔). After waking up, she immediately asked the doctor’s name. Because of her age, she could not hear the answer clearly, so she said: “You are doctors from Hunan, from Chairman Mao’s hometown, so I will call you ‘Doctor Mao’.”
The Hunan medical team assisting Xinjiang proactively took over this glorious name, and in May 2023 established the “Red Pomegranate·Hunan Assistance Xinjiang ‘Doctor Mao’ Medical Team” work brand, turning the people’s recognition into a conscious action of assistance work.
Flew from Hunan the previous afternoon, performed an emergency surgery overnight, participated in a consultation the next morning… Chen Guodong (陈国栋), Deputy Party Secretary of the First Affiliated Hospital of the University of South China and President of Turpan People’s Hospital, had a tight schedule.
“When I think of the ethnic minority people queuing up early to register, and calling us ‘Doctor Mao’ in not very fluent Mandarin, I don’t feel tired anymore,” said Chen Guodong.
Over the past three years, countless “Doctor Mao” like Chen Guodong have focused on local diagnosis and treatment needs, paid attention to cultivating emotional bonds, and gradually became “family doctors” for people of all ethnic groups, turning the doctor-patient relationship into ethnic kinship: promoting a significant increase in the proportion of minimally invasive surgeries, reducing the referral rate to 1.9%; overcoming medical technology difficulties, completing 159 clinical applications of new technologies that were first in Xinjiang; building a system of “master-apprentice teaching, platform cultivation, and whole-region training”, with 59 local medical backbones improving their capabilities, and 34 able to independently perform surgeries; persisting in going down to the grassroots front line, creating the “Weekend Appointment” consultation service…
Assistance work in Xinjiang is not easy, facing difficulties unimaginable to ordinary people. The Shenzhen medical team assisting Xinjiang overcame natural obstacles such as steep mountain roads, dangerous cliffs, high altitude, cold, and hypoxia on the Pamir Plateau, rushed to various townships and villages along the border in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County (塔什库尔干塔吉克自治县), entered herdsmen’s yurts to conduct free clinics and distribute free medicine, allowing people in remote pastoral areas to enjoy diagnosis and treatment services at their doorsteps.
“The altitude difference between Shenzhen and Taxkorgan is too great. Every cadre and professional assisting Xinjiang experiences altitude sickness to some degree, some very severely, but they gritted their teeth and persevered. This spirit of dedication moves the local people,” recalled a comrade from the Assistance Xinjiang Work Section of the Organization Department of the Kashgar Prefectural Party Committee. They also went to border areas at even higher altitudes, conducted health checks for border defense soldiers, provided targeted diagnosis and treatment for high-altitude occupational diseases, taught hands-on emergency response and first aid skills for high-altitude emergencies, and delivered medical services to border guards and remote townships. “Salute to them!”
Besides medical care, education is also an important part of people’s livelihood assistance to Xinjiang. Entering the Bole City (博乐市) Senior High School in the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture (博尔塔拉蒙古自治州), the words “100% undergraduate admission rate” on the display board in the lobby caught the eye.
Since Hubei Province launched the “group-style” education talent assistance to Xinjiang, the undergraduate admission rate of Bole City Senior High School has increased year by year. In the 2025 college entrance exam, the undergraduate admission rate reached 100%, the first-tier university admission rate was 83.28%, and the “Double First-Class” university admission rate was 51.49%. This year, the school was successfully selected as one of the first batch of high-quality ordinary high schools in Xinjiang.
Among the many education talents assisting Xinjiang, Chen Jianshu (陈建树), a senior three mathematics teacher at Bole City Senior High School, stands out. “Influenced by my mother, I have always believed that education assistance to Xinjiang is a meaningful thing,” said Chen Jianshu. His mother Wang Qin (王琴) is also a teacher assisting Xinjiang. “We are mother and son standing side by side, wanting to contribute a little more to education in ethnic regions.”
Two generations of one family, mother and son assisting Xinjiang, has become a 传为佳话 (chuán wéi jiā huà - “passed down as a fine story,” a much-told tale).
Care about the people’s livelihood warmth and cold, be a good intimate of the masses. The vast number of cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang adhere to the principle that benefiting the people is the greatest achievement, sincerely do practical things, and help the masses solve their pressing and urgent problems.
Promote ethnic unity, and 铸牢中华民族共同体意识 (zhù láo zhōng huá mín zú gòng tóng tǐ yì shí - “forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation,” consolidate the consciousness of the Chinese national community).
Entering the Pomegranate Flower Exhibition Hall (石榴花展览馆) in Yining City (伊宁市), Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture (伊犁哈萨克自治州), people of all ethnic groups come here to visit. This venue, which integrates cultural display and cultural tourism, vividly presents the history of multi-ethnic coexistence and shared prosperity in Ili through pictures, texts, physical objects, and digital methods.
“So there are so many diverse ways of life in the world. We must learn to understand and respect others’ customs,” exclaimed a student from Yining No.1 Primary School.
To build cultural landmarks such as the Pomegranate Flower Exhibition Hall, the Nanjing Sub-Command of the Jiangsu Province Assistance Xinjiang Command coordinated assistance funds, and continuously increased support for the protection and development of the Ili Old City Cultural Tourism Zone where the Pomegranate Flower Exhibition Hall is located.
Over the past three years, cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang have closely followed the main line of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, exchanged true feelings for sincerity, built bridges of connection between people of all ethnic groups, and woven a bond of unity and common endeavor.
Early in the morning, in Swan Town (天鹅小镇), Ashili Township (阿什里乡), Changji City (昌吉市), Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture (昌吉回族自治州), the breakfast shop of Heizhati·Saken (黑扎提·萨肯) was already wafting the aroma of milk tea.
“I used to herd livestock, but now I hire someone to look after the sheep. I opened this shop, selling buns and milk tea, and I can earn over 10,000 yuan a month!” said Heizhati·Saken with a smile.
Who would have thought that nine years ago, this place was still a wasteland?
Think together with the masses, work together with the masses. The Fujian Provincial Forward Command for Assisting Xinjiang conducted careful research and meticulous site selection, understood the production and living needs of herdsmen who had not yet settled, and finally decided in 2017 to build this herdsmen settlement in the township center.
“The construction process of the town gathered the hard work of many cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang. The 502 herdsmen households in the town all remember their kindness,” said Wu Chen (吴琛), Party Secretary of Ashili Township.
In Kucha Alley (龟兹小巷), Kuqa City (库车市), Aksu Prefecture (阿克苏地区), restored buildings such as the Nishahan Ancient Residence (尼沙汗古民居) and Guli’s Home (古丽的家) stand 鳞次栉比 (lín cì zhì bǐ - “like scales and teeth of a comb,” in close order), and the alley has become a new cultural tourism landmark integrating cultural display, intangible cultural heritage experience, and characteristic homestays.
When building Kucha Alley, the Ningbo Sub-Command of the Zhejiang Province Assistance Xinjiang Command focused on creating cultural tourism service formats. “The service industry is one that deals with people. The deeper and more frequent the contact between people, the more it reflects the value and significance of exchange, interaction, and integration,” said Yang Yong (杨勇), Commander of the Ningbo Sub-Command. “Improving the quality of cultural tourism services, reflecting that the pomegranate flowers bloom more beautifully, is also a process of forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.”
The participation in exchange, interaction, and integration is not only getting higher, but its breadth and depth are also expanding.
“Relax your shoulders, look straight ahead, squat back…” At the roller skating rink of the Snow Capital Sports Park in Altay City (阿勒泰市), Altay Prefecture (阿勒泰地区), the “China Snow Capital,” people can almost every day see Li Haixia (李海霞), a national-level speed skating coach and a talent from Heilongjiang Province assisting Xinjiang, dressed in a coach uniform, 一丝不苟 (yī sī bù gǒu - “not one thread slack,” scrupulously) guiding the trainees’ movements.
She has given up many opportunities to return home for holidays, spending all her time on the training ground. From the most basic posture to every technical movement, she accompanies the children as they grind and practice bit by bit.
Over the past three years, Li Haixia led the children to win 86 gold, 76 silver, and 58 bronze medals in various provincial-level ice and snow events, creating the best historical results for ice sports in the Altay region, and also sent 15 outstanding athletes to the autonomous region.
At the beginning of this year, seeing that her assignment was about to expire, Li Haixia proactively submitted an application to continue assisting Xinjiang. “I can’t bear to leave the children here, and I can’t bear to leave this land that has given me strength,” said Li Haixia.
Walking across the land of Xinjiang, listening to the evaluations of Xinjiang cadres and the masses on the work of assisting Xinjiang and the cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang, the most frequently said two words are “thank you.”
For the care and deep love of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the Party Central Committee, as well as the strong support of the entire nation, the people of all ethnic groups in Xinjiang always remember and are grateful!
Taking over the “relay baton,” the twelfth batch of cadres and professionals assisting Xinjiang will embark on the journey of supporting and dedicating themselves to Xinjiang, striving together with the people of all ethnic groups, and injecting surging momentum into building a modern socialist Xinjiang.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (Reporter Li Xinping (李心萍)) The Chongqing Caiyuanba Yangtze River Railway Tunnel (重庆菜园坝长江铁路隧道) of the Yu-Xia High-Speed Railway (渝厦高铁) was successfully completed on the 24th, becoming the first high-speed rail tunnel to cross the Yangtze River.
The Chongqing Caiyuanba Yangtze River Railway Tunnel is located in Yuzhong District and Nan'an District of Chongqing, with a total length of 11,942 meters. The construction route passes under municipal roads, elevated bridges, rail transit lines, multiple residential building complexes, the main Yangtze River channel, and the Nanshan mountain. The overall construction difficulty is high and the technical standards are stringent. For this reason, the construction team adopted the open-cut method, mining method, and shield tunneling method, using the self-designed and selected "Yangtze River" (长江号) slurry balance shield machine to carry out long-distance single-head tunneling under high water pressure conditions, achieving millimeter-level settlement control and safe, efficient tunneling.
The Yu-Xia High-Speed Railway is an important component of China's "eight vertical and eight horizontal" (八纵八横) high-speed railway network. It starts from Chongqing, passes through Zhangjiajie, Changde, and Changsha in Hunan, Ganzhou and Ruijin in Jiangxi, Longyan and Zhangzhou in Fujian, and ends at Xiamen. Currently, the Chongqing East to Changsha section and the Ganzhou to Xiamen section have been opened. After the Chongqing to Chongqing East section and the Changsha to Ganzhou section are completed, they will together form a high-speed railway corridor from Chongqing to Xiamen, facilitating travel for people along the route.
Return to TopOur newspaper Beijing, July 24 (electric) — (Reporter Ouyang Jie (欧阳洁)) In the first half of this year, the nine mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area imported and exported 5.3 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20.9%, 4 percentage points faster than the overall national import and export growth rate, accounting for 20.8% of the national total import and export value, and their contribution to national growth over the same period reached 24.9%. Among them, in June, imports and exports increased by 31.1% year-on-year, and the single-month scale broke the trillion yuan mark for the first time, reaching 1.02 trillion yuan.
Private enterprises’ vitality bursts forth. In the first half of the year, private enterprises in the nine mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area imported and exported 3.57 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 27.1%, and their proportion of the total import and export value rose by 3.2 percentage points compared with the same period last year to 67.5%, with their contribution to the overall growth reaching 83.1%.
Export commodity structure continuously optimized. In the first half of the year, the nine mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area exported mechanical and electrical products worth 2.23 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16%, accounting for 71.7% of their total export value, an increase of 2.8 percentage points over the same period last year.
Import growth was rapid. In the first half of the year, the year-on-year growth rate of imports in the nine mainland cities of the Greater Bay Area was 26 percentage points faster than that of exports, promoting balanced development of imports and exports. Imports of mechanical and electrical products were 1.55 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 34.4%.
Return to TopCurrently, the accelerated iteration and application of frontier technologies such as artificial intelligence are making the "double-edged sword" effect increasingly apparent, "containing both immense opportunities and facing governance challenges." How to steer artificial intelligence in a direction that is upward and toward goodness (向上向善) and benefits humanity is a major era-defining issue in global governance. President Xi Jinping, with the welfare of all humanity in mind, advocates 和衷共济 (hé zhōng gòng jì - "with one heart and united efforts," to work together in harmony) and improving global governance, so that artificial intelligence can truly become a powerful positive force that enhances the well-being of all humanity and advances the progress of human civilization.
"Revealing a development path different from that of the West"
On July 16, 29 countries from Asia, Africa, Latin America, and Europe signed the Agreement on the Establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, becoming founding member states, demonstrating the broad consensus of the international community in addressing the challenges of AI and promoting common development.
Mehdi Gaham, Advisor to the Algerian Ministry of Knowledge Economy, Startups, and Micro-Enterprises, stated that Algeria is very honored to be a founding member of the organization. "China is an important participant and leader in the development of artificial intelligence, willing to help the vast number of developing countries, and striving to ensure that all countries are placed within this major transformation."
"China has always been committed to promoting the development of artificial intelligence to better benefit all humanity, demonstrating China's leadership, capacity for action, and sense of responsibility." Shakil Ramay, Advisor to the Global Development Initiative Group of the Pakistan Parliamentary Secretariat for Sustainable Development Goals, said that after the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization starts operation, it will help narrow the global AI development divide, allowing more Global South countries to enjoy the dividends of digital development, and promoting the safe and equitable popularization and application of AI globally.
As a responsible major country, China has always been committed to being a provider of international public goods in the field of artificial intelligence: it took the lead in proposing the Global AI Governance Initiative; released the AI Capacity Building Universal Plan and the "AI Plus" International Cooperation Initiative; the World Artificial Intelligence Conference has been successfully held for nine consecutive sessions, and since 2024, it has added a global governance agenda to build consensus and establish platforms for AI development and governance.
"An advocate of ideas and public issues, a promoter of multilateral cooperation mechanisms, and a provider of international public goods in artificial intelligence"—Tang Zhimin (汤之敏), Director of the China-ASEAN Research Center at the Panyapiwat Institute of Management in Thailand, put it this way when describing the important role China plays in promoting global AI governance.
Hannes Fellner, Director of the Austrian Institute for China and Southeast Asia, said that the key to AI development and governance lies in who owns it, what purposes it serves, and how to achieve broader sharing and accessibility. China promotes the open-source and open development of AI, strengthens public coordination, and adheres to "people-centeredness," "revealing a development path different from that of the West."
Brazilian geopolitical analyst Washington Araujo believes that the international community increasingly recognizes that AI development cannot be measured solely by technological breakthroughs and the speed of innovation; more attention should be paid to whether technology truly serves human society. China's advocacy of upholding a people-centered, upward, and toward-goodness (向上向善) philosophy reflects the value orientation that technological progress should be devoted to improving people's lives, promoting social equity, and advancing common development.
"Providing important ideas for improving global AI governance"
AI governance concerns the fate of all humanity and is a common task facing all countries in the world. President Xi Jinping emphasized the need to practice true multilateralism, earnestly play the important role of the United Nations, enhance alignment and coordination on AI development strategies, governance rules, and technical standards, and as soon as possible form a global governance framework with broad consensus, so that this frontier technology can better benefit human society.
UN Under-Secretary-General Amandeep Gill said that the United Nations has already carried out close cooperation with China in the area of AI capacity building, committed to ensuring that the fruits of AI development benefit all parts of the world. The establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization highlights the importance of multilateral cooperation and the formulation of global solutions.
Araujo said that China actively promotes AI capacity-building cooperation and dialogue and exchanges within the UN framework, becoming an important contributor to global AI governance. AI has no borders; algorithms, data flows, and application scenarios increasingly cross national boundaries. Countries should rely on multilateral mechanisms such as the United Nations to strengthen communication and coordination, promote the alignment of governance concepts and the docking of technical standards, and build broader international consensus.
"China practices true multilateralism, providing important ideas for improving global AI governance." Gideon Chitanga, a South African international relations and political analyst, said that some countries attempt to politicize and instrumentalize AI technology, and even artificially create technological barriers, which not only harms global innovation but will also further widen the North-South development gap. For African countries, participating in AI governance means a new opportunity to participate in formulating international rules and enhance their voice in global governance. It is hoped that all parties will deepen cooperation within the UN framework so that AI can truly become an international public good that promotes common development and enhances human welfare.
"Committed to building more mutually beneficial and win-win international cooperation platforms"
Smart farm platforms have doubled the efficiency of Brazilian farmers; small-model algorithms have revitalized Malaysian rubber production lines; meteorological early-warning solutions safeguard the tranquility of Djibouti's ports; driverless driving paves the way for smart transport in the UAE... China's AI is integrating into global research, industry, and people's livelihoods, allowing people of all countries to share the dividends of intelligent development.
Andrey Ostrovsky, Chief Researcher at the Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, said that currently, global AI development is unbalanced, and Global South countries face a huge capacity gap. China has always adhered to openness, win-win cooperation, and sharing, continuously promoting the construction of an open-source AI ecosystem and international exchanges and cooperation. The global cumulative downloads of China's open-source AI large models have exceeded 10 billion; the "Belt and Road" AI Science and Technology Innovation Special Cooperation Plan and other initiatives have effectively promoted technology research and development and talent cultivation in partner countries.
As an integrator of green energy and digital infrastructure, Greece's Kefair Technology Company has established close cooperative relations with Chinese enterprises such as Yushu Technology. The company's president, Petrochelos, believes that the global AI development gap involves not only the software layer but also computing resources, affordable energy, high-quality data, frontier models, and international standard-setting, and there are many areas where parties can cooperate with China.
"When AI models, infrastructure, knowledge, and skills are regarded as international public goods, rather than being controlled by a few entities, 'intelligence for good' can truly be implemented." Fellner said that China's intelligent meteorological early-warning solution "Mazu" (妈祖) is a good example. Countries such as Austria can gain useful inspiration from China's AI development.
"China does not pursue hegemony or monopoly, and is committed to building more mutually beneficial and win-win international cooperation platforms." Ramay said, "China's AI development philosophy and practice are profoundly influencing the world. Pakistan and other vast developing countries should seize the opportunity, learn from China's experience, and deepen cooperation with China, so that AI can become a driving force for the future development of all countries."
(Our correspondents in Beijing, Shanghai, Islamabad, Bangkok, Berlin, Rio de Janeiro, Johannesburg, Moscow, July 24 — Reporters Gong Ming (龚鸣), Chen Shangwen (陈尚文), Qi Zhiming (齐志明), Wang Yinxin (王崟欣), Zhao Yipu (赵益普), Zhang Jinruo (张矜若), Liu Zhonghua (刘仲华), Chen Yiming (陈一鸣), Dai Kairan (戴楷然), Xiao Xinxin (肖新新))
Return to TopBy: 阿尔宾·洛伊德尔
Not long ago, I participated in the "China-Europe Tourism Dialogue" event at the 2026 Shanghai International Tourism Trade Expo, discussing the development prospects of the industry with Chinese tourism professionals. During the exchanges, I increasingly felt that against the backdrop of intensifying geopolitical tensions and rising global uncertainty, tourism is one of the most effective forms of interaction in international exchanges. Tourism is not only an economic activity but also an important bridge for building trust and enhancing understanding, which is particularly prominent in Europe-China relations.
Currently, European tourists are increasingly paying attention to the sense of experience, memory value, and emotional resonance of travel, placing greater importance on the comprehensive gains it brings. In these dimensions, China has unique advantages. For European people, China is one of the most fascinating tourist destinations in the world, capable of integrating thousands of years of long history, globally influential culture, futuristic cities, rich and diverse cuisine, magnificent natural wonders, and scientific and technological innovation achievements into a single journey. From Beijing, Shanghai to Chengdu, from the heritage of the ancient Silk Road to the modern high-speed rail network, China possesses world-class tourism resource endowments.
With such superior tourism resources, how can China attract more European tourists? The key lies in improving travel accessibility, strengthening communication and coordination, and enhancing travel confidence.
European tourists have increasingly higher expectations for a smooth and worry-free travel experience, which begins even before departure, covering all aspects such as visa procedures, flight connections, payment systems, and booking convenience. China has made significant progress in the above areas. For the tourism industry, every simplification measure directly increases tourists' willingness to book. Shortly after China implemented a visa-free policy for German tourists, travel bookings to China rose sharply. China's expansion of visa-free policies to multiple countries sends a clear signal to the world that China welcomes international tourists.
The demand for experiential travel continues to grow, becoming a new trend in global tourism consumption. European tourists are no longer satisfied with 走马观花 (zǒu mǎ guān huā - "riding a horse to view flowers," superficial understanding from a fleeting glance) style sightseeing, but look forward to immersive and authentic experiences, such as interacting with local people, tasting authentic cuisine, experiencing regional culture, natural landscapes, and traditional handicrafts, thereby gaining emotional memories that resonate. We should convey travel experiences in a more emotional and personalized manner, build bridges of emotional connection, integrate nature, culture, and history into the daily life scenes of local people, and allow tourists to discover similarities and differences in the contrast between their own culture and the destination culture. No matter how far apart people are, finding that there are many commonalities between them always brings delight.
The issue of sustainable tourism development is attracting increasing attention from European tourists, especially the younger demographic. China has achieved remarkable accomplishments in high-speed railways, green technology, nature conservation, and sustainable infrastructure construction. We should let more European people know that China is not only a tourist destination bearing profound history and culture but also a destination showcasing innovation vitality and sustainable transformation achievements. This is a prominent differentiated advantage for China in international tourism competition, containing huge development potential.
