People's Daily - August 12, 2026

Raise the Grasslands Well, Raise Livestock with Care, and Live a Better Life

By: 本报记者 冯春梅 吴 勇

“Protecting grasslands and forests is the primary task of Inner Mongolia’s ecosystem protection.”
—— Xi Jinping

“Nurture the grasslands well, raise livestock selectively, and make life better.” The new changes brought by grassland-livestock balance (草畜平衡) in Inner Mongolia in the new era are being written into the sheepfolds, pastures, and account books of grassland herder families.

After her first month of life, the little granddaughter was brought back for the first time to their home on the Xilingol League grassland in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region — Ulan Gerel Gacha (乌兰格日勒嘎查), Mandula Tu Town (满都拉图镇), Sonid Left Banner (苏尼特左旗).

Pushing open the door, the lean and capable Wunibatu (乌尼巴图) welcomed his son and his family of three home. Having just become a grandfather, Wunibatu gently took the granddaughter from her swaddling clothes.

“Little one, this is our home.” Holding the child, he slowly walked to the wall, murmuring softly in front of old photographs and a stack of honorary certificates, “These are our past honors. Our family was a well-known ‘thousand-head livestock household (千畜户)’ on the Sonid grassland.”

The photographs have yellowed, but a new page has been turned in the life on the grassland.

Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has a grassland area of approximately 870,000 square kilometers, accounting for 74% of the region's total area. In June 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during his inspection tour in Inner Mongolia: “Overall, Inner Mongolia's grasslands have already been overgrazed; attention must be paid to 休养生息 (xiū yǎng shēng xī - “rest and recuperation,” to recover and regenerate)” and “Building a solid ecological security barrier in northern China is the ‘great of the nation (国之大者)’ that Inner Mongolia must bear in mind.”

Following the direction pointed out by the General Secretary, Inner Mongolia launched pilot work in 2024 to solve the problem of grassland overgrazing.

Wunibatu's family recalculated: “Now our family doesn't have as many sheep, but our life is even better than before!” The change in this grassland family lies hidden in this herder’s simple murmuring: fewer sheep, better grass, less pressure, higher income, and the herders are more confident.

Between increase and decrease, it connects to this herder household’s livestock account book and also to a profound transformation in the grassland development model: no longer relying on quantity to make a living, but getting rich by quality; no longer blindly pursuing herds of cattle and sheep, but nurturing the grasslands well, raising livestock selectively, and making life better.

From the old glory of being a ‘thousand-head livestock household’ to the new choice of reducing livestock to protect grassland; from the older generation’s wealth through hard work to the younger generation’s scientific management, and then to the green home that the grandchildren have — the story of three generations of Wunibatu’s family is a vivid microcosm of grassland herders heeding General Secretary Xi Jinping’s earnest instructions and exploring a new path between ecological protection and increasing income and getting rich.

The grassland is not incapable of crying out in pain; it just endures it first.

On the Inner Mongolia grasslands, ‘thousand-head livestock household’ was once a resounding name.

In the past, whichever family had livestock numbering over a thousand was considered capable and wealthy. Wunibatu’s father, Tsebug (策布格), was once recognized as a league-level model worker at the 1992 Xilingol League Nadam Fair for his excellent livestock development.

Speaking of his father, Wunibatu’s tone slowed: “That generation of fathers endured hardship and knew that livestock are hard to come by. With many sheep in the pen, the heart is not panicked.”

Wunibatu remembered that his father’s earliest foundation was only 70 sheep. “At that time, whoever drove out many sheep in the morning and whose sheep bleated loudly when they returned at evening, everyone envied them.”

In 1992, Wunibatu married and established his own household, with only 30 sheep at home. By 1996, as the dual contracting of grasslands and livestock (草畜双承包) gradually became more detailed, the sheep had increased to over 200. After 2007, after lambing, the flock size reached over 1,000. To feed the livestock, he successively contracted over ten thousand mu of grassland.

At that time, the grasslands were vast, and the sheep flocks were like flowing clouds. Herders drove their livestock to the wells for water, and long queues formed by the wells, as lively as a market.

“At that time, having many sheep was the thing to be proud of,” Wunibatu said. “Raising one more sheep meant one more portion of income; one more flock meant one more layer of confidence.”

This old account book was once 毋庸置疑 (wú yōng zhì yí - “need not doubt,” unquestionable).

But later, the grassland began to remind herders in another way: the pasture has boundaries; ‘more’ is not the only answer for grassland livestock husbandry.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “We must adhere to ecological priority and green development, find a way out through concentration, clustering, and intensification, strengthen grassland protection, and intensify efforts to prevent and control land sandification and desertification.”

The General Secretary’s words struck a chord with the herders of the Sonid grassland. Herders have a personal understanding of the ecological relationship between water, grass, and sand.

Wunibatu remembers rainfall more accurately than he remembers the solar terms.

“I remember the heavy rain in 1996 very clearly,” he said. “After that, the one that left the deepest impression on me was the rain on July 15, 2024.”

In the long stretch of time in between, rain became scarce and wind became harsh. Sandstorms came, muddy rain fell, and the turf was lifted by the wind, exposing yellowish-white sandy soil.

“In 1998, I took my livestock for the first time to graze in Dong Ujimqin Banner (东乌珠穆沁旗), 300 kilometers away,” Wunibatu said. “That’s when I understood that the grassland is not incapable of crying out in pain; it just endures it first.”

Later, there was continuous drought; the pasture grass did not turn green for three years, and the price of hay rose to nearly 2,000 yuan per ton. Herders had to go to neighboring banners and counties to graze.

Grazing elsewhere is not a trip; it is helplessness. At night, listening to the sheep bleat, herders’ hearts tightened: one more sheep is property, but one more sheep also means one more point of pressure on the pasture.

The account of the grassland is not only written on paper, but also on the sheep’s fat, in the grass roots, and in the wind and sand.

Selling sheep hurts the heart; not selling hurts the grassland.

The real conflict of ideas occurred at home.

Wunibatu had served as the Party branch secretary of the gacha and wanted to take the lead in reducing livestock. The first to disagree was his wife, Mudan (牡丹).

“If you want to set an example for everyone, I don’t object,” Mudan remembered the argument clearly. “But what about the family’s livelihood? Children’s schooling, elderly medical care — which one doesn’t need money? Can we just sell the sheep at will?”

Wunibatu could not answer for a moment. He understood in his heart that his wife was not speaking out of anger. Herders spend their whole lives dealing with livestock; the flock is their savings book, their security, a tangible sense of safety.

However, the traditional method of livestock husbandry had become 难以为继 (nán yǐ wéi jì - “difficult to continue,” unsustainable).

On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping went to Inner Mongolia to investigate and visit cadres and people of all ethnicities. At the meat sheep breeding base in Xilinhot City (锡林浩特市), Xilingol League, the General Secretary emphasized: “We must accelerate the pace of transformation from traditional animal husbandry to modern animal husbandry, explore some good methods, and help farmers and herders share more of the industry’s profit and benefits.”

The General Secretary’s words made Wunibatu further recognize that the transformation of animal husbandry is 势在必行 (shì zài bì xíng - “the situation demands action,” imperative).

In the following years, the whole family held several family meetings.

From ‘having many sheep is the thing to be proud of’ to ‘good grass is sustainable,’ this change in concept began precisely from a new understanding of the transformation of animal husbandry and grassland carrying capacity. In 2021, the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Grassland-Livestock Balance and Grazing Ban and Rest Period Regulations (内蒙古自治区草畜平衡和禁牧休牧条例) was promulgated and implemented, and the institutional constraints on grassland-livestock balance became increasingly clear.

Wunibatu spoke about grassland pressure: “I am an old Party member; if I shout about grassland-livestock balance while increasing sheep at home, it is indefensible.”

Mudan shook her head: “With fewer sheep, income decreases; who will make up for it?”

Her son Qinggele Bayar (青格勒巴雅尔) and daughter-in-law Huhe Qiqige (呼和其其格) laid out the accounts item by item: “Renting pasture costs money, buying forage costs money, transporting hay costs fuel. With too many livestock, people get tired, and the sheep are thin. When selling, each jin is a few yuan less; for several hundred sheep, it adds up to a not-small amount.”

“Raise fewer, really not less income?” Mudan pressed.

“We can’t guarantee it will be the same every year,” Qinggele Bayar said. “But the path can be stable. Once the pasture recovers, the sheep can gain fat, and prices can also rise. Barely relying on quantity cannot last.”

Once when selling sheep, the sheep-collecting truck stopped at the pen door. Mudan stood aside, watching as each sheep was driven onto the truck, her eyes a bit red.

Wunibatu was also reluctant. But at that moment, he thought again of the grass roots exposed when wind and sand swept over the pasture.

“Selling sheep hurts the heart; not selling hurts the grassland,” he said finally.

This sentence later became the turning point in the family's breeding philosophy.

Reducing the basic ewes from over 600 to over 300 took Wunibatu’s family two to three years.

The process of reducing livestock was not simply driving the sheep out of the pen; it was peeling away the family’s old ideas layer by layer: in the past they thought the more sheep the safer, but later they understood that sustainable grassland, good livestock quality, and low management risk are the real safety.

“When people are tired, they know to rest; when livestock have traveled far, they also need to rest; the grass needs rest even more,” Wunibatu said. “Before, we only thought about letting the grass feed the sheep; now we have to think about letting the grass live well too.”

In the past, grassland-livestock balance was like an external constraint; now, it has become the prerequisite for the family’s accounting.

Before, they were busy counting sheep; now they are busy raising each sheep to be a good sheep.

With fewer sheep, what about income?

“Promote the transformation and development of agriculture and animal husbandry, vigorously develop ecological agriculture and animal husbandry” — General Secretary Xi Jinping’s instructions during his inspection in Inner Mongolia, when applied to the grassland’s livestock account book, mean that good grasslands support good mutton, and good ecology exchanges for good prices. Reducing livestock is not reducing development, but changing to a different development model; it is not reducing income, but seeking income from quality, brand, and efficiency.

Implemented at the herder household level, Qinggele Bayar’s answer was: raise fewer, raise selectively, raise high-quality.

After getting married, the young couple helped their father with everything. Over the past two years, they gradually took over the flock from their father. Compared to the older generation, this young herder born in 1992 is more accustomed to looking at standards, markets, and the long term.

In the early morning, he often goes into the sheep pen, checking each sheep’s body shape, ears, eyes, mouth shape, and tail tip.

“Dad, look at this one. Its eyes, ears, and mouth have the characteristics of the Sunite black-headed sheep, and its tail tip also meets the standard. It can be kept as a reserve breeding ram,” Qinggele Bayar said as he skillfully pushed the sheep aside.

Wunibatu smiled and said: “Before, when we looked at sheep, we looked at a flock; now you look at one sheep at a time.”

“The market also looks at them one at a time,” Qinggele Bayar replied.

“We must accelerate the pace of transformation from traditional animal husbandry to modern animal husbandry” — General Secretary Xi Jinping’s earnest instructions, the power of thought illuminated the once-confused path of transformation for grassland herders.

Reflected at the autonomous region level, governing grassland overgrazing is not simply a matter of subtraction, but rather advancing grassland, livestock, people, and industry in a coordinated system: on the grassland front, adhere to determining livestock by grass (以草定畜), grassland-livestock balance, and enhance grassland productivity through techniques such as no-till reseeding (免耕补播); on the forage front, develop artificial grassland, silage corn, and straw feed utilization according to local conditions, to prepare sufficient “rations” for barn feeding and pen raising; on the breeding front, verify carrying capacity household by household, and promote large-scale, standardized, intensive farming; on the support front, promote improved breeds and good methods, extend the chain of livestock product processing, cold chain circulation, and brand marketing. Thereby achieving the unification of grassland pressure relief, livestock industry quality improvement, and herder income increase.

In 2022, Wunibatu’s family was recognized as one of the first batch of livestock households with high-quality Sunite sheep populations. In subsequent years, sheep are identified according to standards and tagged; at slaughter there is a government subsidy of 1 yuan per jin. After slaughter, a sheep yields an average of about 35 jin of dressed carcass; just this subsidy alone adds about 35 yuan per sheep, increasing annual income by around 10,000 yuan.

More importantly, the high-quality development of grassland animal husbandry allowed the family to taste the benefits of high quality and good prices.

In 2025, Qinggele Bayar raised over 60 reserve breeding rams, each selling for 1,200 yuan, 200-300 yuan more than regular slaughter. This year, he selected another 60-70 to prepare for breeding, waiting for the improvement station to inspect and tag them.

“Before, as long as there were enough sheep, it was fine; now we have to see whether they can enter the high-quality population and whether they can sell at a good price,” Qinggele Bayar said.

Huhe Qiqige also learned to separate accounts: one account for reserve breeding rams, one for basic ewes in high-quality populations, one for centralized slaughter, and one for scattered sales. Cold storage purchases dressed sheep of 30-35 jin at good prices; for larger lambs, retailing themselves or selling to other herders has different prices.

“When to slaughter, which sheep to keep as breeding stock, which to send to market — all depends on weight, fat condition, standards, and market conditions. With fewer sheep, people are actually busier,” Huhe Qiqige said with a smile. “Before, we were busy counting sheep; now we are busy raising each sheep to be a good sheep.”

This statement captures the new changes in the transformation of animal husbandry.

In Sonid Left Banner, a fine breed multiplication system has now been formed with 1 breeding sheep farm, 14 multiplication farms, and 137 high-quality populations. In 2025, the disposable income of herders across the banner increased by 6% year-on-year. Improved breed adoption, standardization, and branding are changing the way traditional animal husbandry increases income.

In the past, they charged ahead by quantity; now they win by quality. In the past, they compared who had more sheep; now they look at whose sheep are good, whose grassland is good, and whose accounts are kept carefully.

Mudan’s thinking also slowly changed.

“At first, with half the sheep missing from the pen, I really couldn’t sleep well,” she said. “Later I found that with fewer sheep, forage costs decreased, pasture rental costs decreased, and people were not so tired. The remaining sheep had good fat condition and sold not badly, so gradually my mind changed.”

The transformation of concepts is often not completed in an instant. It is hidden in the repeated accounting, in the sandstorms, and also in the trade-off of selling one sheep and leaving a patch of grass.

Good grass makes good sheep; good sheep make the people’s hearts stable.

In the evening, the flock returned to the pen. Qinggele Bayar separated the selected reserve breeding rams to prepare for the improvement station’s inspection. Wunibatu stood by the pen, reached out and touched the sheep’s back. The wool was thick, the fat condition good. In the distance, new green after rain grew close to the ground, fine and dense, 不声不响 (bù shēng bù xiǎng - “without sound or noise,” quietly and silently).

The Sonid grassland where Wunibatu’s family is located actually does not have superior ecological conditions. The grass here is not tall, the wind is not light, and when drought comes, the pressure is even more obvious. Precisely because of this, the grassland needs more white space, more roots, more room.

The grassland is connected to the herders’ rice bowls, and even more to the overall national ecological security. General Secretary Xi Jinping has always been concerned about Inner Mongolia’s ecological civilization construction, pointing out that “we must coordinate the systematic governance of mountains, water, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, implement ecological protection and restoration projects well, intensify ecosystem protection efforts, and enhance ecosystem stability and sustainability,” emphasizing that “protecting grasslands and forests is the primary task of Inner Mongolia’s ecosystem protection.”

Keeping in mind the General Secretary’s instructions, Inner Mongolia builds a solid ecological security barrier in northern China, implements strict grassland-livestock balance, and reduces the number of cattle and sheep to within the carrying capacity of the pastures. Allowing the grassland to truly rest and recuperate is both holding the ecological red line and storing momentum and empowering for herders’ long-term income increase and high-quality development of pastoral areas.

After Inner Mongolia launched the pilot work to solve the problem of grassland overgrazing, the grassland-livestock balance index of 17 pilot banners and counties, including Sonid Left Banner, dropped from 23.9% to below 10%. By the end of 2025, the governance work had been fully rolled out in Inner Mongolia. Through market-based measures such as barn feeding and pen raising, centralized entrusted raising, and accelerated slaughter, 4.85 million sheep units of livestock were diverted, and the grassland-livestock balance index of natural pastures all dropped to below 10%. The comprehensive vegetation coverage of Inner Mongolia’s grasslands reached 46.48%, the highest level since the beginning of this century.

These numbers, when broken down to herder households, mean one less pasture rented, one less batch of livestock raised, one carefully selected breeding ram, and also the daily choices of not rushing to graze in spring and being willing to supplement feed in winter. Xilingol League was the first in Inner Mongolia to implement spring grazing rest, for 45 days, allowing the regreening grass shoots to catch their breath; in summer, grazing is arranged according to grass conditions; in autumn, intermittent mowing leaves growing space for the next year; in winter and spring, barn feeding and supplement feeding reduce pressure on natural pastures.

“That generation of fathers raising up sheep was a skill,” Wunibatu said. “Our generation reducing sheep is also a skill. It’s not that the times have no use for herders; the times require us to change our method of herding sheep.”

This statement was said calmly, but it carries weight.

Grassland governance is not simply a matter of ‘reducing and that’s it.’ Reducing livestock reduces overloading pressure; increasing livestock increases development momentum; controlling quantity; raising quality; holding the ecological bottom line; stabilizing herder livelihoods.

“In the future, I hope others say about our family, not that we have the most sheep, but that we have the best sheep and the best grass,” Qinggele Bayar said.

Mudan added from the side: “Good grass makes good sheep; good sheep make the people’s hearts stable.”

The wind blows across the grassland. The bleating in the pen is a bit less, but more steady. From ‘thousand-head livestock major household’ to ‘hundred-head small household,’ it seems that there are fewer sheep, but in fact the road is wider. What is subtracted is the dependence on quantity in old concepts; what grows is new vitality in the depths of the grassland.

For Wunibatu’s family, the real foundation is not just the flock, but also the grassland beneath the flock that can turn green year after year.

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Xi Jinping Sends Condolences to Colombian President Del Espriella Over Strong Earthquake

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 11 (Xinhua) — On August 11, President Xi Jinping sent a condolence message to Colombian President De la Espriella over the strong earthquake that struck Colombia.

Xi Jinping said that he was shocked to learn that a strong earthquake had struck Colombia, causing heavy casualties and property damage. On behalf of the Chinese government and the Chinese people, he expressed deep condolences to the victims and sincere sympathy to the families of the victims and the injured. He expressed belief that under the leadership of the Colombian government led by President De la Espriella, the Colombian people will surely unite as one to overcome the disaster and rebuild their homes at an early date.

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Deepen Patriotic Sentiments, Pass the Torch from Generation to Generation (Keep in Mind the Original Aspiration and Mission, Forge Ahead on the Journey of Rejuvenation)

By: 本报记者 龚相娟

At the lower reaches of the nine rivers, on the land of Jingu (津沽), countless revolutionary forebears left their footprints of struggle.

In February 2024, when inspecting the Pingjin Campaign Memorial Hall (平津战役纪念馆) in Tianjin, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: “One must study and frequently review the history of China’s revolutionary wars, cherish the hard-won red regime, carry forward the revolutionary tradition, strengthen the spirit of struggle, and courageously overcome all difficulties and obstacles on the path forward.”

Keeping the General Secretary’s earnest entreaties in mind, Tianjin coordinates the use and activation of red resources, strives to build a full-coverage matrix for red culture dissemination and education, and ensures that the red gene is 薪火相传 (xīn huǒ xiāng chuán – “pass down the fire from one piece of wood to the next,” to pass on a tradition or heritage).

Protect and excavate resources; continue the red bloodline.

In the exhibition hall of the Pingjin Campaign Memorial Hall, each exhibit and each archival photo vividly displays the profound bond between the army and the people during the Pingjin Campaign.

During the 64-day Pingjin Campaign, due to the passage of time and lack of historical materials, many martyrs did not leave behind complete identity information. “Since the hall opened in 1997, we have been collecting leads and materials on martyrs from all sectors of society year-round. Just before Qingming Festival this year, we added the names of three newly confirmed martyrs by engraving them.” Yao Jianbo (姚剑波), curator of the Pingjin Campaign Memorial Hall, introduced that when the hall first opened, the wall bore the names of 6,639 martyrs. Over the past 29 years, through visits and searches, the names and hometowns of another 272 martyrs have been newly confirmed and added.

Deep integration of museums and schools strengthens the construction of “grand ideological and political courses.”

“I hope we will meet when China soars and takes its place among the nations of the world.” On stage, the young actor portraying Zhou Enlai shouted loudly; in the audience, many people’s eyes reddened. In January this year, teachers and students of Nankai University, together with docents from the Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao Memorial Hall (周恩来邓颖超纪念馆) and the Pingjin Campaign Memorial Hall, staged an immersive play “Zhou Enlai Returns to Nankai” in the university history museum. Long Xiao (龙啸), the graduate student at Nankai University who played the young Zhou Enlai in the play, said: “Walking from the laboratory to the spotlight, I deeply understood what it means to ‘study for the rise of China.’”

Do not forget the road traveled; walk the road ahead well. The Tianjin education system, in cooperation with cultural and museum units, has established 223 study tour practice bases, incorporated 80 cultural and museum venues and 173 immovable red resources into the ideological and political teaching system of primary schools, middle schools, and universities, and built an integrated education model of “in-school theory plus venue reality.”

Red culture steps out of the venues, goes to the whole country, and connects with the world. “We are focusing on building a ‘walking grand ideological and political course,’ traveling to Beijing, Hebei, Tibet, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Macao, and other places to launch special exhibitions, themed lectures, and other activities,” introduced Zhang Caixin (张彩欣), curator of the Zhou Enlai and Deng Yingchao Memorial Hall. The memorial hall went to Indonesia to hold a special exhibition and toured it at local Confucius Institutes; went to France to hold a special exhibition “Zhou Enlai and France”…

Continuously innovate forms and carriers, making more stories of the forebears perceptible and accessible.

In early July, the Propaganda Department of the CPC Central Committee newly named a batch of national patriotic education demonstration bases, and the Former Residence of Ji Hongchang (吉鸿昌旧居) was selected. Here, the “Exhibition on Ji Hongchang’s Life” relies on 10 exhibition rooms and 6 scene restorations to present a panoramic view of General Ji Hongchang’s revolutionary career. In March this year, the Former Residence of Ji Hongchang launched an immersive performance “Soul of the Nation,” creating a tangible and touchable educational scene.

At present, red resources in Tianjin city total 392 items. Tianjin has strung representative important red resources together like pearls into a chain, forming 6 experience routes that attract over 17 million tourists annually; it has held over 500 various themed exhibitions, with over 16 million visits per year.

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Photo Report

Currently, China’s 16th Arctic Ocean expedition team aboard Xuelong 2 is conducting ice station operations in the central Arctic Ocean near 84 degrees north latitude. On this voyage, Xuelong 2 will carry out more than 20 operational tasks at seven ice stations, including deployment of ice-based buoys, ice core sampling, and sea-ice remote sensing observations. The photo, taken on August 9, shows expedition team members working in groups. Photo by Xinhua reporter Wen Jinghua (温竞华).

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The Internal Logic of China's Economy Moving Toward Innovation, Quality, and Growth

By: 任 平

On July 30, General Secretary Xi Jinping presided over a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. The meeting pointed out: "Strengthen development momentum, stimulate social vitality, promote sustained development of the economy toward the new, the superior, and the good, and strive to achieve a good start for the '15th Five-Year Plan'."

Why can China's economy continuously develop toward the new, the superior, and the good? The answer lies in thought, in laws, and also in practice.

The article "Establish and Practice a Correct View of Performance, Promote High-Quality Financial Development — A Research Report on General Secretary Xi Jinping's Leadership of Financial Work During His Work in Zhejiang", published on the theoretical page of People's Daily on July 17, allows us to perceive that the General Secretary's firm pursuit of making political achievements for the people and through solid work has been consistent, and that his scientific thoughts such as adhering to making financial services serve the real economy as the fundamental purpose and adhering to preventing and controlling risks as the eternal theme of financial work have been consistent.

Examine finance, observe the economy; examine one domain, observe the overall situation; examine the present, observe the future. Combining the practice of General Secretary Xi Jinping's leadership of financial work during his tenure in Zhejiang, deeply studying and carefully comprehending Xi Jinping's economic thought provides us with a key to understanding the internal logic of today's continuous development of China's economy toward the new, the superior, and the good.

(1)

Looking at the construction of a modern industrial system from the perspective of finance adapting to the real economy, adapting measures to local conditions (因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - "according to local conditions," adapting to specific circumstances)) and scientific decision-making are key.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Chinese-style modernization cannot take the path of divorcing from the real economy and turning to the virtual economy; it must accelerate the construction of a modern industrial system supported by the real economy."

Two lessons, spanning more than 20 years, provide a profound annotation for understanding "why China's economy can."

In September 2004, Comrade Xi Jinping delivered a speech at the autumn opening ceremony of the Zhejiang Provincial Party School, demanding resolute implementation of a series of important measures of the central macro-control, and effectively integrating current interests with long-term interests.

At that time, signs of problems such as overheated investment and excessively fast loan growth appeared in some industries and fields. The central authorities promptly made decisions and deployments to strengthen macro-control, mainly including strictly controlling the two gates of land approval and credit approval.

In response, Comrade Xi Jinping repeatedly demanded that all localities deeply understand and resolutely implement the central macro-control policies. Zhejiang Province resolutely implemented the spirit of central macro-control, reversing the trend of overheated and excess investment in some industries through the implementation of structural credit policies, while strengthening the guarantee of credit supply to small and medium-sized enterprises.

More than 20 years later, at the "first lesson" of the start year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, General Secretary Xi Jinping earnestly admonished: "Modern infrastructure is an organic component of the modern industrial system. The 15th Five-Year Plan has just begun; everyone is planning and promoting. We must pay attention to calculating input-output accounts, improving the degree of match, neither ignoring shortcomings nor being overly advanced and causing waste."

From strictly controlling the financial gate to make finance adapt to the needs of economic development, to "calculating input-output accounts, improving the degree of match," the scientific attitude of seeking truth from facts (实事求是 (shí shì qiú shì - "seek truth from facts," pragmatic approach)) and adapting measures to local conditions has been consistent.

"Feet must be planted on the ground. Everything we do has inherent laws." To improve the degree of fit, not blindly following or acting recklessly, and following economic laws, can we walk out a path of high-quality development that suits our own reality.

How to adapt measures to local conditions, how to "improve the degree of fit"?

During his work in Zhejiang, Comrade Xi Jinping's metaphors about a "sweet potato" and a "piece of clothing" were quite revealing.

To match the real economy, it is necessary to promote financial opening, achieving coordination and synergy between the partial and the whole. In August 2004, Comrade Xi Jinping creatively put forward the theory of developing the "sweet potato economy" (地瓜经济), profoundly elaborating the dialectical logic of "jumping out of Zhejiang to develop Zhejiang, basing on the whole country to develop Zhejiang."

Using one domain to "match" the whole. Comrade Xi Jinping personally promoted Zhejiang's integration with Shanghai and participation in the Yangtze River Delta cooperation, innovatively implementing the financing model of "headquarters credit, cross-regional credit use, unified risk control, closed-loop settlement," providing solid financial support for Zhejiang enterprises' 'vines' to extend outward and expand industrial scale.

Using reform to "match" development. Large loans needed to be reported layer by layer for approval, cross-border settlement, foreign investment and other business procedures were cumbersome... In response to the situation where Yiwu's rapid development was incompatible with the administrative management system, Comrade Xi Jinping emphasized "to put a big piece of clothing on a fast-growing child," and decisively promoted the reform of delegating authority.

Development sets the topic, reform makes the article. The vitality of productive forces is precisely stimulated in the process of continuous change and improvement of production relations.

From one domain to the whole country, today, the "sweet potato economy" theory and the "Yiwu development experience" (义乌发展经验) have become guides for promoting high-quality economic development.

Optimizing and upgrading traditional industries, cultivating and strengthening emerging industries, and laying out future industries ahead of schedule... All regions and departments implement the important instructions and requirements of General Secretary Xi Jinping, adapting measures to local conditions, making overall plans and taking all factors into consideration (统筹兼顾 (tǒng chóu jiān gù - "unified planning and simultaneous attention," make overall plans and take all factors into consideration)), and accelerating the construction of a modern industrial system. In the first half of the year, the added value of my country's manufacturing industry accounted for 26.2% of GDP, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared with three years ago.

Adapting measures to local conditions and scientific decision-making. To achieve a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan, the key is to get the thinking method right, to understand the actual situation clearly, and to walk out a high-quality development path that suits the reality of the region and department.

(2)

Looking at the construction of a unified national market from the construction of "Credit Zhejiang" (信用浙江), advancing in depth in the dialectical unity of "establishment" and "abolition."

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Building a unified national market is necessary for constructing a new development pattern and promoting high-quality development. We must earnestly implement the deployment of the Party Central Committee, strengthen coordination and cooperation, and form a joint force for advancement."

To advance the construction of a unified national market in depth, unblock blockages and smooth circulation, we must make good use of the "way of establishment and abolition."

What to "establish," what to "abolish," how to "establish," how to "abolish"... Bottom-up local practices have already begun exploration more than 20 years ago.

"The enterprise is in Anhui, but unexpectedly obtained a loan from Zhejiang." Recently, Anhui Yongzhen Technology (Chuzhou) Co., Ltd. received a loan of 120 million yuan from a bank in Zhejiang.

"Factory in Anhui, financing in Zhejiang" is precisely thanks to the "Credit Zhejiang" construction started more than 20 years ago.

In 2002, Comrade Xi Jinping published a signed article in People's Daily pointing out: "The market economy is both a legal economy and a credit economy. Only by insisting on integrity in everything and everywhere, vigorously advocating credit culture, and shaping a credit society can we promote healthy economic development."

In Zhejiang at the beginning of this century, the problem of corporate dishonesty was prominent. In 2003, Comrade Xi Jinping elaborated in the article "Strive to Create 'Credit Zhejiang'": "If an enterprise lacks credit, it will be difficult to seek development; if society lacks credit, everyone will feel insecure; if the government lacks credit, its authority will not be established."

Information barriers were broken down, and "Credit Zhejiang" was established. Under the leadership of Comrade Xi Jinping, Zhejiang hammered one blow after another, spending several years breaking down departmental barriers, collecting government data scattered in dozens of departments, unifying credit standards, and building a provincial public credit platform.

"Reform involves both establishment and abolition; grasping its way yields 事半功倍 (shì bàn gōng bèi - "effort half, result double," get twice the result with half the effort). From one domain to the whole country, the 'way of establishment and abolition' is 一脉相承 (yī mài xiāng chéng - "one continuous line," consistent tradition)."

In 2022, the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Accelerating the Construction of a Unified National Market" was officially released to the public. To build a unifed national market, break local protection and market segmentation, use the "five unifications" of basic market systems, market infrastructure, government behavior standards, market supervision and law enforcement, and factor resource markets to promote the smooth flow of goods, factors, and resoures across the country. Improving the unified social credit system, as an importent part of strenghening the unification of basic market system rules, is conducive to further regulating market order, improving economic efficiency, and effectively breaking the behaviors of various localities that illegally set entry thresholds under the guise of credit, implement local protection, or interfere with the autonomous transactions of business entities.

The more standardized government behavior is, the more effective market forces become. The "visible hand" no longer "takes on everything," but removes barriers, breaks blockages, establishes standards, and builds platforms, clearing obstacles for the "invisible hand" to play a fuller role.

The negative list for market access has been continuously reduced, and the market-oriented allocation of factors such as electricity, property rights, and data has become smoother... Between establishment and abolition, the "four beams and eight pillars" of the high-standard market system have been basically established, and the construction of a unified national market has moved from building institutions to seeing actual results.

From the construction of "Credit Zhejiang" to the construction of a unified national market, the gold content of "giving full play to both the strengths of the market economy and the superiority of the socialist system" continues to rise. This is the unique advantage of the socialist market economy with Chinese characteristics, and also the underlying code for China's economy moving toward the new, the superior, and the good.

(3)

Looking at coordinating development and security from the "two reports" (两张报表), we must adhere to a systematic concept and strengthen overall coordination.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Coordinating development and security, enhancing awareness of potential dangers, and being prepared for danger in times of safety (居安思危 (jū ān sī wēi - "living in peace, think of danger," be vigilant in times of peace)) are a major principle of our Party's governance."

Development and security are the two wings of one body and the twin wheels of a vehicle. Comrade Xi Jinping's high degree of attention to coordinating development and security can be traced back to the "two reports" in Zhejiang.

In 2003, while investigating the financial system of Zhejiang Province, Comrade Xi Jinping clearly demanded that potential financial risks be given high attention and precautions be taken before they arise (防患于未然 (fáng huàn yú wèi rán - "prevent trouble before it happens," take precautions beforehand)). Leading cadres at all levels in Zhejiang Province managed risks with the same intensity as promoting economic development, forming a mechanism of regularly submitting the "two reports" (economic report + safety report) to the main leaders of the Party and government at all levels.

The "two reports" are updated monthly, and have been placed on the desks of leading cadres at all levels in Zhejiang for more than 20 years.

On the economic report, development achievements are clear; on the safety report, safety hazards are obvious at a glance. Every Monday morning, Chen Jian (陈剑), Party secretary of Caozhai Town (曹宅镇), Jindong District (金东区), Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, opens the "two reports" as his first task. "The 'two reports' continue to be effective. This year, the number of petition letters on livelihood issues in the whole town has dropped by more than 80% year-on-year."

From the local to the central, the security concept has continued to deepen.

In 2005, Comrade Xi Jinping explained his "security concept" in the "Zhijiang New Language" (之江新语) column: "The 'peace' we propose is not only the narrow 'peace' referring to social security or safety production, but a broad 'peace' covering the wide fields, large scope, and multiple levels of economy, politics, culture, and society."

In 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed the overall national security concept at the first meeting of the Central National Security Commission.

"Security is the prerequisite for development, and development is the guarantee of security." The dialectical relationship between development and security becomes more perceptible and understandable in the practice of promoting high-quality development.

"Strive to enhance the security guarantee capability of grain, energy, and resources." Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, my country's grain has been sufficient in quantity, high in quality, and stable in price, and a modern energy system with stronger supply guarantee capacity, a greener background, and better operational resilience is being accelerated.

"Maintaining financial security is a strategic and fundamental matter concerning the overall economic and social development of our country." To build a financial power, we must not only improve the efficiency of resource allocation, but also build a solid safety dam, providing a solid and reliable "ballast stone" for the Chinese-style modernization giant ship to sail steadily and go far.

"Resolutely win the critical battle for key core technologies." The assault on "bottleneck" (卡脖子) problems has been fully accelerated, and areas such as high-end materials and industrial machine tools have gradually broken the long-term technological monopoly of foreign countries.

The higher the quality of development, the more diverse and multi-level the demand for security.

"Ensure that artificial intelligence is safe, reliable, and controllable, so that this thousand-li horse of artificial intelligence can run both fast and steadily." On July 17, President Xi Jinping attended the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference and the High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance and delivered a keynote speech, vividly expounding his profound thinking on global AI development and governance.

Always harbor far-reaching concerns, and be prepared for danger in times of safety. Precisely because we have grasped development as the "first priority" and handled security as the "top priority," we have written a new chapter of the "two major miracles."

***

"Determinedly pursue truth, always grasp the direction of progress" — this is one of the key codes for why the CPC can.

From the Party's innovative theory, comprehend the laws, clarify the direction, learn the methods, and increase wisdom; take the new development concept as the guide, coordinate domestic and international, balance needs and possibilities, the present and the long-term, coordinate development and security — this is one of the secrets for promoting China's economy toward the new, the superior, and the good.

Consolidate the foundation, exert full force. During the "15th Five-Year Plan" period, it is necessary to deal with a more complex environment and solve more deep-seated contradictions. Implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, persist in arming the mind and guiding practice with the Party's innovative theory, and do a good job in economic work by adapting measures to local conditions. We will surely promote China's economy to continuously develop toward the new, the superior, and the good, and continuously create new achievements in high-quality development.

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Production Goes Green, Construction Machinery Sells Well Overseas (Micro Perspective on High-Quality Development)

By: 本报记者 李心萍

21.7%

In the first half of the year, China's construction machinery export value increased by 21.7% year-on-year.

Excavating, loading, transporting, unloading... Inside a mine in Vietnam, over 120 pieces of construction machinery operated in an orderly manner, busy but not chaotic.

Green has become the most distinctive feature of this mine. All 120-plus pieces of equipment, from excavators, loaders, and bulldozers to mining trucks, are electric.

"After using Chinese electric construction machinery, our per-ton mining cost has been directly reduced by 50%," the mine's manager said, unable to hide his excitement.

Since the start of this year, under the influence of the international energy crisis and the accelerated pace of green transformation, building "green mines" has become an industry consensus.

"In the field of electrification, China's construction machinery holds a globally leading position. Almost all internationally leading companies in the mining industry have set up procurement centers in China," introduced Li Kaiguang, Deputy Chief Engineer of Guangxi Liugong Machinery Co., Ltd. and Business Director of its International Business Division.

Where does the confidence come from?

— Hardcore equipment. In response to the high-temperature, high-humidity operating conditions of Vietnamese mines, Liugong's R&D team developed excavators and loaders "tailor-made" with large-capacity, high-reliability dedicated battery systems. Combined with flash charging technology, they can be fully charged in 45 minutes, with a single charge lasting 8 to 10 hours, covering an entire shift.

— Mature supporting systems. Some overseas markets require supervision of each battery's entire lifecycle from deployment to retirement: reporting upon activation, and the manufacturer responsible for recycling upon retirement. "Relying on the complete domestic new energy industrial chain, Chinese companies have mature experience in full-cycle battery management and can provide comprehensive services to overseas customers," Li said.

— Complete solutions. Most mines are located in remote areas with weak public power grids. Chinese construction machinery companies provide overall solutions, supported by "photovoltaic + energy storage + charging + mobile power delivery," building green microgrids around the mine that integrate source, grid, load, and storage, ensuring that electric equipment can be "available and safely used" even in remote mining areas without grid access.

"Once mine production stops, losses are enormous. Compared to foreign companies, we can integrate high-quality domestic resources to provide a full set of solutions, ensuring the smooth implementation of electrification plans," Li explained.

Moreover, China's construction machinery industry is also exporting its intelligent "soft power" as a package. Mature domestic mine management systems and fleet dispatch systems are deeply integrated with hardware, helping overseas mines transition from a "human wave tactic" to an "intelligent brain."

Tangible benefits are the strongest driver for overseas companies to keep placing orders. Energy consumption often accounts for 40% to 50% of mine operating costs, while the energy consumption of electric construction machinery is only one-third that of fuel-powered equipment. At the same time, electrification greatly simplifies the transmission system, significantly reducing maintenance and repair costs.

For multinational mining companies, Chinese construction machinery is not only "green in use" but also "green by nature."

At Liugong's Smart Excavator Factory, the entire product series from 13 tons to 200 tons is produced on a flexible co-production line, with AI vision systems detecting assembly deviations in real time. From materials to finished products, every data node is traceable. In March this year, the factory produced over 1,500 excavators in a single month, a year-on-year increase of 77.5%, setting a historical record.

"Relying on the construction of smart factories, we use a large amount of green electricity in our production process, which directly helps downstream clients achieve high scores in Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) evaluations," Li said. In the first half of this year, Liugong's electric construction machinery exports performed outstandingly.

Data shows that China has become the world's largest producer and seller of construction machinery. From 2020 to 2025, the export scale of the construction machinery industry has nearly tripled.

Not only does it "sell equipment" and "sell electrification solutions," but nowadays Chinese construction machinery companies also provide intelligent pathways to "sell intelligence." "This year, our unmanned loaders will be put into operation in the United Kingdom and Australia, bringing customers a safer and more efficient intelligent construction experience," Li said.

The unmanned electric rigid dump truck supports full-scenario operations and mixed operation of manned and unmanned vehicles. Even in rainy, foggy, or dusty conditions with visibility as low as 20 meters, it can drive autonomously and stably. The newly upgraded 5G remote control driving technology can precisely control a 135-ton ultra-large excavator remotely.

Data from the China Construction Machinery Association shows: In the first half of the year, China's construction machinery export value was 34.373 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 21.7%. Among this, exports to the EU were 3.626 billion USD, up 28.9% year-on-year; exports to ASEAN were 5.561 billion USD, up 23.6% year-on-year; exports to countries and regions jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative totaled 14.723 billion USD, accounting for 42.83% of total exports, up 9.13% year-on-year. The machinery industry, represented by construction machinery, completed merchandise trade exports of 559.33 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 20%, accounting for 26.3% of the nation's total merchandise trade.

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China's exports show rising "new" content

By: 本报记者 欧阳洁

In the first seven months of this year, China's total value of goods trade imports and exports was 30.13 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 17.3%. In July, the total value of China's goods trade imports and exports was 4.66 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 19.2%, with the scale of imports and exports exceeding 4 trillion yuan for five consecutive months.

Facing the global trends of digitalization and green development, China's export momentum for industries such as artificial intelligence and green low-carbon is strong, and the “new” content (含新量) of exports is continuously rising. Data from the General Administration of Customs (海关总署) shows that in the first seven months of this year, China exported mechanical and electrical products worth 11.12 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21.2%, accounting for over 60% of China's total exports, an increase of 3.8 percentage points compared with the same period last year. Among them, exports of electric vehicles, wind power generators, 3D printers, ships, and others maintained rapid growth, and Chinese manufacturing is accelerating its transformation toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. In July, China's high-tech product exports increased by more than 50%, contributing nearly 60% of the export increment; exports of green and low-carbon products such as electric vehicles and lithium batteries achieved double-digit growth for 17 consecutive months.

"The export performance of high-tech products and others has been particularly outstanding, becoming a key driving force for increasing foreign trade volume, highlighting the phased results of the transformation and upgrading of China's manufacturing industry, and fully releasing the comprehensive competitive advantages of the industrial chain and supply chain," said Zhu Sichao (朱思翘), associate researcher at the Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of the Ministry of Commerce (商务部国际贸易经济合作研究院).

Inside the workshop of Jinma New Energy Co., Ltd. (金马新能源有限公司) in Rizhao, Shandong Province, a batch of hundred-kilowatt-level wind power generators is undergoing performance debugging. After completing factory inspection and verification, these wind power generators will be shipped in batches overseas. "We seize the major opportunity of global energy transformation, continuously intensify efforts to open up international markets, and the company's hundred-kilowatt-level wind turbine products have already landed in more than ten countries and regions," said company chairman Liu Dongnan (刘东楠). In recent years, the advantages of the entire industrial chain of China's wind power equipment industry have continued to become prominent, with characteristics such as 自主可控 (zìzhǔ kěkòng - "independent and controllable," self-reliant and controllable), rapid iteration, and strong adaptability. The company can complete the production and assembly of one wind power generator in three days. According to statistics from Qingdao Customs (青岛海关), in the first half of this year, Shandong Province's exports of wind power generators and their parts increased by 38.9% year-on-year.

"Since this year, China's export growth rate has exceeded 10%; from a quarterly perspective, it has maintained growth for 11 consecutive quarters. The fundamental reason for export growth lies in the precise alignment between Chinese manufacturing and the various global demands. China's stable supply chain is becoming a key hub connecting win-win cooperation among all parties worldwide," said Wang Jun (王军), Deputy Director General of the General Administration of Customs.

Zhu Sichao analyzed that the rapid development of industries related to new quality productive forces (新质生产力) has become an important support for the resilience of foreign trade. China's position in the global high-end manufacturing industrial chain is gradually transforming from a participant to a core supplier, with the focus of exports extending toward high-value-added links such as chip packaging, core components, and complete sets of high-end equipment, and its irreplaceability in the global high-end manufacturing supply chain continues to strengthen. It can be said that the current round of high export growth is not short-term cyclical, but rather the release of core competitiveness formed by long-term accumulation of technology and production capacity.

(Zhao Yuqi (赵雨琦) contributed to the reporting.)

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Designing 'Brains' for Smart Charging Stations (New Quality Productive Forces Create New Employment Spaces)

By: 本报记者 杨颜菲

In recent years, the new energy vehicle industry has accelerated its development. As of the first half of this year, the number of new energy vehicles in the country reached 48.97 million, and the smart charging piles supporting them have become a "rigid demand."

In Ganzhou, Jiangxi, in the laboratory of Lüchongchong IoT Technology Co., Ltd. (驴充充物联网科技有限公司), electronic circuit designer Lin Fangbing (林芳兵) stares fixedly at the waveforms leaping on the oscilloscope. The palm-sized circuit board on the table is the "brain" of the new energy vehicle smart charging pile.

"Don't underestimate this square-inch space," Lin Fangbing says, pointing at the miniature components densely packed on the circuit board. "It must not only make precise measurements, but also connect to the Internet of Things (IoT), and can even 'reduce the burden' on the power grid during peak electricity consumption periods."

Born in 1990, Lin Fangbing worked in instrument maintenance and soldering in Guangzhou and Dongguan, Guangdong, after graduating from university. In 2019, seeing the development prospects of the new energy industry, Lin Fangbing chose to return to his hometown to work with circuit boards. This decision caused him to experience a technological transformation.

"The early drawings were very simple — merely enlarged versions of the circuit schematic; being able to switch the power on and off counted as completing the task," Lin Fangbing recalls. With the integration of 4G mobile communications and Bluetooth technology, the drawings grew increasingly complex. After vehicle-grid interaction began to be applied, the drawings changed completely — bidirectional charging and discharging, grid dispatch response, energy-storage linkage... functional modules stacked layer upon layer, and the logical framework became ever more precise.

"In the past, drawing a diagram was drawing circuits; now, it is drawing logic," Lin Fangbing said with emotion. The drawing has become a "control hub diagram" for intelligent energy interaction.

The change in one drawing reflects the change in the use of personnel on the industrial front line.

In the past, charging pile manufacturing technology was not yet mature, and what enterprises recruited were mostly assembly-line workers. Today, to adapt to the increasingly high demands that smart charging piles place on components such as circuit boards, the product research and development department where Lin Fangbing works has no shortage of talents such as embedded software engineers, IoT operations and maintenance experts, and new energy algorithm engineers; engineers in the artificial intelligence large-model field have also joined because of the need to process massive data.

Policy drivers have also "added a handful of firewood" to this change. On August 1 this year, mandatory CCC certification for new energy vehicle charging piles was implemented, and the company's research and development pace has quickened accordingly. Lin Fangbing and his colleagues have been making more frequent business trips to learn. "Seek scriptures from industry benchmarks, enhance our own competitiveness," Lin Fangbing says. Understanding both hardware circuits and IoT communications while also mastering new energy policies and grid dispatch has already become a "required course" for electronic circuit designers.

"This shows that, as the industrial chain advances toward the high end, enterprises' demand for labor is shifting toward composite digital talent," said Chen Yiwang (陈义旺), Party Secretary of Gannan Normal University (赣南师范大学).

Faced with the wave of artificial intelligence, would one feel anxious?

