People's Daily - September 9, 2026

Expanding Quality and Raising Standards: Opening a New Chapter in High-Quality Basic Education Development

By: 本报记者 吴 丹

"We must adapt to the people's new expectations, advance the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education, and firmly hold the bottom line of educational equity."

——In July 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on basic education work, emphasizing

On a September morning, at Dieshi School in Fuding City, Fujian Province. On the colored running track, children were already exercising. In the teaching building, the large screen of the "Shared Classroom" awaited activation. Principal Chen Shidi sighed with emotion: "Our rural school's buildings are new, our teachers are more numerous, and some children who previously went to the city for schooling have also returned."

To build a strong country in education, the foundation lies in basic education.

In July this year, the National Conference on Basic Education Work was held in Beijing,at which the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on basic education work were conveyed. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized:"Fully implement the Party's education policy,and fulfill the fundamental task of cultivating virtue and nurturing people (立德树人, li de shu ren -"establish, virtue, nurture, person")""We must adapt to the people's new expectations, advance the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education,and firmly hold the bottom line of educational equity."

On September 9, 2016, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Beijing Bayi School,he emphasized:"Basic education occupies a foundational and pioneering position in the national education system; we must grasp its positioning correctly, fully implement the Party's education policy, adopt measures from multiple aspects,and strive to make China's basic education better and better."

Earnest entrustments, guiding the direction. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has treated basic education as foundational and pioneering work, taking multiple measures simultaneously (多措并举, duo cuo bing ju -"many, measures, together, lift") to promote the long-term development of basic education, providing strong support for building a strong country in education.

Holding the bottom line of equity, basic education advances with firm steps.

The gross enrollment rate in preschool education is 92.90%, the consolidation rate of nine-year compulsory education is 96.10%, and the gross enrollment rate in senior high school education is 92.00%... These solid figures are historic achievements China, as a country with a large population, has made in basic education.

From having a place to study to studying well, from scale expansion to quality improvement, basic education actively responds to the era's mission of running education to the satisfaction of the people.

Starting from the fall semester of 2025, the policy of waiving childcare and education fees for the year before primary school entry was implemented, benefiting over 14 million children; teacher exchange and rotation, group-based school operation, and other measures continuously narrow the educational gap between urban and rural areas and between schools; the mechanisms guaranteeing education for children of migrant workers and school-age children with disabilities are increasingly sound.

Cultivating new talents of the era, basic education plants roots and casts the soul.

Only when roots are planted deep can branches and trunks stand straight. Promoting Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into textbooks, into classrooms, and into minds, systematically improving the curriculum standards of ideological and political courses in primary and secondary schools, and launching pilot reforms for the integrated development of ideological and political courses across universities, middle schools, and primary schools; building over 1,200 practical teaching bases for ideological and political courses in primary and secondary schools, forming a large number of "walking ideological and political courses" and "ideological and political courses in venues" brands.

In Huining, Gansu Province, university, middle school, and primary school students attend the same "great ideological and political course," using the great spirit of the Long March to light the flame of faith; in Tongliang, Chongqing,"Shaoyun ideological and political" premium courses guide students to comprehend the spirit of heroes and cultivate deep feelings for family and country... The "great ideological and political course" has become the solid soil in which batch after batch of new talents of the era are growing up robustly and healthy (茁壮成长, zhuo zhuang cheng zhang -"sturdy, vigorous, grow, up").

Promoting comprehensive development, the background color of basic education shines even brighter.

Promote the cultivation of new talents of the era capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation. General Secretary Xi Jinping made it clear that "basic education is the cause of cultivating virtue and nurturing people," instructed that"we must adapt to the people's new expectations, advance the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education," urged that"we must follow the laws of education and implement the educational concept of health first," and emphasized"perfecting the comprehensive cultivation system of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education (德智体美劳, de zhi ti mei lao -"virtue, wisdom, physical, beauty, labor").

The changes in the curriculum schedule are most intuitive. Beijing issued the "Eight Measures for Physical Education" for primary and secondary schools, putting an end to "lecture-style" physical education classes and those in which students "do not break a sweat"; Shandong comprehensively popularized artificial intelligence general education in primary and secondary schools, supporting schools with conditions to offer expanded elective courses; Hunan integrated aesthetic education concepts into the teaching reform of various subjects, making classes "beautiful"... The educational ecosystem for the comprehensive development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education is increasingly improved.

Facing the future, basic education must further consolidate the foundation of a strong country in education.

Teachers are the fundamental basis of education (立教之本, li jiao zhi ben -"establish, teaching, possess, root") and the source of thriving education.

In Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, post-90s teacher Shen Mengwei responded to the cross-island teacher rotation policy, bringing the bridge of urban-rural scientific and educational exchange to the faces of island students. In Yushu, Qinghai Province, specially-appointed teacher Wang Xuelian has held fast to the lectern at an altitude of 3,700 meters, teaching knowledge,and even more so, hope.

Looking at the whole country, the "National Training Program" has deepened its reform, the"Special Post Program" has expanded steadily, the"National Excellence Program" has advanced through pilots, and the"Silver Age Lecture Program" has brought veteran teachers back to the classroom, enabling more children to encounter good teachers at their doorsteps and attend every class well.

Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, shaping new advantages for basic education.

The recently issued "Education Development '15th Five-Year Plan'" places "comprehensively improving the quality and level of public education services" in an important position, proposing the"foundation point" plan for basic education: building over 1,000 high-quality ordinary senior high schools, implementing a new round of work to improve weak links in compulsory education and enhance capacity, and incorporating special education into compulsory courses for normal university students...

In General Secretary Xi Jinping's heart, every child is a hope that must not be let down. This hope flows in the clear voices of children and blooms on their bright smiling faces.

Basic education, in serving the building of a modernized strong country and serving the comprehensive development of the people, has great potential for achievement (大有可为, da you ke wei -"greatly, possess, can, do") and can achieve great things (大有作为, da you zuo wei -"greatly, possess, act, do"). When every child can enjoy fair and quality education, Chinese modernization will have a profound and enduring talent support.

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Enlightening Minds, Carrying Forward the Spirit of Educators, and Serving as Guides for Students

By: 本报记者 丁雅诵 门杰伟

"We must carry forward the spirit of the great educators, strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and teacher conduct, and cultivate and build a high-quality, professional teaching force."

——In July 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction on foundational education work, emphasizing this point.

At Jilin University's Chaoyang Campus, the new memorial hall for Huang Danian was completed not long ago. In the exhibition hall, Huang Danian's "People's Educator" honorary certificate and medal lie quietly on display, beside them his handwritten schedule, every day packed densely full.

In 2017, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction on Comrade Huang Danian's advanced deeds, emphasizing the need to "integrate the passion for loving the country and the aspiration to serve the country into the great cause of the motherland's reform and development, and into the great struggle of the people creating history".

These earnest expectations have taken firm root and flourishing (落地生根, luo di sheng gen - "fall, land; grow, root"). That same year, the Ministry of Education launched the nationwide creation activity of Huang Danian-style teacher teams in colleges and universities, with the first batch of 201 teacher teams recognized, coming from 200 universities, covering all academic disciplines and provinces in the eastern, central, and western regions.

In 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back to encourage representatives of the nationwide Huang Danian-style teacher teams in colleges and universities, urging them to "cultivate virtue and cultivate oneself, devote oneself wholeheartedly to scholarship, blaze new trails with innovation, truly unify learning, doing, and being, and serve well as guides for students' growth".

The spirit is passed on through relay. "Revitalize China — this is the responsibility of our generation," this is a phrase Huang Danian often said, and it is also the mission and responsibility deeply rooted in the hearts of countless educators.

At Harbin Institute of Technology, Tan Jiubin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, leads the ultra-precision instrumentation technology innovation team, contending "every milli- and pico-meter" at the nano- and pico-meter scale, having deeply cultivated this field for over 30 years, progressing from technological catch-up to international leadership;at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Zhang Ping, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, leads his team to build the world's first 6G outdoor field test network, anchoring a self-controllable technological application system, going all-out to tackle key problems.

At present, three batches totaling 591 national Huang Danian-style teacher teams in colleges and universities have been recognized, and the fourth batch of 200 teams is currently being created. The vast majority of college and university teachers stand firmly at the three-foot podium, transforming the lofty spirit of "having the great nation in one's heart, serving the country with utmost sincerity" into vivid lessons for fostering virtue through education, and into vivid practice for accelerating the construction of an educational powerhouse, a scientific and technological powerhouse, anda talent powerhouse.

One role model illuminates a corner of the world; one team supports the future of education.

"Vigorously carry forward the spirit of the great educators," "strive to become 'four-have' good teachers satisfactory to the Party and the people," "become great masters who serve as models for students in learning, doing, and being"……General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest expectations for the teaching force confer a lofty mission upon the people's teachers in the new era, and point the way for the construction of the teaching force in the new era.

Top-level design, erecting pillars and beams.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Planning Outline for Building a Strong Educational Nation (2024—2035), planning the overall situation and clarifying the path; the Opinions on Carrying Forward the Spirit of the Great Educators and Strengthening the Construction of a High-Quality, Professional Teaching Force in the New Era made comprehensive arrangements, establishing norms and introducing practical measures;the Ministry of Education and seven other departments issued the Plan for Strengthening Teachers in Foundational Education in the New Era, strengthening the foundation and shoring up weaknesses……

Document after document provides a powerful engine for the construction of a high-level teaching force, and 18.7 million teachers have become the key foundational force for fostering virtue through education.

Strengthening teachers with empowerment, improving quality and increasing efficiency.

This summer, more than 560 "Excellent Teacher Plan" graduates from Beijing Normal University set out in full gear, heading for county-level primary and secondary schools in 17 provinces in the central and western regions. At the departure ceremony, the students recited in unison the sonorous oath "with the nation as one's aspiration, with teaching as one's calling". They will, in the places where the motherland needs them most, light up the dreams of countless children.

The "Excellent Teacher Plan" annually cultivates normal students on a targeted basis for primary and secondary schools in 832 counties that have shaken off poverty and in land border counties in the central and western regions; public-funded education for normal students at universities directly under the ministry has been elevated from the undergraduate level to the graduate level;the "National Training Plan" targets its efforts precisely, focusing on teacher training in ideological and political education, music, sports, fine arts, labor, mental health, and science education;the "Action to Empower Teacher Development with Digitalization" has been launched and implemented……

From cultivation to training, from tradition to digitalization, the vast majority of teachers temper their skills, sharpen their original aspirations, and achieve a dual improvement in both educational capability and comprehensive quality.

Respecting teachers and benefiting teachers, warm-hearted support and protection.

Continue to consolidate the achievement that the average salary income level of compulsory education teachers is not lower than that of local civil servants; build a housing security system for rural teachers combining "rental allocation + sale allocation"; improve the differentiated subsidy and incentive mechanism for rural teachers, benefiting more than 1.2 million rural teachers every year……The warmth of respecting teachers and valuing education is transformed into tangible support.

At the same time, a campaign to reduce burdens — aimed at returning time to teachers and letting education return to its essence — is being solidly advanced in various places: establishing an assessment and review system for the consistency between documents issued by the education system and teacher burden reduction, carrying out special rectification of social affairs entering campuses, implementing"whitelist" management, and resolutely curbing unrelated affairs from entering campuses……

Action after action to consolidate the foundation has become the driving force for the vast majority of teachers to forge ahead with determination. More and more teachers teach with peace of mind, teach with enthusiasm, teach with comfort, teach with tranquility, experiencing happiness in their posts, a sense of achievement in their careers, anda sense of honor in society.

"We must carry forward the spirit of the great educators, strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and teacher conduct, and cultivate and build a high-quality, professional teaching force." On the new journey, the people's teachers of the new era practice these instructions, serve well as the dream-builders of the"dream team", and are making new contributions to the great cause of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation.

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Xi Jinping holds telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Burnham

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) On the evening of September 8, President Xi Jinping, at the invitation, had a telephone conversation with British Prime Minister Burnham.

Xi Jinping congratulated Burnham on assuming office as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, pointing out that China and the UK are comprehensive strategic partners. Although the two countries have different social systems and national conditions, their common interests outweigh their differences, and the two sides should mutual respect and trust (互尊互信, hu zun hu xin - "mutual respect, mutual trust"), transcend differences, seek common ground while reserving differences (求同存异, qiu tong cun yi - "seek commonality, preserve differences"), and make bigger the cake of mutually beneficial cooperation. The governments of both countries are committed to developing the economy and improving people's livelihoods, and can complement each other's strengths (优势互补, you shi hu bu - "advantage, mutual supplement"). During China's the 15th Five-Year Plan period, China will further expand opening-up in education, healthcare, and finance, and these are all areas with potential for cooperation between the two countries. Both China and the UK are major scientific and technological powers, both possess rich resources in education, culture, sports, etc., and should maintain an open and forward-looking awareness, strengthening exchanges and cooperation across various fields. It is hoped that the British side will fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese investors. Both China and the UK, as permanent members of the UN Security Council and major world economies, support multilateralism and open trade, uphold the central role of the United Nations, and should strengthen communication and coordination within frameworks such as the United Nations, the G20, and the World Trade Organization, promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Burnham expressed agreement with this, stating that he had long served as Mayor of Manchester and had many years of friendly exchanges with China. During President Xi Jinping's state visit to the UK in 2015, he visited Manchester, which had an important impact on promoting local exchanges and cooperation with the Chinese side. The British side is willing to maintain the continuity of its China policy, unswerving and steadfast (坚定不移, jian ding bu yi - "firm, not move") in developing a long-term and stable strategic partnership between the UK and China. The British side is willing to conduct high-level exchanges with the Chinese side, promote cooperation in various fields between the two countries, strengthen people-to-people exchanges, restore bilateral relations to their highest historical level, and better benefit the peoples of both countries. The British side's position on the Taiwan question has not changed. Amidst the current turbulent and complex international changes, as permanent members of the Security Council, the UK and China should promote the resolution of international hotspot issues through dialogue, jointly address global challenges such as climate change, and work together to safeguard world stability and prosperity. Burnham appreciated China's efficient and forceful response to the mudslide disaster suffered by Gyirong, Tibet, and thanked the Chinese side for providing assistance to affected British citizens.

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New Journey in the Mountainous Countryside of Southern Jiangxi

By: 本报记者 杨 义 周 欢

Opening Remarks for the Column

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. On the 25,000-li Long March route, how many hardships and dangers were overcome, how many heroic stories were left behind. The Long March, this extraordinary and earth-shaking (惊天动地, jīng tiān dòng dì - "shock heaven, move earth") revolutionary feat, is a magnificent epic written by the Communist Party of China and the Red Army, and is a towering monument in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

"The new journey is a new Long March." Beginning today, our newspaper launches the column "Carrying Forward the Long March Spirit  Striving Forward on the Journey of Rejuvenation," to revisit those touching and moving (可歌可泣, kě gē kě qì - "can sing, can weep") eventful years, and to showcase the spirited demeanor of cadres and the masses in broadly carrying forward the great Long March Spirit and continuing the struggle on the new journey of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

As the thin mist dispersed, morning light pierced through the bamboo sea, spilling onto the "Long March Trail" behind Jinsha Village, Yudu County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. Setting foot on this winding mountain path, this deep mountain trail where the Red Army once fought with blood and endeavor has now become a road to prosperity at the villagers' doorsteps.

Yudu was the assembly and departure point of the Central Red Army's Long March. More than 90 years ago, over 86,000 Red Army officers and soldiers assembled here and embarked on the long journey of the Long March. Today, relying on its rich red resources, Jinsha Village has linked various points into a cohesive whole (串珠成链, chuàn zhū chéng liàn - "string beads, form chain") of sites including the Long March Trail and the former site of the General Medical Office of the Fifth Red Army Corps, carrying out red training. "In the first half of this year, the village received over 200,000 tourist visits, achieving operating revenue of 3.42 million yuan." Yuan Ronggui, Party branch secretary of Jinsha Village, introduced.

In October 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during an inspection in Jiangxi: "Ensure that the people of the old revolutionary base areas share in the fruits of reform and development and enjoy a happy life."

To thoroughly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, Ganzhou City has vigorously carried forward the great Long March Spirit, inherited the red genes, and advanced the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.

Continuing the Roots and Passing on the Torch——

"That year, when the Red Army crossed the river, there was no bridge over the Yudu River. The common people dismantled their own door panels and roof beams to build floating bridges..." As dusk fell, arriving at Yaokou Village, Hefeng Town, Yudu County, we happened to catch the local Long March Source Publicity Troupe telling Long March stories. Villagers brought small stools and were sitting together in a group (围坐一堂, wéi zuò yī táng - "surround, sit, one hall"), listening to the storyteller relate tales.

In 2020, Yudu established the Long March Source Publicity Troupe, with 110 members, of whom 61% are descendants of Red Army soldiers. Since its establishment, the troupe has cumulatively conducted over 1,900 public-interest lectures, reaching an audience of over 1.6 million people. "People can understand what we say and are willing to listen." Liu Yucai, Party branch secretary of Yaokou Village, said.

The Gannan tea-picking opera "One Person's Long March" has toured for more than 100 performances; the animation "Long March Vanguard" has been broadcast on over 100 television channels and new media platforms, with clicks reaching 130 million... In recent years, Ganzhou has built up the "Departure Place of the Long March" brand, adopting multiple forms such as creating literary and artistic works, grassroots publicity lectures, and online dissemination, striving to let the great Long March Spirit enter rural communities and thousands of households.

Integrated Development Molds a New Look——

Red flags fluttered in the wind, the contingent was fully assembled and ready to depart; the villagers gazed affectionately at the Red Army officers and soldiers, waving goodbye... Walking into Huangpi Village, Yunshishan Township, Ruijin City, a group of large sculptures caught our reporter's attention, prompting us to stop and pay tribute.

Outside, there is a hundred-mu lotus pond, with beautiful scenery.

"In the past, the village was nowhere near this scene!" said Li Xiaoyan, Party branch secretary of Huangpi Village. In 2022, the village's two committees made clear that they would first rectify the environment, then rely on red resources and ecological resources to develop tourism. Party members and leading cadres took the lead in demolishing illegal structures and clearing clutter, and the village's appearance became completely new and refreshed (焕然一新, huàn rán yī xīn - "change appearance, one new"). In the first eight months of this year, Huangpi Village received over 100,000 tourist visits.

To carry forward the great Long March Spirit, what matters most is combining thought with action. Ganzhou has organically integrated the utilization of Long March cultural resources, industrial development, rural governance, and other work, creating vibrant villages where there are sights to see, history to tell, and sentiments to feel. At present, Ganzhou has built 120 provincial-level red model villages, of which 58 villages have been selected as national pilot sites for the construction of beautiful red villages.

Developing Industries in Light of Local Conditions——

As time flows on, the original aspiration remains unchanged. The Long March set out from southern Gansu, and today the great Long March Spirit is increasingly becoming the spiritual source for the old revolutionary base areas to advance the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.

Walking into the thousand-mu navel orange plantation in Xia Zhao Village, Zhulan Township, Huichang County, clusters of green navel oranges weighed down the branches.

Though the fruit has not yet been picked from the trees, orders were already signed several months ago——"At the beginning of the year, an old customer directly renewed a contract for 6 million jin!" Currently in the fruit expansion period, fruit grower Zhang Hualin and his workers were busy applying fertilizer to the trees. The orchard's more than 1,200 mu of navel oranges bring about 300,000 yuan in revenue to the village collective each year, driving more than 100 villager households to increase their annual income by nearly 3,000 yuan per household on average.

It does not simply follow market trends. Areas below 300 meters above sea level plant navel oranges, areas from 300 to 500 meters plant oil-tea camellia, and areas above 500 meters plant tea... Based on conditions such as the "eight parts mountains, half part water, one part farmland" terrain and the widespread distribution of selenium-rich soil, Ganzhou, in light of local conditions, has cultivated 7 national-level advantageous characteristic industry clusters and 22 provincial-level characteristic agricultural industries, forming a characteristic agricultural development pattern of "fruits on the mountains, oil under the forests, and vegetables in the fields." Today, the output value of the entire industry chain of Gannan navel oranges alone has reached 23 billion yuan.

Walking through the old revolutionary base areas of southern Gansu, one cannot help but recall the words of a docent at the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army's Long March: "The prosperity of today's old revolutionary base areas should be exactly what the martyrs wished for in their hearts." In 2025, the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery in Ganzhou exceeded 80 billion yuan, and the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 19,839 yuan, increases of 20.42% and 52.19% respectively compared with five years ago.

"Every generation has its own Long March road, and every generation must walk its own Long March road well." Inheriting and carrying forward the great Long March Spirit, the old revolutionary base areas of southern Gansu will accelerate the advancement of agricultural and rural modernization and the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, and walk well the new Long March road.

(Related reports appear on Pages 4 and 8)

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Li Qiang Presides Over the State Council's 21st Special Study Session

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) On September 8, the State Council conducted its 21st special study session on the theme of "Advancing Urban Renewal with High Quality, Promoting Connotative Development of Cities." Premier Li Qiang of the State Council emphasized while presiding over the study session that we must deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directives on urban renewal work and the Party Central Committee's relevant policy decisions, establish a sustainable model for urban renewal, promote the optimization of urban structure, the improvement of functions, the continuation of cultural heritage, and the elevation of quality, so as to better satisfy the people's aspirations for a better life through high-quality urban development.

Yang Baojun, president of the Urban Planning Society of China, delivered the briefing. Vice Premiers Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng of the State Council, and State Councilor Wu Zhenglong, made exchange speeches.

After listening to the briefing and the exchange speeches, Li Qiang pointed out that in recent years, China's new industrialization and new urbanization have advanced in depth, and the population situation, development momentum, real estate market, and other aspects have undergone profound changes. Urban development has accelerated its shift toward connotative development, and urban renewal has become an important lever for urban work at the current stage, an important pathway for improving living conditions and enhancing people's wellbeing, and an important vehicle for expanding domestic demand and accelerating the transformation of development drivers. We must continue to deepen our understanding of the laws of urban development in practice, adhere to a people-centered approach in advancing urban renewal with high quality, and blaze a new path of urban modernization with Chinese characteristics.

Li Qiang pointed out that we must fully practice the people's city philosophy, implement the people-centered development thinking throughout the entire process of urban renewal, and embody it in specific policies and actions. Reserve the best resources for the people, and prioritize the use of revitalized and renovated public spaces, service facilities, ecological resources, and others for meeting people's livelihood needs. Place the urgent and pressing needs of the masses (急难愁盼, ji nan chou pan - "urgent, difficult, anxious, longing") in a prioritized position, identify the shortcomings and problems that urgently need addressing, and take concrete and tangible measures to improve living and housing conditions. We must accurately grasp the practical connotations of urban renewal and comprehensively implement all tasks of urban renewal. Highlight the enhancement of disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities, actively prevent and respond to floods, fires, earthquakes, and other various disasters, and take the construction of the "six networks" as an opportunity to reasonably raise the fortification standards for key infrastructure in important cities and disaster-prone areas. Highlight the improvement of livability and business-friendliness levels, proceed from the scenarios of the people's daily life, cultural leisure, schooling, medical care, employment, and others, coordinate and advance the renewal and renovation from housing, residential quarters, communities, to urban districts, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of old neighborhoods and factory districts, actively introduce new industries and new business forms, and comprehensively elevate urban functions, quality, and development vitality. Highlight the shaping of distinctive urban features, pay attention to giving play to the leading role of urban design, protect the landscape patterns and historical cultural heritage, and pass on urban memories.

Li Qiang emphasized that urban renewal is a systematic project, and we must strengthen overall coordination and gather a strong joint force. We must increase government investment, strengthen the guarantee of factors and resources, coordinate and make good use of various types of policy-based funds, strengthen fiscal and financial coordination, and promote the construction of major engineering projects. We must better give play to the role of market forces, strengthen credit support, improve financial instruments such as urban renewal funds, and build a diversified, sustainable investment and financing system. We must accelerate the improvement of the policy and institutional system, strengthen the guarantee of the rule of law, and, in accordance with the practical needs of urban renewal, timely adjust and optimize relevant policies, laws and regulations, and standards and norms in areas such as planning, land use, fiscal and taxation, and finance.

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Closely focus on the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education and accelerate the construction of a high-quality textbook system with Chinese characteristics

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) The National Textbook Work Conference was held in Beijing on September 8. Ding Xuexiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

Ding Xuexiang pointed out that textbooks are the main vehicle for disseminating knowledge, embody the will of the Party and the state, reflect the major concerns of the people, and directly bear on the implementation of the Party's educational policy and the realization of educational goals. China's textbook work has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone pattern-level changes; the fundamental reason lies in the helm-holding and course-steering of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and in the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, deeply grasp the political attribute, people's attribute, and strategic attribute of education, and with a high sense of political responsibility and historical mission, further strengthen and improve textbook work, accelerate the construction of a high-quality textbook system with Chinese characteristics, and provide strong support for building a strong educational country.

Ding Xuexiang emphasized that it is necessary to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over textbook work, firmly grasp the correct political direction and value orientation, and ensure that the Party's educational policy is implemented throughout all aspects of textbook development. Closely centering on the fundamental task of cultivating character and nurturing talent (立德树人, li de shu ren - "establish virtue, cultivate people"), deeply advance the entry of the Party's innovative theories into curricula and textbooks, and unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to cast souls and educate people. Better adapt to the requirements of the times, accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system for philosophy and social sciences and an original textbook system, coordinate the textbook development of basic education, vocational education, and higher education, and painstakingly create fine textbooks that cultivate fundamental character and spiritual essence (培根铸魂, pei gen zhu hun - "nourish roots, cast soul") and enlightening intellect and enhancing wisdom (启智增慧, qi zhi zeng hui - "open wisdom, increase intelligence"). Strictly manage the compilation, review, publication, and distribution of textbooks, standardize the selection and use of textbooks, do a good job in public opinion guidance, and continuously improve the governance efficiency of textbook work. Strengthen theoretical research and talent team development, improve policy support and legal safeguards, and promote textbook work to open up a new situation (开创新局面, kai chuan xin ju mian - "open, new, situation").

Members of the National Textbook Committee, responsible comrades from various provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, relevant departments of the Central Committee and state organs, and relevant universities attended the meeting. Responsible comrades from the Ministry of Education, the Central Publicity Department, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Zhejiang Province, Peking University, as well as teacher representatives, delivered exchange speeches.

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Han Zheng Attends and Addresses Opening Ceremony of 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade

(Xinhua News Agency, Xiamen, September 8) (Reporters Pan Jie, Zhang Huaying) Vice President Han Zheng attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen, Fujian, on the morning of the 8th.

Han Zheng stated that President Xi Jinping has emphasized on multiple occasions that China is unwaveringly expanding high-level opening up and continuing to advance trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. Currently, the world has entered a new period of volatility and transformation, with uncertainties and destabilizing factors markedly increasing, but the historical trend of opening up and cooperation will not change. As an important platform for deepening global investment cooperation, the Fair, with its permanent theme of "Expanding Two-Way Investment, Promoting Global Development," has its practical significance further highlighted.

Han Zheng put forward three suggestions. First, continuously open up new prospects of win-win cooperation. China has already implemented zero-tariff policies toward 63 countries, restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector have been "reduced to zero," and opening up in service sectors such as telecommunications and healthcare is proceeding in an orderly manner. We will continue to actively expand independent opening up and facilitate investment in China with more practical measures. We hope enterprises from all countries will seize the opportunities presented by China's opening up and development, continue to cultivate the Chinese market deeply, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Second, accelerate the cultivation of new momentum for innovative growth. Scientific and technological innovation and industrial progress are key driving forces for global economic development and also hot spots and priorities in international investment and trade cooperation. China adheres to complementing each other's strengths (优势互补, you shi hu bu - "advantage, mutually, complement"), equality and mutual benefit, strengthens international cooperation in science, technology, and industrial innovation, and is willing to work with all parties to jointly build and maintain a global ecosystem of open innovation, jointly cultivating new growth momentum that benefits the whole world.

Third, jointly safeguard the stability and smoothness of industrial chains. China is an important link in the global supply chain anda co-builder and co-maintainer of the global industrial division-of-labor system. Facing the intensification of trade protectionism and the impact of geopolitical risks, we are willing to join hands with all parties to jointly promote the development of global industrial chains and supply chains toward a more stable, smooth, and inclusive direction, jointly uphold the multilateral trading system, and make the cake of cooperation and development bigger.

Han Zheng stated that the current international situation is a situation characterized by both volatility and disorder (变乱交织, bian luan jiao zhi - "change, chaos, interweave"), and the more frequent ups and downs or turbulence (风浪迭起, feng lang die qi - "wind, wave, repeatedly rise") we face, the more we must tighten the bonds of cooperation, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and create a bright future of common prosperity and development.

Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Moreno, Saudi Arabia's Assistant Minister of Investment Mubarak, Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Mesarovic, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia Sun Chanthol, and Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment, and Industry Pulev attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches successively. Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs Puisito read out the congratulatory letter from Finnish Prime Minister Orpo.