Tourism can create opportunities for people to meet and get to know each other, helping to dissolve stereotypes and cultivate an open spirit and curiosity. When European people travel to China and Chinese tourists visit Europe, mutual understanding between the two societies can continuously deepen. Tourism can fully assume the mission of building a communication bridge. As long as all parties work in the same direction and pool their efforts, Europe-China tourism relations will surely open a new chapter.
(The author is the president of the German Tourism Association.)
Return to TopThis newspaper’s Cholpon-Ata (乔尔蓬阿塔), Kyrgyzstan, July 24 dispatch (by reporter Li Qiang (李强)). Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended the Meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization in Kyrgyzstan on the 24th.
Wang Yi stated that the SCO Tianjin Summit made a strategic plan for the organization’s development over the next ten years, opening a new stage of high-quality SCO growth. Over the past year, China has implemented the major initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, empowering regional development with “China’s actions.”
Wang Yi stated that this year marks the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. The SCO has always upheld the “Shanghai Spirit” of mutual trust, mutual benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diversity of civilizations, and pursuit of common development, making the path of new-type international relations and multilateral cooperation ever broader. At present, the century-old transformations are accelerating, and turbulence and change are surging with wind and thunder. The international community expects the SCO to promote regional security and development and to crack the difficult problems of global governance.
Wang Yi put forward four suggestions: First, recognize the “Shanghai Spirit” as the fixed star, and use the “Shanghai Spirit” to illuminate the path forward for the community with a shared future for mankind. Second, build a firewall for peace and stability, and accelerate the implementation and effectiveness of the “four security centers (四个安全中心).” Third, stimulate the driving force of win-win development, and jointly create more development results. Fourth, create a demonstration zone for global governance, and explore establishing an effective model of global governance with participation by all parties.
Wang Yi stated that this year is the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and also the first year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan. China, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, will forever be a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, and a defender of the international order.
All parties agreed that the SCO is an important pillar of the multipolar world and has made significant contributions to promoting regional and international peace, stability, and development. Facing the turbulent international situation, the “Shanghai Spirit” should be further promoted, the SCO voice should be raised more often, and global challenges should be actively addressed.
The meeting issued the Statement of the Council of Foreign Ministers of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization and signed resolutions related to the preparations for the SCO Bishkek Summit.
During the meeting, Wang Yi also held separate meetings with the foreign ministers of Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
Return to TopOur reporter Li Qiang reports from Cholpon-Ata (乔尔蓬阿塔), Kyrgyzstan, July 24. Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi met with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov on the 24th in Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
Wang Yi stated that in May this year, President Xi Jinping and President Putin held an important meeting in Beijing, pushing China-Russia relations into a new phase marked by greater achievement and faster development. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation and the founding of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization. Under the guidance of the treaty, China and Russia have set a model for a new type of state-to-state relations and major-power relations. The two sides should jointly support the SCO’s growth and expansion, carry forward the Shanghai Spirit, and inject vitality and dynamism into improving global governance and building a community with a shared future for mankind.
Wang Yi stated that the two sides should follow the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, take a steady path of independent development and revitalization, and take a steady path of mutual trust through comprehensive strategic coordination. The two sides should plan high-level exchanges for the next stage well, sustain the growth momentum of practical cooperation, and enhance the stability and resilience of cooperation. They should strengthen strategic coordination, safeguard the victorious achievements of World War II, and absolutely never allow Japan to rearm. They should intensify multilateral coordination, and look forward to Russia continuing to support the activities of APEC’s “China Year,” and strengthen mutual support within multilateral platforms such as the United Nations.
Lavrov stated that head-of-state diplomacy is an important engine of Russia-China relations. The two leaders have held more than 50 meetings in total, guiding bilateral relations to continuously reach new heights. Russia congratulates China on successfully hosting the World Artificial Intelligence Conference, has joined the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization, and looks forward to deepening innovation and technology cooperation between the two countries through this. Russia is highly vigilant against and firmly opposes Japan’s accelerated “re-militarization” and its attempts to acquire nuclear weapons. Russia and China can further strengthen strategic coordination within multilateral frameworks and promote the building of a more democratic and just multipolar world.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (Our Newspaper) -- (reporter Zhang Tianpei) State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong (王小洪) met with U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Patel in Beijing on the 24th.
Wang Xiaohong stated that in May of this year, President Xi Jinping and President Trump held a historic meeting, which pointed the way forward for cooperation in various fields between the two sides. It is hoped that both sides will implement the important common understanding reached by the two heads of state, conduct more constructive dialogue on the basis of mutual respect, deepen practical cooperation in areas such as anti-drug efforts, combating telecom and online fraud and child pornography crimes, anti-money laundering, and fugitive pursuit, strive to achieve more visible results, help build a constructive and strategically stable relationship between China and the United States, and better benefit the people of both countries.
The two sides agreed to continue deepening and strengthening cooperation in the field of law enforcement.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Bangkok, July 24 (Reporters Liu Yang (刘杨) and Sun Weitong (孙玮彤)) On July 24, Thai Prime Minister Anutin met in Bangkok with visiting Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun. Anutin said that he had just concluded a successful visit to China, and that both Thailand and China had reached many consensuses on strengthening exchanges and cooperation in various fields and jointly promoting the building of a Thailand-China community with a shared future. The Thai side firmly adheres to the one-China policy and will not change due to external pressure or interference. Thailand-China defense cooperation is an important part of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries. We are willing to work with the Chinese side to make good use of the "2+2" strategic dialogue mechanism between the two countries' foreign ministers and defense ministers, deepen strategic coordination and mutual trust, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation between the two militaries in various fields. The Thai side thanked the Chinese side for playing a positive and constructive role in mediating the Thailand-Cambodia conflict and contributing to the peaceful resolution of the dispute. Dong Jun said that the people of China and Thailand have had exchanges for a thousand years, and their friendly cooperation has 历久弥新 (lì jiǔ mí xīn - "the longer it lasts, the fresher it becomes," enduring and ever-renewing). China-Thailand relations are moving toward the next golden 50 years. The Chinese side has always regarded the Thai side as a reliable partner in maintaining regional prosperity and stability. It is willing to jointly implement the important common understandings of the two countries' leaders, continuously deepen military-to-military cooperation, and carry out high-level coordination with a foundation of solid mutual trust, deep cooperation content, and greater strategic tacit understanding, so as to provide greater support for building a more stable, more prosperous, and more sustainable China-Thailand community with a shared future, and make greater contributions to maintaining lasting peace and stability in the region.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (People’s Daily) — (Reporter Li Xinyi) The Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on the 24th: At the invitation of President Xi Jinping, Slovak President Pellegrini will pay a state visit to China from July 27 to 29.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (People's Daily reporter Li Xinyi (李欣怡)) — A Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on the 24th that, at the invitation of the Government of the Republic of Peru, President Xi Jinping's special envoy, Minister of Science and Technology (科技部) Yin Hejun (阴和俊), will travel to Lima, the capital of Peru, to attend the ceremony for the transfer of presidential power in Peru, to be held from July 27 to 28.
Return to TopTUNIS, July 23 (Xinhua) -- (Reporter Zhou Haojin) The supercomputer center project of the Tunisian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research, assisted by China, was delivered and put into use on the 23rd at the Khwarizmi Computing Center in Tunis. This project will provide strong support for the development of Tunisia's digital economy, artificial intelligence, e-government, and other areas.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Chengdu, July 24 (Xinhua) — (Reporter Zhang Hailei) As one of the important activities of the 2026 APEC Digital Week, the 2026 APEC High-Level Forum on Artificial Intelligence was held on July 24 in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The forum released an outcome document, the Statement of the APEC High-Level Forum on Artificial Intelligence on Promoting the Development of Artificial Intelligence in the Asia-Pacific Region.
The Statement outlines the future cooperation path for APEC on artificial intelligence from four aspects: safe development, responsible deployment, innovation environment, and inclusive cooperation. It consolidates the consensus among economies to further deepen cooperation on artificial intelligence and lays a solid foundation for future cooperation. At the same time, the Chinese side announced that it will establish the "China Center for Promoting APEC Data Cross-Border Flow Cooperation" in Qianhai, Shenzhen, Guangdong, to build a comprehensive and open data cross-border flow cooperation platform integrating policy research, rule alignment, and industrial services, thereby contributing China’s strength to promoting digitalization and intelligent development in the Asia-Pacific region.
The forum was hosted by the Cyberspace Administration of China (国家互联网信息办公室), with the theme "Promoting the Inclusive and Beneficial Development of Artificial Intelligence for All." It featured segments including keynote speeches, special addresses, roundtable dialogues, and exchange discussions. More than 400 representatives from various sectors — government, business, academia, and research — as well as from APEC member economies, the APEC Secretariat, the APEC Business Advisory Council, and observers, along with representatives of international organizations, attended the forum.
Return to TopThe third Beijing Park Art Season key event, the "Landscape Garden · Central Axis" (景园·中轴) bonsai exhibition recently opened at Jingshan Park, bringing together fine bonsai works from multiple regions across China, attracting Chinese and foreign tourists to appreciate the hills and valleys within the pots and experience traditional garden art. The photo shows foreign tourists photographing bonsai.
Li Wenming (李文明) photo.
United Nations, July 23 (People's Daily) -- Sun Lei (孙磊), Chargé d’affaires ad interim of China’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, stated on the 23rd at the Security Council Open Debate on the Peaceful Settlement of Disputes that the peaceful settlement of disputes is an obligation under the Charter of the United Nations (联合国宪章) that all UN member states must fulfill; persistence in resolving differences through dialogue and consultation should be upheld, and resorting to force without Security Council authorization must be opposed.
Sun Lei said that at present, the unprecedented changes not seen in a century are evolving profoundly, geopolitical contradictions are increasingly intensifying, armed conflicts are erupting in multiple places, hot-spot issues are dragging on and hard to resolve, and the interweaving of change and turmoil in the international situation is becoming more pronounced. The international community should uphold the original aspiration of the founding of the United Nations, firmly believe in peace, and guard the hope of peace.
Sun Lei expressed that the resurgence of conflict in the Gulf region serves the interests of no party. China calls on all parties concerned to follow the strong international and regional call for peace and stability, remain rational and exercise restraint, immediately cease all confrontational actions, and create conditions for restoring and implementing the Iran-U.S. Memorandum of Understanding. Restoring normal and safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz as soon as possible and respecting the lawful rights and interests of the littoral states of the Strait of Hormuz is the common aspiration of the international community; all relevant parties should move in the same direction and handle matters properly.
Sun Lei pointed out that an important reason for the various confrontations and injustices in today’s world is that international law has not been applied equally and uniformly, and the rights and wrongs of matters themselves have not been brought to light. All countries must strictly abide by international law with the UN Charter at its core, keep faith with the international treaties they have jointly concluded, and fulfill the international obligations they each bear. It is necessary to end the suffering of the Palestinian people as soon as possible, achieve a lasting ceasefire in Gaza, improve the humanitarian situation, implement the two-State solution (两国方案), and realize a comprehensive, just, and lasting settlement of the Palestinian question at an early date.
Return to TopThis newspaper Hohhot, July 24 (reporter Zhang Cheng (张枨)) — The themed interview activity "Walk and Read China — Entering Tongliao" (走读中国 走进通辽) organized by the All-China Journalists Association (中国记协) was recently held in Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia. Journalists from China, the United States, Morocco, South Korea, Japan, Vietnam, and other countries went deep into the Horqin Sandy Land (科尔沁沙地), new energy equipment production workshops, intangible cultural heritage workshops, beef cattle industrial parks, and other places, gaining a close-up understanding of the local ecological governance results, industrial development achievements, and the vivid practice of cultural integration and symbiosis.
The participating journalists all said that China continuously optimizes its energy structure and steadily increases the proportion of renewable energy. China’s sand control model of building a “Green Great Wall” (绿色长城) provides a template for ecological governance in global desert regions. All countries should deepen ecological cooperation and strengthen the exchange and mutual learning of governance experiences.
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency, Kuala Lumpur, July 22 (Xinhua) -- (Reporters Wang Jiawei (王嘉伟), He Guanghai (何光海)) The "China-ASEAN Tourism Dialogue (中国—东盟旅游对话)" was held on the 22nd in Langkawi, Kedah State, Malaysia, with more than 300 guests including officials from the cultural and tourism authorities of China and ASEAN member states, as well as representatives from the tourism industry, attending.
This dialogue, with the theme of "Consolidating Regional Consensus, Strengthening Synergistic Cooperation – A Future-Oriented China-ASEAN Tourism," aims to further deepen exchanges and cooperation in the tourism sector between China and ASEAN, inject new momentum into the high-quality development of regional tourism, and help build a closer China-ASEAN community with a shared future.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张天培
In the first half of this year, the number of criminal cases and public security cases in our country decreased by 16.5% and 11.3% year-on-year respectively. The social stability situation continues to improve, and “Chinese-style sense of security” has become a hot topic on overseas social media platforms. On July 24, the State Council Information Office (国务院新闻办) held a series of themed press conferences on “Making a Good Start to the ‘15th Five-Year Plan’.” Qi Yanjun (亓延军), Executive Deputy Minister of the Ministry of Public Security (公安部), introduced the relevant situation of strengthening governance, protecting the people’s safety, promoting development, and fully serving and guaranteeing a good start to the “15th Five-Year Plan.” He stated: “Public security organs nationwide will further enhance their overall capabilities in preventing risks, ensuring safety, maintaining stability, and promoting development, strive to use high-efficiency governance and high-level safety to guarantee high-quality development, and escort the smooth completion of the goals and tasks of the ‘15th Five-Year Plan.’”
Building a more stringent public safety barrier
In recent years, public security organs have achieved new improvements in the level of public safety governance, building a more stringent public safety barrier for the start of the “15th Five-Year Plan.”
In the first half of this year, 307,000 cases of traditional theft, robbery, and fraud were filed, a year-on-year decrease of 38.9%; the incidence of homicide cases dropped to a historic low; 1,744 cases involving organized crime and local mobs were investigated and handled, and public satisfaction with the常态化 (cháng tài huà) crackdown on organized crime has increased for three consecutive years; the number of filed telecom and online fraud cases decreased by 15.6% year-on-year, 2.926 million people were met and dissuaded, and since October 2025, the number of telecom and online fraud cases has decreased year-on-year for nine consecutive months.
According to the introduction, public security organs have fully implemented various measures of “striking, preventing, managing, controlling, and building” (打防管控建), and the mechanisms and means of combating crime have been continuously improved. The number of criminal cases nationwide has continued to decline, the high-incidence trend of telecom and online fraud has been fundamentally reversed, the drug governance system has been continuously improved, organized crime and local mobs have been effectively curbed, the prevention and governance of juvenile delinquency has achieved remarkable results, the number of major road traffic accidents has continued to decrease, emergency response capabilities for major safety accidents have been significantly enhanced, the ability to prevent and respond to risks from the application of technologies such as artificial intelligence and low-altitude safety has been notably improved, and the comprehensive governance system for cyberspace security has become more complete.
Combating telecom and online fraud is a matter of common concern to the people. How will public security organs continue to combat cross-border telecom and online fraud?
Jiang Guoli (姜国利), Director of the Criminal Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, introduced that currently, telecom and online fraud has become a global public hazard and a difficult problem in social governance. The “Public Security Development ‘15th Five-Year Plan’” (公安发展“十五五”规划) has listed “combating and governing telecom and online fraud” as a key task. In response to the actual situation that the vast majority of fraud dens are currently located overseas, public security organs conduct in-depth research on the organizational structure, “boss” core members, and operational models of telecom and online fraud groups, relying on existing law enforcement mechanisms and the soon-to-be-established International Alliance against Telecom and Online Fraud (国际打击电信网络诈骗联盟) to continuously deepen combat and governance work.
Since the beginning of this year, China has for the first time carried out international law enforcement cooperation with the police of the United States and the United Arab Emirates, successfully destroying nine fraud dens and arresting 276 criminal suspects; continuously deepening law enforcement cooperation with the Cambodian police, forcefully clearing and suppressing telecom fraud compounds and fraud dens, successively apprehending a number of leaders and important core members of major criminal groups; and carrying out law enforcement cooperation with Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and other countries, cumulatively arresting and repatriating more than 20,000 fraud suspects.
Continuously improving the service efficiency of escorting high-quality development
High-quality development concerns the people’s sense of gain, happiness, and security. How will public security organs further serve high-quality development?
“High-quality development gives the people a direction to strive for in their struggles, sweetness in their lives, and hope for the future,” Qi Yanjun stated. Public security organs will coordinate development and security, improve systems and mechanisms, optimize policies and measures, improve methods and means, continuously enhance the overall efficiency of services, and better escort high-quality development.
In terms of serving innovation-driven development, public security organs, focusing on serving the construction of a modern industrial system, promptly follow up on enterprise needs and formulate targeted measures in public security management, network security, road traffic, and other areas; closely track development trends in emerging fields such as artificial intelligence and intelligent connected vehicles, and explore the establishment of effective security management and service models; deeply advance special work such as “Anxin” (安芯) to help and guide key enterprises in enhancing their security protection capabilities, and prevent and crack down on crimes such as infringement of trade secrets in accordance with the law.
In terms of serving coordinated development, public security organs deepen the reform of the household registration system, promote various localities to continuously adjust and improve household registration transfer policies according to local conditions (因地制宜) (yīn dì zhì yí - “according to local conditions,” to take measures suited to local conditions) and city-specific policies; explore the establishment of a unified national population management system, implement a system of providing basic public services based on household registration at the place of habitual residence; optimize the safety approval process for large-scale events, improve safety management methods, and serve and guarantee the high-quality development of the cultural and sports industries.
In terms of serving green development, public security organs accelerate the construction of ecological policing mechanisms, improve the “four-mobilization” (四动) work pattern of professional driving, full police force action, departmental linkage, and mass mobilization; severely crack down on prominent crimes in the environmental and resource fields in accordance with the law, enhancing the initiative, targeting, and practical effectiveness of crackdowns; strengthen policing cooperation in areas surrounding important mountain ranges, important water bodies, key ecological function zones, and key forest regions.
In terms of serving open development, public security organs steadily advance institutional opening in the field of immigration management, continuously optimize transit visa-free and regional entry visa-free policies, accelerate the electronic and convenient application of entry-exit documents and border area通行证 (tōng xíng zhèng) passes, optimize visa and residence permit policies, enhance the digital service convenience for inbound foreigners; support the high-standard construction of Hainan Free Trade Port.
In terms of serving shared development, public security organs vigorously promote the equalization and facilitation of public security government services, strengthen the integration of cross-department, cross-police-type, and cross-regional government service applications, advance the sharing and collaborative linkage of government service data; accelerate the online processing, one-stop processing, and integrated processing of public security government service matters, and orderly promote the digitalization of public security credentials.
Continuously improving the governance level of collaborative work
As of the end of June, the total number of motor vehicles nationwide reached 476 million, and the total number of drivers reached 567 million. In the first half of this year, the overall road traffic safety situation nationwide remained generally stable, with major road traffic accidents decreasing by 8.8% year-on-year. How to solidly carry out road traffic accident prevention?
“In response to safety hazards on key roads, we have deployed and implemented ‘two major assaults’ — the governance of prominent hazard points on highways and the optimization and improvement of sections affected by severe weather, supervising the handling of 1,890 prominent hazard points and 111 sections affected by severe weather, promoting collaborative co-governance of highway hazards,” introduced Wang Qiang (王强), Director of the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security.
In June last year, a worker from Heilongjiang working in Beijing repeatedly called the police for help over wage issues. The 110 alarm service platform promptly forwarded the matter to the 12345 convenience hotline (12345便民热线) and the comprehensive governance center, promoting the resolution of the problem, and the caller gave full recognition.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of the 110 alarm service platform, which has played an important role in safeguarding the people’s happiness and tranquility. With the development of the times, the 110 alarm service has seen new developments and changes, actively responding to the public’s new expectations of “one second faster, one degree warmer.”
“Relying on the integrated new police operation mechanism of ‘intelligence, command, and action’ (情报、指挥、行动), we collaboratively carry out various tasks such as emergency response, case investigation, risk prevention, and government services, forming a benign policing ecosystem of ‘110 whistle-blowing, police units responding.’ At the same time, we continuously optimize external linkages. Currently, the country has basically achieved the connection and linkage between 110 and local 12345 hotlines, with platform interoperability, and the efficiency of collaborative service to the public has been significantly improved,” Qi Yanjun introduced.
Food is the first necessity of the people; safety is the first priority in food. The Outline of the “15th Five-Year Plan” lists food safety as an important part of public safety governance, emphasizing the need to improve the level of collaborative supervision and increase the severity of punishment for illegal and criminal acts.
In the first half of this year, public security organs struck hard at various criminal activities endangering food safety, filing and investigating 12,000 criminal cases, and apprehending 21,000 criminal suspects, effectively combating and deterring criminal activities and eliminating a large number of food safety hazards.