"Artificial intelligence is my assistant. It can assist in drawing sketches and running simulations, and can take on much of the complex, repetitive work at the technical level. However, charging piles concern public safety and involve complex environmental adaptation and standard alignment; the decision-making power must remain in human hands." Lin Fangbing believes that electronic circuit designers have comprehensive capabilities, that in 2025 the occupation was included in the seventh batch of new occupations released by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部), and that in the artificial intelligence era, they 大有可为 (dà yǒu kě wéi - "there is much that can be done," to have bright prospects).

Lin Fangbing's growth reflects the significant role of new quality productive forces (新质生产力) in expanding the employment "reservoir." Taking the iteration of smart charging piles as an example: upstream, it drives the development of supply chains such as domestic chips and electronic components; downstream, it drives the rise of service industries such as installation, operations and maintenance, platform operations, and overseas promotion — gradually forming a complete industrial cluster and creating more employment positions. Data show that in Ganzhou, the new energy industry chain has created employment positions numbering 数以万计 (shǔ yǐ wàn jì - "counted in units of ten thousand," numbering in the tens of thousands).

Outside the laboratory, batches of brand-new charging piles stand 整装待发 (zhěng zhuāng dài fā - "arrange one's gear, await departure," fully equipped and ready to set off). They will spread across communities and industrial parks, and will even 漂洋过海 (piāo yáng guò hǎi - "drift across oceans, cross seas," to travel far across the seas), becoming important nodes connecting energy and daily life. And the circuit board on Lin Fangbing's desk is still undergoing iterative upgrades — every technological update means that new position demands and employment space are taking shape.

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Technological Innovation and Talent Supply Work in Tandem (Expert Commentary)

By: 陈志远

The iteration of a circuit board reflects the deep reshaping of the employment structure by new quality productive forces (新质生产力). From assembly-line workers to embedded software engineers, IoT operations and maintenance experts, and engineers in the field of AI large models, the upgrading of industrial demand brings structural changes in employment.

The formation of a smart charging pile industry cluster drives the transformation of the local employment structure. This indicates that cultivating new employment space requires taking the high-end, intelligent, and green transformation of the industrial chain as the driving force, through technological innovation promoting specialized division of labor, thereby spawning more high-value-added positions.

Facing the wave of artificial intelligence, workers must also actively develop compound skills. For example, electronic circuit designers need to possess multi-dimensional knowledge of hardware, communications, and the like, and be skilled at leveraging AI tools for empowerment. In this regard, policy support such as improving the industry-education integration mechanism (产教融合机制) and strengthening interdisciplinary talent cultivation is indispensable. When technological innovation and talent supply work in the same direction, the "reservoir" of employment will surely become more abundant.

(The author is an associate researcher at the School of Government, Shenzhen University; our reporter Yang Yanfei (杨颜菲) conducted the interview and compiled the text.)

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Smiles recorded, warmth conveyed

On August 10, in a nursing home in Yuping Dong Autonomous County (玉屏侗族自治县), Tongren City, Guizhou Province, Feng Xiaoxia (冯小霞) (front row, third from left) and her teammates were taking photos for the elderly.

Feng Xiaoxia is a Western Plan volunteer serving in Yuping County. During rural research, she discovered that many elderly people did not have clear photos of themselves. She and several volunteers formed the "Warm Mirror" (暖镜) Western Plan volunteer service team, leveraging their photography skills to go into villages, communities, nursing homes, etc., to take photos free of charge for the elderly, left-behind children, and others, using the lens to record smiles and convey warmth.

Photo by Hu Panxue (胡攀学) (Xinhua)

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Internet business revenue up 10.1% year on year in first half

Beijing, August 11 (Our reporter Liu Wenxin (刘温馨)) Data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) show: in the first half of the year, China's internet and related service enterprises above designated size (hereinafter referred to as "internet enterprises") achieved internet business revenue of 1,067.5 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 10.1%.

In the first half of the year, the growth rate of total profits accelerated; internet enterprises realized total profits of 98.99 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 16.6%, and the growth rate increased by 6.9 percentage points compared with the first five months. Investment in R&D funding grew steadily; internet enterprises invested a total of 59.55 billion yuan in R&D funding, a year-on-year increase of 14.1%.

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Advancing Metrology to Support Development of New Quality Productive Forces in Industry

Beijing, August 11 (Our newspaper) — (Reporter Lin Lili (林丽鹂)) The State Administration for Market Regulation (市场监管总局) and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) recently jointly issued a notice, publicly collecting projects for the 2026 fiscal year that support the development of new quality productive forces in industries through metrology. This initiative aims to thoroughly implement the deployment requirements of the Action Plan for Metrology Supporting the Development of New Quality Productive Forces in Industries (2025–2030) (计量支撑产业新质生产力发展行动方案（2025—2030年）), centering on the urgent needs of strategic emerging industries and future industries for the development of new quality productive forces (新质生产力), continuously leveraging the foundational and strategic role of metrology in technological innovation and industrial upgrading, accelerating the resolution of key metrology technology bottlenecks in industrial development, and promoting high-quality industrial development.

This project solicitation focuses on 10 key areas, including next-generation information technology, artificial intelligence, aerospace, new energy, new materials, high-end equipment, biomedicine, quantum technology, integrated circuits, and instrumentation. It concentrates on the development of key common metrology equipment for industrial chains, metrology technology breakthroughs, and industrial application, with priority support for major innovation projects that can solve bottleneck problems ("卡脖子" difficulties), achieve domestic substitution, and fill gaps both domestically and internationally.

The State Administration for Market Regulation and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology will evaluate the collected projects and select around 10 projects as key projects for 2026. For the key projects, the two departments will strengthen guidance, coordination, and support, while also intensifying project process management, supervision, and inspection, jointly ensuring the smooth implementation of the key projects.

In 2025, the two departments for the first time organized nationwide project solicitation and evaluation for metrology supporting the development of new quality productive forces in industries, receiving a total of 124 applications. After multiple rounds of expert review, 10 annual key projects were ultimately selected and determined. The implementation of the projects provided an important guarantee for promoting the integrated development of the "traceability chain, innovation chain, and industry chain" and achieving precise alignment between metrology supply and industrial demand.

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"A Path to Progress, Cooperation, and Coordinated Development" (The Way Forward)

By: 本报记者 赵益普

The office of Pakistani Senator Anwar ul Haq Kakar is located in a government building in the center of the capital, Islamabad. The office is not large in area; two built-in bookcases are filled with books, trophies, commemorative ornaments, and photographs. Among them, the largest and most eye-catching photograph is a group photo of Kakar with President Xi Jinping in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing in 2023.

In October 2023, Kakar, who was then serving as Prime Minister of Pakistan's caretaker government, traveled to China to attend the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation. At the opening ceremony, President Xi Jinping delivered a keynote speech pointing out that China is willing to deepen Belt and Road (一带一路) partnership with all parties, promote the joint construction of the Belt and Road into a new phase of high-quality development, make unremitting efforts to achieve the modernization of all countries, and announced eight major steps for China to support high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

"President Xi Jinping's keynote speech exhibited a broad vision and a generous mindset, showing everyone a path leading to progress, cooperation, and coordinated development," Kakar said. President Xi Jinping has provided important guidance for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, pointed the direction for global peace and development, and given all parties more confidence and expectation in jointly building the Belt and Road and creating a bright future for humanity.

After the conclusion of the Forum, President Xi Jinping met with Kakar at the Great Hall of the People. "The meeting of about an hour made me truly feel President Xi Jinping's attention and expectations for Pakistan-China cooperation and development. At that time, I said to President Xi Jinping: Your keynote speech is very far-sighted and very profound, providing a wealth of development opportunities for partner countries like Pakistan. We will bring the content and inspiration of your speech back to our country," Kakar recalled.

In April 2015, during President Xi Jinping's state visit to Pakistan, he delivered an important speech at the Pakistani parliament, proposing the formation of a "1+4" cooperation layout to let the fruits of development benefit all Pakistani people. Kakar, then serving as the spokesperson for the Balochistan provincial government, studied the content of President Xi Jinping's speech at the earliest opportunity. He said that in his hometown of Balochistan province, the construction of Gwadar Port has been continuously advancing, effectively boosting the level of regional connectivity. A series of "small yet beautiful" projects carried out through bilateral cooperation have enabled local residents to install photovoltaic storage, photovoltaic pumping, and other equipment in their homes, with people's livelihoods continuously improving.

As the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (中巴经济走廊) enters the "2.0 upgraded version," the role of a series of energy and transportation infrastructure built through China-Pakistan cooperation has become more prominent. "With stable electricity and connected roads, the two countries have continuously explored new cooperation opportunities in areas such as industrial parks, agriculture and mining, and new energy," Kakar said.

"Over more than a decade, the construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has been continuously advancing, and the joint construction of the Belt and Road has brought development opportunities to Pakistan," Kakar said. From "if you want to get rich, build roads first," to developing industries according to local conditions, and then to promoting green and sustainable development, "the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, through one high-quality development project after another, has enabled the Pakistani people to truly see the benefits brought by the Chinese approach."

"Through the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, Pakistan has had a better opportunity to learn from China," Kakar said. China has achieved astonishing development results, and China's development experience is worth learning from and drawing on for Pakistan and other developing countries. Chinese agronomists, engineers, and entrepreneurs in Pakistan have brought key technologies and management experience to Pakistan's development, cultivated a group of local talents, and contributed to Pakistan's modernization.

After stepping down as Prime Minister of the caretaker government, Kakar continued to serve as a Pakistani senator and made multiple inspection trips to China, continuously contributing to the development of bilateral relations. "As an all-weather strategic cooperative partner, Pakistan has long and firmly supported China on issues involving China's core interests and major concerns. The remarkable achievements of the long-term friendly cooperation between Pakistan and China have become a much-told tale of state-to-state cooperation," he said. "The more contact I have with Chinese friends, the deeper it becomes, the more I realize that further understanding China and comprehending China is of great significance for Pakistan." He believes that as a long-term friendly neighbor of China, Pakistan can only better promote its own industrialization and modernization if it deeply understands why China has been able to develop and explores how to better participate in and integrate into China's development.

Kakar stated that the world economy and global security are facing many challenges today, but China has always firmly upheld the international system with the United Nations at its core and the basic norms of international law, and promoted the construction of an open and cooperative international economic and trade order, making it an important force for maintaining global stability. "More and more countries realize that cooperating with China means choosing to stand on the side of peace and development, and choosing win-win cooperation," Kakar said. As the once-in-a-century changes accelerate, President Xi Jinping's proposal of the four global initiatives (四大全球倡议) is timely, helping countries share peace, seek common development, and jointly build a better world. Pakistan is honored to be a firm supporter of these initiatives.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, and the two sides have held a variety of commemorative activities. "This is an important historical juncture for the friendship between the two countries, and also a good opportunity for the peoples of the two countries to understand each other," Kakar said. He looks forward to taking this opportunity for the two countries to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as economic trade and investment, infrastructure construction, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, to better benefit the two peoples and become a model for building a community with a shared future for neighboring countries.

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"Overcapacity" Leading to Trade Surplus Defies Economic Common Sense (International Forum)

By: 屠新泉

Major trading countries should jointly uphold the free trade system, do more to smooth and facilitate, and do less to build walls and erect barriers, so as to promote the development of global trade in a more balanced and more sustainable direction.

In recent years, the international competitiveness of China's manufacturing industry has improved rapidly, its share in the world market has continued to rise, and its trade surplus has expanded to some extent. In response, some countries and economies worry that their space for industrial development is being compressed, and individual countries have concocted the erroneous rhetoric of the so-called "China squeeze theory" (中国挤压论), holding that it is China's "overcapacity" that has led to the rise in its trade surplus, thereby endangering the development of their domestic industries. This rhetoric runs counter to basic economic common sense and is clearly untenable.

Trade surplus and overcapacity are issues at two different levels and must not be 混为一谈 (hùn wéi yī tán - "mix into one discussion," to conflate different things). A surplus is a macroeconomic concept, reflecting the difference between gross domestic savings and gross domestic investment, mainly including the surplus in trade in goods and services. Looking at the history of global economic development, countries have generally experienced a stage of trade surplus in the course of industrialization; manufacturing powers such as Britain, the United States, Japan, and Germany all maintained trade surpluses for a long time. Overcapacity is a concept of industrial economics and a problem at the meso or micro level. It reflects that the output of an industry or an enterprise over a period of time is greater than demand, rather than total output at the macroeconomic level being greater than aggregate demand. Therefore, even if some industries in a country have the problem of overcapacity, it does not necessarily lead to its total output being greater than aggregate demand, or to a current account surplus at the macro level.

If saying that a country or an industry has a trade surplus means overcapacity, then all countries necessarily have a certain scope of overcapacity, because every country will always have a trade surplus in some industries. For example, the EU has long maintained trade surpluses in fields such as automobiles and pharmaceuticals, and the United States also has relatively strong export competitiveness in energy, aerospace, high-end manufacturing, and other fields. A trade surplus itself cannot prove overcapacity; judging overcapacity requires looking at indicators such as capacity utilization, inventories, prices, and corporate profitability. Therefore, describing a country's larger exports or larger surplus of some products as overcapacity in the country's related products does not conform to economic logic.

China's realization of a trade surplus shows that China's industrial system is complete and efficient, and this surplus is the objective result of changes in the global division-of-labor system and trade pattern. China's export growth derives both from the improvement of economies of scale and innovation capacity and from the demand of various countries' green transformation and industrialization development. From the perspective of the distribution of trade benefits, "the surplus is in China, and the benefits are for all parties." In 2025, foreign-invested enterprises accounted for 27% of China's exports and 16% of its surplus, and the growth rates of both their surplus and profits were faster than those of domestic enterprises. Consumer goods produced in China, such as computers, mobile phones, furniture, clothing, and toys, have provided consumers in various countries with more choices, lowered consumption costs, and buffered inflation risks. China's exports of production equipment and intermediate goods have strongly supported the industrialization development of its trading partners.

Viewed from the overall balance of payments, although China has a relatively large surplus in goods trade, it has deficits in services trade and in the capital and financial account; the current account surplus accounts for about 3.7% of GDP, within the internationally recognized reasonable range, and no significant balance-of-payments imbalance has emerged. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's cumulative imports exceeded 90 trillion yuan, fully demonstrating that China is not only the "world's factory" but also the "world's market." Its import scale has ranked second in the world for 17 consecutive years, making it the main export destination for nearly 80 countries; it has implemented zero-tariff policies for 63 countries and is the world's first major economy to achieve full-coverage zero-tariff treatment for all African countries with which it has diplomatic relations and all least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations; the China International Import Expo, the world's first national-level exhibition themed on imports, has been successfully held for eight sessions, with cumulative intended transaction volume exceeding US$580 billion... China will continue to actively promote the balanced development of imports and exports, continue to open its market to the world, and remain 坚定不移 (jiān dìng bù yí - "firm and unmoving," unswerving) in expanding imports.

At present, unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise. Various trade barrier measures not only suppress global economic growth but, more seriously, disrupt the normal international trade order and hinder the rational flow and optimal layout of global production capacity. All parties, especially the major trading countries, should jointly uphold the free trade system, do more to smooth and facilitate, and do less to build walls and erect barriers, so as to promote the development of global trade in a more balanced and more sustainable direction.

(The author is dean of the China WTO Research Institute (中国世界贸易组织研究院) at the University of International Business and Economics (对外经济贸易大学).)

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Opening a New Chapter in China-Serbia Relations (Ambassador's Essay)

By: 赵 勇

The year 2026 marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone, and also the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership (全面战略合作伙伴关系) between the two countries. Over the 55 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Sierra Leone have supported each other and respected each other, and their traditional friendship has grown stronger with time, 历久弥坚 (lì jiǔ mí jiān - "the longer it lasts, the firmer it becomes"). The mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides in such fields as politics, economy and trade, health, education, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges has yielded rich fruits. China-Sierra Leone cooperation can well be called a model of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation.

Political mutual trust has continued to deepen, and bilateral relations have been operating at a high level. In recent years, high-level exchanges between China and Sierra Leone have been frequent. In February 2024, at the invitation of President Xi Jinping, President Bio of Sierra Leone paid a state visit to China. In September of the same year, President Bio went to China again to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), becoming the first head of state in Sierra Leone's history to visit China twice in one year. During the relevant talks and meetings, the leaders of the two countries reached broad and important consensus on deepening the China-Sierra Leone comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, providing strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations. Sierra Leone is a co-sponsor of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, has long adhered to the one-China principle (一个中国原则), and firmly supports all efforts made by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification. The Chinese side firmly supports the Sierra Leonean side in choosing a development path suited to its own national conditions and in safeguarding its sovereignty and security interests. In the first half of this year, the Sierra Leonean Parliament established a Sierra Leone-China Friendship Group. The two sides will use this as a platform to further strengthen exchanges between the legislative bodies and political parties of the two countries.

Practical cooperation has continued to expand, with 硕果累累 (shuò guǒ léi léi - "heavy fruits hanging in clusters," abundant achievements) benefiting people's livelihoods. China has been Sierra Leone's largest trading partner and major foreign investor for more than 10 consecutive years, and in 2025 the total trade volume between the two countries grew by nearly 30 percent year on year. Sierra Leone is rich in fishery resources, and fisheries are an important part of China-Sierra Leone cooperation. In 1985, China's first distant-water fishing fleet chose Sierra Leone as its first stop in Africa to carry out operations. Benefiting from China's implementation of the zero-tariff measure for all 53 African countries having diplomatic relations with China, Sierra Leone's wild aquatic products successfully entered the Chinese market in 2025. Medical and health care is a priority in China-Sierra Leone cooperation. China has stationed three medical teams in Sierra Leone. For more than 50 years, Chinese medical teams have treated more than 1 million patients in Sierra Leone, and the medical and health personnel of the two sides forged a profound friendship in fighting Ebola and the COVID-19 pandemic. The Confucius Institute at the University of Sierra Leone, established in 2012, is China's first Confucius Institute in West Africa. To date, it has trained more than 40,000 Chinese-language learners and has become an important window for promoting heart-to-heart ties between the two peoples and cultural exchanges. Through 55 years of joint cultivation, China-Sierra Leone practical cooperation has kept expanding its scope, enriching its content, and improving its quality, bringing tangible benefits to the two countries and the two peoples.

International coordination has grown increasingly close, with the two sides joining hands to defend international justice. China and Sierra Leone are both developing countries and share broad common interests and similar positions and propositions on international and regional issues. On human rights, both sides hold that the right to subsistence and the right to development are the primary basic human rights, and oppose interference in other countries' internal affairs under the banner of "democracy and human rights." The Sierra Leonean side highly appreciates the important concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind (构建人类命运共同体) and the four global initiatives (四大全球倡议) proposed by President Xi Jinping, and has joined the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative (全球发展倡议之友小组). The Chinese side supports the Sierra Leonean side in actively playing a role in international and regional organizations such as the United Nations and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Facing an international situation in which change and turbulence are intertwined, China and Sierra Leone both firmly maintain that all countries, regardless of size, are equal; they join hands to practice true multilateralism, resolutely uphold the authority and status of the United Nations, and are jointly committed to promoting solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries and safeguarding the interests of the vast number of developing countries and international fairness and justice.

"When hearts know each other, there is no distance; ten thousand li apart, still neighbors." Although China and Sierra Leone are separated by vast oceans, 55 years of 风雨同舟 (fēng yǔ tóng zhōu - "in the same boat through wind and rain," standing together through hardships) have brought the two peoples to know each other and grow close, making them good friends who trust each other and good partners who advance side by side. Going forward, China and Sierra Leone will continue to fully implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, fully unleash the dividends of the zero-tariff policy, continuously inject new impetus into the China-Sierra Leone comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, strive to open a new and even better chapter in China-Sierra Leone relations, and contribute strength to jointly building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.

(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone.)

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Showcasing a Real and Lovable China

By: 本报记者 谢亚宏

“If we had not witnessed and recorded all this in person, you probably would not be able to believe it.” In Croatia and even the surrounding areas, this tension-filled line is becoming 家喻户晓 (jiā yù hù xiǎo - “known in every household,” widely known) as the 8-episode documentary series titled Hi! China enjoys a hot broadcast. The creator of this documentary is Goran Milić, now 80 years old, a Croatian documentary director. He has directed over 300 documentaries, with his footprints covering 73 countries across five continents.

Milić comes from a diplomat’s family. He began to pay attention to China from his youth, but only at his 古稀之年 (gǔ xī zhī nián - “age of seventy,” from Du Fu’s poem, refers to old age) did he set foot on Chinese soil for the first time. To shoot the documentary, Milić and his production team visited eight Chinese cities over more than 50 days, using a large number of shots to capture China’s modern vitality: expressways stretching nearly 200,000 kilometers, with flowers blooming on both sides, and driving through them feels like traveling through a palace garden; in some large cities with tens of millions of people, over 50% of cars are already new energy vehicles, driving quietly and the roads are orderly…

China’s degree of digitalization made Milić sincerely praise: on a high-speed train carriage, he used his mobile phone to order lunch in advance from a station hundreds of kilometers away, and the train attendant delivered it precisely, with the meal still hot; hotel robots respond to guests’ needs at any time; in a Shenzhen park, a drone delivered steaming hot coffee…

What moved Milić even more was the spiritual outlook of the Chinese people. He shared with reporters many shining moments during the filming of the documentary: when visiting a residential area in Shenzhen, a security guard voluntarily brought a chair out of respect for him as an elder; at Beijing’s Temple of Heaven, a mother holding a child for a photo happily waved at the camera; a young man on a food street gave them a thumbs-up…

“The Chinese people’s qualities of friendliness and 尊老爱幼 (zūn lǎo ài yòu - “respect the old, love the young,” traditional virtue) originate from the uninterrupted Chinese civilization.” Milić stated that his team witnessed how the Chinese government is revitalizing the countryside. “China’s rural governance perfectly combines the information age with agricultural civilization — establishing university majors that combine information technology and agronomy, restoring cultural heritage, and developing tourism by relying on a world-class road network, etc.”

In Croatia, Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and other countries, Milić’s documentary was broadcast during prime time, with ratings 居高不下 (jū gāo bù xià - “stay high and not fall,” remaining at a high level), sparking huge social repercussions. Several months after broadcast, there were still people stopping him on the street, asking whether those stunning scenes were real — modern motorcades, forests of skyscrapers, warm and friendly Chinese people… To these questions, Milić always answered with his personal experiences from his visits.

“Against the backdrop of increasing global uncertainty, the rationality and steadfastness that China maintains are playing an increasingly important role in global governance,” Milić said. “Through filming the documentary, we discovered China’s development vitality and unique charm, and we also hope to uncover more Chinese stories with the camera in the future, showing a real and lovely China to the people of Croatia and even Europe.”

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Photo Report

For some time now, many foreign tourists entering the country have chosen "technology tourism" as the theme of their city tours in China. Tourists experience technological achievements such as robot services and drone delivery, go to stores to purchase Chinese "new specialties" such as AI glasses, drones, and intelligent robots, and feel the unique tourism characteristics of innovative cities. The picture shows a tourist from Jamaica interacting with a humanoid robot at the world's first robot 6S store in Longgang District (龙岗区), Shenzhen, Guangdong recently. Photo by Xinhua reporter Liang Xu (梁旭).

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Liu Haixing leads CPC delegation to visit Cuba and attend the first Fidel International Dialogue

Xinhua News Agency, Havana, August 10 (Reporter Jiang Biao) From August 8 to 10, Liu Haixing (刘海星), Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee (中共中央对外联络部), led a CPC delegation to visit Cuba and attend the first "Fidel International Dialogue" (菲德尔国际对话). During this period, he met and exchanged views with Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of Cuba; Morales, member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and Secretary of the Central Committee for Organization; and Lozada, Minister of International Relations of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, among others. Both sides stated that they will jointly implement the important common understandings reached by the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, continue the traditional friendship, deepen inter-party exchanges, strengthen strategic communication and coordination, work together to advance the socialist cause of their respective countries, and make greater contributions to the building of a China-Cuba community with a shared future.

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"Seeing a Warm, Hospitable, and Diverse Xinjiang"

By: 本报记者 尚嵘峥

"Come on! Come on!" On the soccer field of Urumqi No. 23 Middle School in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region (乌鲁木齐市第二十三中学), a China-U.S. youth soccer friendly match was underway. On the field, the contest was intense; off the field, cheers of encouragement rose; the atmosphere was warm and lively.

From August 6 to 10, a delegation of more than 20 people from the youth soccer team of the city of Pico Rivera, California, United States, took part in the China Xinjiang–U.S. California Youth Soccer Friendly Match, and visited the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum (新疆维吾尔自治区博物馆), the International Grand Bazaar (国际大巴扎), Heavenly Lake in the Tianshan Mountains, and other places. This event was jointly hosted by the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (中国国际贸易促进委员会新疆维吾尔自治区委员会), the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Sports Bureau (新疆维吾尔自治区体育局), and the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation (美中航空遗产基金会), with the aim of deepening China-U.S. subnational and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation and enhancing mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two countries.

After the friendly match, the American youths received a distinctive gift — a "Xinjiang Little Lamb" doll. "This is a creative gift from Xinjiang that has been very popular recently. I like its Uygur-style decoration," said Pablo Salazar, the American team's soccer coach.

At the Urumqi Cultural Center, the American youths exclaimed "Spectacular!" as soon as they got off the bus, and one after another took photos in front of this modern building full of design flair. When visiting the themed achievements exhibition marking the 70th anniversary of the founding of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, a series of contrasting photos reflecting Xinjiang's development and changes drew everyone to stop and watch.

Toward evening, the International Grand Bazaar was extraordinarily lively. Tasting authentic lamb skewers, drinking their fill of freshly squeezed pomegranate juice, selecting specialty naan-themed cultural and creative products... The American youths strolled through the bustling Grand Bazaar, full of curiosity about the rich ethnic customs and the vibrant everyday life of the streets. "People of different ethnic groups live together here, creating a diverse and inclusive culture," team member Sara Lopez said with feeling. This cross-cultural experience made her trip 不虚此行 (bù xū cǐ xíng - "this trip was not in vain," a journey well worth making).

Jeffrey Greene, chairman of the Sino-American Aviation Heritage Foundation, said that American and Chinese youths deepened mutual understanding and forged deep friendships during the activities — precisely the significance of the Flying Tigers spirit being passed down from generation to generation. "Through this activity, the youths of the two countries exchanged and interacted, while at the same time experiencing up close an objective and three-dimensional, prosperous and harmonious, open and inclusive Xinjiang," said Liu Teng (刘腾), vice president of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Committee of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade. "In the future, we will continue to promote more practical cooperation between Xinjiang and U.S. localities."

"I saw a warm and hospitable, diverse and integrated Xinjiang, and I very much look forward to coming again!" Salazar told reporters that after returning to the United States, he would tell more friends about what he saw and heard in Xinjiang.

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China-Indonesia Local Government Cooperation Dialogue Held

According to Xinhua News Agency, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, August 11 (Reporter Li Jiacong (李嘉聪)) — The China-Indonesia Local Government Cooperation Dialogue, co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (中国人民对外友好协会), the Chinese Consulate General in Surabaya (中国驻泗水总领馆), the Asia-Pacific Section of United Cities and Local Governments (世界城市和地方政府联合组织亚太区), and the Yogyakarta City Government of Indonesia, was held on the 11th at the Yogyakarta City Hall.

Yang Wanming (杨万明), President of the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries; Ye Su (叶素), Chinese Consul General in Surabaya; representatives from 27 local governments and 18 enterprises across 12 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) of China; as well as Bernadia Chandra Dewi, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Section of United Cities and Local Governments; main responsible persons and representatives from 15 local governments in Indonesia; and representatives from Indonesian organizations friendly toward China, enterprises, and higher education institutions — nearly 200 people attended.

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China willing to provide humanitarian earthquake relief assistance to Colombia: CIDCA

Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, August 11 — Tang Ying (汤瑛), spokesperson for the China International Development Cooperation Agency (国家国际发展合作署), said on the 11th that a strong earthquake recently struck Colombia, causing heavy casualties and property losses. The Chinese side is closely following the earthquake disaster and is willing, in accordance with the needs of the Colombian side, to provide assistance within its capacity in appropriate ways to support Colombia's earthquake relief and disaster response.

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Entering Zero-Carbon Parks, Witnessing Green Transformation (In-depth Reading)

By: 本报记者 胡婧怡 张 枨 苏 滨

The “15th Five-Year Plan” outline proposes “building zero-carbon factories and parks”; the State Council’s issued “15th Five-Year Plan Carbon Peak Action Plan” specifies “accelerating the construction of zero-carbon parks and zero-carbon factories.”
A zero-carbon park refers to a park in which, through planning, design, technology, management and other means, the carbon dioxide emissions generated by production and living activities within the park are reduced to a “near-zero” level, and which possesses the conditions to further achieve “net-zero.” Building zero-carbon parks is of great significance for accelerating the green transformation of energy and guiding deep decarbonization of industries.
At present, what progress has been made in various localities in building zero-carbon parks? Our reporters conducted visits to multiple locations to learn about practices and experiences in source carbon reduction, process decarbonization, intelligent carbon control, and other aspects.
— Editor

Source Carbon Reduction
Power supply and water supply skillfully utilize sunlight and rainfall
Inside the zero-carbon park Shenyang, Liaoning China-Germany High-End Equipment Manufacturing Industrial Park (hereinafter referred to as the “China-Germany Park” (中德园)), the interior environment of one building is very pleasant — sunlight penetrates the skylight and surrounding glass, illuminating the interior spaciously and brightly, and the rest area is also laid out with water features and green plants, providing employees with a sense of comfort.
This building is the Magnetic Suspension Application Industry Base of Shenyang Micro-Control Flywheel Technology Co., Ltd. (沈阳微控飞轮技术股份有限公司). Moving from the office area to the production area, one sees the magnetic suspension flywheel energy storage device charging and discharging through the operation of the flywheel rotor. Wang Lei (王磊), Marketing Director of Shenyang Micro-Control, said: “This device is mainly used for power frequency regulation in the field of new energy power generation, playing a role in balancing power supply and ensuring stable grid operation.”
Wang Lei introduced that the company moved into the new factory building in the China-Germany Park last August. “Soon, the park staff came to us and discussed the zero-carbon park construction plan with us. This coincided 不谋而合 (bù móu ér hé - “without prior consultation, they agree,” to coincide spontaneously) with our direction of building a zero-carbon factory.”
According to the construction target, by the end of 2027, the carbon emissions per unit of energy consumption in the China-Germany Park will be reduced to 0.18 tons of carbon dioxide per ton of standard coal, and the share of clean energy consumption will be increased to 90%.
Facing the target, accelerating the green transformation of the energy consumption structure and achieving source carbon reduction are crucial, and also require systematic deployment by the park and joint participation by enterprises. Taking Shenyang Micro-Control as an example, the new factory building has a roof area of 25,000 square meters; except for eight skylights used for natural lighting, the rest is covered with photovoltaic panels; winter heating and summer cooling in the factory building utilize water source heat pumps, and green irrigation and the office-area water features use rainwater harvesting.
On the large screen of Shenyang Micro-Control’s energy management system, data such as total plant energy consumption, photovoltaic power generation, and energy storage consumption are displayed in real time. “For an enterprise, the largest energy consumption is electricity.” Shang Rui (商瑞), Project Manager of Shenyang Micro-Control, introduced that taking the opportunity of relocating to the new factory, the enterprise upgraded a batch of third-level energy-consuming equipment to second-level energy-consuming equipment, and at the same time launched an energy management system, which can both monitor energy consumption data in various areas and monitor the situation of individual high-energy-consuming equipment.
“In the heat treatment process of the flywheel rotor, the energy management system can prioritize the use of photovoltaic power for energy supply, and can also guide the adjustment of production rhythm, allowing high-energy-consuming processes to be completed as much as possible during periods of sufficient sunlight, achieving maximum utilization of photovoltaic power generation.” Shang Rui said.
In March of this year, a batch of key projects such as green equipment were launched intensively in the China-Germany Park, and a smart energy-carbon platform integrating four major functions — energy monitoring, carbon emission accounting, green electricity dispatching, and intelligent optimization — was also officially put into operation.
“Currently, the park has planned and implemented more than 20 key projects, including energy consumption structure transformation, energy-carbon management improvement, and zero-carbon technology application. The park’s green electricity usage ratio has reached 77.5%, and the clean energy consumption share has reached 72.5%.” A relevant person in charge of the China-Germany Park zero-carbon park project introduced that, aiming for the national-level zero-carbon industrial park target, the park will continue to build a zero-carbon ecological system featuring stable green electricity supply, intelligent energy-carbon management, optimized industrial structure, and green infrastructure, advancing source carbon reduction.

Process Decarbonization
Waste heat and waste water achieve recovery and regeneration
In the Inner Mongolia Ordos Mengsu Economic Development Zone (蒙苏经济开发区), clean green electricity is being continuously transmitted from the Ordos Zero-Carbon Industrial Park to upstream and downstream enterprises in photovoltaic, solar thermal, energy storage, hydrogen energy, and other fields.
“The park continues to promote the construction of new energy supporting projects. Currently, a 408,200 kW wind-solar-storage integrated project has been completed, generating 900 million kWh of green electricity annually, of which 80 million kWh of green electricity has been directly supplied to park enterprises, and the proportion of direct green electricity supply will continue to increase in the future.” Xu Jiangang (徐建刚), Deputy Director of the Management Committee of the Mengsu Economic Development Zone, introduced that currently the green electricity usage rate of park enterprises has reached 70%.
Inside the production workshop of the Envision Power Battery Factory (远景动力电池工厂) in the park, fully automated production lines operate efficiently, with robotic arms swinging flexibly. After positive and negative electrode raw materials undergo multiple process steps, blocks of energy storage batteries are successively taken offline.
“In recent years, the company has carried out regular energy-saving management and strengthened energy consumption control, significantly reducing energy consumption per unit product.” Jing Jianjun (荆建军), head of the Facility Operation and Maintenance Department of Envision Power Technology (Ordos) Co., Ltd. (远景动力技术（鄂尔多斯市）有限公司), said.
Aiming at the problem of heat energy waste in the high-temperature baking process, the company upgraded and retrofitted the waste heat recovery facility, increasing the waste heat recovery efficiency from 70% to over 85%; in addition, it continuously improved the energy efficiency of the refrigeration system, compressed air system, boilers, terminal air conditioning, and other aspects, effectively raising the energy efficiency level of the facility systems, saving nearly 10 million kWh of electricity throughout the year.
Inner Mongolia Baichuan Solar Thermal Technology Co., Ltd. (内蒙古百川光热科技有限公司), also located in the park, through technological innovation and fine management, selected energy-saving motors and high-efficiency pump sets, dynamically adjusted energy supply for different process sections based on real-time power consumption, achieving a 5% reduction in electricity consumption and a 12% reduction in heat energy consumption. The company’s general manager, Dou Huaixin (窦怀新), said: “We are promoting the automation monitoring transformation of equipment. In the future, we can automatically adjust production rhythm and energy consumption based on order volume and equipment operating load, further reducing costs and increasing efficiency.”
At the central control room of the water resource recycling project on the other side of the park, one can see the turbid wastewater discharged by upstream enterprises transformed into clear reclaimed water through pretreatment, biological treatment, membrane treatment, and other stages. “The designed daily wastewater treatment capacity of the project is 100,000 tons. Currently, during the peak period, the daily wastewater treatment volume is 55,000 tons. All wastewater from enterprises in the park is pre-treated and then centrally sent here. After treatment, all reclaimed water is supplied back to enterprises for use, with a reuse rate exceeding 96%, effectively reducing production costs for the enterprises.” Niu Yanpeng (牛彦鹏), head of the Pengyuan Water Supply Company (澎源供水公司) of Shengyuan Water Group (圣圆水务集团), the project operator, said.
Regarding the future development direction of the park, Xu Jiangang said: “In the future, the park will continue to promote photovoltaic building integration, deepen technological transformation and equipment renewal, promote the recovery and utilization of waste heat, waste pressure, and waste cold, focus on system optimization of the entire production process, and drive deep decarbonization of production links through whole-process management and control.”

Intelligent Carbon Control
Smart Operation and Maintenance Platform Aids Regulation
In the Nanming District of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, lies the province’s first zero-carbon park — Guizhou CSCEC Building Research and Design Institute Co., Ltd. (贵州中建建筑科研设计院有限公司, hereinafter referred to as the “Institute” (建科院)). Viewed from a height, the rooftops of the buildings in the park are neatly arranged with photovoltaic equipment.
“The park has a history of more than half a century. Previously, due to aging, some buildings had problems in structure, energy, and other aspects.” Lu Yunxiang (卢云祥), Vice President of the Institute, introduced.
In 2023, the park initiated renovation, positioning itself to build a zero-carbon park. Leveraging the company’s technical advantages in inspection and appraisal, reinforcement and renovation, building energy efficiency, and smart operation and maintenance, it proceeded from low-carbon renovation and zero-carbon operation, adopting more than 60 low-carbon technologies such as external wall insulation, construction waste utilization, phosphogypsum building materials, and prestressed lightweight concrete. In 2024, the park completed renovation and obtained the zero-carbon park design certification issued by the National Center for Quality Inspection and Testing of Building Energy Efficiency.
An old factory building was transformed into a zero-carbon exhibition center with a usable area of about 2,000 square meters: the electric skylight on the roof can keenly detect weather changes and automatically open and close; the induction lights on the floor turn on when people approach and turn off when they leave. Du Song (杜松), Deputy Director of the Green Low-Carbon Design Consulting Center of the Institute, introduced: “After renovation, the building’s roof is covered with added photovoltaic panels, the outer walls are ‘dressed in a thermal insulation coat,’ solid waste is made into ecological soil, and even the fitness equipment is equipped with motion-powered power generation facilities.”
Currently, the park’s annual carbon emissions have been reduced to 250.08 tons. Du Song did a calculation: “The more than 3,500 square meters of photovoltaic panels in the park generate nearly 600,000 kWh of electricity annually, reducing carbon by more than 300 tons; in addition, more than 20 types of green plants with strong carbon sequestration capacity have been selected and planted, achieving nearly 3 tons of annual ecological carbon sequestration. Offsetting the carbon emissions, there is still a surplus of more than 50 tons.”
In addition, the Institute has developed a smart operation and maintenance platform that monitors the electricity consumption and water consumption of each building in real time, and achieves energy balance through intelligent regulation.
“The park has 60 smart electricity meters and water meters, and the relevant data are connected to the smart operation and maintenance platform.” Du Song said, in addition to real-time monitoring to help promptly identify abnormalities and reduce losses, the platform can also proactively intervene based on the situation. “For example, relying on the personnel monitoring function, the air conditioning system can automatically shut down when a room is empty.”
Lu Yunxiang introduced that the Institute is working to create a replicable overall solution for zero-carbon parks and an intelligent carbon control technology system. “In the future, we will continue to upgrade the smart operation and maintenance platform, improve the accuracy of energy consumption monitoring and intervention, and further integrate smart carbon control into daily operations.”

Issue Coordinator for this edition: Chen Zhen (陈震)

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Bottom-Line Guarantees and Upward Striving (People's Forum)

By: 尹双红

Two recent news items evoke quite a feeling of emotion.

One is that the "airborne school bus" for mountain children has a new addition. In the Nizhu River Grand Canyon (尼珠河大峡谷) in Xuanwei (宣威), Qujing, Yunnan, the 288-meter vertical cliff elevator "Fuyao Stair" (扶摇梯) was put into operation, standing side by side with the "Qingyun Stair" (青云梯) that was put into use in 2022. In the past, the school journey took three hours; now, the trip has been shortened to 30 minutes. The children's feelings have changed from "quite bitter" to "pretty cool."

The other item is a "godly reply" from a "little bro." A little boy from a mountain village in Mianyang, Sichuan, shared his daily life on a social platform. A netizen left a message of encouragement: "Kid, study hard, strive to walk out of the great mountains." The little bro replied calmly, "You can go out by bus." The heavy narrative of "walking out of the great mountains" in the traditional context has been quietly rewritten. Netizens exclaimed, "This is the meaning of development."

These two matters are not big, but the warmth of people's livelihood they contain is very intense.

In the past, deep mountains and gorges were synonymous with isolation and backwardness, places people desperately wanted to break free from. Today, every village has road access, logistics are reachable, and network coverage is complete; even remote mountain villages can enjoy the conveniences of modernization. Tens of thousands of families have achieved a transformation in their lives, reaping "steady happiness."

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In the people's good life, no ethnic group, no family, no individual can be left behind." The elevator on the cliff, the child's innocent reply — these are the concretization of the people's livelihood commitment.

This brings to mind the "cutoff line" (斩杀线) phenomenon in some countries. In China, there is another term: "bottom-line guarantee" (兜底线).

To ensure and improve people's livelihood, "emphasize guaranteeing the basics and securing the bottom line"; to improve the multi-tiered social security system, it requires "securing the bottom line, weaving a dense net, and establishing mechanisms"; to raise the quality of people's lives, it focuses on "strengthening inclusive, basic, and bottom-line people's livelihood construction"...

Placing "bottom-line guarantee" (兜底) in an important position time and again, anchoring efforts on the weakest points of people's livelihood, reveals precisely the firm stance on the development path that "not a single person can be left behind" and the value orientation that "people's livelihood is paramount."

In Mujing Township (木井乡), She County (涉县), Hebei, villager Han Haiming (韩海明) once suffered from a serious illness; two surgeries cost over 100,000 yuan. The local authorities listed him as a monitoring target for preventing return to poverty or falling into poverty, and tailored a support plan for him. His family not only avoided becoming impoverished due to illness, but their living conditions also improved.

Now, the "monitoring network" in various places is being woven tighter, and the bottom-line guarantee measures are becoming more solid and powerful. As long as the "Han Haimings" fall into difficulties in life, they will be promptly discovered and precisely assisted, stabilizing their lives and regaining their motivation.

Not a single person can be left behind, not a single region can fall behind!

To facilitate the travel of the masses in the old revolutionary base areas, the Beijing-Kowloon Railway and the Nanchang-Ganzhou High-Speed Railway 不约而同 (bù yuē ér tóng - "without prior agreement but acting uniformly," to happen coincidentally) "took a detour," pulling Xingguo (兴国) in Jiangxi, once mired in poverty, into the "fast lane" of development. To let people in remote deep mountains enjoy light, even if the investment in related power construction is difficult to recover, electricity is still delivered to the edges of cliffs and dangerous peaks...

To make up for the "short boards" of people's livelihood inch by inch, to weave the "safety net" stitch by stitch, Chinese-style modernization never makes a choice of "eliminating anyone," but rather supports with all efforts, without setting an endpoint.

The national student aid policy ensures that every student, "as long as they pass the exam, they can afford to study"; the multi-tiered housing security system is continuously improved to better meet the housing needs of new citizens and disadvantaged groups; a basic medical security system with the largest scale in the world has been established, relying on serious illness assistance and centralized drug procurement to significantly reduce medical burdens...

Each of these institutionalized and normalized guarantees provides a steady bottom-line support. They not only help solve temporary difficulties, but also let a concept 深入人心 (shēn rù rén xīn - "enter deep into people's hearts," to be deeply rooted in people's minds): On the road of struggle, one is not alone; the Party and the state are always a reliable backing.

Of course, bottom-line guarantee is not about doing everything for the people, but about removing worries from behind, and maximizing the stimulation of endogenous motivation.

Now, there is a "safety net" for bottom-line guarantee and a "climbing ladder" for upward mobility. Hundreds of millions of people running with full strength toward their dreams will surely turn the grand vision into a beautiful reality.

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Community Micro-Employment: Services at Your Doorstep (Stable Employment · My Job Search Story)

By: 本报记者 王 沛

Inside the Party-mass service center of Xishanju Community (溪山居社区), Licheng District (历城区), Jinan City, Shandong Province, a classroom emits melodious tunes. The students are diligently practicing the guzheng, and the teacher Zhang Hanyu (张瀚予) occasionally steps forward to guide them.

In 2022, Zhang Hanyu moved into Xishanju Community. “I used to teach guzheng elsewhere, but moved here because of family reasons,” Zhang Hanyu said. “At that time, my child was young, so I did not immediately look for a new job.”

As the child grew older, Zhang Hanyu had more time and began considering re-employment near the community. “I didn’t know the area or the people, so finding a job was not easy,” Zhang Hanyu frankly admitted.

In 2023, Shandong launched and implemented the “Community Micro-Employment” action (社区微业行动), relying on the community to coordinate micro-employment, micro-entrepreneurship, micro-organization, micro-skills, and micro-services, and promoting the integrated construction of a “15-minute employment service circle plus a quarter-hour convenient living circle.”

“We leverage the community’s strengths to precisely survey enterprise hiring needs and the employment needs of key groups, facilitating accurate matching between people and positions,” said Wang Dong (王栋), Party branch secretary of Xishanju Community. In recent years, the human resources and social security departments of Jinan City have promoted efficient matching of employment supply and demand through precise services using the “four alignments” (四个对接): aligning with enterprise hiring, aligning with key groups, aligning with training institutions, and aligning with market resources.

During a door-to-door visit, a community grid worker learned that Zhang Hanyu had employment needs, so they entered the relevant information into Jinan’s “Quanjinye (泉就业)” employment service platform. Because Zhang Hanyu’s guzheng expertise matched the residents’ cultural needs, the grid worker encouraged her to start a guzheng studio in the community.

At first, Zhang Hanyu was uncertain: “I had never started a business before — could I really do it?” Community staff introduced relevant support policies, set aside a room in the Party-mass service center as a zero-rent maker space, and also helped with promotion and outreach, helping Zhang Hanyu take the first step.

“I first offered free public-interest classes, and the residents’ participation enthusiasm was very high — the slots filled up quickly,” Zhang Hanyu said. The public-interest classes focused on basic knowledge, and after 10 class hours, students could play a few simple pieces, receiving good feedback. Everyone also agreed that Zhang Hanyu should add paid advanced classes to allow more people to study in depth.

Now, Zhang Hanyu continues to offer public-interest classes on one hand, and on the other hand has attracted more than ten people to join the advanced classes. “Balancing child care and teaching, I feel a stronger sense of belonging in Jinan,” Zhang Hanyu said.

Today, community micro-employment has spread throughout Shandong: Linyi conducts intangible cultural heritage training, teaching characteristic skills such as Linshu willow weaving (临沭柳编) and Tancheng erhu (郯城二胡); Weifang innovatively builds community entrepreneurship platforms, developing 110 entrepreneurial projects such as “Entrepreneurial Handicraft Workshop” and “Small Repairs and Minor Fixes”; Zaozhuang cultivates labor brands such as “Longteng Handicrafts (龙腾手造),” driving more than 500 people to work from home; Rizhao innovates composite training in “e-commerce + skills” and “entrepreneurship + skills,” benefiting more than 30,000 person-times...