Before the opening ceremony, Han Zheng toured the exhibition halls of the Fair, visiting the pavilions of guest country of honor Saudi Arabia, Finland, as well as special zones including finance, provincial-level regional promotions, and China Investment, interacting with the head of the guest country delegation and representatives of exhibitors, encouraging them to make good use of the Fair platform, strengthen negotiation and matchmaking, and deepen two-way investment cooperation.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Han Zheng met collectively with representatives of multinational corporations and foreign business associations attending the Fair, stating that economic globalization is unstoppable, hoping that multinational corporations will seize the broad opportunities provided by China's super-large market and the development of new quality productive forces, strengthen confidence in investing in China, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

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Open Cooperation to Cultivate More 'Service Made in China' Brands

By: 本报记者 罗珊珊 施 芳

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Highlight the imperatives of demand-driven development, reform-driven breakthroughs, technology-enabled empowerment, and open cooperation; deeply implement the service industry expansion and quality improvement initiative" and "cultivate more 'Service Made in China' brands, and strive to open up a new prospect for high-quality development of the service industry."

From September 9 to 13, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services will be held in Beijing. Upholding the concept of "Global Services, Shared Benefits," 90 countries and international organizations will set up exhibitions and hold events, over 1,800 enterprises will participate in offline exhibitions, with more than 400 of them being Fortune Global 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises.

Leveraging the important platform of the CIFTIS, China is making efforts to promote high-quality development of the service industry, cultivate more "Service Made in China" brands, join hands with all parties to jointly advance open, innovative, and cooperative development of global trade in services, and build an open world economy.

Expanding opening-up, trade in services ushers in new opportunities

Trade in services is the main form of cross-border cooperation and exchange in the service industry. Holding the CIFTIS is an important measure for China to expand opening-up of its service industry to the outside world and promote the development of trade in services.

In the first seven months of this year, China's total import and export of services reached 4.44671 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. Among them, exports reached 1.77323 trillion yuan, up 17.1% year-on-year; imports reached 2.67348 trillion yuan, up 3.2% year-on-year.

To further leverage the role of opening-up platforms, this year's CIFTIS has, for the first time, established a "Service Made in China" exhibition area in the core area of the theme exhibition, bringing together over 140 Chinese service cases covering the twelve major fields of trade in services. Some of these achievements have already established a firm foothold (站稳脚跟, zhan wen jiao gen - "stand, steady, foot, heel") in the international market, demonstrating the strong momentum of Chinese services going global.

The special flexible intelligent production line for special-purpose cabin bodies independently developed by China Construction Second Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd. has been selected for the "Service Made in China" exhibition area. According to the project's technical leader, targeting the characteristics of integrated intelligent cabin manufacturing—multiple specifications, small batches, and complex processes—this production line can achieve mixed production of standard containers ranging from 20 feet to 45 feet as well as various non-standard customized cabin bodies. Products cover transformer cabins, low-voltage distribution cabins, energy storage cabins, water treatment cabins, liquid cooling cabins, etc. After being put into operation, production efficiency has increased by over 30% compared with before the renovation, and energy consumption per unit product has decreased by 15%.

China International Culture Group Co., Ltd. has brought the case of "Full-Chain Operation Services for Chinese Culture Going Global via International Exhibitions," targeting the track of Chinese culture going global, covering diverse business scenarios such as comprehensive cultural and creative expos, international design weeks, and overseas immersive art exhibitions. It has built a full-chain operation service capability integrating curation and planning, international exhibition solicitation, on-site operations, guest coordination, business matchmaking, and digital communication, establishing a replicable and exportable standardized service system.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's trade in services scale exceeded 1 trillion US dollars, becoming an important force driving the growth of trade scale and structural upgrading.

Looking toward the 15th Five-Year Plan, the global industrial chain is undergoing accelerated restructuring, and China's service industry foundation has become more solid, bringing brand-new historical opportunities for the development of trade in services. In April this year, the Ministry of Commerce, together with relevant departments, issued the "Overall Plan for the Construction of National Demonstration Zones for Innovative Development of Trade in Services," clearly specifying that 17 regions including Beijing will take the lead in carrying out demonstration zone construction.

Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce, stated that China will accelerate the construction of national demonstration zones for innovative development of trade in services, steadily and orderly promote the expansion of market access and opening-up areas with the service industry as the focus, improve the negative list management system for cross-border trade in services, promote the convenient and safe cross-border flow of factors such as personnel, capital, and data that are closely related to trade in services, and provide a more open, transparent, and predictable market environment for the development of domestic and foreign enterprises.

Deepening cooperation, "Service Made in China" goes global

China continuously strengthens the alignment of its development strategies with the development strategies and cooperation initiatives of various countries, using the CIFTIS as a bond to promote mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, and common development. The CIFTIS provides a display and trading platform for high-quality services from various countries.

This year marks the first time Honeywell Technology has appeared at the CIFTIS in the special exhibition on telecommunications, computer, and information services, featuring its Forge intelligent connected platform as the main exhibit, intensively showcasing its innovative digital practices and application prospects in scenarios such as industry and buildings. This also marks the first time Forge has appeared at a major domestic industry event since it landed in China at the end of July this year.

Yu Feng, President of Honeywell Technology Greater China, said that the company will join hands with more Chinese partners to jointly explore innovative applications based on Forge, help accelerate China's industrial innovation, and promote the industrial sector's transition from "automation" to "autonomy."

Qimeng Island, a domestic trendy toy brand participating for two consecutive years, has appeared again with its nine-IP matrix and multiple cross-border innovation achievements, using "technology + culture + going global" as the main thread to showcase the development path of China's original trendy toy brands. Shi Guangqiang, Group CEO of Qimeng Island, said: "At present, Qimeng Island products have been sold to 27 countries and regions. We hope to use the CIFTIS, an international-level platform, to bring China's original trendy toys to a broader audience and showcase the cultural and creative vitality of China's younger generation to the world."

It is worth noting that this year's CIFTIS has, for the first time, set up "Going Global Services" special zones in multiple thematic exhibitions, and has also, for the first time, built a"Going Global Services Promotion Roadshow Zone," providing professional support for Chinese enterprises to expand into international markets and promoting more high-quality "Service Made in China" offerings to go global.

Dun & Bradstreet of the United States participated in the CIFTIS for the first time, appearing in the"Going Global Services" special zone to showcase its newly launched cross-border investment and trade database. This database integrates multi-dimensional data sources such as cross-border investment, shipping trade, etc., enabling enterprises to observe investment and trade networks from a global perspective. Whether it is understanding the overseas investment layout of Chinese enterprises, tracking the investment situation of overseas enterprises in China, or analyzing global trade flows and identifying upstream and downstream relationships in the industrial chain, one can obtain clearer and more credible business insights.

Beijing Customs will participate in the Going Global Services promotion roadshow, presenting on-site the Customs "Authorized Economic Operator" (AEO) system, explaining the new changes in the new version of the credit management measures, and encouraging high-quality enterprises in Beijing to actively apply for AEO status and enjoy relevant facilitation measures. AEO enterprises can enjoy customs clearance facilitation in mutually recognized countries and regions, as well as multiple benefit measures such as joint incentives from domestic customs and multiple departments. At present, the import and export volume of AEO enterprises in the Beijing Customs area accounts for over 40% of the Beijing Customs area's total.

Leading innovation, accelerating the cultivation of new drivers of trade

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, how can we further promote innovative development of trade in services and cultivate new international competitive advantages for"Service Made in China"? Through the CIFTIS, we can further find the answer.

This year's CIFTIS further highlights its innovative character and service trade features, focusing on showcasing new technologies, new solutions, and new achievements in service trade fields such as information and communication, fintech, digital-intelligent healthcare, smart education, energy conservation and environmental protection. Over 90 enterprises and institutions will release achievements, and over 200 new products and achievements will be released on a rolling basis in the achievements release hall.

McDonald's China will showcase its innovative practice of drone delivery in the achievements release hall. Since 2026, McDonald's China has partnered with Meituan's drones to launch drone delivery services in Shenzhen and Shanghai, exploring a new model of integrating the low-altitude economy with dining consumption scenarios, extending catering services from traditional stores and ground delivery networks to diverse urban life scenarios such as sports and leisure, waterfront consumption, and outdoor socializing.

JD.com has participated in the CIFTIS for seven consecutive years, showcasing to global merchants its innovative services in fields such as logistics, technology, health, and industry. For example, JD Industrial, as an AI-driven industrial supply chain technology and service provider, provides end-to-end industrial supply chain services for large overseas enterprises, multinational international enterprises, and Chinese enterprises going global, having established deep layouts in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Hungary, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. Its innovatively launched industrial large model and series of application intelligent agents have achieved cost reduction and efficiency improvement in areas such as product review and spare parts supply, and its carbon footprint management and green compliance capabilities have also been exported to empower external parties.

In the financial services special exhibition, Bank of Communications has deployed"video-based intelligent self-service" machines, creating a new intelligent self-service experience integrating human-machine interaction through a"customer self-service + remote assistance" model; China Merchants Bank, relying on its"Xiaozhaomiao" IP, has built an immersive spaceship experience pavilion, intensively showcasing digital-inclusive financial innovation achievements such as the Tiancheng AI fund system; PICC has launched for the first time the"Suànlì Bǎo" series of exclusive products, filling the gap in risk protection for the computing power industry…… At this year's CIFTIS, multiple financial institutions will gather to collectively showcase their latest AI application achievements.

Through the CIFTIS, we can see that, under the trend of deep empowerment by digitalization, intelligence, and green development, the tradability of services is increasingly enhanced, the boundaries of trade are continuously broadened, and the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence is driving a more pronounced trend of deep integration and linked development between the service industry and manufacturing, and between trade in services and trade in goods.

The Ministry of Commerce has stated that it will guide enterprises to adhere to innovation-driven development, enhance the international competitiveness of producer services, promote the export of services relying on manufacturing advantages such as R&D, design, testing, maintenance, and supply chain logistics, and promote the integrated development of trade in services with high-end manufacturing. It will stimulate the export potential of consumer services, expand inbound consumption, promote the quality improvement and efficiency enhancement of cultural trade, and encourage the internationalization of traditional characteristic services such as traditional Chinese medicine, the Chinese language, and Chinese cuisine. It will promote digital-intelligent technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing to better empower the development of trade in services, and explore new paradigms for the growth of trade in services.

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Rooted in Transportation, Shouldering the Mission of National Strength

By: 本报记者 吴 丹 丁雅诵

Stepping into the Transportation Science Museum of Beijing Jiaotong University is like opening a magnificent, surging long scroll of China's transportation development. Serving major projects such as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, undertaking core key technology research and development for urban rail transit and maglev trains, helping Chinese high-speed rail "go global"…… Generation after generation of BJTU people pave roads with wisdom and erect bridges with skill, resonating at the same frequency with the nation's transportation undertaking.

In April 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to the letter from all the teachers and students of the four Jiaotong universities, encouraging the schools to"focus on major national strategic needs, strengthen self-reliance and strength in science and technology and the independent cultivation of talent, achieve more breakthroughs in promoting the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and make new contributions to building a strong education nation, a strong science-and-technology nation, anda strong talent nation".

Earnest expectations spur people on. General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply letter made BJTU's teachers and students greatly encouraged. Everyone stated that they will live up to the high expectations, with the solid responsibility and action of advancing education, science and technology, and talent as an integrated whole, strive to cultivate more new-era talents capable of shouldering great responsibilities, and contribute strength to the great cause of building a strong nation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Know the nation's great righteousness  Shoulder the mission of family and country

The century-and-a-half-old institution of learning, its way lies in knowing and doing. On the BJTU campus, a stone stele is engraved with the two large characters"zhi xing" (knowing and doing), whose strokes are vigorous and powerful."Zhi xing" is BJTU's school motto, and it also contains BJTU's spiritual pursuit passed down in one continuous line—knowing the nation's great righteousness, knowing what the nation needs.

"What we want to cultivate are doers who integrate personal ideals into the mission of family and country, who explore knowledge while taking root at the front line, who seek truth in the unity of knowledge and action (知行合一, zhi xing he yi - "know, do, combine, one"), and who respond to the questions of the era with practice."Beijing Jiaotong University President Liu Pan said.

What kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate people, and for whom to cultivate people—these are the fundamental questions of education, and also the era's propositions that BJTU has been striving to answer.

In the school-created drama"Ma Yisheng", Zou Yingqi, an undergraduate from the School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, portrayed the old principal Ma Yisheng. From resolving to"build bridges" as a youth, to"blowing up bridges with tears" during the War of Resistance against Japan, to devoting his later years to building the"bridge of education", Ma Yisheng's extremely extraordinary life deeply touched Zou Yingqi's heartstrings through repeated rehearsals, making him even more steadfast in the direction to move forward.

"Every generation has its own mission."Zou Yingqi said,"Young people in the new era must establish lofty aspirations, integrate personal pursuits into the cause of the Party and the nation, run the historical relay race well on the new journey, pave roads with youth and let ideals shine."

BJTU has always placed soul-forging and people-cultivation in a prominent position, deeply implementing the"Number One Project" of fostering virtue through education, with the Party committee secretary concurrently serving as dean of the School of Marxism, coordinating the overall situation, exerting systematic effort, comprehensively promoting the reform of ideological-and-political theory education and teaching to go deeper and more solid, take root and produce results.

A reform of ideological-and-political theory education aimed at being"refined and effective" has been fully rolled out: combining the school's transportation characteristics, offering the general-education core course"High-Speed Rail Across North and South"; appointing"Great Ideological-and-Political Education Mentors" and"Young Ideological-and-Political Industry Mentors", deeply integrating them into the education community; creating brand projects such as the"Great Ideological-and-Political Course on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway Line"…… A pattern of education involving all personnel, the entire process, and all aspects has taken shape.

Educating people means educating hearts, nurturing others in a silent and subtle way (润物无声, run wu wu sheng - "moisten, things, without, sound").

"I will continue to delve into frontier research in the transportation field, carry forward BJTU's tradition of serving the country, and strive to pour my youthful sweat onto the front line of the nation's transportation undertaking."The words of Li Yuhang, an undergraduate from the School of Traffic and Transportation, reflect BJTU students' striving posture of making contributions to the new era with youth.

Blaze new paths in reform  Cultivate pillars of the era

"Will the algorithm models learned in class, when applied to industrial scenarios, encounter many real-world constraints?"With such a question, Li Minghao, a master's student from the School of Computer Science, knocked on the door of his corporate mentor, Huang Zhiping, a researcher at China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited.

"Real industrial scenarios emphasize safety and reliability; you must learn to solve problems under engineering conditions."In the following two years, Huang Zhiping led Li Minghao to analyze one by one the bottlenecks in algorithm implementation in real line environments.

Li Minghao, while polishing algorithm models at the school's Engineering Technology Center, also ran to corporate production lines to verify effectiveness, and ultimately successfully found the optimal solution for implementing algorithm models in industrial scenarios.

This year, relying on this practical achievement originating from the production front line, Li Minghao smoothly passed his graduation thesis defense, writing his thesis on the frontier of industry.

Such changes are precisely the abundant fruits borne from BJTU's integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent development.

How can program offerings meet students' diversified needs? How can precise matching be achieved between talent cultivation and employment? In recent years, BJTU has continuously deepened the integrated reform of education, science and technology, and talent, laying fertile soil for the cultivation of top-notch innovative talents.

Break down the wall between campus and industry—

Build the National Excellent Engineers College, implement project-based enrollment and school-enterprise"dual-mentor" cultivation, forming a closed-loop cultivation chain of"enterprises pose problems, mentors apply, schools and enterprises match, teachers and students mutually select"; top-notch talent classes such as the Intelligent Transportation Systems Class, the Transportation Class, and the Ma Yisheng Class have been successively established, and the industry-education integrated teaching model has been comprehensively implemented.

Break down the barriers between the various links of talent cultivation—

Implement the integration of undergraduate and graduate education, implement the"three-early" mechanism for undergraduates, allowing undergraduate students to enter laboratories in advance, join research teams, and come into contact with frontier projects during their undergraduate stage; dynamically adjust majors, laying out 26 new majors in conjunction with new quality productive forces; relying on high-level platforms, projects, and teams, promote frontier knowledge entering classrooms and research cases entering practice, enabling teaching and research to empower each other bidirectionally.

Open up the path for joint cultivation of international talent—

Explore order-based cultivation of international students, having already cultivated more than 10,000 technical and management talents in the transportation field for 133 countries co-building the Belt and Road Initiative; jointly establish 10 Sino-foreign cooperative education programs in the transportation field with prestigious universities such as Delft University of Technology, creating the distinctive brand of"Studying at BJTU".

Exploration and innovation ultimately land in the growth trajectories of individual young students.

Xu Bokai, an undergraduate from Zhan Tianyou College, entered the laboratory in his sophomore year, selected graduate courses in his junior year, and had already anchored his research direction during his undergraduate stage; Hila, a student from Rwanda, while pursuing his master's and doctoral degrees at BJTU, won the gold award in the"Challenge Cup" Entrepreneurship Plan Competition's"Belt and Road" International Special Competition…… The student-centered cultivation system supports every dream to grow and thrive.

Tackle core technologies  Promote transformation of achievements

Inside BJTU's National Engineering Research Center for Rail Transit Operation and Control Systems, four generations of railway locomotive signal equipment prototypes stand in neat rows, recording the arduous journey of China's rail transit train control equipment from complete importation to independent controllability.

The train operation control system is called the"brain and central nervous system" of rail transit—every start and stop of a train, every meeting of trains, is planned and precisely controlled by it. However, this core equipment, which concerns the lifeline of national transportation, was long monopolized by foreign countries.

Facing this"bottleneck" dilemma, Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Ning Bin, BJTU professor Tang Tao, and others stepped forward more than 20 years ago. The team started from scratch, working day and night in the laboratory, and after more than 10 years and nearly 10 million simulation experiments, finally installed an independently developed"Chinese brain" for China's rail transit.

"Core technologies cannot be waited for, bought, or demanded—they must be obtained through our own efforts, enhancing original innovation capability."Tang Tao said firmly.

Keeping firmly in mind the mission of serving national self-reliance and strength in science and technology, BJTU takes major national needs as the anchor point for innovation, placing the strengthening of basic research and the enhancement of original innovation capability in a prominent position.

Conquering seamless rail key technologies, helping high-speed rail operate smoothly; developing major national equipment such as intelligent tunneling, serving major national projects such as the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel; forward-looking layout of intelligent transportation, independently developing 5G-R technology, empowering high-speed rail's intelligent and digital upgrading…… BJTU continuously takes root in basic research, asks the way of frontier technologies, and marches toward future science and technology.

Behind the numerous fruits lies the school's continuous exploration in reforming scientific research management mechanisms, especially its efforts in promoting the transformation of scientific research achievements.

Establish a leading group for intellectual property and transformation of scientific and technological achievements; establish and improve an institutional system covering key links such as intellectual property management, achievement cultivation, evaluation and incentives, empowerment reform, and achievement transformation; implement a separate professional-title track for transformation of scientific and technological achievements, stimulating the vitality of achievement transformation…… During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, BJTU's total contract amount for transformation of scientific and technological achievements exceeded 4 billion yuan, achieving a substantial leap.

Tower cranes stand tall, machinery roars—inside BJTU's Xiong'an Campus, modern teaching buildings, dormitory buildings, and scientific research centers have begun to take shape. As one of the first 4 Beijing universities to be relocated, BJTU is seizing the time window to lay a solid foundation for official operation next year.

"The school will deeply align its 130-year educational heritage with the development positioning of the City of the Future, treating the construction of the Xiong'an Campus as an important vehicle for undertaking national strategic deployments and expanding its educational landscape."Beijing Jiaotong University Party Committee Secretary Chen Ziji stated that the school will always bear in mind the entrustment, adhere to the original aspiration of serving the country through transportation, shoulder the era's mission with the posture of a path-opening pioneer, and make new contributions to achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and advancing Chinese modernization.

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Chinese Smart Manufacturing Opens a New Global Innovation Landscape (Today's Commentary)

By: 李铁林

This week, Huawei released its second-generation tri-fold flagship product, Xiaomi launched its first "mid-fold" phone, and news about Apple's first foldable-screen phone also drew widespread attention — three major brands are competing in the same product category.

This would have been hard to imagine just over ten years ago. At that time, domestic phones had no access to the high-end market. Today, Chinese brands have stepped onto a higher stage and secured a leading position in some tracks.

How did this transformation come about?

It stems from the strength of independent innovation. In recent years, "black technology" from Chinese brands has kept emerging. Huawei has turned the "Yao's Law" into a consumer-grade chip, validating an entirely new technological route; Xiaomi's self-developed chip pairs with CXMT's self-developed memory, achieving "1+1>2" through collaborative innovation… With taking the initiative to be a pioneer (敢为人先, gan wei ren xian - "dare, for, person, first") in innovation, products will find their market.

It is inseparable from a fertile land. Artificial intelligence, new energy, robotics, rocket recovery… Chinese technology has astonished the world time and again. Upholding innovation's core position in the overall modernization drive, with policy, capital, and talent escorting it all the way; the ultra-large-scale market is open and vibrant, letting enterprises dare to invest and industrial chains coordinate… China is accelerating its march toward becoming the "pioneer and leader" of global technology.

With innovation steps never halting and the drive for solid work never slackening, China's intelligent manufacturing is bound to open up a new landscape for global innovation.

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Employee Basic Medical Insurance Becomes More Friendly to Flexible Workers (Policy Interpretation)

By: 本报记者 孙秀艳

Guo Yongfang, a full-time delivery rider in Beijing, was hospitalized for half a month due to a herniated lumbar disc, with medical expenses of nearly 50,000 yuan; after reimbursement through employee basic medical insurance, she personally bore only a small portion of the cost. Zhang Yuanxiang, a full-time delivery rider in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, was hospitalized for a week due to surgery for gallstones, with medical expenses of nearly 10,000 yuan; after medical insurance reimbursement, his out-of-pocket cost was just over 2,000 yuan. In the future, cases like these — where delivery riders and other flexible employees and workers in new forms of employment gain real protection through participation in employee basic medical insurance — will become increasingly numerous.

Recently, the National Healthcare Security Administration and six other departments jointly issued the "Notice on Carrying Out a Quality-Improvement Special Action to Bring Flexible Employees, Migrant Workers, and Workers in New Forms of Employment into Basic Medical Insurance Coverage," which explicitly encourages relevant personnel to participate in employee basic medical insurance and solidly advances the expansion and quality improvement of medical insurance enrollment.

Exploring enrollment and contribution models to promote flexible employees et al. participation in employee basic medical insurance

"As enrollment policies have been gradually optimized, household registration restrictions gradually relaxed, and contribution methods have become more flexible, the number of flexible employees participating in employee basic medical insurance has increased markedly. The share of flexible employees and other personnel in employee basic medical insurance rose from approximately 12.8% in 2018 to approximately 18.0% in 2025." Said Zhao Ying, associate researcher at the Medical Insurance Office of the Chinese Academy of Labor and Social Security Sciences. By the commonly used social estimate of approximately 200 million flexible employees, the current employee medical insurance enrollment rate is approximately 34.9%.

This issuance of the notice, put simply, means the state provides policy, local governments refine the rules, platform enterprises provide subsidies, guiding more couriers, ride-hailing drivers, domestic service workers, and online streamers to participate in employee medical insurance.

Why do this? A relevant official of the National Healthcare Security Administration stated that the 2025 Central Economic Work Conference explicitly proposed encouraging and supporting flexible employees and workers in new forms of employment to participate in employee insurance; the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposed raising the enrollment rate of flexible employees, migrant workers, and workers in new forms of employment, and improving policies for the transfer and continuation of social insurance relationships. Given the characteristic that flexible employees frequently change jobs and locations, launching a series of measures covering enrollment and contribution is the proper course for implementing the spirit of the Central Committee and safeguarding the rights and interests of the relevant groups.

To solve the difficulty flexible employees and other groups face in enrolling in employee basic medical insurance, the notice proposes using approximately three years to continuously increase the number of flexible employees et al. participating in basic medical insurance, especially those participating in employee basic medical insurance, gradually exploring and forming enrollment and contribution models suited to the characteristics of workers in new forms of employment, and continuously improving the enrollment service system for flexible employees.

First, making enrollment convenient. Continuously promote the removal of household registration restrictions for enrollment at the place of employment or habitual residence in megacities, and encourage localities to bring flexible employees et al. into the scope of maternity insurance coverage, with contributions paid and benefits enjoyed in accordance with regulations.

Second, making transfer convenient. Explore converting years of continuous participation in resident medical insurance into local employee basic medical insurance, with the conversion ratio commensurate with local financing levels.

Third, making contribution convenient. Implement monthly contribution for flexible employees participating in employee basic medical insurance, explore flexible contribution models of quarterly, semi-annual, and annual advance payment, and promote platform enterprises to adopt appropriate contribution methods for eligible workers participating in employee basic medical insurance.

Fourth, making use convenient. Smooth online and offline business handling channels, promote the integrated service of "one-stop handling of flexible employment insurance enrollment," and promote cross-provincial co-use of personal accounts.

Employee basic medical insurance corresponds to a higher level of benefits, and the improvement in protection will bring significant positive effects

China's basic medical insurance enrollment rate has remained stable at 95%, which means that in the past, flexible employees et al. may all have participated in urban and rural resident medical insurance. Why then promote this group's participation in employee basic medical insurance?

Zhao Ying stated that employee basic medical insurance can provide a higher level of protection corresponding to the contribution responsibility. After participating in employee basic medical insurance, the burden of personal out-of-pocket expenses for daily medical treatment and medication purchases will be further reduced, especially for chronic disease patients or those with frequent medical needs, whose sense of protection gain will be more pronounced. In the long run, employee basic medical insurance is conducive to accumulating retirement medical insurance rights, which is particularly important for flexible employees whose incomes fluctuate greatly and whose contribution periods are fragmented. In addition, after participating in employee basic medical insurance, some regions may also simultaneously include them in maternity insurance coverage, allowing them to enjoy maternity insurance benefits in accordance with regulations, which has practical significance for flexible employees of childbearing age, especially female workers.

"Take couriers and food delivery riders as examples: they work long hours and have poor regularity of daily life, and many develop occupational ailments such as lumbar injuries, gastrointestinal diseases, and tenosynovitis." Ge Huimin, director of the Medical Administration and Treatment Security Division of the Hefei Municipal Healthcare Security Administration in Anhui Province, told this reporter that many riders' commercial accident insurance, though able to cover work-related injuries, cannot resolve chronic diseases and outpatient needs. After participating in employee basic medical insurance, the personal cost burden of illness is lighter, and they are more willing to seek timely medical treatment, reducing the phenomenon of enduring minor illnesses and delaying treatment for serious ones (小病扛、大病拖, xiao bing kang, da bing tuo - "small illness, endure; big illness, drag"), which not only benefits their current health but also brings significant positive effects for reducing the social disease burden in the future.

"Participating in employee basic medical insurance is also a confirmation of occupational identity and platform responsibility." Zhao Ying stated that flexible employees such as food delivery riders, ride-hailing drivers, and domestic service workers have in fact already been stably providing labor and belong to the occupational population. Promoting their participation in employee basic medical insurance is conducive to platform enterprises bearing corresponding responsibilities at the contribution stage, and also makes this group's worker identity more explicit and their rights protection more standardized.

Zhao Peng, director of the Jiangsu Provincial Medical Insurance Center, stated that the design of the basic medical insurance system follows the principle of "vertical accumulation": contributing and accumulating when young, consuming and using when old, and the more insured persons there are, the more the law of large numbers advantage of insurance is reflected. "Data show that once flexible employees enroll, their willingness to contribute continuously is strong, and their protection stickiness is high. Macro data analysis indicates that relevant groups' participation in employee basic medical insurance, in the long run, is conducive to the stable operation of the fund." Zhao Peng said.

Local finances and platform subsidies work together; doing a good thing well also requires multi-party collaboration

Flexible employees et al. participating in employee basic medical insurance is a good thing, but some in this group have low and unstable incomes, and paying real money every month means the personal economic burden cannot be ignored. How to reduce the burden? In fact, before the national-level institutional measure was introduced, many localities had already begun exploring.

In Jiangsu, the employer contribution rate for employee basic medical insurance is 7% of the base, individual 2%, totaling 9%. Zhao Peng stated that to reduce individual burden and guide continuous enrollment, Jiangsu lowered the enrollment rate for flexible employees by 1 percentage point from the combined employer rate, with individuals only needing to pay 8%, of which 6% goes into the pooled fund and 2% into the personal account, with the contribution base being 60% of the average wage of urban unit employees in the province in the previous year. For those with employment difficulties and college graduates unemployed within two years of graduation, social insurance subsidies of up to 2/3 are granted in accordance with regulations.

As a pilot city for the long-term enrollment mechanism, Hefei in Anhui Province has arranged special funds to provide a subsidy of no less than 40 yuan per person per month for the newly increased number of workers in new forms of employment on platform enterprises participating in employee basic medical insurance during the pilot period.

The practice in both places has achieved notable results. As of the end of July 2024, Jiangsu's employee basic medical insurance enrollment reached 36.538 million people, of which flexible employees enrolled reached 6.353 million, accounting for 17.4%; as of August this year, Hefei's number of flexible employees participating in employee basic medical insurance reached 238,100 people, a year-on-year increase of 23.88%.