“To promote collaborative co-governance and maximize governance efficiency through the greatest synergy, we have worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the State Administration for Market Regulation, and other departments to establish a more proactive mechanism for the connection between administrative law enforcement and criminal justice, strengthen two-way connections, organize 47,000 joint law enforcement inspections, and send more than 1,000 recommendation letters and reminder letters to relevant departments and platform enterprises,” introduced Li Jiantao (李剑涛), Director of the Environmental Resources and Food and Drug Crime Investigation Bureau and the Intellectual Property Crime Investigation Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security.
Return to TopBy: 程 龙
“Carrying a chamber pot through the alley” was once the pain point of daily life for residents of Shanghai’s old city districts. On one side stood the modern bustle of high-rises and grand buildings; on the other lay the “unspeakable troubles” of cramped, shabby dwellings. The contrast between the two was stark.
It is impossible to carry a chamber pot all the way into modernization. In 2025, as the task of retrofitting the last more than 14,000 households still using chamber pots was completed ahead of schedule, this “tough battle” for the people’s livelihood — involving more than one million residents — declared a historic victory.
“The Communist Party exists to serve the common people. Only when the people live and work in peace and contentment, and feel at ease in their lives, can the Party and the government rest assured.” Not long ago, during an inspection tour in Shanghai, General Secretary Xi Jinping earnestly exhorted the people.
This victory not only reflects the concrete implementation of the people’s city concept, but is also a true portrayal of the correct view of performance among Party cadres. The visible and tangible changes have written the answer to the question “For whom is performance built?” — “To establish and practice the correct view of performance, one must ultimately focus on bringing benefit to the people.”
While working in Shanghai, Comrade Xi Jinping proposed: “The renovation of old districts must be persistently advanced. We cannot let the people continue to live in such dilapidated houses.”
After coming to work at the Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed: “This matter concerns the vital interests of the masses and the long-term development of the city. No matter how difficult it is, we must find a way to solve it.”
With an eye toward building an innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and wise modern people’s city, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out during his inspection: “The renovation of old urban neighborhoods is a crucial link…”
A small chamber pot has levered a major project for secure housing.
From 2023 to 2025, Shanghai completed the renovation of approximately 380,000 square meters of scattered second-level old neighborhood and below housing in the central urban area, and completed the renovation of approximately 850,000 square meters of non-self-contained old housing of the “small beam thin-slab” (小梁薄板) type. The transformation of each small, cramped space has injected new vitality into the old alleyways; the construction of each “pocket park” has allowed people to encounter poetry at every turn.
见微知著 (jiàn wēi zhī zhù — “seeing the small reveals the great,” perceiving the larger trend from small signs). “We have truly resolved a worry that plagued several generations” — this simple, homely remark from a resident in the alleyways is a warm interpretation of the correct view of performance.
Achievements that last for a short time are easy; accomplishments that endure over the long term are difficult.
Saying goodbye to the “chamber pot” is a “livelihood project relay” spanning more than 30 years: from the 1990s push for the “365 dilapidated and dangerous sheds and simple houses” renovation and the self-contained retrofitting of old housing, to 2023’s targeted elimination of the last remaining “chamber pot” points, and then to the exploration of diverse solutions such as demolition and reconstruction, in-unit installation, and household-reduction renovation…
久久为功 (jiǔ jiǔ wéi gōng — “persevere for a long time to achieve success,” persisting over time to accomplish the task) is both a methodology and a matter of the view of performance.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “In our work, we must firmly establish and practice the correct view of performance, think about what the masses are thinking, urgently address what the masses see as urgent, formulate and implement effective policies and measures, and persist over the long term, handling each matter the people are concerned about one by one well.” To do good work on people’s livelihood matters with the correct view of performance, one must grasp the dialectic between the present and the long term, and properly handle the relationship between visible achievements and latent achievements.
“Doing good deeds, handling practical matters, and solving difficult problems” — the key lies in applying dedication and empathy.
“Alleviating the people’s hardships in food, clothing, housing, and transportation, and meeting their needs from birth to old age, illness, and death — these are good deeds and practical matters. Even small matters like a resident living in a remote mountain village being unable to buy a light bulb, soap, or other trivial items, and receiving our care and solution, are also good deeds and practical matters.” The concrete “urgent, difficult, anxious, and yearning” issues in the people’s lives are precisely the focal points of our work.
“Wherever the people have needs, that is where good deeds and practical matters can be done, and that is where performance can be created.”
In Zhengding, Hebei, facing the problem of a “high-yield but poor county,” he argued for giving up even the title of “national high-yield county” to let the people live good lives; in Fujian, he made “three visits to Maojiaping” and “three visits to Xiadang,” promoting the establishment of the “four levels of engagement at the grassroots” mechanism; in Zhejiang, he pointed out that “modernization cannot leave blind spots or dead corners, and in achieving a comprehensive moderate prosperity, no township or town can be left behind”…
“Communists must remember that bringing benefit to the people is the greatest performance.”
Shanghai’s farewell to the “chamber pot” has drawn a heartwarming answer sheet for people’s livelihood on the banks of the Huangpu River, providing a vivid template for Party cadres in the new era to establish and practice the correct view of performance, and also writing a lively footnote to the Party’s people-centered stance.
“Deeply rooted among the people, it will always have a solid foundation.” Through this “small matter” of people’s livelihood, one can better understand why the Communist Party of China can succeed.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (Reporter Liu Wenxin (刘温馨)) — On July 6, a dam breach occurred at Liulan Reservoir (六蓝水库) in Hengzhou (横州市), Nanning, Guangxi, causing heavy casualties. In order to earnestly implement the important directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping, and in accordance with the instructions and requirements of Premier Li Qiang and other central leading comrades, and pursuant to relevant national laws and regulations, the State Council established an investigation and assessment team, led by the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部), with participation from the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部), the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development (住房城乡建设部), the Ministry of Water Resources (水利部), the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (农业农村部), the National Development and Reform Commission (国家发展改革委), the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部), the Ministry of Public Security (公安部), the Ministry of Finance (财政部), the Ministry of Transport (交通运输部), the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局), the National Energy Administration (国家能源局), the National Fire and Rescue Administration (国家消防救援局), the People’s Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (广西壮族自治区人民政府), and other relevant parties, to investigate and assess the “July 6” dam breach disaster at Liulan Reservoir in Hengzhou, Nanning, Guangxi.
On July 24, the State Council investigation and assessment team for the “July 6” dam breach disaster at Liulan Reservoir in Hengzhou, Nanning, Guangxi held its first plenary meeting in Nanning, Guangxi. Chen Min (陈敏), head of the State Council investigation and assessment team and Vice Minister of Emergency Management, presided over the meeting, briefed on the investigation and assessment arrangements, and put forward work requirements.
Before the meeting began, all attending comrades stood in silence to mourn the victims of the “July 6” dam breach disaster at Liulan Reservoir in Hengzhou, Nanning, Guangxi.
The meeting stressed that the investigation and assessment team should earnestly implement the important directives of General Secretary Xi Jinping and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, follow the principles of “scientific rigor, compliance with laws and regulations, seeking truth from facts, and focusing on practical results,” comprehensively review the entire process of the disaster’s occurrence, fully identify and verify the causes of the disaster, and thoroughly investigate and clarify, across the entire chain, the problems and responsibilities in disaster prevention, response, and emergency handling, so as to conduct the investigation and assessment work with a high sense of political responsibility. At the same time, the meeting required that all localities and relevant departments should deeply learn the lessons, 举一反三 (jǔ yī fǎn sān - “raise one, infer three,” to learn from one instance and deduce others), firmly establish bottom-line thinking and limit thinking, and take effective measures to carry out all work on flood prevention and disaster relief, ensuring the safety of people’s lives and property.
All members of the State Council investigation and assessment team, along with responsible comrades from relevant departments of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Commission of Supervision (中央纪委国家监委), attended the meeting.
Return to TopThis newspaper, Wenchang (文昌), July 24 (electronic) (Reporter Dong Zeyang (董泽扬)) On the 24th, the Phase II launch area construction summary and equipment debugging joint training mobilization meeting of the Hainan Commercial Space Launch Site (海南商业航天发射场) was held at the erecting apron of the No. 3 launch pad, marking the completion of civil engineering work for the Phase II project and a full transition to the stage of equipment debugging and joint training.
The Phase II project is located in Wenchang City's Dongjiao Town (东郊镇), adjacent to Space Avenue and the Phase I project, covering an area of approximately 1,100 mu, mainly constructing the launch area, technical area, etc. After completion, combined with Phase I, it will have an annual launch capacity of 60 times.
The launch area of the Phase II project mainly constructs two liquid rocket launch pads, No. 3 and No. 4, a water tower, etc. Both pads adopt a unified design based on the No. 2 launch pad, using the "three-horizontal" test-launch mode. The technical area mainly constructs a rocket assembly test building, a satellite testing and fueling fairing assembly building, a commercial aerospace command center, etc.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (People's Daily) — (Reporter Jin Xin (金歆)) The reporter learned from the Cyberspace Administration of China (国家网信办): The Cyberspace Administration of China and the Ministry of Public Security (公安部) recently jointly announced the Regulations on Simplified Measures for Personal Information Protection by Small-Scale Personal Information Processors (《小型个人信息处理者个人信息保护简化措施规定》), to take effect from September 1, 2026.
The Regulations clarify the scope of application and general requirements. The Regulations apply to the implementation of personal information protection by small-scale personal information processors within the territory of the People’s Republic of China. It clarifies that small-scale personal information processors refer to personal information processors that process the personal information of fewer than 100,000 persons. The Regulations support small-scale personal information processors, on the basis of complying with relevant laws, administrative regulations, and national provisions on personal information protection, in adopting simplified measures commensurate with the scale, capability, etc. of small-scale personal information processors in accordance with these Regulations to ensure the security of personal information and protect personal information rights and interests.
The Regulations clarify simplified measures for personal information processing rules, etc., of small-scale personal information processors. The Regulations clarify simplified measures for small-scale personal information processors in formulating and publishing personal information processing rules, fulfilling notification obligations, obtaining individual consent, accepting applications for the exercise of individual rights, deleting personal information, etc. It clarifies the conditions under which small-scale personal information processors, when providing personal information abroad, are exempted from applying for data cross-border security assessment, concluding standard contracts for personal information, and passing personal information protection certification.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者
General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the ceremony celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, emphasizing: “To fulfill the Party’s missions and tasks in the new era and new journey, all Chinese Communists must strengthen confidence, continue to strive, and constantly create new achievements worthy of the times and the people.”
All regions, departments, and units deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important “July 1” speech, study and implement Xi Jinping’s thought on Party building, thoroughly study and deeply understand General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important exposition on establishing and practicing a correct view on performance (正确政绩观), raise political stance, strengthen responsibility and action, and respond to the people’s expectations with concrete work and actual results.
Strengthen Foundations and Cultivate Vitality, Enhance Self-Cultivation
“Is there a tendency to ‘emphasize progress over feelings’?” “Is the ‘key small matter’ of the relocating unit truly regarded as the ‘major matter of the heart’?”… The Management Committee of the Start-up Zone of Xiongan New Area, Hebei, consciously aligns itself with the Party Central Committee’s spirit, deeply investigates problems existing in the view on performance, and seeks gaps, traces roots, and strengthens self-cultivation from the perspective of Party spirit. Through repeated study discussions and warning education, Party cadres have been touched in thought and baptized in Party spirit, and the coordinates of their thinking and action have been calibrated.
“General Gan Zuchang (甘祖昌) returned to the countryside to become a farmer, not for illustrious fame and merit, but to let the fellow villagers live a good life. The deeds of the revolutionary forebears have made me more deeply realize that ‘bringing benefit to the people is the greatest accomplishment’.” Recently, after the tea-picking opera “Twin Lotus Flowers” ended at the red education site of Gan Zuchang’s former residence in Lianhua County (莲花县), Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province, a trainee spoke with feeling.
Lianhua County insists on rectifying the source and strengthening the foundation from the ideological level, fully utilizes local red resources, and guides Party cadres to take revolutionary forebears as examples by means of scenario-based teaching, immersive experience, and interactive discussions, comprehensively examining problems of deviation in the view on performance existing in their own Party spirit and work style.
The Party Committee of China Life Insurance (Group) Company regards implementation as an important indicator for measuring the Party spirit and view on performance of leading cadres. It organizes the headquarters of each unit to hold 38 key training sessions, including special seminars for leading cadres and young cadres, a special training course for “top leaders” of provincial-level institutions, and a demonstration training course on Party spirit education for young Party members. The courses take “implement without any discount, implement with swift and resolute action, implement with a pragmatic and realistic approach, implement with bold action and effective results” as key course content. At the same time, it organizes Party cadres to tell specific stories and stories from around them about establishing and practicing a correct view on performance, promoting the integration of learning and application.
Take Real Action and Tackle Tough Issues to Resolve People’s Concerns
Beijing’s Shijingshan District insists on putting people’s livelihood first, deeply investigates hidden dangers in flood prevention and preparedness work, carries out a special safety escort campaign, builds “highland fortresses” in three natural villages in the shallow mountainous area in the west, and equips them with emergency supplies such as satellite communication equipment and backup power sources; relying on the “dual registration” activity of on-the-job Party members, it distributes “understanding cards” for geological disaster risk avoidance to residential areas involved in geological disaster hidden danger points, posts a “one map” of flood prevention and disaster reduction in communities involving key mountainous areas, downstream of rivers, and areas prone to waterlogging, and implements a “one household, one file” pairing guarantee for key populations, reinforcing the safety defense line during the flood season.
Since the start of education and study, the Party Leadership Group of State Grid Corporation of China has insisted on promoting study, inspection, and correction as an integrated whole, implementing the correct view on performance into the practice of promoting high-quality development of the power grid and serving the real economy. State Grid Yiwu Power Supply Company, based on the characteristics of Yiwu’s foreign trade industry agglomeration, relies on the Red Boat Communist Party Member Service Team (红船共产党员服务队) to go down to the front line, promotes the energy-carbon service station to settle in the Digital Trade Port of the Global Digital Trade Center, and integrates inclusive services such as green electricity and green certificate trading, carbon footprint accounting, interpretation of relevant tariff policies, energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation, energy-use optimization diagnosis, and green qualification agency services, assisting small and medium-sized micro-enterprises in going overseas for development.
Shuyang County (沭阳县), Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, bears in mind that “bringing benefit to the people is the greatest accomplishment,” closely focuses on the people’s livelihood pain points strongly reflected by the masses, such as the difficulty of parking in residential communities, carries out a targeted special rectification action on underground parking spaces in residential communities, and comprehensively standardizes the operation and management order of underground parking spaces. Focusing on 11 key residential communities, it accurately investigates and sorts out underground parking spaces, regulates rented and sold parking spaces, revitalizes idle parking spaces, and truly transforms the special rectification results into tangible benefits for the people.
Chongqing’s Liangjiang New Area (两江新区) insists on open-door education, promoting Party cadres to go deep into communities, industrial parks, and the fields, listening to public opinion, observing the actual situation, and solving problems. Among them, Renhe Subdistrict of Liangjiang New Area faces difficulties head-on and takes initiative, organizing cadres to visit households to do work and build consensus, and through the “national bonds + public revenue + district-level fiscal funds” model, cracks the funding problem, completes the renewal of all old elevators, achieving zero complaints and mass satisfaction.
Establish Rules and Systems for Long-Term Management
“Taking over this list means taking on a heavy responsibility. I will continue to work hard, leading cadres and the masses to start undertakings and strive together!” Recently, at the site of the changeover of the principal Party and government leaders of Shijiatian Township (石家田乡), Lingqiu County (灵丘县), Datong City, Shanxi Province, a new leading cadre said firmly.
To rectify the problem of “new officials ignoring old accounts,” Lingqiu County comprehensively implements a handover system for changes in principal Party and government leaders, establishes a handover list covering seven items including Party building, finance, and assets, brings in more than ten units such as organization, discipline inspection, political and legal affairs, and letters and visits to review the handover items and put forward opinions and suggestions, forming a long-term working mechanism for outgoing handover that has clear powers and responsibilities, comprehensive content, standardized procedures, in-place supervision, and traceable records.
Wuzhishan City (五指山市), Hainan Province, regards establishing rules and systems as an important measure to consolidate the results of education and study and prevent deviation in the view on performance. It cleans up systems and mechanisms and related normative documents that do not conform to the requirements of a correct view on performance, legally abolishes 4 normative documents, and revises 8 documents. At the same time, it establishes a working system for regular mayoral hotline reception days for the 12345 government service convenience hotline, organizes incumbent city-level leading cadres to answer calls and accept appeals, and promotes the resolution of a number of key and difficult issues accumulated over a long period.
Jinchang City, Gansu Province, establishes an evaluation mechanism for a correct view on performance and embeds it into the entire process of “three important and one large” (三重一大) decision-making. In the construction of a national pilot city for new-type technological transformation of the manufacturing industry, it improves mechanisms such as decision-making evaluation for government investment and investment attraction projects and per-mu benefit evaluation, using rigid constraints to eradicate from the source problems such as rushing to expand blindly and launching projects with reckless efforts.
(Reporters from this newspaper: He Zhaoyu (何昭宇), Pan Junqiang (潘俊强), Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿), Bai Guangdi (白光迪), Yang Yanfei (杨颜菲), Wang Xinyue (王欣悦), Ma Ruishan (马睿姗), Dong Zeyang (董泽扬), Zeng Yichen (曾亦辰))
By: 本报记者 李增辉 姜 峰
At the foot of Gele Mountain (歌乐山), by the shore of the Jialing River (嘉陵江). At the former site of the Bai Mansion (白公馆) prison in Chongqing, docent Liu Shuai (刘帅) is explaining in detail to visitors the formation process of the “Eight Prison Articles” (狱中八条). Outside, the summer heat is intense; inside, the hearts are reverent.
Chongqing is a heroic land, with a glorious revolutionary tradition.
In April 2019, during his inspection in Chongqing, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “During the War of Liberation, many Chinese Communists imprisoned in Zhazidong (渣滓洞) and Bai Mansion endured all kinds of torture, were unyielding and would rather die than surrender, and gave their precious lives for the cause of Chinese people’s liberation, crystallizing into the ‘Hongyan Spirit’ (红岩精神).”
Keeping firmly in mind the General Secretary’s earnest instructions, Chongqing has done solid work in the articles of red resources forging the soul, red ideological-political education nurturing people, and red cultural tourism integration, so that the Hongyan Spirit is internalized as a powerful driving force for cadres and the masses to forge ahead on the new journey.
— Deeply excavate the connotation, so that the Hongyan Spirit “stands up.”
“Among the Hongyan martyrs, 28 were born in 1921 and died in 1949, dedicating a short 28-year life to the revolutionary cause. Liu Guozhi (刘国鋕), who served as the secretary of the Special Branch for Student Movement of the Chongqing Shapingba-Ciqikou District Party Committee (中共重庆沙磁区), is one of them,” introduced Wang Chao (王超), associate professor of Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College (重庆红岩干部学院). At the former site of the Zhazidong prison, which is also an on-site teaching point of Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College. In front of the exhibition wall, Wang Chao recounted the heroic oath of martyr Liu Guozhi when facing persuasion to surrender — “If I die and the Party still exists, it is the same as not dying; if I betray the organization, what meaning is there in living?” The visitors were all moved.
“Relying on 54 former sites including Zhazidong and Bai Mansion, we have transformed and built 28 on-site teaching points of Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College, and carried out classified protection and utilization of the 2,014 (sets of) collections newly acquired in recent years, highlighting their educational function,” introduced Xu Guangxu (徐光煦), Secretary of the Party Committee of Chongqing Hongyan Revolutionary History and Culture Center (重庆红岩革命历史文化中心) and President of Chongqing Hongyan Cadre College.
Learning from the past to understand the future, the “Hongyan Library” (红岩文库) book series in Chongqing is being published one after another, and will launch 50 series books on the theme of Hongyan revolutionary history and culture within 5 years.
— Forge the soul and nurture people, so that the Hongyan ideological-political education (红岩思政) “shines bright.”
Southwest University of Political Science and Law (西南政法大学) has for five consecutive years carried out the “Walking School History Ideological-Political Course” (行走的校史思政课), with more than 150 teachers and students from 8 colleges walking 8 kilometers to the former site of Southwest People’s Revolutionary University (西南人民革命大学) in Hongyan Village (红岩村), using their footsteps to measure red history. “The predecessor of our university is Southwest People’s Revolutionary University, and the Hongyan Spirit is our common root,” the docent said while the students took notes.
Let young people gain insights through walking, inherit through visiting, and grow through preaching. In the past two years, Southwest University of Political Science and Law organized the “Youth Walk, Chinese Heart” (青年行·中国心) summer practice teams to go to 12 western provinces, with a cumulative journey of nearly 100,000 kilometers, visiting more than 200 people including descendants of red martyrs, descendants of SWUPL predecessors, and alumni rooted at the grassroots, collecting over 2 million characters of materials and 320 hours of video footage, which were turned into vivid preaching content.
The Chongqing Municipal Education Commission innovatively created the “Hongyan Ideological-Political Education” education brand, established the “Hongyan Ideological-Political Education” Education Alliance (红岩思政教育联盟). Currently, nearly 200 Hongyan characteristic schools, colleges/departments, and classes/teams have been built in universities, middle schools, and primary schools, with the coverage rate of the Hongyan Spirit entering textbooks and classrooms reaching over 95%.
— Integrate culture and tourism, so that the Hongyan story “comes alive.”