A responsible person from the Shandong Provincial Department of Human Resources and Social Security said: “Community micro-employment fully leverages regional advantages and characteristics. All localities adapt measures to local conditions and follow the trend to introduce implementation plans. The province, cities, counties, townships, and villages act in a five-tier linkage, securing the bottom line of people’s livelihoods.” Currently, Shandong has established over 10,000 community employment service stations, cumulatively helping more than 1.7 million urban unemployed people achieve re-employment.

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100-Day 10-Million Recruitment Drive Offers Over 80,000 Job Openings

This newspaper Beijing, August 11 (Reporter Qiu Chaoyi (邱超奕)). The reporter learned from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部) that from August 10 to 16, the “Hundred-Day, Ten-Thousand Recruitment” special campaign (百日千万招聘专项行动) launched four online recruitment special sessions for the power and new energy, cross-border e-commerce, transportation, and internet industries, with a total of over 7,700 employers participating and recruitment demand of over 80,000 person-times.

The power and new energy industry session organized 243 employers including Shen’ai Semiconductor (深爱半导体), Yonglian Technology (永联科技), and Wanbao Energy (万宝能源), providing positions such as battery R&D engineer, technical support engineer, and materials engineer, with a recruitment demand of over 15,000 person-times; the cross-border e-commerce industry session organized 3,000 employers including Jiaxing Jixing Network Technology Co., Ltd. (嘉兴吉星网络技术有限公司), providing positions such as foreign trade clerk, cross-border e-commerce operations specialist, sales representative, and business supervisor, with a recruitment demand of 30,000 person-times; the transportation industry session organized 162 employers including Beijing Public Transport Group (北京公交集团) and COSCO Shipping, providing positions such as customs affairs supervisor, hardware engineer, logistics safety officer, and automation system designer, with a recruitment demand of over 3,000 person-times; the internet industry session organized 4,346 employers including Tencent and Baidu, providing positions such as AI strategy product manager, multimodal large model algorithm expert, and embedded development engineer, with a recruitment demand of 32,000 person-times.

At 7:00 p.m. on August 13, the “Employment Online” (就业在线) platform will carry out the “Human Resources and Social Security (Employment) Director Enters the Livestream Room” live-streaming job promotion activity. Relevant responsible persons for employment work from the Human Resources and Social Security Departments of Shanxi Province, Shandong Province, and Henan Province will be guests in the livestream room. The activity organizes employers from industries such as manufacturing, transportation, warehousing and postal services, information transmission, software and information technology services, and education to participate, providing positions such as algorithm engineer, intelligentization engineer, mechanical engineer, laboratory analyst, administrative specialist, and teacher.

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Photo Report

In recent years, Kunming City, Yunnan, has systematically consolidated the spaces beneath urban bridges, fully revitalizing idle public resources and creating a batch of urban micro-spaces with ecological landscapes, leisure and recreation, and fitness functions. While continuously optimizing the urban spatial structure, it has also steadily enriched the supply of public services, creating livable and convenient living scenarios for citizens.

The picture shows citizens playing basketball under the Xiyuan Overpass in Kunming City on August 11.

Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Wang Guansen (王冠森)

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Page One Editors: Hu Anqi, Zhang Shuaizhen, Luan Xinyi; Page Two Editors: Lyu Li, Guo Xueyan, Cui Bin; Page Three Editors: Han Xiaoming, Jiang Bo, Guan Haoyu; Page Four Editors: Liu Nian, Han Chunyao, Zhang Xueyan

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Strengthening the "Cultural Heart" of the Millennium Porcelain Capital (Connected Commentator)

Zhou Shanshan: Commentator of this newspaper; Zou Pei: Commentator of Jiangxi Daily

Zhou Shanshan: Not long ago, the "Jingdezhen Handmade Porcelain Industry Remains (景德镇手工瓷业遗存)" was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List, filling a gap in the List's "porcelain" theme. With conservation spanning nearly half a century and the nomination process lasting 11 years, moving from a "series of kiln sites (系列窑址)" to a "cultural landscape (文化景观)," what is the major value of Jingdezhen's successful nomination?

Zou Pei: In 2015, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important directive, pointing the way for advancing the conservation of the porcelain industry remains and cultural heritage centered on the Imperial Kiln Factory (御窑厂) site. The "Jingdezhen Handmade Porcelain Industry Remains" are not isolated artifacts or static sites, but a complete industrial system encompassing raw material extraction, production and manufacture, transport and trade, and urban life. Forty-five heritage points and 1,979 hectares of heritage area link together the brilliance of the porcelain industry across the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, bearing witness to the far-reaching impact of Chinese porcelain-making technology on world civilization.

Practicing the living conservation concept of "seeing people, seeing objects, seeing life (见人、见物、见生活)," Jingdezhen has fully preserved the urban fabric of the porcelain city integrating "kilns, workshops, residences, and thoroughfares." For example, in Taoyangli (陶阳里), the community, heritage area, and scenic area are "three zones in one"; 240 commercial spaces have been revitalized and utilized, and more than 3,000 original resident households still live there, retaining the most authentic market vitality and humanistic heritage of the porcelain capital. Nominating a "full-industry-chain civilization complex (全产业链文明综合体)" for World Heritage status is both a breakthrough in the understanding of world heritage value and a precise interpretation of the uniqueness of porcelain civilization.

Zhou Shanshan: One piece of porcelain carries a cultural lineage; one city moves toward renewal. After Jingdezhen's successful nomination, how should it continue to do a good job in conservation, inheritance, and utilization? What new opportunities and new challenges does it face in the systematic conservation of cultural heritage?

Zou Pei: Successful nomination means that the conservation, inheritance, and utilization of porcelain industry cultural heritage has entered a completely new stage, and it is even more necessary to properly answer the era's proposition of "protecting but not 束之高阁 (shù zhī gāo gé - "tie up and place on a high shelf," to shelve something and ignore it), utilizing but not overconsuming."

The best protection is the 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - "live and grow without ceasing," continuous regeneration) living inheritance. Promote productive conservation of the traditional "72-step porcelain-making process," maintain the normal operation of ancient kilns such as Xujia Kiln (徐家窑) for firing, fully preserve the living inheritance scene of handmade porcelain-making; actively guide original residents and communities to deeply participate in heritage conservation and governance, embed old kiln sites, old alleyways, and old neighborhoods into the urban fabric and integrate them into daily life; rely on digital technology to activate and interpret the thousand-year porcelain civilization, making ancient porcelain-making techniques accessible to the public... Jingdezhen is building a whole-region heritage cultural tourism system, deepening the entire porcelain IP industrial chain.

The most precious wealth is people. Jingdezhen has gathered more than 3,400 intangible cultural heritage inheritors, over 100,000 young makers, and more than 60,000 "Jingpiao (景漂)" (people who drift to Jingdezhen). Their 守正创新 (shǒu zhèng chuàng xīn - "uphold integrity and innovate," to maintain core principles while pursuing innovation) will continue to polish this golden signboard of World Heritage and inject inexhaustible vitality into the city's development.

Zhou Shanshan: Historically, Jingdezhen rose because its soil and water were suitable for porcelain-making. But when traditional porcelain clay resources became unsustainable and state-owned porcelain factories closed one after another, it was listed among the second batch of resource-exhausted cities, and urban development also fell into growing pains. How can a city that has relied on a single industry for a thousand years break out of its predicament after resource depletion?

Zou Pei: Cultural resources are an 取之不竭 (qǔ zhī bù jié - "take without end," inexhaustible) treasure trove for a city. Jingdezhen broke away from the traditional path dependence of "digging porcelain clay, firing porcelain," deeply tapped core cultural resources such as porcelain-making techniques and porcelain folk customs, extended business formats, broadened scenes, and amplified value through the "ceramics+" model, forging a path of sustainable development.

The Taoxichuan (陶溪川) cultural and creative block, transformed on the site of old porcelain factories, preserves the original appearance of remains such as old chimneys and industrial workshops, introduces business formats such as ceramic workshops, art exhibitions, and tea-and-coffee experiences, and creates distinctive public spaces. Last year, it attracted nearly 3 million visitors. In addition, Jingdezhen has pushed advanced ceramics into new tracks such as communications electronics, aerospace, and biomedical, enhancing competitiveness through high-end and intelligent development. Last year, the total output value of Jingdezhen's ceramic industry surpassed 100 billion yuan for the first time, with the output value of advanced ceramics represented by new materials accounting for over one-third of that total.

Zhou Shanshan: Relying on its thousand-year porcelain culture, Jingdezhen has forged a diversified transformation path of "traditional ceramics + creative cultural innovation + advanced ceramics + international cultural tourism," but it also faces many practical challenges. How can it achieve the sustainability of the cultural lineage, the self-hematopoiesis of industry, and the sharing of benefits by citizens, so that the "thousand-year porcelain capital" forever retains its youth?

Zou Pei: The cultural lineage lies in people; inheritance lies in the heart. The key to protecting and inheriting cultural heritage well is to make the people participants and beneficiaries of cultural heritage conservation.

In urban renewal, Jingdezhen rejects over-commercialization and homogenized development, defines a baseline for revitalization, retains original residents and original business formats, and simultaneously advances improvement of people's livelihoods, so that residents can live and work happily in their old homes. It creates entrepreneurship platforms of "creative market + incubation base + industrial park" and introduces talent policies, so that "Jingpiao" are not only willing to come but also able to take root, forming an ecology where original residents, entrepreneurs, artists, and tourists 共生共荣 (gòng shēng gòng róng - "coexist and prosper together," symbiotic prosperity), achieving deep integration of culture, industry, and people's livelihoods.

Zhou Shanshan: Jingdezhen's exploration is a vivid practice of humanities economics (人文经济学). The systematic conservation of cultural heritage is essentially about keeping a "cultural heart" beating in the city. When that heart beats, it will continuously deliver vitality to industry, to people's livelihoods, and to the future. Adhering to sharing by the people and multi-party co-governance, transforming heritage from a "specimen" into "life" and from a "scenic spot" into "home," the weight of history becomes the confidence for development, and the warmth of tradition can ignite the spark of innovation. Only by "developing within conservation and conserving within development," and better achieving a two-way journey between the continuity of cultural lineage and long-term development, can we truly realize that a city makes life better and culture makes the city more moving.

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No Fear of Trouble Leads to Good Governance (People Talk: Understanding, Engaging, and Serving the Grassroots ②)

Grassroots work involves a myriad of complex and tangled threads, testing the ability and level of cadres to solve difficult problems. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Only by not fearing trouble can there be good governance." In this installment of Everybody's Talk, we have selected three contributions for publication, to think together with our broad readership about how to better turn the troublesome matters of the masses into heartwarming affairs.
——Editor

Skilled at "Water-Grinding Effort"
Shi Qingbo (施清波), Chengdu City, Sichuan Province

Bean curd is a food beloved by many families in the Sichuan region. Among the several small shops I frequent, one makes bean curd that is exceptionally delicious, fine, smooth, and tender, with a rich bean aroma. Upon asking in detail, I learned it is ground using a water mill. When asked about the method, the shopkeeper said, "Grind it fine, and the bean curd you make will be smooth enough." Thinking it over carefully, doesn't doing good grassroots work also require putting in a certain kind of "water-grinding effort" (水磨功夫 - shuǐ mó gōngfu - "water-grinding effort," painstaking and meticulous work)?

Putting in "water-grinding effort" requires patience. Grassroots work covers many points and a wide scope. Blocked sewers, the need to clean up clutter in hallways, conflicts arising between neighbors — these troublesome matters are also the concerns of the masses and contain "major aspects of people's livelihood." Fear trouble, and nothing gets done. Not fearing trouble, even "seeking trouble" and "being willing to take on trouble," turning passive response into proactive service — this is an attitude of being responsible to the masses.

"Water-grinding effort" is also embodied in the meticulousness of being 锱铢必较 (zī zhū bì jiào - "quibble over every penny," to be meticulous about even the smallest details). Previously, I was in charge of the real estate registration work for the centralized residential area of farmers in the town; the boundaries of a single plot of homestead land often had to be measured repeatedly, and the information of one household needed to be checked and verified time and again. Some people lamented, this job is too "grinding." But I deeply understand that for the masses, every centimeter on the blueprint relates to their切身利益 (vital interests) and also to their trust in the cadres. Be meticulous even in small matters; show a sense of public duty even in the tiniest details. Serving the people means not being perfunctory, not playing tricks, and being as detailed as possible.

Patience and meticulousness, in the final analysis, are manifestations of responsibility. Keep responsibility in your heart and shoulder it; put in the "water-grinding effort" well, and work will surely make progress.

Strive to Be Effective in Handling Affairs
Hu Jinchuan (胡锦川), Guigang City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region

A while ago, when our village was building drainage channels, because the budget was exceeded, the plan was submitted several times but failed to pass. Everyone was anxiously running around in circles, held several meetings, but still got no result. Later, someone said: "You can't figure it out just sitting in the room; go out and see how others are doing it." Investigation revealed that the drainage ditches in front of and behind the houses of several households were cleverly dug, following the terrain, with several households sharing one outlet, saving labor and materials. Later, the new channel was modified following this approach; the cost was reduced, and the construction period was shortened. This shows that solutions lie among the masses.

To find solutions, the first thing is to "look at ourselves from within ourselves." Take the drainage channels: how to build them and how much to build depends on considering both the amount of funding available and the conditions of terrain, hydrology, and so on. Without clearly understanding the situation, it is naturally impossible to find the optimal solution under constrained conditions. To stop making decisions by patting the head, relying on intuition, or relying on experience, we must get a clear grasp of the actual situation by "getting our feet in the mud" and seek feasible solutions to problems by asking the masses for advice.

"Looking at ourselves from outside ourselves" is necessary to avoid 盲人摸象 (máng rén mō xiàng - "blind men feeling the elephant," to mistake a part for the whole). Take the development of industries at the grassroots level as an example; industrial scale is often not large, and the margin for error is small. When introducing new industries or new projects, it is necessary to keep the overall situation in mind while also integrating one's own actual conditions, and on the basis of avoiding homogeneous competition and leveraging comparative advantages, pursue differentiated development. This is also an inherent requirement of adapting measures to local conditions (因地制宜 yīn dì zhì yí - "adapt measures to local conditions").

Work is numerous and complex; on our shoulders lies a heavy burden of a thousand jun. Only by having a clear picture in mind can we achieve strategies in our chest and be effective in handling affairs.

Do a Good Job of the "Refinement Article"
Hou Tao (侯韬), Changsha City, Hunan Province

During a visit, I listened to a "master grain grower" share his insights: "If you want high yields, management must be meticulous. Seedling raising, transplanting, disease prevention, water regulation, fertilizer supplementation — each link cannot be taken lightly." Extensive management cannot yield high output; only meticulous management can bring a good harvest. From this, it occurs to me that doing good grassroots work also requires doing a good job of the "refinement article" (精细文章).

Refinement is a method. Only by investigating the situation in detail and identifying the crux of the problem accurately can the train of thought for solving the problem be clear, the countermeasures be solid, and the results be evident. When a certain subdistrict encountered a "NIMBY" problem while promoting a key power project, some among the masses requested adjusting the route of the power lines. The subdistrict did not handle it simplistically but instead listened to opinions household by household, listed items one by one, and pushed for resolution item by item. As each problem was solved, the attitude of the masses gradually changed, and the project was completed and put into operation on schedule. By using refined work methods, we can resolve more dilemmas and multi-difficulty problems in the course of repeated communication and handling each case one by one.

Refinement is also an orientation. My subdistrict is located in an urban-rural fringe zone, where an industrial park, residential communities, and rural areas coexist. In the past, the same set of assessment indicators was used to manage everything uniformly. It looked neat and uniform on the surface, but in reality, it was often like using the wrong measuring stick. Later, we focused on 量体裁衣 (liàng tǐ cái yī - "cut the garment according to the figure," act according to actual circumstances), turning "one examination paper" into "multiple measuring sticks." As a result, the frequency of village-level inspections and the amount of ledger materials were also reduced, and grassroots cadres changed from "revolving around forms" to "revolving around the masses." When assessments are more refined, responsibilities are clearer, and the energy of the grassroots level can truly be directed to the right points.

Refinement is not about lowering standards, nor is it about engaging in "pedantic trivialism"; it is about seeing differences under a unified goal and responding to those differences. Only by grasping the situation more accurately and doing work more meticulously can we ensure that our work is both efficient and warm.

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Promoting Better Lives Through Responsible Technology (On-Site Commentary)

By: 季觉苏

Two scenes from the interview are unforgettable.

In the Shimin New Village (市民新村) residential area of Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict (半淞园路街道), Huangpu District, Shanghai, four old buildings built in the 1950s have been renovated and renewed. From sharing kitchens and toilets among several households to installing elevators and remodeling kitchens and bathrooms, the residents' lives are becoming more comfortable day by day.

At the 2026 World Intelligence Congress and High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, facing the opportunities and challenges posed by the development of artificial intelligence, President Xi Jinping put forward a China solution that upholds the concept of "people-first, striving upward and toward goodness" (秉持以人为本、向上向善理念).

The two scenes — one touching the everyday life deep inside the alleyways, the other touching the frontier of human civilization — may span from bidding farewell to carrying chamber pots to embracing the age of intelligence, yet their inner logic is consistent, namely that "the essence of modernization is the modernization of people."

Since modern times, Shanghai has always stood at the intersection of technological change and urban transformation. Waves of development have pushed urban construction to new heights and also lifted the quality of life to new levels.

Today, artificial intelligence is once again pushing open the door to the future. In laboratories, intelligent agents participate in scientific research; on production lines, robots work collaboratively with workers; at Yangshan Port, intelligent systems dispatch tens of thousands of containers; in communities, voice assistants deliver health reminders to elderly people living alone, and AI social workers assist grassroots staff in handling residents' demands… Computing power, algorithms, and data empower thousands of industries and facilitate the daily lives of the people, manifesting the greatest value of technological innovation — "benefiting the people" (造福于民).

The people are not only beneficiaries of urban development but also participants, creators, and evaluators. Only by centering on the people and insisting that technology strive upward and toward goodness can we ensure that innovation outcomes cross the gaps of region, community, and development to benefit more people.

Consider Shimin New Village. Old housing renovation, renewal of aging buildings — space is cramped, demands are diverse — what to do? Shanghai insists on "one household, one policy" (一户一策), advancing household by household in consultation, building by building in implementation, and area by area in renewal. The wishes of the masses are incorporated into the plans, the wisdom of the neighbors converges into governance, and the effectiveness of the renovation is left for the residents to judge. A single independent kitchen or bathroom is limited in floor space, but its weight is great — inside it are packed the ordinary family's hopes for a better life, the technological support that empowers quality of life, and the correct view of political achievement that runs relay race one leg after another (一棒接着一棒跑). Today, the elderly go upstairs more easily, children have more activity space, and residents can buy groceries, discuss affairs, and rest right at their doorstep — urban development combines height with warmth.

In today's China, social development and the technological revolution unfold simultaneously, and improvements in people's livelihoods and industrial progress spur each other on. On rural rooftops, photovoltaic "tiles" are spread; on the old brick walls of ancient towns, sensors for monitoring health conditions are embedded; through "water-and-electricity guardianship" (水电守护), non-intrusive monitoring and intelligent analysis of the daily living data of elderly people living alone or without family are carried out… Persisting in measuring the scale of people's livelihoods with the precision of technology, and reshaping the "people-city-industry" relationship through systemic innovation, the achievements of high-quality development are increasingly transformed into dividends that enhance the sense of gain, the sense of happiness, and the sense of security. In this sense, the vitality of developing toward the new and climbing toward the heights comes from the sharpness to dare to enter new tracks and the tenacity to overcome old difficulties, but fundamentally it comes from the wisdom and courage of hundreds of millions of people in creating a better life.

As technology advances, the people remain supreme. When cutting-edge technology and ordinary people's livelihoods converge in one city, we can better understand "Chinese-style modernization, with people's livelihoods as the foremost priority" (中国式现代化，民生为大). This is precisely the people's livelihood exam that we must continue to write well.

(The author is a reporter from the Shanghai branch of this newspaper.)

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Photo Report

The Three Gorges Water Transport New Channel commenced construction, the Luoju Water Control Project (落久水利枢纽) in Guangxi passed completion acceptance, and the Second Phase of the Yangtze-to-Huaihe Water Diversion Project’s Hefei Water Source Project entered trial operation… Since the beginning of this year, China has accelerated the construction of a modern water network. In the first half of the year, a total of 515.1 billion yuan was completed in water conservancy construction investment. At present, the coverage of the national water network accounts for 80.3% of the national land area, and the capability to ensure water security is continuously improving.

This is exactly:
Modern water network woven denser again,
Flood control and drought resistance turn danger into safety.
A thousand li of clear waves flow smoothly away,
Fertile fields thrive, production flourishes, moistening the great land.
Xu Zhiwen

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Let the vibrant night market atmosphere rise in an orderly manner (Across the Board)

By: 谭 敏

Since the start of summer, night markets across various places have opened one after another. From Liuzhou river snail noodles to Wuhan crayfish, night markets with strong regional characteristics are not just places to fill one's stomach, but also vivid city name cards.

The booming night markets inject vitality into cities, but at the same time they concentrate and amplify pain points such as traffic, environment, and public security. How to find a balance between urban order and the people's livelihood fireworks?

The nighttime consumption market is linked on one end to people's livelihood and employment, and on the other to economic vitality. Nowadays, night markets have transcended the mere function of dining and are evolving into leisure spaces that integrate cultural creativity and intangible cultural heritage displays, building a low-threshold entrepreneurship platform for ordinary people. Blocking is not as good as channeling; only through standardized development can we catch the dreams of ordinary entrepreneurs and preserve the thick fireworks atmosphere of the marketplace.

More and more cities regulate and guide through delineating business areas and specifying business hours. Zhengzhou has increased the number of convenience guidance points in the city to 116, guiding mobile vendors to "withdraw from the streets and enter shops, guide stalls into the market"; Nanjing's Maigaoqiao (迈皋桥) night market has optimized business hours to stagger traffic peaks. With standardized night market management, vendors operate with more peace of mind, and consumers are more comfortable.

The multi-stakeholder governance model is reshaping the night market ecology. For example, management sets requirements and establishes standards; Yunnan Pu'er Simao (思茅) night market has delineated business boundaries, strictly prohibiting the occupation of motor vehicle lanes and fire access routes; the self-management of stall owners also follows in tandem; Nanjing's Maigaoqiao night market has divided into 12 business self-governance units, with stall owner representatives forming a temporary management committee to implement a rotating inspection system.

Optimizing night market governance, in essence, is to find the greatest common divisor within the framework of the rule of law. Only when the wisdom of the governors resonates at the same frequency with the self-motivation of the stall owners can this wisp of heart-soothing fireworks burn longer and brighter.

(Excerpted and compiled from Guangzhou Daily, originally titled "Feeling the 'Governance of the City' Amidst the Fireworks Atmosphere")

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Optimizing the tourism environment knows no "off-peak or peak season" (Micro Perspective)

By: 常言道

Some internet-famous rafting projects have river courses that are not repaired, with hidden reefs densely scattered, and incidents of tourists capsizing and getting injured occur from time to time; some scenic spots have engaged in vulgar marketing that skirts the edge of the law, and the relevant enterprises have been ordered to suspend operations for rectification; another batch of scenic spots have had their AAA ratings revoked for failing to meet standards... During the peak summer tourism season, problems at some scenic spots have been exposed by the media. Optimizing the tourism environment and filling the gaps in scenic area management remain a formidable task with a long way to go.

The recently issued "15th Five-Year Plan for Building a Strong Tourism Country" proposes that by 2030, the high-quality development of the tourism industry will achieve significant results, and the tourism satisfaction of the people will continue to improve. Achieving such a goal requires every scenic spot to put in real effort in terms of hardware quality, visitor experience, safety management, and other aspects, and to neglect no detail, no matter how small.

Tourist satisfaction often depends on whether scenic area operators and managers can put themselves in the tourists' shoes.

For example, Yellow Crane Tower Park, Mount Qingcheng-Dujiangyan Scenic Area, and others have abolished reservation requirements, allowing visitors to purchase tickets and enter on the spot at any time as long as the number of tourists does not exceed the maximum carrying capacity. Such a small measure of "doing subtraction" avoids the anxiety of booking tickets in advance and the frustration of arriving to find no availability, saving tourists' time costs.

In recent years, many cities have become famous due to food, ice and snow, or sports events. The reason they have been able to maintain a good reputation is that they treat every visitor sincerely. What tourists want is a safe, comfortable, and satisfactory experience. Those who can meet this simple expectation will be able to turn traffic into "retention" and activate the cultural and tourism market.

When the influx of tourists arrives, does one seize the opportunity to lower standards and make quick money, or maintain quality and build lasting reputation? This tests the foresight and determination of tourism operators.

For example, this summer, Zhangjiajie continues to strictly implement time-phased flow control for its core scenic areas, controlling daily visitor numbers below the carrying capacity ceiling; scenic spots in more than ten provinces have introduced ticket reduction or exemption policies for graduates of the high school and college entrance examinations, exchanging "ticket subtraction" for comprehensive "consumption addition" across the region. It may seem that limiting flow means "earning less," and offering free tickets is even "earning nothing," but precisely because they are not calculating short-term gains but rather long-term brand reputation and word-of-mouth, they have won the heartfelt recognition of tourists.

The reputation of a scenic spot is built up over time through daily accumulation and requires long-term sedimentation, but it can be destroyed in just one peak tourist season. Calibrating one's mindset, treating every peak season as a major test of quality rather than a window for cashing in, and resisting the impulse for short-term profit with the determination of long-termism, advancing step by step each day and persisting over time, can turn "first-time visitors" into "repeat visitors" and turn a temporary internet-famous attraction into a lasting tourism brand.

Tourism safety is the bottom line, and efforts must be made in normal times. Recently, many regions have carried out special governance of the tourism market, closely monitoring safety production in scenic spots, improving emergency response plans, and continuing to publicly expose cases of violations. This reminds us that the tourism market has a long chain and many links, from facility maintenance to personnel training, from visitor flow early warning to emergency plans—any laxity in a single link could lead to an accident.

The summer season coincides with the flood season, and extreme weather is frequent. It is precisely at such times that we must strengthen bottom-line thinking. By deducing the situation under the most unfavorable conditions, imagining risks at their greatest, embedding systems into daily routines, and turning rules into habits, we can effectively prevent and mitigate risks, nipping hidden dangers in the bud.

There is no distinction between "off-season and peak season" in optimizing the tourism environment. Only by persistently and tirelessly improving the experience, enhancing quality, and ensuring safety, and striving for excellence, can we ensure that every tourist arrives with high spirits and leaves with satisfaction. When scenic spots and tourists engage in a mutually beneficial interaction of two-way commitment, the future of the high-quality development of the cultural and tourism industry will be even more promising.

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Li Haoran, Zhang Fan, Chang Jin

This edition's email: rmrbpl@peopledaily.cn (Please indicate the column name when submitting manuscripts).

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New scenes and new experiences make summer cultural tourism vibrant (Exploring Summer Consumption)

By: 本报记者 杨颜菲 潘俊强 刘佳华

Seeking a sound sleep in a cool forest, enjoying a moment of leisure on a breezy terrace, tasting the city's living fire in a bustling night market... The hot weather gives rise to unique consumer demands, and also brings new development opportunities. Leveraging their resource endowments and combining them with the consumption characteristics of the summer period, localities 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - "adapt measures to local conditions") create new consumption scenarios, cultivate new cultural tourism business formats, and activate new growth drivers.

Dreaming in the forest, "sleeping" into a new health and wellness business format

"Deep sleep duration 2 hours 46 minutes, sleep score 92 points." At the Sleep Experience Center of Nanyuan Homestay (南源民宿) in Zixi County (资溪县), Fuzhou City (抚州市), Jiangxi Province, Shanghai tourist Li Fanyang (李帆扬) woke up and received his sleep health report, with detailed data on deep sleep duration, heart rate, respiratory frequency, etc. "Last night the room activated sleep mode, automatically adjusting environmental parameters such as brightness, temperature, and humidity. I fell asleep shortly after lying down – it's been a long time since I experienced such high-quality sleep," said Li Fanyang.

High-quality sleep is the first step in experiencing Zixi County's eco-health tourism. A forest coverage rate of 87.7% and an average of 30,000 negative oxygen ions per cubic centimeter endow the area with natural advantages for developing eco-health. In the early morning, jog along the Dajue Stream (大觉溪) ecological trail and exercise leisurely in the bamboo groves; at noon, taste health-preserving medicinal meals made from local ingredients such as lingzhi mushrooms and bamboo shoots; in the afternoon, try characteristic physiotherapy... Tourists can experience a rich health-preserving life amid the mountains and waters.

Young white-collar workers from Shanghai, Hangzhou, Shenzhen and elsewhere, silver-haired groups focused on health preservation, and parent-child families have become the main force in health consumption. "Previously, the most common question was what scenic spots are nearby; now it's more about how to book the sleep experience and how to arrange health-preserving itineraries," said Lin Tao (林涛), operator of Nanyuan Homestay. Every holiday, the homestay's over 100 rooms are basically fully booked.

"In the past, tourists came to Zixi mainly to see the mountains and waters; their stays were short and consumption relatively single," said Lin Tao. As health consumption demands continue to grow, the homestay uses the sleep experience as an entry point, integrates forest health, traditional Chinese medicine health and other projects, and launches one-stop health resort products, which are quite favored by consumers.

"Zixi transforms its ecological advantages into health products, promoting the transformation of the cultural tourism industry from 'selling scenery' to 'selling experiences' and 'selling lifestyles,'" introduced Zhou Meng (周萌), Party Secretary of the Zixi County Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau (资溪县文化旅游体育局). Focusing on 'sleep +', Zixi County cooperates with Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine (江西中医药大学) and others to create a digital sleep experience center, launch projects such as forest hiking, forest yoga, and eco-cycling, develop over 30 types of health-preserving medicinal meals, construct a heat-sensitive moxibustion hall and a traditional Chinese medicine life hall, and integrate special elements such as lingzhi, polygonatum (黄精), bamboo industry, and Zixi bread into health tourism activities. As of the end of May, Zixi County had cumulatively received 3.5858 million tourists this year, achieving total tourism revenue of 1.623 billion yuan.

Tourists slow down, and the countryside "comes alive." More and more villagers return home, making a living from the "ecological meal" at their doorstep. Wang Jianguo (王建国), a villager of Dajueshan Village (大觉山村) where Nanyuan Homestay is located, rents his old house to the homestay, earning an annual income of 10,000 yuan, works as a cleaner at the homestay with a monthly income of 3,000 yuan, plus income from his orchard, his annual income exceeds 50,000 yuan.

Wang Wen (王雯), Associate Professor at the School of Tourism, Nanchang University (南昌大学旅游学院), stated that Zixi's use of "getting a good night's sleep" as a breakthrough to develop comprehensive health reflects a new trend of forest health evolving from a niche experience to mass health consumption.

Terrace breeze, "blowing" in new leisure spaces

In the evening, a gentle breeze brushes the face. Stepping onto the terrace of the Guantan Art Space (观坛艺术空间) on the fifth floor of Hongqiao Market (红桥市场) in Beijing, art installations and the Temple of Heaven's Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, with sunset and rosy clouds, complement each other in a delightful scene. Tourist Liu Xiaoyang (刘晓阳) savors the desserts shaped like the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, and frequently raises her phone to capture the food and scenery. "Viewing the Temple of Heaven's Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests from the terrace has a particularly unique flavor," said Liu Xiaoyang.

Similar scenes are taking place on many terraces in Dongcheng District, Beijing. Last year, at the launch ceremony of the "Breeze Terrace Plan" (微风露台计划), Dongcheng District released the first batch of over 30 quality terraces and produced a check-in map guide. Consumers can follow the guide to savor the ancient charm of the city on breezy terraces and check in at scenic viewpoints; Guantan Art Space is one of them.

"Consumers value the beautiful scenery on the terrace, but care even more about the leisure experience of leaning on the railing. We have made targeted designs in our operations to create a new space for terrace consumption," said Ming Jing (明敬), head of Guantan Art Space. Sunset concerts, open-air plays, fashion shows... Guantan Art Space holds various cultural and artistic activities from time to time, and the food and drinks also incorporate elements of the Temple of Heaven.

Cultural sightseeing on the central axis, leisure experience in hutong alleys, trendy socializing in commercial districts – different terraces match different consumption characteristics. "In April this year, Dongcheng District launched about 300 terraces, attracting many citizens and tourists to check in and experience them. Terraces are becoming a cultural living room that can be viewed, paused at, and experienced," introduced Wang Tiefeng (王铁峰), Director of the Dongcheng District Culture and Tourism Bureau (东城区文化和旅游局). The terrace is one of Dongcheng District's characteristic cultural tourism consumption scenarios; it is not only an extension of existing consumption spaces but also displays the romance and poetry of the "courtyard in the sky."

How to keep the heat on the new consumption scenarios on terraces? Dongcheng District, through a model of "government guidance, platform empowerment, and financial support," builds a virtuous-cycle support ecosystem for merchants. Social platforms are responsible for online traffic generation and consumption conversion, setting up exclusive activity spaces; online travel platforms develop "accommodation + terrace" product packages and produce bilingual maps to expand inbound tourist sources; ride-hailing apps provide targeted travel subsidies to guide customer flow to stores; financial institutions offer multiple benefits including exclusive loans and consumption subsidies.

"Joining the 'Breeze Terrace Plan' means entering an ecosystem for continuous customer acquisition. Official launches, platform seeding, user visits, on-site consumption, photo sharing – a complete business loop is forming," said a terrace operator.

"We hope to make every single terrace a window for telling stories," said Wang Tiefeng. Next, Dongcheng District will continue to support the "Breeze Terrace Plan," making it grow from a single activity into a sustainably operated IP, better integrating and co-existing with social development.

Night market living fire, "stringing" together a new path of integration

As night falls, crowds pour in, and the lights of nearly 500 stalls gradually light up. The sounds of cooking, hawking, and laughter rise and fall in the Tawan Xingshun Night Market (塔湾兴顺夜市) in Huanggu District (皇姑区), Shenyang City, Liaoning Province.

"Look!" A "phoenix cry" raises many tourists' heads: an actor in splendid costume sits on a phoenix-shaped device, slowly gliding over the night market. On the open-air stage in the middle of the night market, cheerful songs and dances and lively folk performances take turns appearing; citizens and tourists below stop to watch and cheer from time to time.

"The match begins!" The large screen switches images, presenting the field of the Northeast Urban Football League ("Dongbei Chao"). The lively night market becomes the second venue for watching the "Dongbei Chao" matches. The tables are piled high with Northeast specialty foods: Shenyang grilled chicken frames, Benxi tofu skin, Anshan large oil edges... Football fan Li Jifeng (李继峰) exclaimed: "I never expected the atmosphere for watching the game at the night market is in no way inferior to the live venue. Food, drink, fun – all in one stop, so pleasant!"

Strolling while eating while watching – the fusion of cultural and sports consumption has become the new way for Tawan Xingshun Night Market to break out this summer. Kan Hongbo (阚红波), Deputy General Manager of Tawan Xingshun Night Market, introduced: "Currently, the night market has shed the single snack business format, covering specialty snacks, daily necessities, and amusement projects, complemented by a large dining area and over a thousand parking spaces, becoming a one-stop comprehensive nighttime consumption space." This night market, opened in 2015, has cumulatively received over 63 million tourists and has become a benchmark of Shenyang's night economy, driving employment for over 2,000 people.

Having worked in the night market for 10 years, Chen Chen (陈忱), a stall owner selling grilled cold noodles, has witnessed its transformation. From an initial open-air mobile cart to a fixed stall with a rain cover, business is thriving. "In recent years, the night market's offerings have become richer, the popularity has soared, and our income has risen along with it," said Chen Chen.

A relevant official from the Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Commerce (沈阳市商务局) introduced that currently Shenyang has 58 key night economy blocks, over 150 characteristic consumption scenarios, and more than 50,000 business establishments covering multiple business formats. At the same time, leveraging the heat of the "Dongbei Chao" matches, Shenyang has laid out 140 "second venues" for matches across the city, fully connecting commercial districts, night markets, and scenic area resources. During the first three matches of "Dongbei Chao", the "second venues" cumulatively received 2.743 million tourists, achieving revenue of over 250 million yuan.

"Nighttime is a period for citizens to relax and unwind. On one hand, night markets gather people with snacks, retain them with experiences, and stick them with culture; on the other hand, night markets gather the living fire of daily life, concentrate urban taste and style, and are a window to showcase consumption vitality and tourism heat," believes Li Zheng (李政), Dean of the School of Economics, Liaoning University (辽宁大学经济学院). "We must adhere to specialization, standardization, and integration to create differentiated scenarios; at the same time, improve supporting facilities, refine policies, promote the linkage of tourism, shopping, and entertainment, and release new consumption momentum."

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"Industrial Brain" Guards the Crisp Plums (County Development in Focus)

By: 本报记者 王欣悦

In the early morning, the mist over both banks of the Wu Gorge had not yet dispersed. Zhou Chuanju (周传菊), a fruit grower in Quanfa Village (权发村), Quchi Township (曲尺乡), Wushan County, Chongqing, tapped open the mini-program "Li Hao Production Technology Smart Application Platform" (李好生产技术智慧运用平台). "Ding——" A warning message popped up: "Current orchard may experience a breakout of fruit borer. Please pay attention to prevention and control. Risk level: two stars." Below it was attached a video, clearly explaining the timing of pesticide application, the mixing ratio, and the key parts to treat.

Stepping into Zhou Chuanju's crisp plum orchard, the emerald green branches were bent under the weight of the fruit. Beneath the trees were buried soil sensors, and beside them stood a micro weather station, collecting data on temperature, humidity, wind speed, sunlight, soil moisture, and other parameters day and night. This set of Internet of Things devices turned the state of each tree into readable numbers, transmitted back in real time to the crisp plum "industry brain" (产业大脑), transforming the traditional orchard into a "future orchard" (未来果园).

Wushan, located in the heart of the Three Gorges Reservoir area, enjoys the reputation of the "Hometown of Chinese Crisp Plums" (中国脆李之乡). Its unique three-dimensional mountain climate nurtures crisp plums of superior quality. In 2015, "Wushan Crisp Plum" (巫山脆李) was registered as a geographical indication trademark. Now, the entire county plants over 300,000 mu of crisp plums, with a comprehensive output value exceeding 2.3 billion yuan. This year, the total output is expected to reach 145,000 tons.

In 2023, Wushan County built the Wushan Crisp Plum "Industry Brain + Future Orchard" system (产业大脑+未来果园). At its core, artificial intelligence models run—phenological prediction, balanced fertilization, pest and disease early warning, tree management, and production technology application. Orchard data is fed in, and the calculated results are pushed back to the mobile phone.

How detailed is the calculation?

For pest control, the system locates each orchard by its longitude and latitude, overlays high-precision meteorological data, predicts the probability of pest outbreak, grades and marks it with stars, and pairs it with a prevention and control plan.

For fruit thinning, the model combines tree age, growth vigor, and previous years' yields to calculate how many fruit each tree should retain, with suggestions precise to "retain 3 to 5 per branch during the young fruit stage, remove deformed fruit and small fruit," accompanied by text, illustrations, and videos.

"In the past, fruit thinning was all by feel; I had no idea how many to leave on each tree," Zhou Chuanju said. "Now I follow the instructions, the fruit is uniform in size, and the quality is stable."

What most impressed the fruit growers was its ability to "calculate" the weather. In earlier years, a single heavy rain could cause 30% of the fruit to crack, and a year's hard work would 付诸东流 (fù zhū dōng liú - "cast into the eastward flow," all efforts wasted).

In the summer of 2025, the system gave a three-day advance warning: "Heavy rainfall in the next 48 hours, please drain water and cover with film to prevent fruit cracking." The fruit growers cleared ditches and covered with film overnight. After the heavy rain, fruit cracking was obvious in surrounding orchards, while the cracking rate in orchards managed according to the system was suppressed to single digits.

"Fruit growers can receive precise reminders on their mobile phones, and can also check supporting service information such as agricultural materials, express delivery, and insurance," said Zuo Zhizhong (左志中), deputy director of the Wushan County Fruit Industry Development Center (巫山县果品产业发展中心). Now the system connects all links of production, supply, marketing, and service. "Currently, the system covers 220,000 mu of crisp plums, driving an average income increase of over 2,000 yuan per household for 20,000 fruit grower households."

Growing well is not enough; they must also be shipped out and sold well.

Crisp plums are delicate and not durable in storage, which was once a common problem. In Ganyuan Village (柑园村), Quchi Township, the technology of "atomization sterilization + low-temperature pre-cooling + micro-modified atmosphere preservation" was put into use, extending the shelf life of crisp plums to 15 days, and even over 60 days in cold storage.

"The orchard is transforming toward refinement and science; planting costs have dropped by 10%, the rate of high-quality fruit has increased by 15%, and pesticide use has decreased by about 30%," introduced Sun Xihong (孙西红), the system's technical director.

The system also equips each crisp plum with a traceable "digital ID card" (数字身份证), making information on each production link public and traceable, so consumers can see it by scanning a QR code.

The sales end also relies on big data to gauge market conditions. During the 2025 crisp plum marketing season, the system showed strong demand and high prices for mid-season crisp plums in East China and South China. Fruit growers followed the guidance to connect with dealers, selling 80% of the mid-season fruit from their orchards to Shanghai and Guangzhou.

"Data is becoming a new type of agricultural input," said Wang Hongsheng (王红胜), associate professor at Chongqing University of Posts and Telecommunications (重庆邮电大学). "Data turns quality into visual, traceable hard evidence."

In the orchard, Zhou Chuanju's phone "dinged" again, and a new farming suggestion came in.

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Coal Industry Development 15th Five-Year Plan Issued

Beijing, August 11 (Reporter Wang Yunshan (王云杉)) — The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration recently issued the “15th Five-Year Plan for the Development of the Coal Industry,” specifying that by 2030, the coal sector’s basic guarantee capacity will be further enhanced, the production and development layout will be continuously optimized, the proportion of high-quality advanced production capacity will be further increased, the production-supply-storage-sales system will be more complete, and the proportion of production capacity from large modern coal mines nationwide will rise to 87%.

The “15th Five-Year Plan” period is an important period of transformation and change for coal development. The plan specifies that by 2030, the level of safe and green development and clean and efficient utilization will be significantly improved, the intelligent construction of the entire system will be further advanced, the proportion of intelligent coal mine production capacity will rise to 75%; a coal-based diversified industrial pattern will be accelerated in formation, coal consumption will achieve peak, the dynamic balance guarantee mechanism of supply and demand will be further improved, the industry’s modern governance capacity will be significantly enhanced, a modern coal industry system will be basically established, and high-quality development of coal will step up to a new level.

Coal is China’s basic energy source, playing an important role in basic guarantee and system regulation within the energy supply system. According to the plan, in terms of orderly advancing successive production capacity construction, during the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, new production capacity must be included in a unified “single ledger” (一本账) of production capacity before being organized and implemented. New production capacity from all types of coal mines must strictly implement the production capacity replacement policy. In terms of continuously strengthening stable coal production and supply, research will be conducted to establish a coordinated production mechanism for key coal-producing provinces and regions, promoting stable market operation. Strengthen supply-demand monitoring and production dispatch, reinforce the signing and performance of medium- and long-term contracts for guaranteed supply of coal for electricity, efficiently carry out regional mutual assistance and multi-energy complementarity, and enhance the capacity for peak-load guarantee supply during key periods such as summer peak and winter peak demand.

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Xiong'an AI Training Base Officially Operational

Our Xiong'an, August 11 (Reporter Shao Yuzi (邵玉姿)) — The opening ceremony of the first AI practical training class of Hebei Xiong'an New Area was recently held at the Xiong'an AI Training Base (雄安人工智能实训基地), and the unveiling ceremony of the Xiong'an AI Training Base was held concurrently.

The Xiong'an AI Training Base is located in the Science Park area of the Startup Zone (启动区科学园片区) in Xiong'an New Area, covering approximately 53 mu with a building area of 70,000 square meters. It is a key public service platform serving the relief of Beijing's non-capital functions and supporting the high-quality development of the AI industry in the New Area. As of now, the Xiong'an AI Training Base has launched 11 pioneer classes, covering more than 460 person-times.

The Xiong'an AI Training Base focuses on the "AI + Information Technology" practical training track, characterized by "truly facing industry, truly practicing in real positions, truly operating in the market." It adopts a trinity model of "operating company + training base + talent academy," linking with multiple leading enterprises to build enterprise-level, industry-level, and national-level full-chain certification and competition-training systems, covering all levels of talent cultivation from basic skills to high-end R&D.

The AI industry is one of the leading industries for Xiong'an New Area to build a city of the future and achieve high-quality development. Currently, Xiong'an New Area is accelerating the deep integration and development of technological innovation and industrial innovation. The Xiong'an AI Research Institute (雄安人工智能研究院), the AI Industrial Park (人工智能产业园), the AI Public R&D Platform (人工智能公共研发平台), and the AI Training Base have all been put into operation, forming a development pattern of "one institute, one park, one platform, one base" (一院一园一平台一基地). Xiong'an New Area has introduced special supporting measures for the AI industry, established industrial investment guidance funds, technology innovation equity investment funds, etc., providing solid guarantees for the continuous operation and talent cultivation of the training base.

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Cultural Heritage Finds New "Partners"

By: 本报记者 谷业凯

Zhang Beiyuan (张倍源) recently found a new “partner” (搭子). “In the past, conceiving a piece of work required two to three months of careful deliberation. Now, I just input an idea, and the large model quickly generates a concept sketch.” Zhang Beiyuan is the representative inheritor of the Lianhu District dough figurine making technique (莲湖面塑制作技艺), an intangible cultural heritage, in Xi’an, Shaanxi Province. This young man who makes animations blends the older generation's dough figurine craftsmanship with anime style, creating a series of dough figurines that give traditional culture a “youthful look.”

This new “partner” is the Boguan Cultural Tourism Large Model (博观文旅大模型), built by Huawei together with Shaanxi Cultural Industry Investment Holding (Group) Co., Ltd. (陕文投) and others. This industry large model, primarily trained for intangible cultural heritage protection and cultural inheritance, is backed by a domestic computing infrastructure and as many as 1.2 billion items and 1.2 petabytes (PB) of high-quality cultural tourism data, covering categories such as cultural relics and intangible heritage.

“On the clothing of Han Dynasty palace maids, patterns from other dynasties must not appear,” explained Jin Yan (金岩), chairman of Shaanxi Cultural Industry Investment Holding (Group) Digital Intelligent Culture Technology Company (陕文投数智文化科技集团). To make the content generated by the large model more accurate, the Shaanxi Cultural Industry Investment Holding team carried out extensive pattern restoration work, feeding accurate content to the large model to help precisely restore historical details.

As night fell, the lights of Xi’an’s Tang Dynasty Ever-Bright City (大唐不夜城) began to shine. Popular shows such as the Tang-dynasty-style unbalancing tumbler (唐韵不倒翁), the spinning Hu Xuan dance (胡旋), and the Huadeng Taibai (华灯太白) performance were recorded in real time by tens of thousands of mobile phones.