The notice clarifies that platform subsidies for enrollment are encouraged. For platforms, how to implement this spirit at the operational level? Taobao Flash Purchase (formerly Ele.me) had previously piloted "pension + medical" social insurance subsidies in some cities, and in October 2025 further upgraded them, providing social insurance subsidies of at least 50% to all riders, allowing riders to flexibly choose their place of enrollment. After JD.com entered the food delivery sector, it pays five insurances and one housing fund for newly joined full-time riders and signs formal labor contracts with them, exploring a more standardized and more comprehensively protective model.

Zhao Ying stated that the current intensity of efforts is more reflected as guidance and demonstration, and there is still a certain distance from comprehensive rollout and the formation of stable institutional arrangements, requiring further increases in fiscal support, clarification of platform responsibility boundaries, and promotion of more localities and enterprises to participate.

In the notice, the term "policy integration" is noteworthy. At present, supporting policies of relevant departments still need to be further introduced or refined. In the future, how should "integration" be applied?

Zhao Ying believes that flexible employees' enrollment mainly involves the intersecting zones of responsibilities of human resources and social security, finance, taxation, and other departments. In the future, expanding the space for integration can focus on the following aspects: for example, at the stage of defining contribution standards and platform enterprises' contribution responsibilities, coordination and linkage between human resources and social security departments and medical insurance departments are needed; at the fiscal support stage, the core is the cohesive design of fiscal subsidies, requiring finance departments and medical insurance departments to study jointly; at the stage of tax incentives and income information coordination, information adaptation between taxation departments and other departments is involved. In addition, the role of industry competent authorities and trade unions should not be ignored.

"The focus of policy integration is to do a good job of rule articulation, information exchange, and incentive compatibility at the intersections of departmental responsibilities, so that relevant departments can form a joint force within their respective functional scopes." Zhao Ying stated.

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At a Critical Juncture, "Snatching Grain from the Mouths of Insects" (Autumn Harvest Underway)

By: 本报记者 杨 迅

In Dashasan Village, Changchun Town, Ziyang District, Yiyang City, Hunan Province, waves of rice surge and the green is at its thickest. At present, Hunan's late rice has entered the booting stage, precisely the critical juncture for yield formation. A battle to "snatch grain from the mouths of insects" has also entered its crucial phase.

At 6:30 in the morning, Cao Chunhui, head of the Plant Protection and Quarantine Station of Ziyang District, was already crouching on the field ridge with his young colleague Lai Xinying, parting a clump of rice, pushing aside the basal leaves — and a dense mass of planthoppers came clearly into view.

"This year, affected by extreme weather such as typhoons, the pest infestation is heavier than in previous years, and the pest-prevention situation is grave." Cao Chunhui introduced that monitoring data show that in late July, the area of major planthopper outbreak on Hunan's mid-season rice reached 48,000 mu, 11 times that of the same period last year. As of mid-August, the area of major planthopper outbreak on mid-season rice had expanded to 166,000 mu, 24 times that of the same period last year. In Ziyang District, the planthoppers migrated in early, with a fierce momentum, and in some fields the insect count per hundred clumps far exceeded the control threshold.

Cao Chunhui opened the collection bag of the forecast light trap, counting the number and species of insects. "The forecast light trap exploits the phototaxis of pests, luring insects every night." Cao Chunhui said, "Food security is a major matter; plant protection personnel must stay in the fields, going down to the fields at least twice a week, using the data from the forecast light trap combined with field surveys, to determine the window period for pest control."

Lai Xinying was carefully taking notes beside him. This young person, who graduated from Hunan Agricultural University's plant protection major in 2020, has already been able to independently complete pest situation statistics and field surveys. "The first thing Teacher Cao taught me was this: pest situation data admits not allowing for the slightest carelessness (半分马虎, ban fen ma hu - "half, bit, careless"), and only accurate forecasting can give farmers reliable guidance."

At 9 a.m., Cao Chunhui's phone rang. His colleague had sent the latest issue of the pest and disease bulletin — the suitable control period, the pesticide formula, and the key technical points, all listed clearly.

Cao Chunhui said that they must compile and issue at least one pest and disease bulletin every month, delivered directly to villages and growers, and in emergencies, they would also increase the frequency. The pest and disease bulletin must not only be accurate, but also be issued early—issuing warnings 3 to 5 days in advance, giving farmers ample time to prepare pesticides and supplies.

Zhong Yuxian, chairman of the Ziyang District Zhongzheng Grain Planting Pest and Disease Unified Prevention and Control Professional Cooperative, also received this pest and disease bulletin on his phone. "Upon seeing it, I immediately organized pesticide procurement and summoned the drone pilots."

At 5 p.m., beside the rice fields of Dashasan Village, several plant protection drones were in position, and the drone pilots were strictly preparing the spray solution according to the recommended pesticides and ratios. "How high to fly, how fast to fly, how much water to apply per mu—the parameters cannot be vague each time." Zhong Yuxian introduced that according to the latest pest and disease bulletin, the water application per mu had been increased from 2 liters in the early stage to 4 liters, and the flight altitude had also been reduced from 5 meters to 4 meters.

At a command, the drones rose into the air, sweeping over the rice fields, with the pesticide mist falling evenly. "Plant protection drones are fast and effective—one machine can cover several hundred mu in a day." Zhong Yuxian said that the cooperative now owns 103 drones and 110 certified drone operators, and has established 60 village-level service stations, helping push Ziyang District's rice unified prevention and control coverage rate to 96%.

There are also "sentinels" on the ground. In the rice fields, white trapping devices were scattered in an orderly pattern. "This kind of device does not directly poison pests, but rather disrupts pest mating and blocks the breeding chain." Agricultural technicians explained on site. In Shatou Town, Ziyang District, a 1,500-mu green prevention and control demonstration zone had been established.

The benefits brought by green prevention and control are tangible. According to estimates, pesticide reduction and efficiency improvement have lowered planting costs by 15%, raised production efficiency by 20%, and agricultural non-point source pollution has been continuously reduced.

At 6 p.m., Cao Chunhui and Lai Xinying completed that day's field survey and prepared to return. Behind them, in the rice fields, the forecast light traps stood guard day and night, agricultural technicians went down to the fields in time, pest and disease bulletins were issued on schedule, drones were on standby at any moment—a three-dimensional prevention and control system was operating efficiently.

This issue's coordinator: Guo Xueyan

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Scientific Pest and Disease Control (Extended Reading)

By: 本报记者 郁静娴

Currently, many regions are in the critical growth stage for autumn grain crops such as middle and late rice, corn, and soybeans, which is also the period of frequent and severe pest outbreaks. According to monitoring, as of now, the cumulative area of pest occurrence across autumn grain crops nationwide has reached 1.15 billion mu-times, a year-on-year increase of 4%. Among them, rice planthoppers have occurred more severely than in normal years in the middle and late rice regions of Jiangnan and the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

Liu Jie, deputy director of the Pest Monitoring and Forecasting Division of the National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center, analyzed that due to extreme weather events such as typhoons significantly altering their migration paths and developmental processes, this year rice planthoppers have had more migration peaks and larger insect populations, and short-winged brown planthopper adults have appeared earlier and in higher proportions. If the "late autumn not cool" suitable temperature and humidity meteorological conditions are encountered, rice planthoppers will produce 1—2 more generations than in normal years, and there remains a risk of severe outbreaks after autumn.

How to organize scientific prevention and control to achieve "snatching grain from the mouths of insects"? Zhu Xiaoming, deputy director of the Pest Control Division of the National Agricultural Technology Extension and Service Center, introduced that by crop type, for middle and late rice the focus is on controlling rice planthoppers, striped stem borers, rice leaf rollers, etc.; for corn the focus is on controlling Asian corn borers, cotton bollworms, etc.; for soybeans the focus is on controlling soybean pod borers, lima bean pod borers, etc. It should follow the strategy of prioritizing prevention (预防为主, yu fang zhu wei - "prevent, be, primary"), comprehensive control, addressing problems in their early stages (抓早治小, zhua zao zhi xiao - "grasp, early, treat, small"), and controlling when thresholds are met, coordinating the use of physical and chemical lure-and-control measures, biological control, and scientific and safe pesticide application measures.

Specifically, physical and chemical lure-and-control utilizes the biological characteristics of pests, employing insect-killing lamps, colored boards, insect sex pheromones, etc. to attract and interfere with adult pest behavior, suppressing the base population of the next generation; in terms of biological control, autumn grain crops can adopt measures such as artificial release of Trichogramma wasps, application of entomopathogenic microorganisms such as Bacillus thuringiensis and Beauveria bassiana, as well as botanical or microbial-source pesticides such as matrine and azadirachtin. Experts remind that in terms of pesticide application methods, one must definitely select compliant pesticides according to law, accurately grasp the target, dosage, timing, etc., balancing both efficacy and safety.

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Ministry releases 15th Five-Year Plan for information and communication industry development

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter Wang Zheng) The Ministry of Industry and Information Technology released the "Information and Communication Industry Development '15th Five-Year Plan'" which proposes: it is expected that by 2030, a new generation of communication networks that are fully covered and with leading performance will be comprehensively built, laying a solid foundation for basically realizing the modernization of the information and communication industry by 2035.

The plan centrally lists multiple major indicators for the information and communication industry. These include: by 2030, the revenue of the information and communication industry will reach 4.1 trillion yuan, the number of 5G (including 5G-A) base stations per 10,000 people will reach 50, the penetration rate of 5G (including 5G-A) users will reach 95%, the number of broadband users with gigabit-and-above speeds will reach 320 million households, and the scale of intelligent computing power will reach 9800 hundred-billion-billion floating-point operations per second, among others.

The plan also proposes promoting the deep integration of satellite networks and terrestrial communication networks, coordinating the construction of satellite-ground interconnection hubs, and carrying out applications such as direct-to-device satellite connectivity and satellite Internet of Things. It also proposes developing 6G base stations and 6G smartphones, and strengthening the construction of standards systems in key areas of information and communication such as optical communications, computing power networks, and quantum communications.

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Photo Report

On September 8, Dongbao District, Jingmen City, Hubei Province held a special recruitment fair, attracting job seekers to the venue for consultation and resume submission through diversified services such as precise job matching, employment policy Q&A, and vocational skill promotion. The photo shows staff members (second from left, third from left) promoting the infant care vocational skill training program to job seekers.

Photo by Zhao  Ping (China Image)

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Li Qiang Presides Over the State Council's 21st Special Study Session

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) On September 8, the State Council conducted its 21st special study session on the theme of "Advancing Urban Renewal with High Quality, Promoting Connotative Development of Cities." Premier Li Qiang of the State Council emphasized while presiding over the study session that we must deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important directives on urban renewal work and the Party Central Committee's relevant policy decisions, establish a sustainable model for urban renewal, promote the optimization of urban structure, the improvement of functions, the continuation of cultural heritage, and the elevation of quality, so as to better satisfy the people's aspirations for a better life through high-quality urban development.

Yang Baojun, president of the Urban Planning Society of China, delivered the briefing. Vice Premiers Ding Xuexiang and He Lifeng of the State Council, and State Councilor Wu Zhenglong, made exchange speeches.

After listening to the briefing and the exchange speeches, Li Qiang pointed out that in recent years, China's new industrialization and new urbanization have advanced in depth, and the population situation, development momentum, real estate market, and other aspects have undergone profound changes. Urban development has accelerated its shift toward connotative development, and urban renewal has become an important lever for urban work at the current stage, an important pathway for improving living conditions and enhancing people's wellbeing, and an important vehicle for expanding domestic demand and accelerating the transformation of development drivers. We must continue to deepen our understanding of the laws of urban development in practice, adhere to a people-centered approach in advancing urban renewal with high quality, and blaze a new path of urban modernization with Chinese characteristics.

Li Qiang pointed out that we must fully practice the people's city philosophy, implement the people-centered development thinking throughout the entire process of urban renewal, and embody it in specific policies and actions. Reserve the best resources for the people, and prioritize the use of revitalized and renovated public spaces, service facilities, ecological resources, and others for meeting people's livelihood needs. Place the urgent and pressing needs of the masses (急难愁盼, ji nan chou pan - "urgent, difficult, anxious, longing") in a prioritized position, identify the shortcomings and problems that urgently need addressing, and take concrete and tangible measures to improve living and housing conditions. We must accurately grasp the practical connotations of urban renewal and comprehensively implement all tasks of urban renewal. Highlight the enhancement of disaster prevention and mitigation capabilities, actively prevent and respond to floods, fires, earthquakes, and other various disasters, and take the construction of the "six networks" as an opportunity to reasonably raise the fortification standards for key infrastructure in important cities and disaster-prone areas. Highlight the improvement of livability and business-friendliness levels, proceed from the scenarios of the people's daily life, cultural leisure, schooling, medical care, employment, and others, coordinate and advance the renewal and renovation from housing, residential quarters, communities, to urban districts, accelerate the transformation and upgrading of old neighborhoods and factory districts, actively introduce new industries and new business forms, and comprehensively elevate urban functions, quality, and development vitality. Highlight the shaping of distinctive urban features, pay attention to giving play to the leading role of urban design, protect the landscape patterns and historical cultural heritage, and pass on urban memories.

Li Qiang emphasized that urban renewal is a systematic project, and we must strengthen overall coordination and gather a strong joint force. We must increase government investment, strengthen the guarantee of factors and resources, coordinate and make good use of various types of policy-based funds, strengthen fiscal and financial coordination, and promote the construction of major engineering projects. We must better give play to the role of market forces, strengthen credit support, improve financial instruments such as urban renewal funds, and build a diversified, sustainable investment and financing system. We must accelerate the improvement of the policy and institutional system, strengthen the guarantee of the rule of law, and, in accordance with the practical needs of urban renewal, timely adjust and optimize relevant policies, laws and regulations, and standards and norms in areas such as planning, land use, fiscal and taxation, and finance.

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Closely focus on the fundamental task of fostering virtue through education and accelerate the construction of a high-quality textbook system with Chinese characteristics

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) The National Textbook Work Conference was held in Beijing on September 8. Ding Xuexiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council, attended the meeting and delivered a speech.

Ding Xuexiang pointed out that textbooks are the main vehicle for disseminating knowledge, embody the will of the Party and the state, reflect the major concerns of the people, and directly bear on the implementation of the Party's educational policy and the realization of educational goals. China's textbook work has achieved historic accomplishments and undergone pattern-level changes; the fundamental reason lies in the helm-holding and course-steering of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, and in the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. It is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important instructions, implement the decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, deeply grasp the political attribute, people's attribute, and strategic attribute of education, and with a high sense of political responsibility and historical mission, further strengthen and improve textbook work, accelerate the construction of a high-quality textbook system with Chinese characteristics, and provide strong support for building a strong educational country.

Ding Xuexiang emphasized that it is necessary to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership over textbook work, firmly grasp the correct political direction and value orientation, and ensure that the Party's educational policy is implemented throughout all aspects of textbook development. Closely centering on the fundamental task of cultivating character and nurturing talent (立德树人, li de shu ren - "establish virtue, cultivate people"), deeply advance the entry of the Party's innovative theories into curricula and textbooks, and unswervingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to cast souls and educate people. Better adapt to the requirements of the times, accelerate the construction of an independent knowledge system for philosophy and social sciences and an original textbook system, coordinate the textbook development of basic education, vocational education, and higher education, and painstakingly create fine textbooks that cultivate fundamental character and spiritual essence (培根铸魂, pei gen zhu hun - "nourish roots, cast soul") and enlightening intellect and enhancing wisdom (启智增慧, qi zhi zeng hui - "open wisdom, increase intelligence"). Strictly manage the compilation, review, publication, and distribution of textbooks, standardize the selection and use of textbooks, do a good job in public opinion guidance, and continuously improve the governance efficiency of textbook work. Strengthen theoretical research and talent team development, improve policy support and legal safeguards, and promote textbook work to open up a new situation (开创新局面, kai chuan xin ju mian - "open, new, situation").

Members of the National Textbook Committee, responsible comrades from various provinces, autonomous regions, municipalities directly under the Central Government, and the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, relevant departments of the Central Committee and state organs, and relevant universities attended the meeting. Responsible comrades from the Ministry of Education, the Central Publicity Department, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Zhejiang Province, Peking University, as well as teacher representatives, delivered exchange speeches.

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New Journey in the Mountainous Countryside of Southern Jiangxi

By: 本报记者 杨 义 周 欢

Opening Remarks for the Column

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. On the 25,000-li Long March route, how many hardships and dangers were overcome, how many heroic stories were left behind. The Long March, this extraordinary and earth-shaking (惊天动地, jīng tiān dòng dì - "shock heaven, move earth") revolutionary feat, is a magnificent epic written by the Communist Party of China and the Red Army, and is a towering monument in the historical process of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

"The new journey is a new Long March." Beginning today, our newspaper launches the column "Carrying Forward the Long March Spirit  Striving Forward on the Journey of Rejuvenation," to revisit those touching and moving (可歌可泣, kě gē kě qì - "can sing, can weep") eventful years, and to showcase the spirited demeanor of cadres and the masses in broadly carrying forward the great Long March Spirit and continuing the struggle on the new journey of comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.

As the thin mist dispersed, morning light pierced through the bamboo sea, spilling onto the "Long March Trail" behind Jinsha Village, Yudu County, Ganzhou City, Jiangxi Province. Setting foot on this winding mountain path, this deep mountain trail where the Red Army once fought with blood and endeavor has now become a road to prosperity at the villagers' doorsteps.

Yudu was the assembly and departure point of the Central Red Army's Long March. More than 90 years ago, over 86,000 Red Army officers and soldiers assembled here and embarked on the long journey of the Long March. Today, relying on its rich red resources, Jinsha Village has linked various points into a cohesive whole (串珠成链, chuàn zhū chéng liàn - "string beads, form chain") of sites including the Long March Trail and the former site of the General Medical Office of the Fifth Red Army Corps, carrying out red training. "In the first half of this year, the village received over 200,000 tourist visits, achieving operating revenue of 3.42 million yuan." Yuan Ronggui, Party branch secretary of Jinsha Village, introduced.

In October 2023, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during an inspection in Jiangxi: "Ensure that the people of the old revolutionary base areas share in the fruits of reform and development and enjoy a happy life."

To thoroughly implement the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, Ganzhou City has vigorously carried forward the great Long March Spirit, inherited the red genes, and advanced the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.

Continuing the Roots and Passing on the Torch——

"That year, when the Red Army crossed the river, there was no bridge over the Yudu River. The common people dismantled their own door panels and roof beams to build floating bridges..." As dusk fell, arriving at Yaokou Village, Hefeng Town, Yudu County, we happened to catch the local Long March Source Publicity Troupe telling Long March stories. Villagers brought small stools and were sitting together in a group (围坐一堂, wéi zuò yī táng - "surround, sit, one hall"), listening to the storyteller relate tales.

In 2020, Yudu established the Long March Source Publicity Troupe, with 110 members, of whom 61% are descendants of Red Army soldiers. Since its establishment, the troupe has cumulatively conducted over 1,900 public-interest lectures, reaching an audience of over 1.6 million people. "People can understand what we say and are willing to listen." Liu Yucai, Party branch secretary of Yaokou Village, said.

The Gannan tea-picking opera "One Person's Long March" has toured for more than 100 performances; the animation "Long March Vanguard" has been broadcast on over 100 television channels and new media platforms, with clicks reaching 130 million... In recent years, Ganzhou has built up the "Departure Place of the Long March" brand, adopting multiple forms such as creating literary and artistic works, grassroots publicity lectures, and online dissemination, striving to let the great Long March Spirit enter rural communities and thousands of households.

Integrated Development Molds a New Look——

Red flags fluttered in the wind, the contingent was fully assembled and ready to depart; the villagers gazed affectionately at the Red Army officers and soldiers, waving goodbye... Walking into Huangpi Village, Yunshishan Township, Ruijin City, a group of large sculptures caught our reporter's attention, prompting us to stop and pay tribute.

Outside, there is a hundred-mu lotus pond, with beautiful scenery.

"In the past, the village was nowhere near this scene!" said Li Xiaoyan, Party branch secretary of Huangpi Village. In 2022, the village's two committees made clear that they would first rectify the environment, then rely on red resources and ecological resources to develop tourism. Party members and leading cadres took the lead in demolishing illegal structures and clearing clutter, and the village's appearance became completely new and refreshed (焕然一新, huàn rán yī xīn - "change appearance, one new"). In the first eight months of this year, Huangpi Village received over 100,000 tourist visits.

To carry forward the great Long March Spirit, what matters most is combining thought with action. Ganzhou has organically integrated the utilization of Long March cultural resources, industrial development, rural governance, and other work, creating vibrant villages where there are sights to see, history to tell, and sentiments to feel. At present, Ganzhou has built 120 provincial-level red model villages, of which 58 villages have been selected as national pilot sites for the construction of beautiful red villages.

Developing Industries in Light of Local Conditions——

As time flows on, the original aspiration remains unchanged. The Long March set out from southern Gansu, and today the great Long March Spirit is increasingly becoming the spiritual source for the old revolutionary base areas to advance the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.

Walking into the thousand-mu navel orange plantation in Xia Zhao Village, Zhulan Township, Huichang County, clusters of green navel oranges weighed down the branches.

Though the fruit has not yet been picked from the trees, orders were already signed several months ago——"At the beginning of the year, an old customer directly renewed a contract for 6 million jin!" Currently in the fruit expansion period, fruit grower Zhang Hualin and his workers were busy applying fertilizer to the trees. The orchard's more than 1,200 mu of navel oranges bring about 300,000 yuan in revenue to the village collective each year, driving more than 100 villager households to increase their annual income by nearly 3,000 yuan per household on average.

It does not simply follow market trends. Areas below 300 meters above sea level plant navel oranges, areas from 300 to 500 meters plant oil-tea camellia, and areas above 500 meters plant tea... Based on conditions such as the "eight parts mountains, half part water, one part farmland" terrain and the widespread distribution of selenium-rich soil, Ganzhou, in light of local conditions, has cultivated 7 national-level advantageous characteristic industry clusters and 22 provincial-level characteristic agricultural industries, forming a characteristic agricultural development pattern of "fruits on the mountains, oil under the forests, and vegetables in the fields." Today, the output value of the entire industry chain of Gannan navel oranges alone has reached 23 billion yuan.

Walking through the old revolutionary base areas of southern Gansu, one cannot help but recall the words of a docent at the Memorial Hall of the Departure of the Central Red Army's Long March: "The prosperity of today's old revolutionary base areas should be exactly what the martyrs wished for in their hearts." In 2025, the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, and fishery in Ganzhou exceeded 80 billion yuan, and the per capita disposable income of rural residents reached 19,839 yuan, increases of 20.42% and 52.19% respectively compared with five years ago.

"Every generation has its own Long March road, and every generation must walk its own Long March road well." Inheriting and carrying forward the great Long March Spirit, the old revolutionary base areas of southern Gansu will accelerate the advancement of agricultural and rural modernization and the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, and walk well the new Long March road.

(Related reports appear on Pages 4 and 8)

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Han Zheng Attends and Addresses Opening Ceremony of 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade

(Xinhua News Agency, Xiamen, September 8) (Reporters Pan Jie, Zhang Huaying) Vice President Han Zheng attended and delivered a speech at the opening ceremony of the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade in Xiamen, Fujian, on the morning of the 8th.

Han Zheng stated that President Xi Jinping has emphasized on multiple occasions that China is unwaveringly expanding high-level opening up and continuing to advance trade and investment liberalization and facilitation. Currently, the world has entered a new period of volatility and transformation, with uncertainties and destabilizing factors markedly increasing, but the historical trend of opening up and cooperation will not change. As an important platform for deepening global investment cooperation, the Fair, with its permanent theme of "Expanding Two-Way Investment, Promoting Global Development," has its practical significance further highlighted.

Han Zheng put forward three suggestions. First, continuously open up new prospects of win-win cooperation. China has already implemented zero-tariff policies toward 63 countries, restrictions on foreign investment access in the manufacturing sector have been "reduced to zero," and opening up in service sectors such as telecommunications and healthcare is proceeding in an orderly manner. We will continue to actively expand independent opening up and facilitate investment in China with more practical measures. We hope enterprises from all countries will seize the opportunities presented by China's opening up and development, continue to cultivate the Chinese market deeply, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

Second, accelerate the cultivation of new momentum for innovative growth. Scientific and technological innovation and industrial progress are key driving forces for global economic development and also hot spots and priorities in international investment and trade cooperation. China adheres to complementing each other's strengths (优势互补, you shi hu bu - "advantage, mutually, complement"), equality and mutual benefit, strengthens international cooperation in science, technology, and industrial innovation, and is willing to work with all parties to jointly build and maintain a global ecosystem of open innovation, jointly cultivating new growth momentum that benefits the whole world.

Third, jointly safeguard the stability and smoothness of industrial chains. China is an important link in the global supply chain anda co-builder and co-maintainer of the global industrial division-of-labor system. Facing the intensification of trade protectionism and the impact of geopolitical risks, we are willing to join hands with all parties to jointly promote the development of global industrial chains and supply chains toward a more stable, smooth, and inclusive direction, jointly uphold the multilateral trading system, and make the cake of cooperation and development bigger.

Han Zheng stated that the current international situation is a situation characterized by both volatility and disorder (变乱交织, bian luan jiao zhi - "change, chaos, interweave"), and the more frequent ups and downs or turbulence (风浪迭起, feng lang die qi - "wind, wave, repeatedly rise") we face, the more we must tighten the bonds of cooperation, promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and create a bright future of common prosperity and development.

Acting Secretary-General of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Moreno, Saudi Arabia's Assistant Minister of Investment Mubarak, Serbia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy Mesarovic, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and First Vice Chairman of the Council for the Development of Cambodia Sun Chanthol, and Bulgaria's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, Investment, and Industry Pulev attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches successively. Finland's Minister of Economic Affairs Puisito read out the congratulatory letter from Finnish Prime Minister Orpo.

Before the opening ceremony, Han Zheng toured the exhibition halls of the Fair, visiting the pavilions of guest country of honor Saudi Arabia, Finland, as well as special zones including finance, provincial-level regional promotions, and China Investment, interacting with the head of the guest country delegation and representatives of exhibitors, encouraging them to make good use of the Fair platform, strengthen negotiation and matchmaking, and deepen two-way investment cooperation.

On the afternoon of the 7th, Han Zheng met collectively with representatives of multinational corporations and foreign business associations attending the Fair, stating that economic globalization is unstoppable, hoping that multinational corporations will seize the broad opportunities provided by China's super-large market and the development of new quality productive forces, strengthen confidence in investing in China, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes.

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“China and Egypt, two great civilizations, though far apart, admire each other”（The Path of Great Virtue）

By: 本报记者 宦 翔

On the Giza Plateau west of Cairo, the Egyptian capital, the millennia-spanning pyramid complex and the imposing Grand Egyptian Museum are shining in each other's light from a distance (遥相辉映, yao xiang hui ying - "distant, mutually, reflect, shine"). On the afternoon of September 2 local time, President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, accompanied by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and his wife Entissar, visited the Grand Egyptian Museum. The Egyptian tour guide who provided Chinese-language interpretation for the two heads of state and their spouses was Abbas, whom this newspaper's reporter had interviewed on multiple previous occasions.

"This is the glory of a lifetime, I will never forget it!" On the morning of the 3rd, Abbas again accepted an interview with this newspaper's reporter. Speaking of "serving as tour guide" for the two heads of state and their spouses, his excitement had not yet fully subsided: "Last night I was too excited to sleep, I kept replaying the daytime scenes in my mind."

The colossal statue of Ramses II at the entrance to the exhibition halls of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the stone-carved figures on the staircases, the inscribed columns, the temple pinnacles, the pharaoh's throne, the golden mask, and the royal chariots in the Tutankhamun gallery... Abbas told the reporter: "President Xi Jinping listened very attentively, asked very detailed questions, and displayed profound erudition and broad vision."

"What President Xi Jinping considers is not merely China's own development, but the future of the entire world and all of humanity." Abbas said, "I deeply admire President Xi Jinping, especially the many international initiatives he has put forward in recent years; these initiatives embody his having great foresight and insight (远见卓识, yuan jian zhuo shi -"far, see,卓越, knowledge") and his breadth of vision and pattern. We Chinese often speak of 'pattern' (格局); in my view, President Xi Jinping's pattern is a pattern oriented toward the world, and this is truly remarkable."

Abbas carefully studied the signed article published by President Xi Jinping in Egyptian media, entitled "Weathering Storms Together for Seventy Years, Striving Forward with Great Vigor on a New Journey." Abbas said that this article stands at a high vantage point: it both reviews the millennia-spanning history of exchanges between the two great civilizations of China and Egypt, and summarizes the 70-year course of mutual support, cooperation and win-win progress since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, giving him a deeper understanding of the historical depth and contemporary significance of Egypt-China relations.

Abbas believes that President Xi Jinping's state visit to Egypt again after a decade gap is of great significance for promoting the exchanging and learning from each other (交流互鉴, jiao liu hu jian -"exchange, mutually, learn, examine") of the two great civilizations. Both Egypt and China are ancient civilizations; enhancing civilizational dialogue and people-to-people exchanges will inject momentum into the further deepening of friendly cooperation between the two countries in various fields.