Entering the Chongqing 1949 Grand Theatre (重庆1949大剧院) in Shapingba District (沙坪坝区), the lights dim, and the giant rotating stage slowly starts. The tense chase among the streets and stairs under the stilt houses, the unyielding cries from prisoners in cages with blood-stained clothes… Heart-shaking scene performances, combined with immersive audio-visual technology, bring the audience back to the deep autumn in the mountain city more than 70 years ago.
“New China had already been born, but the martyrs sacrificed before the dawn. The moment the music of ‘Red Plum Praise’ (红梅赞) sounded, it was deeply moving,” said Chen Yanwen (陈艳文), a tourist from Zhejiang, with great emotion.
Yuzhong District (渝中区) opened the “Three Red Cliffs” (红色三岩) sightseeing bus, connecting 78 cultural relic sites in the “Three Red Cliffs” area; coordinated the advancement of venues such as Kangjientang Theatre (抗建堂剧场) and Guotai Art Center (国泰艺术中心) to perform plays including “Hongyan Soul” (红岩魂), dance drama “Absolute Test” (绝对考验), Sichuan opera “Sister Jiang” (江姐) and other productions, totaling nearly 30,000 performances; one Zhongshan Fourth Road (中山四路) links multiple business formats through red landmarks such as Zhou Enlai’s Former Residence (周公馆), Guiyuan (桂园), and Teyuan (特园)…
In the first half of this year, Chongqing Hongyan Revolutionary History Museum (重庆红岩革命历史博物馆) received more than 4.59 million tourists, making the Hongyan story widely sung, enduring and ever-renewing, educating and guiding Party cadres to firmly uphold their ideals and convictions and cultivate a noble spirit.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Comrade Li Xiaolu (李霄路), Vice Secretary-General and member of the Leading Party Members Group of the Fifth National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, died of illness in Beijing on July 13, 2026, at the age of 107.
After Comrade Li Xiaolu passed away, relevant leading comrades of the Central Committee expressed condolences in various ways and expressed sympathy to his family members.
Li Xiaolu, formerly known as Li Xinmin, was born in February 1919, a native of Qinyang (沁阳), Henan Province. In July 1938, he joined the revolutionary work, and in March 1939, he joined the Communist Party of China. From 1938 to 1941, he studied successively at the Yan’an Anti-Japanese Military and Political University and the Eighth Route Army Military and Political Academy. From 1941 to 1945, he successively served as Party branch secretary of the training class of the Political Department of the Yan’an Garrison Corps, as an officer in the Organization Department of the Political Department of the Yan’an Garrison Corps, and as an officer in the Organization Department of the Political Department of the Yan’an Joint Defense Army. From 1945 to 1949, he engaged in underground work in Beiping. From 1949 to 1958, he successively served as head of the People’s Government of Xisi District (西四区), Beiping; deputy director of the Personnel Division and deputy director of the Secretariat of the Beijing Municipal People’s Government; and director of the General Office of the Beijing Municipal People’s Committee. From 1958 to 1978, he successively served as director of the preparatory office, Party secretary, and factory director of the Beijing Coking and Chemical Plant. From 1978 to 1983, he served as Vice Secretary-General and member of the Leading Party Members Group of the Fifth National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In May 1985, he retired.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曾亦辰
“Having a job at the doorstep, while making money you can also take good care of your family, and life is becoming more and more comfortable.” Li Aixia (李爱霞), a villager from Nanchuan Village (南川村), Minyang Town (岷阳镇), Min County (岷县), Gansu, has been working at Gansu Jiuzhou Tianrun Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry Co., Ltd. (甘肃九州天润中药产业有限公司) for nearly three years, and is very satisfied with her life today.
Towering Minshan Mountains and deep ravines, a cold and closed-off environment, have nurtured locally produced geo-authentic traditional Chinese medicinal materials of superior quality. Jiuzhou Tianrun invested in building an industrial park here, but construction once stalled due to a tight cash flow.
Min County is a designated paired-assistance county of the Export-Import Bank of China (中国进出口银行). Party members of the Third Party Branch of the Party Committee of the Gansu Provincial Branch of the Export-Import Bank of China actively visited various large and small medicinal material planting bases and related enterprises in Min County, tailor-made a financing plan for Jiuzhou Tianrun, disbursed the first 30 million yuan in fixed-asset loans, pushed the industrial park to restart and take root, and drove the company’s transformation from a traditional medicinal material trading enterprise to a comprehensive, modern enterprise processing traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces. “In the company’s early stage, the Third Party Branch gave us strong support. Currently, total cumulative loans amount to 65 million yuan, helping us grow and expand,” said Zhao Liang (赵亮), head of Jiuzhou Tianrun.
“Giving money provides temporary relief; giving wisdom can create lasting hematopoietic capacity. If an industry wants to go far, the technical shortcomings must be made up.” This is the experience Fan Jinke (范金科), a party branch member, has gained from years of rooting in villages and providing assistance. After the industrial park landed and funds arrived, the problems of extensive planting techniques among villagers and uneven quality of medicinal materials became prominent again, becoming a bottleneck restricting industrial quality improvement. Party branch members actively helped connect with the expert team of Gansu Agricultural University (甘肃农业大学), inviting university experts to conduct on-site diagnosis, answer questions, and provide guidance for the enterprise, from planting techniques to market development, comprehensively assisting in building the pillar industry of processed traditional Chinese medicine decoction pieces.
“As a party branch member, we must act as both a financial service officer and an industry navigator, and also be a good heart-to-heart companion for the masses and a guide to prosperity,” Fan Jinke said. Today, under the “company + base + household” model, over 1,000 local households have participated in traditional Chinese medicinal material production, with an average annual household income increase of 5,000 yuan.
The more critical the moment, the more responsibility and commitment are shown. In the summer of 2025, Yuzhong County (榆中县), Lanzhou City, encountered an extreme heavy rainfall event rarely seen in history, triggering mountain torrents and debris flow disasters. At the critical moment, the Third Party Branch immediately formed a party member commando team. Liang Ding (梁鼎), secretary of the party branch, led everyone to fight day and night. Some proactively contacted government departments such as emergency management and transportation to conduct real-time assessments of the disaster situation and precisely match emergency rescue fund needs; some worked through the night sorting materials, assessing risks, and drafting special financial rescue plans; some kept a close eye on approval procedures, coordinated process optimization, actively opened green channels, and made every effort to clear business bottlenecks. Under the premise of strictly adhering to the bottom line of compliance and risk control without lowering review standards, 10 million yuan in policy-based emergency guarantee loans were precisely disbursed within two days.
Where was the funding used? Was it used well? Several days after the disaster, party branch members Zeng Chaozong (曾朝宗) and Fan Jinke volunteered to go to the site to verify the effectiveness of the disaster relief. Weaving through roaring construction machinery and busy construction teams, they carefully inspected the operating status of large excavators and verified the use of disaster relief funds. “Every disaster relief fund is connected to people’s livelihoods and concerns safety; it must be used in the most needed places and solve the most difficult problems,” Zeng Chaozong said.
From racing against time in disaster relief and rescue to overcoming difficulties in cross-border mergers and acquisitions, party branch members have always charged ahead. In 2025, a cross-border M&A project delivery for a key local enterprise in Gansu involved multiple countries. The regulatory rules, legal systems, and industry policies of different countries were vastly different, and the project delivery deadline was extremely tight, posing demands for professional and efficient cross-border financial services.
“When enterprises go overseas to break through difficulties and fight tough battles, we party members should step up and shoulder the burden,” Zeng Chaozong said. He proactively conducted “one-on-one” mentoring, guiding young party members to leverage their foreign language advantages, actively communicate, and solve problems. From precise interpretation of foreign-related policies and meticulous assessment of cross-border risks, to proofreading multilingual materials word by word and efficient communication with multiple domestic and foreign parties, to optimization and acceleration of approval processes and precise control of delivery milestones, Zeng Chaozong unreservedly shared his years of accumulated practical experience in foreign-related services.
Relying on a sense of responsibility and a professional capacity for continuous improvement, the Third Party Branch has secured over 90% of the share of key overseas investment projects in Gansu Province in the past five years, and the import and export volume of foreign trade enterprises it supported accounts for 70% of the province’s total. It has successively received honors such as the “Advanced Grassroots Party Organization,” “Youth Civilization Number,” and “Pioneer Number” of the Export-Import Bank of China.
“In the future, we will continue to precisely channel funds to where the masses and the industry need them most, practice the mission of serving the country through finance, closely adhere to the functional positioning of the Export-Import Bank, strengthen our confidence, and continue to strive,” Liang Ding said.
Return to TopXinhua News Agency, Beijing, July 24 – According to the Chinese government website on the 24th, the State Council recently approved the designation of Weifang City, Shandong Province, as a National Historical and Cultural City.
The official reply points out that Weifang City has a long history and profound culture, rich cultural heritage resources, a well-preserved traditional layout and historical features, and distinct regional characteristics, possessing important historical and cultural value.
The reply requires that the People’s Government of Shandong Province and the People’s Government of Weifang City implement the requirements of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Protection of Cultural Relics and the Regulations on the Protection of Famous Historical and Cultural Cities, Towns, and Villages; deeply research and explore the connotation and value of cultural heritage; systematically carry out surveys of cultural relic resources and research into historical materials; clarify the spatial layout and development context of the ancient city of Wei County (潍县); define the principles and priorities of protection; strengthen the protection and utilization of cultural heritage; inherit and promote the excellent traditional Chinese culture; and tell the Chinese story well. They must properly formulate and implement the protection plan for Weifang as a famous historical and cultural city and the protection plans for cultural relic protection units at all levels, formulate and strictly implement protection management regulations, and clarify the lists of various protection objects as well as the protection contents, requirements, and responsibilities.
The reply also requires correctly handling the relationship between urban construction and cultural heritage protection; gaining a clear understanding of the actual situation of cultural relic resources; strengthening cultural relic protection; improving the systems of "survey first, then construction" and "archaeology first, then transfer"; attaching importance to the protection of urban layout and the control of urban features; strengthening comprehensive protection and systematic protection; protecting and restoring historical and cultural districts; making up for shortcomings in supporting infrastructure and public service facilities; continuously improving the quality of the living environment; strengthening the repair and protection of immovable cultural relics and historic buildings; and promoting the revitalization and utilization of cultural relics.
Return to TopXining, July 24 (Reporter Zhang Cong (张璁)) – From July 21 to 24, Wang Dongming (王东明), Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (全国人大常委会), led a law enforcement inspection team to conduct an inspection of the enforcement of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law (青藏高原生态保护法) in Qinghai. He emphasized the need to thoroughly implement Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization (习近平生态文明思想), promote the full implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions on Qinghai-Tibet Plateau ecological protection and the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, effectively implement the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau Ecological Protection Law, and further promote ecological protection and sustainable development of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau on the track of the rule of law.
The law enforcement inspection team conducted on-site inspections in Xining, Hainan Prefecture (海南州), Haibei Prefecture (海北州), and other locations. Wang Dongming pointed out that it is necessary to adhere to ecological protection first, highlight rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law methods, and urge all relevant parties to strictly implement legal systems and statutory responsibilities, continuously consolidating the national ecological security barrier. It is necessary to unswervingly follow the civilized development path of production development, prosperous life, and sound ecology, based on the resource endowment of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, vigorously develop specialty industries, accelerate green and low-carbon development, better guarantee and improve people's livelihood, and strive to achieve the unification of economic benefits, ecological benefits, and social benefits.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云杉
Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development (hereinafter referred to as the Plan). What deployments does the Plan make for promoting the high-quality development of renewable energy during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period? Responsible officials from the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration answered reporters' questions.
Q: During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, what new circumstances does China's renewable energy development face?
A: Since the "14th Five-Year Plan," China has built the world's largest and fastest-growing renewable energy system, forming the world's largest and most complete new energy industrial chain. The "15th Five-Year Plan" and the subsequent period are an acceleration phase for the global transition of energy toward low-carbon and zero-carbon. China will ensure the timely achievement of the carbon peak target, and the main supporting role of renewable energy in the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development will become more prominent.
From an international perspective, the international energy security situation has recently become more complex and severe, and the uncertainty of energy corridor security has risen significantly, forcing countries to accelerate the process of replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy. At the same time, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating breakthroughs, with artificial intelligence deeply empowering the energy transition, and the global development space for renewable energy becoming broader.
From a domestic perspective, both opportunities and challenges coexist in the development of renewable energy. China's energy and electricity consumption demand will maintain a relatively rapid growth trend, compounded by increased volatility in the international oil, gas, and critical mineral supply chains, making the task of balancing energy security assurance with green and low-carbon transformation arduous. At the same time, the advantages of renewable energy in technology, cost, and industry continue to strengthen, but it also faces issues such as factor supply, consumption pressure, market revenue, and realization of green value, urgently requiring innovative development models and improved development quality.
Q: The Plan specifies that the "15th Five-Year Plan" period should take "expand quantity and improve quality, reliable substitution" as the main line. How should one accurately grasp the connotation of this main line?
A: Facing the new situation and new requirements, during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, renewable energy must, on the basis of the high-quality leapfrog development of the "14th Five-Year Plan," further achieve "expand quantity and improve quality, reliable substitution."
"Expand quantity and improve quality" means comprehensively considering the needs of energy security supply and green low-carbon transformation. On the one hand, maintain a reasonable development scale and pace, and through steady quantitative growth, continuously increase the proportion of renewable energy supply; on the other hand, continuously improve the comprehensive efficiency of renewable energy development, transmission, and utilization, achieve qualitative improvement in industry development, and enhance the market competitiveness and development benefits of renewable energy.
"Reliable substitution" means adhering to the principle of establishing the new before abolishing the old, and simultaneously advancing abolition and establishment. It further promotes the acceleration of renewable energy in "standing up" and "becoming reliable," gradually achieving a safe and reliable substitution for traditional energy. In particular, it accelerates the improvement of the system-friendly performance of new energy power generation, and gradually promotes the transformation of renewable energy into a main power source that concurrently possesses capabilities for electricity supply, capacity support, and system regulation.
Q: To achieve the carbon peak, energy is the main battlefield, and renewable energy is the main force. What new targets does the Plan set in balancing energy security and low-carbon transformation?
A: The Plan sets four main targets:
First, a total volume target: by 2030, total renewable energy consumption will reach approximately 1.8 billion tons of standard coal.
Second, a power generation target: by 2030, total installed renewable energy power generation capacity will reach approximately 3.5 billion kilowatts, with annual power generation reaching approximately 6 trillion kilowatt-hours; total installed wind and solar photovoltaic power generation capacity will reach over 2.8 billion kilowatts, accounting for over 50% of total installed capacity, with annual power generation exceeding 4 trillion kilowatt-hours, accounting for 30% of total power generation.
Third, a non-electric utilization target: by 2030, the total scale of non-electric utilization of renewable energy will increase by 1.5 times compared to 2025, equivalent to approximately 150 million tons of standard coal.
Fourth, a reliable substitution target: by 2030, the national average confidence output of wind and solar photovoltaic will reach 8%; during peak summer and winter evening peaks, the proportion of wind and solar photovoltaic electricity will exceed 20%; during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, new renewable energy reliable peak-shaving power generation capacity will exceed 35 million kilowatts.
Return to TopHangzhou, July 24 (Reporters Jiang Nan, Dou Hao) — The 34th National Book Fair (第三十四届全国图书交易博览会), hosted by the National Press and Publication Administration (国家新闻出版署) and co-hosted by the People's Government of Zhejiang Province and the People's Government of Hangzhou, opened on July 24 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, and will run through July 27. This year's Book Fair brings together over 1,000 exhibitors from across the country and will feature more than 1,000 reading activities, with nearly one million book titles available for sale through both online and offline channels.
The Book Fair has the Hangzhou International Expo Center as its main venue, with three satellite venues in Ningbo, Jiaxing, and Hangzhou Liangzhu, and three online satellite venues on Taobao, JD.com, and Dangdang. The main venue is set up with eight exhibition halls, showcasing and selling in a concentrated manner books on thematic publishing, new and high-quality titles produced across the country in recent years, as well as special exhibitions related to reading culture. It also features a Children's Reading Carnival exhibition area, a Specialized Bookstores exhibition area, and a "Culture + Technology" Digital Intelligence exhibition area, creating for readers a rich atmosphere in which to savor the scent of paper and ink.
In addition, the main venue has created nine major special exhibitions, with content ranging from thematic publishing to cultural heritage, and from fine books to cutting-edge industry developments, collectively presenting the historical legacy and innovative achievements of the high-quality development of the national publishing and distribution industry. Eleven key activities have been launched, promoting reading through various forms of exchange and mutual learning.
According to reports, the main venue and satellite venues of this year's Book Fair will jointly distribute five million yuan in reader-benefit book purchase vouchers, while Hangzhou's cultural tourism authorities have released a "Cultural Tourism Benefiting the People Gift Package" with a total value exceeding ten million yuan. The "Zhijiang Reading Carnival Benefiting People Book Market" (之江阅读嘉年华惠民书市) has also been launched simultaneously, stimulating the entire public's enthusiasm for buying and reading books.
Return to TopAccording to Xinhua News Agency, Hefei, July 24 (Reporter Tan Xin (谭鑫)) — The “Protecting Cultural Heritage · We Are Taking Action” (保护文化遗产·我们在行动) promotional event was held on July 24 in Shexian County (歙县), Huangshan City, Anhui Province.
This event deeply studied Xi Jinping Thought on Culture (习近平文化思想), deeply studied and implemented Xi Jinping’s important discourses and important instructions and directives on the construction of spiritual civilization (精神文明建设), on urban work, and on the protection and inheritance of cultural heritage, closely revolved around the theme of strengthening cultural heritage protection, leveraged the advantages of the work of building spiritual civilization in connecting with the masses and serving the masses, shared and exchanged good experiences and good practices from various regions and departments in strengthening cultural heritage protection, widely mobilized forces from all sectors of society to participate in cultural heritage protection, and promoted the construction of a major protection pattern that involves group prevention and group protection, and protects all that should be protected.
In the theme presentation session, young volunteer Jiang Xiyu (江溪玉), retired cadre Xu Qi (许琦), docent of the Huizhou History Museum Zhang Bei (张蓓), representative inheritor of the Zhanqi Fish Lantern intangible cultural heritage Zheng Dongjiao (郑冬蛟), and Huizhou-style architecture expert Chen Jiteng (陈继腾) respectively from the dimensions of whole-people guarding of the ancient city, repair and protection of ancient buildings, popularization of cultural relics science, revitalization of intangible cultural heritage folk customs, and protection of traditional villages, shared stories and experiences of taking root at the grassroots frontline and deeply cultivating the protection of cultural lineage, and jointly explored the paths and methods of cultural heritage protection and inheritance in the new era.
During the event, a symposium titled “Protecting Cultural Heritage · We Are Taking Action” was held.
This event was co-organized by the Bureau of Cultural and Ethical Progress (文明创建局) under the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, the Department of Building Energy Efficiency and Science and Technology (建筑节能与科技司) of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, the Department of Intangible Cultural Heritage (非物质文化遗产司) of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and the Supervisory Department (督察司) of the National Cultural Heritage Administration.
Return to TopDuring the summer vacation, in Longtu Village, Guandong Town, Congjiang County, Qiandongnan Miao and Dong Autonomous Prefecture (黔东南苗族侗族自治州), Guizhou Province, 15 county-level representative inheritors of intangible cultural heritage from the Laxinzhai Ethnic Cultural Transmission Institute (腊全寨民族文化传习所) formed a volunteer service team, offering public-interest classes that provide special teaching in Dong grand song (侗族大歌), Dong opera (侗戏), Dong pipa (侗族琵琶), safety education, and other subjects, giving the children a full and interesting holiday.
The picture shows children following county-level representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage Liang Liuying (梁柳英) as they learn embroidery at the Laxinzhai Ethnic Cultural Transmission Institute on July 23.
Photo by Luo Jinglai (罗京来) (Image China)
Beijing, July 24 (Reporter Liu Shiyao (刘诗瑶)) — At 07:33 Beijing time on July 24, 2026, China used the Lijian-1 Y15 carrier rocket at the Dongfeng Commercial Aerospace Innovation Experimental Zone (东风商业航天创新试验区) to successfully launch five satellites — Tianyi-48 (天仪48星), Gande-1-01 (甘德一号01星), Xiguang-2-03 (西光贰号03星), Jitianxing A-04 (吉天星A—04星), and Yinglong Fengguang-1 (应龙风光一号卫星) — into space. The satellites smoothly entered their预定 orbits, and the launch mission was a complete success. This mission was the fifteenth flight of the Lijian-1 carrier rocket.
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (Reporters Liu Wenxin (刘温馨), Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋)) — The National Meteorological Center issued an orange typhoon warning at 18:00 on the 24th. This year's 12th typhoon, "Hongxia," is expected to make landfall along the coast from Zhuhai to Raoping (饶平) in Guangdong between the evening of the 25th and the morning of the 26th. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防总) activated a Level-IV emergency response for flood control and typhoon prevention for Guangdong and Fujian on the 24th, and dispatched a working group to Guangdong to assist and guide. The Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部) activated a national Level-IV geological disaster emergency response for Guangdong and Fujian.