“During holidays, foot traffic on the pedestrian street can reach 50,000 people, but mobile live streaming rarely lags,” said Jin Han (金翰), a staff member at the Tang Dynasty Ever-Bright City scenic area. The 5G-A network co-built by Shaanxi Telecom (陕西电信) and Huawei brings a high-speed, smooth internet experience.

Walking through the Tang Dynasty Ever-Bright City, forty-six small, exquisite 5G-A base stations are subtly integrated into the ancient Tang-dynasty-style architectural complex. “The appearance is invisible, the signal is full bars,” explained Wang Hao (王浩), head of Shaanxi Telecom’s mobile communication network. To avoid damaging the ancient building landscape, Huawei and Shaanxi Telecom built a macro-micro coordinated 5G-A network.

How fast is 5G-A? The downlink rate is 2 to 3 times faster than ordinary 5G. Each base station is also deployed with an artificial intelligence control board, so high-frequency applications and live streaming can automatically gain priority network access through AI.

“In the past, tourists were ‘content consumers’; now everyone is a ‘content producer’,” said Jin Han. Stable networks help foster a new cultural tourism ecosystem. Shows like the Tang-dynasty-style unbalancing tumbler reach a larger stage through tourists’ cameras. According to reports, this 5G-A network has already covered scenic spots such as the Terracotta Warriors and the Giant Wild Goose Pagoda (大雁塔), and is being replicated and promoted across the entire province.

Tourists who have just gotten off the plane, without leaving the terminal, can visit a museum... The Western Airport Museum (西部机场博物馆), located at Terminal 5 of Xi’an Xianyang International Airport (西安咸阳国际机场), is the world’s first on-site cultural relic exhibition museum set inside an airport. The Western Airport Group (西部机场集团) has “moved” the museum into the terminal, allowing passengers to experience historical heritage up close during waiting and transit.

Xi’an Xianyang International Airport Terminal 5 was jointly built by the Western Airport Group, Huawei, and telecom operators. Here, the entire process of check-in, security, waiting, and transit is digitally integrated, and smart application scenarios such as unmanned inspection, baggage tracking, digital twin, and fast passage emerge one after another. Passengers can complete self-service check-in in as little as 10 seconds, and the fastest baggage transfer time is 5 minutes and 18 seconds... Travel becomes more relaxed and worry-free.

From scenic spots to airports, from offline to online, the story of technology “joining hands” with cultural tourism unfolds every day. Digital technology is becoming embedded in the city’s fabric, constantly expanding new possibilities for cultural inheritance and development.

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2026 International Congress of Basic Science Opens

Beijing, August 11 (Our reporter Wu Yue (吴月)) — Recently, the 2026 International Congress of Basic Science, with the theme "Focusing on Basic Science, Leading Humanity's Future," opened at the Beijing Yanqi Lake International Convention & Exhibition Center, with over 800 scientific researchers and young students from home and abroad attending.

During the two-week conference, more than 500 academic sessions will be held, covering various branches and interdisciplinary directions of basic science, and also encompassing frontier hotspots such as generative large model reasoning, computer vision, human-computer interaction, and quantum information. A number of top international scientists will deliver keynote lectures on basic science and Frontier Science Award reports, sharing the latest breakthrough achievements in various fields.

While promoting high-level academic exchange, the conference has also planned, around the cultivation of young scientific talent, special academic salons such as "Math Night," "Physics Night," and "Engineering Night," a Women Scientists Forum, a Basic Science and Artificial Intelligence Forum, a poster exhibition of academic achievements by university and secondary school students, and a "Meet the Scientists" special event for university and secondary school students.

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Editor: Guan Xuanyue, Zhang Weihao, Zhai Qinqi

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Empowerment Through Delegation Must Not Become Abdication of Responsibility (New Observations on Cadre Conduct: Reducing Burdens and Empowering the Grassroots)

By: 本报记者 叶传增

"Although the district-level forestry and grassland department has delegated law enforcement authority downward, the town has no qualified surveying and assessment personnel and cannot issue a legally valid assessment report as the basis for punishment. If we commission a third-party institution, there is no dedicated budget either, and we cannot bear the related expenses," said a relevant person in charge of the Baishui Town Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team (白水镇综合行政执法队) of Zhanyi District (沾益区), Qujing City, Yunnan Province. "If a case is filed, it is very difficult to make a standard administrative penalty decision; if a case is not filed, we face the risk of accountability."

Forest growing stock volume and forest land value assessment reports require institutions with professional qualifications to carry out surveying and assessment; in actual duty performance, the grassroots level has an obvious shortcoming in its capacity to take on such work.

Some duties appear on the item list, but [the grassroots] lacks the capacity to take them on, and the grassroots level often falls into the dilemma of being "unable to take on" and "unable to manage well."

To address grassroots pain points such as "a small horse pulling a big cart," in March 2025 Zhanyi District formally launched the work of establishing and improving the list of items for townships (subdistricts) to perform their duties (hereinafter referred to as the "duty performance item list"). After revision and improvement, the duty performance item list is divided into "three lists": basic duty performance, coordinated duty performance, and items taken back by higher-level departments.

"We analyzed the work items previously sorted out by all townships and subdistricts in the district and found that a considerable portion of them were items that the grassroots level was unable to take on," said Liu Yunjuan (刘云娟), deputy director of the Zhanyi District Party Committee Office for Organizational Establishment (沾益区委编办).

Liu Yunjuan said that in the process of establishing the new duty performance item list, the Zhanyi District Party Committee Office for Organizational Establishment, together with relevant departments, focused on sorting out 95 items in 10 major categories that townships (subdistricts) were unable to take on. Items requiring strong professionalism and statutory qualifications — such as work safety supervision and inspection, professional law enforcement in ecological and environmental protection, investigation and punishment of illegal land use, and approval of complex projects — were all placed under the unified jurisdiction of district-level competent departments. It was clarified that townships (subdistricts) only bear supporting duties such as inspection and reporting, policy publicity, and transfer of clues, thereby removing at the source the burden of being "unable to take on" and "unable to manage well."

"After the new duty performance item list was issued, items exceeding the grassroots level's capacity to take on were taken back by higher-level functional departments, and townships and subdistricts only need to cooperate well with functional departments in carrying out their work — the pressure has lightened considerably all at once," said a relevant person in charge of the Baishui Town Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team, adding that many administrative penalty items in Baishui Town had been taken back by district-level competent departments and were now uniformly handled by district-level professional law enforcement teams through standardized law enforcement, greatly improving law enforcement efficiency, covering fields such as funeral and burial management, natural resources, city appearance and environmental sanitation, and forestry and fire protection, and effectively solving the prominent problems of the past in which township law enforcement had miscellaneous items, numerous fields, heavy tasks, high risks, and cumbersome ledgers.

The duty performance item list has clarified the boundaries of rights and responsibilities between townships (subdistricts) and functional departments, and the phenomenon of buck-passing and wrangling in work has decreased significantly. The Zhanyi District Party Committee Political and Legal Affairs Commission (沾益区委政法委) has confirmed the authority over items where responsibilities may overlap, such as the resolution of conflicts and disputes, clarified the duty and authority items of departments directly under the district, and ensured that every matter has someone in charge of it; the Zhanyi District Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau (沾益区综合行政执法局) has precisely divided the work responsibilities for city appearance and environmental sanitation management and built a joint working mechanism in which "comprehensive law enforcement takes the lead and subdistricts coordinate."

In Wenchang Community (文昌社区), Xiping Subdistrict (西平街道), the living environment of several back streets and alleys was once "dirty, messy, and bad." The subdistrict and the community believed that the sanitation department should be responsible for cleaning, while the sanitation department said it was only responsible for the city appearance cleaning of main and secondary roads.

Now, the duty performance item list clarifies that the district Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Bureau bears the main management responsibility for city appearance and environmental sanitation and is responsible for street cleaning of main and secondary roads. Subdistricts and communities focus on doing well the basic support work of daily cleaning and sanitation in weak areas such as back streets and alleys and old villages and residential settlements, standardized disposal of household waste, and collection of waste disposal fees. "With rights and responsibilities clear, the community has refined cleaning responsibilities by area, made up the shortcomings in sanitation of back streets and alleys, and public satisfaction has continued to rise," said Ma Ran (马冉), Party general branch secretary of Wenchang Community.

While comprehensively taking back items that the grassroots level is unable to take on, Zhanyi District has also, in light of actual grassroots work, delegated a portion of convenience service authorities that fit grassroots practical operation and can be implemented on the ground — for example, high-frequency livelihood authorities such as simplified review of minimum subsistence allowances, preliminary review of civil affairs subsidies, approval of rural housing construction, and rural planning permits — with supporting personnel and business training, and the building of township (subdistrict) convenience service windows.

After the approval authority for rural housing construction was delegated to townships, it has become much more convenient for the masses to handle affairs. Jiang Jiamai (姜家买), head of Lingjiao Township (菱角乡), said that the township has integrated scattered functions such as planning, approval, supervision, and acceptance, brought the approval of rural housing construction into the township Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team, conducted approval according to law through the township planning committee, and implemented the model of "one-time notification, village-township coordination, and whole-process closed-loop service." All subsequent stages — on-site survey, departmental review, signature approval, and so on — are handled on behalf of the applicant by staff.

Wang Jun (王俊), a villager of Chizhang Village (赤章村), Lingjiao Township, had just received the approval reply for his application to build a new rural house; from submitting the application to the approval, it took only two weeks. "In the past, handling the approval procedures for building a house meant running several trips to the village, the township, and the district, and seeking out several departments. Now I only need to contact the village committee, and the village coordinates with the township Comprehensive Administrative Law Enforcement Team to handle the whole process — simple and worry-free." The efficient work process made Wang Jun 赞不绝口 (zàn bù jué kǒu - "praise without ceasing," to be full of praise).

All townships and subdistricts in Zhanyi District, in light of their actual conditions, added distinctive duty performance items to the basic duty performance item list. Deze Township (德泽乡) wrote "elderly care and disability assistance" services into its basic duty performance items, using service with warmth to enhance the sense of happiness of special groups; Longhua Subdistrict (龙华街道) carried out e-commerce talent training, injecting new momentum into comprehensive rural revitalization and common prosperity; Huashan Subdistrict (花山街道) incorporated the construction of the "Harmony and Unity Home" (和合之家) command and dispatch center into its basic duty performance items, accelerating the building of the "1+3+N" grassroots governance system...

The construction of the duty performance item list was not 一蹴而就 (yī cù ér jiù - "accomplished with one kick," achieved overnight). As the next step, Zhanyi District will also formulate supporting post-based management mechanisms for the duty performance item list, continuously improving the post setup and duty content of townships (subdistricts). "Let grassroots cadres travel light and free up more energy to focus on implementation and doing practical work," said Yan Bo (严波), member of the Standing Committee of the Zhanyi District Party Committee and head of the Organization Department.

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The problem of "poor management" should not be answered only at the grassroots level (Editor's Note)

By: 迟嘉瑞

In practice in some localities, grassroots governance often falls into the dilemma of 有心无力 (yǒu xīn wú lì - "have the heart but lack the strength," willing but unable to act): when a mere rectification notice is sent down, the grassroots possess only law enforcement power without law enforcement capability, and on technical matters they "have the authority but dare not use it"; where safety hazards are prominent, village cadres cannot mobilize professional forces and can only "report and then wait." Individual higher-level departments wash their hands of the matter and shift the blame, emphasizing "responsibility lists" and coordination between vertical and horizontal systems (条块协同), yet they evade a hard truth: the list of items must be well-grounded in reason and evidence, resources and capabilities must keep pace with the purpose of the task, and only then can the devolution of power to and empowerment of the grassroots be implemented in practice.

"Failing to manage well" should not stop at reflecting on the problem of capability; it must also consider readjusting the items of duty performance. Problems are dumped down without providing the approaches and means necessary to solve them, and the grassroots can only face the awkwardness at the time of implementation; whether budgets are tight, what supporting measures are lacking, how much time should be spent — these should not be answered by the grassroots alone. To solve the problems of "cannot take it on" and "cannot manage it well," it is necessary to conduct solid basic investigation and research, ensure unimpeded feedback channels, reasonably adjust the duty-performing entities and the content of the items, take back the items that are beyond their capacity to bear, add reasonable items for which there is capability and demand, and let the duty-performance list (履职事项清单) play its due role.

Persist in tilting resources toward the grassroots and sinking forces to the front line. It is necessary to provide the grassroots with corresponding funds, staffing, and other resources; in necessary situations, properly deploy law enforcement, emergency response, petition handling, and other forces; provide solid professional skills training for grassroots cadres; and shore up the weak links in the grassroots' capacity to perform their duties. Establish and improve a joint coordination working mechanism, truly break through the barriers to linkage between higher and lower levels and coordination between vertical and horizontal systems, form a sound joint force for grassroots governance, and lay a solid governance foundation for the "last kilometer" (最后一公里).

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Ministry of Public Security's Cybersecurity Bureau Releases Cases of Crackdown on Crimes Infringing on Citizens' Personal Information

Beijing, August 11 (Reporter Zhang Tianpei) — The Ministry of Public Security's Cybersecurity Bureau (公安部网安局) recently published 10 typical cases of cracking down on crimes of infringing on citizens' personal information. These typical cases reveal that some lawbreakers used illegal technical means to exploit system vulnerabilities, batch-scraped personal information, and then resold it; other lawbreakers used social software and short-video platforms to release false information, illegally obtained various types of online accounts, phone numbers, and other information, and resold them through multiple layers to overseas fraud gangs, which used them to carry out criminal activities such as telecommunications network fraud.

Among these typical cases, Liu Mouyuan (刘某沅), acting together with Wei Mouying (韦某影) and Lin Mou (林某), built a social engineering database (社工库) on the internet and, through a fee-based file-checking method, illegally provided citizens' personal information query services to groups such as private detectives and information brokers; the criminal gang headed by Cui Mouwei (崔某伟) posted part-time job advertisements on the internet, purchased in bulk various types of real-name online accounts such as WeChat, QQ, and Douyin, and used them to carry out criminal activities such as telecommunications network fraud. The Ministry of Public Security's Cybersecurity Bureau reminds the general public to properly keep, store, and use their personal information, to promptly report any leads of personal information leakage to public security organs and relevant authorities, and to use legal weapons to defend their own rights and interests.

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2026 Fujian-Taiwan Same-Name Village Reunion Tour Held

Fuzhou, August 11 (Reporter Fu Wen) — The “‘Same-Name Roots-Seeking, Cross-Strait One Heart’ — 2026 Fujian-Taiwan Same-Name Villages and Towns (Same Lineage) Affinity-Continuation Journey” event was recently launched in Xiamen, Fujian. This exchange activity lasts for six days, with multiple carefully designed roots-seeking routes connecting Xiamen, Quanzhou, Zhangzhou and other places, organizing lineage representatives from same-name villages and towns in Chiayi, Kaohsiung, Taoyuan and other places in Taiwan to visit Fujian for participation. During the event, Taiwanese compatriots will go to Fujian’s same-name and same-lineage villages such as Shijing Town, Nanan (南安), Meishan Town (梅山镇), Changtai District’s Shanchong Village (山重村), and Jinxian Village (进贤村), Heping Town (和平镇), Shaowu (邵武), Nanping (南平), to carry out in-depth interactions with local lineage members such as pairing exchanges, genealogy matching, and root-seeking and ancestor veneration.

The “Fujian-Taiwan Same-Name Villages and Towns Affinity-Continuation Journey” (闽台同名村镇续缘之旅) is a characteristic brand of Fujian-Taiwan cultural and tourism exchange carefully crafted by the Fujian Provincial Department of Culture and Tourism (福建省文化和旅游厅). It has been successfully held for 7 sessions since 2013, with over 2,100 Taiwanese compatriots participating, becoming an important platform for strengthening the emotional bond between Fujian and Taiwanese compatriots and promoting spiritual harmony between compatriots on both sides of the strait.

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Changchun Smart Legal Services Zone Accelerates Construction

Reported from Changchun on August 11 (Reporter Liu Yiqing (刘以晴)): A reporter learned from the Changchun Intermediate People's Court (长春市中级人民法院) of Jilin Province that the locality is accelerating the construction of the Changchun Smart Legal Affairs Zone (长春智慧法务区). The six specialized tribunals — the intellectual property, internet, bankruptcy, international commercial, and finance tribunals established under the two-level courts of Changchun City, and the environment and resources tribunal established under the Changchun Railway Transportation Intermediate Court (长春铁路运输中级法院) — exercise centralized jurisdiction over cases in the relevant fields of the province and the city.

Changchun is accelerating the construction of a "smart legal affairs" ecosystem. Relying on the "Zhihuijuan" (智汇卷) system, the big-data visualization platform, and other tools, it links together such trial procedures as online case filing, cloud mediation, electronic service, asynchronous evidence examination, and online court hearings. The Changchun Smart Legal Affairs Zone has successively introduced law firms, intellectual property service agencies, and other legal service institutions, effectively enhancing the full-chain legal service capability. In the four years since it began operation, the six specialized tribunals of the Changchun Smart Legal Affairs Zone have cumulatively concluded more than 20,000 cases.

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Raise the Grasslands Well, Raise Livestock with Care, Raise the Quality of Life

By: 本报记者 冯春梅 吴 勇

"Protecting grassland and forests is the primary task of ecological system protection in Inner Mongolia."
——Xi Jinping

"Raise the grassland well, raise the livestock finely, and live life well." The new changes brought by the grass-livestock balance in Inner Mongolia in the new era are being written into the sheepfolds, pastures, and account books of grassland herder families.

After her little granddaughter's first month of life, she was brought back for the first time to the family home on the Xilin Gol League grassland of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region — Ulan Gerel Gacha, Mandalt Town, Sunid Left Banner.

The door of the house pushed open, the lean and capable Unibatu welcomed his son and his family of three home. Unibatu, who had just become a grandfather, gently took the granddaughter wrapped in swaddling clothes.

"Little one, this is our home." Holding the child, he slowly walked to the wall and murmured softly before a row of old photographs and a pile of honorary certificates: "These are our past honors. Our family was a well-known 'thousand-head livestock household' (千畜户) on the Sunid grassland."

The photographs have yellowed, but the days on the grassland have turned a new page.

The grassland area of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region is approximately 870,000 square kilometers, accounting for 74% of the region's total area. In June 2023, when inspecting Inner Mongolia, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Overall, the grasslands of Inner Mongolia have already been overgrazed. Attention must be paid to letting them recuperate and build up strength (休养生息 - xiū yǎng shēng xī - "rest and build up strength," to recuperate)" and "Building a solid ecological security barrier in northern China is a 'great matter of the nation' (国之大者) that Inner Mongolia must keep firmly in mind."

Following the direction charted by the General Secretary, Inner Mongolia launched pilot work in 2024 to resolve the problem of grassland overgrazing.

Unibatu's family recalculated the accounts: "Now, although our family's sheep are not as many as before, life is better than in the past!" The change in this grassland family is hidden in the simple murmurings of this herder: fewer sheep, better grass, lighter pressure, higher income, and the herders' spirits are even more buoyant.

Between the increase and decrease are linked the livestock account book of this herder household and also a profound transformation in the mode of grassland development. No longer relying on quantity for a living, but getting rich through quality; no longer blindly pursuing flocks and herds, but raising the grassland well, raising the livestock finely, and living life well.

From the old glory of the "thousand-head livestock household" to the new choice of reducing livestock to protect the grass; from the hard work and wealth of the father's generation to the scientific management of the son's generation, and then to the green homeland that the granddaughter's generation will have — the story of Unibatu's family across three generations is a vivid microcosm of grassland herders, bearing in mind the earnest instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, exploring a new path between ecological protection and increasing income and getting rich.

The grassland does not know how to cry out in pain; it just endures first.

On the Inner Mongolia grassland, "thousand-head livestock household" was once a resounding title.

In the past, whoever's household had a thousand head of livestock was considered a capable person and a wealthy household. Unibatu's father, Tsebeg (策布格), had been commended as a league-level model worker at the Xilin Gol League Nadam Fair (那达慕大会) in 1992 precisely because of his good livestock management.

Speaking of his father, Unibatu's tone slowed down: "My father's generation had suffered hardship; they knew that livestock did not come easily. With many sheep in the pen, the heart was not panicked."

Unibatu remembered that his father's earliest assets were only 70 sheep. "At that time, whoever's household drove out many sheep in the morning and whose sheep brayed loudly when they came back in the evening, everyone envied them."

In 1992, Unibatu married and set up his own household, with only 30 sheep. By 1996, as the dual contracting of grass and livestock (草畜双承包) gradually became more detailed, the sheep had increased to over 200. After 2007, after lambing, the herd size reached more than 1,000. To feed the livestock, he successively contracted tens of thousands of mu of pasture.

At that time, the grassland was vast, and the flocks of sheep moved like drifting clouds. Herders drove their livestock to the well to drink, with long queues by the well, bustling like a market.

"At that time, having many sheep was the ability," said Unibatu. "One more sheep raised meant one more share of income; one more flock of sheep meant one more layer of confidence."

This old account book was once beyond doubt.

But later, the grassland began to remind herders in another way: the pasture has no boundaries; "more" is not the only answer for grassland livestock farming.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "We must uphold ecological priority and green development, seek a way out through concentration, clustering, and intensification, strengthen grassland protection, and intensify efforts to prevent and control land sandification and desertification."

The General Secretary's words struck a chord in the hearts of the herders on the Sunid grassland. The herders have personal experience of the ecological relationship among water, grass, and sand.

Unibatu remembers rain more accurately than he remembers the solar terms.

"I remember that heavy rain in 1996 very clearly," he said. "After that, the rain that impressed me most was the one on July 15, 2024."

In the long stretch of time in between, the rain was scarce, and the wind was harsh. Sandstorms came, muddy rain fell, and the grass turf was lifted by the wind, revealing yellowish-white sand and soil.

"In 1998, I took my livestock to move pastures (走场) for the first time, to East Ujimqin Banner (东乌珠穆沁旗), 300 kilometers away," said Unibatu. "Only then did I understand that the grassland does not know how to cry out in pain; it just endures first."

Later, they encountered consecutive droughts. The forage grass did not turn green for three years, and the price of dry hay rose to nearly 2,000 yuan per ton. Herders had no choice but to move pastures to surrounding banners and counties again.

Moving pastures is not a trip; it is helplessness. At night, hearing the sheep bray, the herder's heart tightened: one more sheep was property, but one more sheep also meant one more point of pressure on the pasture.

The account of the grassland is not only written on paper, but also in the sheep's fat, in the grass roots, and in the wind and sand.

Selling sheep hurts the heart; not selling hurts the pasture.

The real clash of concepts occurred at home.

Unibatu had been the Party branch secretary of the gacha and wanted to take the lead in reducing livestock. The first to disagree was his wife, Mudan (牡丹).

"You want to set an example for everyone; I don't object," Mudan remembered the argument clearly. "But what about the family's livelihood? Children's schooling, elders' medical treatment — which one doesn't require money? Can the sheep just be sold at will?"

Unibatu could not answer for a moment. He knew in his heart that his wife was not speaking out of anger. Herders deal with livestock all their lives; flocks of sheep are their savings, their guarantee, the tangible sense of security.

However, the traditional mode of animal husbandry was already 难以为继 (nán yǐ wéi jì - "difficult to continue," unsustainable).

On the eve of the Spring Festival in 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping went to Inner Mongolia for investigation and research, visiting and consoling cadres and people of all ethnic groups. At the mutton sheep breeding base in Xilinhot City (锡林浩特市), Xilin Gol League, the General Secretary emphasized: "We must accelerate the pace of transformation from traditional animal husbandry to modern animal husbandry, explore some good methods, and help farmers and herders share more of the industrial profits and benefits."

The General Secretary's words made Unibatu further recognize that the transformation of animal husbandry was imperative (势在必行 - shì zài bì xíng - "the situation compels action," imperative). In the following years, the whole family held several family meetings.

From "having many sheep is the ability" to "good grass is what lasts" — this change of concept began precisely with a renewed understanding of the transformation of animal husbandry and the carrying capacity of the grassland. In 2021, the "Regulations on Grass-Livestock Balance and Grazing Prohibition and Rest Grazing of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region" (内蒙古自治区草畜平衡和禁牧休牧条例) was promulgated and implemented, and the institutional constraints on the grass-livestock balance (草畜平衡) became increasingly clear.

Unibatu talked about the pressure on the pasture: "I am an old Party member. If I talk about grass-livestock balance but still increase the number of sheep at home, it doesn't make sense."

Mudan shook her head: "Fewer sheep means less income. Who will make up for it?"

The son, Qinggele Bayar (青格勒巴雅尔), and the daughter-in-law, Huhe Qiqige (呼和其其格), laid out the accounts one by one: "Renting pasture costs money, buying forage costs money, hauling grass costs fuel money. With more livestock, people are tired, and the sheep are thin. When selling, they're a few yuan less per jin; for several hundred sheep, it adds up to no small amount."

"Raise fewer — really not earn less?" Mudan pressed.

"Can't guarantee it'll be the same every year," said Qinggele Bayar. "But the road can be stable. Once the pasture recovers, the sheep's fat can go up, and the price can go up too. Relying on quantity to tough it out is not sustainable."

Once, when selling sheep, the truck came to the pen gate. Mudan stood to one side, watching the sheep being herded onto the truck, her eyes a little red.

Unibatu was also reluctant. But at that moment, he again thought of the grass roots exposed when the sandstorm swept across the pasture.

"Selling sheep hurts the heart; not selling hurts the pasture," he said finally.

This sentence later became the turning point in the family's livestock-raising mindset.

Reducing the foundation ewes from over 600 head to just over 300 head took Unibatu's family two to three years.

The process of reducing livestock was not simply driving sheep out of the pen; it was stripping away the family's old notions layer by layer: in the past, they thought the more sheep, the safer; later they understood that sustainable pasture, good quality of individual sheep, and low operational risk are the real safety.

"When people are tired, they know to rest. When livestock have walked far, they also need to stop and rest. Grass needs rest even more," said Unibatu. "In the past, we only thought about letting the grass feed the sheep; now we have to think about letting the grass live well too."

In the past, the grass-livestock balance seemed like an external constraint; now, it has become the premise for the family's accounting.

In the past, they were busy counting sheep; now, they are busy turning every sheep into a good sheep.

With fewer sheep, what about income?

"Promote the transformation and development of agriculture and animal husbandry, and vigorously develop ecological agriculture and animal husbandry" — the instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping during his inspection in Inner Mongolia, when applied to the grassland's livestock account book, mean that good pasture supports good mutton, and a good ecology brings a good price. Reducing livestock is not reducing development, but changing to a different development model; it is not reducing income, but seeking income from quality, brand, and efficiency.

Implemented at the herder household level, Qinggele Bayar's answer was: raise fewer, raise finely, raise superior-quality ones.

After getting married, the young couple helped his father with the work inside and outside. In the past two years, they gradually took over the flock from his father. Compared with the older generation, this young herder, born in 1992, is more accustomed to looking at standards, the market, and the long term.

In the early morning, he often goes into the sheepfold and checks each sheep's body shape, ears, eyes, mouth shape, and tail tip one by one.

"Dad, look at this one — its eyes, ears, and mouth have the characteristics of a Sunid black-head sheep, and the tail tip also meets the standard. It can be kept as a reserve ram," Qinggele Bayar said while deftly separating the sheep aside.

Unibatu smiled and said: "In the past, when we looked at sheep, we looked at the flock; now when you look at sheep, you look at the individual."

"The market also looks at them one by one," replied Qinggele Bayar.

"We must accelerate the pace of transformation from traditional animal husbandry to modern animal husbandry" — the earnest instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, the power of thought illuminated the once-confused transformation path of the grassland herders.

Reflected at the autonomous region level, governing grassland overgrazing is not simply doing "subtraction," but advancing grass, livestock, people, and industry in a coordinated way within one system: on the grassland side, adhere to determining livestock by grass and maintaining the grass-livestock balance, while enhancing grassland productivity through techniques such as no-till overseeding; on the forage side, develop artificial grassland, silage corn, and straw feed utilization according to local conditions to prepare sufficient "rations" for barn feeding; on the farming side, verify the stocking rate household by household, and promote large-scale, standardized, and intensive farming; on the support side, promote improved breeds and good methods, and extend the chains of livestock product processing, cold chain distribution, and brand marketing. Thus achieving the unification of grassland pressure reduction, livestock industry quality improvement, and herder income increase.

In 2022, Unibatu's family was recognized as one of the first batch of superior-population Sunid sheep farming households. In the following years, the sheep were identified and ear-tagged according to standards, and at slaughter, there was a government subsidy of 1 yuan per jin. A sheep yields an average of about 35 jin of dressed carcass; just from this subsidy, each sheep can bring in about 35 yuan more, and over a year, that adds about 10,000 yuan in income.

More importantly, the high-quality development of grassland animal husbandry let the family taste the benefits of high quality and good price.

In 2025, Qinggele Bayar raised over 60 reserve rams, each selling for 1,200 yuan, 200–300 yuan more than ordinary slaughter sheep. This year, he picked out another 60–70 to prepare for breeding, waiting for the improvement station to inspect and ear-tag.

"In the past, it was enough as long as there were enough sheep; now we have to see whether they can enter the superior population and whether they can fetch a good price," said Qinggele Bayar.

Huhe Qiqige also learned to separate accounts: one account for reserve rams, one for foundation ewes of the superior population, one for centralized slaughter, and one for scattered sales. The cold storage has a good price for dressed carcasses of 30 to 35 jin; larger lambs sold at retail or to other herders have a different price.

"When to slaughter, which one to keep as a breeding ram, which one enters the market — all depends on weight, fat condition, standards, and market conditions. With fewer sheep, people are actually busier," said Huhe Qiqige with a laugh. "In the past, we were busy counting sheep; now we are busy turning every sheep into a good sheep."

This sentence captures the new change in the transformation of animal husbandry.

In Sunid Left Banner, a breeding system has now been formed with 1 ram farm, 14 multiplication farms, and 137 superior populations. In 2025, the disposable income of herders across the banner increased by 6% year-on-year. Improved breeds, standardization, and branding are changing the income model of traditional animal husbandry.

In the past, they relied on quantity to push through; now, they rely on quality to win. In the past, they compared who had more sheep; now, they look at whose sheep are good, whose pasture is good, and whose accounts are calculated carefully.

Mudan's thinking also gradually changed.

"At the beginning, with half the sheep gone in the pen, I really couldn't sleep peacefully," she said. "Later, I found that with fewer sheep, the cost of forage was less, the cost of renting pasture was less, and people weren't as tired. The remaining sheep had good fat, sold not badly, and my mind gradually came around."

Changes in mindset are often not completed in an instant. They are hidden in repeated calculations, hidden after one sandstorm after another, and hidden in the trade-off of selling one sheep and leaving one patch of grass.

When the grass is good, the sheep are good; when the sheep are good, people's hearts are stable.

At dusk, the flock returns to the pen. Qinggele Bayar separated the selected reserve rams and prepared to welcome the improvement station inspection. Unibatu stood by the pen, reached out, and touched the sheep's back. The wool was thick, the fat condition good. In the distance, the new green after the rain grew close to the ground, fine and dense, silent and unnoticed.

The Sunid grassland where Unibatu's family lives does not have superior ecological conditions. The grass here is not tall, the wind is not small, and when drought comes, the pressure is even more pronounced. Precisely because of this, the grassland needs more space, more roots, and more leeway.

The grassland is linked to the herders' rice bowl, and even more to the overall national ecological security. General Secretary Xi Jinping is always concerned about the construction of ecological civilization in Inner Mongolia. He pointed out: "We must coordinate the systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, implement ecological protection and restoration projects, intensify ecological system protection, and enhance ecological system stability and sustainability." He emphasized: "Protecting grassland and forests is the primary task of ecological system protection in Inner Mongolia."

Bearing in mind the General Secretary's instructions, Inner Mongolia builds a solid ecological security barrier in northern China, implements a strict grass-livestock balance, and reduces the number of cattle and sheep to within the carrying capacity of the pasture. Allowing the grassland to truly recuperate and build up strength is not only about holding the ecological red line, but also about empowering the herders' long-term income increase and the high-quality development of pastoral areas.

After Inner Mongolia launched the pilot work to resolve the problem of grassland overgrazing, the grass-livestock balance index of 17 pilot banners and counties, including Sunid Left Banner, dropped from 23.9% to below 10%. By the end of 2025, the governance work had been fully rolled out across Inner Mongolia. Through market-oriented means such as barn feeding, centralized boarding, and accelerating slaughter, 4.85 million sheep units of livestock were diverted, and the grass-livestock balance index of natural grassland all dropped below 10%. The comprehensive vegetation coverage of Inner Mongolia grassland reached 46.48%, the highest level since the beginning of this century.

When these numbers land in herder households, they mean a piece of pasture rented less, a batch of livestock raised less, a carefully selected breeding ram, and also the everyday choices of not rushing to graze in spring and being willing to provide supplemental feed in winter. Xilin Gol League was the first in Inner Mongolia to implement spring rest grazing — 45 days, letting the returning grass shoots catch their breath; in summer, grazing is arranged according to grass conditions; in autumn, alternate mowing leaves room for growth the following year; in winter and spring, barn feeding and supplemental feeding reduce pressure on natural pasture.

"My father's generation raising the flock was an ability," said Unibatu. "Our generation reducing the flock is also an ability. It's not that the times don't need herders anymore; it's that the times require us to change our method of herding sheep."

These words were spoken calmly, but they carry weight.

Grassland governance is not simply "reduction and done." Reducing livestock reduces the overload pressure; what is increased is the momentum for development. What is controlled is quantity; what is raised is quality. What is guarded is the ecological bottom line; what is stabilized is the herders' livelihood.

"In the future, I hope when others talk about our family, it's not that we have the most sheep, but that our sheep are the best and our grass is the best," said Qinggele Bayar.

Mudan chimed in from the side: "When the grass is good, the sheep are good; when the sheep are good, people's hearts are stable."

Wind blew across the grassland. The braying of sheep in the pen was a little less, but more steady. From "thousand-head large household" to "hundred-head small household," it seems there are fewer sheep, but in fact, the road is wider. What was subtracted was the quantitative dependence in the old mindset; what has grown is the new vitality deep in the grassland.

For Unibatu's family, the real assets are not just the flock, but also the grassland beneath the flock's hooves that can turn green year after year.

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Editor: Ji Jianming, Zhao Xiaoxi, Chi Jiarui

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Deeply advancing the high-quality construction and development of Xiong'an New Area (New Era Panorama · Building a Modern People's City)

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Building new towns is for the people to live a better life.

By: 韩文榕

The story of Xiong'an began in the new era. From nothing to something, growing joint by joint, a new city stands tall on the North China Plain. At critical junctures, General Secretary Xi Jinping would go to the site to see for himself, conduct research and hold symposiums, plan and lead… The "city of the future" of the new era spreads its majestic posture, witnessing the people's city concept taking root.

"Plan every inch of land clearly before starting construction." In the initial two years, Xiong'an hardly moved a single brick or tile; this "slowness" and "stillness" was precisely a respect for the laws of the city. Now, corporate headquarters, innovation centers, internet industrial parks, and other buildings stand scattered and orderly; the "15-minute living circle (15分钟生活圈)" continuously improves the accessibility of services such as education, medical care, and elderly care; "3 kilometers into forest, 1 kilometer into forest belt, 300 meters into park, everywhere is a park" is gradually becoming reality. The plan is not only drawn on blueprints but also integrated into the lives of the people.

"To build Xiong'an New Area well, the important thing is to link up comfortable living and happy work." From Beijing's assistance in building the "three schools and one hospital (三校一院)" for running schools and opening clinics, to the implementation and effectiveness of 278 Beijing-Xiong'an government service "same-city" scenarios; from the relocation of multiple central state-owned enterprises (央企) headquarters, to the development efficiency of "registered in the same year, constructed in the same year, put into production in the same year" — whether the masses live stably, feel at ease, and have prospects has always been an important criterion for Xiong'an construction. Relocation is not simply "moving house," but bringing tangible gains to the people through high-quality construction.

"New area governance must keep pace closely, forming effective support for the functions of the new area." Over a dozen community cadres from Nanwenying Community (南文营社区) in the Rongdong area (容东片区) visited thousands of households to observe people's conditions and listen to people's voices; the "one-call, joint-response" (一呼联应) grassroots governance mechanism handles people's troubles immediately; the Urban Computing Center gathers over 40 billion data entries to empower high-efficiency governance. In this smart city, technology makes governance warmer.

"Building a new city is for the people to live a better life." Xiong'an New Area, from "a piece of land" to "a blueprint" to "a city," is steadily marching toward the goal of building a new-era innovation highland and a model for promoting high-quality development.

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本版责编：Lyu Zhongzheng, Wu Kai, Huang Jinyu

Layout designer: Cai Huawei (蔡华伟)

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Deeply Study and Faithfully Implement Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, Strive to Open New Ground in Major-Country Diplomacy with Chinese Characteristics

By: 王 毅

Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to a global vision, bravely stood at the forefront of the times, kept pace with the times, upheld fundamental principles and broken new ground, and in the magnificent practice of diplomacy founded Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, leading major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics to achieve historic accomplishments and undergo historic changes. The recently published Volumes I and II of Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Diplomacy (hereinafter referred to as the Selected Works) contain more than 130 of the most important and fundamental works of General Secretary Xi Jinping on foreign affairs. This is an important Marxist document that systematically reflects the scientific system and rich connotations of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and also an authoritative textbook for deeply studying and implementing the Party's innovative theories. We must deeply study the Selected Works, further profoundly understand the theoretical connotations, contemporary value, and practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, continuously deepen our understanding of the laws governing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and gather mighty strength for the great cause of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation.

Deeply understand the theoretical connotations of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and comprehensively grasp the fundamental guidelines of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

Thought is the precursor of action, and theory is the guide to practice. The Selected Works systematically reflects the basic context and glorious imprint of the creation and development of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, fully demonstrating its strict internal logic and significant guiding significance.

Open up a new path for major-country diplomacy in the process of national rejuvenation. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters a new era, the relationship between China and the world has undergone historic changes. The Selected Works includes important expositions by General Secretary Xi Jinping on the mission, purpose, strategic layout, main tasks, and unique style of Chinese diplomacy in the new era, comprehensively elevating our Party's understanding of the laws governing Chinese diplomacy. General Secretary Xi Jinping accurately grasps the new historical orientation of China's development and clearly proposes to comprehensively advance major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, to create a more favorable international environment and provide more solid strategic support for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization. He clearly proposes to promote the building of a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, fairness, justice, and win-win cooperation; to build a community with a shared future for neighboring countries by upholding the concepts and policies of amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness, and the principle of a shared future for neighbors; and to strengthen unity and cooperation with developing countries in accordance with the correct view of righteousness and interests and the concept of sincerity, real results, amity, and good faith. He clearly proposes to open up new realms of Chinese diplomatic theory and practice, shape a new pattern of China's relations with the world, and push major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics into a new stage where it can achieve more, respond to the broad expectations of the international community, and make greater contributions to the cause of human peace and development.

Guide the direction of human progress amidst the world's century-old transformations. Facing the rapidly evolving century-old transformations and the intertwined and turbulent international situation, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, emphasizing that more than 190 countries in the world are all aboard a big ship with a shared destiny and should join hands to address global challenges, providing China's answer to the question of the times—"What kind of world to build and how to build it"—and promoting a historic leap in 21st-century international relations from seeking common ground while reserving differences to working together for the common good of the entire globe. The articles included in the Selected Works elaborate on the scientific connotation and theoretical system of building a community with a shared future for mankind, reflecting that our Party's understanding of the relationship between China and the world has reached a new height. Over the past decade or more, the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind has developed from an idea into a scientific system, transformed from a beautiful vision into rich practice, gained support from more than 100 countries and international organizations and recognition from nearly 80% of international public opinion, and become a glorious banner guiding the progress of the times. Many foreign political leaders have stated that this major concept reflects the common aspiration of the international community and brings peace, development, and hope to the world. Building a community with a shared future for mankind has been written into the Party Constitution and the state Constitution, becoming the lofty goal pursued by major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, fully reflecting our Party's historical responsibility to guide the direction of the century-old transformations and to enhance stability and inject positive energy into a turbulent world.

Provide international public goods in addressing global challenges. Under the banner of the community with a shared future for mankind, General Secretary Xi Jinping creatively proposed four major global initiatives. The articles in the Selected Works elaborate in detail on the historical background and core essence of the four major global initiatives, presenting systematic solutions to the common problems facing human society. Facing the widening North-South gap and lagging development agenda, the Global Development Initiative advocates placing development at the center of the international agenda, actively cultivating new drivers of global development, building a global community of development, and promoting more robust, greener, and healthier global development. Facing frequent international conflicts and the difficulty of resolving security dilemmas, the Global Security Initiative advocates practicing a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, resolving differences and disputes between countries by peaceful means, and promoting the building of a more balanced, effective, and sustainable security architecture. Facing the clamor of the "clash of civilizations" and "confrontation between systems," the Global Civilization Initiative advocates upholding a view of civilization based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, promoting the common values of all humanity, and building a garden of world civilizations where all bloom together. Facing the countercurrent of the law of the jungle and the exacerbation of governance deficits, the Global Governance Initiative advocates sovereign equality, international rule of law, multilateralism, people-centeredness, and action orientation, and promotes the building of a more just and equitable global governance system. The four major global initiatives complement each other and are not contradictory, forming an organic whole that promotes prosperity through development, ensures stability through security, enhances mutual trust through civilization, and seeks justice through governance, injecting valuable stability and positive energy into today's intertwined and turbulent world.

Write a new chapter in human political civilization amidst the surging international intellectual currents. The Selected Works comprehensively sorts out the theoretical innovations of China's diplomacy in the new era, deepening the understanding of the laws governing the development of human society from a new perspective. General Secretary Xi Jinping combines the basic tenets of Marxism with the reality of China's diplomacy, carries out creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture, and the concept of a community with a shared future for mankind he put forward manifests the broad-mindedness of "the world is for all (天下为公)," the new type of international relations carries the beautiful vision of "all nations live together in harmony (协和万邦)," and the global partnership embodies the inclusive spirit of "harmony in diversity (和而不同)." The principles and policies of self-confidence and self-reliance, openness and inclusiveness, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation inherit and carry forward the fine traditions of new China's diplomacy. Surpassing conflict and confrontation with peaceful development, replacing absolute security with common security, rejecting zero-sum games with mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, preventing clashes of civilizations with exchange and mutual learning, protecting the common home of Earth with green development, transcending ideological bias with the common values of all humanity, and breaking the old "center-periphery" system with equal and orderly multipolarity and inclusive and beneficial economic globalization—these open up new realms of international relations theory and write a new chapter in human political civilization.

Deeply understand the contemporary value of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and systematically sort out the fruitful achievements of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

The Selected Works is not only a theoretical work but also the essence of practice, vividly recording the great practice of General Secretary Xi Jinping personally steering the course, planning, and advancing major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. Since the new era, Chinese diplomacy has braved the wind and waves and forged ahead courageously, accomplished a series of major and important affairs, achieved a series of major breakthroughs, brought confidence and hope to a world of chaotic clouds and disorder, significantly enhanced the strategic autonomy and initiative of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and continuously elevated China's international influence, appeal, and shaping power.

The centralized and unified leadership of the Party Central Committee has been comprehensively strengthened. Party leadership is the fundamental reason for the historic achievements of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and it is necessary to strengthen the Party's centralized and unified leadership over foreign affairs. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has taken overall charge of the overall foreign affairs work, successively holding a forum on neighborhood diplomacy, three Central Foreign Affairs Work Conferences, and a Central Conference on Neighborhood Work, further strengthening the top-level design and strategic planning of the Party's foreign affairs. The Central Leading Group for Foreign Affairs was upgraded to the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, the Foreign Relations Law of the People's Republic of China was formulated and implemented, and the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on the Leadership of Foreign Affairs Work were issued, continuously deepening the reform of the foreign affairs work system and mechanism, the reform of the foreign aid system and mechanism, and the construction of foreign-related legal systems, and the pattern of major coordination in foreign affairs has been further consolidated.

The all-round diplomatic layout has been deepened and expanded. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made 57 overseas visits, covering 72 countries across five continents, received hundreds of international dignitaries visiting China, and provided strategic guidance for the overall foreign affairs work with splendid head-of-state diplomacy. Creatively building global partnerships featuring dialogue rather than confrontation and partnership rather than alliance, the total number of countries with which China has established diplomatic relations has increased from 172 to 183, and the number of partnerships established with countries and regional organizations has increased from 41 to 153. Promoting the formation of a major-country relationship pattern of peaceful coexistence, overall stability, and balanced development, the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era has become more mature and resilient, China and the United States have confirmed a new positioning for constructive strategic stability relations, and the China-EU comprehensive strategic partnership has made steady progress with some improvement. The building of a community with a shared future for neighboring countries and the "five major homes (五大家园)" have been continuously deepened, the Indochina Peninsula and Central Asia have achieved full coverage of building communities with a shared future at bilateral and multilateral levels, the protocol for upgrading the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area to version 3.0 was officially signed, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) was promoted for quality improvement and upgrading. Uniting and leading the Global South to strengthen together, China has joined hands with Africa to advance "six modernizations (六个现代化)" and implement "ten partnership actions (十大伙伴行动)," built "five major projects (五大工程)" with Latin American countries, constructed "five major cooperation frameworks (五大合作格局)" with Arab countries, and created "seven cooperation platforms (七个合作平台)" with Pacific Island countries, continuously consolidating traditional friendship and raising the level of cooperation with the vast number of developing countries.

Undertake responsibilities in safeguarding peace and security. As a major country with the best record of peace and security, China actively advocates a vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, contributing wisdom and strength to maintaining world peace. Unswervingly promoting the cause of international peace, China has become the second largest contributor to UN peacekeeping assessments and the largest troop contributor among the permanent members of the UN Security Council. China's "Blue Helmets (蓝盔)" are truly a key force representing UN peacekeeping operations. The Global Security Initiative upholds the indivisibility of security and attaches importance to the legitimate security concerns of all countries, gaining appreciation and support from over 130 countries and international organizations, with its core concepts written into more than 160 bilateral and multilateral documents. Firmly upholding global strategic stability, China promoted the joint statement of the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races, safeguarding the international nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation regime. Exploring ways to resolve hotspot issues with Chinese characteristics, China initiated the "Group of Friends for Peace (和平之友小组)" on the Ukraine crisis, promoted a ceasefire in the border dispute between Cambodia and Thailand, played a constructive role in the conflicts involving the United States, Israel, and Iran, and continuously promoted the political settlement of issues such as the Korean Peninsula, Myanmar, and Afghanistan, becoming an anchor of peace and stability in a turbulent and changing world.