President Xi Jinping has attached great importance to and personally promoted China-Egypt civilizational exchanges and mutual learning. On November 1, 2025, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to Egyptian President el-Sisi, congratulating the opening of the Grand Egyptian Museum. "In the congratulatory letter, President Xi Jinping emphasized that we are pleased to see that the two great ancient civilizations are moving toward each other, and that the peoples of the two countries are increasingly knowing and cherishing each other. President Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter has pointed the way for the two countries to further expand people-to-people exchanges and deepen civilizational dialogue." Abbas said that from the congratulatory letter, the Egyptian people have truly felt China's respect for Egyptian civilization. "We hope that through the Grand Egyptian Museum, more Chinese people can come to understand Egyptian culture." He said, "More and more Chinese tourists are coming to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum, which lets us see a bright future for cultural exchange."

During his first state visit to Egypt in January 2016, President Xi Jinping and President el-Sisi together visited the Luxor Temple, and jointly attended the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Egypt diplomatic relations and the opening ceremony of the 2016 China-Egypt Cultural Year at the Luxor Temple square. Moved by the occasion, the two heads of state stopped six times to take group photos amid the magnificent ancient Egyptian historical architecture. Abbas was then a member of the on-site staff, and this experience left him with a very fresh and vivid memory (记忆犹新, ji yi you xin -"memory, still, new"):"The deep exchanges between the two leaders let me truly feel that the exchange and mutual learning of the two great civilizations is a cause with historical roots and practical foundations."

"As President Xi Jinping pointed out in his signed article published in Egyptian media recently, although the two great civilizations of China and Egypt are far apart geographically, they appreciate each other; the ancient Silk Road spanned millennia, and the footsteps of friendly exchanges have never ceased." Abbas said that Egypt and China are both ancient civilizations with long civilizational histories. The Nile River and the Yangtze River and Yellow River respectively nurtured ancient Egyptian civilization and Chinese civilization. We can find many similarities in agriculture, labor, and living habits.

Amid the resonance of the two great civilizations, what moved Abbas most deeply was the concept of "harmony" (和) that runs descending from the same lineage or tradition (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng -"one, vein, mutually, inherit") through the cultures of both countries. "When I was learning Chinese, I had a very deep feeling: behind every Chinese character hides a particularly profound strength and connotation. Take the character 'harmony' for example:it can closely connect China and Egypt together, and it can also closely connect Chinese civilization and Egyptian civilization together." He said that both Chinese culture and Egyptian culture revere "harmony": "We very much need to bring this concept of 'harmony' to the entire world, to make this world more peaceful and more stable."

President Xi Jinping pointed out in his signed article that the two great ancient civilizations of China and Egypt should promote the view of civilization featuring equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness, practice the Global Civilization Initiative, actively safeguard humanity's cultural heritage, and jointly promote the harmonious coexistence of different civilizations. Abbas believes that this is highly pertinent to current realities. The current international situation is highly complex and multifaceted (纷繁复杂, fen fan fu za -"many, numerous, complex, complicated"), and the world needs to hear more voices about peace, stability, exchange and development. When different peoples, different countries and regions strengthen civilizational exchanges and mutual learning, the world will become more peaceful and more stable. Abbas said that the greatest value of mutual learning among civilizations is building connections. The greatest contemporary value of Chinese culture and Egyptian culture is that they constantly encourage us to connect: first connect with ourselves, then connect with family members, connect with the other party, connect with the country, and even connect with the world.

More than 20 years ago, Abbas chose Chinese as his major when entering university; most of his relatives and friends felt that Chinese was too difficult, but he was determined to learn this language well. From being attracted by Chinese characters to being attracted by Chinese culture, Abbas felt that mastering a foreign language is like "putting a very distant country into one's own heart." He once used Arabic at the Cairo China Cultural Center to introduce China to Egyptian children; now he uses Chinese to introduce Egypt to Chinese tourists, taking them close to the pyramids, the Nile River and Luxor. "Language is a bridge," he said, "mastering a foreign language well helps to connect two countries more easily."

Egypt is one of the earliest countries to participate in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative. In recent years, the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative by China and Egypt has been advancing steadily and deepening, and more and more Egyptian people have personally felt the changes brought by cooperation. When Abbas accepted an interview with this newspaper's reporter in 2023, he exclaimed:"My life has become wonderful because of the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative." Now, accepting an interview with this newspaper's reporter again, he said that this "wonderfulness" belongs not only to himself, but is also reflected in the work and life of more and more ordinary Egyptians. As Egypt-China cooperation continues to deepen, the ties between the two countries in culture, tourism, education and other fields are becoming closer.

"In cultural exchange, we need to do more work and carry out more projects, so that the peoples of the two countries have more opportunities to understand each other." Abbas said he looks forward to more young people from both countries further strengthening exchanges:"Now there are more and more Egyptian young people who can speak Chinese, and more and more Chinese young people who understand Arabic. We should place more hope on the youth, letting them enhance cultural exchange and civilizational mutual learning in their own ways."

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Chinese Wisdom for Improving Global Governance (International Forum)

By: 哈桑·达贾

Faced with an international situation marked by turbulence and transformation, countries need more than ever to uphold dialogue rather than confrontation, cooperation rather than division, and win-win outcomes rather than zero-sum games.

Global governance is a common cause bearing on human welfare, and building a more just and equitable global governance system is a shared vision that people of all countries are striving earnestly for (孜孜以求, zi zi yi qiu - "zealously seek"). On September 1, 2025, President Xi Jinping solemnly put forward the Global Governance Initiative at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization+" meeting, with the core concepts of upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach, and emphasizing action orientation. This is another major global initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping following the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, and the Global Civilization Initiative, contributing Chinese wisdom and proposing Chinese solutions to reforming and improving global governance.

At present, the world has entered a new period of turbulence and transformation, and the cause of human peace and development carries a heavy responsibility and travels a long distance (任重道远, ren zhong dao yuan - "burden, heavy; road, far"). More than 80 years ago, the United Nations was founded, providing a multilateral cooperation platform for countries to handle international affairs through dialogue and consultation, establishing norms of international rule of law, and initiating entirely new practices of global governance. However, over a period of time, unilateralism, protectionism, and hegemonism have been on the rise, and the peace deficit, development deficit, security deficit, and trust deficit have continued to expand. At the same time, in the face of global challenges such as climate change, food security, public health, artificial intelligence governance, and cybersecurity, the problems of the existing global governance system being ill-suited and ill-matched are becoming increasingly prominent, and various governance deficits continue to accumulate. Global governance is at a critical juncture where it must advance or retreat, and the world needs more than ever to revitalize multilateralism, uphold rules and the rule of law, and enhance governance effectiveness.

Against this backdrop of the times, China has put forward the Global Governance Initiative, committed to promoting the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, which has important practical significance. China has always held that the existing governance system, though imperfect, does not need to be overturned and started over, nor does it need to start something anew from scratch (另起炉灶, ling qi lu zao - "another, start; stove, build"), but should be reformed and improved by advancing with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with, time; together, advance"), focusing on solving the prominent problems of incompatibility, making up governance shortcomings with a developmental perspective, and responding to the call of the times with progressive ideas. In the process of reforming and improving global governance, China firmly upholds the international system centered on the United Nations, upholds the international order based on international law, and upholds the basic norms of international relations based on the purposes and principles of the UN Charter. This position clearly demonstrates that China advocates and practices true multilateralism, insisting that global affairs are discussed and decided jointly by all countries, that the governance system is built jointly by all countries, and that governance outcomes are shared jointly by all countries.

The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind put forward by China profoundly reveals the objective reality that countries of the world are interconnected in destiny, sharing joys and sorrows together (休戚与共, xiu qi yu gong - "joy, sorrow; and, together"). In the face of intricately intertwined and complicated (盘根错节, pan gen cuo jie - "entangled, roots; complex, joints") global challenges, no country can mind only one's own interests or stay out of trouble (独善其身, du shan qi shen - "alone, improve; one's, body"), nor can any country resolve all difficulties by its own strength alone. Only by building consensus through dialogue, resolving differences through consultation, seeking win-win outcomes through cooperation, and continuously expanding the convergence of common interests can the international community form a powerful synergy for addressing global challenges.

Enhancing the representation and voice of the vast number of developing countries is an important component of global governance reform. The collective rise of the Global South is an important manifestation of the progress and development of human society, and an important force for seeking peace, pursuing development, and promoting cooperation. However, for a long time, the representation and voice of the vast number of developing countries in the global governance system have not been fully guaranteed, and reforms in areas such as international financial institutions have lagged behind, constraining the fairness and effectiveness of global governance. International affairs should listen more to the aspirations of the Global South, fully unleash the role of the Global South, and promote greater respect for the development rights, discourse rights, and decision-making rights of developing countries. This process will make the global governance system more dynamic, more effective, and more promising.

China's thinking on global governance is rooted in the profound heritage of Chinese civilization. Chinese culture advocates seeking harmony while respecting differences (和而不同, he er bu tong - "harmony, but; not, same"), bringing all nations into harmony (协和万邦, xie he wan bang - "harmonize, all, nations"), and pursues unity of knowledge and action (知行合一, zhi xing he yi - "knowledge, practice, combine, one"), seeking common ground while reserving differences. Applying these ancient civilizational wisdoms to contemporary international relations practice brings profound inspiration for solving global problems. Countries with different social systems, different cultural backgrounds, and different stages of development should respect each other and cooperate on an equal footing. Differences should not become an excuse for conflict, but should become a driving force for exchange, mutual learning, and common progress.

Global governance bears on the common and long-term interests of the people of all countries, and concerns the future and destiny of mankind. Faced with an international situation marked by turbulence and transformation, countries need more than ever to uphold dialogue rather than confrontation, cooperation rather than division, and win-win outcomes rather than zero-sum games. As an active participant, contributor, and builder in global governance, China advocates and practices true multilateralism, promotes the building of a community with a shared future for mankind, continuously contributes Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to improving global governance, and injects valuable stability and positive energy into a turbulent and changing world

(The author is a professor at the University of Jordan, named after Hussein bin Talal)

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"Kyrgyzstan-China Relations at Their Best Period in History"

By: 本报记者 李 强

"The current Kyrgyzstan-China relationship is at its best period in history." Sheraldi Bakytgulov, director of the Kyrgyzstan Institute of World Politics, recently said in an interview with our reporter that, under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, Kyrgyzstan-China political mutual trust continues to deepen, and both sides are jointly committed to a comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era of high-quality development, jointly building a Kyrgyzstan-China community with a shared future of friendly relations with neighboring countries (睦邻友好, mu lin you hao - "neighbor, friendly, friend, good") and shared prosperity, and practical cooperation in various fields between the two countries continues to achieve new results.

Bakytgulov believes that the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Bishkek Summit further strengthened political mutual trust among member states, provided impetus for regional stability and development, and created opportunities for further deepening Kyrgyzstan-China cooperation. The cooperation space between Kyrgyzstan and China in industry, energy, digital economy, and other fields is broad.

"In recent years, Kyrgyzstan-China economic and trade cooperation has developed rapidly, and China has become one of the most important trading partners of Kyrgyzstan." Bakytgulov said that the fields of cooperation between the two sides continue to expand, gradually extending from traditional economic and trade cooperation to emerging fields such as renewable energy, artificial intelligence, and digital economy. The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway is being accelerated, irrigation system renovation, photovoltaic power station, and other cooperation projects continue to advance, from large highway infrastructure to livelihood projects such as waste-to-energy power generation, the fruits of cooperation between the two countries are increasingly abundant. "Building roads through complex mountainous areas has improved connections between various regions of Kyrgyzstan, energy projects help alleviate electricity shortages, and social facilities such as schools and hospitals directly affect people's lives." He believes that more and more cooperation projects are being transformed into tangible and accessible results (可感可及, ke gan ke ji - "can, feel, can, reach") of development for local people.

Talking about the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, Bakytgulov believes that this project will bring far-reaching impact on Kyrgyzstan's economic development and regional connectivity. For Kyrgyzstan, which is located in the heart of Central Asia with numerous mountains, improving transportation infrastructure will help the country further unleash its development potential and play a greater role in the transportation network connecting Asia and Europe. "This railway is a 'major transportation artery' carrying the development hopes of the people of the region, and will further improve the Eurasian continent's transportation network, opening up more convenient transportation corridors for regional countries." Bakytgulov said, "After the railway is completed and put into operation, it will inject impetus into Kyrgyzstan's industrial development and trade growth, and create a large number of employment opportunities."

In Bakytgulov's view, transportation logistics, green energy, digitalization, smart technology, and others will become the most promising directions for future Kyrgyzstan-China cooperation, especially in the agricultural field, where the prospects for cooperation in the application of new technologies between the two countries are broad. "The cooperation between the two countries in the field of the Digital Silk Road deserves key attention." Bakytgulov said that the two sides can further improve the efficiency of port clearance and improve the cooperation mechanism for cross-border trade.

Bakytgulov stated that people-to-people exchanges are an important component of the Kyrgyzstan-China relationship. Enhancing mutual trust between the people is an important foundation for deepening cooperation between countries. As cooperation in various fields between the two countries continues to deepen, people-to-people exchanges between the two countries will also continue to deepen. Continuously enhancing mutual understanding and people-to-people friendship will lay a more solid social foundation for the long-term stable development of Kyrgyzstan-China relations.

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Wang Yi Holds Talks with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter Wan Qianyi) Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, held talks in Beijing on September 8 with Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed.

Wang Yi stated that, in recent years, under the strategic guidance of the heads of state of the two countries, the China-Qatar strategic partnership has made steady and significant progress (长足进展, chang zu jin zhan - "long, foot, progress"). The two sides should consolidate and expand cooperation in traditional energy and new energy, and strengthen cooperation in areas such as investment, high technology, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges. China is willing to maintain communication and coordination with the Qatari side on international and regional affairs.

Mohammed conveyed the sincere greetings of Emir Tamim to President Xi Jinping, stating that the Qatari side adheres to the one-China principle, will give priority to ensuring China's energy supply, and supports the series of global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping.

The two sides conducted an in-depth exchange of views on the situation in the Middle East and the Gulf region.

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Li Ganjie Meets with Mongolian Democratic Party Delegation

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) Li Ganjie, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee, met in Beijing on the 8th with a delegation of the Mongolian People's Party led by its party chairman, Tsogtgerel.

Li Ganjie stated that, recently, President Xi Jinping held a successful meeting with President Ukhnaagiin Khürelsükh, drawing a new blueprint for China-Mongolia relations. China is willing to work together with Mongolia to jointly implement the important consensus of the two heads of state, firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests, deepen the alignment of development strategies and cooperation, expand friendly exchanges, and promote the building of a China-Mongolia community with a shared future.

Tsogtgerel stated that the Democratic Party adheres to the one-China principle and looks forward to strengthening inter-party exchanges with China and promoting the healthy and stable development of Mongolia-China relations.

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Li Shulei Meets with Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chairman of the Theoretical Council of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) On September 8, Li Shulei, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and head of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee, met in Beijing with Nguyen Xuan Thang, Chairman of the Theoretical Council of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam.

Li Shulei stated that in April this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping reached a series of new and important common understandings with General Secretary To Lam, who was visiting China. The two sides must jointly implement the common understandings of the top leaders of the two Parties, deeply carry out exchanging and learning from each other (交流互鉴, jiaoliu hujian - "exchange, mutual learn") on theories and experiences of Party governance and state governance, and promote the building of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future of higher standards and strategic significance.

Nguyen Xuan Thang stated that the Vietnamese side is willing to study and draw on the historical experience of the Chinese Communist Party leading the Chinese people through the century-long process and Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and jointly promote the continuous development of the socialist cause of both countries.

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Fifth China–Pacific Island Countries Ministerial Dialogue on Law-Enforcement Capacity and Police Cooperation Held

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter Zhang Tianpei) The fifth China–Pacific Island Countries Ministerial Dialogue on Law-Enforcement Capacity and Police Cooperation was held in Beijing on the 8th. State Councilor and Minister of Public Security Wang Xiaohong and Vanuatu Minister of Internal Affairs Napuat served as co-chairs.

In his keynote speech, Wang Xiaohong pointed out that, since the establishment of the ministerial dialogue mechanism for China–Pacific Island Countries law-enforcement capacity and police cooperation four years ago, the foundation of mutual trust between the two sides has been continuously consolidated, training and exchanges have deepened and been substantively advanced, law-enforcement cooperation has been practical and effective, and police hearts and people's hearts have come to know and connect with each other, playing a positive role in promoting regional prosperity, stability, and development.

Wang Xiaohong stated that the Chinese side is willing to work together with all parties, conscientiously implement the important consensus reached by President Xi Jinping and leaders of Pacific Island Countries, actively practice the four global initiatives, deepen the construction of the ministerial dialogue mechanism, adhere to tailoring measures to each country's conditions and expand training fields, adhere to a demand-oriented approach and improve the quality and effectiveness of cooperation, adhere to learning from each other (互学互鉴, hu xue hu jian - "each learn, each refer to") and weave close police-heart bonds, adhere to openness and inclusiveness and strengthen multilateral cooperation, strive to achieve more practical results, and make greater contributions to building a China–Pacific Island Countries community with a shared future.

Heads of the delegations of all parties delivered speeches. Secretary General of INTERPOL Urquiza and Director of the UNODC Regional Office for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Schantz were invited to attend and delivered speeches.

On the same day, Wang Xiaohong also separately met with INTERPOL President Philipp, Secretary General Urquiza, and Vanuatu Minister of Internal Affairs Napuat, who had come to China to attend the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang) 2026 Conference.

When separately meeting with Philipp and Urquiza, Wang Xiaohong stated that he is willing to work with INTERPOL to further elevate the level of practical cooperation, improve the global system for combating and governing telecom fraud crimes within the framework of international law, and join hands to successfully host the 94th INTERPOL General Assembly to be held in Hong Kong. Philipp and Urquiza stated that INTERPOL firmly adheres to the one-China principle, supports the construction of the Global Public Security Cooperation Forum (Lianyungang),, appreciates the important contributions made by the Chinese side in combating telecommunications network fraud crimes, and thanks the Chinese side for the fruitful work done in hosting the 94th INTERPOL General Assembly.

When meeting with Napuat, Wang Xiaohong stated that the Chinese side is willing to strengthen exchanges and interactions at all levels with the Vanuatu side, deepen cooperation in fields such as combating illegal immigration and transnational crime, fugitive repatriation and asset recovery, and law-enforcement capacity building, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries. Napuat stated that the Vanuatu side deeply admires the great achievements made in China's development, and is willing to deepen police and law-enforcement cooperation. The two sides signed relevant cooperation documents.

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Peng Qinghua Attends DPRK Embassy Reception Marking 78th Founding Anniversary

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 8) Peng Qinghua, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, attended on the 8th a reception held by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Embassy in China to mark the 78th anniversary of the founding of the DPRK. In a warm and friendly atmosphere, Peng Qinghua and Ri Ryong-nam, DPRK Ambassador to China, respectively delivered remarks, and both sides agreed that they will implement and carry out the consensus reached by the top leaders of the two parties and the two countries, and promote the high-level development of China-DPRK relations.

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China's Fourth Batch of Emergency Aid Supplies Arrives in Nepal

On the afternoon of the 8th, China's fourth batch of emergency aid supplies to Nepal was delivered to Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, by a Chinese Air Force Y-20 large transport aircraft. The photo shows Nepalese staff loading and unloading the aid supplies.

Photo by Li Mo, People's Daily reporter

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Liu Haixing Leads CPC Delegation on Visits to Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan

(Xinhua News Agency, Baku, September 8) From September 5 to 8, Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the CPC Central Committee, led a delegation of the Communist Party of China on a visit to Uzbekistan and Azerbaijan, meeting respectively with Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, leaders of the Senate and Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis and the ruling party, Azerbaijani Prime Minister Ali Asadov and Deputy Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party Tahir Budagov, and participating in the "Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the World" Central Asia special seminar and the China–Central Asia political party dialogue thematic session, attending the unveiling ceremony of the China Research Center and the China Book House at the Academy of Public Administration under the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, thoroughly publicizing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important thought, and exchanging views on issues of common concern.

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16th China-Mongolia Press Forum Held in Hohhot

(People's Daily, Hohhot, September 8) (Reporter Zhang Peng) The 16th China-Mongolia Press Forum, co-hosted by the All-China Journalists Association and the Mongolian Journalists Association, and organized by the Information Office of the People's Government of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, was held on the 8th in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

The forum was held under the theme "Media Responsibility: Enhancing Mutual Understanding and Friendship Between the Peoples of the Two Countries." Cui Shixin, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of the All-China Journalists Association, said in his address that since its inception, the China-Mongolia Press Forum has, through more than 10 years of dedicated development, established itself as a regular, important platform for communication and dialogue between the press circles of the two countries. Generation after generation of journalists have here been exchanging and learning from each other (交流互鉴, jiaoliu hujian - "exchange, mutually learn") and working together toward a common goal (携手同行, xie shou tong xing - "hold hands, walk together"), continuously drawing closer the hearts of the peoples of the two countries, and it has become a distinctive brand that helps the China-Mongolia comprehensive strategic partnership achieve long-term, steady progress (行稳致远, xing wen zhi yuan - "walk steadily, reach far") and promotes the bonding of hearts between the two sides.

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Carrying Forward the Long March Spirit, Forging Ahead on the Journey of Rejuvenation — Reporters Retrace the Long March Route Interview Tour Launched

(People's Daily, Yudu, Jiangxi, September 8) (Reporters Zhao E'na, Jin Zhengbo) This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. The themed interview tour, "Carrying Forward the Long March Spirit, Forging Ahead on the Journey of Rejuvenation — Reporters Retrace the Long March Route," organized by the Central Propaganda Department, was launched on the 8th.

According to introductions, the themed interview route mainly follows the route once taken by the First Front Army of the Red Army, while also covering the march routes of the Second Front Army, the Fourth Front Army, and the Twenty-Fifth Army, mainly spanning 15 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities directly under the Central Government, including Jiangxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Chongqing, Yunnan, Sichuan, Qinghai, Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Ningxia, and Shaanxi. The themed interview will deeply excavate red historical resources, revisit the magnificent course of hardship and glory during the Red Army's Long March, showcase the tremendous changes that have taken place along the Long March route over the past 90 years, and guide the broad masses of cadres and the people to inherit and carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era.

At the same time, the National Radio and Television Administration will organize national radio and television media to coordinate the launch of the all-media report, "Passing on the Torch from One Generation to the Next — Our Long March Stories."

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Industrial Heartland’s Green Rebirth ( Neighborhood Battle to Protect the Soil)

By: 魏 国

Opening Column Remarks

General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "We must fully implement the action plan for preventing and controlling soil pollution, strengthen efforts in key regions, industries, and pollutants, intensify the control, remediation, and restoration of soil pollution, effectively guard against risks, and ensure that the people can eat with confidence and live with peace of mind."

Since the arrival of the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has made the construction of ecological civilization a fundamental plan bearing on the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, and our country has continued to deepen the battle to safeguard clean soil, bringing about fundamental changes in the quality of the nation's soil environment.

Beginning today, this newspaper launches the integrated reporting column "The Battle to Safeguard Clean Soil at Our Doorstep," which, through multiple forms such as image solicitation, interviews with knowledgeable online influencers, on-site visits by reporters, and firsthand accounts from those who experienced it, vividly reflects the practical power of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and demonstrates the remarkable achievements of the battle to safeguard clean soil.

Every time I walk into the Green Heart Forest Park in the subcenter of Beijing, I cannot help but recall what it once looked like. At that time, this place was still the Dongfang Chemical Plant. The towering installations, the crisscrossing pipelines, the rumbling workshops, carried the industrial memories of a generation and also bore witness to the glorious course of the capital's industrial development.

With the construction of Beijing's subcenter, the Dongfang Chemical Plant ceased production, and this piece of land was also to usher in a new life. When we took over this "examination question," what we thought about was not "how to build a park," but rather "how to let the land breathe again." We know well that every tree about to be planted is a green foundation for the future life of the citizens; every inch of soil beneath our feet harbors the green code of urban development.

Ecological restoration most abhors "large-scale demolition and construction." Faced with this chemically contaminated site, we chose to respect the laws of nature and, through systematic investigation, precise assessment, and categorized measures, enabled the land to be safely utilized and allowed the ecology to gradually recover. In the middle of the park, a 78-hectare "ecological conservation core" has been established, with both soft and hard isolation, harnessing the power of nature to achieve ecological restoration and the succession of biological communities.

Gradually, wildlife that had once vanishing without a trace (销声匿迹, xiao sheng ni ji - "disappear, sound, hide, traces") began flourishing and multiplying (繁衍生息, fan sheng er xi - "multiply, give birth, grow, live") here, and now more than 70 species of wildlife have made their home in the "ecological conservation core." The concentration of negative oxygen ions has reached an annual average of 3,700 per cubic centimeter, far exceeding the standard for fresh air negative oxygen ion concentration set by the World Health Organization.

Looking back on the construction process of the Green Heart Forest Park in the subcenter of Beijing, the word "difficult" was truly genuine. This project is a pioneering typical case of risk control for chemically contaminated sites after the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Prevention and Control of Soil Pollution" took effect in January 2019; supporting detailed rules and technical standards were almost nonexistent, and the construction period was extremely tight.

But we were not alone. With the support of the municipal party committee and municipal government and under the technical guidance of industry experts, we repeatedly demonstrated and innovatively established a"3+1" risk control system comprising ecological isolation, ecological restoration, dynamic assessment, and emergency response. Innovation was not easy, and advancing it was not easy either. At that time, the park area was being demolished every day, and the roads were changing every day. The first thing our colleagues did every morning was to ask in the group chat about that day's survey route; walking 30,000 steps a day was a common occurrence.

Today's Green Heart Forest Park in the subcenter of Beijing features lush trees, clear lakes, and a multitude of birds. Children chase and play on the lawns, elderly people stroll along the tree-shaded paths, and young people jog and cycle by the lakeside. These ordinary yet warm scenes of life make us feel that ecological restoration is of great significance.

The best renewal is when the land regains its breath, when ecology and humanity coexist harmoniously. We will continue to uphold respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature, so that more sleeping land awakens and more green becomes a well-being easily within reach (触手可及, chu shou ke ji - "touch, hand, can, reach") for the people.

(The author is Secretary of the Party Branch and Director of Beijing Beikong Ecological Environment Co., Ltd.; compiled and organized by Wang Haonan and Wang Pingping, reporters of this newspaper)

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Let people, nature, and cities coexist in harmony (Reporter's Notes)

By: 王昊男

A former industrial heartland is now lush with vegetation — this is not merely a change in the land, but a profound practice concerning ecological restoration and concerning the relationship between humanity and nature.

In carrying out ecological reconstruction on industrial heritage sites, the greatest challenge lies in breaking free from inertial thinking. In the past, we were accustomed to using engineering means to control pollution, whereas the approach of the City Green Heart Forest Park is to "let nature take its course." By constructing an "ecological conservation core," utilizing the synergistic action of plants' natural metabolism and soil microorganisms, the land is enabled to complete its own purification through its own vitality. This "near-natural" restoration approach is both an awakening of the ecosystem and a return of the land to its function of nurturing life.

Using the power of nature to restore the ecology, the exploration of the City Green Heart Forest Park allows us to see a new path toward achieving harmonious coexistence among humanity, nature, and the city.

This piece of land was once a contaminated plot that people sought to avoid at all costs (避之不及, bi zhi bu ji -"avoid, that, not, reach"), but now it has become a sanctuary for numerous species of organisms, becoming a fine destination where citizens can delight in the beauty of nature and the beauty of ecology. The return of more than 70 species of wild animals marks the reconstruction of the food chain, meaning that the soil and water bodies have undergone fundamental improvement. In this process, humanity, nature, and the city have become a community of shared life.

The rebirth of this land is also a microcosm of Beijing's ecological civilization construction, vividly interpreting the green development philosophy, allowing people to share green benefits in the city, allowing the city to grow tall amid greenery.

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Photo Report

A recent photo shows the former site of the East Gate Ferry on the Yudu River in Jiangxi, one of the ferries where the Central Red Army gathered and set out on the Long March to cross the river. In the distance, tall buildings stand in clusters, and the trees are luxuriant and lush vegetation (郁郁葱葱, yu yu cong cong - "lush, verdant, dense"). The passing of time and changing eras (岁月更迭, sui yue geng die -"years, change, replace"), mountains and rivers take on a new look; the once-impoverished old revolutionary base area has now become a hotbed of high-quality development.

Photo by Liu Xiaoqiang (刘小强(People's Vision))

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Gyirong will not stop (On-site · Special Report)

By: 本报记者 琼达卓嘎

September 8  Clear

Waking at dawn, the sky had cleared.

After many consecutive days following the rescue operations for interviews, my nerves had been stretched taut.

There is much I want to say, yet at times I do not know where to begin. In 2015, I had just started working, and my first business trip was to Gyirong Town. At that time, I carried a camera and walked back and forth through the town, feeling that this place was very beautiful. I never expected that this time I would meet it again in such a manner — it is truly an unforgettable experience in my life.