Affected by Typhoon Hongxia, heavy rainfall is expected from July 25 to 27 in eastern Guangdong, southern Fujian, and other areas, with cumulative rainfall of 150–300 mm, locally 400–500 mm, and a high risk of geological disasters. The Office of the State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters and the Ministry of Emergency Management organized a special video consultation and dispatch for the prevention and response to the 12th typhoon, Hongxia, and held joint consultations with multiple departments to assess the typhoon's development trend and deploy key work for flood control and typhoon prevention.
The consultation emphasized that all regions and relevant departments must implement the flood control and typhoon prevention guarantee responsibility (包保责任) layer by layer, strengthen overall coordination and interdepartmental linkage, and ensure the command system is efficient and smooth. They must strengthen offshore wind protection, promptly organize fishing vessels and recreational vessels to return to port, and organize all fishing vessel personnel, nearshore aquaculture raft personnel, and offshore platform operation personnel to go ashore. They must strengthen project dispatch, enhance joint dispatch of basin water projects, implement emergency rescue plans for exceeding-design-standard floods and downstream personnel transfer plans for each reservoir, pre-position rescue materials and equipment, and ensure timely and effective handling of project dangers.
The Ministry of Emergency Management demanded that relevant areas affected by Typhoon Hongxia earnestly do a good job in geological disaster prevention and response, consolidate local main responsibility for prevention and response, strengthen the interdepartmental coordination and linkage mechanism, closely monitor rainfall, flood conditions, and geological disaster situations and dangers, strengthen consultation, assessment, and early warning-response linkage, pre-position and forward-deploy rescue forces, materials, and equipment, strengthen patrol, inspection, and monitoring early warning, resolutely and decisively organize transfer and evacuation, ensure that all who should be transferred are transferred, and transferred early, and maximize the avoidance of casualties.
The Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) organized a special consultation on the morning of the 24th to analyze and assess the development trend and possible impacts of Typhoon Hongxia, made targeted arrangements for typhoon rainstorm flood prevention and response work, supervised and guided water resources departments in typhoon-affected areas and relevant basin management agencies to firmly compact flood control responsibilities, closely monitor the typhoon's movement path, strengthen rainfall and water regime monitoring, forecasting, and consultation assessment, and promptly issue early warning information; strengthen unified joint dispatch of basin water projects, prominently focus on flood control in small and medium rivers and mountain torrent disaster defense, strengthen river embankments, dangerous sections, and important protected object embankment sections patrol, defense, and danger handling work, comprehensively strengthen urban external flood and internal waterlogging defense, and strictly prevent urban waterlogging risks.
Fuzhou, July 24 (Reporter Fu Wen (付文)) — Affected by Typhoon Hongxia, at 17:00 on the 24th, the Fujian Meteorological Observatory (福建省气象台) upgraded the "typhoon warning" to Level III, and the Fujian Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (福建省防汛抗旱指挥部) decided to upgrade the typhoon prevention emergency response to Level III. The Fujian Maritime Safety Administration (福建海事局) activated a Level II typhoon prevention emergency response at 16:00 on the 24th. The maritime safety department has implemented two-way traffic control at the northern and southern entrances of the Taiwan Strait navigation route, and continues to guide vessels within the strait to evacuate northward to avoid the wind.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陆凡冰
In April of this year, in the Shimin New Village residential area of Huangpu District, Shanghai, 69-year-old retired resident Zhu Guoli (朱国莉) moved back into her newly renovated home. The days when ten households shared one bathroom and three families shared one kitchen are gone forever. Now she has her own bathroom, and the kitchen is fully equipped with a range hood and gas stove. She has tidied up her new home, spotless and orderly, and her life is becoming more and more comfortable.
On July 15, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection in Shanghai: "Every twig and every leaf touches the heart (一枝一叶总关情). The lives of ordinary people are family affairs, but even more so, they are state affairs. The Communist Party exists to serve the people. Only when the people are content in their work and happy in their lives can the Party and the government feel at ease."
The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes to persist in safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods amid high-quality development, persist in doing one's best and acting according to one's capabilities, improve the basic public service system, implement more equitable, universally beneficial, precise, and forceful social policies, strengthen universally beneficial, foundational, and bottom-guaranteeing livelihood construction, resolve the people's urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant problems, smooth social mobility channels, and improve the quality of people's lives.
Since the beginning of this year, China's new driving forces have grown rapidly, livelihood guarantees have been robust and effective, and development resilience continues to manifest. All regions and departments practice the people-centered development philosophy, persist in safeguarding and improving people's livelihoods amid development, promote policies that tilt toward key groups, and extend public services to the grassroots. Livelihood policies are implemented more finely and substantively, both supporting the stable lives of millions of households and providing strong support for stabilizing expectations, expanding domestic demand, and boosting confidence.
Liu Mengyang (刘孟阳), a 2026 graduate of the Mechatronics Technology major at Fuyang Vocational and Technical College in Anhui, once worried that classroom knowledge would not be sufficient on the shop floor. In 2024, he entered an order class (订单班) jointly established by the school and Anhui Haoyuan Chemical Group Co., Ltd., where he learned programming, frequency converter debugging, and chemical instrument maintenance from corporate mentors. During his internship, he learned equipment maintenance from a master in the thermal workshop. This June, he passed the completion assessment and the probation-to-regular employee defense, and successfully joined the company. "In the order class, we combined classroom knowledge with practice, and upon graduation we could directly start work."
Policies continue to empower, and measures to stabilize and expand jobs are precisely implemented. The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部) and the Ministry of Finance (财政部) jointly issued the "Notice on Doing a Good Job of Youth Employment Such as 2026 College Graduates," proposing 16 policy measures. These include intensifying efforts to promote private enterprises' absorption of employment, implementing a plan to develop one million employment internship positions, providing solid bottom-guarantee assistance, and carrying out a targeted campaign for employment services for unemployed graduates who have left school, all to fully promote employment for college graduates and other youth. The "Action Plan for Stabilizing Jobs, Expanding Capacity, and Improving Quality" issued not long ago proposes 18 measures to promote employment and entrepreneurship for key groups such as college graduates and migrant workers, fully stabilize employment in key industries, tap employment potential in various channels and fields, and improve employment quality.
Employment services improve quality and efficiency, and supply-demand matching becomes more efficient. Since the beginning of this year, the Spring Breeze Action (春风行动) and Employment Assistance Season activities have been carried out, with a cumulative total of 59,000 job fairs held and 36 million job postings released. The "Warm Spring for Migrant Workers" service action has been carried out, extensively conducting care services and transporting nearly 1 million person-times of migrant workers point-to-point.
On a weekend morning, in the science museum of Tong'an Yuan Community, Wenchang Road Subdistrict, Xixia District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, 58-year-old Ma Fugen (马福根) and his 5-year-old grandson are doing a science experiment. "I didn't expect the two of us, grandpa and grandson, to become 'classmates'," Ma Fugen said. Tong'an Yuan Community regularly carries out "Grandparent-Grandchild Co-Learning" (祖孙共学) activities, serving over 400 person-times of residents cumulatively. Every month, it invites doctors from the community health service station and co-constructed hospitals to provide free consultations for the elderly. It has also built a "Fengcheng Baby House" (凤城宝宝屋), which, using a "public welfare + low-cost" model, provides temporary childcare, parent-child classes, and other services for over 200 surrounding families with infants and young children.
The "one old, one young" service — its difficulty lies in diverse needs, and its emphasis lies in universal accessibility. Since the beginning of this year, elderly care services have paid more attention to tilting toward disabled elderly. From January 1, the Ministry of Civil Affairs (民政部) and the Ministry of Finance launched and implemented a project for consumption subsidies for elderly care services for moderately and above disabled elderly across the country. Elderly people who are uniformly assessed as being at the moderate, severe, or complete disability levels can apply for a monthly consumption subsidy of up to 800 yuan for elderly care services.
The institutional guarantee for disability care has taken an important step. In March, the General Office of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央办公厅) and the General Office of the State Council (国务院办公厅) issued the "Opinions on Accelerating the Establishment of a Long-Term Care Insurance System," proposing to basically establish a long-term care insurance system adapted to China's basic national conditions within about three years. By the end of 2025, long-term care insurance (长护险) had covered nearly 300 million people, benefiting over 3.3 million disabled people, with an average annual burden reduction of about 12,000 yuan per person.
The 2026 annual childcare subsidy opened for application fully from January 5, with each child receiving 3,600 yuan per year, paid until the child reaches the age of 3. In addition to cash subsidies, universal childcare continues to expand. On the basis of adding 890,000 universal childcare slots in 2025, this year an additional 150,000 universal childcare slots will be added.
Early in the morning, a mobile clinic vehicle drove into Xinzhuang Village, Dajun Township, Jingning She Autonomous County, Lishui City, Zhejiang. Dr. Chen (陈医生) took blood pressure measurements for villager Uncle Liu (刘大伯), pulled up his electronic medical record, and asked about his medication and diet. "Before, if we wanted to do a fasting check-up, it was very inconvenient, and the trip took quite long each time. Now the doctors and examination tools come directly to our doorstep — it's really great!" Uncle Liu said that the mobile clinic vehicle is affectionately called "the hospital at the doorstep" by the mountain people.
The grassroots medical service guarantee system is continuously strengthened, and the service loop is constantly improved. Zhejiang has innovatively established a "fixed + mobile + internet + artificial intelligence" (固定+流动+互联网+人工智能) basic medical and health service model to provide diagnosis and treatment services to the masses, striving to promote the integration of the basic public health service system and capacity. In April, the General Office of the State Council issued the "Several Measures on Accelerating the Construction of a Hierarchical Diagnosis and Treatment System," proposing to accelerate the building of compact medical alliances, strengthen the sharing of medical resources within compact medical alliances, promote the dispatch of physicians with attending physician or higher titles from secondary and tertiary hospitals to grassroots medical and health institutions, and promote full coverage of normalized mobile medical services in areas with weak medical resources. In 2025, in more than 90% of county-level medical communities nationwide, grassroots member units have had medical personnel from higher-level hospitals dispatched to them, and more than 80% of counties have built shared resource centers for imaging, electrocardiography, laboratory testing, etc., serving over 330 million person-times.
The new version of the National Reimbursement Drug List (国家医保药品目录) was implemented on January 1 this year, adding 114 drugs, of which 50 are Class 1 innovative drugs representing the global R&D frontier. The overall negotiation success rate reached a high of 88%, setting a new record in nearly seven years. The first version of the commercial insurance innovative drug list included 19 drugs. In 2026, the per capita fiscal subsidy standard for resident medical insurance increased by 24 yuan. The expansion of the medical insurance drug list, the cross-provincial mutual aid of medical insurance personal accounts, and the tilting of payment policies toward the grassroots make it more convenient for people to see a doctor, and the burden of medical treatment is being reduced.
Livelihood work has a myriad of details, but the ultimate goal is the concrete matters of the people. From stabilizing jobs and employment to increasing income and getting rich, from the "one old, one young" to seeing a doctor and receiving medical treatment, each and every policy benefiting the people lands with a sound, continuously transforming into tangible feelings of gain, happiness, and security for millions of households. Livelihood guarantees are solid and strong, development results benefit the people more and more equitably, laying a solid foundation for sustained high-quality economic development.
(This newspaper's reporters Luo Yangqi (罗阳奇) and Jiao Siyu (焦思雨) contributed to this report.)
Return to TopBeijing, July 24 (Reporters Yu Sinan (喻思南) and Dou Hao (窦皓)) — Reporters learned from the China National Rice Research Institute (中国水稻研究所) that a team led by its researcher Wang Kejian (王克剑) has successfully developed a one-line method hybrid rice with cloning efficiency stably exceeding 99% and completely normal seed setting, which the team named “One-Line No. 1” (一系1号). This original research result was recently published in the international academic journal Life, and is expected to fundamentally change the traditional model of hybrid rice that relies on annual seed production.
The three-line method and two-line method hybrid rice currently applied on a large scale cannot be retained for reseeding because of genetic segregation in the offspring. In 2013, Wang Kejian’s team launched the “One-Line Hybrid Rice Exploration Plan” (一系杂交稻探索计划), with the core goal of using apomixis to enable hybrid crops to produce cloned seeds with unchanged genes, fix heterosis, and realize “one hybridization, usable generation after generation.”
In 2017, the team successfully constructed the first hybrid rice apomixis system and obtained the first hybrid rice cloned seed, but at that time the cloning efficiency was only about 5%. After several years of continuous tackling of key problems, the team recently achieved a key breakthrough: they successfully excavated a rice endogenous gene and named it “HUAXU” (华胥). Team research shows that ectopic expression of the HUAXU gene in hybrid rice egg cells can efficiently induce parthenogenesis and produce haploid offspring. Further combined with the cloned gamete strategy, multiple apomictic lines created all achieved nearly 100% cloning efficiency — under conditions of multiple hybrid rice varieties, different generations, different planting populations, and large field populations, the cloning efficiency remained stably above 99%, while yield remained at normal levels.
Return to TopCurrently, it is in the critical flood prevention period. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that all regions and relevant departments must further implement safety work responsibilities, strengthen monitoring and early warning as well as inspection and risk elimination, grasp and refine each task, and effectively ensure the safety of people's lives and property.
To safeguard the safety of people's lives and property, we must seek answers from scientific and technological innovation. Currently, a series of new technologies are moving from laboratories to the front line of flood prevention, promoting the transformation of flood prevention and disaster reduction from "passive response" to "active prediction."
In this edition of the "Academicians Talk Science" column, we invite Chinese Academy of Engineering academicians Shen Xueshun (沈学顺), Zhang Jianyun (张建云), and Yin Yueping (殷跃平) to focus on the frontier fields of flood prevention and disaster reduction, systematically interpreting the "innovative content" from three dimensions — air, water, and land — allowing us to see the "technological code" in flood prevention.
— Editor
How to make meteorological warnings one step faster
Meteorological "chip" continuously optimized to improve accuracy
Our reporter Jiang Xuehong (蒋雪鸿)
Currently, China has entered the critical flood prevention period of "seven lower, eight upper" (七下八上). The prevention, resistance, and rescue of disasters are all closely related to meteorological conditions, and thus meteorology has been given the positioning of the "first line of defense."
"Modern disaster prevention, reduction, and rescue highly rely on early warning linkage mechanisms," said Shen Xueshun (沈学顺), academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and researcher at the Earth System Numerical Prediction Center of the China Meteorological Administration. During flood prevention, it is only by the meteorological department seeing the trend of wind and clouds, accurately calculating the magnitude of rainstorms, and issuing warnings early that subsequent work such as water conservancy dispatch, safe transfer of the masses, and deployment of emergency resources can operate in an orderly manner.
With wind and cloud changes, how to make meteorological warnings one step faster? This necessarily brings up the numerical weather prediction model, hailed as the meteorological "chip." The numerical weather prediction model is based on mathematical physics methods, transforming the laws of atmospheric motion into a "system of equations," substituting the "initial values" of atmospheric conditions into the "system of equations," and using supercomputers to compute various future meteorological situations. On the basis of the calculation results, forecasters make the final decision and form the weather forecast. "The numerical weather prediction model is the 'upstream' of weather forecasts and an important data source for generating weather forecasts," Shen Xueshun said.
How does the numerical weather prediction model play a role in flood prevention and disaster reduction?
"The periodic rise of rivers is called a flood, and floods are closely related to precipitation," Shen Xueshun explained. The precipitation that causes water levels in river basins to rise and triggers flood conditions may come from large-scale weather systems such as typhoons and cold vortices, or from meso- and small-scale weather systems that spawn local rainstorms and severe convective weather.
"For large-scale weather systems, numerical weather prediction models have already played a role," Shen Xueshun said. For example, in forecasting a typhoon of massive volume, the global numerical weather prediction model forecasts the typhoon's path influenced by upper-level steering winds, while the regional high-resolution model further forecasts the typhoon's intensity and the wind and rain effects it brings. The two work together to provide a "flood prevention map" for the subsequent deployment of disaster prevention and reduction networks. Facing the typhoon "Bavi" that affected China this year, the numerical weather prediction model operated at high speed around the clock, assisting relevant departments in dynamically updating the "timeline" and "roadmap" for typhoon defense.
However, forecasting meso- and small-scale weather systems remains a world-class problem in the numerical weather prediction field. Rainstorms, severe convective weather, and the like have relatively short durations and spatial scales often only a few to tens of kilometers, and their occurrence processes are difficult to fully simulate in numerical weather prediction models.
To calculate weather systems more accurately, what technological hurdles has China's meteorological "chip" overcome, and how will it continue to develop in the future?
Shen Xueshun introduced that first is the continuous improvement of resolution. Resolution is like the pixels of a camera — the higher the pixels, the clearer the image, which directly affects the accuracy of the numerical weather prediction model. Currently, the resolution of China's global model has reached 12.5 kilometers, in line with international standards. At the same time, significant progress has been made in utilizing domestically produced Fengyun satellites, ocean satellites, and the like. Through advanced data assimilation technology, relevant information is organized in real time and substituted into the "system of equations," improving forecasting capability.
Looking to the future, Shen Xueshun's gaze turned to broader scientific frontiers. "The resolution of numerical weather prediction models will continue to improve. At the same time, scientists are using artificial intelligence to further optimize the 'system of equations' and improve accuracy." The atmospheric motion itself has strong chaos and uncertainty, and coupled with the new situation of climate environment complexification and frequent occurrence of extreme weather and climate events brought by global climate change, it has greatly increased the difficulty of meteorological forecasting and also posed new challenges to the precision, adaptability, and resilience of numerical weather prediction models. "The iteration of numerical weather prediction models is a process of continuous exploration and improvement. We can only continuously reduce errors, improve early warning effectiveness, and do our utmost to reduce disaster losses," Shen Xueshun said.
How to predict floods in major rivers
Flood prevention "eyes and ears" and "advisors" become smarter
Our reporter Wang Hao (王浩)
"How heavy is the rain?" "How much has the water level risen?" Monitoring, forecasting, and early warning of rainwater and water regime information are the "eyes and ears" and "advisors" of flood prevention and disaster relief, and are important foundational support for scientific dispatch decisions, reinforcing dykes, and transferring to avoid danger and rescue. In recent years, a series of new technologies and new equipment have been continuously applied, and the construction of the "three lines of defense" for rainwater and water regime monitoring and forecasting has been continuously promoted, making the "eyes and ears" and "advisors" smarter.
What is the "three lines of defense" for rainwater and water regime monitoring and forecasting? Zhang Jianyun (张建云), academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and deputy director of the Science and Technology Committee of the Ministry of Water Resources, introduced that this is a "defense line" composed of meteorological satellites, weather radar and water conservancy rain-measuring radar networks, rainfall station networks, hydrological station networks, plus the "rainfall—runoff generation—flood routing" forecasting model. Currently, the forecast lead time for floods in major rivers across the country has been extended from 3 days to 10 days.
"The first line of defense" closely monitors "rain in the clouds." Zhang Jianyun said that satellite remote sensing, weather radar, water conservancy rain-measuring radar, etc., monitor cloud cluster evolution, water vapor conditions, and rainfall development trends in real time, predict the area, time, and intensity of rainstorms in advance, and drive hydrological models with precipitation forecasts. As of June 2026, the water conservancy system has built 240 water conservancy rain-measuring radars.
"The second line of defense" closely monitors "rain that has fallen to the ground." Zhang Jianyun introduced that on the one hand, in the past it was difficult to accurately grasp where the rain fell and how much fell in a specific area, but now the integrated application of rain-measuring radar and multi-source precipitation information monitoring has improved calculation accuracy. On the other hand, distributed hydrological models, the "physical mechanism model + digital model" dual-driven flood forecasting method, etc., can accurately reflect areal rainfall distribution, effectively improving the accuracy and reliability of flood forecasting.
"The third line of defense" closely monitors "water in the river." Zhang Jianyun introduced that through accurate real-time monitoring data of water levels, discharge, etc., at hydrological stations, the coupled application of hydrological models and hydrodynamic models can deduce the flood routing path, analyze the flood inundation range and recession process, and continuously carry out rolling propagation forecasts.
Letting data "run" ahead of floods can win the initiative for flood prevention and disaster relief. Zhang Jianyun introduced that currently, nearly 2,000 rivers and over 4,300 sections have achieved normalization of operational flood forecasting.
Some hydrological stations have recorded rainfall exceeding historical extremes, and some traditionally dry areas have experienced record-breaking rainstorm floods multiple times... Today, changes in some hydrological and meteorological laws have broken traditional understanding. This puts higher demands on disaster prevention, reduction, and rescue work. "We must persist in technological innovation, promote the application of information technology, artificial intelligence, etc., in the field of flood prevention and disaster reduction, make monitoring, forecasting, and early warning more accurate and more timely, and continuously improve the ability to resist flood and drought disasters," Zhang Jianyun said.
Digital twin water conservancy is an important innovation achievement. "Facing challenges such as frequent extreme weather, amplification of compound disaster chains, and constant changes in the underlying surface, the traditional flood prevention and disaster reduction model relying on single information, single models, empirical judgment, and on-site response can no longer meet the complex and changing flood control needs." Zhang Jianyun introduced that digital twin technology "moves" rivers, lakes, and reservoirs into the internet, enabling forecasting and plan formulation.