Serve as a mainstay in promoting open cooperation. China adheres to open development, advocates inclusiveness and mutual benefit, and injects confidence and impetus into global economic growth. Continuously expanding high-standard opening up, China has created open cooperation platforms such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the China International Fair for Trade in Services (CIFTIS), implemented unilateral visa-free policies for 50 countries and comprehensive mutual visa exemption with 29 countries, and shared development opportunities with countries around the world. Firmly upholding the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, China has built a global network of high-standard free trade zones and become a major trading partner for over 160 countries and regions. Jointly promoting high-quality Belt and Road cooperation with more than three-quarters of the world's countries, the China-Europe Railway Express has operated over 130,000 trips, the framework of "six corridors, six routes, multiple countries, and multiple ports (六廊六路多国多港)" has basically taken shape, and the "development belt (发展带)" and "road to happiness (幸福路)" that benefit the world have been continuously broadened. Actively promoting common development, the Global Development Initiative has so far mobilized over 23 billion US dollars in funds, carried out more than 1,800 cooperation projects, announced eight actions to support global development, implemented a zero-tariff policy for Africa and the least developed countries with which China has diplomatic relations, and assisted the Global South in jointly marching toward modernization.

Actively contribute to leading global governance. Facing severe impacts on the international order, the Global Governance Initiative contributes China's strength to addressing various governance deficits. Soon after its proposal, the Initiative quickly gained support and response from nearly 160 countries and international organizations, with more than 60 countries actively joining the "Group of Friends for Global Governance (全球治理之友小组)." Firmly supporting the UN's central role, China has established the China-UN Peace and Development Fund, put forward nine directions of reform for strengthening and improving global governance, which have been welcomed by the UN and all parties. Promoting the historic expansion of BRICS and the continued growth and strengthening of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, creating new platforms such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), the Silk Road Fund, and the New Development Bank, supporting the African Union's accession to the G20, and enhancing the representation and voice of Global South countries. Announcing nationally determined contributions targets for 2035, promoting the conclusion and implementation of the Paris Agreement on climate change, establishing the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, and gathering strength to protect the common home of Earth. Proposing the establishment of an International Organization for Mediation (国际调解院), successfully resolving the first international maritime dispute, filling a gap in the mechanism of international mediation. Proposing the Global AI Governance Initiative, initiating the establishment of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization (世界人工智能合作组织) with 38 countries as founding members, joining hands to build a more just and equitable global AI governance system, and promoting AI to be good, inclusive, and beneficial to humanity.

Resolutely and forcefully defend national interests. With the firm will of not fearing power and a principled and forceful struggle, China defends its national sovereignty, security, and development interests. Resolutely opposing maximum pressure and external interference, China has continuously enhanced its capabilities in counter-sanctions, counter-interference, and counter-"long-arm jurisdiction," effectively safeguarding its development rights and space. Resolutely cracking down on "Taiwan independence" separatist activities, China has established or restored diplomatic relations with 11 countries, and the international community's adherence to the One-China principle and support for China's realization of national reunification has been continuously consolidated and expanded. Effectively thwarting external forces' interference in Hong Kong affairs, China has continuously defeated attacks and smears launched against it using issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang, Hong Kong, Tibet, the pandemic, and human rights. Wholeheartedly practicing diplomacy for the people, China has organized more than 20 overseas evacuation operations of citizens, properly handled over 600,000 consular protection cases, answered more than 5 million calls to the 12308 consular protection hotline, jointly cracked down on cross-border gambling and telecom fraud with neighboring countries, cleared out telecom fraud parks entrenched along the border, initiated an international alliance against telecom network fraud, and made every effort to protect the safety of life and property of overseas Chinese citizens and the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises.

Reviewing the magnificent course of China's diplomacy in the new era as demonstrated by the Selected Works, we more deeply realize that the fundamental reason why major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics has continuously moved from victory to victory amidst the century-old transformations lies in the stewardship of General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the entire Party, and in the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, especially Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy. This is the greatest source of confidence for us to overcome difficulties, confront risks, and meet challenges on the path forward.

Deeply understand the practical requirements of Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, and fully leverage the unique advantages of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics.

The entire text of the Selected Works runs through the Marxist stance, viewpoint, and method, profoundly revealing the unique advantages of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, embodying a high degree of unity between historical mission and the trend of the times, national spirit and international justice, Chinese style and global vision, providing a powerful ideological weapon for Chinese diplomacy to tackle difficulties and forge ahead amidst international changes.

Keep the political direction correct. Major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics is diplomacy led by the Communist Party of China with a distinct socialist political attribute. We must unswervingly strengthen Party leadership, adhere to the diplomatic power being in the hands of the Party Central Committee, and ensure consistency with the Party Central Committee in terms of political stance, political direction, political principles, and political path. Strengthen the armament of the Party's innovative theories, follow up on the study of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and instructions on foreign affairs, deeply understand what is in the highest interests of the Party and the state, and conscientiously implement the Party Central Committee's foreign policies. Further strengthen the system and mechanism of the Party's leadership over foreign affairs, and continuously consolidate and expand the pattern of major coordination in foreign affairs where the Party exercises overall leadership and coordinates the efforts of all sides.

Stand firm on the people's position. Chinese diplomacy is diplomacy that is rooted in the people, cares for the people, and benefits the people. People-centeredness is the fundamental attribute of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics. We must adhere to the concept of diplomacy for the people, place the protection of national and people's interests in the foremost position, actively serve high-quality domestic development and high-standard opening up, firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese citizens and legal persons overseas, and enable the people to gain more sense of gain, happiness, and security. Adhere to listening to the voices of the people, respect the principal position and pioneering spirit of the people, ask the people for their needs and seek their advice, and conduct diplomacy that satisfies the people. Adhere to promoting people-to-people friendship, carry out people-to-people diplomacy in multiple fields, through multiple channels, and at multiple levels, using friendship as a bridge and connecting hearts, allowing the trickling streams of people's friendship to converge into a powerful force for promoting world peace and development.

Uphold fairness and justice. "Strength determines who wins in the short term, but principle determines who wins in the long run (一时强弱在于力，千秋胜负在于理)." From firmly supporting the national independence and liberation of Asia, Africa, and Latin America over 70 years ago, to deepening and expanding equal, open, and cooperative global partnerships in the new era, China has always adhered to the equality of all countries, big or small, adhered to non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, decided its own stance based on the merits of the matter itself, and always spoken out for the vast number of developing countries in international affairs. Facing headwinds and crosscurrents in the changing world, China will unswervingly uphold multilateralism and win-win cooperation, oppose unilateralism and protectionism; uphold sovereign equality, fairness and justice, oppose the strong bullying the weak and the law of the jungle; uphold extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, oppose hegemonism, high-handedness, and bullying; and always be a defender of international fairness and justice.

Persist in daring to struggle and being good at struggling. The more we face tests of high winds and choppy waters, even raging waves, the more we must carry forward the spirit of struggle, enhance our ability to struggle, and rely on tenacious struggle to open up new horizons for our cause. On the path forward, we must maintain strategic focus, strengthen confidence in victory, take a clear stand on issues of principle, and firmly safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests; we must strengthen awareness of potential dangers, adhere to bottom-line thinking, scientifically anticipate changes, promptly detect risks, and enhance our ability to effectively respond to challenges; we must master the art of struggle, make no concessions on matters of principle, be flexible on issues of tactics, unite all forces that can be united, mobilize all positive factors, and firmly grasp the initiative in the struggle.

Embrace a global vision. A great era requires a big-picture perspective, and a big-picture perspective calls for a broad-minded approach. From the perspective of "country first (本国优先)," the world is narrow and crowded, with intense competition at all times. From the perspective of a shared future, the world is vast and broad, with cooperation opportunities everywhere. We must correctly understand and handle the relationship with the external world, further integrate China's development with world development, further integrate the interests of the Chinese people with the common interests of the people of the world, forge ahead in the positive interaction between China and the world, accelerate development through mutual benefit and win-win cooperation with other countries, provide new opportunities for global development with new achievements in Chinese-style modernization, and contribute new impetus to human progress through China's responsible major-country actions. Actively respond to the legitimate concerns and common expectations of people of all countries, provide more public goods to address global issues and challenges, and make greater contributions to world development and the progress of civilization.

Thought guides direction, and concrete action creates brilliance. We must take the study of the Selected Works as an opportunity to deeply understand the decisive significance of the "two establishes (两个确立)," enhance the "four consciousnesses (四个意识)," strengthen the "four confidences (四个自信)," and achieve the "two upholds (两个维护)." We must deeply study and firmly practice Xi Jinping Thought on Diplomacy, strengthen our confidence, continue our struggle, continuously open up new horizons for major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics, and make unremitting efforts to forge ahead on the new journey of building a strong country and write a new chapter in building a community with a shared future for mankind!

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Ecological Environment Code Lays Solid Legal Foundation for Ecosystem Governance (Path to Governance)

By: 巩 固

The ecological environment is a unified natural system, an organic chain in which various natural elements are interdependent and closely linked. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Coordinate the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, improve the legal and institutional system for ecological and environmental protection, and deepen the reform of the ecological civilization system." The Ecological Environment Code (生态环境法典), passed by vote at the Fourth Session of the 14th National People's Congress, will take effect on August 15. The Ecological Environment Code implements Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and Xi Jinping Thought on the Rule of Law, constructs a legal system that focuses on the overall ecological environment and strengthens institutional and mechanism synergy, promotes governance systematization through rule systematization, and lays a solid legal foundation and expands practical space for the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts.

Systematic governance is the concrete unfolding in the field of ecological civilization construction of the important thesis that "human beings and nature are a life community" (生命共同体) put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping. This important thesis integrates the basic principles of Marxism, the laws of ecological and environmental science, and the excellent traditional Chinese ecological culture, forming a theoretical system that takes the value concept of "life community" as the guide, the practical requirement of "integrated protection" and the scientific method of "systematic governance" as supports, and contains the values, practical theory, and methodology of how to correctly treat nature. Among them, the value concept of "life community" emphasizes scientifically understanding and fully respecting the laws of nature, pursues harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, regards humans and nature as an interconnected organic whole, reveals the relationship of 休戚与共 (xiū qī yǔ gòng - "share joys and sorrows," meaning to be closely bound together) between humans and nature, embodies the idea that a good natural state has intrinsic value and natural legitimacy and needs to be fully protected, and derives practical requirements such as giving priority to ecology and placing prevention first. The practical requirement of "integrated protection" focuses on comprehensively protecting the ecological environment and strives to build a systematic and complete institutional system. The scientific method of "systematic governance" emphasizes synergy between institutions and mechanisms, leverages the joint forces of all parties, breaks down departmental barriers, uses systematic thinking, builds joint mechanisms, and realizes multi-stakeholder coordination, multi-means simultaneous use, multi-objective balance, and multi-link connection.

The Ecological Environment Code implements the transformation through general provisions and carries forward the concept of the life community. The Ecological Environment Code takes the broad and holistic "ecological environment" as the basic concept and protection object, includes activities related to pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, and green and low-carbon development within the scope of regulation, pursues harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and advances the legislative transformation of the value concept of the life community. The provisions "safeguarding the public health and ecological environment rights and interests," "maintaining ecological security," and "promoting green and low-carbon development" are written into the legislative purpose clauses. These three specific objectives correspond respectively to social benefits, ecological benefits, and economic benefits, realizing the balanced unity of triple values. The General Part also establishes principles such as "placing prevention first," "systematic governance," and "giving priority to ecology," making these practical requirements derived from the concept of the life community into basic norms that must be observed in the field of ecological environment, possessing the legal effect of guiding legislative construction, conducting value evaluation, and supplementing specific rules.

The Ecological Environment Code, through norm integration, constructs a legal system for integrated protection. The Pollution Prevention and Control Part, the Ecological Protection Part, and the Green and Low-Carbon Development Part of the Ecological Environment Code cover the main areas of environmental protection, and according to the requirements of integrated protection, achieve full coverage of important objects and matters. For example, the Pollution Prevention and Control Part systematically stipulates in a dedicated chapter provisions on chemical substance pollution risk control, electromagnetic radiation pollution prevention and control, light pollution prevention and control, etc.; the Ecological Protection Part improves provisions on rivers, lakes, deserts, wild plant protection, etc.; the Green and Low-Carbon Development Part adds provisions on addressing climate change, etc. On this basis, each part integrates relevant provisions through "general provisions" and chapter/section settings, forming a systematic and complete legal norm system. The Pollution Prevention and Control Part covers major pollutants such as atmosphere, water, oceans, soil, solid waste, noise, radioactivity, chemical substances, electromagnetic radiation, and light, realizing full-domain prevention and control from mountaintops to the sea. The Ecological Protection Part sets up dedicated sections for ecosystems such as forests, grasslands, wetlands, oceans, islands, rivers and lakes, and deserts, achieving integrated protection, and also has two dedicated chapters, "Prevention and Governance of Ecological Degradation" and "Ecological Restoration," which work in division and cooperation with other chapters to form a full-process system of "prevention before the event, control during the event, and restoration after the event." The Green and Low-Carbon Development Part incorporates the development of circular economy, energy conservation and green and low-carbon transformation, and addressing climate change into the institutional framework, running through all links of production, circulation, consumption, and recycling, forming a comprehensive and orderly connected complete loop.

The Ecological Environment Code, through breakthroughs and innovations, forms an institutional framework and mechanisms for systematic governance. Through breakthroughs and innovations, it connects different systems, realizes division and cooperation, and turns 单打独斗 (dān dǎ dú dòu - "single-handedly fighting alone," acting in isolation) into coordinated operations; this is an important way for the Ecological Environment Code to play its systematization function. The General Part of the Ecological Environment Code brings different systems from the sub-parts targeting the same object into a unified framework, forming a synergy for protection. Taking water as an example, the General Part of the Ecological Environment Code establishes "the state coordinates water resources, water environment, and water ecology governance," while the Pollution Prevention and Control Part and the Ecological Protection Part respectively stipulate specific systems related to "water quality," "water quantity," and "ecological flow," jointly realizing the "three-water coordination" of water environment, water resources, and water ecology. The Ecological Environment Code, by proposing the establishment and improvement of working coordination and linkage mechanisms for ecological and environmental protection, joint protection coordination mechanisms for key regions, basins, and sea areas, coordination mechanisms for ecological security work, and ecological environment information sharing mechanisms, and other cross-departmental and cross-regional working mechanisms, achieves systematic integration of forces from different administrative entities. The Ecological Environment Code attaches importance to the role of the judiciary, setting up a dedicated clause on the state strengthening the construction of judicial guarantees for the ecological environment, requiring administrative organs, supervisory organs, adjudicatory organs, and procuratorial organs to strengthen coordination and cooperation. The Ecological Environment Code focuses on the role of social entities, setting up a dedicated chapter on "Information Disclosure and Public Participation," clearly stipulating the rights of citizens, legal persons, and other organizations to lawfully obtain ecological environment information and participate in and supervise ecological and environmental protection, and sets relevant clauses to encourage grassroots autonomous organizations, social organizations, ecological environment volunteers, owners' committees, property service providers, and owners to play an active role in environmental protection publicity and education, pollution prevention and control, ecological protection, etc.

(The author is a professor at Peking University Law School)

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Ecological Protection "15th Five-Year Plan" Issued

Our newspaper, Beijing, August 11 (electronic dispatch) (Reporter Kou Jiangze (寇江泽)) The Ministry of Ecology and Environment (生态环境部), the Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部), and other departments recently jointly issued the Ecological Protection “15th Five-Year Plan” (生态保护“十五五”规划), to advance the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, rivers, forests, farmlands, lakes, grasslands, and deserts, and to construct a large pattern of protection and governance that extends from mountaintop to ocean.

The Plan proposes that by 2030, the ecological spatial pattern will be continuously optimized, ecological quality will steadily improve, the trend of biodiversity loss will be effectively mitigated, the supply of high-quality ecological products will become richer, the diversity, stability, and sustainability of ecosystems will be continuously enhanced, the regulatory system for ecological protection and restoration will be further perfected, and national ecological security will be effectively safeguarded.

The Plan proposes multiple specific targets for the “15th Five-Year Plan” period: including that the land area of nature reserves (自然保护地) as a proportion of total territorial land area shall not be less than 18%, the Ecological Quality Index (EQI) (生态质量指数) shall be raised to 86.5, the soil and water conservation rate shall reach over 74%, and the forest coverage rate shall reach 25.8%.

The Plan proposes to continuously optimize the ecological spatial pattern. Continuously consolidate the national ecological security barrier system with the “three zones and four belts” (三区四带) as its framework, and construct a green barrier in the “Three-North” (三北) project area. Establish and perfect a dynamic maintenance mechanism for territorial space planning, and optimize the scope of ecological protection red lines (生态保护红线). Comprehensively advance the construction of a nature reserve system with national parks as the main body, nature reserves as the foundation, and various types of natural parks as supplements. Integrate considerations of regional ecological structural integrity and the importance of ecological functions to optimize key areas for ecological protection and restoration supervision, and make dynamic adjustments based on the results of ecological status surveys and assessments, as well as the impact of human activities.

In terms of统筹推进 ecosystem protection and restoration, the Plan deploys three tasks: implementing 休养生息 (xiū yǎng shēng xī - "rest and recuperate," allowing natural ecosystems to recover), advancing ecosystem restoration, and improving the ecological livability quality of urban and rural areas. The Plan stipulates provisions for the protection of grasslands, forests, rivers and lakes, wetlands, etc., and proposes strengthening the protection of primary deserts, advancing the systematic protection of glaciers, snow-capped mountains, and frozen soil, strengthening the protection of typical marine ecosystems, and strictly controlling reclamation and sea-filling activities. At the same time, the Plan requires perfecting urban green space systems, promoting the open sharing of park green spaces, strengthening urban wetland ecology and aquatic environment restoration, strengthening the environmental governance of small and micro water bodies (小微水体) in rural areas, protecting rural mountain landscapes, fields, and the original features of rivers, lakes, and wetlands, deeply implementing rural greening and beautification, and giving priority to the use of native tree species.

The Plan specifies comprehensively strengthening biodiversity protection. Strengthen the protection and sustainable use of wild species and genetic resources. Incorporate biodiversity protection into urban related laws, regulations, plans, and policy systems. Strengthen biosecurity risk monitoring and early warning, and continuously advance risk identification, assessment and early warning, and emergency response in areas such as invasive alien species, biotechnology applications, and epidemic sources and diseases (疫源疫病). Strengthen monitoring and control of invasive alien species, and strictly enforce the approval of the introduction of alien species and the environmental release of biotechnology products.

The Plan also deploys tasks such as strengthening ecological quality monitoring and assessment, strictly enforcing ecological protection supervision and law enforcement, perfecting the ecological protection guarantee system, and deeply advancing the construction of demonstration zones for ecological civilization (生态文明示范建设).

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Why Typhoon Remnant Circulation Brings Widespread Heavy Rainfall

On the morning of the 11th, this year's 13th typhoon, "White Dolphin" (白海豚), weakened into a tropical depression within Hubei; in the afternoon, its wind force further weakened, and its circulation center had become very difficult to determine; at 17:00, the National Meteorological Center (中央气象台) stopped numbering it. According to the working procedure, when the maximum wind force at the center of a tropical cyclone weakens to below Force 8, the National Meteorological Center stops the numbering and unified positioning of that typhoon, but must continue to monitor rainstorm activity.

Numbering Stopped for Typhoon "White Dolphin"

A long life history, a long travel distance, repeatedly changing intensity, and a track influenced by complex factors... This was a typhoon that was 不同寻常 (bù tóng xún cháng - "not the same as ordinary," out of the ordinary) and drew much attention. From around the time of "White Dolphin's" formation in late July, meteorological departments continuously monitored its movements and carried out progressive services in an orderly manner; after August began, the typhoon's track and intensity kept developing and changing, and the probability of its affecting China kept rising. On August 9, "White Dolphin" made landfall twice on the coast of Zhejiang, carrying wind and rain; thereafter it moved northward and then westward, its intensity weakening, until it gradually weakened and disappeared within Hubei on the 11th. Around the 12th, its residual vortex will circle and linger in the border region where the three provinces of Hubei, Henan, and Anhui meet and, deeply combining with the upper-level trough of the westerly belt and the cold-air system, will initiate a new round of cross-regional heavy precipitation.

The National Meteorological Center forecasts that over the next three days, under the joint influence of "White Dolphin's" residual circulation and the westerly trough, eastern Zhejiang, Shanghai, western Jiangsu, Anhui, Hubei, northern Hunan, Henan, western Shandong, Hebei, eastern Shanxi, south-central Beijing, central Inner Mongolia, western Heilongjiang, and other areas will see rainstorms or heavy rainstorms.

On the 11th, the National Meteorological Center continued to issue an orange warning for rainstorms and a blue warning for severe convective weather. The Ministry of Natural Resources (自然资源部) and the China Meteorological Administration (中国气象局) jointly issued an orange meteorological risk warning for geological disasters. The State Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (国家防总) and the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部) activated a Level-IV flood-control emergency response for Beijing and Tianjin, and activated a Level-IV flood-control emergency response for Shanxi. The Ministry of Water Resources (水利部) and the China Meteorological Administration jointly issued a red meteorological warning for mountain torrent disasters. The Ministry of Water Resources activated a Level-IV flood-defense emergency response for Beijing and Tianjin. The Ministry of Transport (交通运输部) carried out point-to-point coordination with the transportation departments of Anhui, Hubei, and Henan provinces, requiring that they maintain a high degree of vigilance after the typhoon's intensity weakens.

On the 11th, the Beijing Flood Control and Drought Relief Headquarters (北京市防汛抗旱指挥部) activated a citywide Level-II flood-control emergency response, and all 3,357 housing-construction and municipal-works construction sites citywide suspended work. As of 18:00 on the 11th, personnel in at-risk villages, at-risk households, low-lying courtyards, and the like throughout the city's mountain areas had all completed evacuation.

The National Financial Regulatory Administration (金融监管总局) guided the Zhejiang Financial Regulatory Bureau (浙江金融监管局) and others to activate emergency responses, and organized the insurance industry to proactively serve on the front line. As of 12:00 on the 11th, insurance institutions in Zhejiang, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and other places had received nearly 100,000 claim reports in total, with estimated losses of 1.2 billion yuan, and had paid out 34.09 million yuan (including advance payments).

A typhoon's weakening or de-numbering does not mean the end of wind and rain impacts

A few days ago, "White Dolphin," "Chan-hom" (灿鸿), and the 16th typhoon, "Spoonbill" (琵鹭), had been active at the same time, forming a situation of "three typhoons dancing together." Zhang Fanghua (张芳华), chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center, explained that the environment of coexisting multiple vortices, along with cold-air activity in the north, made changes in typhoon tracks and intensities more complex, and their wind-and-rain impacts also carried a degree of uncertainty.

"A typhoon's de-numbering is not equal to its extinction," Fang Chong (方翀), chief forecaster at the National Meteorological Center, further explained. As a typhoon's intensity weakens until its numbering is stopped, typhoon warning signals are also often lifted, but this is not equivalent to the typhoon having already become extinct; its residual forces can still produce serious impacts.

Zhang Fanghua said that the weakening of a typhoon's intensity mainly refers to a decrease in the maximum wind speed of its inner core and a rise in central pressure, but the strong winds on its periphery do not necessarily decrease rapidly in step; especially in zones affected by terrain, large water surfaces, and the funnel effect, strong-wind weather may still occur. As for precipitation, after a typhoon makes landfall, influenced by multiple weather systems and complex terrain, heavy precipitation can still occur, and even extreme heavy precipitation stronger than that of the landfall stage may appear; this cannot be ignored. Therefore, a typhoon's weakening or de-numbering does not mean the end of wind and rain impacts; sometimes extreme weather even occurs, and special vigilance is required.

"White Dolphin's" Residual Circulation Moves Northward, with Precipitation Regionally Concentrated and Terrain Enhancement Notable

In this event, the typhoon's residual circulation moved northward, and the precipitation showed the characteristics of "regional concentration and notable terrain enhancement"; landforms and topography were the key factors shaping extreme rainfall in the north. Fang Chong explained that "White Dolphin's" residual circulation carried large amounts of warm, moist water vapor northward, and the easterly airflow on its northern side was blocked by mountain terrain such as the Taihang Mountains, the Funiu Mountains, Mount Song, and the Dabie Mountains; the warm, moist airflow climbed rapidly along the windward slopes of the mountain bodies, and the water vapor condensed upon encountering cold air, forming an extremely strong terrain-uplift rainfall effect that greatly increased local precipitation intensity and extended its duration. Among these, the southeastern side of the Taihang Mountains, the mountain areas of western Henan, the Dabie Mountain area of Anhui, and the mountain areas of northwestern Hubei were the core precipitation-enhancement zones and were also the high-incidence areas of this extremely heavy rainstorm. Continuous heavy rainfall in mountain areas very easily triggers mountain torrents as well as geological disasters such as landslides and debris flows.

After the 13th, the precipitation pattern will undergo some adjustment; the typhoon's residual vortex will gradually move eastward, and the precipitation area will shift accordingly, but after the residual vortex enters the sea, there is a possibility of re-intensification. Fang Chong cautioned that if the residual vortex develops again around the 16th, it will bring a new round of heavy precipitation to Northeast China.

Apart from extreme rainfall, the compound disaster risks brought by the northward movement of the typhoon's residual circulation likewise cannot be ignored. In agriculture, the risk of farmland waterlogging is high in the southern part of North China, the central Huang-Huai region, most of the Jianghuai region, and the northeastern part of Jiangnan; sustained accumulated water will affect the growth of autumn-harvest crops; the mixed strong winds on the periphery of the residual circulation can also easily damage agricultural facilities such as greenhouses.

Meteorological departments reminded that all localities and departments must keep a close eye on the latest forecast and warning information, focus on preventing disasters such as geological disasters in mountain areas, floods of small and medium-sized rivers, urban rainstorm waterlogging, and farmland waterlogging, and carry out in advance such work as hidden-danger screening, organizing personnel to take shelter, and facility protection.

(Compiled from reports by this newspaper's reporters Jiang Xuehong (蒋雪鸿), Deng Jianyang (邓剑洋), Liu Wenxin (刘温馨), Han Xin (韩鑫), Qu Xinming (屈信明), and Wang Zhou (王洲); Zeng Shenze (曾慎泽) participated in the reporting and writing.)

Extended Reading

How to Respond to Mountain Torrents and Debris Flows

Know How to Look, Know How to Listen, Know How to Run

The occurrence of mountain torrents and debris flows is mostly closely related to sustained precipitation and short-duration rainstorms. Areas where the rock and soil of mountain bodies are loose, vegetation is sparse, and river channels are narrow and winding are high-incidence, easily triggered zones for mountain torrents and geological disasters, and require focused vigilance during the flood season.

Before a mountain torrent or debris flow erupts, it is not that there are no signs at all; nature sends out "signals." To avoid danger, you must firmly remember "one look, two listens" — quickly identify the dangerous situation and promptly handle and respond.

For "one look": if you find that the water normally flowing in river valleys and ditches suddenly stops, or clear streams suddenly turn turbid and carry large amounts of mud, sand, withered grass, broken wood, and other debris, it indicates that a debris flow may have already occurred upstream. For "two listens": if a sound like the roar of a train or a muffled thunderclap comes from a deep valley — even if extremely faint — it indicates that a mountain torrent or debris flow is approaching.

When encountering a mountain torrent or debris flow, you should immediately move toward high slopes perpendicular to the direction of flow. Do not run downstream or upstream, and do not hide in low-lying valley bottoms, under bridges, beside river channels, or under large trees. When evacuating, do not cling to property; quickly move to a safe area that is higher in elevation and open.

If you are unfortunately swept in, do not struggle blindly, so as to avoid accelerating the consumption of your strength. Do your best to protect your respiratory tract to avoid inhaling mud. You can try to grab floating objects such as wooden boards or plastic barrels, keep your mouth and nose exposed above water, drift with the current by means of buoyancy, and watch for an opportunity to move toward shoals on either side. If you can stand firm, leave the water immediately, because an even larger torrent may follow. After being washed onto a shoal, if you cannot free yourself, you can look for brightly colored clothing or metal objects and wave them vigorously in an open area, or use a whistle or strike stones to produce rhythmic sounds, so that rescue personnel can find you.

(Compiled by Jiang Xuehong, reporter of this newspaper.)

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Yunnan Dianzhong New Area focuses on building a "test field" for deep integration of government, industry, academia, research, and application

In August, the spring city of Kunming boasts a high sky and vast clouds. The 2026 Future Transportation Development (Kunming) Forum opened on August 12 in Yunnan Dianzhong New Area (云南滇中新区). Since its inception, the forum has consistently adhered closely to the three tracks of “intelligent connected,” “low-altitude economy,” and “green energy,” leaping from a “sounding board” for cutting-edge topics to a “testing field” for the deep integration of government, industry, academia, research, and application.

As the 15th state-level new area approved by the State Council, Yunnan Dianzhong New Area shoulders the mission and task of “building an important fulcrum for China's radiation center facing South Asia and Southeast Asia.” With transportation as the vanguard and innovation as the driver, it is writing a new chapter of open development in the process of serving Yunnan's accelerated construction of the Belt and Road southbound international land-sea corridor.

The forum gathers wisdom, building a “strong magnetic field” for open cooperation. In 2023, the Future Transportation Science City (未来交通科学城) was inaugurated. In 2024, four research institutions including the Shandong University Yunnan Research Institute (山东大学云南研究院) were established. In 2025, five technological achievements including the Unified Network Command Drone Intelligent Inspection Platform (一网统飞智慧巡检平台) and the Plateau Mountain Highway Vehicle-Road Cooperative Active Prevention and Control System (高原山地高速公路车路协同主动防控系统) were collectively released. In 2026, the Yunnan Future Transportation Innovation Consortium (云南未来交通创新联合体) and the Yunnan Province Intelligent Connected Vehicle Industry Alliance (云南省智能网联汽车产业联盟) were formally established — the four editions of the forum have deepened step by step and progressed layer by layer. The forum is not only a platform for the collision of ideas, but also a platform for resource docking and a stage for achievement transformation. Academicians and experts jointly discuss cutting-edge insights, and business entities display innovative products. The “flow effect” released by the forum is accelerating transformation into “investment increments,” forming a benign ecology of “gathering wisdom through the forum and promoting industry through transportation,” and becoming one of the most recognizable business cards of Yunnan Dianzhong New Area's opening to the outside world.

Innovation leads, consolidating the “hard foundation” of scientific research development. Relying on the scientific innovation momentum gathered by the forum, Yunnan Dianzhong New Area has promoted the substantive operation of a number of scientific research platforms. The pilot project for building a country with strong transportation network (交通强国) was approved and launched. The Future Transportation Innovation Research Institute was inaugurated and put into operation. Shandong University Yunnan Research Institute successfully entered the 2024 list of cultivation targets for new-type R&D institutions in Yunnan Province. Kunming Aviation Vocational College was established and began operations, filling the gap in higher vocational education for the aviation specialty in the entire province. The Yunnan Province Intelligent Connected Transportation International Joint Laboratory, co-built by Kunming University of Science and Technology together with the National University of Laos, Naresuan University of Thailand, etc., was launched and put into operation, and established an international joint scientific research mechanism of “scientific research cooperation — joint tackling of key problems — demonstration application — radiation to South Asia and Southeast Asia,” and built a cross-border and cross-regional intelligent connected vehicle testing and commercial demonstration base facing South Asia and Southeast Asia. Four parties — China Railway Development and Investment Group, China Telecom Kunming Branch, Beijing Yizhuang Smart City Research Institute, and Yunnan Province Science and Technology Investment Management Co., Ltd. — signed the Strategic Cooperation Agreement on Jointly Building the Mohan-Boten (磨憨—磨丁) Cross-Border Intelligent Connected Demonstration Zone. Yunnan Dianzhong New Area will use Mohan Port as a “testing field” to explore cross-border transportation coordination innovation, seizing the first opportunity for the output of future transportation technology standards facing South Asia and Southeast Asia.

Industry strengthens the foundation, activating a “new engine” for cluster development. The first international airport implemented overseas by Chinese enterprises including Yunnan Airport Group Co., Ltd. under the “BOT model” — the Siem Reap Angkor International Airport in Cambodia — has become an important achievement of the China-Cambodia joint construction of the Belt and Road. Relying on Yunnan's unique climatic conditions, the China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) Kunming Inspection Center is accelerating the construction of an overseas adaptability test equivalent replacement plateau scenario library, helping China's automotive testing and certification system go overseas. Leading enterprises in the field of new energy batteries have established layouts, helping Yunnan Dianzhong New Area seize the track of the new energy industry and promote the deep integration of green energy and green transportation. The province's first intelligent connected vehicle supervision platform went online and operated, with the cumulative test mileage of intelligent connected vehicles reaching 47,000 kilometers, driving the Yunnan intelligent connected vehicle industry to take shape and gain momentum.

Corridors are expanded, unblocking the “main arteries” of domestic and international circulation. On the land side, Yunnan Dianzhong New Area coordinates with Kunming International Land Port, increasing the frequency of China-Laos Railway and China-Vietnam Railway freight trains. Goods can reach Vietnam and Laos directly by rail, and then radiate to neighboring countries, achieving efficient land connectivity with major countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia. On the air side, relying on Kunming Changshui International Airport, multiple international cargo routes have been opened to Bangkok, Thailand; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Yangon, Myanmar, etc., building a fast channel of the “Air Silk Road.” Fresh produce, electronic products, and other goods can achieve “same-day delivery.”

Striving forward in the “15th Five-Year Plan” period, Yunnan Dianzhong New Area fully overlays the multiple advantages of platform capacity, industrial agglomeration, and corridor hub, continuously cultivates and strengthens the future transportation industry ecosystem, deeply advances practical coordination with South and Southeast Asian countries in fields such as transportation science and innovation, logistics and trade, and joint talent cultivation, boosts China's future transportation innovation achievements to empower the development of the Lancang-Mekong region, and continuously accumulates surging momentum for Yunnan's accelerated construction of the Belt and Road southbound international land-sea corridor.

Data source: Yunnan Dianzhong New Area Management Committee

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Chen Juan, Yang Xiaoyu, Dong Wenxin

Layout design: Zhang Fangman

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Summer托管: Happy Kids, Worry-Free Parents (A Joyful and Fulfilling Summer)

Every summer, who will look after the children? How to let children have a happy and fulfilling summer vacation? These are hot topics of concern for many families. Facing the pain points of “children have nowhere to go, parents find care difficult,” multiple regions and departments have taken real measures 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - “according to local conditions,” adapt measures to local conditions), setting up a rich variety of summer care classes. Here there are abundant courses, the busy figures of volunteers, and also the laughter and cheerful voices of children… All kinds of care classes reduce parents’ 后顾之忧 (hòu gù zhī yōu - “worries from behind,” concerns about future troubles) and also accumulate strength for the healthy growth of children.

— Editor

Inner Mongolia Hohhot
Diverse classrooms help comprehensive development
Our reporter Li Zhiyao

“Come on, everyone pair up, hang the ropes together, then tie them separately to your own left and right wrists, and see if you can separate the crossed ropes.”
On the afternoon of July 31, in the activity room of the Hohhot City Saihan District Library (赛罕区图书馆) in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Yan Ruyu, the teacher in charge of the summer public welfare care class, led the children in groups to play the “rope-untying” game.
“It looks like untying ropes, but actually it trains thinking,” Yan Ruyu explained.

To alleviate the “difficulty of care” for children of employee families, the 2026 Summer Children’s Care Service Activity, hosted by the Hohhot Women’s Federation (呼和浩特市妇联), was launched at the beginning of the summer vacation. Under the guidance of the Women’s Federation of Saihan District (赛罕区妇联), multiple communities and women’s and children’s centers in the district have set up summer public welfare care classes.

On the “Growth Footprints” section on the activity room wall, the children’s gains and insights are posted, and above the bookshelf are the children’s paintings. “Here I do my homework every morning, and in the afternoon there are my favorite game sessions, and I also made good friends,” said Liu, a nine-year-old student.

Nearby, volunteer Zhang Jiayi was helping a child tidy up the ropes used for the game on their wrists. “We divide the children into different groups, and each volunteer takes care of five or six children, responsible for tutoring homework, supervising during breaks, etc.” Zhang Jiayi is a college student majoring in medicine. During the summer vacation, she returned home and voluntarily signed up for this volunteer service. “I come to work an hour early every day. The teacher in charge explains the matters needing attention, and after the session we review and exchange information on each child’s status.”

This summer public welfare care class lasts for three weeks. “In the morning, there is a fixed homework time, followed by activities such as thinking training, speech and reading, and science experiments,” Yan Ruyu said. As a teacher who has worked in family education for many years, Yan Ruyu believes that care is not just “keeping an eye on the children”; it must also focus on their comprehensive development. “Through courses and games, we observe the children’s behavioral habits and how they handle emergencies, promptly discover problems, and provide targeted guidance to help children grow better.”

The summer public welfare care class also incorporates study tour sessions tailored to local conditions. “Everyone went out to experience tie-dye techniques and visited the intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall, getting up close to local characteristic culture,” introduced Hao Huiyu, Party Secretary and Chairwoman of the Women’s Federation of Saihan District.

According to reports, since the Women’s Federation of Saihan District began exploring public welfare care services in the winter vacation of 2025, a total of 11 vacation public welfare care classes have been run—4 in winter and 7 in summer—serving over 200 families and more than 220 children cumulatively.

Bao Yongqin, Vice Chairwoman of the Hohhot Women’s Federation, introduced, “We continuously refine the course design, turning the ‘child-friendly’ concept into tangible benefits for people’s livelihoods, so that children can have a safe, happy, and meaningful holiday.”

Anhui Hefei
Public welfare activities cultivate outgoing personalities
Our reporter Li Junjie

“I know! August 1 is Army Day!” On the morning of July 31, at the Veterans Service Station on the third floor of the Party and Mass Service Center of Wannianbu Subdistrict (万年埠街道), Baohe District (包河区), Hefei, Anhui, the childish voices of children could be heard from outside the door. Pushing open the door, a national defense education class was underway. On the podium, Liu Zijing, a member of the Baohe District Youth Federation (包河区青联) and a veteran, smiled and asked, “Children, how did Army Day come about?” More than ten children sat around, raising their little hands high, vying to answer.

This is a scene from the holiday caring service class run by the Wannianbu Subdistrict League Working Committee (万年埠街道团工委). “We ran one session of care service during the winter vacation this year, lasting 7 working days. This summer, we ran two sessions, each lasting 12 working days with 15 places. Priority is given to children from families in difficulty, dual-income families, and families of new employment groups, aged 6 to 12 in the jurisdiction,” introduced Zhu Tingting, Secretary of the Wannianbu Subdistrict League Working Committee.

The care class runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. or 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. each working day. The half-day care class can complement the community’s public welfare classes. “Children who come here are not simply doing homework,” Zhu Tingting introduced. In terms of content design, the care service adheres to the combination of care and supervision, and equal emphasis on learning and play. “If there is no external visit activity that day, we arrange an indoor special course and a homework tutoring session. The special courses are taught by members of the Baohe District Youth Federation and Party member volunteers from the jurisdiction, while homework tutoring is mainly done by college student volunteers recruited by the subdistrict. If there is an external visit, we jointly organize study tour activities with venues such as the Memorial Hall of the Crossing-the-Yangtze River Campaign (渡江战役纪念馆) and public welfare institutions located in the jurisdiction.”

“A while ago, the big brothers and big sisters took us to many interesting places—we went into the subway station to learn about the rail transit operation system, went to the Memorial Hall of the Crossing-the-Yangtze River Campaign to learn to weave straw sandals, and acted as judges in a mock court at the district court… it was really fun,” said Qian Wenjie, a student in the second session of the summer caring service class. His father Qian Yuanlong is often away on business trips, his mother works at a nearby shopping mall, and his elder brother is in high school. After hearing that the Subdistrict League Working Committee had run a free summer caring service class, Qian Yuanlong signed up his younger son. “Since attending the summer care class, the child’s personality has become much more outgoing. Every day when he comes home, he can’t wait to share with us where he went and what he learned,” Qian Yuanlong said.

This summer, resident Zhen Qinqin in the jurisdiction signed up her daughter Qian Pengfei for the caring service class. After the class ended, she happened to see a public welfare activity announcement in the group, learning that the community and the Anhui Provincial Science and Technology Museum (安徽省科技馆) would jointly hold a two-week practical activity, so she signed up her child again. “This summer, the child’s horizons have broadened, and we parents have been especially worry-free,” Zhen Qinqin said.

Sichuan Guang’an, Guangdong Dongguan
Cross-provincial care conveys longing and concern
Our reporter Li Kaixuan

“Crush the mugwort a bit finer, the fragrance will last longer…” In the “Qianlang Colorful Camp” (前朗七彩营) class at the Party and Mass Service Center of Xiangtou Community (巷头社区), Dalang Town (大朗镇), Dongguan City, Guangdong Province, 11-year-old girl Li Yuxuan from Qianfeng District (前锋区), Guang’an, Sichuan, focused on sewing an intangible cultural heritage sachet, following the method demonstrated by a volunteer.

Outside the window, Li Yuxuan’s father Li Xueshan took a break from work and came over, gazing through the glass for a long time. “From Sichuan to Guangdong, the child’s summer vacation is fulfilling, and we can work with peace of mind,” he said with relief. Li Xueshan has worked in the knitting industry in Dalang Town for 10 years. Normally, he only returns home during the Spring Festival, spending very little time with his child.

Qianfeng District is a major labor-exporting area, with many people working in Guangdong. In Dalang, Dongguan alone, there are over 70,000 knitting industry workers from Qianfeng District, and most of their children are left-behind. To help families reunite, in recent years the two places have cooperated in carrying out a special escort action for “little migratory birds” (小候鸟), with children being escorted by volunteers to Guangdong during the summer vacation.

After achieving reunion, there was still a follow-up difficulty: the parents work in shifts in the workshop, so the children spend most of their time alone in rented rooms. “I can’t spend more than a few hours with my daughter in a day. I want to accompany her but can’t spare the time,” Li Xueshan said.

During a survey and visit in 2025, the Qianfeng District Federation of Trade Unions (前锋区总工会) and the Qianfeng District Committee of the Communist Youth League (共青团前锋区委) and other departments learned about the wishes of many parents. “We conducted online and offline surveys simultaneously, distributed registration forms, set up registration points, simultaneously established parent communication groups, and according to standards screened 38 children of migrant workers in need of care,” introduced Zhou Yang, Secretary of the Qianfeng District Committee of the Communist Youth League.

With joint efforts from all sides, with active coordination by the Dalang Town League Committee and the Committee for Caring for the Next Generation (关工委), Xiangtou Community provided the multi-functional classroom of the Party and Mass Service Center for the care class free of charge. “Funding is supported by a special fund from the Guang’an Municipal Committee for Caring for the Next Generation (广安市关工委) and the Guang’an Municipal Foundation for Caring for the Next Generation, with supplementary guarantees from the Qianfeng District Committee for Caring for the Next Generation and the District Federation of Trade Unions,” Zhou Yang told the reporter. The “Qianlang Colorful Camp” project has been implemented during the summer vacation for two consecutive years, entirely free of charge.

Where did the teaching staff come from? Young volunteer backbone members of the 27th Graduate Student Volunteer Teaching Group (研究生支教团) from Southwest University of Political Science and Law (西南政法大学) and Jiangsu Normal University (江苏师范大学) formed a “Youth Escort Team” (青春护航队). Nine volunteers were fully responsible for the long-distance escort, daily teaching, and safety management of the 38 “little migratory birds.”

“The purpose of running the care class is not just ‘watching the children’; we want to create a vivid growth classroom,” said Gu Hongping, a staff member of the Qianfeng District Committee of the Communist Youth League, who participated in the course design. In addition to daily homework tutoring and assignment guidance, the “Qianlang Colorful Camp” incorporated activities such as making intangible cultural heritage sachets, fun science experiments, and red study tours into the curriculum.

To enrich the summer experience, Qianfeng District also jointly organized an activity called “Gratitude Grows with Me: Entering Parents’ Workplaces” with Dalang Town. Through a combination of field visits and job experience, the activity guided the “little migratory birds” to enter their parents’ workplaces. Led by volunteers, the children visited the Dalang Knitting Trade Center (大朗毛织贸易中心) to learn about the work their parents do, enhancing their bond with their parents.

“Cross-provincial care breaks down geographical barriers and conveys the longing of the hometown,” said Zhang Qiao, a relevant official from the Qianfeng District Federation of Trade Unions. The two places will continue to deepen cross-regional cooperation, optimize the curriculum system, expand the coverage of services, and extend the service cycle, so that children can gain warmth and growth in a foreign land.

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Tender Care in Summer Care Classes (Editor's Note)

By: 白真智

Where do children go during the holiday? It is a difficult problem that troubles many parents. To the delight of many, multiple localities and departments have precisely coordinated resources, meticulously designed courses, and carefully provided services, creating various forms of summer daycare classes to accompany children through an unforgettable summer vacation.

Running summer daycare classes is not about watching children do homework, but about creating a meaningful growth period for them. During this time, the children made good friends, unlocked new experiences, and came to understand the hardships of their parents’ work.

An even more important gain is the love from all sectors of society. The staff of various departments who run the summer daycare classes, the teachers who design fun games, the volunteers who escort the “little migratory birds” back and forth… They have worked hard, caring for the children with heart and soul, making this sparkling summer vacation stir warm ripples in the children’s hearts.

It is hoped that this tender love will extend beyond the summer and continue to accumulate strength for the healthy growth of the children.

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Serves over 300 million person-times of laborers annually

By: 本报记者 李林蔚

The human resources service industry is an important category of modern producer services and plays a positive role in promoting high-quality full employment, facilitating the smooth and orderly flow of human resources, and helping to build a modern industrial system. A relevant official of the Human Resources Mobility Management Department (人力资源流动管理司) of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security (人力资源社会保障部) recently introduced the situation of the human resources service industry during the 14th Five-Year Plan period and the key work for the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the human resources service industry was established as a nationally encouraged industry category, and a policy system coordinating the development of the human resources service industry and the management of the human resources market has basically taken shape. The official introduced that as of the end of 2025, there were 81,000 human resources service institutions of various types nationwide, with 1.115 million employees, up 78 percent and 32 percent respectively compared with the end of the 13th Five-Year Plan period. Human resources service institutions of various types have established more than 60,000 recruitment venues and more than 20,000 online service platforms, carried out the employment promotion action of the human resources service industry in depth, and provided employment, job selection, and mobility services to more than 300 million person-times of workers annually, becoming the main channel for employment matching.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" for Implementing the Employment Priority Strategy (实施就业优先战略“十五五”规划), the "15th Five-Year Plan" for the Development of Human Resources and Social Security Undertakings (人力资源和社会保障事业发展“十五五”规划), and other plans have made arrangements and deployments for the development of the human resources service industry and will systematically promote further capacity expansion and quality improvement in the human resources service industry.