The day before the disaster struck, I happened to be staying in Gyirong Town. That evening, walking along the town's streets, I could not help but marvel at the prosperity and bustle here. The shops along the street had their lights on, vehicles came and went on the road, people's faces carried smiles, and the air was filled with the aroma of food. I kept saying to those walking with me: "This place is so lively."

Yet the disaster came happening suddenly and unexpectedly (突如其来, tu ru qi lai - "suddenly, arrive, come"), and sorrow descended in an instant. These past ten-plus days, rescue personnel from all directions (四面八方, si mian ba fang - "four, sides, eight, directions") have been rushing about here, keeping watch, and passing the baton in relay.

At the "Heavenly Tibet" themed post office in town, I picked out a postcard; in the image, the national gate appeared especially solemn beneath the blue sky. On the back of the postcard, I wrote a line: "When Gyirong becomes lively and bustling once more, I will come see you again."

Before leaving, I went once more to National Highway 216. Ten-plus days ago, rescue vehicles had driven past here one after another. Now the rain has stopped, the rescue vehicles are still here, and the rescue personnel are still busy at work. As long as these figures remain, Gyirong will not come to a halt, and the once-bustling life will also return.

When that day comes, I will come again to take a look. Just as before the disaster struck, I will stand at the street corner and say: "This place is so lively."

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“只要有意义，就要全力以赴”（在现场·特别报道）

By: 本报记者 徐驭尧

In the early morning, the lights in the hotel lobby were still on. Liu Ting stood guard over a pile of supplies, constantly looking toward the door.

Before long, the firefighters who had been on the front line of rescue came back one after another, covered in mud, their clothes soaked through. Liu Ting hurried forward to meet them, handing them water, food, and other supplies.

Scenes like this have played out almost every day recently. Liu Ting is a Western Plan volunteer working in Gyirong County, Tibet. After graduating from university this year, she came from Qiqihar, Heilongjiang, to Tibet, and had been on the job for less than a month. At noon on August 26, she rushed to Gyirong Town, becoming the first batch of volunteers to arrive — and the only woman among them.

At first, she applied to go to the front line, but because she had no professional skills, she could not go, and could only stay behind to do logistics: moving supplies, setting up rooms, distributing raincoats and thermal underwear. Later, she also packed boxed meals in the dining hall and delivered them to villages and other places. Box after box of supplies had to be sorted out clearly, and several hundred meals had to be delivered without a single one missing. She said: "When everyone is at their busiest, one must not add to the chaos — one must lend a hand wherever possible."

Around her were a group of peers her age. Fellow volunteer Chen Jiaxin had traveled seven and a half hours from Nyalam County to provide support; volunteer Deqing Yangzom stood in the resettlement site holding up her phone, using the Nepali she had just learned on the spot to greet stranded migrant workers; still other volunteers filmed their own day, letting more people understand the situation on the front line.

"As long as it is meaningful, one must give one's all to it." In these more than 10 days in Gyirong Town, Liu Ting has not stood at the very front line of rescue, but neither has she taken a single step back. "When I look back in the future, this period as a volunteer will become an unforgettable memory of my youth."

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Confidence in Restarting Life Keeps Growing ( Reporter's Notes)

By: 鲜 敢

More than ten days after the disaster struck, the search-and-rescue effort in the border-gate area of Gyirong Port continues, while the rhythm of daily life in Gyirong Town is gradually being restored.

Around noon, on a whim, I stepped into Luolin Restaurant. This is a well-known internet-famous restaurant in the town, where ordinarily quite a few local residents and tourists come to dine and check in.

Laba, who runs a specialty-products shop nearby, came to the restaurant as usual and ordered a set meal — beef curry with a distinctly Nepalese character. Many of the restaurant's waitstaff and cooks are Nepalese-border-area residents. In these days, besides government workers making door-to-door visits, offering comfort and checking on people's wellbeing, neighbors from the surrounding streets have also all come by to offer their regards.

The Sale Township residents who had previously been housed in Gyirong Town all returned yesterday. On the Ethnic Unity Square, residents sit in small groups or scattered bits (三三两两, san san liang liang - "three, three, two, two"), talking in low voices about their plans for the future. The impact brought by the disaster will not dissipate so quickly, but the confidence in restarting life is steadily growing.

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Expanding Quality and Raising Standards: Opening a New Chapter in High-Quality Basic Education Development

By: 本报记者 吴 丹

"We must adapt to the people's new expectations, advance the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education, and firmly hold the bottom line of educational equity."

——In July 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important instructions on basic education work, emphasizing

On a September morning, at Dieshi School in Fuding City, Fujian Province. On the colored running track, children were already exercising. In the teaching building, the large screen of the "Shared Classroom" awaited activation. Principal Chen Shidi sighed with emotion: "Our rural school's buildings are new, our teachers are more numerous, and some children who previously went to the city for schooling have also returned."

To build a strong country in education, the foundation lies in basic education.

In July this year, the National Conference on Basic Education Work was held in Beijing,at which the important instructions made by General Secretary Xi Jinping on basic education work were conveyed. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized:"Fully implement the Party's education policy,and fulfill the fundamental task of cultivating virtue and nurturing people (立德树人, li de shu ren -"establish, virtue, nurture, person")""We must adapt to the people's new expectations, advance the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education,and firmly hold the bottom line of educational equity."

On September 9, 2016, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Beijing Bayi School,he emphasized:"Basic education occupies a foundational and pioneering position in the national education system; we must grasp its positioning correctly, fully implement the Party's education policy, adopt measures from multiple aspects,and strive to make China's basic education better and better."

Earnest entrustments, guiding the direction. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has treated basic education as foundational and pioneering work, taking multiple measures simultaneously (多措并举, duo cuo bing ju -"many, measures, together, lift") to promote the long-term development of basic education, providing strong support for building a strong country in education.

Holding the bottom line of equity, basic education advances with firm steps.

The gross enrollment rate in preschool education is 92.90%, the consolidation rate of nine-year compulsory education is 96.10%, and the gross enrollment rate in senior high school education is 92.00%... These solid figures are historic achievements China, as a country with a large population, has made in basic education.

From having a place to study to studying well, from scale expansion to quality improvement, basic education actively responds to the era's mission of running education to the satisfaction of the people.

Starting from the fall semester of 2025, the policy of waiving childcare and education fees for the year before primary school entry was implemented, benefiting over 14 million children; teacher exchange and rotation, group-based school operation, and other measures continuously narrow the educational gap between urban and rural areas and between schools; the mechanisms guaranteeing education for children of migrant workers and school-age children with disabilities are increasingly sound.

Cultivating new talents of the era, basic education plants roots and casts the soul.

Only when roots are planted deep can branches and trunks stand straight. Promoting Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into textbooks, into classrooms, and into minds, systematically improving the curriculum standards of ideological and political courses in primary and secondary schools, and launching pilot reforms for the integrated development of ideological and political courses across universities, middle schools, and primary schools; building over 1,200 practical teaching bases for ideological and political courses in primary and secondary schools, forming a large number of "walking ideological and political courses" and "ideological and political courses in venues" brands.

In Huining, Gansu Province, university, middle school, and primary school students attend the same "great ideological and political course," using the great spirit of the Long March to light the flame of faith; in Tongliang, Chongqing,"Shaoyun ideological and political" premium courses guide students to comprehend the spirit of heroes and cultivate deep feelings for family and country... The "great ideological and political course" has become the solid soil in which batch after batch of new talents of the era are growing up robustly and healthy (茁壮成长, zhuo zhuang cheng zhang -"sturdy, vigorous, grow, up").

Promoting comprehensive development, the background color of basic education shines even brighter.

Promote the cultivation of new talents of the era capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation. General Secretary Xi Jinping made it clear that "basic education is the cause of cultivating virtue and nurturing people," instructed that"we must adapt to the people's new expectations, advance the expansion of quality and improvement of basic education," urged that"we must follow the laws of education and implement the educational concept of health first," and emphasized"perfecting the comprehensive cultivation system of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education (德智体美劳, de zhi ti mei lao -"virtue, wisdom, physical, beauty, labor").

The changes in the curriculum schedule are most intuitive. Beijing issued the "Eight Measures for Physical Education" for primary and secondary schools, putting an end to "lecture-style" physical education classes and those in which students "do not break a sweat"; Shandong comprehensively popularized artificial intelligence general education in primary and secondary schools, supporting schools with conditions to offer expanded elective courses; Hunan integrated aesthetic education concepts into the teaching reform of various subjects, making classes "beautiful"... The educational ecosystem for the comprehensive development of moral, intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and labor education is increasingly improved.

Facing the future, basic education must further consolidate the foundation of a strong country in education.

Teachers are the fundamental basis of education (立教之本, li jiao zhi ben -"establish, teaching, possess, root") and the source of thriving education.

In Zhoushan, Zhejiang Province, post-90s teacher Shen Mengwei responded to the cross-island teacher rotation policy, bringing the bridge of urban-rural scientific and educational exchange to the faces of island students. In Yushu, Qinghai Province, specially-appointed teacher Wang Xuelian has held fast to the lectern at an altitude of 3,700 meters, teaching knowledge,and even more so, hope.

Looking at the whole country, the "National Training Program" has deepened its reform, the"Special Post Program" has expanded steadily, the"National Excellence Program" has advanced through pilots, and the"Silver Age Lecture Program" has brought veteran teachers back to the classroom, enabling more children to encounter good teachers at their doorsteps and attend every class well.

Upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground, shaping new advantages for basic education.

The recently issued "Education Development '15th Five-Year Plan'" places "comprehensively improving the quality and level of public education services" in an important position, proposing the"foundation point" plan for basic education: building over 1,000 high-quality ordinary senior high schools, implementing a new round of work to improve weak links in compulsory education and enhance capacity, and incorporating special education into compulsory courses for normal university students...

In General Secretary Xi Jinping's heart, every child is a hope that must not be let down. This hope flows in the clear voices of children and blooms on their bright smiling faces.

Basic education, in serving the building of a modernized strong country and serving the comprehensive development of the people, has great potential for achievement (大有可为, da you ke wei -"greatly, possess, can, do") and can achieve great things (大有作为, da you zuo wei -"greatly, possess, act, do"). When every child can enjoy fair and quality education, Chinese modernization will have a profound and enduring talent support.

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Enlightening Minds, Carrying Forward the Spirit of Educators, and Serving as Guides for Students

By: 本报记者 丁雅诵 门杰伟

"We must carry forward the spirit of the great educators, strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and teacher conduct, and cultivate and build a high-quality, professional teaching force."

——In July 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction on foundational education work, emphasizing this point.

At Jilin University's Chaoyang Campus, the new memorial hall for Huang Danian was completed not long ago. In the exhibition hall, Huang Danian's "People's Educator" honorary certificate and medal lie quietly on display, beside them his handwritten schedule, every day packed densely full.

In 2017, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction on Comrade Huang Danian's advanced deeds, emphasizing the need to "integrate the passion for loving the country and the aspiration to serve the country into the great cause of the motherland's reform and development, and into the great struggle of the people creating history".

These earnest expectations have taken firm root and flourishing (落地生根, luo di sheng gen - "fall, land; grow, root"). That same year, the Ministry of Education launched the nationwide creation activity of Huang Danian-style teacher teams in colleges and universities, with the first batch of 201 teacher teams recognized, coming from 200 universities, covering all academic disciplines and provinces in the eastern, central, and western regions.

In 2021, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back to encourage representatives of the nationwide Huang Danian-style teacher teams in colleges and universities, urging them to "cultivate virtue and cultivate oneself, devote oneself wholeheartedly to scholarship, blaze new trails with innovation, truly unify learning, doing, and being, and serve well as guides for students' growth".

The spirit is passed on through relay. "Revitalize China — this is the responsibility of our generation," this is a phrase Huang Danian often said, and it is also the mission and responsibility deeply rooted in the hearts of countless educators.

At Harbin Institute of Technology, Tan Jiubin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, leads the ultra-precision instrumentation technology innovation team, contending "every milli- and pico-meter" at the nano- and pico-meter scale, having deeply cultivated this field for over 30 years, progressing from technological catch-up to international leadership;at Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications, Zhang Ping, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, leads his team to build the world's first 6G outdoor field test network, anchoring a self-controllable technological application system, going all-out to tackle key problems.

At present, three batches totaling 591 national Huang Danian-style teacher teams in colleges and universities have been recognized, and the fourth batch of 200 teams is currently being created. The vast majority of college and university teachers stand firmly at the three-foot podium, transforming the lofty spirit of "having the great nation in one's heart, serving the country with utmost sincerity" into vivid lessons for fostering virtue through education, and into vivid practice for accelerating the construction of an educational powerhouse, a scientific and technological powerhouse, anda talent powerhouse.

One role model illuminates a corner of the world; one team supports the future of education.

"Vigorously carry forward the spirit of the great educators," "strive to become 'four-have' good teachers satisfactory to the Party and the people," "become great masters who serve as models for students in learning, doing, and being"……General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest expectations for the teaching force confer a lofty mission upon the people's teachers in the new era, and point the way for the construction of the teaching force in the new era.

Top-level design, erecting pillars and beams.

The Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the Planning Outline for Building a Strong Educational Nation (2024—2035), planning the overall situation and clarifying the path; the Opinions on Carrying Forward the Spirit of the Great Educators and Strengthening the Construction of a High-Quality, Professional Teaching Force in the New Era made comprehensive arrangements, establishing norms and introducing practical measures;the Ministry of Education and seven other departments issued the Plan for Strengthening Teachers in Foundational Education in the New Era, strengthening the foundation and shoring up weaknesses……

Document after document provides a powerful engine for the construction of a high-level teaching force, and 18.7 million teachers have become the key foundational force for fostering virtue through education.

Strengthening teachers with empowerment, improving quality and increasing efficiency.

This summer, more than 560 "Excellent Teacher Plan" graduates from Beijing Normal University set out in full gear, heading for county-level primary and secondary schools in 17 provinces in the central and western regions. At the departure ceremony, the students recited in unison the sonorous oath "with the nation as one's aspiration, with teaching as one's calling". They will, in the places where the motherland needs them most, light up the dreams of countless children.

The "Excellent Teacher Plan" annually cultivates normal students on a targeted basis for primary and secondary schools in 832 counties that have shaken off poverty and in land border counties in the central and western regions; public-funded education for normal students at universities directly under the ministry has been elevated from the undergraduate level to the graduate level;the "National Training Plan" targets its efforts precisely, focusing on teacher training in ideological and political education, music, sports, fine arts, labor, mental health, and science education;the "Action to Empower Teacher Development with Digitalization" has been launched and implemented……

From cultivation to training, from tradition to digitalization, the vast majority of teachers temper their skills, sharpen their original aspirations, and achieve a dual improvement in both educational capability and comprehensive quality.

Respecting teachers and benefiting teachers, warm-hearted support and protection.

Continue to consolidate the achievement that the average salary income level of compulsory education teachers is not lower than that of local civil servants; build a housing security system for rural teachers combining "rental allocation + sale allocation"; improve the differentiated subsidy and incentive mechanism for rural teachers, benefiting more than 1.2 million rural teachers every year……The warmth of respecting teachers and valuing education is transformed into tangible support.

At the same time, a campaign to reduce burdens — aimed at returning time to teachers and letting education return to its essence — is being solidly advanced in various places: establishing an assessment and review system for the consistency between documents issued by the education system and teacher burden reduction, carrying out special rectification of social affairs entering campuses, implementing"whitelist" management, and resolutely curbing unrelated affairs from entering campuses……

Action after action to consolidate the foundation has become the driving force for the vast majority of teachers to forge ahead with determination. More and more teachers teach with peace of mind, teach with enthusiasm, teach with comfort, teach with tranquility, experiencing happiness in their posts, a sense of achievement in their careers, anda sense of honor in society.

"We must carry forward the spirit of the great educators, strengthen the construction of teacher ethics and teacher conduct, and cultivate and build a high-quality, professional teaching force." On the new journey, the people's teachers of the new era practice these instructions, serve well as the dream-builders of the"dream team", and are making new contributions to the great cause of building a strong nation and achieving national rejuvenation.

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Comrade Zhang Xuwu Passes Away

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, September 7) Comrade Zhang Xuwu, an outstanding leader of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, a close friend of the Communist Party of China, and Executive Vice Chairman of the Seventh and Eighth Sessions of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (at ministerial level), died of illness in Beijing on September 3, 2026, at the age of 98.

After Comrade Zhang Xuwu's passing, leading comrades of the Central Committee expressed condolences in various ways and extended sympathy to his family members.

Zhang Xuwu, born in March 1928, a native of Nantong, Jiangsu Province, was a person without party affiliation.He joined the revolutionary work in February 1949.From 1950 to 1979, he successively served as technician, section chief, and engineer at the textile factory of Jiamusi City, Heilongjiang Province.From 1979 to 1981, he served as deputy director of the Textile Bureau of Nantong City, Jiangsu Province.From 1981 to 1983, he served as vice mayor of Nantong City, Jiangsu Province.From 1983 to 1992, he successively served as vice governor of Jiangsu Province, vice chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, and deputy general manager, executive director, and chief supervisor of China International Trust and Investment Corporation.From 1992 to 2002, he served as Executive Vice Chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce (at ministerial level).He concurrently held positions such as vice chairman of the China Glory Society Promotion Association and other posts.

Comrade Zhang Xuwu was a deputy to the Sixth and Seventh National People's Congresses, a member of the Standing Committee of the Eighth National People's Congress and vice chairman of its Financial and Economic Affairs Committee, vice chairman of the Law Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress; a member of the Standing Committee of the Tenth CPPCC National Committee and vice chairman of its Social and Legal Affairs Committee.He made positive contributions to advancing the development of the cause of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce.

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Page 1 editors: Yang Xu, Zhang Shuaizhen, Zhang Yujie; Page 2 editors: Lin Lin, Guo Xueyan, Chen Zhen; Page 3 editors: Han Xiaoming, Jiang Bo, Guan Haoyu; Page ​4 editors: Yuan Zhenxi, Cui Bin, Zhang Xueyan

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Building a New Ecosystem of Integration, Shaping a New Landscape of Communication

By: 本报记者 邹 翔

Technological progress is changing with each passing day (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new; month, new"), and the communication landscape is undergoing profound transformation—how can Party newspaper commentary brave the wind and waves to forge ahead (乘风破浪, cheng feng po lang - "ride, wind; break, waves")? With the communication landscape undergoing profound changes, how can Party newspaper commentary grasp the initiative in guiding public opinion?

General Secretary Xi Jinping has issued important instructions on propaganda, ideology, and culture work, emphasizing the need to "strive to enhance the communication power, guiding power, influence, and credibility of news and public opinion." In the great tide of deepening the systematic reform of mainstream media, Party newspaper commentary, taking its bearings from the overall situation and guiding the direction, sings the main theme and spreads positive energy, becoming an important force in enhancing the communication power, guiding power, influence, and credibility of news and public opinion.

The 2026 Party Newspaper Commentary Integrated Development Forum, supported by the Commentary Department of People's Daily and hosted by Sichuan Daily, was held on September 3 in Mianyang, Sichuan. Representatives from central media outlets, provincial Party committee propaganda departments, more than 30 provincial-level Party newspapers, as well as academic circles, industry circles, and new media platforms, gathered all together in one place (齐聚一堂, qi ju yi tang - "gather, together; one, hall"), sharing views and igniting thinking around the theme of "A New Ecology for Party Newspaper Commentary amid Systematic Reform," contributing strength to consolidating and expanding the mainstream ideological public opinion of confidence, self-improvement, unity, and endeavor.

Consensus grows through communication and exchange; wisdom coalesces through learning from and referencing each other (互学互鉴, hu xue hu jian - "mutual, learn; mutual, examine"). Participating guests held that, for Party newspaper commentary to become an irreplaceable and indispensable authoritative voice in the public opinion arena, it is necessary to firmly uphold the correct direction of progress, highlight ideological advantages, promote commentary innovation, better disseminate the Party's innovative theories, publicize the Party's policies and propositions, reflect the voices and aspirations of the masses, and consolidate social ideological consensus.

Forging the soul with thought, deepening the core advantage

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must unequivocally uphold the correct political direction, public opinion orientation, and value orientation." Only when the orientation of public opinion is correct can we unite people's hearts and gather strength.

In the era of intelligent media, how can Party newspaper commentary ensure it stands at the forefront of the times, serving well as the "lookout atop the ship's mast of the era"?

"Correct orientation is the lifeline of news and public opinion." Wang Daqing, member of the Party Committee and deputy editor-in-chief of Henan Daily, believes that the more hot topics emerge and emotions take precedence, the more necessary it is to uphold a fair, objective, and rational attitude. Jin Qiang, deputy president and deputy editor-in-chief of Nanfang Media Group (Southern Daily),, stated that Party newspaper commentary pursues traffic but does not worship traffic alone, pursues empathy but is not swept away by emotions, and must not sacrifice value orientation for the sake of grabbing eyeballs.

A great era needs good commentary. What constitutes good commentary? Participating guests held that good commentary possesses the power of thought, the power of logic, and the power of facts; it can strike the final note amid cacophony, pierce through echo chambers to reach people's hearts directly, effectively guide the direction of public opinion, bridge information gaps, and consolidate social consensus.

Good commentary is embodied in its ideological quality. Wu Yanzhen, executive editor-in-chief of News Front magazine, said that by identifying common points in ideological understanding, resonance points in emotional exchange, and intersection points in interest relations, commentary can achieve value appreciation and ideological transcendence.

Good commentary is embodied in its scarcity. In the view of Zhang Jing, deputy editor-in-chief of Jiangxi Daily, good commentary with thought, stance, and feeling is a scarce commodity; Party newspaper commentary must transform the Internet, this "greatest variable," into the "greatest increment" for enhancing communication power, guiding power, influence, and credibility.

Good commentary is embodied in its functionality. Jiang Ming, member of the Editorial Board of Sichuan Daily Press Group and full-time editorial board member of Sichuan Daily, stated that one important aspect of commentary value is to work together with netizens to clarify the boundaries of right and wrong, jointly regulate words and deeds, jointly pool strength, and thereby promote social progress.

Zuo Yongxiang, member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Mianyang Municipal Party Committee, stated that by leveraging the Party Newspaper Commentary Integrated Development Forum, everyone further strengthens ideological exchange and experience sharing, deepens information sharing, viewpoint sharing, resource sharing, and channel sharing, strives to create more works that are upward and virtuous, achieving the organic unity of positive energy, high quality, and high traffic.

Participating guests formed such a consensus: no matter how media forms and communication methods change, the mission of Party newspaper commentary to speak for the Party as Party members and speak for the Party cannot change; the ideological advantage, the most distinctive and most prominent strength, cannot be lost; the sense of responsibility to consolidate and expand mainstream ideological public opinion cannot fade.

Innovation as the key, activating the momentum of media convergence

The challenges are evident to all, and the opportunities brook no delay. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "As the situation develops, the Party's news and public opinion work must innovate in concepts, content, genres, forms, methods, means, formats, systems, and mechanisms, enhancing pertinence and effectiveness."

Party newspaper commentary work must plan according to the situation, respond to the situation, and follow the trend, anchoring the goal of endeavor and identifying the correct coordinate of development amid the process of deepening the systematic reform of mainstream media.

Fresh writing style, enhancing appeal. Since the beginning of this year, People's Daily's newly launched online commentary brand "People's Sharp Commentary" does not evade hot topics nor fear confrontation, striving for "short, substantive, practical," charging with a spirit of sharp novelty into the forefront of online public opinion. As of August, it has cumulatively published more than 300 articles, continuously outputting "new" viewpoints and shaping a "sharp" writing style.

Institutional innovation, enhancing productivity. Guizhou Daily has broken out of the traditional path of "paper media as the foundation, new media as an extension," implementing integrated planning and diversified dissemination for both print and online platforms, text products and video products, breaking the mindset that "commentary is only the business of the commentary department," and establishing a "large commentary" pattern of "specialists and generalists combined, full participation."

Communication innovation, expanding influence. In the view of Wang Zhong, director of the Commentary Department of China Youth Daily, for topics where social consensus is clear, lightweight forms such as short commentaries of around a hundred characters, creative posters, and short videos can clearly convey attitudes; for key topics involving major disputes, diverse perceptions, and bearing on the overall situation, it is necessary to cultivate deeply, analyze in depth, and clarify the source.

Technology empowerment, consolidating the foundation of content. Commentary writers at many media outlets, combining policy orientation, practical research, and scholarly accumulation, use artificial intelligence to assist creation, which both reflects the ideological depth and value foundation of commentary and effectively improves the speed of response to hot topics and the efficiency of content production.

From "everyone has a microphone" to "everyone can use artificial intelligence," "one-click instant production" has become possible. Where exactly does the irreplaceability of Party newspaper commentary lie?

"Only by going to the fervent scenes of innovation to find 'living water' and catch 'living fish' can one write commentary full of vitality, sharpness, and warmth." Mao Li, a member of the commentary team of Science and Technology Daily, believes that by going deep into the front lines of innovation to obtain fresh material, the inspiration triggered by personal experience, personal witnessing, personal hearing, and personal feeling is something no algorithm can generate.

"Respecting the scene injects vitality into commentary." Yuan Yuan, commentator of Xinhua Daily, shared the creative experience of "Tonight, Ten Thousand Hands Raise the Trophy": a real and tangible scene often enables commentary to "stand up" from the page and "grow out" from the lens, providing more "added value" for commentary.

Practice has proven that for Party newspaper commentary to withstand the test of time, it cannot do without solid interviews and research, unique perspectives, in-depth analysis, rigorous logic, rational viewpoints, and high-quality original content.

Innovation does not mean tearing down and starting over; integration does not mean setting up a new stove. Meng Zhijun, deputy editor-in-chief of Hunan Daily, shared the practice of embedding commentary production into the existing command chain: strengthening all-media dispatch, optimizing production processes, and establishing a linked mechanism of planning, creation, and promotion. Liu Xuesong, principal of the "Commentator Liu Xuesong" account, believes that systematic reform—what changes is posture and tone of voice; what does not change is the political direction, public opinion orientation, and value orientation of Party newspaper commentary.

Participating guests stated that, from creative concepts and production processes to evaluation systems and organizational structures, Party newspaper commentary can only achieve the mutual reinforcement of content innovation, expression innovation, and convergence innovation through determined reform.

Talent as the priority, building a solid foundation for development

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Media competition is fundamentally talent competition, and media advantage is at its core a talent advantage." Promoting the flourishing and prosperous (欣欣向荣, xin xin xiang rong - "flourishing, flourishing; towards, prosperous") development of Party newspaper commentary hinges on a succession of outstanding talents, every person making full use of their talents (人尽其才, ren jin qi cai - "people, fulfill; their, talent") and making full use of available talents (才尽其用, cai jin qi yong - "talent, exhaust; its, use"), enabling Party newspaper commentators to meet challenges and achieve growth amid the Internet wave and the new technological revolution.

To let the cause inspire talent and let talent accomplish the cause, it is necessary to accelerate the removal of ideological barriers and path dependencies that do not meet the requirements of innovative development.

Jiefang Daily has built a three-tier commentary talent echelon: full-time commentators are the backbone force and the core circle that must be forged strong; through flexible combinations such as project-based and invitation-based mechanisms, it encourages reporters and editors within the newspaper to write commentary, activating the middle circle; it also carefully selects and actively recruits experts, scholars, and industry observers to form a team of outstanding social commentary talent, expanding the outer circle.

Beijing Daily transforms high-quality commentary into video scripts, launching a hot-topic interpretation video column called"Rixin Shuo," in which commentators appear as knowledge bloggers, deconstructing one hard-core topic per episode.

Building personal IP (known content brands) for commentators and column IPs, adding fresh and vivid personalized expression, is an important lever for Party newspaper commentary to deepen systematic reform and improve the quality and effectiveness of public opinion guidance.

Zhejiang Radio and Television has already cultivated 17 accounts with tens of millions of followers, among whom the commentary anchor"News Sister" Zou Wen has 42 million followers; Jiangxi Daily's commentary IP studio"Z Generation·Z Vision," chatting about "what young people care about" from a youth perspective and with youthful language, has surpassed 20 million views across the web since its launch two years ago; Mianyang News and Communication Center's commentary-style short video account"News Fatty Brother" has surpassed 3.6 million followers across the web……

Only by giving full respect to capable, accomplished outstanding talents can people's initiative and creativity be stimulated.

Today, recording the magnificent journey, singing the triumphant anthem of endeavor, writing the glory of the new era, Party newspaper commentary has a broader stage, a heavier burden, anda greater responsibility. Participating guests believe that: by strengthening ideological guidance, innovating discourse expression, and adhering to technology empowerment, we will surely enhance communication power through penetrating power, win discourse power through initiative, and enable Party newspaper commentary to display new vitality in high-quality development.

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Let mainstream voices resound across the new era

By: 中国记协党组成员、书记处书记 田俊荣

At present, the internet has become the main battlefield for news and public opinion work. General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of important expositions on grasping the dominance of public opinion under the conditions of informatization, and the Third and Fourth Plenary Sessions of the 20th Central Committee of the Party have made strategic deployments for advancing and deepening the systematic transformation of mainstream media and improving the capacity of mainstream public opinion guidance.