"Virtual world" pre-enactment can carry out flood forecasting pre-enactment and scenario analysis through high-fidelity digital baseboards, simulate different rainstorm and flood processes, predict key indicators such as peak arrival time, maximum water level, inundation range... By repeatedly simulating and analyzing plans such as reservoir group dispatch in the digital space, flood prevention personnel can identify risk points and weak links in advance, converting the computing power of the digital world into capabilities on the flood prevention front line.
"Disaster prevention, reduction, and rescue is a long-term task." Zhang Jianyun stated that resisting flood and drought disasters must closely combine human defense and technical defense. On the one hand, the new situations and new characteristics of flood prevention and disaster relief put higher demands on technological innovation; we must closely monitor shortcomings and weaknesses, and continuously exert efforts in key technological fields such as instruments and equipment. On the other hand, we must always build a strong "dyke" of responsibility so that good technology truly plays its role.
What upgrades are there in geological disaster prevention and control means
The scope of prevention and control expands from "point" to "area"
Our reporter Chang Qin (常钦)
"Extreme climate is reshaping the occurrence patterns and risk landscape of geological disasters in China." Yin Yueping (殷跃平), academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief scientist of the Geological Disaster Technical Guidance Center of the Ministry of Natural Resources, said that the traditional pattern of "flood in the south and drought in the north" is changing. The frequency and intensity of rainstorms in the north have risen significantly, while rainstorms in the south show extreme differentiation between drought and flood, and extreme rainfall shows a sharp increase in short-duration rainfall intensity and rapid transition from drought to flood... This not only raises the disaster activity in traditional high-risk areas but also causes previously relatively less disaster-prone areas to successively experience group-occurring geological disasters.
Under extreme climate conditions, what new challenges does geological disaster prevention and control face?
One prominent change is that disaster distribution extends from single-point hidden dangers to whole-region risk surfaces. Yin Yueping said that a large number of medium- and low-susceptibility areas, affected by extreme rainfall, may transform into medium- and high-susceptibility areas, so the scope of prevention and control must expand from "point" to "area."
Hidden dangers have also become smaller and more concealed. In the past, the focus of prevention and control was on large and medium-sized landslides and collapses with volumes of hundreds of thousands of cubic meters or even larger. Currently, over 95% of geological disasters in mountainous areas nationwide are small and medium-sized disaster-causing bodies of tens of thousands to even just a few cubic meters. What is more challenging is the change in the disaster formation mechanism: disasters triggered by extreme rainfall often develop into dynamic disaster chains characterized by high-position initiation, long-distance transport, and chain-transformation.
Yin Yueping indicated that this means risk assessment cannot only judge whether a slope "will slide," but must also calculate "how far it can slide and where it will affect" after instability.
Risks are changing, and prevention and control means are also upgrading. "After decades of practice, China has gradually established a disaster prevention, reduction, and rescue system combining investigation and evaluation, monitoring and early warning, emergency response, and comprehensive control," Yin Yueping said.
The Ministry of Natural Resources has developed and launched multiple land survey satellites since 2022, building an "air-space-ground" integrated three-dimensional observation system to enhance the ability to identify hidden dangers in high-susceptibility areas.
After discovering hidden dangers, how to continuously "keep an eye on" them? Devices such as Beidou displacement monitoring, rainfall and crack sensors, and artificial intelligence video surveillance can capture precursors of slope instability.
Yin Yueping introduced that from traditional methods such as pasting strips and burying stakes, to first-generation automated equipment monitoring surface deformation, displacement, rainfall, and soil moisture content, and then to second-generation equipment represented by radar visualization, monitoring means have been continuously upgraded. China has built a total of over 70,000 monitoring stations and installed over 300,000 sets of various monitoring equipment.
After data is transmitted back, it is even more important to scientifically "calculate." Yin Yueping proposed that multi-source data such as rainfall and geological conditions should be fused to construct a "geology + rainfall" coupled assessment model, distinguishing between normal risks and chain dynamic catastrophe risks induced by extreme rainfall, and quantifying the possible long-distance transport range of disasters such as high-position landslides and collapses. This is like turning a static photo into a dynamic film: not only observing the current state of the slope, but also deducing how it will move after instability and which areas it may affect.
It is noteworthy that China's geological disaster points are numerous, lines are long, areas are wide, and the "stock is large." In addition, the disaster-pregnant conditions, formation mechanisms, and disaster-causing models are complex, and the concealment, suddenness, and dynamism are strong. Current technical means are not yet able to achieve timely and accurate identification and prevention of all geological disaster hidden danger risks. "Science and technology are a strong support for disaster prevention and reduction, but not a 'master key.' Disaster prevention and reduction must adhere to the combination of human defense, material defense, technical defense, and engineering defense, and persist over time. In the next step, we will continuously strengthen basic investigation work, deepen theoretical and technical method research, concentrate efforts on solving problems such as dynamic identification of geological disaster hidden dangers, risk assessment, precise early warning, and precise prevention and control, and do our utmost to protect the safety of people's lives and property," Yin Yueping said.
By: 张庆红
As global warming causes glaciers to retreat and snow cover to melt, perhaps some people think that a hotter Earth should mean "less and less ice."
But there is an exception in the sky. In the thunderstorm clouds of high summer, there is a type of ice that is growing rapidly — hail. Hail often brings adverse impacts to urban operations, agricultural production, transportation, and so on.
Many people are curious: why, at the same time as global warming, do hailstones seem to be getting bigger and bigger?
Starting in 2016, our research group launched a "Hail for Agate" activity: inviting friends from various places to collect hail samples, we would bring refrigerated equipment to sample on site, and give back agate keychains as gifts.
These collected "little ice balls" became the key material for our scientific research. We gradually figured out the patterns of change in hail strong convection under a warming environment, and confirmed that climate warming will significantly increase the probability of very large hail occurrence. The relevant results were recently published in the international academic journal Nature.
The secret of hail is hidden in the clouds high in the sky, which are like a naturally suspended freezer.
As one gradually moves away from the great heat source of the ground, the atmospheric temperature gradually decreases. After reaching a certain altitude where the temperature is below 0 degrees Celsius, the freezing conditions of the "great ice storehouse" are achieved, but one key factor is still missing — a water source.
And the water source, precisely, comes from surface transport.
Hail usually appears on hot afternoons. This is because the ground has been "baked" at relatively high temperatures, causing the near-surface atmosphere to gradually heat up, expand, and become less dense. After reaching a certain threshold, it rises upward together with the water vapor evaporated from the ground, forming a "transport channel" connecting the ground and the upper air.
As the warm and moist air continues to rise, water vapor begins to condense and even freeze, forming a large number of cloud droplets and ice particles, which provide a water source for hail formation. And the strong updraft, like a huge "elevator", continuously lifts these cloud droplets and ice particles to high altitudes, causing them to repeatedly collide and grow in the freezing zone. The hail "embryos" grow larger like rolling a snowball, eventually forming hailstones that fall from the sky (从天而降 (cóng tiān ér jiàng - "fall from the sky," to drop from above)).
What is the relationship between the size of hailstones and global warming?
The "fuel" used by this "elevator" in the sky is water vapor. When water vapor changes from gas to liquid or solid, it releases the energy hidden within — latent heat. This energy continuously heats the updraft, making the thunderstorm cloud like a huge engine operating continuously.
And higher temperatures mean the atmosphere can hold more water vapor. After water vapor is transported to high altitudes, it releases more latent heat, giving the "elevator" more power. At the same time, more water vapor also means a richer supply of cloud water. In simple terms, a warming atmosphere is like simultaneously installing a more powerful engine on the thunderstorm cloud and providing more raw materials. Hail thus has the opportunity to stay longer in the cloud, accumulate more ice layers, and ultimately become larger.
Of course, the journey of hail does not stop in the cloud. The moment it falls from high altitude, it begins to melt. Smaller hailstones melt faster and often turn into raindrops before reaching the ground, while larger hailstones, because they store more ice, melt more slowly and eventually land relatively intact.
Global warming has changed the patterns of natural disasters. This research provides a theoretical basis for future strategies for hail disaster prevention and mitigation, allowing us not only to better understand current hailstorms but also to find more effective ways to deal with them.
(The author is a professor at the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, School of Physics, Peking University. This article was compiled from an interview by our reporter Wu Dan (吴丹), with additional contributions from Zhang Shiyi (张诗怡).)
Return to TopBy: 新华社记者 李 恒
Recently, affected by typhoons, many areas have experienced heavy rainfall, with a high risk of rainstorm disasters. What health issues should the public pay attention to? What should be noted during thunderstorm weather? How to prevent summer drowning? On July 15, the National Health Commission held a press conference to respond to these concerns.
Zheng Canjun (郑灿军), a researcher at the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, stated that after flood disasters occur, garbage, feces, and even some animal carcasses containing microorganisms enter the floodwaters. At this time, the risk of infection increases when people come into contact with the floodwaters or environments that have been soaked by floodwaters.
Zheng Canjun reminded the public not to drink raw water, not to eat spoiled, moldy, or contaminated food, and especially not to eat food that has been soaked by floodwaters. Promptly clean up silt, standing water, garbage, animal carcasses, etc., in homes, and disinfect the environment and tableware to prevent the breeding of germs. In areas where schistosomiasis is endemic, if symptoms such as unexplained fever or diarrhea occur after direct contact with floodwaters, seek medical attention promptly.
In response to the frequent summer thunderstorms, Yan Shengtao (闫圣涛), chief physician at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital, stated that many people are afraid to approach a lightning strike victim due to fear of electric shock. In fact, after lightning strikes a person, the electric current quickly passes through the body into the ground and does not "remain" in the body.
Yan Shengtao stated that before rescuing, it is necessary to ensure the scene environment is safe, and try to move the injured person to a safe indoor or vehicle environment before performing rescue; if the ground is wet, a dry wooden board or insulating material can be placed underneath before kneeling to perform chest compressions.
Experts remind that when a thunderstorm occurs, people outdoors should lower their body height as much as possible, stay away from tall trees, utility poles, and other objects prone to attracting lightning, and discard metal umbrellas. If there is no shelter, try to crouch low, keep feet together, and squat with head down.
Now is the peak season for drowning. Yan Shengtao reminds parents to instruct children and adolescents to be careful about safety, not to go to high-risk places, especially not to swim in wild waters such as reservoirs and ponds that lack safety measures and rescue personnel.
Experts specifically remind that if someone is found drowning, do not rescue by linking hands or blindly entering the water yourself, especially for minors. Immediately shout for help, throw lifebuoys or other rescue equipment, and promptly call the police or dial emergency numbers to seek assistance.
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Return to TopBy: 本报记者 江 南
A stream runs through the town, houses line both banks, and three bridges lie across it. This is the Liuxia Old Street (留下老街) in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.
Left where?
Left in the thick foundation of historical and traditional cultural lineage. According to legend, during the Southern Song Dynasty, Emperor Gaozong wanted to build his imperial city here, but later found Phoenix Mountain in the south of the city more suitable, and said, “Xixi, just leave it (西溪且留下).” Thus, “Liuxia” (留下) became the name of this small town south of Xixi, and has been used ever since.
Left in the vivid expression of the city’s organic renewal. From 2007 to 2010, Liuxia Old Street underwent three rounds of protection, renovation, and transformation. In 2018, the ancient bridges and historic sites of the old street were further repaired and protected. In recent years, the renovation and upgrading of the Liuxia Old Street Historic Style Area (留下老街历史风貌区) has continued to refresh. The debut of comprehensive spaces such as the “1129 Community Center” has also allowed more people to get close to this “living” old street.
What does it leave behind?
Liuxia Old Street has a Liuxia River, and on the river there is a Zhongyi Bridge (忠义桥). As a National Key Cultural Relics Protection Unit (全国重点文物保护单位) with a history of over 800 years, it is the oldest surviving stone arch bridge in Hangzhou and the only stone arch bridge in the urban area of Hangzhou where Southern Song Dynasty stone-carved inscriptions have been found.
Through the image of the “bridge,” one can see the efforts Liuxia Old Street has made in protection, inheritance, and utilization. The stone bridge connects history and modernity, inheritance and development, protection and utilization; it links the ancient neighborhood with the new look of the times, the everyday hustle and bustle of the marketplace with the elegance of Song charm.
Retain the ancient charm in the present day, retain the cultural lineage in the marketplace; hold fast to the concept of “let the city leave memories, let people remember their nostalgia,” and leave behind the exploration of “developing in protection, protecting in development.”
Let the city leave memories
Hong Meiyu (洪美玉), a 71-year-old resident of Chashi Community, Liuxia Subdistrict, Xihu District, Hangzhou, has a fond memory that connects the past and present of the thousand-year-old ancient town.
“In the early morning, I would scoop water from the Liuxia River to wash my face, and the whole day felt fresh. On summer evenings, every household left its doors open, and the breeze blowing in from the river was cooler than an electric fan,” said Hong Meiyu.
As she walks along Liuxia Old Street, Hong Meiyu frequently greets old neighbors she meets. Every blue stone slab, every stone arch bridge, every large camphor tree she passes bears the deep imprint of the years. “My ancestors have lived in Liuxia for generations; the stories here could not be told even in several days and nights,” said Hong Meiyu.
She remembers that decades ago, the old street was already very lively. By the river and at the bridgehead, teahouses run by residents were abuzz with voices, where old tea-drinkers sat sipping tea, listening to storytelling, and chatting about everyday life. On the street, there were cotton shops, dye houses, clock and watch repair shops, small bookstalls, grocery stores, pastry shops, barbershops, and bookstores—a full array.
Liuxia Old Street is not very long. It extends along the Liuxia River for about 400 meters.
The old street’s history is indeed long. From the Song to the Qing dynasties, the Liuxia area was always a bustling market town with all trades flourishing and commerce prosperous.
According to historical records, in the Qing Dynasty, Liuxia Town already had five or six hundred households. A stream ran through the town, stone bridges lay across it, houses were built along the river, and the architecture was distinctive. Most of the riverside houses had shops in the front and residences in the back, and merchants often rowed boats here to buy and sell vegetables, fruits, tea, and other goods. The market was thriving and lively.
In 2024, Liuxia Old Street was included in the first batch of protection lists for historic style areas in Hangzhou. The Protection Plan for the Liuxia Old Street Historic Style Area in Hangzhou (2024-2035) (《杭州留下老街历史风貌区保护规划（2024—2035年）》) defines its functional positioning as a “demonstration block for old street revitalization through urban renewal, a scene for neighborhood entrepreneurship and governance in future communities, and a historic style area for a panorama experience of Liuxia’s Song charm by night economy.”
“We both ‘repair the old as old’ in physical space and ‘revitalize and continue’ in functional core,” said Tang Rui (唐锐), Secretary of the Party Working Committee of Liuxia Subdistrict. The focus of protection includes material remains such as historic alleys, ancient bridges, and traditional buildings, as well as the excavation of intangible cultural heritage.
Today, the nearly 400-meter-long old street connects four ancient bridges and fourteen remnants of traditional dwellings, and also connects the old memories and the lively atmosphere that long-time residents miss. As residents look at the upturned eaves of old houses harmonizing with the distinctive shops lining the street, they hope that the “old street” in their memories will become even more vibrant.
It is no wonder that some say that urban renewal and old street revitalization require not only “creation” but also “awakening,” only then can it truly “be refreshed” and truly “let the city leave memories.”
Let culture be passed down in a living way
In a teahouse by the Liuxia River, through the rich flavor of clear tea, one can immersively experience the “cultural flavor of living” on the old street.
A two-story Song-style building with an antique feel has “Hu Yuantai Tea House” (胡源泰茶庄) written on its white wall, with a line of small characters below: “Founded in the third year of Xianfeng of the Qing Dynasty (1853).” This time-honored brand reopened for business on Liuxia Old Street this year.
Hu Yuantai Tea House, together with a public welfare foundation, has again organized the “public tea offering to neighbors” activity. Every Saturday, the tea house brews 200 cups of various teas to share with visitors and residents.
Not far from the old street, the “Liuxia Laokai Xin Teahouse” (留下老开心茶馆) was jointly launched by Xihu City Construction Investment Group, Liuxia Subdistrict, and the Hangzhou Traditional Culture Promotion Association. Here, not only can one taste tea, but also watch the authentic Hangzhou-flavored performance of Zhou Zhihua (周志华), representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage “Xiao Re Hun” (小热昏, “small heat dizziness”), known as “Laokai Xin” (老开心, “Old Happy”). The teahouse’s recent special performances of pingtan (storytelling and ballad singing) have also been very popular. “For a 10 yuan tea seat fee, I steadily listened to four pingtan pieces. I tasted tea, rested my feet, and experienced authentic intangible cultural heritage—what a bargain!” a visitor exclaimed.
It is a teahouse and also a cultural space. It regularly hosts inheritance classes for Hangzhou storytelling (杭州评话) and holds cultural activities such as intangible cultural heritage experience days for international friends, book gatherings, and tea ceremonies.
“Spring tea roasting sends fragrance ten miles.” In Liuxia, the faint tea fragrance carries a profound history and culture.
Shen Yongfang (沈雍芳), over 90 years old, is known as the “living map of old Liuxia” and enjoys studying ancient towns and villages in Xixi. He says that Xixi has eighteen hollows (西溪十八坞), and every hollow produces tea. Liuxia was also an important tea market distribution center in the west of Hangzhou city. Whenever spring tea came on the market, tea merchants and farmers from all over gathered on the old street, and dozens of tea firms did brisk business.
“The teahouses in Liuxia were all set up along the river. Sitting leisurely in a centuries-old riverside house, watching the scene outside where 春和景明 (chūn hé jǐng míng - “spring is mild and scenery is bright”), with fish leaping and birds soaring, and savoring a cup of new tea, one tastes the faint fragrance that has brewed for a thousand years,” said Shen Yongfang. In the past, teahouses were also places for local residents to gather and chat. “Things that happened on Liuxia Old Street, or major events in Hangzhou city, would immediately spread in the teahouse. Neighborhood disputes could also be brought to the teahouse to talk things out, and they would be resolved right there.”
Such historical and cultural heritage, unique connotations, and flavors are now coming back to life and becoming vivid on Liuxia Old Street.
In 2025, the “1129 Community Center,” as the pioneering part of the Liuxia Old Street Historic Style Area, made its debut, becoming the “code” to unlock the flavor of Song charm culture on the old street.
“Taking Song Dynasty culture as the thread, we plan to gradually open themed markets and slow-living cultural spaces such as ‘Liuxia Tea Feast,’ ‘Wuyue-style Flower Arrangement,’ and ‘Southern Song Aromatic Medicine Bureau,’ bringing immersive cultural tourism experiences to citizens and visitors,” said a staff member of Xihu City Construction Investment Group in charge of the upgrading of Liuxia Old Street. The approximately 3,000-square-meter community center space is like a “miniature scene” from a Song painting, and it hopes to begin an “800-year-spanning dialogue between ancient and modern cultures.”
At the “Kongshan Jiutie · Dongpo’s Loneliness” coffee and reading space (空山九帖·东坡的寂寞) on Liuxia Old Street, over 3,000 books are available. At the Xiayin Qin Studio (霞影琴馆), one can listen to Zhejiang-school guqin inheritors play Xiaoxiang Water and Clouds, blending poetry recitation with qin art. Entering the “Five Blessings at the Door” costume exhibition, one can decode the life culture aesthetics of the Song Dynasty, where “extreme plainness first reveals the splendor of flowers.”
As Zhao Cheng’ou (赵成瓯), the manager of Hu Yuantai Tea House, said: “Traditional culture blending with the old street, merging with life, coexisting day and night, 欣欣向荣 (xīn xīn xiàng róng - “prosperous and thriving”)—this is ‘living’ culture.”
Let cultural tourism deeply integrate
Near Zhongyi Bridge stands the Lin Huiyin Exhibition Hall. Its exhibits on “bridge between China and the West, bridge between ancient and modern, bridge between disciplines, bridge to the future” echo the ancient stone arch bridges on the old street and also reflect the current integrated development of culture, commerce, and tourism on the old street.
The Lin Huiyin Exhibition Hall was established with support from the Chinese Architecture Research Institute of Tsinghua University and Ms. Yu Kui (于葵), Lin Huiyin’s granddaughter. On January 31 this year, Ms. Yu Kui, who came to attend the opening ceremony, strolled along Liuxia Old Street and felt a surge of emotion: “My grandmother spent her whole life studying ancient architecture. Coming to Liuxia today, I felt as if I had traveled through time and were walking on the same street as my grandmother.”
In April this year, Liuxia Subdistrict launched the “You Are the April of the World—A Series of Themed Cultural Activities Paying Tribute to Lin Huiyin.” Recitation events, lectures, elegant gatherings, music, and other forms of cultural tourism activities were held on Liuxia Old Street.
In the comprehensive space of the “1129 Community Center,” one of the series of activities—the “Jingse Kiln Republic of China Porcelain Theme Exhibition”—is on display, attracting many citizens and visitors to stop and watch. The sunlight outside, filtering through the wooden window lattices, shines on the surfaces of “Longjing Green” and “Rouge Red” porcelain, as if they had come to life from a Song painting, or stepped out of Lin Huiyin’s poems.
Holding such themed activities is also one of the exploratory attempts by the local government to achieve a balance and virtuous cycle among historical protection, cultural tourism development, and commercial operation on Liuxia Old Street.
In the concept of Hangzhou Xihu District and Liuxia Subdistrict, the protection of the Liuxia Old Street Historic Style Area must have both “cultural flavor” and “marketplace atmosphere,” and even more so “popular appeal.”