Expand the supply of high-quality market-based employment services. Deepen the employment promotion action of the human resources service industry, increase the frequency of "small but beautiful" and "specialized and refined" recruitment activities, and provide refined and detailed market-based employment services for key groups such as college graduates, migrant workers, veterans, and people with employment difficulties. Develop specialized human resources service institutions and cultivate human resources service industry clusters. Strengthen the professional title evaluation work for human resources management professionals and build a talent pool of leading industry professionals and an expert think tank.

Raise the level of digital-intelligent development. Promote the digital transformation and upgrading of the human resources service industry and deepen the application of emerging technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence. Promote the empowerment of human resources services by artificial intelligence and greatly improve the efficiency of matching human resources supply and demand.

Promote the integrated development of the human resources service industry. Guide the human resources service industry to strengthen cross-sector cooperation with producer service enterprises in science and technology, information, commerce, finance, and other fields, and strengthen human resources support for service industries such as health and wellness, housekeeping, childcare, and culture and tourism.

Build strong platform carriers for the human resources service industry. Improve the management and support policies for human resources service industry platforms, improve the key contact mechanism for human resources service industrial parks, and explore launching human resources affairs trusteeship services for small, medium, and micro enterprises.

Improve the unified, open, competitive, and orderly human resources market system. Promote the reform of market-based allocation of human resources factors and improve core mechanisms such as market supply and demand, pricing, matching, and flow, as well as supporting operational rules. Improve and perfect the laws, regulations, and systems of the human resources market and establish a list system for seriously dishonest entities in the human resources market. Improve the credit evaluation system for the human resources service industry.

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Market Regulatory Authority Approves Release of 338 Key National Standards

Beijing, August 11 (Reporters Lin Lili (林丽鹂)) Recently, the State Administration for Market Regulation (National Standards Committee) (市场监管总局, 国家标准委) approved and released 338 important national standards. Among them, 15 are compulsory national standards and 323 are recommended national standards.

In the field of high and new technology, national standards for terminology of quality requirements and evaluation of artificial intelligence medical devices were released, promoting the establishment of a national standards system for artificial intelligence medical devices and providing a basis for product development, testing, and quality control. National standards for new types of displays such as stereoscopic display devices and flexible display devices were released, improving the quality evaluation system for display technology. National standards in the field of optoelectronics such as optical circuit boards and fiber optic interconnection devices were released, standardizing device performance indicators and test measurement methods.

In the area of production safety, a compulsory national standard for safety requirements of resistance welding machines was released, providing rigid technical specifications for the operation of welding equipment, effectively curbing safety accidents, and ensuring personnel safety. Implementation of the standard will force enterprises to improve their intrinsic safety level, standardize production management, and lay a solid foundation for long-term stable operation of equipment and high-quality development of the industry. Fifteen national standards were released, including those for T-shaped guide rails for elevators, fire resistance tests for elevator landing doors, and periodic inspection and assessment of liquefied petroleum gas and liquefied dimethyl ether cylinders, reinforcing the safety baseline for special equipment.

In the area of people's daily life, a compulsory national standard for safety requirements of autonomous driving systems for intelligent connected vehicles was released, standardizing the design, development, and testing of autonomous driving systems to ensure accurate and reliable operation in complex traffic scenarios, minimize traffic accidents caused by system failures and misjudgments, and reduce the risk of casualties. A service specification for internet rental bicycles was released, regulating the entire process of internet rental bicycle operation services, guiding operating enterprises to continuously optimize services and improve user experience.

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Beijing Compiles First City-Level Special Plan for Underground Space

Beijing, August 11 (Reporter Pan Junqiang (潘俊强)) — Recently, Beijing released the Beijing Underground Space Special Plan (2025-2035) (北京市地下空间专项规划（2025年—2035年）). As the first city-wide underground space special plan compiled at the municipal level in Beijing, this plan, through the scientific and rational development and utilization of underground space and the coordinated utilization of aboveground and underground space, promotes the continuous improvement of the urban spatial structure and ecological security pattern, and proposes that by 2035, Beijing will be built into a multi-dimensional, safe, efficient, convenient, and sustainably developing three-dimensional livable city.

The plan constructs a comprehensive, all-element ecological security management and control system, scientifically delineates three types of safety management and control zones—prohibited construction areas, conditional construction areas, and suitable construction areas—and reasonably avoids various disaster risk areas. It establishes an underground comprehensive disaster prevention system, supplements and improves the urban emergency shelter system, and effectively enhances the capacity to respond to catastrophic disasters and emergencies. It establishes a dynamic monitoring network for groundwater levels, improves design and management standards for underground engineering to adapt to changes in water levels, and controls risks and hidden dangers at the source.

The plan deepens the zone-layer layout, and based on the functional positioning of each zone-layer, strengthens differentiated guidance for underground space by zone-layer. For example, the central urban area insists on the linkage between aboveground and underground, makes good use of underground space in urban renewal, fills gaps in facilities such as parking and convenience services, and increases green open space on the ground.

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Young Talent and Emerging Industries Move Toward Each Other

By: 本报记者 尹晓宇

Entrepreneurs and top experts join hands to innovate; science and engineering colleges and universities move into industrial parks to teach and practice; university researchers, carrying their papers, “pack up and start businesses” with a “one-stop direct link”… Earlier this year, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, issued the “Talent Policy 2.0,” advancing the integrated development of education, science and technology, and talent through the unified construction and development of talent resources.

In 2024, under the leadership of the Nanjing Municipal Talent Office, Nanjing University, Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology, relevant science and technology enterprises, together with the Nanjing Jiangbei New Area and relevant academician teams, jointly established a “Talent Joint Research and Breakthrough Consortium” (人才攻关联合体). The platform-based enterprise Nanzhi Optoelectronics takes the lead in research tasks and aggregates industry demands; the Jiangbei New Area provides project incubation space; university youth research teams undertake phased topic tasks such as “Photon Intelligent Engine 2.0” and “Optical Simulation Design,” with quarterly university-local joint meetings to track and coordinate.

“In technology-intensive industries, going it alone makes it difficult to overcome common industry challenges.” Chen Ying (陈莹), Deputy Director of the Party and Mass Work Department of the Jiangbei New Area, introduced that scientists outline technological blueprints around frontier directions; entrepreneurs, starting from industry demands, organize technology verification and process iteration with engineering thinking, and together with the industrial parks, promote the implementation of application scenarios.

After two years of coordinated research, the “thin-film lithium niobate + X” photonic chip pilot production line was put into operation, with key technologies and processes reaching internationally leading levels.

Led by the joint promotion of innovation by “enterprises + top experts,” Nanjing has established 26 “Talent Joint Research and Breakthrough Consortia,” forming a number of important achievements in fields such as photonic chips, advanced composite materials, and new-generation information communication.

Breaking through barriers also requires more normalization mechanisms for support. Driven by the university-local joint meeting mechanism, Nanjing connects with 51 universities and 14 key research units located in the city, resolving over 120 various demands and suggestions. During the “14th Five-Year Plan” period, Nanjing selected 215 park science and technology talent specialists, stationed them in 75 colleges and research institutes, and “point-to-point” guided the implementation of over 800 scientific research achievements; 36 achievement transformation small teams have collected over 500 transformable achievements and uncovered 191 enterprise technology needs; colleges and research institutes select professional talents with innovation resources and transformation capabilities to serve at the industry front line as members of the Science and Technology Town Mayor Group (科技镇长团), having received 16 batches totaling 1,171 people, signing nearly 4,900 industry-university-research projects, continuously transforming talent creativity into real productive forces.

How to realize a two-way mutual advancement between young talent and new industries?

Since 2025, the Qixia District of Nanjing, together with the Nanjing Economic and Technological Development Zone and the Xianlin University City, has continuously deepened cooperation in areas such as talent cultivation and industry-university-research collaboration.

“Enterprises ‘post a notice’ proposing research needs; teachers come to ‘take up the challenge,’ and only after forming an ‘order’ can they lead graduate students.” Jiang Guoping (蒋国平), Dean of the School of Excellent Engineers at Nanjing University of Posts and Telecommunications, introduced that in 2025, the entire school has moved into the Hongfeng Science and Technology Park, with graduate student laboratories right next to the offices of “industry professors,” allowing young people to integrate into the science and innovation circle before they even leave school.

In Nanjing, universities and colleges, leading enterprises, and industrial parks are “forming groups” for deep integration. Relying on 10 national and provincial-level Schools of Excellent Engineers located in the city, Nanjing has formed 5 Excellent Engineer Technology Centers, set up industry talent scholarships in 7 universities, and established enterprise-university co-built talent “order classes,” fully opening up the chain of industry-university-research-application talent cultivation.

Sparks of innovation also require a suitable ecosystem. Around the Nanjing Jiangning Zijing Mountain Science and Technology City, a high-density innovation community is taking shape.

Half a year ago, Wang Haoyang (汪浩洋), a researcher at Southeast University, brought the key technology of three-dimensional force sensors for humanoid robot hands and, with a flexible identity of “working at the university, starting a business in the locality,” walked into the International Talent Innovation Port next to the school. Business registration, financial matchmaking, concept verification, pilot incubation, as well as talent apartments and employee club facilities… all are completed “in one go” within the “Port.” The Jiangning District Talent Office proactively connected with downstream enterprises, and collaborative research and development came naturally.

Not far away, multiple research institutions such as the Zijinshan Laboratory are clustered together. The National University Information and Communication Regional Technology Transfer and Transformation Center (Jiangsu) has cooperated with 32 top universities to provide platform support for common research.

“A good innovation ecosystem is fertile soil for talent growth.” A relevant person in charge of the Nanjing Municipal Talent Office stated that Nanjing will adhere to the laws of scientific and technological innovation and talent growth, gather high-quality resources to accompany talent throughout their full cycle of growth, and continuously inject momentum into regional high-quality development.

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Gansu sets regulations on nutritional meals for rural students

Our Lanzhou, August 11 report (Reporter Song Chaojun). Gansu recently issued the Several Measures on Further Improving the Management Level of the Nutrition Improvement Plan for Rural Compulsory Education Students, which stipulates regulations for rural students' nutritious meals from seven aspects including expanding the coverage of safeguards, standardizing bidding and procurement, improving meal quality, strengthening cafeteria management, and reinforcing fund supervision, in order to improve the nutritional status of rural students and raise the health level of rural students.

From the perspective of implementation scope, Gansu will in steps incorporate county compulsory education schools in the national plan areas within the province into the implementation scope of the local plan areas. Starting from the autumn semester of 2026, boarding students in county boarding schools will be included in the implementation scope.

In terms of improving meal quality, it requires school cafeterias to adhere to the principles of public welfare and non-profit, strictly implement the self-operated system, and must not be contracted out or entrusted for operation. All localities shall fully staff school cafeteria personnel in accordance with a ratio of no less than 1:100 to the number of students dining. Schools shall equip food safety officers according to regulations, and school cafeterias with 500 or more students shall also equip a food safety director who is served by the vice principal in charge of food safety work or a person of equivalent position.

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本版责编：唐天奕 何宇澈 闵方正

Layout Design: Wang Zheping (汪哲平)

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Swimming in the Ocean of Culture and Knowledge (New Era Scroll: A Joyful and Fulfilling Summer Vacation)

Just as the summer vacation season arrives, a collection of pictures freezes the vivid facets of holiday cultural life: in every movement, experiencing the unique charm of intangible cultural heritage skills; pausing before an exhibition, grasping the profound and extensive Chinese culture and the long-standing Chinese civilization; stepping onto a study tour, broadening horizons and gaining knowledge through the unity of knowledge and action; entering a "caring trusteeship" program, with fun reading and artistic enlightenment as companions...

A colorful summer, culture nourishes the heart. One after another, tangible and accessible cultural experiences not only infuse children's vacation with abundant spiritual strength, but also manifest the people-centered warmth of public cultural services, illuminating the path of children's growth with the light of culture.

— Editor

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Xiao Yao, Chen Shihan, Yin Yan

Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

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Accelerate efforts to build a new energy system and consolidate strength for building a strong energy nation

Building Zero-Carbon Industrial Parks, Improving the New Energy System
Wang Naixiang (王乃祥), Chairman of Beijing Green Exchange Co., Ltd. (北京绿色交易所有限公司)
Zero-carbon industrial parks are an innovative practice in which the new energy system is deeply integrated into production and consumption links, and an important carrier for exploring energy problem-solving pathways and guiding the construction of the new energy system.
The improvement of the new energy system by zero-carbon industrial parks is mainly reflected in two aspects. One is promoting clean transformation of energy production. Through direct green electricity connection, "point-to-point" linking of renewable energy with enterprises in the park is achieved, reducing transmission losses; relying on the integration of source-grid-load-storage, real-time dynamic matching of energy supply and demand is realized; the "wind-solar-hydrogen-storage" multi-energy complementary supply network can compensate for the limitations of a single energy source. The other is promoting efficient new energy consumption. Energy-saving and carbon-reduction transformation is advanced to facilitate low-carbon production; electrification of end-use energy is promoted to build a clean and low-carbon end-use energy consumption scenario; relying on a smart energy-carbon management platform, demand-side enterprises are guided to shave peaks and fill valleys, alleviating grid peak regulation pressure.
Looking to the future, the development of zero-carbon industrial parks will provide an important testing ground for new energy technology innovation and business model exploration, continuously promote the large-scale development of new energy, and provide strong momentum for a green, low-carbon, high-quality development of the energy economy.
Beijing Green Exchange will deeply assist in the construction of the new energy system, provide a platform for eligible new energy projects to realize emission reduction benefits, support the transformation, application, and large-scale promotion of low-carbon technologies in the new energy field, and continuously consolidate the park ecology supporting the diversified application of the new energy system.

Building a World-Class Green, Low-Carbon Comprehensive Energy and Chemical Enterprise
Chen Qi (陈琦), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Shaanxi Yanchang Petroleum (Group) Co., Ltd. (陕西延长石油（集团）有限责任公司)
In recent years, Yanchang Petroleum has focused on building a new energy system and serving the construction of an energy powerhouse, actively exploring a new model for green, low-carbon, high-quality development of the energy and chemical industry.
Promote green and efficient energy development to achieve carbon reduction at the source. Yanchang Petroleum adheres to a simultaneous approach of stabilizing coal, expanding oil, and increasing gas, strengthening technological research and intelligent production, and continuously improving the level of resource exploration and development. At the same time, using the self-owned land of oil, gas, and coal fields, it has built a 1 GW wind-solar micro-energy network and distributed new energy projects, effectively controlling fossil energy consumption.
Adhere to the comprehensive utilization of coal, oil, and gas resources to achieve carbon reduction in the process. Combining the characteristics of coal and natural gas, Yanchang Petroleum pioneered the "carbon-hydrogen complementarity" technology concept, and built and put into operation two comprehensive utilization bases for coal, oil, and gas resources in Jingbian, Yulin and Fuxian, Yan'an, achieving coordinated development of carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and growth.
Accelerate the layout and development of the CCUS (carbon capture, utilization, and storage) industry to achieve carbon fixation at the end. In recent years, Yanchang Petroleum has continuously carried out technical research and engineering practice on carbon dioxide capture, utilization, and storage, building China's first internationally certified full-chain integrated CCUS project; forming a capacity of 300,000 tons of carbon dioxide capture and 410,000 tons of carbon dioxide injection annually, with cumulative carbon dioxide injection exceeding 500,000 tons, and a 50% increase in single-well daily oil production, and the recovery rate can be improved by more than 8 percentage points on the basis of water flooding.
In the future, Yanchang Petroleum will leverage the advantages of multi-industry collaborative coupling, continuously improve the technological innovation system of source carbon reduction, process carbon reduction, and end carbon fixation, and contribute to the construction of a beautiful China.

Integrating Greening and Low-Carbon Throughout the Entire Industrial Chain
Li Wenming (李文明), Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Holding Group Co., Ltd. (陕西建工控股集团有限公司)
SCEGC deeply cultivates the entire industrial chain of infrastructure, adheres to the industrial development concept of "operations leading, investment driving, construction supporting," and integrates greening and low-carbon throughout the entire industrial chain.
Forge new advantages, leading industry change with green construction. Relying on national-level prefabricated industrial bases, we promote the transformation of construction from on-site to factory prefabrication, reducing construction waste by 60%; independently develop low-carbon building materials and quantum heating films, reducing full lifecycle carbon emissions from the source; use smart construction site platforms and intelligent monitoring systems to achieve precise low-carbon control throughout the entire process.
Anchor new tracks, empowering enterprise transformation with green energy. Actively layout clean energy and circular economy, building an integrated industrial chain of "green electricity production - energy storage peak regulation - power operation." Expand the solid waste recycling industry: three waste-to-energy power generation projects in Shaanxi Province reduce carbon by 1.3 million tons annually; a waste-to-energy power generation project in Kazakhstan has been implemented; large-scale development of wind and solar new energy, with installed capacity under construction and in operation reaching 1.5 GW; layout pumped storage and other diversified energy storage, with annual output of green electricity exceeding 1 billion kWh.
Cultivate new momentum, consolidating the development foundation with green industries. Strengthen competitive advantages in market, assets, and brand; new energy and ecological environmental protection have become core growth segments; in the first half of this year, newly signed contract value in strategic emerging industries increased by 59.56% year-on-year; waste-to-energy power generation, energy storage and other projects have formed stable returns; received 37 Shaanxi Provincial Science and Technology Progress Awards.
In the future, SCEGC will continue to cultivate new quality productive forces, contributing to regional high-quality development and the construction of a beautiful China.

Moving Toward the New, Born Toward Green, Advancing Toward Intelligence
Liu Qiang (刘强), Member of the Standing Committee of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Shandong Energy Group Co., Ltd. (山东能源集团有限公司)
Shandong Energy Group earnestly implements the new energy security strategy, exploring a transformation and development path for building a new energy system.
Moving toward the new. Create new models, building an integrated coupling, multi-energy complementary collaborative development model. Apply new technologies, scaling up the application of domestically produced 12.6 MW offshore wind turbines, driving the iterative upgrade of large units in northern low-wind-speed sea areas; innovate the "molten salt energy storage + electrochemical energy storage + supercapacitor" integration project, effectively solving the problem of high-proportion new energy consumption. Integrate into new business forms, having cumulatively completed 7 million green certificate transactions and 891,000 tons of carbon quota carry-forwards, with the scale of green electricity proprietary transactions exceeding 130 million kWh.
Born toward green. Green mining of black coal: "replacing coal with gangue" of 31.2 million tons, consuming 46 million tons of gangue solid waste. Green transformation of high-end chemicals: supported by national-level R&D platforms, three demonstration units have been built; the multi-nozzle opposed large-scale coal gasification technology won the second prize of the National Science and Technology Progress Award, with market share leading the industry.
Advancing toward intelligence. Build smart mines: developed the "Pangu Mine Large Model," 9 mines were selected as the first batch of national intelligent demonstration coal mines, with intelligent mining production accounting for 92% of output. Build smart chemicals: developed the "Yunding Fuxi Chemical Large Model," reducing the frequency of manual intervention by more than 90%. Layout smart power plants: led the compilation of industry standards for smart thermal power and technical standards for wind power smart construction sites; the gigawatt-level intelligent fuel system of Shenglu Power Plant has increased annual efficiency by 40.9 million yuan.

Deepening Cooperation, Jointly Promoting Energy Green and Low-Carbon Transformation
Peng Feng (彭峰), Deputy General Manager of Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange (上海环境能源交易所)
At present, China has established a national carbon emissions trading market where key emitting units fulfill compulsory emission reduction responsibilities, and a national greenhouse gas voluntary emission reduction trading market that encourages social independent emission reduction. The two are complementary and connected, jointly promoting the realization of the "dual carbon" goals.
At the institutional construction level, the legal guarantee system for China's carbon market is continuously improving: at the end of 2020, the "Measures for the Administration of Carbon Emissions Trading (Trial)" was issued; in 2024, the "Interim Regulations on the Administration of Carbon Emissions Trading" came into effect; this year, the "Ecological and Environmental Code of the People's Republic of China" was adopted, providing guarantees for the long-term stable operation of the carbon market.
At the industry coverage level, since the official launch of trading in the national carbon emissions trading market, it has included four industries: power generation, steel, cement, and aluminum smelting, covering 3,378 key emitting units, with an annual coverage of about 8.3 billion tons of emissions, and the scope of industry coverage will be gradually expanded in the future.
At the market operation level, the trading scale of the national carbon market has steadily expanded. As of the end of July 2026, the cumulative transaction volume of carbon allowances in the national carbon emissions trading market reached 935 million tons, with a cumulative turnover of 63.272 billion yuan. Market trading vitality continues to improve; in 2025, the annual carbon allowance transaction volume reached 235 million tons, a record high.
Building a new energy system requires not only policy guidance and technological innovation, but also synergistic efforts from market mechanisms. Shanghai Environment and Energy Exchange will continue to do a good job in system operation and maintenance, market services, product innovation, etc., and also looks forward to deepening cooperation to jointly promote the green and low-carbon transformation of energy.

The Yulin Energy Practice of Green Upgrading of Coal Chemical Industry
Wen Yaoshun (文尧顺), Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of Shaanxi Yulin Energy Group Co., Ltd. (陕西榆林能源集团有限公司)
Currently, the transformation line of the coal chemical industry is clear. Yulin Energy Group is actively extending towards fine new materials, with existing 500,000 tons of coal tar deep processing and 400,000 tons of ethylene glycol units. The 1 million tons high-end chemical new materials project started in 2025 adopts the first domestic DMTA (methanol toluene to aromatics/olefins) technology, producing xylene, propylene oxide, polyether macromonomers, and acrylate series products, with downstream supporting 400,000 tons of polycarboxylate superplasticizer and 400,000 tons of environmentally friendly acrylic latex, serving high-speed rail, nuclear power, and water-based coatings fields.
Simultaneously advancing the world's first coal-based methanol to epoxy resin integrated phase I project. Relying on local coal-to-methanol, it connects the entire chain of propylene, epichlorohydrin, and bisphenol A, producing more than 250,000 tons of epoxy resin annually, with by-products of POE (polyolefin elastomer) and ethylene propylene rubber. The project is adjacent to the northwest wind and solar photovoltaic industrial belt, allowing nearby supply of raw materials, significantly reducing regional logistics costs.
Technological innovation is the core driving force for green upgrading. The new materials project adopts the DMTA process, using coal-based methanol to replace the petroleum route for aromatics production, reducing dependence on crude oil imports. The epoxy resin integration adopts the DMTP (methanol to propylene) process, with low energy consumption and few by-products, achieving the first industrial demonstration. Through waste salt comprehensive utilization units, sodium-chlorine balance is achieved, reducing solid waste.
Yulin Energy Group will take technological innovation as the driving force and chemical new materials as the direction, unswervingly follow a path of high-end, diversified, and low-carbon development.

Walking a Good Path of Green and Low-Carbon Transformation for Western Refining and Chemical Industry
Jiang Pengfei (蒋鹏飞), Deputy General Manager and Chief Engineer of PetroChina Lanzhou Petrochemical Company (中国石油兰州石化公司)
Lanzhou Petrochemical anchors on the "dual carbon" goals, taking technological innovation, clean energy substitution, and zero-carbon layout as key points, exploring a new path for high-quality development of old refining and chemical enterprises.
Deeply cultivate technological transformation to improve quality and efficiency, building an industry low-carbon benchmark. The company comprehensively implements refined energy management, innovatively implements the "touch, analyze, optimize, manage, dig" five-step energy optimization system, establishes dual-line dynamic assessment accounts for energy consumption and carbon emissions, and manages energy consumption losses throughout the entire process in a closed loop. It has completed the replacement of 938 high-energy-consumption motors, and the reclaimed water reuse rate has increased to 95%. Through the optimization of refinery cascade energy supply, flare emissions have been significantly reduced. The Yulin ethane-to-ethylene unit, as a national-level green and low-carbon demonstration project, has carbon emissions per ton of ethylene reduced by over 60% compared to the traditional route.
Gather innovation to empower, drawing a blueprint for the zero-carbon future. Closely following the development orientation of "moving toward the new, toward green, toward the future," actively layout new tracks in bio-manufacturing, vigorously develop new energy; the parking lot distributed photovoltaic adds 7.35 million kWh of green electricity annually; continue to expand photovoltaic energy storage projects and promote smart factory construction, striving to create a diversified and coordinated zero-carbon industrial demonstration scenario.
Based on the new development stage, Lanzhou Petrochemical will continue to consolidate the responsibility for low-carbon development, deeply cultivate energy-saving and consumption-reduction governance, low-carbon technology application and clean energy substitution, simultaneously promote the construction of smart factories, expand projects such as waste heat heating and ecological wetlands that co-exist between production and city, and accelerate the construction of a green, low-carbon, safe, and efficient production and operation system.

Activating "Water Kinetic Energy," Answering the "Dual Carbon Paper"
Liang Weigang (梁伟刚), Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. (中原环保股份有限公司)
Zhongyuan Environmental Protection focuses on the "dual carbon" goals, mainly advancing through four paths.
Technology carbon reduction, forging a "smart brain." Relying on the academician expert think tank and national postdoctoral workstation, participate in national water special projects, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei environmental comprehensive treatment and other projects, forming a core technology matrix including activated coke wastewater ultra-low emission and sludge pyrolysis gasification. Independently develop new technologies to solve the industry problems of nitrogen and phosphorus removal, innovating the operation model of wastewater treatment plants with "AI+."
Pollution and carbon reduction, building a "resource center." Implement the "water-energy coupling" concept, promoting the transformation of wastewater treatment plants into "three centers" of resources, energy, and carbon sinks. Treat more than 900 million tons of wastewater annually, build a million-ton-level Zhengzhou New District wastewater treatment plant, which was selected as one of the first batch of national green and low-carbon benchmark wastewater treatment plants.
Energy conservation and carbon reduction, building an "energy center." Build a thousand-ton-level sludge pyrolysis gasification project, converting sludge into clean combustible gas, high-value industrial products, and building material raw materials. Establish a carbon footprint monitoring and management platform, making wastewater treatment plants into green factories and energy factories.
Water conservation and carbon reduction, building a "carbon sink center." Construct "reclaimed water+" four major application scenarios, forming a cascade recycling model of "first energy extraction, then utilization, and later landscape." Develop 3.75 million square meters of reclaimed water cooling and heating projects such as Zhengzhou Financial Island, reducing carbon by 81,000 tons annually; collaborate with Huawei to implement "reclaimed water + car wash + photovoltaic supercharging" convenience service stations.

Green Foundation, Innovative Development
Guo Feng (郭锋), Brand PR Director of Seres Group (赛力斯集团)
Seres was founded in 1986, starting from a spring, entering the vehicle manufacturing field in 2003, fully transitioning to the new energy vehicle track, and in 2021, cross-sector cooperation with Huawei created the AITO brand, forming multiple product series.
The steady upward trend of the market and brand is inseparable from the long-term adherence to green and low-carbon development. Seres has built a comprehensive, clearly layered, and effectively executed ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) practice system, promoting the implementation and effectiveness of green transformation in all business links.
Seres adheres to the parallel dual technology route of range extension and pure electric, allowing more users to embrace green travel. In 2025, the total electric driving mileage of all AITO series models reached 9.9 billion kilometers, accounting for 70% of total driving mileage, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by about 2.33 million tons.
At the same time, Seres actively promotes low-carbon manufacturing upgrades and green supply chain collaboration. On the manufacturing side, the photovoltaic power generation system of Seres' super factory has generated a cumulative total of more than 280 million kWh, reducing about 150,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. In addition, we have built a zero-carbon smart logistics port, significantly reducing carbon emissions through the use of unmanned electric heavy trucks.
In terms of green supply chain building, Seres has constructed a "factory-in-factory" supply chain model, where multiple core suppliers directly build their production lines inside Seres' super factory, taking less than 20 minutes from issuing instructions to line adjustment, significantly improving upstream and downstream collaboration efficiency.

Exploring New Paths for Carbon Reduction and Efficiency Improvement in Manufacturing
Yang Zijiang (杨子江), Deputy General Manager of COSMOPlat Smart Energy (卡奥斯智慧能源)
To advance new industrialization, green and low-carbon is the only way. Facing the transformation pain points of manufacturing enterprises such as scattered energy consumption management, lack of carbon accounting systems, and imbalanced energy dispatch, COSMOPlat, with "AI + Industrial Internet" as the core, has developed and applied the "Energy-Carbon Large Model," creating an integrated digital energy-carbon management and control system covering factories and parks, providing replicable green transformation solutions.
From basic energy supply guarantee, green renovation of factory areas, to the integration of energy data across the entire domain and real-time monitoring of carbon assets, COSMOPlat has undergone multiple rounds of technological iteration and launched the "Energy-Carbon Large Model" in 2025. Relying on the practical experience of 19 national-level green factories and 12 green supply chains, the platform has completed unified energy-carbon governance of Haier's 16 major parks and 58 factories, covering more than 600 energy usage scenarios, achieving coordinated dispatch of water, electricity, gas, and photovoltaic storage.
Focusing on the needs of industrial transformation, COSMOPlat has built four major business segments: "planning consulting, digital platform, scenario implementation, and low-carbon equipment." The platform is equipped with an energy station digital human entry point, achieving full-chain coverage of equipment monitoring, energy consumption warning, AI energy-saving optimization, and carbon footprint traceability, providing one-stop solutions for enterprise needs.
Facing the green upgrading of industries, COSMOPlat will continue to iterate energy-carbon digital solutions, output standardized energy-saving and carbon-reduction service capabilities, use digital technology to empower manufacturing enterprises to reduce costs, improve efficiency, and achieve low-carbon, and join hands with the industrial chain to support high-quality industrial development.

Deepening Green Electricity Substitution and Industrialization of Low-Carbon Frontier Technologies
Zhong Luwei (钟璐玮), Vice President of Huajin Aramco Petrochemical Co., Ltd. (华锦阿美石油化工有限公司)
The Huajin Aramco fine chemical and raw material engineering project has anchored on the "dual carbon" goals since its planning stage, adhering to moving toward green, toward new, and toward the future, exploring a replicable path for low-carbon transformation of large-scale petrochemical projects.
"Toward Green" to consolidate the foundation, deeply explore endogenous carbon reduction potential throughout the entire process. In the basic design stage, simultaneously optimize the overall process, energy integration, utilities, and energy structure. Adopt a chemical-type refining route, through intensive unit layout, thermal coupling integration, and pinch technology application, achieve cascade energy recycling; recover low-temperature waste heat for heating and power generation. Reduce carbon emissions from the source, laying the foundation for carbon reduction throughout the entire process.
"Toward New" to improve efficiency, direct green electricity connection achieves mutual empowerment of green benefits. Collaborate with large power generation central enterprises to create an exclusive green electricity direct supply demonstration project, fully match wind power green certificates and carbon emission reduction rights, reserve carbon assets in advance; long-term direct power supply agreements significantly reduce electricity costs.
"Toward the Future" through collaboration, science and innovation drive long-term carbon reduction of the entire industrial chain. Relying on the Huajin Aramco Research Institute, in cooperation with partners such as Saudi Aramco and SABIC, focus on frontier tracks such as green hydrogen, green ammonia, green methanol, and renewable aviation fuel, advancing pilot testing and industrialization. Formulate a layered and stepwise carbon reduction roadmap: in the short term, rapidly replace fossil electricity with wind power direct supply; in the medium to long term, proactively layout energy-saving technological transformation, wind-solar-storage multi-energy complementary projects, etc.
Next, Huajin Aramco will continue to deepen green electricity substitution and the industrialization of low-carbon frontier technologies, contributing to industry upgrading and regional energy structure optimization with implementable engineering achievements and quantifiable carbon reduction results.

Creating a Practice Sample of a New-Type Power System
Li Ayong (李阿勇), Member of the Party Committee and Deputy General Manager of State Grid Jibei Electric Power Co., Ltd. (国网冀北电力有限公司)
State Grid Jibei Electric Power, based on ensuring the safety of power supply to the capital, serving regional development, and serving new energy development, strives to create a practice sample of a new-type power system.
Build a strong main channel for green electricity transmission, consolidating the energy security foundation. Northern Hebei is a key hub for the national "West-to-East Power Transmission, North-to-South Power Transmission" project. Relying on this locational endowment, State Grid Jibei Electric Power has built the world's first ±500 kV four-terminal flexible DC grid project, put into operation the Zhangbei to Xiong'an ultra-high voltage project, transmitting approximately 35 billion kWh of clean electricity to Beijing, Xiong'an and other places annually.
Coordinate efforts in source, grid, load, and storage to improve green electricity consumption and marketization levels. On the source side, build a leading domestic cluster of phase modifiers, complete flexibility transformation of thermal power, and enhance transmission capacity. On the grid side, build the Huailai smart distribution grid demonstration project to improve distributed photovoltaic consumption capacity. On the load side, create the largest virtual power plant cluster in North China, participating in market regulation for many consecutive years, with a demand response capacity of 3.55 GW. On the storage side, the scale of pumped storage and new-type energy storage in operation and under construction continues to expand. On the market side, the scale of green electricity transactions remains among the top provincial grids in the country.
Strengthen scientific and technological innovation leadership, seizing the high ground of energy technology. State Grid Jibei Electric Power systematically lays out scientific and technological innovation demonstration projects in Zhangjiakou and Chengde areas, takes the lead in undertaking national-level scientific and technological projects, builds a dispatch operation simulation center, promotes the substantive operation of national key laboratories, and provides intellectual support for key technology research.

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Zhang Yanchun, Song Yu, Zhang Zhiqi

Layout design: Zhang Fangman (张芳曼)

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Overseas "Cool Economy" Sparks New Consumer Vitality (International Perspective)

By: 本报记者 汪思源 杨 一 颜 欢

The arrival of the Northern Hemisphere summer peak tourism season has given rise to various forms of the "cool economy" (清凉经济), activating summer consumption in many countries and boosting their market vitality. South Korea, Malaysia, Spain and other countries have successively launched relevant measures, 因地制宜 (yīn dì zhì yí - "according to the land, devise what is fitting," to adapt measures to local conditions) to innovate consumption scenarios, enrich cultural-tourism activities, link the consumption chain with diversified business formats, and strive to convert tourist "traffic" into consumption "increment," injecting new vitality into the summer consumer market.

South Korea —
Building a nighttime cultural-tourism brand
Linking a diversified cultural-tourism chain

After the sun sets, the city's lights turn on one after another, presenting an entirely different scene. According to Yonhap News Agency, localities across South Korea are making every effort to build "tourist destinations that are enjoyable both day and night," launching a variety of nighttime cultural-tourism projects to extend tourists' length of stay.

South Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization recently stated that the "2026 Korea Night Night Carnival" will be held in 10 nighttime tourism specialty cities, including Busan, Daejeon, and Incheon, with the event lasting until October 10. Kang Yu-young, head of the Regional Tourism Development Team of the Korea Tourism Organization, explained: "As a relay-style cultural-tourism project, this event aims to link up the nighttime tourism resources of the 10 cities and build a unified South Korean nighttime tourism brand."

In August this year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government launched the "Han River Night Camping" project, setting up a total of 200 temporary camping spots at Yeouido Hangang Park and Ttukseom Hangang Park, open every day from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m. the next day; tourists can rent or bring their own tents to camp. Tourists on site can also experience multiple special nighttime activities, including the all-night "Han River Night Walk 42K," the "Silent DJ Party" in which people wear wireless headphones to listen to music and dance, and the "Movie Theater Under the Han River Bridge" where one can watch films by the riverside. Park Jin-young, head of the Future Hangang Headquarters of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, said that the city government has linked up multiple cultural-tourism resources of the Han River, forming a brand-new Han River leisure tour that can be enjoyed from daytime until the early morning.

Donghae City in Gangwon Province recently proposed building a "tourist city where one can stay even at night" by relying on local beaches, campsites, natural landscapes, and lighting facilities; Jeju City launched a nighttime city sightseeing bus whose route links the airport with popular local attractions and commercial districts such as Dongmun Market, making it convenient for tourists to enjoy the city's night views, savor food, and experience culture; Buan County of Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province is holding the "2026 Byeonsan Beach Party" at Byeonsan Beach, integrating beach performances with street performances.

The latest data released by the Korea Tourism Organization show that in June, non-local tourists' tourism spending in various tourist cities of South Korea was approximately 13.16 trillion won (1 yuan is equivalent to about 209 won), of which payments made between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. the next day accounted for 33.6 percent of the total. The Korea Daily reported that nighttime tourism projects have become one of the important engines driving local economic growth; as tourists' nighttime stays lengthen, accommodation, catering, transportation, and cultural consumption will achieve synchronized growth.

Malaysia —
Developing seasonal specialty resources
Enriching immersive consumption experiences

As dawn's first light breaks, the first batch of tourists at Penang Hill in Penang, Malaysia, take the cable car up the mountain one after another, and a cool breeze accompanied by fresh natural air blows toward their faces. This is a good place for Penang citizens and tourists to relax and escape the summer heat.

Penang Hill's climate is relatively cool and humid, nurturing a large number of tropical plants and wild animals such as insects and birds. In 2021, the "Penang Hill Biosphere Reserve" was included in the UNESCO World Network of Biosphere Reserves. Every July and August, Penang holds the Penang Hill Carnival, including activities such as nature exploration, forest hiking, specialty dining, and music performances, allowing tourists to enjoy the coolness amid the mountain forests while experiencing Penang's local culture.

This year, the Penang Hill Carnival launched the "Mountain Flavors Enter the Menu" dining experience for the first time. The activity uses locally grown vegetables and herbs, provides a special vegetarian dining experience, and arranges cooking demonstration sessions, promoting the concept of sustainable eating. To attract young people, the organizers cooperated with a Penang creative studio and introduced the "check-in and stamp collecting" activity for the first time.

Every July and August is also the main production season for durians in Malaysia. The Malaysia Durian Festival is held at the Durian Experience Center in Kuala Lumpur, where the organizers integrate agricultural production, durian tasting, local culture, and tourism experience. The experience center covers an area of about 1,900 square meters and is Asia's first comprehensive experience center themed around durian; tourists can taste fresh durians and watch themed performances here. The experience center also creates immersive consumption experiences, telling the story of Malaysia's durian cultivation history and industry development through historical archives, interactive exhibitions, and a simulated durian orchard, allowing tourists to experience durian culture and understand the durian industry.

In the main durian-producing areas such as Bentong and Raub in Pahang State, durian orchard owners attract tourists into their orchards to visit, pick, and taste durians through cooperation with relevant departments and social media promotion, boosting consumption of local specialty agricultural products and tourism growth.

Malaysia's "cool economy" has the characteristic of the tourism peak season and specialty consumption being superimposed. By tapping the season's natural resources and specialty tourism resources, it continuously enriches consumption scenarios, making tourism consumption present a new trend of personalization, emphasis on experience, and immersion.

Spain —
Red-hot demand for cooling off and escaping the heat
"Cooling products" sales surge

In the scorching summer, extreme high-temperature weather frequently occurs in many parts of Europe; in Spain, however, the mountainous areas of the northern Iberian Peninsula and the North Atlantic coast are cool and pleasant. Galicia, Asturias, and Cantabria, among other places, have attracted large numbers of tourists seeking to escape the summer heat, and not a single room can be found in local homestays.

According to an industry analysis report released by the Spanish Hotel Federation, summer heat-escaping and nighttime cooling-off consumption has continued to heat up, becoming an important engine of Spain's tourism prosperity this summer, with the growth range of Spain's cultural-tourism and accommodation industries maintained at a relatively high level.

In the capital Madrid, the "Summer Cultural Festival," which has emerged over the past two years, transforms squares, riverbanks, and historic buildings into open-air stages, where citizens and tourists listen to music together, watch street performances, and taste all kinds of food, making summer-night consumption even more brisk.

Many local governments have incorporated libraries, cultural centers, commercial complexes, and the like into the "climate shelter" map, providing residents and tourists with free spaces to escape the heat. Relying on air-conditioned environments, dining and entertainment, and parent-child activities, large shopping malls attract more foot traffic and have gradually become urban public spaces integrating leisure, socializing, and consumption, further converting cooling off into a new consumption growth point.

The high temperatures have also triggered a consumption boom in "cooling products." According to an analysis report by the Spanish Retail and Food Industry Association, persistent high temperatures, superimposed on the tourism peak season, have driven rigid-demand goods such as drinking water, cold drinks, ice cream, sunscreen products, and cooling appliances into a sales peak. Some large chain supermarkets will promptly increase their reserves of goods such as ice and refrigerated drinks in response to high-temperature warnings, and sales of products such as ice makers, electric fans, refrigerators, air conditioners, sun umbrellas, and sun-protective clothing have surged, further driving consumption upgrades.

From Madrid's historic districts brightly lit on summer nights to the vacation crowds on the cool coasts of the northern region, from nighttime music festivals in city squares to the consumption spaces in large shopping malls that make people extend their stays, the "cool-type vacation" model and the traditional "sunshine-coast vacation" model jointly support the map of Spain's summer tourism consumption. The summer tourism report released by the Spanish Ministry of Tourism predicts that the number of international tourists and tourism consumption are expected to continue rising, injecting strong momentum into the summer consumer market.

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East African nations accelerate logistics integration process

By: 本报记者 戴楷然

Recently, Tanzania officially launched direct freight services from the Dar es Salaam port to the standard gauge railway, allowing containers from the port to be directly loaded onto trains and transported to inland nodes, marking the entry of the port-rail intermodal system into an operational phase. Tanzanian Minister of Transport Makame Mbarawa stated that the system will effectively alleviate port congestion, improve cargo transport efficiency, and consolidate Tanzania's position as a logistics hub in the East African region. In recent years, East African countries have accelerated the building of a regional logistics network connecting the Indian Ocean with the African hinterland, with the construction of two major international logistics corridors—the "Northern Corridor" and the "Central Corridor"—continuously speeding up.

The East African Community (hereinafter referred to as the EAC) covers eight member states in the East African region, with a total population of over 330 million, and is one of the fastest-growing regional economies in Africa. According to data released by the EAC Secretariat, in the fourth quarter of 2025, intra-EAC trade volume reached 19.3 billion US dollars, a year-on-year increase of 28 percent. The rapid growth of regional trade has placed higher demands on the logistics systems of East African countries. The 25th East African Community Summit of Heads of State held in March this year approved the EAC's Seventh Development Strategy (2026/27–2030/31), which proposes improving cross-border railway, highway, port, and other infrastructure, and advancing trade facilitation and the construction of a unified customs guarantee system. Then-EAC Secretary-General Veronica Nduva stated that the new development strategy will further enhance regional connectivity and strengthen the overall competitiveness of the EAC.

Driven by regional policies, the construction of the "Northern Corridor" and the "Central Corridor" is actively advancing. The "Northern Corridor," starting from Kenya's Mombasa port and connecting countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo via the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway and the Nairobi-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway, is one of the busiest international transport corridors in East Africa. According to data from the Kenya Ports Authority, in 2025, the cargo throughput of Mombasa port reached 45.45 million tons, a year-on-year increase of 10.9 percent; container throughput reached 2.11 million TEUs, a year-on-year increase of 5.5 percent, of which transit cargo volume increased by 19.5 percent year-on-year. At the same time, the Kenyan government is accelerating the upgrading of infrastructure such as the Mombasa port and the Naivasha Inland Container Depot, promoting effective connection between water and land transport. John Ding, Executive Secretary of the Northern Corridor Transport and Coordination Authority, stated that the construction of the multimodal transport system is continuously unleashing the potential of the "Northern Corridor," providing important support for regional trade and industrial development. Meanwhile, Tanzania is relying on the Dar es Salaam port to build the "Central Corridor." The container terminal at Dar es Salaam port is undergoing continuous expansion, and sections of Tanzania's standard gauge railway, such as Dar es Salaam–Dodoma, have been successively put into operation.

In the past, landlocked countries such as Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi mainly relied on a single transport corridor; now, ports, railways, highways, and inland logistics centers are accelerating interconnection, and a diversified transport network is gradually taking shape, creating conditions for reducing logistics costs and improving the level of trade facilitation. The pattern of regional logistics integration in East Africa is accelerating.

Chinese enterprises are actively participating in the construction of the East African regional logistics network. In Tanzania, the berth renovation and expansion project of Dar es Salaam port, undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, has raised the port's berthing capacity from 20,000-ton class to 70,000-ton class, significantly improving the port's overall cargo handling capacity, service level, and competitive advantage. Sections of the standard gauge railway undertaken by Chinese enterprises, such as the Dar es Salaam–Morogoro section and the Morogoro–Makutupora section, have been completed and put into operation, providing support for enhancing the transport capacity of the "Central Corridor." In Kenya, the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, has carried over 18 million passengers and transported over 48 million tons of cargo since it was put into operation in 2017, becoming an important transport corridor connecting Mombasa port with the inland regions of East Africa. The second phase of the Nairobi-Malaba Standard Gauge Railway, also undertaken by a Chinese enterprise, is under construction, and upon completion, it will further improve the skeleton of the East African railway network. Kenyan media outlet East Africa Voice (东利之声) commented that farmers, traders, and enterprises in East Africa will benefit from faster, cheaper, and more reliable transportation.

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Global Scan

Chinese Embassy in Colombia: No Reports Yet of Chinese Citizen Casualties
Strong Earthquake in Colombia Kills 181, Injures 1,310

According to Xinhua News Agency, Bogotá, Aug. 10 (Reporter: Li Zijian (李子健)) — China's Embassy in Colombia issued a message on the 10th saying that after a 7.4-magnitude strong earthquake struck Colombia that day, the embassy immediately activated its emergency response mechanism and comprehensively checked the situation of Chinese citizens in Colombia affected by the disaster; so far, no reports of Chinese citizen casualties have been received.

The embassy reminded Chinese citizens in Colombia to remain vigilant and guard against risks such as aftershocks, public health, public security, and traffic. The embassy also reminded Chinese citizens in Colombia to closely follow local earthquake early-warning information and disaster-prevention alerts and to act in accordance with the guidance; to carefully check whether buildings at their residences and workplaces have developed cracks and, if "X"-shaped or "U"-shaped intersecting cracks are found, to evacuate immediately; and to prepare portable emergency supply kits, do a good job of safety protection, and keep communications unimpeded.

The head of Colombia's National Association of Capital Cities told local media on the 11th that the strong earthquake that struck the west of the country on the 10th has caused 181 deaths and 1,310 injuries.

According to information released by the Colombian Geological Survey, a 7.4-magnitude earthquake occurred in western Colombia at 7:34 a.m. local time on the 10th (8:34 p.m. Beijing time on the 10th), with the epicenter about 20 kilometers from San José del Palmar in Chocó Department and a focal depth of 96 kilometers.

Musk: Strongly Recommends Everyone Go See China

According to Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, Aug. 11 — Elon Musk, American entrepreneur and CEO of electric vehicle manufacturer Tesla, wrote on social media on the 11th: "China is really great. I strongly recommend everyone go and see it."

Under a post on social media platform X discussing Tesla's business in China, Musk made the above comment.