Against the background of deepening the systematic transformation of mainstream media, Party newspapers urgently need to forge "good commentary" that adheres to the core of mainstream values, adapts to communication on the main battlefield of the internet, and achieves the unity of positive energy, high quality, and large traffic through rational expression, humanistic empathy, visual carriers, and efficient dissemination. The All-China Journalists Association insists on leading business with business and driving transformation with transformation, uniting and leading mainstream media to explore innovation in commentary work, so that the mainstream strong voice resounds throughout the new era.

Reform the "baton of command," optimize the evaluation system. Under the effective guidance of the Central Propaganda Department, this year we have carried out a relatively major reform of the award categories of the China News Awards, adding to the commentary category the requirement of "actively responding to concerns, effectively guiding public opinion." Since the revamp of the "My Masterpiece" column of the All-China Journalists Association in April this year, the number of submissions and the number of works listed among commentary-type works have both ranked second among all categories of works.

Build a "platform for exchange," consolidate the foundation of content. We have built the "Journalists' Home" university hall gold-course system, covering nearly 300,000 journalists, and developed the "One Website, Four Accounts" communication matrix of the All-China Journalists Association, with the number of followers growing from 100,000 three years ago to the current 8 million. Through these platforms, we exchange experiences and insights, including commentary creation, with the journalism community. We carefully run the original commentary column "Zhong Jiping."

Cultivate "quality IP (well-known content brands)," amplify the voice of dissemination. Party newspaper commentary should rely on quality individual IPs and column IPs to interpret policies and analyze hot topics. The All-China Journalists Association will launch a quality IP cultivation plan for mainstream media, with the first batch having already selected 117 quality accounts, of which a considerable portion are commentary-type accounts.

Delineate the "AI (artificial intelligence) boundary," grasp the appropriate measure of empowerment. The core elements of good commentary — ideological sharpness and value warmth — cannot be replaced by algorithms. AI is the "whetstone" for forging fine works, but not the "surgeon" of content creation. It is necessary to delineate the boundary of "human-machine collaboration," adhere to subjectivity, safeguard originality, follow authenticity, and strictly observe standardization, ensuring that technology serves content rather than dominates content.

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Good mechanisms elevate good commentary

By: 四川日报报业集团党委书记、董事长 方小虎

Party newspaper commentary must have volume, and even more must have weight; not only readable, but also perceptible and accessible.

Taking the guidance of public opinion as its mission. We highlight ideological guidance as the primary task, make good use of our core competence, speak great principles in words everyone can understand and grasp thoroughly, so that macro policy and the feelings of the people achieve positive interaction (良性互动, liang xing hu dong - "good, positive, interaction").

Taking effective dissemination as the yardstick. The traffic we pursue is effective traffic that has influence, has warmth, and can truly move people's hearts. We adhere to content construction as the foundation, attract people with thought, warm people with expression. At the same time, make good use of big data and artificial intelligence, precisely locate target audiences, so that good viewpoints can be seen and heard by more people.

Taking systemic transformation as the support. We have established commentary as the core carrier of public-opinion guidance and ideological dissemination, promote all-round, deep-level transformation of content production, organizational structure, resource allocation, and assessment systems with internet thinking and a full-media perspective, coordinate the four ends of organization, production, dissemination, and assessment to work together, and reshape a new system for the production and dissemination of Party newspaper commentary.

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Do Well in the Big Article of “Theory + Commentary”

By: 青海日报社社长 苏海红

Reform is holistic, interconnected, and synergistic. We advance the building of the "four integrations" of content, dissemination, platforms, and operations, strengthen two-way interaction and multi-terminal adaptation, enhance composite capabilities, and strive to achieve a harmonious and organic unity of content innovation, expression innovation, and integrated innovation.

Do well in "theory + commentary." Implement the "optimization and upgrading" plan for the theory pages of Party newspapers and Party journals, strengthen political guidance, and help commentary work advance in grade and upgrade.

Do well in"reporting + commentary." Effectively integrate news commentary with in-depth reporting, making reporters both investigators and commentators, fully leveraging the role of the"think tank" to promote local reform practices.

Do well in"culture + commentary." Explore cross-field commentary co-creation. Taking the discovery of the Qin stone inscription at Gari Tang as an example, attempt means such as AI (artificial intelligence) short dramas, MV (music videos),, and interactive H5, launch a series of short (video) commentaries — commentary is no longer just writing, but can also be "filmed," "performed," and "interactive."

Do well in"technology + commentary." Establish a key laboratory for converged media communication, encourage young converged-media studios to apply new technologies, rely on data platforms to plan topics and respond to public concerns.

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Building a Vibrant Creative Ecosystem

By: 辽宁报刊传媒集团总编辑 张小龙

To advance the high-quality development of Party newspaper commentary, it is necessary to focus on solving the problems of "what to write," "who writes," and "for whom to write."

Combine unified planning with division of labor to build a commentary matrix. We have restructured the content supply system, featuring both columns that "go straight to the problem, are straightforward and blunt (直截了当, zhijie liandang - "straight, cut off, direct"), and strike directly at the crux," and columns that "are rooted in Liaoning, face the whole country, and look out at the world," covering politics, economy, culture, society, and other fields, forming a new pattern of commentary supply that combines specific details with a broad overview (点面结合, dian mian jiehe - "point, surface, combine") and matches internal and external content.

Achieve coordinated action between internal and external forces (内外联动, nei wai liandong - "inside, outside, link together") to build a creative ecosystem. From the editorial department to the group, from the province's propaganda, ideology, and culture system to society as a whole, we explore a broad vision of commentary, activate internal momentum, restructure organizational frameworks and production models, maximize the mobilization of creative resources, build a high-level creative team, and ensure the sustained output of high-quality content.

Adopt an effect-oriented approach and reform the evaluation system. We incorporate communication data, user interaction, social response, and secondary dissemination rates into evaluation indicators, guiding the creative team not only to produce more good articles, but also to strive to understand communication, know the audience, and be adept at operations, so that valuable viewpoints can spread more widely and more deeply.

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Enhance Productivity, Sustain Vitality Forever

By: 吉林日报社总编辑 栾 哲

Facing the profound changes in the logic of communication in the era of all-media, we adhere to the principle that "the pen must be forceful, and commentary must have a soul," striving to make the regular script typeface on paper come alive in mobile communication, and to enable ideas and viewpoints to break through circles and spread outward.

The vitality of Party newspaper commentary stems from a profound grasp of thought, and also from a comprehensive observation of practice. We direct our perspective toward the urban and rural landscape, achieving the principle that wherever development advances, commentary follows; wherever the masses' concerns lie, viewpoints focus there. We explore new forms such as "commentary + short video" and "commentary + infographic," pushing commentary from the "paper end" to the "fingertip end" and then to the "heart end." The depth of convergence lies in institutional transformation. We organize temporary convergence teams around major themes, enabling print media commentators, new media editors, and visual personnel to work on the same topic together and exert effort in the same direction.

If thought has bones, communication must have flesh; if viewpoints have a soul, expression must have spirit. We will establish ourselves through quality, empower ourselves through quantity, break new ground through convergence, and unite strength through collaboration, sending forth in the public opinion arena a louder, warmer, and more deeply touching or moving people (深入人心, shen ru ren xin - "deep, enter, person, heart") voice of good commentary.

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Guiding Traffic with Mainstream Values

By: 新华日报社总编辑 顾雷鸣

What changes for a Party newspaper commentary are the carrier, the register, and the means; what does not change is the thought, the value, and the resonance.

Deep deliberation gets straight to the heart of the matter (一针见血, yi zhen jian xie - "one, needle, see, blood"), making rationality the greatest common divisor. One must be good at entering through hot topics, digging deeper, discovering patterns from individual cases, and turning emotions into thought. Only by making commentary into a thought product can it stand firm and spread wide.

The integrated register reaches the screen in one view, leading traffic with mainstream values. We have launched a video commentary column, going into the scene to comment, meeting hot topics to comment, telling stories to comment, and commenting on major events, emitting a voice with distinctiveness — not relying on "clickbait headlines" or "stirring up the crowd," but winning users through rationality, clarity, and empathy.

Issue-setting makes a final, authoritative decision (一锤定音, yi chui ding yin - "one, hammer, decide, sound"), turning the power of thought into the power of development. Taking "Su Chao" as an example, we step beyond match commentary and analyze the logic of development from the angles of sports economy, cultural connotation, and urban spirit, making sports events a bond that consolidates consensus. Party newspaper commentary is an important participant in reform and development; through proactively setting issues, it can make economic hot spots even hotter and social consensus even firmer.

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Presenting Theoretical Strength Through Commentary

By: 福建日报社总编辑 潘贤强

Thought is a rich mine, the continuous and fresh source (源头活水, yuan tou huo shui - "source, living water") for producing quality commentary in the Party newspaper. We have launched the "Min Yan" and "Min Ping" articles, using accessible language to convey major principles, addressing problems in the foundations of commentary, theoretical anchoring, and communication reach.

Adhere to theoretical anchoring, answering "where it comes from." Topic selection must be excavated from history, from practice, and from life, conducting root-seeking inquiry, scholarly theoretical elucidation, and innovative expression, endowing commentary with the power to penetrate the depth of history.

Consolidate the foundations of commentary, answering "where it is going." Only by focusing on the real problems of high-quality development, responding to the questions of practice with scientific theory, putting forward solutions with sharp viewpoints, and transforming the power of truth into concrete and effective measures to solve problems, can commentary demonstrate its value in observing the present moment.

Advance communication reach, achieving "arrival at people's hearts." In terms of writing style, one must explore "sharp viewpoints + soft tone of voice," interspersing vivid storytelling narratives, making greater use of short sentences, metaphors, and details, building bridges of communication through resonance, letting theory exert a gentle and nourishing influence (春风化雨, chun feng hua yu - "spring wind, transform, rain"), and letting thought take root and blossom on the ground.

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Integration and Accessibility

By: 湖北日报传媒集团总编辑 黄学龙

Strengthening integrated communication and effectively demonstrating the leading force of public opinion and the power of value-shaping is the responsibility borne by the commentary work of the Party newspaper.

Centering on users, shifting from "speaking" to "dialogue." Topic selection must focus on the real issues behind emotions, the meta-problems behind algorithms, and the deep problems behind disagreements; interaction must emphasize the construction of the comment section, promoting secondary dissemination in the process of "discussing" issues, and enhancing affinity and activity in connecting with users.

Taking content as the foundation, shifting from "comprehensive" to "vertical" categories. Content is both the fundamental basis for one's existence or position (立身之本, li shen zhi ben - "establish, body, particle, root") and the locus of responsibility. We are exploring the subdivision of commentary, including the cognitive category of interpretation and analysis, the mobilization category of building consensus, and the supervisory category of objectivity and rationality, and in terms of form distinguishing text-based, text-and-image-based, and video-based categories. According to different characteristics and functions, we coordinate creation and dissemination, emphasizing transformation and adaptation.

Taking the team as support, shifting from "single" to "collaborative." Individuals highlight versatility with specialization, organizations focus on collective operations, cultivating pillar-type, breakthrough-type, and specialty-type talents, advancing joint planning of major topics, collaborative production of core content, and matrix dissemination of quality products.

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A Sense of Direction, and the Flavor of the Soil

By: 农民日报社评论部主任 郭少雅

The value of mainstream media commentary lies in dispelling misconceptions, clarifying direction, and building consensus. We persist in speaking up for farmers and in establishing principles for agriculture, rural areas, and farmers (三农), seeking direction from policy deployments, seeking cases from grassroots creativity, and seeking expression from the masses' feelings, so that commentary possesses both a sense of direction and the flavor of the soil.

In the face of various public-opinion hotspots, mainstream media commentary must neither be absent nor follow the tide of emotion, but rather rely on professional judgment, factual verification, and in-depth analysis, achieving the effects of correcting cognition, guiding expectations, resolving doubts, and advancing practice. Commentary products of the new era must proactively adapt to changes in modes of dissemination, combining traditional strengths with integrated communication, possessing both the grand, majestic music or sound (黄钟大吕, huang zhong da lü - "yellow bell, great organ") and also the "rustic short flute," finding the overlap between users' reading needs and commentary production, using diversified expression to enhance the reach of viewpoints.

No matter how the form of dissemination changes, the core competitiveness of commentary remains sincerity, professionalism, and depth of thought. In serving the overall situation, respond to concerns; in resolving doubts, build consensus; only then can the Party's powerful voice be disseminated more widely, and mainstream values gain greater strength.

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Upholding Integrity with Wisdom, Speaking with Responsibility

By: 法治日报社编委、评论部主任 凌 锋

Facing the wave of artificial intelligence, Party newspaper commentary possesses an irreplaceable (不可替代, bu ke ti dai - "not, can, replace") quality, mainly reflected in four aspects: value judgment, fact verification, personality trust, and organizational mechanism. Commentators must strengthen political discernment, professional explanatory power, and public opinion guidance capability, clarify facts, viewpoints, and logic, maintain a stable, restrained, and responsible attitude, and consolidate the credibility of mainstream public opinion.

From the perspective of the overall national governance framework, Party newspaper commentary should proactively set agendas, deepen professional fields, build social consensus, optimize production methods, expression forms, and communication chains, and better play its role in disseminating the Party's policies and propositions, recording the currents of the times, promoting social progress, and safeguarding fairness and justice.

Embracing artificial intelligence is not about lowering standards, but about improving efficiency and enhancing capability. We must build a reliable human-machine collaborative production mechanism, cultivate expert-type, gatekeeper-type, and integrated-type talent, allow traditional advantages to unleash greater effectiveness under new conditions, and forge the irreplaceability of Party newspaper commentary with a higher vantage point, deeper professional engagement, more coordinated mechanisms, and a more open attitude.

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Building a High Ground of Value in the Era of Intelligent Media

By: 中国传媒大学信息传播学院院长 李 舒

In the era of intelligent media, how can Party newspaper commentary better guide public opinion and consolidate consensus? One may proceed from four dimensions: the production system, the topic-selection logic, the discourse form, and the communication ecology.

Enhance productivity through organizational transformation and technological drive. Break down departmental boundaries, promote the reorganization of factors, and shift commentary production from a single product toward full-media drive; advance human-machine collaboration, reconstruct the division of functions, and devote more energy to value interpretation.

Respond to social concerns with problem awareness anda solution-oriented mindset. Topic selection must take the public interest as its yardstick. While "exposing problems," it is even more important to"find a way out," converting public concerns into governance approaches that can be discussed and implemented.

Promote effective reach through multimodality and high adaptability. Accelerate the transformation toward visualization, lightweight formats, and interactivity, expanding from"article commentary" toward"video commentary,""cartoon commentary,""Q&A commentary,"and beyond; establish user-oriented thinking, with large screens emphasizing depth, small screens emphasizing resonance, and social platforms emphasizing interaction.

Strengthen"relational connection"and promote the diffusion of value. Transform from"I speak, you listen"into"conversation partners,"activating value identification.

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Reducing Soil Acidity for Better Harvests (Carrying Forward the Spirit of Scientists)

By: 本报记者 姚雪青

In the southern regions of our country, rainwater often carries away base ions such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium from the soil, causing hydrogen ions and aluminum ions to "emerge" from the soil, and combined with the high-temperature environment, leading to increasingly severe soil acidification. Planting in acidic soil, with insufficient organic matter content, results in poor nutrient absorption by plants, necessitating nitrogen fertilizer application to secure yields, thereby causing the soil to become "more acidic on top of acidity."

Since the beginning of this century, the research team on southern acidic soils at the Institute of Soil Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing (hereinafter referred to as "Nanjing Institute of Soil Science"), together with cooperative units, has focused on the theme of "alleviating obstacles of southern acidic soils and enhancing crop productivity," and after more than 20 years of technological research, development, and promotion, has cumulatively promoted and applied the technology across 15 provinces over a total of 280 million mu-times, with crops averaging an 8% yield increase. Not long ago, this technology and its application were selected for the 2025 China Top Ten Scientific and Technological Advances in Ecology and Environment.

Long-term research and investigation, exploring green and environmentally friendly treatment pathways

More than 10 years ago, in Xincheng Village, Zhanggong Town, Jinxian County, Jiangxi Province, Zhang Wumao, secretary of the village Party general branch, pulled aside Zhao Xueqiang, a researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Soil Science who was conducting soil surveys with the team: "You are the expert, please help us take a look!"

Zhao Xueqiang had begun following the team leader, Shen Renfang, then associate researcher at the Nanjing Institute of Soil Science, and senior colleagues, more than 20 years ago, participating in surveys on alleviating obstacles of southern acidic soils, and had seen plenty of red and yellow soil lands that were "sparse and scattered" or even "yielding nothing." His encounter with Zhang Wumao was the scene he remembered most vividly.

Although it was approaching the harvest season, on the village's more than 3,000 mu of farmland, the thin stalks of corn remained extremely fragile (弱不禁风, ruo bu jin feng -"weak, not, endure, wind")."The more fertilizer we apply, the lower the yield. Has the land been ruined by farming?" Zhang Wumao asked anxiously.

After testing, the soil pH value was only 4.3, organic matter content was less than 0.5%, and available phosphorus was essentially undetectable—there were too many problems.

Zhao Xueqiang could not answer at the time, but he quickly took action. After returning to Nanjing, he and his team members accelerated their research.

The problem of soil acidification has a long history. In the 1990s, scientific researchers gradually established that the key cause of damage in acidic soils was not hydrogen ions, but aluminum ions—namely,"aluminum toxicity." Shen Renfang analyzed that even if fields were left fallow for several years, it might be possible to control acidity and reduce aluminum, but to ensure an adequate food supply, intensive cultivation had to continue. How could one both cultivate the land and control acidity? In 2002, he applied for a research project on"acidic soil treatment," organizing a team to conduct a new round of research.

Why call it a"new round"?

Shen Renfang explained that the earliest method of reducing soil acidity was applying lime powder, which was low-cost and quick-acting, but only treated the symptoms, not the root cause, easily leading to re-acidification and soil compaction. Later, "amendments" began to be applied to the soil: chicken manure, duck manure, biochar powder, straw returning to the field... These methods represented considerable progress, but either required large quantities and were inconvenient to operate, or involved complex processing and higher costs, making them unattractive to farmers.

"We must explore a green and environmentally friendly treatment pathway." Shen Renfang set this goal for the team.

How to proceed? On the one hand, Zhao Xueqiang led a small team to continue tackling key problems and screening for more advantageous"soil amendments"; on the other hand, Liang Yuting, deputy director of the National Key Laboratory of Soil and Agricultural Sustainable Development, known for her research on soil microorganisms, led a team to conduct research on"acid-and-aluminum-tolerant synthetic microbial consortia."

Applying remedies tailored to the specific problem, achieving soil improvement and yield increase effects

After several years of theoretical research and laboratory testing, the team clarified the damage mechanism of aluminum toxicity: acidification and aluminum toxicity often occur together, and by inhibiting root growth, they block nutrient absorption channels, leading to crop yield reduction. Root systems growing in such soils were always thick and short.

The"cause of the disease" was found, and the next step was to"write the prescription." Zhao Xueqiang had accumulated more than 20 types of"medicinal materials" for reducing acidity and increasing fertility through his surveys: humic acids buried underground, alkaline materials composed of industrial waste, and natural mineral attapulgite distributed in Jiangsu, Anhui, and other places, among others.

In 2021, he brought these"medicinal materials" to the"Red Soil Station" in Yingtan, Jiangxi. This is a national field scientific observation and research station established by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and also an important agricultural ecological research base for the red soil region of southern China. At the"Red Soil Station" experimental site, researchers divided the experimental fields into numerous small plots, applied different amendments, and observed crop growth.

Year after year, the farmland where attapulgite was applied produced higher yields and taller crops. But the raw material was a pile of soil clods—what particle size had the best"efficacy"? Zhao Xueqiang led the team in comparative research, finding that particles about the size of pearl powder had the best soil absorption effect. At present, the comparative research of"selecting the best from the good" is still ongoing.

Meanwhile, in the laboratories of the Nanjing Institute of Soil Science, Liang Yuting was "wrestling" with microorganisms. Since joining the Nanjing Institute of Soil Science in 2013, she had participated in the"soil biology special project," surveying 13 provinces from north to south over six months, discovering that biodiversity in southern soils was generally lower.

"Crops in the same region also differed in growth conditions. Excluding physical and chemical factors, it was the rhizosphere microorganisms that were playing the role." Liang Yuting said that the experiments she conducted were aimed at identifying the beneficial microbial consortia that help crops grow.

"At first, we used conventional methods, trying to cultivate as many microbial consortia as possible, then compared them one by one, but distinguishing them individually was simply too slow." Liang Yuting said that the experimental group innovated their approach by"posing difficult challenges" to the microbial consortia, thereby screening out the"top performers" that controlled acidity, reduced aluminum, enhanced fertility, and fixed nitrogen.

This challenge involved making the microbial consortia"drink water" in an environment where acidity and aluminum coexisted, judging their vitality by the amount of water they consumed, and observing them through"heavy water" with imaging function. After the"leading bacterium" that drank the most water emerged victorious, they would then seek"acid-and-aluminum-tolerant allies" around it.

In the end, the results of the two research efforts converged. Starting in 2022, the 3,000 mu of farmland in Xincheng Village was applied with attapulgite, and the following year, a composite microbial inoculant was also used. Harvests in the fields improved year after year.

Taking root in the fields, enabling more farmers to use good technology

Last August, Zhang Wumao made a special trip to Nanjing to report the good news: the village's 3,000 mu of red soil farmland, rapeseed yield per mu exceeded 260 jin, and corn yield per mu exceeded 900 jin—the farmland had been transformed from low-yield fields into medium-to-high-yield fields, and farmers also had more confidence in farming."The greatest achievement is that the technology can be used by more farmers." Zhao Xueqiang said,"The smiles of farmers are the best affirmation of our work."

The process of promotion and application was not easy. Xiao Xun, a special research assistant at the Nanjing Institute of Soil Science, recalled that when she first followed Zhao Xueqiang to conduct technology promotion, despite Zhang Wumao having mobilized villagers, only two or three villagers showed up in the village committee meeting room. Some villagers even questioned:"We have been farming here for so many years and still cannot grow well—how can you possibly grow well?"

"We delivered the technology right to the fields, so why did we still not gain recognition?" Xiao Xun felt somewhat wronged. Zhao Xueqiang paid out of his own pocket to buy drinks and watermelon for the farmers who came to attend the lectures, chatted about everyday matters before explaining the technology, made friends with the farmers, and gave them the amendments to use. At first, only one or two farming households tried it on a small scale; as the results gradually became apparent, more villagers began to follow and learn...

This work was simultaneously carried out in key counties for acidification treatment across 15 provinces including Jiangxi, Fujian, Hunan, and others, with cumulative promotion reaching 280 million mu-times, including 1 comprehensive demonstration area of 10,000 mu and 32 standardized demonstration bases of 1,000 mu each. Crops averaged an 8% yield increase, chemical fertilizer application was reduced by 516,500 tons, and new benefits of 31.051 billion yuan were generated, achieving win-win outcomes in economic, social, and ecological benefits.

Over more than 20 years, Shen Renfang has worked his way up from associate researcher to director of the institute, while Zhao Xueqiang and Liang Yuting have also grown from young backbone researchers into doctoral supervisors. With the old guiding the young, and the young bringing along the new, the team has taken root in the fields year after year.

"The tradition that scientific research must go down to the fields has not changed, and the tradition of putting responsibility on young people and letting young people shoulder the main tasks has not changed." Liang Yuting said.

"The rain in the south always comes without warning. In order not to miss the farming season, the teachers would finish transplanting the rice seedlings before withdrawing. Rolling up their trouser legs and going into the fields without wearing boots, seeing snakes in the trees and insects on their legs became a matter of habit." Xiao Xun said that young people observed and learned from what they saw—when it rained, their first reaction was to take off their clothes to protect the instruments; if they accidentally slipped, they would rather fall into a ditch than crush the rice seedlings.

"In the next step, we want to turn a series of research results into a'national single map'." In Shen Renfang's vision, when staff of township-level agricultural authorities click on a geographic location, local areas would be able to achieve intelligent formula formulation and precise policy implementation, and the technological achievements would then benefit even more farmers.

■Reporter's Notes

A closed loop of scientific research from the land to the laboratory, and back to the land

What does a thesis written on the land look like?

This team used 20 years to provide the answer: research results are not merely published, but must also be implemented and produce tangible effects—they are reflected in farmland where the pH value recovered from 4.3 to 5.5, in yields of 280 million mu-times with an average increase of 8%, and in the choices of farmers who went from abandoning their fields to moving into cities, then returning to the village to farm.

This also shows us that their scientific research forms a closed loop of identifying problems from the land, solving problems in the laboratory, and then returning to the land to practice. It is the new seedlings that grow after handfuls of amendments are scattered into the red soil, the root systems that emerge after groups of acid-and-aluminum-tolerant microbial consortia activate the farmland, and the smiles on farmers' faces as they hold plump corn ears in the fields. For scientific researchers, it requires year after year, generation after generation of hard work tackling key problems and silent perseverance.

Writing theses on the land is not a romantic metaphor; it is an important criterion for testing the results of scientific research.

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Open Cooperation to Cultivate More 'Service Made in China' Brands

By: 本报记者 罗珊珊 施 芳

General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Highlight the imperatives of demand-driven development, reform-driven breakthroughs, technology-enabled empowerment, and open cooperation; deeply implement the service industry expansion and quality improvement initiative" and "cultivate more 'Service Made in China' brands, and strive to open up a new prospect for high-quality development of the service industry."

From September 9 to 13, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services will be held in Beijing. Upholding the concept of "Global Services, Shared Benefits," 90 countries and international organizations will set up exhibitions and hold events, over 1,800 enterprises will participate in offline exhibitions, with more than 400 of them being Fortune Global 500 companies and industry-leading enterprises.

Leveraging the important platform of the CIFTIS, China is making efforts to promote high-quality development of the service industry, cultivate more "Service Made in China" brands, join hands with all parties to jointly advance open, innovative, and cooperative development of global trade in services, and build an open world economy.

Expanding opening-up, trade in services ushers in new opportunities

Trade in services is the main form of cross-border cooperation and exchange in the service industry. Holding the CIFTIS is an important measure for China to expand opening-up of its service industry to the outside world and promote the development of trade in services.

In the first seven months of this year, China's total import and export of services reached 4.44671 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 8.3%. Among them, exports reached 1.77323 trillion yuan, up 17.1% year-on-year; imports reached 2.67348 trillion yuan, up 3.2% year-on-year.

To further leverage the role of opening-up platforms, this year's CIFTIS has, for the first time, established a "Service Made in China" exhibition area in the core area of the theme exhibition, bringing together over 140 Chinese service cases covering the twelve major fields of trade in services. Some of these achievements have already established a firm foothold (站稳脚跟, zhan wen jiao gen - "stand, steady, foot, heel") in the international market, demonstrating the strong momentum of Chinese services going global.

The special flexible intelligent production line for special-purpose cabin bodies independently developed by China Construction Second Engineering Bureau Co., Ltd. has been selected for the "Service Made in China" exhibition area. According to the project's technical leader, targeting the characteristics of integrated intelligent cabin manufacturing—multiple specifications, small batches, and complex processes—this production line can achieve mixed production of standard containers ranging from 20 feet to 45 feet as well as various non-standard customized cabin bodies. Products cover transformer cabins, low-voltage distribution cabins, energy storage cabins, water treatment cabins, liquid cooling cabins, etc. After being put into operation, production efficiency has increased by over 30% compared with before the renovation, and energy consumption per unit product has decreased by 15%.

China International Culture Group Co., Ltd. has brought the case of "Full-Chain Operation Services for Chinese Culture Going Global via International Exhibitions," targeting the track of Chinese culture going global, covering diverse business scenarios such as comprehensive cultural and creative expos, international design weeks, and overseas immersive art exhibitions. It has built a full-chain operation service capability integrating curation and planning, international exhibition solicitation, on-site operations, guest coordination, business matchmaking, and digital communication, establishing a replicable and exportable standardized service system.

During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's trade in services scale exceeded 1 trillion US dollars, becoming an important force driving the growth of trade scale and structural upgrading.

Looking toward the 15th Five-Year Plan, the global industrial chain is undergoing accelerated restructuring, and China's service industry foundation has become more solid, bringing brand-new historical opportunities for the development of trade in services. In April this year, the Ministry of Commerce, together with relevant departments, issued the "Overall Plan for the Construction of National Demonstration Zones for Innovative Development of Trade in Services," clearly specifying that 17 regions including Beijing will take the lead in carrying out demonstration zone construction.

Yan Dong, Vice Minister of Commerce, stated that China will accelerate the construction of national demonstration zones for innovative development of trade in services, steadily and orderly promote the expansion of market access and opening-up areas with the service industry as the focus, improve the negative list management system for cross-border trade in services, promote the convenient and safe cross-border flow of factors such as personnel, capital, and data that are closely related to trade in services, and provide a more open, transparent, and predictable market environment for the development of domestic and foreign enterprises.

Deepening cooperation, "Service Made in China" goes global

China continuously strengthens the alignment of its development strategies with the development strategies and cooperation initiatives of various countries, using the CIFTIS as a bond to promote mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, and common development. The CIFTIS provides a display and trading platform for high-quality services from various countries.