“Cultural flavor” resides in the ancient buildings, ancient bridges, and the unique style and charm. During the process of protecting and renewing the Liuxia Old Street Historic Style Area, buildings are classified and protected in a differentiated manner, a list for the protection and utilization of traditional style buildings is compiled, and the pattern, scale, and texture of traditional alleys are maintained and restored as much as possible, thereby reshaping, upgrading, and inheriting the street space.
“Marketplace atmosphere” is indispensable for deep cultural tourism integration. During the revitalization of Liuxia Old Street, the area is divided into blocks such as the “1129 Community Center,” the historical and cultural heritage block, the art and design hotel block, the trendy lifestyle block, and the curator-fashionable creative block, gradually introducing intangible cultural heritage spaces, tea and food dining, cultural and creative merchandise, homestays, and other cultural tourism formats. For example, the Gourmet Alley in the historical and cultural heritage block focuses on “the taste of marketplace life.”
The “popular appeal” of the old street is also gradually consolidated through approaches such as “cultural decoding + cultural tourism empowerment + consumption activation.” During holidays, cultural tourism activities such as “Countless Joys, Hidden in Liuxia,” music elegant gatherings, mind sports meets, talent networking events, and West Lake Reading Day are rolled out one after another, along with immersive cultural experiences and “tradition + technology” cultural tourism projects. These activities fully accommodate new cultural tourism consumption demands such as those of the silver-haired group, children, and pet-friendly experiences, striving to ensure that citizens and visitors of all ages can gain a unique experience on Liuxia Old Street, and making the historical and cultural district not only “visit-able” but also “walk-read-able and stay-able,” gradually forming a composite cultural tourism model integrating “strolling, viewing, playing, tasting, and buying.”
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 范昊天
When traveling to Shennongjia, the number of trip days can be freely decided: 1–2 days allows for strolling through the town, eating local cuisine, and taking mountain-side walks; 3 days lets you fully experience the core attractions of Shennong Peak (神农顶) and Great Nine Lakes (大九湖), with a schedule of moderate tightness and looseness; 4 days offers in-depth exploration, checking out intangible cultural heritage sites, lesser-known roads, and wild mountain hideaways.
If time is ample, you can also visit surrounding cities along the way. On Hubei's main "Shen-Wu-Xia" cultural tourism corridor — namely Shennongjia, Wudang Mountain, and the Three Gorges — you can experience the Three Gorges' mountain-and-water scenery in Yichang, trace antiquity and seek the Dao on Shiyan's Wudang Mountain, feel Tujia ethnic customs in the Enshi Grand Canyon, and fully enjoy the landscapes of western Hubei.
In midsummer, the crowds coming to Shennongjia to escape the heat have also grown. Perennially influenced by the alternation of the hot-humid southeast monsoon and the dry-cold continental high pressure, combined with the regulation of heat and precipitation by the primitive forests, Shennongjia has formed a pleasant climate with no sweltering summer heat, making it a popular destination for summer-escape tourism in Hubei Province.
After nightfall, walking the streets of Shennongjia's Muyu Town (木鱼镇), the evening breeze blows especially cool on the face. Following the bustling flow of people, one can browse Xiangxi Night Alley (香溪夜巷), then head to the town's Yandi Grand Theater (炎帝大剧院) to watch a large-scale situational drama, "The Secret Realm of Shennongjia," immersing oneself in the nightlife of this deep-mountain town.
"'One mountain has four seasons, ten li apart the weather is different' — the vertical climate differentiation gives Shennongjia its unique natural landscape," explained Chen Famin (陈发敏), cultural tourism promotion officer of the Shennongjia Forestry District (神农架林区). This area is a premier destination for stargazing, cloud-watching, bird-watching, insect-watching, and wildlife-watching. Within the district, the eight major scenic areas — Shennong Peak, Great Nine Lakes, Tianyan (天燕), Guanmen Mountain (官门山), Shennong Altar (神农坛), Heavenly Bridge (天生桥), Gallery Valley (画廊谷), and Shennong Sky Lake (神农天池) — each have their own distinctive merits.
Ascending to the summit of Shennong Peak, the "First Peak of Central China" at 3,106.2 meters above sea level, one can watch the rolling sea of clouds among stone forests and gorges, and stroll through the primeval forest to fully enjoy the "natural oxygen bar, forest breathing." A 5-kilometer canyon plank-road can take visitors on an immersive experience of Shennongjia's primordial, untamed beauty.
Cloud-Interlaced Wetland at Great Nine Lakes, hailed as "Hubei's Hulunbuir," is the largest and highest-altitude subalpine wetland in central China. At over 1,700 meters of elevation, it is filled with a healing quality. In early morning, a light mist gently covers the lake surface; sika deer leisurely walk through the meadows. Riding the sightseeing tram, one watches the morning mist roll and stretch with the wind, and both body and mind gradually relax.
The Tianyan Rainbow Bridge is the highest-altitude observation bridge in Asia. When rain clears to fine weather, with billowing seas of clouds beneath one's feet, it can truly be called a wild mountain wonder.
Coming to Shennongjia, one must check in at Shennong Altar. Amid the towering mountains, the statue of the Flame Emperor (Yandi / Shennong) stands solemn and dignified; reaching out to touch the ancient fir tree, aged approximately 1,300 years, one can genuinely feel the power of life spanning across time.
After touring the mountains and waters, do not forget to taste the authentic wild mountain flavors.
Farmhouse preserved pig trotters paired with high-elevation small potatoes — soft and sticky, fully flavored, salty-fragrant and mellow; braised Five-Black Chicken (五黑鸡) with fiddlehead ferns, fresh bamboo shoots, and gastrodia tuber — each mouthful is a vivid gift of the mountain forests; sitting around a bubbling hotpot and eating with great relish (大快朵颐, dà kuài duǒ yí - "greatly enjoying the jaw's movement," to eat and drink heartily), accompanied by a cup of lingzhi-and-crabapple tea — warming the stomach and the heart.
"The Five-Black Chicken is an extremely representative ecological agricultural product from Shennongjia's Yangri Town (阳日镇) and is a culinary treat not to be missed. The Five-Black Chicken is named for its black comb, black feathers, black skin, black meat, and black bones. It possesses the excellent qualities of high protein, high inosinic acid, high calcium and selenium, and low fat, with tender and flavorful meat and rich nutrition," Chen Famin introduced.
Shennongjia's potatoes are also a major local specialty. The potatoes of Shennongjia are small and round, grown on sloping hillside fields at elevations of around 1,000 meters. They have a high starch content, a fine texture, and are floury, sweet, and fragrant. After peeling fresh potatoes, stew them in a pot until cooked, then dry-roast them over a low flame, lightly drizzling with oil and pan-frying briefly. They become golden, glossy, and shiny, looking just like golden fruit. When you put them in your mouth, chewing slowly and carefully, the outside is crisp and the inside is fluffy, with a full potato fragrance.
In the past, Shennongjia's tourism faced a situation of "a single season standing alone" — there were many summer-escape visitors, but relatively few tourists in other seasons. In recent years, Shennongjia has continuously polished the "Shennong Mysterious Realm" cultural tourism brand, implementing projects such as ski resort renovation and A-grade scenic area quality improvement, and developing new business forms and scenes such as ice and snow sports, intangible cultural heritage performances, and nighttime scenic-area tours. It has continuously enriched the four-season tourism product line of "enjoy flowers in spring, escape heat in summer, view leaves in autumn, and play in snow in winter," meeting tourists' diversified consumption needs and achieving the goal of "off-season not being slow, peak season being even better."
"From September to mid-November, the autumn scenery is absolutely stunning. Areas along the Shennong Peak route, the shores of Great Nine Lakes, the Ciba Road (茨八线) highway, and Hongping Gallery Valley (红坪画廊谷) are colorful and layered with forest hues — the best travel period for photography enthusiasts. From April to May, the spring scenery is quiet and secluded; alpine azaleas bloom in succession along the mountain contours, suitable for hiking and relaxing the mind. From December to February of the following year, the mountains are blanketed in snow, and the two major ski resorts are open to the public, filling the ambiance of a 'snowy southern country' to the fullest," said Xue Yang (薛扬), a veteran photographer of the Shennongjia Forestry District. Shennongjia has unique natural beauty and landscape experiences in every season of the year. However, because the scenic areas are located within a protected zone, Xue Yang also advises that tourists should first pay attention to local weather conditions and scenic area announcements, travel safely, and enter in an orderly manner. At the same time, they must protect animals, cherish plants, safeguard the environment, and especially in autumn and winter, pay attention to forest fire prevention.
There are no cookie-cutter, viral internet-famous views — only forests of trees, ancient charm, and gentleness. This small town hidden among the mountains — once you have come, you will think of it often and never forget it. It is worth visiting for everyone who yearns for wild mountains.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 汪哲平
Early morning, in Guilin, Guangxi, the rice noodle shops on the streets are steaming hot. Boiling water rolls in the pot. The boss quickly blanches the rice noodles, drains them, and smoothly puts them into bowls, adding side dishes. Bowls of Guilin rice noodles are brought to the tables, aromas interweave and permeate.
Rice noodles are the “old flavor” of Guilin, this city of mountains and waters. Legend has it that Guilin rice noodles began when Qin Shi Huang conquered the Baiyue in the south, and took their final form in the Ming and Qing dynasties. One bowl of rice noodles, three meals across four seasons, on streets and in lanes — it embodies the lifestyle of Guilin people, and is also an essential taste experience for tourists checking in Guilin — only after seeing the beautiful mountains and clear waters by the Lijiang River and then slurping a bowl of fragrant Guilin rice noodles can one be considered to have truly been to Guilin.
“The first time you eat Guilin rice noodles, remember to first try the dry-mixed ones,” a Guilin friend traveling with me specially reminded.
The marinade used for dry-mixed rice noodles is particular about ingredients. Dozens of natural spices such as star anise and cinnamon are combined with pork bones and beef bones, first slow-cooked over low heat, then left to ferment. During this time, the bitter and astringent tastes in the marinade gradually fade away, and the remaining fragrance becomes increasingly mellow.
After the fresh rice noodles are blanched, the shop will arrange braised beef and crispy pot-roasted pork (deep-fried until golden crispy skin pork belly), pour over the marinade, and diners then add pickled beans, dried radish, pickled bamboo shoots and other side dishes according to personal taste. When the bowl is brought to the table, the rice fragrance, marinade fragrance, and meat fragrance interweave in layers.
At this time, do not rush to add soup. Take a hot slurp, and you will immediately feel a strong rich fragrance; after eating more than half, ladle in a spoonful of soup, and you will find it warm, unctuous, and refreshing, with a fresh fragrance and a sweet aftertaste. One bowl of rice noodles, two ways of eating — strong and light, dry and wet. Multiple flavors surge from the tip of the tongue to the bottom of the heart.
Many tourists come following the landscape, and are also deeply impressed by this rice noodle fragrance, carrying the aroma of Guilin rice noodles to all parts of the country.
Nowadays, Guilin has over 9,000 rice noodle dine-in shops and about 100 processing enterprises. In 2025, the total output value of the entire Guilin rice noodle industrial chain is about 12 billion yuan. Guilin City’s Quanzhou County (全州县), relying on the inherent advantages of the “Northern Guangxi Granary,” has built the country’s largest dry rice noodle production base. In a few years, “small rice noodles” have been turned into a “big industry.”
The mountains and waters have given Guilin its spiritual grace, and rice noodles have given Guilin its smoke and fire of everyday life. This bowl of fragrant rice noodles is another city card for Guilin, closely following “the landscape is the best under heaven,” waiting for every guest from afar to sit down, take a good slurp, and savor the unique flavor that belongs to Guilin.
Return to TopBy: 王迎春 杨力舟
Every painting is a combination of artistic intention and artistic technique. Growing up together with New China, we have for over 60 years of creative career consistently adhered to the artistic concept of taking root in reality and serving the people, absorbing the essence of Chinese and Western art, and jointly created many thematic art works expressing revolutionary history, ethnic minority customs, and the customs of the Loess Plateau. Among them, The Yellow River in Roar and Taihang Iron Wall (see figure) have the greatest influence. These works are all the crystallization of the fusion of national spirit with personal values and artistic outlook.
We are both life companions who 相濡以沫 (xiāng rú yǐ mò - “moisten each other with spit,” helping each other in adversity) and artistic soulmates who are 志同道合 (zhì tóng dào hé - “same ideals and same path,” like-minded). Having been through the baptism of war, we were deeply moved by the spirit of the Chinese people resisting foreign humiliation and 自强不息 (zì qiáng bù xī - “self-strengthening without cease,” unremitting self-improvement) since the 20th century, and therefore we poured a great deal of effort into the creation of revolutionary historical themes. Art originates from life yet transcends it. The Chinese painting The Yellow River in Roar we collaborated on in 1980, precisely because of our personal insights into and sketch accumulation of life in the Yellow River basin, was able to eulogize with full passion the tenacity and indomitability of the Yellow River boatmen. In the painting, the Yellow River roars and surges, and the boatmen fight fiercely against it, full of spirit. The work, through an expressive approach, both exhibits the beauty of the power of humans wrestling with nature and symbolizes the Chinese nation’s arduous journey of passing through dangers and advancing courageously, imbued with a rich flavor of life and a strong spirit of the times.
If in the surging waves of the Yellow River surges the spiritual bloodline of the Chinese nation’s 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - “live and grow without ceasing,” continuous reproduction) and unremitting struggle, then the stones of the Taihang Mountains stand upright as the indomitable backbone of the nation. Lofty Taihang, with sheer cliffs rising a thousand yards. This was the birthplace of the Eighth Route Army’s first base area behind enemy lines, and important organs such as the Eighth Route Army headquarters were garrisoned here for a long time, leaving behind countless heroic songs of unity against aggression and fighting to the last drop of blood. The Taihang Mountains nurtured a great spirit of patriotism and revolutionary heroism. This deep connection with national history laid the emotional and spiritual foundation for our creation of Taihang-themed works.
In 1984, the Chinese painting Taihang Iron Wall we collaborated on won the gold medal at the Sixth National Fine Arts Exhibition, becoming a milestone in our artistic careers. The birth of this work originated from a sketching trip to Huangyadong (黄崖洞) in the Taihang Mountains that same year. That summer, in order to paint the comic strip of The Marriage of Xiao Erhei (小二黑结婚), we went to the place where Zhao Shuli (赵树理) had worked in the Taihang Mountains to collect material. There we heard many moving stories of the military and civilians united in the War of Resistance, and we conceived the idea of creating works on the theme of the anti-Japanese struggle in the Taihang Mountain area. One afternoon, while sketching at Huangyadong, the setting sun cast a silhouette on the Taihang cliffs. The spectacular cliff scene involuntarily reminded us of the anti-Japanese soldiers and civilians who had died for their country in the Taihang Mountain area — that scene was as if they were standing majestically right there. So we wished to use the approach of a monumental group sculpture to create the work. Such an association arose not only because of the similarity in form, but also because when we studied at the Xi’an Academy of Fine Arts (西安美术学院) we had both studied sculpture — one of us majored in oil painting and sculpture, the other specialized in Chinese painting and sculpture — and we deeply understood the spiritual power embodied by monuments.
The intent of Taihang Iron Wall is to manifest sublime beauty. The creation of historical painting either emphasizes the representation of concrete and real historical events, or emphasizes generalization of the social appearance and spirit of an era. Taihang Iron Wall belongs to the latter — the deep bond between the military and civilians, as close as fish and water, formed a powerful cohesion and combat effectiveness. This strength is sublime and invincible; we wanted to use artistic images to truthfully recreate the red heritage of the Taihang Mountain area and the great power of military-civilian unity, and to carry it forward.
To better highlight the theme, we first depicted several high-ranking generals in the Taihang anti-Japanese base area, and placed Peng Dehuai in a prominent position — during the War of Resistance, as deputy commander-in-chief of the Eighth Route Army, he had always led the front headquarters of the Eighth Route Army fighting in the Taihang anti-Japanese base area. Secondly, when portraying other soldiers and the people, we added an old grandmother figure to the picture, because at that time many children of Eighth Route Army soldiers were raised by local villagers, who were affectionately called “milk mothers.” The old grandmother in the painting is such a “milk mother.” At the same time, we also depicted red-tasseled spears in the painting — in the Eighth Route Army base areas, weapons and equipment were poor, and most of the militia, Children’s Corps, and Women’s National Salvation Association (妇救会) were issued red-tasseled spears as weapons. The figures in the painting are basically realistic; especially for the depiction of the several generals, on the basis of grasping their physical characteristics, we focused on harmonizing their bearing, demeanor, and spiritual temperament with the overall mountain structure.
For a historical painting to move people, besides profound intent and clever conception, one must also find the appropriate artistic expression technique. Taihang Iron Wall uses symbolic technique, setting aside “events” to seek “emotion.” We discarded the elaboration of concrete historical details, merging the group image of Taihang soldiers and civilians with the mountain rocks, to imply an invincible military-civilian force. In terms of expression technique, we boldly absorbed Western Cubist concepts, geometrically dividing and reorganizing the figure groups and rock structures, allowing the heroic group image and the Taihang mountain momentum to form a group-sculpture-like symbolic composition through the interpenetration of block faces and compression of space. The boundary between figures and mountain body is blurred; the use of flat side-sweeping brushstrokes and the axe-cut texture stroke (斧劈皴) make the textures of figures’ clothing and the rock texture blend into each other. The figures are no longer isolated individuals, but are closely connected like the rock layers of a mountain, both highlighting the individual’s firmness and reinforcing the collective sense of power.
The value of Taihang Iron Wall lies in its transcendence of specific historical scenes to become a symbol of the spirit of the times. The heroes stand silently, their expressions resolute; their postures have no dramatic exaggeration, yet in the solemnity of the group image and the grandeur of the mountain momentum, they convey a deep and lasting power — that is the spiritual great force of the Chinese nation’s 不屈不挠 (bù qū bù náo - “not bend, not break,” unyielding) and unity against aggression in times of hardship.
The Taihang spirit is a monument of faith that passes through the beacons of time and still shines brightly today. Promoting the Taihang spirit is also the mission we adhere to. In 2009, we once again joined hands to complete the large-scale Chinese painting Taihang Beacon Fire. We repeatedly deliberated on the balance between historicity and artistry, immediacy and commemoration, and ultimately adopted a composition that transcends time and space, using black-and-white contrast, a six-panel screen format, and juxtaposition and superimposition of different images to unfold the narrative. With a depiction that “reaches the vast and exhausts the subtle,” we combined macro and micro aspects, constructing a visual structure of undulating and interlocking rhythms, grandly recreating the scene of the military and civilians united, rising up against Japan, and striving for victory. In terms of ink language, we focused on solving the problem of combining mountain and human figures across time and space, treating the Taihang Mountains abstractly, using the towering mountain momentum to form three-dimensional block faces, strengthening the visual impact of the picture, thereby setting off the movement and composition of the figures.
Our creative work has always insisted on writing for the people and establishing a record for the times. Today, the country has undergone 翻天覆地 (fān tiān fù dì - “overturn heaven and earth,” earth-shaking) changes, and artistic creation is also developing toward diversity. But we believe that art should always resonate on the same frequency as the era, and artists should likewise stand on the mountains and rivers of the land, focus on the nation’s history, and with their brushes deeply inscribe the national spirit and the features of the times.
Return to TopBy: 林 茂
To accelerate the construction of an autonomous knowledge system for Chinese philosophy and social sciences, in recent years the philosophy and social sciences community has actively promoted the standardization of terminology and nomenclature in related fields. Not long ago, the inaugural meeting and academic forum of the National Committee for the Verification and Standardization of Fine Arts and Calligraphy Terminology (全国美术与书法名词审定委员会) was held at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, bringing the standardization of fine arts and calligraphy terminology to the forefront and sparking interest and discussion within the industry.
Nouns and terms are the “smallest units” of disciplinary knowledge. A unified, standardized, and authoritative system of terminology is the first cornerstone for building an autonomous knowledge system. Carrying out the work of verifying and standardizing fine arts and calligraphy terminology is by no means a simple matter of vocabulary sorting or textual regularization; it also requires a profound grasp of its internal logic in relation to constructing an autonomous knowledge system for fine arts and calligraphy.
Doing a good job of terminology verification is the logical starting point for consolidating the disciplinary foundation and building an autonomous knowledge system for fine arts and calligraphy. In the new era, China’s fine arts and calligraphy undertakings are flourishing. In 2022, “fine arts and calligraphy” was officially elevated to a first-level discipline; over one hundred universities and colleges nationwide have opened related programs, a complete talent cultivation system from bachelor’s to master’s to doctoral levels has been established, and creative practice, theoretical research, social aesthetic education, and international communication are blossoming on multiple fronts. Behind the rapid development of the discipline, the chaos in terminology has become a prominent shortcoming constraining the construction of its knowledge system: traditional terms such as “xieyi” (写意, freehand brushwork), “qiyun” (气韵, spirit resonance), and “jinshi qi” (金石气, epigraphic quality) have experienced blurred boundaries and generalized connotations in cross-domain use; new forms such as digital art and AI art have emerged, with new terms appearing endlessly, leading to widespread phenomena of different translations for the same term and different terms for the same concept; overlapping concepts and ambiguous definitions exist in cross-disciplinary fields such as multimedia, experimental art, and art technology. The chaos in terminology directly leads to fragmentation of disciplinary knowledge and incoherence of theoretical logic, making it difficult to form unified standards in textbook compilation, classroom teaching, academic exchange, and dissemination of achievements, and easily plunging the construction of an autonomous knowledge system into the predicament of “an unstable foundation” (根基不稳). Carrying out terminology verification means systematically sorting out all disciplinary terms, clarifying the connotations of concepts, delimiting the boundaries of use, unifying appellations and definitions, stringing scattered knowledge points into a systematic knowledge framework, and solidifying the foundation for constructing a logically tight, hierarchically clear, and connotatively rich autonomous knowledge system for fine arts and calligraphy.