Musk's mother, Maye Musk, subsequently quoted Musk's post and wrote: "I agree. Every city (in China) has its unique charm, with different cultural attractions to visit. The buildings and streets are clean and tidy and well maintained. At the same time, the people are 彬彬有礼 (bīn bīn yǒu lǐ - "refined and courteous," polite and well-mannered), hardworking, and respectful of others. I feel safe (in China), so I very much enjoy traveling (to China)."

Recent surveys by institutions such as the Pew Research Center in the United States show that international publics' favorability toward China has been continuously rising.

Iranian President: Supreme Leader's "Health Is Very Good"

According to Xinhua News Agency, Tehran, Aug. 10 — According to a report by the Islamic Republic News Agency on the 10th, Iranian President Pezeshkian said that day that he recently had a meeting of about seven hours with Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, and that the Supreme Leader's "health is very good."

Pezeshkian said that he and Mojtaba discussed the challenges Iran faces in domestic and foreign affairs, covering topics such as people's livelihoods, employment, housing, and responding to sanctions. The talks were "very successful." Mojtaba pointed out that hostile forces are attempting to create division within Iran, and that safeguarding national unity and cohesion is currently 至关重要 (zhì guān zhòng yào - "bearing on the greatest importance," vitally important).

Thai Government Announces Suspension of Gun Purchase License Issuance

According to Xinhua News Agency, Bangkok, Aug. 11 (Reporters: Zhao Cailin (赵彩琳), Chang Tiantong (常天童)) — According to information on the Thai government website on the 11th, the Thai government issued an announcement that day, declaring the suspension of the issuance of gun purchase licenses and the nationwide verification of licenses for which firearm transactions have not yet been completed.

The announcement put forward multiple gun control measures, including that relevant departments strengthen inspections of firearms dealers and of ammunition at shooting ranges, and a proposed stipulation that gun possession and use licenses be renewed once every three years. The announcement also said that Thailand's Ministry of Interior will submit a draft amendment to the Firearms Act within 60 days.

Thai Prime Minister Anutin, at a cabinet meeting on the 11th, ordered the strengthening of gun control nationwide and a severe crackdown on illegal gun possession and black-market firearms.

Shooting incidents have occurred frequently in Thailand recently. According to Thai media reports, a shooting occurred on the 10th inside the office building of the Nonthaburi Provincial Administrative Organization, and the chairman of that provincial administrative organization died after being shot in the head despite rescue efforts. On the 7th, a shooting at a secondary school in Nonthaburi Province has already caused 9 deaths.

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Number of Bankrupt Companies in Western Europe Rises for Fourth Consecutive Year

By: 本报记者 郭梓云

A report recently released by the German commercial information agency Creditreform shows that in 2025 the number of corporate bankruptcies in Western Europe rose to the highest level since records began in 2002. Multiple factors, including intensifying geopolitical risks and high energy prices, continue to erode the operational foundations of Western European enterprises, continually driving up the number of corporate bankruptcies.

The report shows that in 2025 the number of bankrupt enterprises in Western Europe exceeded 197,000, a year-on-year increase of 4.8%, growing for four consecutive years. Among them, Switzerland recorded the largest increase, at 35.3%; Greece, Finland and Germany also posted increases above the average. Hanzsch, head of economic research at the German commercial information agency, said that recently the growth rate of bankrupt enterprises in Western Europe has slowed somewhat, but the level of bankruptcies still remains 居高不下 (jū gāo bù xià - "dwell on high, do not come down," to remain persistently at a high level).

Geopolitical tensions are impacting Europe's economic development prospects. Weinhofer, Creditreform's head in Austria, said that the weak economy and high inflation are hitting consumer confidence, making the operating environment for industries such as trade and services increasingly difficult. It is reported that the services sector is the main source of bankruptcy cases among Western European enterprises, accounting for over 43%, with the number of bankruptcies up 8.7% year-on-year; manufacturing followed close behind, with the number of bankruptcies up 3.6% year-on-year; and the number of bankruptcies in the retail industry (including the catering industry) was up 3% year-on-year.

High energy costs are constraining European industrial development. A report by the International Energy Agency shows that in 2025 Europe's industrial energy costs remained at historical highs, and European industrial electricity prices were far higher than in the United States or Asia. Affected by the situation in the Middle East, Europe's already-high energy costs rose further. Dombrovskis, the European Commission member in charge of economic affairs, warned that energy supply risks may lead the European economy into stagflation, and urged member states to adopt targeted fiscal support measures and advance energy diversification.

The competitiveness of Europe's major industrial countries has declined. Creditreform data show that in 2025 the number of bankrupt enterprises in Germany reached 24,010, a year-on-year increase of 8.8%, rising to the highest level in more than a decade. Marc Evers, head of the SME, start-up and business succession department at the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce, believes that at present enterprises have very few orders while facing multiple structural problems: "Energy, labor and procurement costs are all at high levels, and the burden of administrative procedures is also increasing." Hanzsch said that the weak growth of industrial manufacturing in Europe's major economies such as Germany, France and Italy is dragging down Europe's economic recovery.

The American news website Politico published an article stating that Europe needs to update its trade policy and take necessary measures to simplify EU regulations and reduce the regulatory burden on enterprises. Kammer, former director of the European Department of the International Monetary Fund, said that Europe should formulate sound macroeconomic policies, with emphasis on strengthening economic resilience. Industries across Europe are calling on the EU to come up with clearer solutions in terms of energy costs, administrative efficiency, the financing environment and easing the burden on enterprises.

Some experts also analyze that this wave of bankruptcies heralds a deeper industrial transformation, indicating that the European economy is adapting to a new system of costs and risks, and enterprises also need to readjust their competitiveness in a changing environment. Hanzsch believes that bankruptcy is a crucial mechanism in a market economy; the way to solve the problem is not to reduce the bankruptcy rate at all costs, but more importantly, to be clear about the objects of bankruptcy and the causes of bankruptcy. In the coming years and even decades, the biggest challenge Europe faces will be "finding and establishing a new successful model."

(Our newspaper, Berlin, August 11)

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Zou Zhipeng, Zhang Huizhong, Chu Jun

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Historical verdicts are not open to dispute or desecration (Remember history · Defend peace)

By: 储欣予 程兆奇

Since modern times, Japanese militarism has launched wars of external aggression, bringing profound disasters to the peoples of Asian countries. The Japanese military extensively implemented a series of crimes against humanity, such as massacres, forced enslavement, and human experimentation, throughout the Asia-Pacific region. These acts were characterized by cruel methods, a wide scope of impact, and a systematized implementation process, representing an extremely dark page in human history.

After World War II, the Allied Powers successively conducted trials targeting Japanese Class B and C war criminals. Through rigorous judicial procedures and a massive volume of empirical, ironclad evidence, they conducted a systematic liquidation of the Japanese military's war crimes spanning across Asia. Together with the Tokyo Trial targeting Japanese Class A war criminals, these trials defended the achievements of the victory in the anti-fascist war. Using history to鉴今 (jiàn jīn - "to use history as a mirror for the present," to draw lessons from the past for the present), Japan must cease any behavior of beautifying aggression or distorting history and must face the heinous atrocities committed by the Japanese military in Asia. All parties should jointly defend the historical conclusions and legal principles established by the post-war just trials, and earnestly safeguard the achievements of the victory in World War II and the post-war international order.

The Japanese military's atrocities against humanity are numerous

Among the various atrocities of the Japanese military, the organized and large-scale massacre of civilians was the most shocking. In addition to creating tragic incidents such as the Nanjing Massacre within the territory of China, the Japanese military also extensively slaughtered innocent people in many parts of Southeast Asia. In February 1942, in order to sever the aid provided by overseas Chinese in Singapore to China's War of Resistance and to deter the local population through violent means, the Japanese military launched the so-called "Screening and Liquidation" operation. Using population censuses as an excuse, they concentrated local overseas Chinese males aged 18 to 50 by district, and after screening, transported them to seashores and jungles to carry out collective shootings. The number of victims officially acknowledged by the Japanese military was approximately 5,000, but according to investigations by overseas Chinese communities and most scholars, the true number of victims reached as many as 25,000 to 50,000. This "Liquidation Massacre" is known alongside the Nanjing Massacre and the Manila Massacre as one of the three major civilian massacres committed by the Japanese military during World War II.

The wanton slaughter of prisoners of war is another typical crime in which the Japanese military openly violated international laws of war and trampled upon the bottom line of humanity. The execution of American prisoners of war on Ishigaki Island is highly representative. In April 1945, three American aircrew members were captured after their aircraft made an emergency landing. The Japanese military garrison commander, Inoue Otoshi (井上乙彦), took it upon himself to order their execution. Officers and soldiers mutilated the prisoners of war through methods such as decapitation and repeated piercing; afterward, they even burned the bodies and destroyed evidence, an act of extreme malice. The "Liaozhou Incident" that occurred in northern French Indochina (now Vietnam) in March 1945 was one of the largest prisoner slaughter incidents among the Class B and C war criminal trials after World War II. After launching "Operation Minggo" and breaking through the Liaozhou defense line, the Japanese troops stationed in India brutally massacred 300 surrendered French prisoners of war. The relevant crimes were prosecuted in the Saigon Trial, and all four involved officers were sentenced to death.

For a long time, certain one-sided historical narratives have diluted the suffering of Asian prisoners of war and laborers, ignoring the fact that Asian people were the primary victims of the Japanese military's enslavement policies. Starting in 1942, the Hideki Tojo cabinet decided to forcibly conscript Chinese laborers to Japan to fill labor shortages. From 1944 to 1945, nearly a thousand Chinese laborers were escorted to the Hanaoka area, where they engaged in high-intensity labor in harsh environments. After the labor uprising failed in 1945, over a hundred people were brutally tortured and murdered within a few short days, resulting in the "Hanaoka Massacre," an incident of Japanese militarist aggression and the enslavement of the Chinese people. In the South Pacific theater, the Japanese military similarly subjected Asian prisoners of war to widespread abuse. Among the "Eight Hundred Heroes" of the Battle of Shanghai, 57 officers and soldiers were sent to Rabaul in Papua New Guinea in 1942 to perform forced labor, enduring inhumane torture. At that time, besides Chinese prisoners of war, there were also large numbers of prisoners from India and Indonesia detained in the Rabaul area; they were organized by the Japanese military into "labor corps" to forcibly engage in rear-area services such as farming, military supply transport, and road construction. After these Asian prisoners of war were rescued, they exposed the Japanese military's atrocities to the Australian authorities along with the local population, and the relevant crimes were liquidated one by one in the Rabaul Trial.

In the Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) under Japanese occupation, the local Japanese military implemented a cruel forced labor system known as "Romusha." Millions of Javanese civilians were forcibly conscripted to mine minerals and build military fortifications, and large numbers of laborers were transported to the Thai-Burma Railway and construction sites in the Solomon Islands. Laborers often lacked medical care and food for years and endured excessive forced labor, resulting in heavy casualties. More than 100,000 Dutch civilians and prisoners of war in the area were also imprisoned in concentration camps by the Japanese military, suffering long-term detention, torture, and wanton slaughter. The Indonesian newspaper Kompas published articles exposing the forced labor system implemented during the Japanese occupation of Indonesia, where civilians were forcibly conscripted for high-intensity forced labor and large numbers of laborers suffered abuse.

During the occupation of British Malaya (now Malaysia and Singapore), the Japanese military similarly conscripted local people on a large scale to serve as coolies on the Thai-Burma Railway, conducted clearing and massacre operations in many places, extensively looted strategic materials such as rubber, and triggered widespread famine, plunging the people into suffering. The Malaysian newspaper Free Malaysia Daily pointed out that the Japanese military's occupation of Malaya for nearly four years created many civilian tragedies, and this painful history has long been deliberately avoided and diluted by the Japanese side.

Furthermore, the Japanese military broke through the ethical bottom lines of humanity by implementing the "comfort women" system and conducting live human experimentation; some even, out of a distorted psychology of promoting war achievements, instructed subordinates to mutilate and consume the bodies of Allied prisoners of war. The Batavia Military Court revealed that the Japanese military forcibly conscripted thousands of European and Indonesian women in places like Java Island to serve as "comfort women," treating women as tools of war, which constituted a serious crime against humanity. In the "Chuuk Island Fourth Naval Hospital Incident" tried by the Guam Military Court, Japanese military doctors, in the name of medical experimentation, committed atrocities such as bacterial injections, explosion shocks, and live dissections on prisoners of war. In the "Chichijima Cannibalism Incident," the Japanese military garrison stationed on Chichijima brutally killed American pilots, dismembered their bodies, and consumed human organs; the nature of this atrocity was extremely heinous, to the point that even the Japanese defense lawyer recording the case stated that "this crime is intolerable by heaven and earth."

Transnational trials established legal responsibility

Facing the heinous crimes of the Japanese military spanning across Asia, the post-war Allied Powers initiated a comprehensive judicial liquidation. The trials were divided into the Class A trials of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, and Class B and C trials organized respectively by China, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Australia, the Netherlands, the Philippines, and other countries. The jurisdiction of the Class B and C trials covered the entire Asia-Pacific region, and the targets of accountability included both Japanese military commanders and ordinary executors, constructing an accountability mechanism that spanned the entire chain of decision-making, command, and execution. The Class B and C trials began with the trial of Fumio Yamashita by the Manila Military Court in 1945 and concluded with the final trial completed by Australia in 1951, lasting five and a half years, conducting a cumulative total of 2,244 trials, prosecuting approximately 5,700 people, and ultimately sentencing 984 people to death, thereby completing a comprehensive liquidation of the grassroots war crimes of the Japanese military through large-scale transnational judicial practice.

The Class B and C trials complemented the Tokyo Class A Trial. Their greatest value lay in translating war responsibility from an abstract national level to each individual involved, extensively practicing the modern international law principle that "individuals should bear criminal responsibility for war crimes." The trials widely applied international laws of war such as the Hague Convention and the Geneva Convention, further clarified important judicial standards such as command responsibility, and improved the post-war international humanitarian law system. Overseas authoritative academic platforms, such as the Japan Society in the UK and Pacific Affairs, have evaluated that the Class B and C trials in the Asia-Pacific region compensated for the limitation of the Tokyo Trial, which focused only on the military and political top brass, and represented the most comprehensive practice of modern international humanitarian law on the Asian battlefield.

In response to the various extremely brutal crimes against humanity committed by the Japanese military, courts in various countries used facts as the basis and the law as the standard to make solemn and just judicial judgments, powerfully demonstrating the firm stance of the international community to punish war crimes and defend humanitarian justice. The Singapore Military Court severely punished Japanese military officers involved in the "Liquidation Massacre," with the core responsible persons being sentenced to hanging; in the Ishigaki Island American prisoner of war execution case, the court precisely defined the levels of responsibility, sentencing the core war criminals who actively ordered and led the violence to the death penalty in accordance with the law; a series of cases such as the Hanaoka labor case, the Rabaul prisoner abuse case, the Guam human experimentation case, and the Batavia "comfort women" case all fully restored the truth, precisely locked onto the criminal facts, and strictly held people accountable according to the law, using authoritative judicial conclusions to solidify the Japanese military's war crimes, fully demonstrating the irrefutable legitimacy and justice of the post-war trials.

However, it must still be seen that, influenced by factors such as post-war great power games and the evolution of the Cold War pattern, the judicial liquidation of the Japanese military's atrocities by the Allied Powers had certain limitations, and many crimes failed to receive thorough accountability. Political intervention by the United States led to some serious crimes escaping trial, and there was a characteristic of "shifting responsibility downward" in trial accountability, where most trials only held frontline executors accountable while letting the behind-the-scenes policy makers and high-level decision makers go. After the onset of the Cold War, U.S. policy toward Japan shifted from punishment and reform to strategic support, further eroding the punitive value of the trials. A large number of Class B and C war criminals who were originally sentenced to imprisonment were released early, and some war criminals returned to the core circles of politics and business, continuing to participate in the governance of Japanese society and the construction of public opinion, weakening the important role of the trials in punishing crimes and warning the world. The incompleteness of the liquidation meant that the institutional roots and social foundations of the Japanese military's systematic aggressive atrocities were not thoroughly uprooted, causing Japanese society to miss the historical opportunity for comprehensive reflection and sincere repentance.

Despite these temporal limitations, the historical value and legal significance of the Class B and C trials cannot be erased. Through multi-national joint judicial actions, they framed the basic facts of the Japanese military's aggression in Asia and the implementation of crimes against humanity, coalesced a consensus in the international community to punish war crimes and defend the peace order, and the legal principles they established still hold important reference value for international criminal justice work today.

Distorting history is a new crime

In the decades following the war, certain forces within Japan have deliberately avoided the essence of the war and distorted the truth of the trials, continuously fabricating fallacies such as "victor's justice" in an attempt to deny the justice of the Allied Powers' judicial liquidation in its entirety, constantly misleading social and historical perception. In the early post-war period, the perception of the Class B and C trials in Japanese society mostly originated from unilateral materials such as war criminals' diaries and memoirs; such texts blindly emphasized the so-called "injustice" of the trials and deliberately covered up the core facts of the Japanese military's active aggression and wanton violence. In the 1950s, with the establishment of the Japan-U.S. security system and Japan's commencement of the rearmament process, the movement for the release of war criminals was politically exploited by those with ulterior motives; one-sided arguments such as "non-standard procedures," "excessive sentencing," and "infringement of defense rights" became widespread, distorting just judicial trials into mere acts of retaliation by the victorious nations.

Some literary and artistic works have even deliberately altered historical facts and sold tragic narratives, continuously misleading public perception. The Japanese film I Want to Be a Shell deliberately changed character identities and historical facts, transforming the original prototype character—who was a sergeant and participated in the killing of prisoners—into an innocent, passive, ordinary second lieutenant, deliberately creating a false impression of "ordinary people receiving excessive punishment" to garner social sympathy, further distorting the correct perception of Japanese the public regarding war responsibility and post-war trials.

In recent years, with the declassification of transnational archives and the deepening of empirical research, more and more Japanese scholars and overseas researchers have helped restore historical truth, powerfully refuting various fallacious historical views. Japanese researchers such as Kiyoshi Inoue and Yuji Ishida have frankly stated that the discourse within Japan denying the trials generally contains historical errors, logical loopholes, and subjective conjectures, being built entirely upon the preconceived position of "injustice by the Allied Powers"; Japanese lawyers such as Yoshitaka Takagi and Tadao Iida, who participated in the defense at that time, have publicly stated that the Allied judicial personnel strictly adhered to professional standards, were impartial and selfless, and performed their duties responsibly. The massive volumes of files preserved by the National Archives of Australia and Dutch courts, cross-verified by multi-national and multi-regional archives, have completely shattered the lie of "victor's justice."

However, currents of historical nihilism and revisionism continue to surge and spread in Japan. The trend of the rightward shift in Japanese politics continues to intensify; right-wing forces have successively denied historical ironclad facts such as the Nanjing Massacre and the forced conscription of "comfort women," openly questioning and denying the achievements of post-war trials, distorting the history of aggression, beautifying colonial rule, and continuously impacting the hard-won post-war international order. As the survivors of the war gradually pass away, the lack of knowledge regarding World War II history and the weak sense of responsibility among young Japanese people have led to a serious generational rupture in historical perception, providing an opportunity for the spread and proliferation of erroneous historical views.

The numerous atrocities committed by the Japanese military in Asia are painful scars engraved in the memories of the peoples of Asia-Pacific countries, and are historical ironclad facts that are irrefutable and cannot be desecrated. The just practice of multi-national trials after the war established the ironclad laws of international law that "aggression is criminal, atrocities must be punished, and individuals must bear responsibility," providing an important legal paradigm for humanity to guard peace and punish evil. Facing the just value of the trials and resolutely resisting the countercurrent of historical revisionism is the common responsibility of all peace-loving nations and peoples.

(The authors are respectively Assistant Researchers of the Institute for War Trials and World Peace at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, and Director of the Tokyo Trial Research Center of the Institute for War Trials and World Peace at Shanghai Jiao Tong University)

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Restoring Truth, Defending Peace (Reporter's Notes)

By: 白元琪

“Are these all real? Why have our textbooks never mentioned this?” When visiting a World War II site in Malaysia — the Sandakan Memorial Park (山打根纪念园) in Sabah — a museum staff member told me that this is the most common question asked by many young Japanese tourists after their visit.

What these young Japanese tourists do not know is that the land beneath their feet was once a living hell where the Japanese military committed atrocities. According to statistics, during the three years and eight months that British Malaya was occupied by Japan in World War II, the Japanese military killed at least 150,000 people locally. In Sabah, where Sandakan is located, about 16% of civilians died from Japanese atrocities. On the eve of Japan’s defeat in 1945, in order to destroy evidence of the mistreatment of prisoners of war, more than 2,000 POWs were driven by the Japanese military and forced to complete a “death march” of over 260 kilometers through tropical rainforest. Under hunger, disease, and wanton slaughter, only six ultimately survived.

After the end of World War II, the international community launched a transnational judicial reckoning, comprehensively clarifying and legally determining the aggressive guilt of Japanese militarism. Based on the testimonies of the six survivors and evidence preserved by local people, the core war criminals responsible for the Sandakan “death march” atrocity ultimately submitted to the law and confessed their guilt. The judicial trial upheld historical justice.

What moved me most during the visit was the persistent dedication of various sectors in Malaysia to preserving history and remembering suffering. Volunteers in Sandakan continuously compile materials on the victims; the founder of the Penang War Museum, Johari, has spent decades collecting WWII artifacts and restoring historical sites; local scholars have been running research year after year, striving to restore the historical truth… A Malaysian scholar of WWII history frankly said that for many Southeast Asian countries, the Japanese invasion is not a cold historical fact in textbooks, but a collective trauma carved into the land, a pain of 骨肉离散 (gǔ ròu lí sàn - “flesh and blood scattered,” family members separated) and a family and national sorrow of countless families torn apart and never healing.

However, under the influence of historical nihilism and revisionist trends, Japanese right-wing forces deliberately downplay the essence of aggression, distort the facts of the trials, shirk war responsibilities, and even 颠倒黑白 (diān dǎo hēi bái - “turn black and white upside down,” to deliberately confuse right and wrong), packaging the atrocities of aggression as so-called “sacrifice for the country.” The Malaysian scholar interviewed expressed deep concern about this. Historical cognition determines future direction. Japan, which attempts to cover up its history of aggression, has a tendency for militarism to 死灰复燃 (sǐ huī fù rán - “dead ashes burn again,” revival of something that had disappeared). Asian countries that have suffered greatly from aggression have always been vigilant about this and resolutely resist erroneous actions that distort history. The Memorial Hall of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (中国人民抗日战争纪念馆) initiated and established the International World War II Museum Association. Multiple Asian countries’ cultural and museum institutions and historical groups use this as a link to jointly carry out the compilation of historical materials, protection of sites, and cross-verification of historical facts, gathering strength to resist lies and defend peace.

Standing before the photo wall of the Sandakan Memorial Park, looking at the faces of the young martyrs one after another, my heart was filled with grief and indignation. No matter how much time passes, the crimes against humanity committed by the Japanese military in Asia must not be forgotten. Only by remembering the suffering and facing history squarely can we safeguard the hard-won peace and prevent the tragedy of war from recurring.

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Wang Yuan, Han Shuo, Bai Ziwei

Layout design: Cai Huawei

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Service Consumption Potential in "Poetry and Distant Places" (Business Insights)

By: 欧阳洁

In the production workshop of Kangpaisi New Energy Vehicle Co., Ltd. (康派斯新能源车辆股份有限公司) in Rongcheng (荣成), Shandong, the production lines are running at full capacity, and export orders are already booked through the end of the year. This RV production enterprise, which focuses mainly on exports, has an advanced digital intelligent factory that can rapidly respond to the individualized needs of customers in different markets. With an independent R&D rate of 80% for key components, advanced Chinese manufacturing brings a convenient and efficient way of traveling and residing to consumers around the world.

High-quality goods are also selling well in the domestic market. Rongcheng is a national RV production base and export base. In the first half of this year, Rongcheng's RV export value reached 1.06 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 21%, while the growth rate of domestic sales even exceeded that of exports, rising by more than 40% year on year. The vast domestic market is releasing enormous consumption potential.

The RV consumption boom has been confirmed in this year's summer consumer market. In addition to hot vehicle sales, the rental market has also seen relatively rapid growth. Platform data show that in the past two months, RV rental rates in some popular cities have already reached more than 70%, and RV rental orders have increased by more than 50% year on year. In the scorching summer, RVs travel one after another through grasslands and lakeshores, mountains and nearby suburbs, both satisfying people's longing for "poetry and the distance" and making travel more comfortable and enjoyable, becoming a new highlight of summer consumption.

The iterative upgrading of the manufacturing industry has expanded the supply of high-quality new consumer goods, and cultivating and building more new business forms and new scenarios of consumption depends all the more on the support and guarantee of the "soft" consumption environment. Recently, relevant departments have successively introduced measures to support the development of the RV camping industry and promote RV camping culture-and-tourism consumption. In June this year, the Ministry of Commerce (商务部) and eight other departments jointly issued measures to cultivate and strengthen automotive aftermarket consumption, including the introduction of whole-chain support measures for the RV camping industry, covering aspects such as RV road access and passage, the service level of campsite supporting facilities, and the upgrading of the manufacturing industry chain. In July, the 15th Five-Year Plan for Expanding Consumption (扩大消费“十五五”规划) was implemented, incorporating "enriching distinctive tourism products and cultivating projects such as cruises and yachts, RV camping, industrial tourism, and study tours" as important content, and proposing to "expand automotive aftermarket consumption such as vehicle modification, rental, racing events, and RV camping." Various localities have followed up with detailed supporting implementation rules, continuously stimulating market vitality, and RV camping consumption continues to heat up.

Through the new consumption form of RV camping, one can see that boosting consumption is a multidimensional proposition. To further activate consumption potential and release market vitality, it is necessary not only to achieve product quality improvement and upgrading on the supply side, but also to optimize the consumption environment and enrich consumption scenarios on the consumption side.

Over the years, by virtue of mature production technology, a complete supply chain, and rich application scenarios, many Chinese products have won fans in overseas markets. After being tempered and growing in overseas markets, enterprises can apply advanced manufacturing techniques, stringent quality-control standards, and scenario-based R&D experience to the production of domestic products, promote product upgrading, better meet the diversified consumption-upgrading needs at home, and create and stimulate new consumption. With high-quality product supply in place, in order to retain consumption and magnify its potential, it is still necessary to continuously optimize the consumption environment and nurture and cultivate new consumption scenarios, including a series of tasks such as removing institutional barriers, improving the level of supporting services, and perfecting the industry standards system, which requires putting in patient, sustained effort.

Consumption is the "ballast stone" and main driving force of economic growth. The booming of new service consumption such as RV camping is precisely a portrayal of the current upgrading of China's commodity supply, the expansion of service consumption, and the continuous optimization of the consumption environment. The meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held on July 30 emphasized that "it is necessary to effectively expand domestic demand, expand high-quality supply in response to the consumption needs of different groups, and tap the potential of service consumption." Adhering to the strategic basis of expanding domestic demand, continuously optimizing the supply of goods and services, accelerating the cultivation of new consumption growth points, and creating diversified new consumption scenarios, China's super-large market advantage will be further highlighted, the consumer market will continue to develop and grow, domestic demand potential will be continuously released, and the role of consumption as the "main engine" of economic growth will also become increasingly strong.

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From Dragon Boat Festival Exclusives to Everyday Meals (Time-Honored Brands Reinvented)

By: 本报记者 刘军国

A wisp of zongzi fragrance threads together the thousand-year folk customs of the Jiangnan water towns. A time-honored brand embodies the painstaking craftsmanship that has endured for a hundred years.

In the height of summer, entering a Wufangzhai catering outlet located at Xingyao Commercial Plaza, Xincheng Street, Xiuzhou District, Jiaxing City, Zhejiang Province, the glass display cases neatly present meat zongzi, bean paste zongzi, multigrain zongzi, and fresh-lock instant zongzi, while qingtuan, egg-yolk puff pastries, and other light meals and snacks dazzle the eye. The shop assistants skillfully pack items into bags, methodically receiving customers coming and going.

This bustling scene, constant throughout the four seasons, breaks the inherent "consumption curse" of seasonal foods. For a long time, many traditional seasonal foods have been mired in the industry predicament of "selling well only during the festival, going cold off-season": just a few days of consumption surge each year, while the market lies dormant and product categories sit idle the rest of the time, making it difficult to integrate into the daily life of the general public.

How to break free from the shackles of the season and achieve year-round, normalized development, turning seasonal delicacies from festival-only items into everyday companions throughout the year, has become a question of the era confronting time-honored brands. Wufangzhai is deeply versed in the way of inheriting and transforming traditional cuisine, and has blazed an upgrading path that preserves ancient methods, strengthens heritage, expands products, broadens scenarios, shapes IP, and extends coverage to the entire domain.

Preserving the authentic (shǒu zhèng - "uphold what is correct," maintaining traditions) —

With intangible cultural heritage as the foundation, preserve the true zongzi fragrance of Jiangnan.

Founded in 1921, Wufangzhai, by virtue of its unbroken line of ancient-method skills, has become a nationally renowned culinary name card of China. Preserving the authentic is the foundation for a time-honored brand to travel steadily and reach far (xíng wěn zhì yuǎn - "walk steadily, go far," to make steady progress and achieve long-term success), and it is the very source of confidence for seasonal products to build their core competitiveness.

At present, digital intelligent technology empowers every industry and trade. As an industry leader, Wufangzhai has completed the full-process digital-intelligent upgrading of pre- and post-process steps such as rice washing, rice moistening, zongzi leaf cleaning, and ingredient mixing and seasoning, enhancing production cleanliness and stability. In Wufangzhai's intelligent production workshop, digital-intelligent equipment operates at high speed; processes such as ingredient washing, rice moistening, ingredient mixing, and portioning are precise and efficient. At the same time, Wufangzhai has also built fully transparent sunshine factories, with the entire production process equipped with high-definition video surveillance; it is furnished with X-ray foreign body detection, metal detection, and other specialized equipment, constructing an all-round food safety protection network, so that consumers can eat with peace of mind.

However, in the most critical step — wrapping zongzi — Wufangzhai has always insisted on purely manual production, preserving the warmth of craftsmanship. Hundreds of zongzi-wrapping masters stand before their workstations; in a few deft motions, they roll two zongzi leaves into a small funnel shape, scoop in a spoonful of white glutinous rice, place a piece of pork with alternating lean and fat, then thread and wind cotton string between their fingers, and a sharp-cornered zongzi lands steadily on the assembly line.

In 2011, Wufangzhai's zongzi-making technique was successfully selected for the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list. As a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage protection project — Wufangzhai zongzi-making technique — Hu Jianmin, who has been wrapping zongzi for more than 30 years, has long been deeply "bound" to zongzi. "Wufangzhai has polished the zongzi-making technique into a complete system of ancient methods, with 36 traditional steps interlocking like rings (huán huán xiāng kòu - "rings linking rings," each step closely connected) — not one step can be omitted, not one bit can be disordered." As he spoke, Hu Jianmin's fingertips flew, his movements practiced.

Wufangzhai has always adhered to the original intention of technology assisting intangible cultural heritage, never replacing it. Hu Jianmin has his own steadfast belief: "Machines can standardize the handling of ingredients, improve cleanliness and efficiency, but wrapping zongzi is a craftsmanship skill that relies on hand feel and experience. The angle of folding the zongzi leaves, the amount of glutinous rice filling, and the tightness of tying the cotton string are things that machines can hardly replicate."

Preserving the old flavor also means preserving the old formula. "All along, Wufangzhai's secret seasoning formula has remained utterly unchanged (wén sī bù dòng - "not a single thread moves," completely unchanged); the proportions of soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar and other ingredients strictly follow the ancient methods, locking in the classic flavor profile at its root," said Ma Jianzhong, General Manager of Zhejiang Wufangzhai Industrial Co., Ltd.

Innovation —

Products and IP gallop side by side; seasonal goodies enter daily life.

Preserving tradition anchors one firmly, but only by actively seeking the new can one go farther. Deeply versed in market changes, Wufangzhai has not rested on its laurels as a time-honored brand.

Taking advantage of the trend, it breaks the stereotyped impression that "zongzi only belongs to the Dragon Boat Festival," driving the successful transformation of seasonal products into daily consumer goods that can be enjoyed year-round and adapted to all scenarios.

In Wufangzhai's modern food R&D laboratory, an exploration to "renew the old flavor" continues. In the experimental space, transparent glass vessels are neatly arranged; glutinous rice, multigrains, zongzi leaves and other natural ingredients are displayed by category. The R&D team repeatedly adjusts ingredient ratios, steams and tests samples, records data, and evaluates taste, day after day contesting with flavor, texture, and nutrition — all to make the century-old traditional zongzi flavor suit the healthy dietary needs of contemporary people.

As health, quality, and refinement become the mainstream trends in food consumption, traditional seasonal foods heavy in oil and sugar and limited in variety can no longer align with modern people's eating rhythms and health concepts.

Chen Zhaogui, Wufangzhai's R&D Director, has been rooted in food R&D for over a decade and has witnessed the brand repeatedly breaking traditional boundaries. "Innovation for a time-honored brand means, while preserving the essence of Jiangnan flavor, using modern R&D technology to improve and upgrade, so that traditional cuisine truly suits new lifestyles and new consumer groups," Chen said.

During the R&D of several healthy zongzi products, the team underwent dozens of adjustments. To balance health, texture, and flavor, the team took advantage of the trend to upgrade core zongzi products: delving into high-end organic lines, selecting organic glutinous rice from the black soil of Northeast China, keeping up with the health trends of low GI (glycemic index) and the concept of food and medicine sharing the same source, launching low-sugar multigrain zongzi and healthy light-meal zongzi, and also extending development to low-sugar mooncakes made with rice flour, low-GI mung bean cakes, and other derivative healthy snacks.

The pace of life is getting faster and faster; people want to eat traditional good flavors but also seek convenience and speed. To balance both "convenience" and "freshness," the brand has painstakingly developed a new vacuum-sterilization two-in-one process, firmly locking in the fresh aroma of zongzi just out of the pot.

With products enriched, they also need to be closer to ordinary people. "We precisely capture daily essential needs such as breakfast, between-meal snacks, and home light meals, and comprehensively deploy on convenience store breakfast shelves, large supermarkets, community group-buying, and community convenience stores," said Shen Yanping, Deputy General Manager of Wufangzhai Industrial Co., Ltd. and General Manager of the Chain Business Division.

"Now I can buy them right downstairs. In the morning, heat up two zongzi and pair them with a cup of soybean milk — it saves time and tastes good," said Aunt Chen, a Jiaxing resident, holding freshly packed meat zongzi and qingtuan in her hand. Beside her, a student was selecting rice balls: "There are many new-taste snacks, and the packaging is also very trendy. I often buy them for breakfast."

Today, Wufangzhai is no longer the time-honored brand that people think only sells zongzi. The store is a dazzling array (lín láng mǎn mù - "a multitude of beautiful things," a feast for the eyes) of delicacies, with rich and diverse categories. Three meals a day, afternoon tea, and small snacks to satisfy cravings — all can be met in one stop.

"Currently, our directly operated catering outlets sell more than 20 product categories and over 300 SKUs (stock keeping units) in catering and seasonal retail products, with daily customer traffic of approximately 50,000 person-visits. During holidays, we also offer gift boxes; on ordinary days, we have essential light meals. Only by covering all scenarios can we truly retain customer traffic," Shen explained. Many regular customers are in the habit of coming to the store for breakfast, then buying some instant zongzi and small pastries.

As of now, the number of Wufangzhai chain catering outlets has reached 482, located in Jiaxing, Shanghai, Hangzhou, Wuhan and other cities, as well as in Yangtze River Delta expressway service areas, high-speed rail stations, and airport terminals. In Jiaxing and Huzhou, Wufangzhai also has 335 breakfast cart service points, providing more than 2,000 jobs for the community.

To narrow the distance with the younger generation, Wufangzhai has also stepped out of its traditional old-fashioned image and played with IP crossovers. Wufangzhai previously partnered with Disney, Weilong, Yili and others to launch creative zongzi products, custom packaging, and peripheral cultural creations; this year it has also formed co-branded collaborations with brands such as Bama Tea, China Resources Jiangzhong, and Sanpangdan. Combining traditional flavor with trendy gameplay, Wufangzhai has become "the most playful time-honored brand."

Paradigm —

Setting industry standards, leading industrial upgrading.

Jiaxing is the benchmark city for the national zongzi industry, with 34 zongzi enterprises above designated size, producing over 800 million zongzi annually, with an output value exceeding 4 billion yuan, accounting for 40% of the national market share.

As the leading enterprise, Wufangzhai guides the formation of a complete industrial ecosystem locally.

"Based on the national market layout, we precisely discern regional taste differences and break down the dietary barriers between north and south," Chen Zhaogui said. Adapting measures to local conditions (yīn dì zhì yí - "suit measures to local conditions") to suit the dietary customs of each region allows Wufangzhai's zongzi fragrance to waft across the entire country (dà jiāng nán běi - "north and south of the great river," throughout China). In response to northern consumers' preference for the soft, sticky texture of glutinous rice, Wufangzhai makes targeted adjustments from ingredient selection to production techniques, tailoring a northern zongzi series; for the southern China market, Wufangzhai introduces Cantonese-style wrapped zongzi.

From a festive seasonal specialty exclusive to the Dragon Boat Festival, it has transformed into an everyday food staple for all seasons; from a single zongzi product category, it has expanded into a glutinous-rice food matrix covering all festivals and all categories. Amid a century of inheritance and continuous renewal, Wufangzhai has walked out a path of seasonal food transformation that can be referenced, implemented, and promoted, opening new ideas for transformation for peers mired in "seasonal limitations."

Today, Jiaxing zongzi has moved from hand workshops to a new era of intelligent industrialization. "As an industry leader, Wufangzhai has not only achieved breakthroughs through its own transformation, but also uses mature methodologies to drive the entire industry toward year-round, branding, and international development," said Lou Jiadong, Secretary-General of the Jiaxing Food Industry Association.

It is understood that Jiaxing zongzi leads the nation in standardization, digitalization, and supply chain support. In the area of standardization, Jiaxing zongzi has constructed a multi-tier standards system covering "group + national + international" levels. The association took the lead in formulating the group standard T/JFIA001—2022 Jiaxing Zongzi, specifying raw materials, processes, and quality indicators; Wufangzhai participated in formulating the national standard GB/T46259—2025 General Quality Principles for Zongzi; the leading enterprise Wufangzhai took the lead in developing the Codex Alimentarius international standard for Zongzi (CXS355R—2023).

When asked about the future direction of development, Ma Jianzhong answered with two phrases: step out of zongzi, step out of the country.

"Step out of zongzi" means the "Glutinous +" strategy that Wufangzhai is currently advancing. Let non-zongzi product categories gradually grow into new growth poles, making the product matrix richer and more diverse. Relying on its mature glutinous rice industry chain, Wufangzhai uses the "Glutinous +" strategy to broaden its boundaries, replicating the instant-food model to all categories of seasonal delicacies such as tangyuan, monccakes, eight-treasure rice, qintuan, and Chongyang cake.

"Step out of the country" means global layout. As the full-industry-chain self-control and supply chain system become increasingly mature, Wufangzhai has the capacity to bring Chinese cuisine to a broader international market.

From festival-limited romance to the daily routine of three meals and four seasons, Wufangzhai is visible everywhere — on street breakfast carts, community stores, and supermarket shelves. Today, Wufangzhai is no longer the old brand that people only associate with hot sales during the Dragon Boat Festival.

"Without elaborate rituals and without waiting for festivals, consumers can unlock the flavors of Jiangnan on their taste buds anytime, anywhere, allowing Jiangnan's glutinous rice zongzi to continue year after year and waft fragrance through the four seasons," Ma Jianzhong said.

(Li Chong participated in the writing and interviews.)

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Digital Labels Solve Information Identification Challenges (Consumer Insights)

By: 林丽鹂 张函嫣

Scanning the QR code on a bottle of peanut oil packaging, the phone screen immediately jumps to a dedicated webpage. Tapping on different columns, product information, nutrition labels, and details of the production enterprise are presented in sequence, and at the bottom of the page there is also a video explaining the product’s production process and technological characteristics. Recently, in a community grain and oil specialty store in Chaoyang District, Beijing, a consumer discovered that the food packaging had a digital label.

This QR code is the carrier of the food digital label. A food digital label refers to an electronic food label displayed on pre-packaged food packaging using information-based means by food production enterprises, breaking the layout limitations of traditional labels. Digital labels have the same legal effect as physical labels on the packaging and are strictly regulated by laws and regulations; they are not marketing advertisements or ordinary inquiry portals. Regulatory authorities advocate for multi-code integration (多码合一), encouraging enterprises to unify and integrate digital labels, traceability codes, settlement codes, etc., so that in the future consumers can scan the code to complete label viewing, traceability queries, and purchase settlement.

How to use a digital label? Consumers scan the QR code marked with the words “digital label” on the packaging using WeChat, Alipay, or the phone’s built-in camera, and they will enter an information page. The label content can be freely zoomed and voice-broadcast; some products are accompanied by videos of workshop scenes, process explanations, etc., directly showing the food production process. In addition, consumers can also view consumption tips, nutritional indicators, etc., especially for groups such as those allergic to nuts, those controlling sugar and reducing fat, they can watch more detailed explanations, allowing consumers to truly understand food information. Compared with traditional labels, digital labels have achieved an upgrade of “audible, playable, enlargeable” (可听、可播、可放大), addressing the pain points of traditional labels being “unclear to see, hard to understand, and incomplete in information” (看不清、读不懂、信息不全).

Digital labels are the core lever for the digital upgrade of the food industry. Fang Fang (方方), Secretary-General of the China Automatic Identification Technology Association (中国自动识别技术协会), stated that digital labels have broken through the limitations of traditional labels and are becoming an information hub connecting the entire industry chain, capable of linking multiple data such as ingredients, nutrition, traceability, carbon footprint, etc., and linking the multiple systems of production, regulation, and consumption.

It is reported that the digital label traceability system is equivalent to installing a “cloud-based clairvoyance” (云端千里眼) for regulatory authorities. Once a food safety risk occurs, using the batch-specific traceability code, it can quickly locate the source of the problem, lock the involved batches, and precisely recall them, minimizing the scope of risk impact to the greatest extent.

At present, digital labels are being rolled out in many places across the country. Thousands of products such as dairy products, grain and oil, meat products, and snack foods have taken the lead in completing the digital upgrade of labels. In Heilongjiang, 105 products from 27 enterprises have processed digital labels; in Chengdu, 20 food production enterprises and 63 categories of products have completed application, with the cumulative market supply exceeding 110 million units; in Longyan, Fujian (福建龙岩), and Xuancheng, Anhui (安徽宣城), and other places, replicable experience has been formed in sub-sectors such as pastries and health foods.

Although application scenarios continue to expand, there are still shortcomings in the development of food digital labels. A special survey conducted by China Consumer News (中国消费者报社) on “Usage Experience and Promotion Effectiveness of Pre-packaged Food Digital Labels” found that currently some food enterprises still fail to fully recognize the industrial and regulatory value of digital labels, and there is a lack of unified and detailed standards for the implementation of digital labels nationwide. Fang Fang suggested that relevant departments should continue to intensify policy publicity and implementation, relying on the national commodity barcode and commodity QR code system to issue standardized implementation rules, so as to enhance the willingness of business entities to participate and the standardization level of application. It is worth noting that relevant departments have also introduced “burden-reducing” measures for enterprises: if the detailed address is displayed through a digital label, the production address on the physical label can be simplified to the name of the county-level administrative region. This not only frees up space on the physical label but also helps enterprises reduce ink usage and lower printing costs, promoting green and low-carbon development.

A small QR code carries not only the digital upgrade of food information display, but also the deep integration of consumer right-to-know protection and smart supervision of food safety. The gradual popularization of digital labels will inject new momentum of transparency, intelligence, and sustainable development into the food consumer market.

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Layout Editor: Qi Zhiming

Layout Design: Shen Yiling (沈亦伶)

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Why does "taking a bus to leave the mountains" resonate with so many? (Reflections)

By: 韩 鑫

“Child, study hard, strive to get out of the big mountains.” “You can get out just by taking the bus.” A few days ago, under a short video sharing his rural life, a “godlike reply” from a “Little Brother” (小孩哥) in Mianyang, Sichuan, flooded the screen. Those few words, 轻描淡写 (qīng miáo dàn xiě - “light sketching, light writing,” describing or mentioning casually), were simple yet sharp, with a strong visual sense; reading them one can’t help but smile knowingly, and upon closer examination they are thought-provoking.

The exchange of two sentences is essentially a collision of concepts between two generations. In the traffic-blocked past, the “big mountains” were a natural moat separating the outside, meaning isolation and hardship; the four characters 走出大山 (zǒu chū dà shān - “walk out of the big mountains”) were the obsession of changing one’s destiny through study, the drifting of making a living as a migrant worker, the collective memory of a generation gambling with geography. But now, the new generation growing up against the backdrop of massive transportation infrastructure development naturally lives in a road network that extends in all directions. The big mountains that previously required all one’s strength to cross can now be traversed with just one bus ride. When the heavy topic of “escaping the big mountains” in the eyes of adults becomes the ordinary daily occurrence of “lift your feet and go” in the mouths of children, this sense of contrast across time and space is full of penetrating power that strikes directly at the heart.

This “ordinariness” behind it is a massive relay. In October 2013, roads were built into Medog (墨脱), Tibet, and “the last county without road access” became history; at the end of 2019, roads were built into Abuluoha Village (阿布洛哈村), “Cliff Village” (悬崖村) in Liangshan, Sichuan, and the last administrative village in the country gained road access… 逢山开路、遇水架桥 (féng shān kāi lù, yù shuǐ jià qiáo - “dig a road when meeting a mountain, build a bridge when meeting a river,” overcoming all obstacles), baton after baton, year after year, rural roads connected into networks, growing denser and denser. As of the end of last year, the total mileage of China’s rural roads has exceeded 4.7 million kilometers, and all townships and administrative villages with the conditions have achieved hardened roads and bus services.

In the hometown of the “Little Brother,” Mianyang, over the past 30 years, expressways started from zero and gradually achieved “expressway access in every county,” becoming the first prefecture-level city in Sichuan Province with expressway mileage exceeding 700 kilometers. A rural transportation network that connects externally and internally, reaches villages and towns smoothly, and brings buses to villages, makes “lifting your foot to get on the bus” a warm daily routine.

This “ordinariness” is creating a more precious extraordinariness. The extension of road networks and the entry of buses into villages not only open up travel channels but also raise the starting point of life. A road smooths the urban-rural arteries; an internet cable connects inside and outside the big mountains… Children in the big mountains no longer have to measure the world’s distance with their own feet; their horizons, choices, and possibilities are being increasingly broadened as roads and networks improve. The sentence “You can get out just by taking the bus” precisely shows the mountain people’s attitude of looking at the outside world on an equal footing and their confident temperament.