This year marks the first time Honeywell Technology has appeared at the CIFTIS in the special exhibition on telecommunications, computer, and information services, featuring its Forge intelligent connected platform as the main exhibit, intensively showcasing its innovative digital practices and application prospects in scenarios such as industry and buildings. This also marks the first time Forge has appeared at a major domestic industry event since it landed in China at the end of July this year.

Yu Feng, President of Honeywell Technology Greater China, said that the company will join hands with more Chinese partners to jointly explore innovative applications based on Forge, help accelerate China's industrial innovation, and promote the industrial sector's transition from "automation" to "autonomy."

Qimeng Island, a domestic trendy toy brand participating for two consecutive years, has appeared again with its nine-IP matrix and multiple cross-border innovation achievements, using "technology + culture + going global" as the main thread to showcase the development path of China's original trendy toy brands. Shi Guangqiang, Group CEO of Qimeng Island, said: "At present, Qimeng Island products have been sold to 27 countries and regions. We hope to use the CIFTIS, an international-level platform, to bring China's original trendy toys to a broader audience and showcase the cultural and creative vitality of China's younger generation to the world."

It is worth noting that this year's CIFTIS has, for the first time, set up "Going Global Services" special zones in multiple thematic exhibitions, and has also, for the first time, built a"Going Global Services Promotion Roadshow Zone," providing professional support for Chinese enterprises to expand into international markets and promoting more high-quality "Service Made in China" offerings to go global.

Dun & Bradstreet of the United States participated in the CIFTIS for the first time, appearing in the"Going Global Services" special zone to showcase its newly launched cross-border investment and trade database. This database integrates multi-dimensional data sources such as cross-border investment, shipping trade, etc., enabling enterprises to observe investment and trade networks from a global perspective. Whether it is understanding the overseas investment layout of Chinese enterprises, tracking the investment situation of overseas enterprises in China, or analyzing global trade flows and identifying upstream and downstream relationships in the industrial chain, one can obtain clearer and more credible business insights.

Beijing Customs will participate in the Going Global Services promotion roadshow, presenting on-site the Customs "Authorized Economic Operator" (AEO) system, explaining the new changes in the new version of the credit management measures, and encouraging high-quality enterprises in Beijing to actively apply for AEO status and enjoy relevant facilitation measures. AEO enterprises can enjoy customs clearance facilitation in mutually recognized countries and regions, as well as multiple benefit measures such as joint incentives from domestic customs and multiple departments. At present, the import and export volume of AEO enterprises in the Beijing Customs area accounts for over 40% of the Beijing Customs area's total.

Leading innovation, accelerating the cultivation of new drivers of trade

During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, how can we further promote innovative development of trade in services and cultivate new international competitive advantages for"Service Made in China"? Through the CIFTIS, we can further find the answer.

This year's CIFTIS further highlights its innovative character and service trade features, focusing on showcasing new technologies, new solutions, and new achievements in service trade fields such as information and communication, fintech, digital-intelligent healthcare, smart education, energy conservation and environmental protection. Over 90 enterprises and institutions will release achievements, and over 200 new products and achievements will be released on a rolling basis in the achievements release hall.

McDonald's China will showcase its innovative practice of drone delivery in the achievements release hall. Since 2026, McDonald's China has partnered with Meituan's drones to launch drone delivery services in Shenzhen and Shanghai, exploring a new model of integrating the low-altitude economy with dining consumption scenarios, extending catering services from traditional stores and ground delivery networks to diverse urban life scenarios such as sports and leisure, waterfront consumption, and outdoor socializing.

JD.com has participated in the CIFTIS for seven consecutive years, showcasing to global merchants its innovative services in fields such as logistics, technology, health, and industry. For example, JD Industrial, as an AI-driven industrial supply chain technology and service provider, provides end-to-end industrial supply chain services for large overseas enterprises, multinational international enterprises, and Chinese enterprises going global, having established deep layouts in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Hungary, Brazil, and Saudi Arabia. Its innovatively launched industrial large model and series of application intelligent agents have achieved cost reduction and efficiency improvement in areas such as product review and spare parts supply, and its carbon footprint management and green compliance capabilities have also been exported to empower external parties.

In the financial services special exhibition, Bank of Communications has deployed"video-based intelligent self-service" machines, creating a new intelligent self-service experience integrating human-machine interaction through a"customer self-service + remote assistance" model; China Merchants Bank, relying on its"Xiaozhaomiao" IP, has built an immersive spaceship experience pavilion, intensively showcasing digital-inclusive financial innovation achievements such as the Tiancheng AI fund system; PICC has launched for the first time the"Suànlì Bǎo" series of exclusive products, filling the gap in risk protection for the computing power industry…… At this year's CIFTIS, multiple financial institutions will gather to collectively showcase their latest AI application achievements.

Through the CIFTIS, we can see that, under the trend of deep empowerment by digitalization, intelligence, and green development, the tradability of services is increasingly enhanced, the boundaries of trade are continuously broadened, and the rapid development of cutting-edge technologies such as big data, cloud computing, and artificial intelligence is driving a more pronounced trend of deep integration and linked development between the service industry and manufacturing, and between trade in services and trade in goods.

The Ministry of Commerce has stated that it will guide enterprises to adhere to innovation-driven development, enhance the international competitiveness of producer services, promote the export of services relying on manufacturing advantages such as R&D, design, testing, maintenance, and supply chain logistics, and promote the integrated development of trade in services with high-end manufacturing. It will stimulate the export potential of consumer services, expand inbound consumption, promote the quality improvement and efficiency enhancement of cultural trade, and encourage the internationalization of traditional characteristic services such as traditional Chinese medicine, the Chinese language, and Chinese cuisine. It will promote digital-intelligent technologies such as artificial intelligence and cloud computing to better empower the development of trade in services, and explore new paradigms for the growth of trade in services.

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Rooted in Transportation, Shouldering the Mission of National Strength

By: 本报记者 吴 丹 丁雅诵

Stepping into the Transportation Science Museum of Beijing Jiaotong University is like opening a magnificent, surging long scroll of China's transportation development. Serving major projects such as the Qinghai-Tibet Railway and the Sichuan-Tibet Railway, undertaking core key technology research and development for urban rail transit and maglev trains, helping Chinese high-speed rail "go global"…… Generation after generation of BJTU people pave roads with wisdom and erect bridges with skill, resonating at the same frequency with the nation's transportation undertaking.

In April 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping replied to the letter from all the teachers and students of the four Jiaotong universities, encouraging the schools to"focus on major national strategic needs, strengthen self-reliance and strength in science and technology and the independent cultivation of talent, achieve more breakthroughs in promoting the deep integration of industry, academia, and research, and make new contributions to building a strong education nation, a strong science-and-technology nation, anda strong talent nation".

Earnest expectations spur people on. General Secretary Xi Jinping's reply letter made BJTU's teachers and students greatly encouraged. Everyone stated that they will live up to the high expectations, with the solid responsibility and action of advancing education, science and technology, and talent as an integrated whole, strive to cultivate more new-era talents capable of shouldering great responsibilities, and contribute strength to the great cause of building a strong nation and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

Know the nation's great righteousness  Shoulder the mission of family and country

The century-and-a-half-old institution of learning, its way lies in knowing and doing. On the BJTU campus, a stone stele is engraved with the two large characters"zhi xing" (knowing and doing), whose strokes are vigorous and powerful."Zhi xing" is BJTU's school motto, and it also contains BJTU's spiritual pursuit passed down in one continuous line—knowing the nation's great righteousness, knowing what the nation needs.

"What we want to cultivate are doers who integrate personal ideals into the mission of family and country, who explore knowledge while taking root at the front line, who seek truth in the unity of knowledge and action (知行合一, zhi xing he yi - "know, do, combine, one"), and who respond to the questions of the era with practice."Beijing Jiaotong University President Liu Pan said.

What kind of people to cultivate, how to cultivate people, and for whom to cultivate people—these are the fundamental questions of education, and also the era's propositions that BJTU has been striving to answer.

In the school-created drama"Ma Yisheng", Zou Yingqi, an undergraduate from the School of Mechanical and Electronic Engineering, portrayed the old principal Ma Yisheng. From resolving to"build bridges" as a youth, to"blowing up bridges with tears" during the War of Resistance against Japan, to devoting his later years to building the"bridge of education", Ma Yisheng's extremely extraordinary life deeply touched Zou Yingqi's heartstrings through repeated rehearsals, making him even more steadfast in the direction to move forward.

"Every generation has its own mission."Zou Yingqi said,"Young people in the new era must establish lofty aspirations, integrate personal pursuits into the cause of the Party and the nation, run the historical relay race well on the new journey, pave roads with youth and let ideals shine."

BJTU has always placed soul-forging and people-cultivation in a prominent position, deeply implementing the"Number One Project" of fostering virtue through education, with the Party committee secretary concurrently serving as dean of the School of Marxism, coordinating the overall situation, exerting systematic effort, comprehensively promoting the reform of ideological-and-political theory education and teaching to go deeper and more solid, take root and produce results.

A reform of ideological-and-political theory education aimed at being"refined and effective" has been fully rolled out: combining the school's transportation characteristics, offering the general-education core course"High-Speed Rail Across North and South"; appointing"Great Ideological-and-Political Education Mentors" and"Young Ideological-and-Political Industry Mentors", deeply integrating them into the education community; creating brand projects such as the"Great Ideological-and-Political Course on the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway Line"…… A pattern of education involving all personnel, the entire process, and all aspects has taken shape.

Educating people means educating hearts, nurturing others in a silent and subtle way (润物无声, run wu wu sheng - "moisten, things, without, sound").

"I will continue to delve into frontier research in the transportation field, carry forward BJTU's tradition of serving the country, and strive to pour my youthful sweat onto the front line of the nation's transportation undertaking."The words of Li Yuhang, an undergraduate from the School of Traffic and Transportation, reflect BJTU students' striving posture of making contributions to the new era with youth.

Blaze new paths in reform  Cultivate pillars of the era

"Will the algorithm models learned in class, when applied to industrial scenarios, encounter many real-world constraints?"With such a question, Li Minghao, a master's student from the School of Computer Science, knocked on the door of his corporate mentor, Huang Zhiping, a researcher at China Academy of Railway Sciences Corporation Limited.

"Real industrial scenarios emphasize safety and reliability; you must learn to solve problems under engineering conditions."In the following two years, Huang Zhiping led Li Minghao to analyze one by one the bottlenecks in algorithm implementation in real line environments.

Li Minghao, while polishing algorithm models at the school's Engineering Technology Center, also ran to corporate production lines to verify effectiveness, and ultimately successfully found the optimal solution for implementing algorithm models in industrial scenarios.

This year, relying on this practical achievement originating from the production front line, Li Minghao smoothly passed his graduation thesis defense, writing his thesis on the frontier of industry.

Such changes are precisely the abundant fruits borne from BJTU's integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent development.

How can program offerings meet students' diversified needs? How can precise matching be achieved between talent cultivation and employment? In recent years, BJTU has continuously deepened the integrated reform of education, science and technology, and talent, laying fertile soil for the cultivation of top-notch innovative talents.

Break down the wall between campus and industry—

Build the National Excellent Engineers College, implement project-based enrollment and school-enterprise"dual-mentor" cultivation, forming a closed-loop cultivation chain of"enterprises pose problems, mentors apply, schools and enterprises match, teachers and students mutually select"; top-notch talent classes such as the Intelligent Transportation Systems Class, the Transportation Class, and the Ma Yisheng Class have been successively established, and the industry-education integrated teaching model has been comprehensively implemented.

Break down the barriers between the various links of talent cultivation—

Implement the integration of undergraduate and graduate education, implement the"three-early" mechanism for undergraduates, allowing undergraduate students to enter laboratories in advance, join research teams, and come into contact with frontier projects during their undergraduate stage; dynamically adjust majors, laying out 26 new majors in conjunction with new quality productive forces; relying on high-level platforms, projects, and teams, promote frontier knowledge entering classrooms and research cases entering practice, enabling teaching and research to empower each other bidirectionally.

Open up the path for joint cultivation of international talent—

Explore order-based cultivation of international students, having already cultivated more than 10,000 technical and management talents in the transportation field for 133 countries co-building the Belt and Road Initiative; jointly establish 10 Sino-foreign cooperative education programs in the transportation field with prestigious universities such as Delft University of Technology, creating the distinctive brand of"Studying at BJTU".

Exploration and innovation ultimately land in the growth trajectories of individual young students.

Xu Bokai, an undergraduate from Zhan Tianyou College, entered the laboratory in his sophomore year, selected graduate courses in his junior year, and had already anchored his research direction during his undergraduate stage; Hila, a student from Rwanda, while pursuing his master's and doctoral degrees at BJTU, won the gold award in the"Challenge Cup" Entrepreneurship Plan Competition's"Belt and Road" International Special Competition…… The student-centered cultivation system supports every dream to grow and thrive.

Tackle core technologies  Promote transformation of achievements

Inside BJTU's National Engineering Research Center for Rail Transit Operation and Control Systems, four generations of railway locomotive signal equipment prototypes stand in neat rows, recording the arduous journey of China's rail transit train control equipment from complete importation to independent controllability.

The train operation control system is called the"brain and central nervous system" of rail transit—every start and stop of a train, every meeting of trains, is planned and precisely controlled by it. However, this core equipment, which concerns the lifeline of national transportation, was long monopolized by foreign countries.

Facing this"bottleneck" dilemma, Chinese Academy of Engineering academician Ning Bin, BJTU professor Tang Tao, and others stepped forward more than 20 years ago. The team started from scratch, working day and night in the laboratory, and after more than 10 years and nearly 10 million simulation experiments, finally installed an independently developed"Chinese brain" for China's rail transit.

"Core technologies cannot be waited for, bought, or demanded—they must be obtained through our own efforts, enhancing original innovation capability."Tang Tao said firmly.

Keeping firmly in mind the mission of serving national self-reliance and strength in science and technology, BJTU takes major national needs as the anchor point for innovation, placing the strengthening of basic research and the enhancement of original innovation capability in a prominent position.

Conquering seamless rail key technologies, helping high-speed rail operate smoothly; developing major national equipment such as intelligent tunneling, serving major national projects such as the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel; forward-looking layout of intelligent transportation, independently developing 5G-R technology, empowering high-speed rail's intelligent and digital upgrading…… BJTU continuously takes root in basic research, asks the way of frontier technologies, and marches toward future science and technology.

Behind the numerous fruits lies the school's continuous exploration in reforming scientific research management mechanisms, especially its efforts in promoting the transformation of scientific research achievements.

Establish a leading group for intellectual property and transformation of scientific and technological achievements; establish and improve an institutional system covering key links such as intellectual property management, achievement cultivation, evaluation and incentives, empowerment reform, and achievement transformation; implement a separate professional-title track for transformation of scientific and technological achievements, stimulating the vitality of achievement transformation…… During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, BJTU's total contract amount for transformation of scientific and technological achievements exceeded 4 billion yuan, achieving a substantial leap.

Tower cranes stand tall, machinery roars—inside BJTU's Xiong'an Campus, modern teaching buildings, dormitory buildings, and scientific research centers have begun to take shape. As one of the first 4 Beijing universities to be relocated, BJTU is seizing the time window to lay a solid foundation for official operation next year.

"The school will deeply align its 130-year educational heritage with the development positioning of the City of the Future, treating the construction of the Xiong'an Campus as an important vehicle for undertaking national strategic deployments and expanding its educational landscape."Beijing Jiaotong University Party Committee Secretary Chen Ziji stated that the school will always bear in mind the entrustment, adhere to the original aspiration of serving the country through transportation, shoulder the era's mission with the posture of a path-opening pioneer, and make new contributions to achieving high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology and advancing Chinese modernization.

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Page editors: Zhang Yanchun, Song Yu, Wang Bo

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New quality productive forces flourish across the Tianshan Mountains as traditional industries transform toward intelligence

By: 本报记者 李亚楠 吴储岐

From the “smart brain” in cotton fields to the“unmanned inspections” in the desert, from coal chemical industry's“turning waste gas into gold” to the“surge of computing power” on the Gobi Desert, new quality productive forces are sprouting and growing in Xinjiang, and a transformation of productive forces driven by digital technology, intelligent equipment, and green energy is taking place across the Tianshan Mountains, north and south.

Machines are getting“smarter”

“In 2007, I worked part-time to pick cotton, and at most I could pick 30 kilograms a day.” Standing in front of the six-row baler cotton picker, Zhang Wanqiang, senior manager of the Marketing Product Center of Xinjiang Boshen Intelligent Agricultural Machinery Co., Ltd., said with pride,“Now, one six-row baler cotton picker can harvest 200 to ́500 mu of land in a day. Compared with traditional cotton-picking methods, efficiency has greatly improved, while costs have dropped considerably. For one mu of land, manual picking costs about 800 yuan, while the machine only needs 100 to ́200 yuan.”

Boshen cotton pickers have a self-manufacture rate of key components exceeding 90%, a domestic production rate approaching 100%, a picking cleanliness rate exceeding 93%, anda impurity content rate below 10%, while the price is only about half that of similar imported products. Today, Xinjiang's cotton machine-picking rate exceeds 90%, and the comprehensive mechanization rate of plowing, planting, and harvesting exceeds 97%.

Currently it is the cotton boll-opening period, and in the Digital Agriculture Control Center of the National Digital Planting Innovation and Application Base in Manas County, Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture, the large screen clearly shows conditions such as the growth of cotton leaves.

Qin Yunpeng, aged 25, is responsible for equipment operation and maintenance in this area. Data such as soil moisture monitoring, pest monitoring, and field meteorological stations in the fields are transmitted back via intelligent equipment, processed by background algorithms of the big data platform, and then displayed on the platform. For which plot the temperature or humidity has changed, whether the boll-opening rate has increased — sitting before the large screen, one can grasp all this. Combined with current temperature, humidity, boll-opening rate, and growth period, a strategy for spraying defoliant is formulated. In agricultural planting management, the application of digital agricultural technology has genuinely played a role in saving costs, improving quality, increasing production, and enhancing efficiency.

Entering the Qingshuihe Supporting Park of the Khorgos Economic Development Zone in Ili Kazakh Autonomous Prefecture, inside the production workshop of Xinjiang Juge New Energy Technology Co., Ltd., automated equipment continuously completes each process, while staff members primarily undertake work such as materials, equipment, and production management.

Hu Chao, deputy general manager of the company, introduced that now a large number of repetitive operations are handed over to automated equipment, production records are also gradually shifting to digital systems, and the enterprise is debugging new traceability equipment; once put into use, a battery can be traced backward from the finished product to the batch of raw materials used.

The changes brought by increasingly“smart” intelligent systems also extend to broader and more arduous operation sites. In 2018, the first provincial-level aviation inspection professional management organization of State Grid — the State Grid Xinjiang Electric Power Aviation Inspection Center — was established. Currently, unmanned aerial vehicle inspection has achieved full coverage of airworthy lines of 110 kV and above in Xinjiang, covering 70,000 kilometers of lines.

In the depths of the Taklamakan Desert, yellow sand billows across the sky, and unmanned aerial vehicles are shuttling among the iron towers in the sea of sand, capturing high-definition images of towers, conductors, and insulators. Below the towers, controlling the drones, is Yang Yongxiang, an operation and maintenance worker of Xinjiang Power Transmission and Transformation Co., Ltd.

Yang Yongxiang introduced that previously, desert inspection was a dual test of physical strength and willpower; many tower positions were difficult for vehicles to reach, so operation and maintenance workers had to carry equipment on their backs and trek on foot, struggling through soft, sandy terrain. In windy, dusty weather, workers had to rely on binoculars for rough observation, making it difficult to identify subtle hidden dangers.“Now it is different — the desert section patrols that originally took several days to complete on foot are now completed in a few hours, and inspection quality and efficiency have greatly improved.” Yang Yongxiang said.

Computing power“gets running”

At the age of 32, Chen Keyu came from Sichuan to Karamay. Four years later, he is now the technical department manager of Karamay Carbon and Network Technology Co., Ltd., dealing daily with servers and data center liquid cooling infrastructure. Why place computing power facilities in Xinjiang? He calculated an“electricity account”:“If the server itself uses 1 kilowatt-hour of electricity, here compared with central and eastern provinces and cities, electricity savings in auxiliary processes such as cooling are about 0.3 kilowatt-hours, making the comprehensive cost advantages in electricity, energy consumption, etc. obvious.”

Behind computing power is the support of a large number of servers, which need both electricity and cooling. Xinjiang's installed capacity of new energy and its abundant wind and solar resources provide reliable, low-cost electricity support, and its dry, low-rainfall climate also suits natural heat dissipation of data centers.

Computing power must not only compute fast, but also be transmitted out. In Hami City, Xinjiang, more than 2,000 kilometers from Chongqing, but in digital space, relying on the domestically developed, autonomous and controllable V2V video networking protocol technology, Hami has built four 100G backbone transmission networks directly reaching Chongqing, compressing the one-way latency between the two places to within 20 milliseconds.

Computing power must also truly“get running.” At the Jiangna Coal Mine, located northwest of the Naomaohu mining area in Yiwu County, Hami, 80 unmanned mining trucks are busy transporting high-quality coal. Jiangna Mining Industry General Manager Liu Kunpeng introduced that, adopting multi-sensor fusion perception technology, combined with artificial intelligence algorithms, unmanned mining trucks can accurately identify obstacles and handle various complex operation scenarios;“Unmanned operations can enhance the safety level of coal mining, and also save 30 million yuan in annual labor costs.”

Fu Longzhuo of the Digital Silk Road Xinjiang Industrial Investment Group deeply participated in the construction of artificial intelligence application scenarios in Karamay. He gave two examples: a grain and oil enterprise previously required workers to stare at the production line for long periods, observing conditions such as product color and sediment; now, some quality inspection links have introduced artificial intelligence for automatic identification, and workers have shifted to supervising system operation. Previously, when external talent applied to stay in talent hostels, it required offline coordinated review by departments such as human resources and social security, public security, etc., and a full set of procedures usually took two to three days; now, relevant data interfaces have been connected, and links such as material identification and qualification review have moved online, compressing processing time to within 24 hours.

From production frontline to government services, one specific scenario after another is turning Xinjiang's computing power resources into perceptible productive forces.

Old industries“grow new branches”

In the 530 well block of District 8, No. ́2 Oil Production Plant of Xinjiang Oilfield, carbon dioxide is becoming a new helper in oil recovery. The low-permeability conglomerate reservoir here has strong water sensitivity; traditional waterflood development easily causes reservoir blockage, making much remaining oil difficult to recover. Tong Kun, deputy director of the Oilfield Geology Research Institute of the No. ́2 Oil Production Plant, introduced that since 2019, the team has carried out pilot tests of carbon dioxide flooding, injecting carbon dioxide into the underground to supplement formation energy. As the injection scale has expanded, the pilot test effects have gradually emerged.

From water flooding to exploring gas flooding, from treating carbon dioxide to utilizing carbon dioxide, technological innovation is enabling Xinjiang's traditional advantageous industries to continuously“grow new branches.”

In the production central control room of Hami Guanghui Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd., parameters of each link on the large screen are jumping in real time. In the production equipment area, machines are roaring, and off-gas, once regarded as“scrap material” of the coal chemical industry, is now turning waste into something valuable (变废为宝, bian fei wei bao -“change, waste, into, treasure”)—ethylene glycol, widely used in fields such as polyester fiber, plastics, and coatings, has become a sought-after product.

Off-gas has complex composition and high nitrogen content, making it difficult to carry out large-scale, high-value utilization, and it is recognized in the coal chemical industry as a“long-standing tough problem.” This company, jointly with multiple scientific research institutions, carried out technical research and development, successfully developing the“green application technology for clean and efficient conversion of off-gas into ethylene glycol for industrialization,” and its 400,000-ton off-gas-to-ethylene-glycol project officially began production in March 2022.“The project can utilize 2.65 billion standard cubic meters of off-gas annually, equivalent to saving 570,000 tons of standard coal and reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 628,000 tons, achieving a win-win situation of both economic and environmental benefits.” Company General Manager Liu Zhidan introducedthat, after a series of technical renovations, the company's daily output of ethylene glycol has reached over 1,150 tons.

At the integrated hydrogen production and refueling station in the Naomaohu Industrial Park of Yiwu County, hydrogen-powered heavy trucks loaded with coal, after completing refueling, head toward the“Xinjiang coal outward transport” main line. These“big fellows” with zero tailpipe emissions and low noise have bid farewell to the black smoke and roar of traditional diesel heavy trucks.

Hami has a large-scale application scenario for ten-thousand-unit-class hydrogen-powered heavy trucks, but the cost of hydrogen production via water electrolysis is relatively high — what to do?As an important hundred-million-ton-class coal production base in Xinjiang, Hami has deeply cultivated the coal chemical industry for many years, giving birth to industrial by-product hydrogen with considerable reserves and stable quality. Sun Chunsong, deputy director of the Commerce, Science, Technology, and Industry Information Bureau of Yiwu County, introducedthat locally, the previously discarded and emitted industrial by-product hydrogen has been turned into treasure, with a daily-output-25-ton pure hydrogen plant and four standardized hydrogen refueling stations built, achieving low-cost, stable hydrogen supply.

From unmanned aerial vehicles shuttling through the sky to server indicator lights blinking, from carbon dioxide“showing its skills” to the reuse of coal chemical industry waste…one change after another is interweaving into a picture of Xinjiang's modernized industries, injecting surging momentum into high-quality development.

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Three Departments Deploy Legal Action Against Forging Preferential Treatment Certificates and Related Offenses

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter Li Longyi) Recently, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Supreme People's Procuratorate jointly issued the "Notice on Legally Combating Illegal Acts Such as Forging Preferential Treatment Certificates," clarifying that preferential treatment certificates for veterans and other entitled recipients are state organ certificates, as well as the legal application for investigating and punishing related illegal acts in accordance with the law, deploying relevant departments in various localities to legally combat related illegal acts such as forging preferential treatment certificates, ensuring the effective implementation of policies (落地落实, luo di shi shi - "land, fall; implement, carry out"), and effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of entitled recipients.

The notice points out that the preferential treatment certificate is a state organ certificate lawfully produced by the Ministry of Veterans Affairs. Acts related to forging, altering, buying, or selling preferential treatment certificates will be handled in accordance with relevant provisions of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Public Security Administration Penalties"; where crimes are suspected, cases will be filed for investigation in accordance with the "Criminal Law of the People's Republic of China." Acts related to using forged or altered preferential treatment certificates to defraud preferential treatment benefits for entitled recipients such as transportation, culture, and tourism will be handled in accordance with relevant provisions of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Public Security Administration Penalties." The nature of the People's Republic of China Disabled Serviceman Certificate and the People's Republic of China Disabled People's Police Certificate issued by veterans affairs departments is the same as that of the preferential treatment certificate; both are state organ certificates, and relevant departments must also legally combat related illegal acts.

The notice requires that veterans affairs departments, public security organs, and people's procuratorates in various localities must strengthen coordination, jointly carry out work such as publicity, prevention, investigation, and punishment.

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2026 Annual Conference of Global Forum on Public Security Cooperation (Lianyungang) Holds Cybersecurity Sub-forum

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter Zhang Tianpei) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Public Security: on the 8th, the cybersecurity sub-forum of the 2026 Annual Conference of the Global Forum on Public Security Cooperation (Lianyungang) was held in Lianyungang City, Jiangsu Province. More than 150 representatives from government departments, law enforcement agencies, industry and academia of 27 countries and regions, as well as representatives of relevant international organizations, participated in the event. The sub-forum was hosted by the Third Research Institute of the Ministry of Public Security, and was the first cybersecurity sub-forum held under the framework of the Global Forum on Public Security Cooperation (Lianyungang).

With the theme of "Co-Governance and Co-Sharing: Exploring New Paths for Security Governance of Cyberspace," the sub-forum focused on cybersecurity law enforcement topics of common concern to all parties, aiming to strengthen cybersecurity cooperation and jointly safeguard global cyberspace security.

During the sub-forum, domestic and foreign representatives, from the perspectives of technical protection, laws and policies, law enforcement practice, and international cooperation, conducted in-depth analysis of the global cybersecurity situation, exchanged governance concepts and practical experience, and jointly explored new ideas, new mechanisms, and new paths for addressing cybersecurity risks and challenges and deepening international cooperation. The sub-forum also released the "Blue Book on Exploration and Practice of Security Risk Detection, Assessment of Generative Artificial Intelligence" and the "Cybersecurity Evaluation Indicator System".

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Three Macao Universities Open at Aoxin International Education (University) City

(People's Daily, Macao, September 8) (Reporter Fu Zimei) The 2026/2027 academic year opening ceremonies of the University of Macau, the Macao Polytechnic University, and the Macao University of Tourism were held on the 8th at the Phase I campus of the Aoxin International Education (University) City, with over 1,450 graduate students enrolling in programs including artificial intelligence, microelectronics, big data and the Internet of Things, and cultural and creative industry management. Macao SAR Chief Executive Sam Hou Fai, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in Macao Zheng Xincong, and others attended the opening ceremonies.