Doing a good job of terminology verification is a key lever for upholding the roots of Chinese culture and manifesting the Chinese characteristics of the fine arts and calligraphy knowledge system. Chinese painting and calligraphy art possesses an independent developmental lineage, aesthetic system, and theoretical paradigm. The traditional terms that have extended for thousands of years are themselves the living carriers of China’s autonomous knowledge system for fine arts and calligraphy. Terms such as “ji bai dang hei” (计白当黑, counting white as black), “yi zai bi xian” (意在笔先, intention precedes the brush), and “gu fa yong bi” (骨法用笔, bone method in brush use) are not merely names of techniques; they also condense Eastern aesthetics and philosophical thought. For a long time, in international exchanges, some painting and calligraphy terms have lacked precise foreign-language translations, leading to the weakening of the subjectivity of the local knowledge system. Carrying out terminology verification means, on the one hand, deeply excavating the historical origins, cultural connotations, and evolutionary threads of traditional terms, so that the millennium-long cultural lineage can be transmitted generation after generation through standardized terms; on the other hand, it means establishing names and definitions based on local practice, refining professional concepts with Chinese characteristics, so that our knowledge system truly takes root in the soil of Chinese culture.
Doing a good job of terminology verification is an important support for enhancing discursive capability and increasing the international influence of the fine arts and calligraphy knowledge system. At present, artistic exchanges between China and foreign countries are increasingly frequent, but non-uniform terminology and obstructed discourse have become a major barrier hindering Chinese art from going global. Foreign academic circles have deviations in interpreting traditional terms such as “qiyun shengdong” (气韵生动, spirit resonance and life movement) and “yipin” (逸品, unfettered class), while domestic translations of emerging art terms are chaotic, making it difficult for China’s outstanding artistic theories and creative achievements to be accurately understood by the international community. Carrying out terminology verification requires simultaneously standardizing the rules for comparing Chinese and foreign terms, adhering to the principle of “giving priority to free translation and supplementing with transliteration,” and aligning with internationally common expressions while preserving cultural characteristics. An authoritative, unified terminology system that balances local features and international commonality can clear the language bottlenecks in Sino-foreign artistic exchanges, push the Chinese art knowledge system from “local autonomy” toward “international recognition,” and enhance China’s academic discourse power and cultural influence in the international art field.
Doing a good job of terminology verification is an inevitable choice for responding to the needs of the times and expanding the contemporary connotations of the autonomous knowledge system for fine arts and calligraphy. In the digital age, technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and virtual reality are deeply integrated into the fields of fine arts and calligraphy, leading to profound changes in artistic forms, creative methods, and dissemination paths, and the traditional knowledge system faces transformation challenges. At the same time, fine arts and calligraphy are fully entering campuses, communities, etc., and the demand from all sectors of society for standardized professional terminology is becoming increasingly urgent. Doing a good job of terminology verification requires not only standardizing classic terms to pass on traditional culture, but also scientifically verifying emerging terms to promote the deep integration of the traditional knowledge system with modern art forms and cutting-edge technology, so that the autonomous knowledge system for fine arts and calligraphy both preserves its roots and keeps pace with the times, and can serve professional research while empowering social aesthetic education and the development of the cultural industry.
When terminology is established, the discipline is established; when knowledge flourishes, culture flourishes. Small professional terms connect a cultural lineage of thousands of years and carry the expectations of the era. Striving to build an autonomous knowledge system for the disciplines of fine arts and calligraphy is our epochal mission to inherit the Chinese cultural lineage, promote cultural prosperity, and build a culturally strong nation; it is also the duty that every literary and artistic worker is 义不容辞 (yì bù róng cí - “from righteousness cannot decline,” an unshirkable responsibility).
Return to TopBy: 张 淳
Wen Zhengming, as a representative figure of the Wu School of painting in the Ming dynasty, the garden artistic conception under his brush had long become a classic symbol of traditional Chinese art. Over the years, I have traveled between tradition and reality, creating many garden-themed paintings such as We Enter Wen Zhengming's Garden, hoping to use the brush to construct a spiritual realm that everyone can enter.
When I paint gardens, I do not like to fix myself in one place to gaze at the scenery; instead, I like to replace "viewing" with "roaming," presenting the visual experience accumulated while walking — the surprise when the view 豁然开朗 (huò rán kāi lǎng - "suddenly open and bright," to suddenly see the light or become enlightened) after turning around a rockery, the tranquillity when the light abruptly darkens when passing through a moon gate… The myriad postures of the people roaming in the painting, in contrast with the silently standing rocks, the gnarled and vigorous old trees, and the pond water of 波澜不兴 (bō lán bù xīng - "waves do not rise," calm and undisturbed), form a contrast of movement and stillness, 相映成趣 (xiāng yìng chéng qù - "mirror each other and form interest," to complement each other delightfully).
In the Northern Song dynasty, Shen Kuo, in his Dream Pool Essays, discussing the paintings of Dong Yuan and Ju Ran, said: "The brushwork is very rough and cursory; when viewed up close it hardly resembles things, but when viewed from afar the scenes are resplendent, with secluded emotions and far-reaching thoughts, as if beholding an otherworldly realm." These few words reveal the subtlety of Eastern art — between the eye and the painting, there is a distance that can be breathed. I also pursue this effect in my oil painting: viewed from afar, the rocks, pavilions, figures, and tree shadows are orderly in layers, the colors blended; as one gradually draws near, those images quietly disintegrate, transforming into the rhythm of brushstrokes, the stacking of color dots.
The "brushstrokes" in my works are not the brushstrokes of the traditional Western oil painting modeling method, but rather originate from the "brush nature" of Chinese calligraphy and painting. The brushstrokes of Western oil painting mostly serve modeling. The "brush nature" of Chinese calligraphy and painting is more primordial: a line does not exist solely to depict something; the moment the brush goes down, it is a direct projection of the state of life. Center-tip, side-tip, hidden-tip, exposed-tip, speed and astringency, dry and wet, thick and light — each stroke carries the creator's breath, heartbeat, perception, and cultivation. In my creation, I leave all brush marks in place, let them converse on the canvas, without modification or erasure. Thus the viewer, viewing from afar, sees a complete garden; drawing close, they cannot help but wonder "what is this painting?"; stepping back again, they suddenly see the light. This kind of viewing experience is itself a "roam" — the eyes moving back and forth between near and far, just as the body moves through the garden. This is precisely the effect achieved by using "brush nature" rather than brushstrokes: it both preserves the material quality of the oil painting medium and manifests the unique spirit of Chinese art that transcends objects and mirrors the spiritual realm with the heart.
Today, because exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations are increasingly frequent, art works are often tested in cross-cultural dialogue. When gardens condensed with thousands of years of cultural heritage are presented in a new form in international exhibition halls, audiences from different cultural backgrounds read different contents. However, those deviations, misunderstandings, and displacements can instead give rise to sincere questions and a sustained willingness to dialogue. I believe that in this era of thriving digital media, artists should not lurk behind their works, but should actively become interpreters of their own artistic concepts, decoders of cultural genes, and builders of cross-cultural dialogue.
I once collaborated with some French artists on a project, during which I led this "foreign team" to visit many Chinese gardens and museums. They showed strong interest in Eastern culture, although their understanding often differed from our aesthetic narrative tradition. Later, I painted this experience into an oil painting titled Focusing — Miscellaneous Flowers. In the center of the picture is a section of the Ming dynasty Xu Wei's ink painting Miscellaneous Flowers reconstructed with tens of thousands of hand-painted pixel dots, while the figures on both sides are composed of traditional oil painting language and Chinese-style lines. Different visual grammars converse in the same space, inviting the viewer to complete the viewing through identification and re-understanding. Western audiences may not understand Chinese painting, but they can feel, in the rhythm of brush nature, a composed and harmonious state of life from the East.
From Wen Zhengming's garden to the common people's courtyard, I wish to use the brush to show the world the spiritual landscape of the Chinese people's poetic dwelling, to let the garden of Eastern aesthetics open its gates — this is not only my personal creative orientation, but also a path of innovative development for the fine traditional Chinese culture. Letting the Chinese garden realm become the world's scenery, using the Eastern brush and ink to write human empathy, is an artistic practice without an end.
(The author is the Dean of the School of Arts, Renmin University of China.)
Return to TopBy: 陶怡霖
As the ancient capital of a thousand years, Beijing has a rich culture, and the "Three Hills and Five Gardens (三山五园)" is one of its resplendent calling cards. Recently, the Beijing Fine Art Academy (北京画院) held the "Exploring Scenic Spots in Western Beijing – Thematic Creation Exhibition of the 'Three Hills and Five Gardens'" (京西揽胜——"三山五园"主题创作展), using brush and ink as medium, condensing the scattered pavilions of the royal gardens and the lush vegetation of mountain forest paths onto paper, expanding new artistic realms through dialogue between ancient and modern.
The "Three Hills and Five Gardens" is a collective term for the cultural heritage of various historical periods represented by the Qing Dynasty royal gardens in the northwestern suburbs of Beijing. The "Three Hills" refer to Fragrant Hills, Jade Spring Hill, and Longevity Hill; the "Five Gardens" refer to Jingyi Garden (静宜园), Jingming Garden (静明园), the Summer Palace (颐和园), the Old Summer Palace (圆明园), and Changchun Garden (畅春园). In recent years, the Beijing Fine Art Academy, based on the local cultural lineage, has planned a series of activities called "Painting Beijing by Painters" (画家画北京), of which the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" is an important theme. Unlike the 曲径通幽 (qū jìng tōng yōu - "winding path leads to seclusion," a winding path leads to a secluded quiet spot) of Jiangnan gardens, royal gardens are grand and magnificent. A single pavilion, a piece of rock, a few pines and cypresses are not only a refinement of natural landscape but also a perfect fusion of cultural philosophy, aesthetic taste, and royal bearing. How to paint the historical connotation and contemporary charm of the royal gardens became a creative difficulty.
By writing new scenes from old sites and observing new views from ancient meanings, showing the connotation and new changes of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" has become a focus for some painters. For example, Liu Xu (刘旭)'s "Picture of the Three Hills and Five Gardens" (三山五园图) starts from the "big," meticulously depicting the overall view of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" in blue-green colors. The painter intentionally breaks the boundaries of time and space, interspersing the picture with flowing clouds and mist, connecting the "Three Hills" with modern buildings, presenting an urban landscape where tradition and modernity coexist. Chen Qian (陈倩)'s "Ruins of Dashuifa (大水法)" (大水法遗址) starts from the "small," selecting a desolate and solemn broken wall in the ruins of the Old Summer Palace, tapping into a heavy historical memory. The painter meticulously depicts the details and textures of the ruins, with low-saturation sky colors and ink texture strokes creating a tranquil atmosphere, fully displaying the weight of history.
Painting landscapes emphasizes artistic conception. Many painters, through brush-and-ink innovation, depict the charm of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" and explore the contemporary expression of Chinese painting that balances traditional brush-and-ink standards and contemporary aesthetics. Mai Hongjun (买鸿钧)'s "Lush Green Grass" (芳草萋萋) focuses on the 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - "endless generation," continuous growth) grass on the Dashuifa ruins, with free and hearty brush-and-ink. Zhuang Xiaolei (庄小雷)'s "Xiangshan Jianxin Study (香山见心斋)" blends watercolor light and shadow into freehand brushwork, giving the garden a sense of breathing. Le Xianghai (乐祥海)'s "Bei Family Garden (贝家花园)" has a vast and profound ink color, thick and lustrous. Fan Chen (范琛)'s "Wenchang Glow · Wenchang Pavilion of the Summer Palace" (文昌霞光·颐和园文昌阁) is warm and bright, with flowing light and shadow, full of modern aesthetic. Xu Weiguo (徐卫国)'s "Impression of Cuihu Wetland (翠湖湿地)" (翠湖湿地印象) and "Misty Clouds of the Tower of Buddhist Incense (佛香阁)" (佛香阁烟云) break through traditional viewing dimensions from an overlook perspective, translating real scenes into painted imagery through observation and memory. These works achieve 各美其美 (gè měi qí měi - "each beauty its own beauty," each expresses its own beauty) through different brush-and-ink expressions.
Chinese landscape painting is not a simple mirror image of landscapes. Through the exhibition, one can see that some painters have turned the gardens into 胸中丘壑 (xiōng zhōng qiū hè - "hills and valleys in the heart," having a profound artistic conception within). For example, Guo Baojun (郭宝君)'s "Listening to the Rain – Seventeen-Arch Bridge of the Summer Palace" (听雨——颐和园十七孔桥) unifies the sky, bridge, and lake surface with dense ink, with the bridge faintly visible, creating an ethereal and poetic beauty. The gardens in Niu Chao (牛朝)'s brush achieve a richer realm through the method of "subtraction." Works such as "Flying Swans over Cuihu (翠湖飞鸿)" (翠湖飞鸿) and "Joyful Place at Lianxi (濂溪乐处)" (濂溪乐处) are not confined to the actual appearance of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens"; every grass and tree, every mountain and water are hills and valleys in the heart.
If independent creation mostly displays the painter's personal perspective and artistic language, then collaborative painting tests the painter's ability to refine the spirit of the times and control the "balance and harmony" of Chinese aesthetics. The three large collaborative works exhibited here use a unified theme to balance different brush-and-ink interests, showing the artistic conception of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" in different seasons: "Spring Breeze and Warmth on Jade Spring Hill" (春风和煦玉泉山) uses an overlook perspective to show the spring scenery of Jade Spring Hill, with relaxed brushwork and moist ink colors; "Green Hills Spring Dawn on Longevity Hill" (翠峦春晓万寿山) integrates royal grandeur with elegant charm, with clear and refined brushwork; "Golden Autumn Lights on Fragrant Hills" (秋色金华映香山) uses rich colors to depict the 层林尽染 (céng lín jìn rǎn - "layered forests fully dyed," the forests are all dyed in colors) autumn scenery of Fragrant Hills, with bold mountain forms and vigorous texture strokes, showing the depth and strength of the Northern School of landscape.
From the "Beijing Charm (北京风韵)" series creation in 2003 to the collaborative painting of "Panoramic View of the Beijing Grand Canal (北京大运河揽胜图)" in 2023, the Beijing Fine Art Academy has continuously deepened its cultivation of regional culture. The thematic creation of the "Three Hills and Five Gardens" is a continuation and deepening of this path, not only carrying forward the cultural lineage of Beijing but also inspiring creators to further forge the soul and spirit of a humanistic and vibrant Beijing from more diverse perspectives.
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China is the homeland of porcelain, and Jingdezhen is even more the “Thousand-Year Porcelain Capital” renowned worldwide. “In total, the effort of one cup goes through seventy-two hands before it becomes a vessel.” The Ming dynasty Song Yingxing (宋应星), in his Tiangong Kaiwu (天工开物, Exploitation of the Works of Nature), records that the production of one piece of porcelain requires undergoing 72 procedures. The Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll (Táoyě Tú Juàn), traditionally attributed to the Qing dynasty court painter Wang Zhicheng (王致诚) (with a partial view shown in the illustration), presents in the form of a genre painting the concentrated portrayal of Jingdezhen’s porcelain production process.
Unrolling the scroll to view, one can see pottery sheds 鳞次栉比 (lín cì zhì bǐ – “like scales and comb teeth,” densely packed), and the workshops are neatly divided into sections. Some artisans are making saggers (匣钵), some are blowing glaze onto the vessel body with bamboo tubes, some are concentrating their mind and moving the brush to paint blue-and-white patterns… The scroll 删繁就简 (shān fán jiù jiǎn – “delete the complex and retain the simple,” to simplify by omitting non-essentials), painting the main porcelain-making techniques on silk. Through this vivid Qing dynasty porcelain industry scroll, readers are able to catch a glimpse of the industrial splendor of Jingdezhen’s Imperial Kiln Factory (御窑厂).
During the Ming and Qing dynasties, the division of labor at Jingdezhen’s Imperial Kiln Factory was extremely fine; what Song Yingxing referred to as “passing through seventy-two hands” was not an empty statement. Taking blue-and-white painting as an example, the outline of the vessel’s edge, the drawing of patterns, the coloring with cobalt material, and the inscribing of poems and marks were all independent procedures, completed by specialized personnel, as Tang Ying (唐英), the kiln supervisor during the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods, wrote in Illustrated Explanations of Pottery and Porcelain Making (Táoyě Tú Shuō): “Painters only learn painting and do not learn coloring; colorers only learn coloring and do not learn painting.” In the final section of the Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll, a row of porcelain bodies is placed beside a railing; the rims and necks already have blue-and-white outlines drawn, while the remaining parts await painting, which precisely reflects the extremely fine division of labor and assembly-line production model.
The core techniques of porcelain-making place extremely high demands on the skill level of artisans. Comparing the Pottery and Porcelain Making Diagram (Táoyě Tú) painted by imperial order of the Qianlong Emperor, what is depicted around one-third of the way through the Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll may be “mold repairing” (修模), that is, making samples or molds for round vessels such as plates and bowls. After the porcelain body undergoes firing in the kiln, the body shrinks to a certain extent. To ensure that the dimensions of the finished vessels all conform to the standards, samples must first be made accurately, and the maker must deeply understand the kiln fire and the nature of the clay. In the mid-Qing period, there were no more than two or three people in Jingdezhen skilled in this technique, which fully demonstrates the difficulty of the craft.
The scroll opens by depicting layered rocks and lush green hills, with a stream winding downward, revealing Jingdezhen’s natural porcelain industry foundation of leaning against the mountains and facing the water. Quarrying stone and taking earth, felling trees to fire kilns, using water to wash clay—the flourishing of Jingdezhen’s kiln fires all benefited from the region’s natural environment. In early times, the bodies of southern porcelain predominantly used porcelain stone as the main material, with both the body quality and dimensions limited. In the Yuan dynasty, Jingdezhen began to use porcelain stone containing kaolin, which greatly enhanced the strength and hardness of porcelain—a huge breakthrough in the world history of porcelain-making, exerting considerable influence on European porcelain firing. Kaolin also became the world’s first mineral whose common name is derived from its place of origin in China.
Jingdezhen’s water system not only provided convenience for porcelain manufacturing, but also expanded its trade pattern. The north-south shipping traffic brought in cobalt material from the Middle East, Islamic patterns, and European compositions; the finished vessels were loaded onto ships at the ancient Sanlü Temple (三闾庙) dock in Jingdezhen, bringing Chinese aesthetics and splendid civilization to foreign lands across the oceans. Jingdezhen’s export porcelain was one of the most important commodities of the Age of Sail. Blue-and-white porcelain further became a symbol of Chinese culture and an object of collection and imitation by various countries.
The scene frozen in the Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll is a historical silhouette of Jingdezhen, this “Thousand-Year Porcelain Capital.”
During the Five Dynasties period, Jingdezhen’s Hutian Kiln (湖田窑) had already begun firing and continued for over 700 years, being one of the longest continuously firing kiln sites in ancient China. From the celadon and white porcelain of the Five Dynasties, to the bluish-white porcelain of the Song dynasty, and then to the blue-and-white, underglaze red, and egg-white glazed porcelain of the Yuan dynasty, Hutian Kiln’s porcelain-making techniques became increasingly exquisite and its product categories continuously enriched. The saggers and glaze vats depicted in the Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll had already been in use since the Song dynasty at Hutian Kiln.
In the Ming dynasty, the imperial court established the imperial kiln at Zhushan (珠山) in Jingdezhen, and the porcelain industry gradually gathered there; Hutian Kiln, located in the outskirts of Jingdezhen, gradually declined, while the official and private kilns within Jingdezhen flourished, just as the Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll presents. Although it has undergone changes of location and succession of craftsmen, the kiln fires have never ceased, and the techniques have been inherited for a thousand years.
The Pottery and Porcelain Making Scroll integrates the spiritual charm of landscapes and the features of a thousand years of kiln industry, vividly presenting Jingdezhen, this globally renowned important porcelain town. The fine division of labor and ultimate craftsmanship displayed in the scroll allow us to glimpse the unceasing vitality of Jingdezhen’s thousand-year kiln industry. From palace furnishings to daily cups and bowls, from the nine provinces of China to the nations across the seas, Jingdezhen’s porcelain has endured for a thousand years, continuously radiating brilliance. Today, against the background of China’s gradually strengthened comprehensive and systematic protection of cultural and natural heritage, Jingdezhen’s handmade porcelain industry remains 熠熠生辉 (yì yì shēng huī – “glittering brilliantly,” shining brightly), telling of China’s profound influence on the development of the world porcelain industry and the blending of civilizations.
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