Recently, another news item topped the trending topics: the second “air school bus” (空中校车) in Nizhuhe Village (尼珠河村), Qujing, Yunnan, was put into operation, with the 288-meter “Fuyao Ladder” (扶摇梯) standing side by side with the previously operated “Qingyun Ladder” (青云梯), shortening children’s journey to school from 3 hours to 30 minutes. From “There are people on the other side of the Tianshan Mountains” to 扶摇直上 (fú yáo zhí shàng - “soar straight up on the whirlwind,” rising rapidly) on the cloud-blue ladder – although the regions differ and the projects vary, these hardcore infrastructure projects jointly answer one question: How can China diligently cultivate without ceasing and bridge natural chasms, no matter how high the mountains or how remote the land? The logic behind it is 一以贯之 (yī yǐ guàn zhī - “to thread one consistent principle through all,” consistent throughout) – behind every mega-project and every kilometer of extended village road, the target has always been “people” themselves. When “getting out of the big mountains” changes from a heavy dream to a casual “just take the bus,” that itself is the meaning of development.

Looking deeper, with roads leading outward and routes returning home, it is not just the rural landscape that has changed; the traditional narrative of “escaping the big mountains” is also being rewritten. Go to Huajiang Village (花江村) in Qianxinan, Guizhou, to see the Huajiang Canyon Bridge; go to Zhongduiba Village (中堆坝村) in Wulong, Chongqing, to walk through the canyon tunnel; go to Wuyang Village (武阳村) in Wencheng, Zhejiang, to enjoy a hundred mu of lotus ponds… This summer, rural tourism has become the “top trend,” and rural roads have turned into tourism roads and development roads, becoming the “nerve endings” of rural revitalization, and also turning the former departure points for “escaping” into destinations that more people long for. In the short video, the “Little Brother” proudly shows netizens the mountain scenery and shares rural life – isn’t that a vivid portrayal of this transformation?

Looking back, why is “You can get out just by taking the bus” so touching? Because of the resolve to open roads and build bridges, the effort to bridge gaps, and the sincere heart that puts people’s livelihood first. Through the simple expression of a mountain youth in a new era, we see the unique romance of a great nation’s infrastructure, which is a country’s most genuine substance (里子) and also the most moving underpinning of Chinese-style modernization.

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High-Tech Equipment Proves Its Mettle (Industry Perspective)

By: 本报记者 刘温馨

When torrential rain strikes and floodwaters surge, flood prevention and disaster relief must race against time.

From "experience-based response" to "data empowerment," from "post-disaster rescue" to "pre-disaster prevention" ... In recent years, China has accelerated the modernization of its emergency management system and capacity, and a number of new technologies and new equipment oriented toward extreme disaster scenarios have emerged on the front line of rescue, making flood prevention and disaster relief more precise, efficient, and orderly.

Intelligent monitoring precisely senses risks

In flood prevention, the key lies in preventing, and the emphasis lies on acting early.

For river levees, many risks do not occur suddenly; rather, they are the result of subtle changes gradually accumulating. Hidden dangers such as piping and seepage, if not discovered in time, are very likely to further develop into dangerous situations.

"In the past, levee safety inspections relied more on manual patrol. Every flood season required mobilizing hundreds of thousands of people to patrol levees and inspect for dangers, with large blind spots, low efficiency, and great difficulty in making advance predictions," said Liu Yong (刘勇), assistant researcher at the Flood and Drought Disaster Research Center (水旱灾害研究中心) of the National Institute of Natural Hazards (国家自然灾害防治研究院). In response to the difficulties and pain points of inspection, the team developed a complete set of intelligent emergency inspection technology and equipment for levee piping and seepage, which can help locate piping points more precisely and seize the golden window for handling dangerous situations.

Using drones, fiber-optic detectors, electromagnetic detection equipment, and other "intelligent inspection" means is like giving the levee a "CT scan."

First, the drone 腾空而起 (téng kōng ér qǐ - "soar skyward and rise," rising swiftly into the air). "The airframe carries an integrated payload of visible light, thermal infrared, and LiDAR, and first conducts a large-range rapid inspection of the landside slope of the levee, completing 10 kilometers of inspection in one hour," Liu Yong introduced. Piping basically seeps out from the slope toe on the landside of the dam body or from the surroundings; the temperature at the water outlet point will be lower than the surroundings. By means of sensors and recognition software systems, the drone can precisely determine piping and seepage points and issue timely warnings, with a missed-report rate below 5%.

"Second, piping produces regular weak underwater vibrations at the water inlet. The fiber-optic detector achieves vibration monitoring by capturing signal changes in the sensing optical cable caused by vibrations. After the data is transmitted to the back end, the location and scope of the water inlet can be identified through algorithms, with an effective monitoring distance greater than 20 kilometers," said Guo Aipeng (郭爱鹏), assistant researcher at the Geological Disaster Research Center (地质灾害研究中心) of the National Institute of Natural Hazards. During levee construction, operation, and maintenance, the optical cable can be directly buried in advance; if cables are laid on site in an emergency scenario, 1,000 meters of cable can be laid in 30 minutes.

Finally, electromagnetic detection equipment is used again to detect seepage channels inside the levee, completing three-dimensional visual modeling of underground seepage paths, thereby connecting points into lines and realizing holographic detection. All inspection data is ultimately uploaded to the cloud-based levee danger analysis and assessment platform, which uses artificial intelligence technology and other means to further screen and recheck suspected piping points.

"This is the world's first complete set of levee piping and seepage inspection equipment. It has overcome 9 key technologies for levee piping and seepage inspection and detection, with monitoring accuracy exceeding 95%," Liu Yong said. Since being put into practical application, it has completed more than 50 inspection and survey missions for important levees, inspected a cumulative 1,200 kilometers of levees, and eliminated a total of 175 dangerous situations including piping and seepage.

Powered pontoon bridge builds rescue passages

No crane assistance needed, no manual entry into the water: with one-key control, the folded sealed floats loaded on an off-road truck automatically slide into the water and unfold and take shape on their own. In just 10 minutes, a 10-meter-long, 8.3-meter-wide water operation platform is assembled and completed...

In July this year, the Xijiang Education Park in Guigang, Guangxi (广西贵港西江教育园区), was affected by heavy rainfall, with water accumulation reaching up to 7 meters deep. At the critical moment, China Anneng's (中国安能) professional rescue forces carried the "water rescue aircraft carrier" — the powered pontoon bridge — to rush to the front line and successfully evacuated more than 6,000 trapped teachers and students.

The powered pontoon bridge is a modular special water rescue equipment that can solve the pain point that, in scenarios of large-area waterlogging and river barriers, personnel and heavy equipment cannot cross the water. "It can serve as a large ferry, and can also become a 'water dock' or a floating bridge," introduced Huang Xinlei (黄新磊), director of the R&D department of CSSC Emergency Technology (中船应急科技研发部) of China State Shipbuilding Corporation (中国船舶集团有限公司). The powered pontoon bridge has three core advantages.

High capacity — a traditional assault boat can carry only about 10 people at a time, while a set of powered pontoon bridge ferry units 40 meters in length has a total carrying capacity of up to 60 tons; when used for personnel transfer, it can carry more than 500 people in a single trip. As a "water hub," when roads are interrupted, the pontoon bridge can also transport heavy materials such as excavators, sandbags, and stone to the core operation area.

Flexibility — one module unit is like a building block, and can be freely disassembled and combined according to the rescue site situation. "For small-scale rescues, use two or three sections; for large-scale passages, use seven or eight sections. Whatever length is needed, it can be assembled to that length," Huang Xinlei said.

Rapid arrival — after folding, the pontoon bridge is loaded on a wheeled off-road truck. At ordinary times, it can travel on roads as a heavy truck. Once a dangerous situation occurs, it quickly rushes to the rescue site and, after arriving at the water's edge, transforms and unfolds. "Each floating body unit has an independent power system, so that after the boat body enters the water, it can automatically pop open using the torsion bar at the bow tip. Operators only need to control it from the shore through a portable remote-control box," Huang Xinlei introduced.

"Traditional pontoon bridges have no power of their own and need bridge-erecting motorboats to push them along; assault boats have limited transport capacity and weak resistance to wind and waves," Huang Xinlei said. Since 2008, the team began to establish a project to tackle the key technology of a powered pontoon bridge with autonomous waterborne power. In 2009, they developed the first prototype; in 2013, after experimental verification, they developed a complete set of equipment containing 10 module units. Now, each river pontoon unit is equipped with an independent power system, which can dynamically adjust thrust according to load distribution, ensuring that the platform remains stable under different load conditions.

As a major emergency equipment independently researched, developed, and manufactured by a central state-owned enterprise, the powered pontoon bridge has a localization rate of over 95% for its components. Take the research and development of the hull material: "The thin plate must both reduce weight, ensuring a shallow draft so that it can pass through more water scenarios, and enhance structural strength, giving the pontoon bridge greater carrying capacity," Huang Xinlei said. After repeated tests and comparisons, a special steel structure was ultimately adopted to produce a 3-millimeter-thick thin plate. The pontoon bridge has a draft of 0.2–0.6 meters, and can pass smoothly in both deep-water areas and shallow shoal zones with mixed silt.

In 2021, Huang Xinlei's team installed an intelligent control system on the powered pontoon bridge. Relying on high-precision positioning systems such as BeiDou, the pontoon bridge realized autonomous navigation and precise berthing. "Now, in a fully loaded state, the powered pontoon bridge can withstand a flood flow velocity of 3 meters per second. The next-generation product will continue to iterate and upgrade, adapting to environments with flow velocities above 4 meters per second," Huang Xinlei said. In the future, the synergy between the powered pontoon bridge and drones, unmanned surveying vessels, and artificial intelligence monitoring systems will be further deepened to enhance the practical effectiveness of "water-air linked operations."

Emergency base stations crack the "three interruptions" (三断) problem

With one-key power-on, a stable communication link can be established within 120 seconds, and mobile phones within a 50-meter radius can automatically connect to the signal...

Communication is the "lifeline" of emergency rescue.

Natural disasters such as typhoons and heavy rain can easily cause large-scale damage to infrastructure such as communications, power, and transportation, leading to situations such as the "three interruptions," thereby turning local areas into "isolated islands" and bringing severe challenges to rescue and disaster relief. The emergency rescue communication carry-along bag, weighing 3.5 kilograms and only the size of a briefcase, is aimed at solving this pain point.

"This is a 'carry-along-grade' emergency communication support device that we have built for emergency commanders and front-line decision-makers," said Jiao Qisong (焦其松), associate researcher at the Flood and Drought Disaster Research Center of the National Institute of Natural Hazards. The carry-along bag is a mobile special satellite base station for emergency rescue. It is simple and convenient to operate, can quickly build a satellite communication network, and provides carry-along, reliable, and secure communication support for the entire emergency command process.

Traditional satellite communication equipment uses dedicated terminals and requires professional operation training. Heavy communication support equipment such as communication vehicles is large in size and inconvenient to mobilize, difficult to transport to the core disaster site, hard to meet the accompanying communication needs of personnel on foot patrol and advance reconnaissance, and limited in support scope.

"With the carry-along bag, the mobile phones of commanders and rescue personnel can make calls and transmit data normally without downloading apps or changing settings. The bag has a built-in large-capacity energy storage battery that can be used continuously for 3 hours, and connecting a power bank can also meet long-duration use needs," Jiao Qisong said.

It does not rely on ground public networks and base station facilities — wherever people go, communication can follow. How is this achieved?

The emergency rescue communication carry-along bag, through built-in sensors such as BeiDou positioning, gyroscopes, and accelerometers, realizes autonomous "satellite seeking." During movement, it can automatically calculate the angle between the antenna and the satellite and compensate for signal attenuation.

"In simple terms, it first predicts the angle, then performs signal compensation," Jiao Qisong said. The product has overcome technical difficulties such as antenna power-consumption reduction, power-amplifier miniaturization, multi-mode communication module integration, and adaptive signal compensation, and has successfully applied for and obtained the invention patent for "adaptive power adjustment for satellite terminals."

"To better respond to the 'three interruptions' problem that may occur during the flood season, during this year's flood season we pre-positioned 258 large and medium emergency communication drones in key provinces, and equipped 123,000 disaster-prone and disaster-vulnerable remote villages with satellite phones, 370 MHz two-way radios, BeiDou short-message terminals, and other baseline-guarantee means of emergency command communication," said Hou Xianjun (侯贤军), deputy director of the Department of Science, Technology and Informatization of the Ministry of Emergency Management (应急管理部科技和信息化司).

In January this year, the Ministry of Emergency Management and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (工业和信息化部) issued the Guiding Opinions on Accelerating the Innovative Development of Emergency Management Equipment (《关于加快应急管理装备创新发展的指导意见》), proposing that by the end of 2027, more than 20 key core technologies will be overcome, more than 20 types of key innovative equipment will be developed, and more than 30 types of advanced technology and equipment will be promoted.

Hou Xianjun stated that the next step will be to aim at the urgent practical needs and pain-point difficulties of emergency management equipment, continuously enhance the independent innovation capability of emergency management equipment, and, by putting urgent needs first and advancing in echelons, promote the modernization of emergency management equipment.

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Kiln Fires Never Die, Porcelain Road Ever Renews (Economic Geography Miscellany)

By: 李其江

In northeastern Jiangxi, on the banks of the Chang River, the soil and water have been suited to ceramics since ancient times. It is here that Jingdezhen, Jiangxi — the "thousand-year porcelain capital" — has unfolded a story of porcelain-industry development that is 生生不息 (shēng shēng bù xī - "generation upon generation without cease," to thrive and perpetuate without end).

Tracing the thread of Jingdezhen's ceramic development, one may begin in the mid-to-late Tang dynasty. At that time Jingdezhen, still called Changnan (昌南), was merely a small town among the hills of Jiangnan, devoted single-mindedly to making porcelain and producing mainly ordinary celadon. Kiln workers reverently studied the glaze colors of the Yue kilns, the techniques of the Hongzhou kilns, and the decorative styles of the Changsha kilns, groping their own way forward bit by bit in imitation. It was a humble beginning, but it also bred the gene of 兼容并蓄 (jiān róng bìng xù - "to accommodate and absorb everything," to be inclusive and open to all). Thereafter, the appearance of white porcelain brought a leap in Jingdezhen's porcelain-making technique: white porcelain had a fine, compact body and a glaze surface lustrous and smooth as lard. From celadon to white porcelain, from following others to 自成一格 (zì chéng yī gé - "to form a style of one's own," to achieve an independent style), what was tempered in the kiln fire was not only the metamorphosis of wares, but also a small town's confidence on the road to becoming the porcelain capital. In the first year of the Jingde era of the Northern Song dynasty (1004 CE), because the qingbai (bluish-white) ware it presented as tribute was luminous, fine and beautiful, warm and smooth as jade, the town was conferred the name "Jingdezhen." This act fused the name of this small Jiangnan town together with ceramics. The qingbai glaze takes white as its main body, with blue-green as the finishing touch, like a stroke of reserved blankness in a Song dynasty landscape painting — subtle and all-embracing.

The Yuan dynasty, though brief, brought Jingdezhen an epoch-making revolution in porcelain-making technique. The cobalt material from Persia, "Sumali blue" (苏麻离青), met with local techniques and fired forth blue-and-white porcelain of a deep, serene blue. That quiet, profound blue fused the demands of Islamic civilization with the aesthetics of Eastern culture. From then on, Jingdezhen was no longer a regional kiln content to 偏安一隅 (piān ān yī yú - "to dwell contentedly in one corner," to rest satisfied with a minor local role), but became an important node of world trade and cultural exchange. By the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Imperial Kiln Factory, which fired porcelain exclusively for the court, was established here. "Craftsmen come from the eight directions; when the wares are finished, they travel the world." Jingdezhen leapt up to become the nation's porcelain-making center. Yongle sweet-white ware, Xuande blue-and-white, Chenghua doucai (contending colors), Wanli wucai (five colors), and the soft, lovely famille rose and sumptuous yangcai (foreign colors) of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns — the kiln fire blazed day and night, carrying the art of clay and flame to one peak after another.

If the Jingdezhen of antiquity, under the supervision of the imperial kilns and amid 商贾云集 (shāng gǔ yún jí - "merchants gathering like clouds," a great concourse of traders), carved out the ultimate beauty of craftsmanship, then in the modern era this city, amid birth pangs and fission, sought a path of rebirth from the "high ground of craftsmanship" toward a "cultural ecology."

After the founding of New China, Jingdezhen organized the "Ten Great Porcelain Factories" (十大瓷厂), with daily-use porcelain and artistic porcelain advancing in parallel. Yet, under the assault of the tide of the market economy, the single, rigid mode of production revealed its drawbacks, and the thousand-year porcelain capital once sank into the predicament of an old industrial city. The true transformation occurred in the past decade or so. Jingdezhen did not 固步自封 (gù bù zì fēng - "to keep to one's old steps and seal oneself off," to be complacent and resistant to change) beneath the heavy burden of history; rather, with an inclusive and open posture, it lit a brand-new kiln fire.

Strolling through today's Jingdezhen, you will discover that it is no longer an old industrial city with nothing but traditional kiln chimneys, but has been transformed into a "living" capital of cultural creativity. The old factory buildings of the once-declining Cosmic Porcelain Factory have now become the Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative District (陶溪川文创街区). Every weekend night, young makers light their lamps in the market; the whirring of throwing wheels, the voices of livestream hosts selling products, and the laughter of tourists interweave — from the ancient kiln fire a youthful new business format is being tempered. In "Taoyuan Valley" (陶源谷), contemporary ceramic art exhibitions, ceramics-themed homestays, and study camps have 应运而生 (yìng yùn ér shēng - "to be born in response to the times," to arise as circumstances require). Artists from all over the world have become "Jing piao" (景漂) — drifters who settle in Jingdezhen — setting up their studios here, where Pop art and Minimalism collide with Jingdezhen's thousand-year glazes and break down the boundaries of traditional ceramics.

With the construction of the Jingdezhen National Pilot Zone for the Inheritance and Innovation of Ceramic Culture (景德镇国家陶瓷文化传承创新试验区) now under way, Jingdezhen has been all the more 焕然一新 (huàn rán yì xīn - "to shine with a brand-new appearance," to be completely renewed). The shabby old alleyways where dust once flew have become clean, elegant historic cultural blocks. The ruins of the Imperial Kiln Factory coexist harmoniously with the surrounding residential houses, and the protection of the great site makes history 触手可及 (chù shǒu kě jí - "stretch out a hand and it can be reached," to be within easy reach). What is especially heartening is that the "Jingdezhen Handmade Porcelain Industry Heritage" (景德镇手工瓷业遗存), with its complete handmade porcelain-making system and its industrial lineage extending over a thousand years, was successfully inscribed on the World Heritage List.

From the initial celadon explorations at the Southern Kiln (南窑) and the Lantian Kiln (蓝田窑) in the Tang dynasty, to today's gathering of "Jing piao" and the continuous emergence of new cultural creations, Jingdezhen has always advanced with composure amid change and constancy. The craftsman's soul fused from clay and fire remains unchanged, yet the steps of innovation never stall. The reason the thousand-year kiln fire has never gone out is precisely that this city understands: only by forever keeping an open mind can every handful of clay be fired into a new vessel form that belongs to its era.

(The author is deputy dean of the School of Archaeology and Museology and director of the Institute of Ancient Ceramics at Jingdezhen Ceramic University; the article was compiled from an interview by Zhou Huan (周欢), a reporter for this newspaper.)

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Layout Editor: Liu Wenxin

Layout designer: Zhang Danfeng (张丹峰)

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In Linxia, listening to Hua'er

By: 黄 璨

If I were born in Linxia, Gansu, I would surely become an outstanding Hua'er (花儿) singer.

In those days, following the group, I successively passed through Erziwailiang (耳子屲梁), Songmingyan (松鸣岩), Fatai Mountain (法台山), and Lianhua Mountain (莲花山) in the Linxia area, and gained a deeper understanding of Hua'er. Consider that Linxia Hua'er: its tenderness like water (róu qíng sì shuǐ – “tender feelings like water,” very gentle) and its sonorous vastness are probably bound by a thousand silks and ten thousand strands (qiān sī wàn lǚ – “a thousand silks, ten thousand strands,” countless interconnections) to the terrain of this land. From the original intention of expressing love, young men and women who live in the mountains year-round must convey their admiration to each other; their singing must surely gather the wild passion and power of the mountains and fields, rolling like waves over high mountains and spreading across plains, only then can it reach the other’s heart unshakably. Otherwise, how could there be born such a song that is both longing and melancholy, loving but unable to obtain, anxious as if on fire: “Climb the high mountain, look at the flat plain, in the flat plain there is a peony. Easy to look at, hard to pluck, if you can’t get it in hand, it is all in vain”?

Thus the romance in the bones of Linxia people is like the unique primitive natural beauty of that place, blowing with the wind from ancient times all the way to the present. Its Hua’er also makes outsiders like me trip over my tongue, never able to twist into that tune; local people, on the other hand, any one of them can sing with both voice and expression (shēng qíng bìng mào – “voice and emotion both flourish,” to sing with great expression) a few lines, and when in high spirits they can even improvise a stanza: “Hua’er is a grass essay, born in soil, grows in grass, thinks in the heart, sings in the mouth, university teachers cannot explain it.”

That day, the national-level intangible cultural heritage representative inheritor of Hua’er (Lianhua Mountain Hua’er Gathering), Ms. Wen Xianglian (文香莲), while enthusiastically explaining Hua’er to us, also composed a Hua’er lyric for each of us sitting around, making every one of us feel warm in our hearts, so delighted that our mouths split to the back of our ears.

“Today I have met you, thank you for your kindness, a bit of your joy shines on your face, just like a heavenly fairy; you came to the mortal world to wash clothes, if not your husband, he cannot wait for you.” Wen Xianglian, with a face full of spring breeze (mǎn miàn chūn fēng – “face full of spring breeze,” radiant with joy), composed lyrics for our female team leader. The team leader was originally a singer, beautiful, with a good voice and a good figure. We all clapped and cheered for this improvised Hua’er lyric.

“A bit of your good looks appear on your face, your stature is large and strong and sturdy (bǎn zhāng – local term meaning sturdy), a bit of rare air (xī qì – local term meaning beautiful) on your face, I can’t help but think of you, Hua’er.” After a slight pause of a few seconds, Wen Xianglian smiled again as she composed lyrics for two male writers. Both had the gentle character typical of Longnan people, and both were tall and sturdy (shēn cái kuí wú – “stature imposing and towering”), with heroic spirit pressing upon (yīng qì bī rén – “heroic aura pressing on people,” dashing and imposing). After receiving these few lines of Hua’er, the two grown men actually showed shyness on their faces, but the happiness in their hearts could not help overflowing.

Each time before composing, she only thought for a few seconds; Wen Xianglian seems to have a lexicon in her brain – just grab any thread and she can pull out a thriving flower, falling on the face of everyone present, blossoming into joyful brightness and ease. Every line she composed incorporated the person’s facial features and appearance; what came out of her mouth was flowers brocade-like (fán huā sì jǐn – “many flowers like brocade,” rich and colorful) folk literature, and even we, who call ourselves writers, felt ashamed of our inferiority (zì kuì bù rú – “ashamed that we are not as good,” to feel inferior to someone), unable to help praising every line. Look at her appearance: nearly 60 years old, skin bright and firm, not a single wrinkle on her face – could it be that singing Hua’er beautifies?

At least singing can soothe emotions – this has scientific evidence. Wen Xianglian from childhood sang with her grandmother, sang with her mother, and when she was about ten years old, she sang with village peers at the Hua’er gatherings; as locals say, she grew up steeped in Hua’er, one could say she was deeply nourished by Hua’er. What is even more special: other people can either sing but cannot compose lyrics, or can compose but cannot sing; she is good at both – sees a flower, gets a flower; sees a tree, gets a tree; anytime, anywhere, improvises and sings, and simply sang herself into a famous local Hua’er singer, published books about Hua’er, and was evaluated as a national-level intangible cultural heritage representative inheritor.

Linxia is the “heavy town” for Hua’er transmission and protection; “Lianhua Mountain Hua’er” is renowned both at home and abroad (chí míng zhōng wài – “galloping fame, inside and outside,” famous in China and abroad). Unlike nowadays when stages are specially built, it was originally sung on grass platforms – any broad space in the mountains allowed unrestrained expression. In that era there were no cell phones, but young people had one Hua’er gathering after another. Girls and boys would agree in advance to meet on Lianhua Mountain, but they had to follow the rules: ropes woven from malian grass blocked the path up the mountain; you had to sing one Hua’er stanza to untie one malian rope, sing another Hua’er stanza to untie another malian rope – singing and untying all the way. Having finally sung all the way to the mountain top, about to see the beloved, unexpectedly she was surrounded by a crowd and could not get out, and she covered her peach-blossom-bright face with a fan and an umbrella; the young man heard her voice but did not see her person, anxiously circling outside, unable to resist expressing his yearning in song:

“I agreed with you to climb Lianhua Mountain; when I went, I could not find you; I went up and down eighteen twists, and wore out my shoes; where did you settle your heart? I hear your voice but don’t see your person – it truly makes a person’s heart anxious to the point of breaking…”

At that time, Lianhua Mountain was buzzing with people’s voices (rén shēng dǐng fèi – “people’s voices boiling,” tumultuous with crowd noise); the girl actually shared the same feeling in her heart (xīn yì xiāng tōng – “hearts and intentions connect,” mutual understanding) and heard the song clearly; her face blushed shyly behind the fan. This was truly as the Book of Songs says: “The quiet maiden, so fair, awaits me at the corner of the wall. I love her but see her not, I scratch my head and pace.” On the green lush (lǜ yì cōng lóng – “green meaning lush and verdant”) and flower-filled Lianhua Mountain, love first blooming (qíng dòu chū kāi – “love’s bud first opening,” first awakening of love) girls and boys used their own songs to compose movement after movement of love.

Who would have guessed that this was precisely Wen Xianglian’s own personal experience. A village boy who admired her crossed mountains high and rivers long (shān gāo shuǐ cháng – “mountains high, waters long,” great distances and obstacles) and found her at the Lianhua Mountain Hua’er gathering; eventually, lovers finally became spouses (yǒu qíng rén zhōng chéng juàn shǔ – “those with feelings eventually become family,” lovers get married). In the sound of Hua’er, the two moistened each other with saliva (xiāng rú yǐ mò – “mutually moisten with spit,” to help each other in adversity) for decades, and now they have descendants filling the hall (zǐ sūn mǎn táng – “sons and grandsons fill the hall,” many children and grandchildren). Whenever she mentions that Hua’er past, Wen Xianglian’s face still flushes red like a blooming flower.

Wen Xianglian’s children work outside the hometown all year round; the old couple stays with their eighty-year-old mother, singing Hua’er every day while working – they sing when happy, and sing when unhappy. Asked when in her life was the hardest, she could not answer for a moment. Her disciple chimed in from the side, saying that when a person has Hua’er in their heart, they don’t feel hardship – even when plowing fields or feeding sheep, they cannot help singing.

No wonder that when discussing the transmission of Hua’er, and asking Wen Xianglian whether Hua’er would disappear with the passage of time, her face was full of certainty, and she said absolutely not. In the new era, new atmosphere; Hua’er also keeps pace with the times (yǔ shí jù jìn – “with the times advance together,” to move forward with the times), its content renewed – besides singing love songs, it also sings about labor, about life, about social progress. Even when people sometimes encounter difficulties in life, because they have Hua’er’s company they don’t feel heavy, just as the lyrics sing:

High mountain slope, many stones,
We seek a living on the barren slope,
Wind blows and rain beats (fēng chuī yǔ dǎ – “wind blows, rain beats,” buffeted by wind and rain), we do not retreat,
Endure hardship, will is lofty,
Suffering is boiled into a Hua’er song.

Oh, Hua’er, two lotus leaves!

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Xi Jinping's article on frugality and cherishing paper published

By: 肖云儒

Since childhood I have had a special affection for paper. When I was a child, living in a southern plank house, the walls were pasted with a layer of old newspapers or white paper, and I would often tear off pieces of the wall paper to play with. My elders said that this fondness of mine for paper originated when, at the age of four, my mother held me in her arms as I watched a craftsman “glaze” a sheet of Mao Bian paper (毛边纸). The glazed paper showed a slight tinge of aged yellow, and writing brush characters on it had an antique flavor. My mother said I stared without blinking. Perhaps my love for paper began right then.

When I grew up, I learned to write a few small articles. While conceiving ideas, I used the masterly technique of the Northern Song poet Mei Yaochen (梅尧臣) , who “stored verses in a poetry bag.” Whenever a spark of inspiration came, I would tear off a slip of paper and jot down fragmentary lines. But unlike the poet of a thousand years ago, who stored them in a poetry bag carried on his person, I carefully folded the slips and placed them in my pocket. When the conception was mature, I organized the notes on the slips into a piece of writing. Those little slips became my precious “inspiration material repository.”

But when it actually came time to write, I could not bear to write on unused white paper. I would often cut up discarded paper, take the blank portions, splice and paste them together to make a 16mo (16开) sheet, and then write on it. How could paper that could still be used be wasted?

I remember visiting a paper mill in a small town deep in the Daba Mountains. I watched how bamboo was split open and soaked in ponds, then lime was added and it was placed in vats, boiled at high heat over a fierce fire; how the bamboo fiber was pounded into a thick paste in stone mortars with stone pestles, then a fine sieve‑like curtain was used to swing the paste back and forth, after which the wet paper that had settled on the curtain was turned over onto a table, slowly fire‑dried, baked, ironed flat, pressed … and thus new paper was born. This entire set of traditional paper‑making procedures was beautiful and full of ritual, and I watched it utterly entranced.

I once worked as an editor at a newspaper office. Whenever I participated in the newspaper’s labor activities, I always loved to go to the printing workshop, bustling back and forth amid the roar of the huge high‑speed rotary presses. Several people would strain to load the roller‑shaped paper rolls onto the press, then rush to the output end in front of the machine to collect the newspapers. The fresh newspapers surged out like a waterfall, splashing the whole workshop with the fragrance of ink. We gathered them in stacks, aligned them neatly, piled them onto flatbed carts and hauled them away. Standing next to the machine, watching the news leap and jump out on the paper, my heart suddenly felt much more open.

In the years gone by, I have always insisted on making paper reading cards, classified and placed in my bookcase. This is my unique, private store of knowledge, a treasure trove I frequently draw upon in thinking and writing. In the bookcase there are also numerous manuscripts, drafts, outlines, and those memo slips on which I casually jot down viewpoints and fleeting thoughts, all sorted and arranged with clips and staplers.

Over the years, unconsciously, I formed a habit: whenever a writing opportunity came to mind, I would instinctively reach for a pen and look for paper. With paper in hand, I would meditate and dig deep, gradually condensing my thoughts into viewpoints, which I would then split into smaller logical steps, and then tease out several pieces of evidence … from my youth to my old age, words have always flowed this way from my heart.

As time went on, love for the house extended to the crows on the roof — I also became fond of the small everyday household items related to writing with paper and pen: correction fluid, erasers, glue sticks, small scissors. Even the sales clerk at the supermarket downstairs got to know me: “That old man who heads straight for the stationery shelf as soon as he walks in …”

All of this is connected to paper, to writing on paper, to reading on paper.

Yet today, it seems we have entered an age of less paper. Keyboard typing, sending electronic files, even artificial intelligence’s paperless, instant content generation have all but overshadowed writing with pen and paper. The increase in speed, the expansion of scale, the boundlessness of dissemination — with unprecedented vitality they crowd out, even sweep away, the quiet solitude and the deliberation of thought that paper and pen have created since ancient times …

In fact, this very piece about paper is being completed through paperless writing — at this moment I am in the airport departure lounge, in this place without paper or pen, where the idea for this article happened to come to me. So I am writing this text on my mobile phone.

For those of us in this generation who are accustomed to writing with paper and pen, the flavor of this is truly mixed — there is restraint, there is cherishing, there is a sense of farewell, and even a touch of self‑mockery. For the era of paper‑based writing, we have too much nostalgia. But with the development of society and the progress of science and technology, the scenes of paper‑based writing are indeed becoming fewer and fewer. People will also keep pace with the passage of time and adopt new ways of writing.

Yet new hopes may also be hatched. I think that the use of paper in writing and printing may gradually decrease; perhaps one day in the future, when our descendants read paper books and periodicals, they will feel the way today’s children feel when they enter a museum to view and savor the stone inscriptions of the Han and Tang dynasties. But the functions and uses of paper in social life will quietly expand into new spaces. Although ordinary writing and printing paper may decrease, paper will also develop more practical value beyond its role as an information carrier, turning toward new fields of commercial, household, and decorative use. Many new demands in daily life will also drive the research, development, and production of various special custom paper products. These papers will fly side by side with writing paper, appearing in large numbers in the modern market and entering the lives of ordinary people …

Of course I bless all these changes. But I cannot deny that deep inside I feel a little regret, a little attachment.

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Pumpkin Vine (Duoweizhai)

By: 周 其

Early in the morning, my wife posted a photo in the family group chat. A full bamboo basket of pumpkin vines, green and translucent, like a handful of jade just scooped from an old pond.

Planted by my mother. Those few pumpkin vines on the pond bank grew wildly. Every time my mother pinched off the tips, they would sprout again after being pinched, and she would pinch again after they sprouted.

My mother is already seventy-seven this year, yet she still goes to the pond bank every day.

Not long ago, I returned to my hometown from Dongguan.

In the evening, I followed my mother to pinch the vines. She crouched on the bank, her fingers flying. The thumb and index finger of her left hand held the vine, while the index finger and thumb of her right hand simultaneously pinched the skin of the vine. With a pull from both hands in opposite directions, with a "sizzle," a layer of pale green ribbon 薄如蝉翼 (báo rú chán yì - "thin as a cicada's wing," extremely thin) was peeled off, revealing the moist core inside.

The setting sun shone on the pond's surface, and her graying hair was blown up by the wind.

The pumpkin vines in the field, from one point, 天女散花 (tiān nǚ sàn huā - "heavenly maiden scattering flowers," describing something spreading out in all directions) sent out countless tendrils, spreading out, climbing up, casual and unrestrained. Their roots plunged deep into the soil, and they grew vigorously only to reach farther and higher. They do not cast shade like towering trees, nor do they have the arrogance of wildflowers blooming all over the mountains, yet when their yellow flowers wither, they bear hope.

The pumpkin vine is covered all over with fine white down, dotted with tiny thorns. Even insects don't like to eat it, which saves the worry of spraying pesticides. The golden yellow flowers bloom from June to September, and the light green vines spread all over the ground, reflected in the pond water. When the wind blows, the whole pond water ripples with scattered green shadows. Every morning, my mother carries a bamboo basket to pinch the tips, and the dew wets her trouser legs.

My mother cut the peeled pumpkin vines into small sections, piling them in a bowl, and a clump of jade-like green came into view. She put it into a glass jar and stuffed it into the freezer compartment of the refrigerator. "Save it, for you to eat next time you come back," she said.

When I was young, my mother planted two pumpkin vines on the bank of the old pond, and they bore a dozen pumpkins. At that time, the production team only allocated 80 jin of grain to our family each month, which was nowhere near enough for the whole family. When my mother cooked, she put pumpkin and rice into the pot together, and the whole pot was golden yellow. My two brothers and I ate until 碗底朝天 (wǎn dǐ cháo tiān - "bowl bottoms facing the sky," to eat everything).

Later, my mother learned to pickle pumpkin vines. She would flatten the peeled vine stalks with the back of a knife, cut them into inch-long sections, mix them with salt and chili, then stuff them into a jar and press them down. When I was in junior high school, I would take a jar to school every week and eat it with rice. The pickled pumpkin vines were salty and spicy, with little oil, but at that time they felt especially fragrant.

Nowadays, in the farms of Dongguan, a plate of plain stir-fried pumpkin vines sells for twenty or thirty yuan. It is smooth and tender in the mouth, slightly bitter, then sweet aftertaste. I have eaten it several times, but always felt something was missing. The waiter said the pumpkin vines are shipped in by bus every day. I thought to myself, how can the ones brought in by long-distance bus compare to the fresh tenderness of those freshly pinched on the pond bank when the morning dew has not yet dried? Those tender tips, soaked in dew, with downy thorns, that make a crisp "pop" sound when snapped off — after a whole ride on the bus, they would have wilted long ago.

In the past, we ate pumpkin vines because we were hungry, our stomachs empty, needing something to fill. Now, eating pumpkin vines is a kind of natural return. The same pumpkin vines yield completely different flavors.

There are several flowerpots on my balcony. I tried to grow pumpkin vines in them. The soil was taken from a nearby vegetable plot, and the seeds were given to me by my mother. The seedlings did sprout, but as soon as they put out two true leaves they began to turn yellow. Before the vines learned to climb, the roots rotted first. My mother said over the phone, "That's because you were too impatient and watered too much."

Next time I go back, I will learn from my mother how to peel the vine skin, how to pinch the tips, and how to collect the last batch of tender shoots into the refrigerator. Not to make them grow, but to let these hands be touched by that kind of strength that takes root unhurriedly and without impatience.

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Photo Report

Chinese painting Goldfish and Water Plants by Ren Bonian, collection of the National Art Museum of China (中国美术馆).

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Nanyue Spirits

By: 甘建华

Clouds of Nanyue always roam above mid-mountain
The velvet Gleditsia (绒毛皂荚) hides within that wet mist
Guarding its wild survival, a rare fate
Like an old root the earth refuses to let go
Every time it puts out a new leaf
It is so light that one holds one's breath

The Gutu horned toad (顾莵角蟾), hiding deep in rock crevices and fallen leaves
Has its own precise measure
For water, for soil, for every wisp
Of breath around it
If the water is a little murky, the grass a little tangled
It hides itself very deeply
Without a sound
Withdrawing into its own small world

If sunlight cuts slantwise across the hillside
And happens to land on the golden scale of the forest edge
Only then does the Nanyue old-crow-petal (南岳老鸦瓣) dare to poke out its head
This little thing was only formally named in 2022
And the hairy-stem golden-saxifrage (毛柄金腰)
Disappeared for more than sixty years, as if treasured away by time
Only in 2024
Did it reappear before people's eyes

These strange creatures in the wilds of Nanyue
Are not neighbors in our usual sense
But unique copies in the Earth's gene bank
So, when you enter the mountains
Let your steps be light, your breath slow
Do not disturb these survivors
Amidst the great vicissitudes

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Beidahuang Dialect

By: 蒋 巍

All dialects are ancient, passed down from generation to generation. In the past, when scholars went to the capital for imperial examinations, or merchants traveled far from home, whether they became officials or made a fortune, their hometown accent could not change. Once it went off-key, or if they even proudly spoke a few words of the official language, their little bound-foot grandmother would charge out like Zhang Fei charging into battle, and with a tobacco pipe pot, she would strike you until you cried for your father and mother — that was a family law not to be touched!

Many years ago, I was invited to give a literary lecture in what was once the Great Northern Wilderness reclamation area. Present at the meeting were hundreds of young cadres, teachers, and reporters. When we exchanged words, I discovered that most of them actually spoke a fluent Beijing accent. I asked what was going on. They proudly said, when we first carried our schoolbags to class, our teachers were all sent-down youths from Beijing.

At that moment, my eyes grew moist. I recalled the era of the great return to the cities. As if overnight, large numbers of young administrative cadres, technical backbone personnel, even including the cooks in the mess hall, the horse handlers in the production teams, and the female announcer who broadcast the whole farm's news every morning at seven o'clock with a sweet voice, all vanished as if blown away by a great wind. Many sent-down youths wailed bitterly before leaving, giving away their washbasins, cotton-padded clothes, bedding, and even toothpaste to the local villagers, thinking "we will never come back to this place again."

But an invisible root and vein remained over the long years. That is, on the farms where the Beijing sent-down youths had lived, that crisp, ringing Beijing accent was remembered by the children of the Great Northern Wilderness. The sent-down youths left, but their voices took root.

After the founding of New China, batch after batch of old railway soldiers, old volunteers, and demobilized officers and men, along with many returnees from overseas and intellectuals, answered the nation's call, undaunted by the bitter cold and desolation, surging like a tide from coastal cities, Jiangnan water towns, and other places. A construction feat of such scale forever shakes later generations to the core. Back then, torrential rain could collapse the tents, an overnight blizzard could block the door, and throughout the long winter, the entire camp could not get a single leaf of green vegetable. At that time, a newly recruited migrant worker asked, "What does a generator look like?" The old master worker casually cut a sharp-edged, angular big turnip with a knife and said, "Like this!" There was an apprentice who did not work attentively, and the master kicked him over: "Do it again tomorrow and you're out of here!" Such language still circulates to this day across the vast land of the Northeast.

I still remember a tall silhouette I encountered shortly after I first went to the countryside: on a gentle slope after autumn, a "big mountain" bound tightly with wooden poles and ropes was slowly moving forward! I quickly ran ahead to look, and it turned out to be a tiny, thin old woman. I asked the old woman, "Grandma, what are you doing?" The old lady said, carrying it home for firewood. I wanted to reach out and help her, but I dared not touch it, afraid that the wooden frame would come apart and the whole "mountain" would collapse. Following her to the home at the foot of the slope, I only then learned that the old woman was from Sichuan. Listening to the old couple's thick Sichuan dialect, I was deeply moved. Yes, in this desolate and remote Great Northern Wilderness, how many dialects from all over the motherland had I heard! Hebei and Henan, Shandong and Shanxi, the two Hubei and two Guangs (Hunan, Hubei, Guangdong, Guangxi) ...

It is these dialects! Language infused with hot blood and strength, language mixed with steel and flame, language that passed through the "big smoke puffs" and the wood-carved ridgepole houses, language that echoed in both hometown and other places. These languages are resounding and powerful, falling to the ground and taking root, like hearing thunder in the midst of silence, ultimately merging into the fervent dialect of the Great Northern Wilderness.

Several decades passed. Many white-haired old sent-down youths returned again to the Great Northern Wilderness. When they first returned to the cities, they thought "never come back," but now returning to the old place, they embraced the villagers and wept bitterly, each addressing the other as if they were flesh-and-blood kin. They reminisced together: on the day when Xiao Ling from Beijing celebrated her birthday, Second Aunt from the east of the village baked her a sugar pancake, but would not let her own little Ya have any; on the day when A Hong from Shanghai returned to the city, the old grandma from the south of the village wrapped five eggs for him ... Later, some sent-down youths, after earning money, seeing that their "second hometown" lacked a primary school, built a primary school; lacking a bridge, built a bridge, and on the bridge railing were written four large characters: 恩重如山 (ēn zhòng rú shān - "favor heavy as a mountain," immense debt of gratitude). Comrades among the sent-down youths in the same city would hold a small get-together, chatting and then roaring with laughter, and amid the laughter tears would roll down in streams ...

In the Great Northern Wilderness, all sorts of dialects once sounded. The old military reclamation pioneers spoke their hometown dialect until they died; when the sent-down youths from various cities returned to the cities, they too still spoke their hometown dialects. But the loud, crisp, and warm Beijing dialect, before it could fall to the ground, was caught by the local farm children. At flag-raising ceremonies, oath-taking, composition recitations, and classroom answers, it was all ringing confidence and pride, full of longing for and deep love of the land.

Heroes are not asked where they come from; the times are already surging, the blueprint has already been drawn, the future is arriving. Listen to the language of today's China — the whole world can understand it!

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"Sun-Drying" Season

By: 董青春

Again the height of the dog days had arrived. The cicadas in the locust trees, hidden in the shade, chattered away without rest. The sun beat down on the body with a scorching heat, and walking in the sunlight one felt the air itself was hot. “On the sixth day of the sixth month, the dragon robe is aired” — the dog days were precisely the good days for the countryside’s once-a-year “dog-day sun-drying” (晒伏).

In the countryside of old, every household lived in an earthen-walled, thatch-roofed house. During the plum-rain season, the weather was continually overcast and rainy; the wall bases, corners, and other places inside the room seeped water and grew damp, and clothes and cotton quilts stored in cardboard boxes or cupboards easily became damp again from moisture. After the dog days had set in, the villagers would pick a clear day when the sun was scorching hot and carry out of the house all their household belongings — clothing and accessories, padded jackets and cotton quilts, bed boards, reed mats, and other miscellaneous things — to lay them out and hang them in the sunlight for sunning, dehumidifying, and drying, so as to prevent them from turning moldy in the summer.

Every year on the day of the sun-drying, Father would first have Third Brother and me set up several long benches in the courtyard in front of the door, lay the taken-down door panels across the benches, and then string a clothesline between the locust trees. When the morning sunlight was at its most vigorous, Mother would sort out, one by one, the clothes, quilts, and bedding from the cupboards and cardboard boxes, lay them neatly on the door panels, and hang them on the clothesline. Taking advantage of the sun-drying, Father would sweep every corner of the house clean, spread dry earth on the damp places and tamp it firm with a mallet, then use a feather duster to flick away the cobwebs and dust from the wall corners and the roof, and open the room’s windows to let in air.

During the sun-drying, Third Brother and I were both especially excited. On this day, we could see the “treasures” in the house that were not usually seen at ordinary times. Those “treasures” were always locked away by Mother in a leather trunk — that trunk was an item of Mother’s dowry, the most precious possession of our family. In the trunk there were the “big copper coin” on Mother’s dowry bundle, the silver neck ring that Eldest Brother had worn when he was little, a jade carving that, according to Father, was a family heirloom named “the Cowherd Boy Herding Cattle,” and a stack of paper notes issued in the period of the Republic of China… When the sun-drying came, Mother would open the lock on the trunk and let the sun shine on the things inside; she would also let us wear the silver neck ring and look at the “big copper coin,” and when she was in good spirits, she would even draw out one or two old notes for us to play with.

The clothes in which Father and Mother had married were also in the leather trunk, still as new. Father’s was a light lake-blue poplin shirt that buttoned down the front; Mother’s was a peach-red poplin jacket. Both garments were handmade by a tailor. After their marriage, Father and Mother could not bear to wear them, and so they had been stored in the trunk all along. On the day of the sun-drying, we brothers and sisters would raise a clamor together, urging Father and Mother to put on the clothes in which they had married back then. At this, Father and Mother would make merry along with us, giving out happy laughter.

At noon, Father, braving the blazing sun, took a thin wooden strip and gently patted the clothes, quilts, and bedding laid on the door panels and hung on the clothesline. Mother followed behind, turning them over one by one. After being thoroughly sunned, the clothes, quilts, and bedding had lost their dampness, becoming fluffy and smooth, and giving off a pleasant smell.

The sun-drying is a delightful thing: in the sunlight, the dampness and musty smell on the clothes are dried away, and warmth, hope, and beauty are stored anew in the cupboards, and stored in the heart.

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Ma Yong

This edition's email: dadi@peopledaily.cn
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