The "15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes "advancing the construction of the Aoxin International Education (University) City and supporting Macao higher-education institutions in extending their schooling to Hengqin." The formal commissioning of the Phase I campus of the University City marks a substantive step (实质性一步, shizhi xing yibu - "substance, reality, one, step") in the extension of Macao schooling to Hengqin. The University City will, guided by the integration of education, science and technology, and talent, and relying on the synergistic advantages of resources on both sides of Aoxin, impel Macao to radiate brand-new vitality in proactively integrating into and serving the nation's overall development agenda.

It is understood that the University City is being built in three phases, with Phase I already completed. Phase II, with the University of Macau as its main body, is expected to be initially completed and put into use by 2029. Phase III, with the Macao Polytechnic University and the Macao University of Tourism as its main bodies, is planned to initiate design and construction in 2027 and complete construction by 2030.

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From "Cloud Training" to "Industrial Implementation": Baidu AI Cloud Deepens Its Layout in China's Embodied Intelligence Cloud Market

In Beijing in August, the world witnessed new trends in the development of robotics technology. At the second World Humanoid Robot Games held from August 22 to 26, a humanoid robot set a new record of 8.64 seconds on the 100-meter track. In the exhibition hall of the 2026 World Robot Conference, demonstrations of humanoid robots doing somersaults, brewing coffee, and carrying goods drew waves of amazement.

Robots are becoming increasingly intelligent, reflecting the rapid pace of technological iteration in the embodied intelligence industry. Baidu AI Cloud, aligning with the industry's development trends, has provided more than 50 industrial-chain enterprises with full-stack AI cloud technical support covering models, data, and the robot body itself.

From forward-looking layout to full-stack capability

In July 2026, the International Data Corporation (IDC) released the "China Embodied Intelligence Cloud Market Share Report, 2025," in which Baidu AI Cloud ranked first with a 29.6% market share. Even earlier, Omdia reached the same conclusion in its report "China Embodied Intelligence AI Cloud Market, 1H25": Baidu AI Cloud ranked first with a 35% market share. According to the IDC report, the size of China's embodied intelligence cloud market reached 1.051 billion yuan in 2025, and is expected to see multiple-fold growth over the next five years.

Receiving certification from two international research institutions in succession is no accident. Since the rise of the embodied intelligence track, Baidu AI Cloud has laid out its plans around the four major R&D links of embodied intelligence — "brain, cerebellum, data, and complete machine" — and, relying on Baidu Baige, has built a full-chain AI computing platform covering data preparation, simulation validation, development training, and inference deployment. Through optimization of computing-power scheduling, storage, networking, and AI infrastructure engineering, Baidu Baige has raised the proportion of effective cluster training time to 98.8%, and its accompanying training-and-inference acceleration suite can improve training and inference efficiency by 30% and60%, respectively. In the direction of large-scale training of full-modality models, Baidu Baige has accelerated the startup speed of Cosmos3 training by 89 times, and has completed expansion validation across 64 nodes and512 cards, achieving an expansion efficiency of 97.48%.

From achieving breakthroughs in specific areas to win-win outcomes for the industry

Technological strength must ultimately land in industrial applications. At present, Baidu AI Cloud has served the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, the Shanghai Embodied Intelligence Innovation Center, as well as more than50 key enterprises along the industrial chain, including AgiBot, Xinghaitu, Unitree, and Qianxun Intelligent, providing full-stack AI cloud technical support covering model training-and-inference acceleration, data services, body-based voice interaction and teleoperation, as well as embodied-intelligence-related security.

The humanoid robot "Tiangong Ultra," which ran the 100 meters in 8.64 seconds, comes precisely from Baidu AI Cloud's partner, the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center. In the development of the "Huisi Kaiwu" general-purpose embodied intelligence platform, the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center has relied on Baidu Baige to conduct embodied model training, and, through capabilities such as efficient computing-power scheduling, training-and-inference acceleration, and automatic elastic fault tolerance, has driven a 2-fold improvement in the efficiency of model reinforcement-learning training, while ensuring an effective training-time share of 99.5% for thousand-card model training. The Zhejiang Humanoid Robot Innovation Center has conducted cloud-based simulation training on the Baidu Baige platform, accelerating research and development of robots' stable walking and human-like movement capabilities. Xinghaitu's model training and R&D iteration system operates based on Baidu AI Cloud's capability system, and the two sides are jointly optimizing Fast-WAM (Fast World-Action Model), bringing its single-step inference latency down to within 90 milliseconds. The ScaleLab team of Shanghai Jiao Tong University, the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, and Baidu AI Cloud's AI Infra team have jointly launched AHA-WAM (Asynchronous Hierarchical-Adaptive World-Action Model), effectively breaking through the latency bottleneck in the deployment of WAM models. AgiBot, for its part, has engaged in deep cooperation with Baidu AI Cloud around the construction of embodied intelligence ecosystem solutions, the R&D of key embodied intelligence technologies and products, and ecosystem collaboration, accelerating the advancement of embodied intelligence robots' landing applications in scenarios such as education, scientific research, and intelligent manufacturing.

Since the beginning of this year, ecosystem cooperation has continued to deepen. In April, Baidu AI Cloud, together with multiple enterprises, launched the Embodied Intelligence Data Supermarket (Beta version), systematically addressing the industry's data pain points. In June, Baidu AI Cloud, together with the Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center, launched an embodied intelligence hackathon, soliciting deployable technical solutions from developers worldwide. During the 2026 World Robot Conference, Baidu AI Cloud signed agreements with multiple embodied intelligence enterprises, including Beta Infinite, Zhongyi Embodied, Tuoyuan Intelligence, and Chaoneng Future, completing the latest step on the path to industrial landing.

From underlying computing power to upper-level applications, from achieving breakthroughs in specific areas to win-win outcomes for the industry, Baidu AI Cloud is using its full-stack AI infrastructure as the foundation to provide systematic support for enterprises up and down the industrial chain. As the embodied intelligence industry enters a phase of accelerated development, this "cloud" is injecting surging momentum into the "brains" and "cerebellums" of more robots, helping China's embodied intelligence technology accelerate toward large-scale industrial application.

Data source: Baidu

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Page editors: Guan Xuanyue, Lu Tao, Zhai Qinqi

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Carry Forward the Spirit of the Long March, Strive on the Journey of National Rejuvenation

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Walking the Long March of the New Era

By: 徐雷鹏

At 11:02 on September 6, the G3998 Fuxing bullet train slowly pulled out of Ruijin Station in Jiangxi, arriving at Yan'an Station in Shaanxi 11 hours and 32 minutes later. Over 90 years ago, also traveling from Ruijin to Yan'an, the Red Army soldiers, with a pair of straw sandals and a bamboo walking stick, trudged arduously for more than a year. The shift in time and space is precisely the most vivid footnote to drastic and profound changes (沧桑巨变, cang sang ju bian - "mulberry, mulberry, huge, change") that China has undergone.

Looking back at that "unparalleled or incomparable" (无与伦比, wu yu lun bi -"not, with, compare, peer") epic expedition of over 90 years ago, on average one Red Army soldier fell for every 300 meters, and on average a battle was fought every three days. At the bloody battle of the Xiang River, more than 6,000 men of the 34th Division were almost entirely annihilated; division commander Chen Shuxiang, after being captured, tore open his own wound and twisted out his intestines, refusing to yield even in the face of death (宁死不屈, ning si bu qu -"rather, die, not, yield"); on the snow-covered mountains, the quartermaster gave his cotton-padded coat to a comrade-in-arms and was frozen stiff in his thin uniform; 14-year-old soldier Zhou Guangcai,while crossing the grasslands, kept back a "half belt" saying he would carry it"to Yan'an to see Chairman Mao." It was precisely this force that repelled more than a million pursuers, conquered the oxygen-thin ice peaks and snow ridges, crossed the desolate marshlands, swept across more than 10 provinces, and marched 25,000 li. The great Long March spirit thus forged is forever inscribed in the annals of the Chinese revolution and of the Chinese nation.

More than 90 years have passed, and that blood-soaked route has long since changed its face. In the more than 10 provinces where the Red Army once trod, expressways run unimpeded and high-speed railways crisscross the land, and the lives of ordinary people have genuinely changed for the better. By the banks of the Xiang River, red heritage sites and vineyards are complementing each other to enhance their respective brilliance (相映生辉, xiang ying sheng hui -"mutually, reflect, produce, brightness"); deep in the Songpan grasslands, the aroma of butter tea drifts from herdsmen's tents...

More than 90 years have passed, and generation after generation of young people retrace the Long March route, measuring with their feet the mountains and rivers their forebears once crossed. The Long March National Cultural Park has been rolled out across 15 provinces, and the"walking grand ideological and political course"is being vividly unfolded across the motherland... Red resources are moving from history into the present, becoming a driving source that unites people's hearts.

General Secretary Xi Jinping has earnestly instructed: "We still have many 'snow mountains' and 'grasslands' to cross, and many 'Loushan Passes' and 'Lazikou Passes' to conquer""Our generation, inheriting the cause of our predecessors, carrying out today's struggle, must moreover blaze the road of tomorrow".

Every generation has its own Long March road. Today, we no longer have to cross snow mountains or traverse grasslands, but reform's tough battles, technology's breakthroughs, and the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas — which of these passes is any easier than those of that era? The road ahead is precisely what awaits us to measure with our own feet; the new glory will ultimately be created by new strugglers. To inherit and carry forward the great Long March spirit and to walk well the Long March road of the new era — this is our most powerful answer to that great expedition of over 90 years ago.

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Page editors: Ji Jianming, Zhao Xiaoxi, Li Peiyang

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Adhering to the Party's Political Construction as the Overarching Guide (Thoroughly Studying and Implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

By: 曾 峻

Adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide is a fundamental requirement for Party building in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Being unequivocal in speaking politics is the fundamental requirement for our Party as a Marxist political party. The Party's political construction is the Party's foundational construction, determining the direction and effectiveness of Party building." Xi Jinping's thought on Party building has incorporated the Party's political construction into the overall layout of Party building and placed it first, clarifying the overarching guiding role of the Party's political construction over all aspects of Party building work — this is a distinctive hallmark of the times and a major theoretical contribution of this important thought. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, the Party's political construction in the new era has achieved historic accomplishments, and the political awareness and political capability of Party organizations at all levels and of Party members and cadres have been greatly enhanced, providing a strong guarantee for consolidating the Party's high-degree unity and solidarity in thought, politics, and action and for fulfilling the new historical mission shouldered by the Party.

Adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide is a major proposition raised from a strategic and overall perspective

In Volume I of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Party Building, in the article "Enhancing the Consciousness and Resolve to Advance the Party's Political Construction," General Secretary Xi Jinping points out:"Every political party has a political attribute,and has its own political mission, political goals,and political pursuits." In modern society, political parties play a role of decisive significance (举足轻重, ju ju qing zhong - "lift, foot, heavy, important"). All political parties employ certain political ideas, norms,and principles to rally and integrate their members, thereby achieving political mobilization on a broader scale,and realizing their own political intentions through wielding state power, influencing public policy,and so forth. It can be said that the political attribute is the core element distinguishing a political party from other organizations,and is the primary attribute of a political party.

Marxist political parties, since the day of their birth, have explicitly expressed and continuously demonstrated political progressiveness. In terms of political stance, they emphasize always "seeking interests for the overwhelming majority of the people"; in terms of political direction, they emphasize striving for the liberation of mankind and for the realization of the comprehensive development of the individual; in terms of political principles, they emphasize the leadership of the proletarian party and unity and solidarity under the principle of democratic centralism; in terms of political discipline, they emphasize that rigorous organization and strict discipline are the guarantee of the Party's cohesion and combat effectiveness. Marxist political parties not only speak politics,but do so with a clear-cut and firm attitude. The progressiveness and purity of a Marxist political party are first and foremost manifested in political progressiveness

Always attaching importance to building the Party politically is our Party's fine tradition. Only by focusing on building the Party politically can we ensure that the entire Party always possesses unified thought, firm will, coordinated action,and strong combat effectiveness, continuously growing stronger and advancing from victory to victory. In advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly recognized that many problems existing within the Party are related to political problems,and all stem from failing to firmly grasp and advance the Party's political construction. "If one governs at the root, orders are followed by evening; if one remedies only the branches, even a hundred generations cannot change it." General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized:"Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party must first be viewed from a political perspective""Political problems must be solved from a political perspective""If the Party's political construction is not grasped, or deviates from the direction indicated by the Party's political construction, the Party's other constructions will find it difficult to achieve expected results." Faced with profoundly changing global, national,and Party conditions, faced with the complex and intertwined various problems within the Party, only by viewing from a political perspective and solving from a political perspective can we seize the root causes and achieve results. Adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide is a key measure for advancing the Party's self-revolution in the new era and solving the prominent problems facing the Party, and is an inevitable choice for focusing on the Party's long-term governance, ensuring that the Party always remains united and unified,and becomes a strong leading core for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era

The theoretical connotation and theoretical contribution of adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide

Adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide enriches and develops Marxist theories of Party building, summarizes and elevates the historical experience of Party building over more than a hundred years,and is a landmark theoretical innovation achievement in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, marking that our Party's understanding of the laws governing strengthening its own political construction has reached a new height

Clearly putting forward the major proposition of the Party's political construction. The 19th Party Congress clearly put forward the major proposition of the Party's political construction. At the 19th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out:"We must take the Party Constitution as the fundamental guideline, place the Party's political construction first, make ideological Party building and institutional Party governance work in the same direction,and advance the Party's various constructions in a coordinated manner." Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, by putting forward this major proposition of the Party's political construction, further highlights the uniqueness of Marxist party building, carries forward our Party's fine tradition of speaking politics, expands the work framework of Party building, and strengthens the practical orientation of the Party's political construction

Highlighting its primary position and overarching guiding role. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building not only puts forward this major proposition of the Party's political construction,but also clarifies its primary position and overarching guiding role in Party building in the new era. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized:"Speaking politics is the fundamental guarantee for our Party in managing and governing the Party and avoiding subversive mistakes; at no time can this be ambiguous or wavered""Without a strong political guarantee, the Party's unity and solidarity would be an empty phrase""When the Party leads the people in governing the country, the most important thing is to uphold the correct political direction, always maintain our Party's political character,and always advance along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics". The Party's political construction bears on the Party's nature and beliefs, bears on the Party's purpose and stance, bears on the Party's discipline and norms, bears on the unity, solidarity,and uniformity of action of the entire Party, bears on whether the Party can uphold the correct direction and take the correct path; therefore, it is the Party's foundational construction and must be placed first. Adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide improves and optimizes the overall layout of Party building in the new era, making the hierarchical logic of the overall layout of Party building clearer

Constructing a systematic and complete theoretical system. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building puts forward the primary tasks, basic requirements, main contents,and purpose orientations of the Party's political construction, encompassing both epistemology and methodology, thereby constructing a systematic and complete theoretical system. In terms of primary tasks, General Secretary Xi Jinping points out:"The primary task of the Party's political construction is to ensure that the entire Party obeys the Central Committee, uphold the authority of the Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, and there can be absolutely no ambiguity or wavering." In Party building, highlighting the primary position of the Party's political construction; in the Party's political construction, making resolutely achieving the Two Upholds (两个维护) the primary task — this further highlights the top priority of Party building and identifies the ballast stone of Party building. In terms of basic requirements, General Secretary Xi Jinping, by recounting the story of how, when the Red Army crossed the grasslands, the cook, upon getting up, "did not ask whether there was rice to cook today, but first asked whether they were marching south or north," points out that "understanding the question of direction is more important than what one eats." To strengthen the Party's political construction, we must firmly implement the Party's political line, strictly abide by political discipline and political rules,and maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee in political stance, political direction, political principles,and political path. In terms of main contents, this includes keeping the correct political direction, upholding the Party's political leadership, consolidating the political foundation, fostering a healthy political ecosystem, guarding against political risks, forever maintaining political integrity,and enhancing political capability, among others. In terms of purpose orientations, through strengthening political construction we achieve the unity, solidarity,and uniformity of action of the entire Party, building the Party into a Marxist ruling party that always stays at the forefront of the times, is sincerely supported by the people, dares to engage in self-revolution, can withstand all kinds of storms and trials,and is full of vigor and vitality

Clearly establishing the political standard for managing and governing the Party. Adhering to the Party's political construction as the overarching guide is not only reflected in placing political construction first in the overall layout of Party building,but also in the requirement that in all aspects of Party building work, one must keep taut the string of "viewing from a political perspective," focus on winning political initiative,and clearly establish the political standard for managing and governing the Party. In advancing the Party's ideological construction, organizational construction, work-style construction, discipline construction, institutional construction,and the fight against corruption, the primary task lies in upholding the political attribute, keeping the correct political direction,and maintaining the Party's progressiveness and purity. Ideological construction highlights firming up ideals and convictions; organizational construction highlights enhancing the political functions and organizational functions of Party organizations; "Problems in work style are by no means small matters" is a conclusion drawn from viewing work-style construction from a political perspective; among the "six disciplines" of discipline construction, political discipline ranks first and governs the overall; institutional construction highlights improving the systems and mechanisms for upholding the Party's leadership; and the fight against corruption resolutely investigates and punishes corruption in which political problems and economic problems are intertwined. At the same time, when measuring the effectiveness of Party building work in all aspects, we must take the political standard as the primary yardstick, scientifically evaluate political effects and political influence,and promote the Party's political construction and constructions in other fields to exert force in the same direction and comprehensively

Implementing it as specific requirements for cadre team building. In Volume II of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Party Building, in the article "Cultivating a High-Quality Cadre Team That Is Loyal, Clean,and Responsible," General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizes:"When selecting and appointing cadres, the first thing to examine is whether the cadre is politically clear-headed and firm." This is the concrete manifestation of implementing the Party's political construction in cadre team building. Only by analyzing problems from a political perspective can we see through to their essence; only by solving problems from a political perspective can we seize the root. General Secretary Xi Jinping's major thesis of "enhancing political judgment, political comprehension,and political execution" points out the specific direction and practical path for Party members and cadres to improve their political capability. We must be adept at, based on the overall work of the Party and the state, comprehending and grasping the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments from a political perspective,and implementing them in the practice of planning major strategies, formulating major policies, deploying major tasks,and advancing major work. Improving political steadfastness and political capability requires learning,but even more so requires political tempering and practical training, honing political character and forging solid skills in the great struggle with many new historical characteristics

The Party's political construction in the new era has achieved historic accomplishments

Speaking politics is our Party's fine tradition and unique advantage; however, for a period of time, there existed within the Party many problems of weakened, hollowed-out, diluted,and marginalized implementation of the Party's leadership. Through sustained efforts in the new era, the Party's political construction has achieved comprehensive and historic accomplishments, andthe political foundation for managing, governing, revitalizing,and strengthening the Party has become more solid

The Party's unity and solidarity are first and foremost political unity and solidarity. The greatest achievement of the Party's political construction in the new era is reflected in the high degree of political unity and solidarity of the entire Party. In the great practice of advancing and expanding Chinese modernization in the new era, and in the great struggle of responding to various risks and challenges, the entire Party and the people of the whole country have profoundly comprehended the decisive significance of the Two Establishments (两个确立) and profoundly recognized the extreme importance of the Two Upholds. Important intra-Party laws and regulations such as those on strengthening and maintaining the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee and on requesting instructions and reporting have been promulgated, mechanisms for implementing the Party Central Committee's major decisionsand deployments have been continuously improved, political inspection and political supervision have been deepened,and various political hidden dangers have been actively prevented and eliminated. Through the Party's political construction, the entire Party and the people of the whole country have been closely united around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, united as one and advancing toward the grand goal of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation

Strengthening the Party's political construction has produced broad and profound leading and driving effects. On major questions such as what the Communist Party is and what it should do, why one joins the Party, what one does when becoming an "official," and what one leaves behind after one's tenure, Party members and cadres have corrected their ideological understanding, firmly established their political stance,and enhanced their consciousness of the Party, of Party membership,and of public service. They have persisted in using the Party's innovative theories to consolidate souls and forge the Party, continuously carried out centralized intra-Party education, fortified the foundation of faith,and greatly enhanced the Four Confidences (四个自信). Political quality has been regarded as the most important quality of cadres, and political standards have been regarded as the first standard for measuring cadres, promoting cadres to achieve loyalty, integrity,and responsibility. Creating a clean and healthy political atmosphere (风清气正, feng qing qi zheng - "wind, clear, air, upright") has been treated as basic and routine work, continuously developing positive and healthy intra-Party political culture, vigorously promoting the values of Communists,and continuously enhancing the political nature, contemporaneity, principledness,and militancy of intra-Party political life. We have persisted in understanding the great significance of work-style construction and the fight against corruption from the height of the Party's nature and purpose and of consolidating the Party's governing foundation, deeply implemented the spirit of the Central Committee's Eight-Point Regulation and its implementation rules, resolutely fought the tough, protracted,and overall battles against corruption,and the political character of Communists of being honest and upright has become even more distinct

Continuously improving the political capability of Party members and cadres

General Secretary Xi Jinping points out:"Maintaining and developing the political attribute of a Marxist political party is not an easy task; one cannot expect that simply grasping at it broadly or concentrating firepower to fight a few battles can thoroughly solve the problem." The Party's political construction must make efforts on the two characters of "long-term" and "regular," and there can be no slightest relaxation. To continuously consolidate and expand the achievements of the Party's political construction, we must continuously improve the political capability of Party members and cadres at all levels. On the premise of thoroughly implementing the various requirements of the Party's political construction, we should strive to achieve the following aspects

Be adept at creatively implementing the Party Central Committee's decisionsand deployments. We must thoroughly grasp the spiritual essence of the Party Central Committee's decisionsand deployments, implement them completely, accurately,and comprehensively,and must not let them become deformed or deviated, reciting the good scripture incorrectly; must not "take what one needs" or engage in taking words out of context to distort meaning (断章取义, duan zhang qu yi - "break, chapter, take, meaning"); nor may we engage in that sort of formalism, confining ourselves to holding meetings, making statements, issuing documents,and general mobilization, passively coping. Resolutely and forcefully implementing the Party Central Committee's decisionsand deployments is not contradictory to carrying out work creatively. To avoid applying something mechanically without understanding or flexibility (生搬硬套, sheng ban ying tao - "raw, move, rigid,套") and making everything the same from top to bottom, we must expend effort in investigation and research, thoroughly understand the specific conditions of our own region, field,and unit, proceed from reality, formulate specific and targeted implementation plans, unify responsibility to superiors with responsibility to subordinates,and enable the Party Central Committee's decisionsand deployments to truly take firm root (落地生根, luo di sheng gen - "land, ground, grow, root")

Be adept at enhancing political quality and political capability in the spirit of aiming for the broad while attending to the minute details (致广大而尽精微, zhi guang da er jin jing wei - "reach, vast, great, and, exhaust, subtle, tiny"). Speaking politics requires viewing from the broad perspective, thinking, making decisions,and handling affairs from the overall and strategic height. At the same time, it also requires implementing and refining, embodying the requirements of speaking politics in all aspects and links of work. We should engage in theoretical study with a serious and solid attitude, ensure that we gain understanding and insight,and transform the Party's innovative theories into the spiritual driving force and scientific methods that guide practice and advance work. Be loyal and honest to the Party, match words with deeds, dare to criticize and courageously take a stand against erroneous words and deeds around us,and never become "double-faced people" or "goody-goody gentlemen." Truly invest genuine feelings and effort in matters concerning people's livelihoods, follow the Party's mass line in the new era,and never place personal fame and gain above the interests of the masses, nor engage in "achievement projects" or "image projects" that waste people's resources and money. Strengthen the sense of responsibility, dare to face problems directly, be adept at resolving contradictions,and never shrink back or avoid the heavy and dangerous at critical junctures; we must forge ahead with vigor, carrying the Party's responsibility and feelings for the people, continuously opening up new prospects for the development of our undertakings

Be adept at organically integrating political requirements with professional work. The Party's political construction establishes the soul and foundation for professional work. Solving political problems means solving the problems of why we work and in what direction we work; only thus can professional work have clear direction, elevated intent, broad vision,and profound foundation, and can it stimulate the internal driving force of Party organizations at all levels and of Party members and cadres. We must further promote the mastering various aspects and integrating them into a whole (融会贯通, rong hui guan tong - "melt, gather, penetrate, through") of the requirements of the Party's political construction with professional work, uphold politics leading professional work and professional work carrying politics, plan as a whole, deploy as a whole, advance as a whole,and evaluate as a whole, continuously interpreting the unique advantages and practical mighty power of the Party's political construction through the achievements of high-quality development, high-quality life, high-efficiency governance,and high-quality ecological environment

(The author is Deputy Director of the Shanghai Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)

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High-Quality Financial and Judicial Services to Support the Real Economy (Special Topic Reflection)

By: 薛 峰

Finance is the core of the modern economy, and the real economy is a country's foundation for standing on its own feet and its source of wealth. General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized: "Our country's finance must keep to its proper duty of serving the real economy, promote high-quality development, and must never shift from the real to the virtual.""The 15th Five-Year Plan" outline proposes:"Improve the quality and efficiency of financial services to the real economy, vigorously develop technology finance, green finance, inclusive finance, pension finance, and digital finance, and strengthen high-quality financial services for major strategies, key areas, and weak links." The Financial Court bears the responsibility of serving and safeguarding the implementation of the national financial strategy, creating a sound financial legal environment, and promoting sound economic development, and can provide important judicial support and safeguards for finance serving the real economy. The CPC Central Committee's "Opinions on Strengthening Judicial Work in the New Era" proposes "strengthening financial adjudication work" and makes specific arrangements, providing guidance for financial judicial work. Fully bringing into play the positive role of the Financial Court in promoting finance serving the real economy can, on the basis of holding the bottom line of not incurring systemic financial risks, serve the development of the real economy with high-quality financial justice.

The real economy is the foundation of finance; without the support of the real economy, finance would become something that lacks a source or foundation (无源之水, wu yuan zhi shui - "no source of water") and something that lacks a foundation or basis (无本之木, wu ben zhi mu - "no root of tree"). In recent years, financial supply-side structural reform has been continuously advanced, and the quality and efficiency of financial services to the real economy have been greatly improved. Since the beginning of this year, our country's total financial volume has grown reasonably, the credit structure has continued to optimize, and the financial system has better met the capital needs of the real economy. It should be noted that finance is an industry with active innovation, and financial innovation has two sides. With the deepening advancement of financial supply-side structural reform, while innovations in financial products and services serve the real economy, if they lack necessary regulation, they may also trigger risks and create chaos. Financial disputes often have characteristics such as large subject amounts, numerous involved parties, complex legal relationships, and strong risk transmission. Whether they are handled well or not directly bears on people's property safety, the survival and development of business entities, and even macroeconomic stability.

The rule of law is an important safeguard for finance to effectively serve the real economy. Financial justice uses legal means to unclog the bottlenecks in the flow of funds into the real economy, conducive to promoting a virtuous cycle between financial living water and the real economy. Specifically, financial justice, by cracking down on financial crimes and violations, can prevent and defuse systemic financial risks, building a safety bottom line for the real economy; by protecting the lawful rights and interests of business entities and investors, can optimize the business environment and provide stable expectations for business entities; by regulating financial innovation through adjudication rules, can curb capital idling and regulatory arbitrage, guiding financial resources to precisely drip-irrigate the real economy. To this end, financial judicial work must be done from the height of the overall situation of Chinese modernization, providing the real economy with a safeguarding role that consolidates fundamentals, stabilizes expectations, and benefits the long term.

Consolidate the market foundation by empowering credit building. Credit is the foundation of finance, and breach of contract and loss of credit are an important cause of the emergence and intensification of financial disputes. Financial justice must respect the laws of financial development, adhere to rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law methods, skillfully use various legal means throughout the entire chain of case filing, adjudication, and enforcement, guide real-economy enterprises to establish a credit outlook of honesty and trustworthiness, and promote stabilizing enterprises and providing relief on the track of the rule of law. For example, focusing on pain-point issues such as credit downgrades of real-economy enterprises and obstructed financing, precisely matching adjudication methods appropriate to the specific types of financial disputes can help relevant enterprises transform financial disputes into opportunities for revitalizing enterprise assets, promoting production and operation, and ensuring transaction security, fully demonstrating the function of civil and commercial law in maintaining and encouraging transactions. A one-case-one-policy approach can be implemented, precise targeted governance carried out, transaction relationships repaired according to law, and the stability of legal relationships used to ensure the safety and order of financial market transactions. At the same time, avoid the misunderstanding of mechanically applying the law; not only must legal rules be implemented, but the value pursuit of achieving the overall legal order must also be emphasized

Stabilize enterprise expectations through judicial innovation. The modernized industrial system takes the real economy as an important support, and sci-tech innovation enterprises are an important force in building the modernized industrial system. Sci-tech innovation enterprises have high R&D investment and long return cycles, requiring greater flexibility in the supply of financial capital. Financial justice must respect the laws of industrial development, use judicial innovation to promote the coordinated adaptation of sci-tech innovation cycles, enterprise growth cycles, and capital supply cycles, guide financial institutions to correctly handle the relationship between the functional nature and profitability of finance, place greater importance on the functional nature, create a sound development ecosystem conducive to the deep integration of sci-tech innovation and industrial innovation, and boost the development confidence of sci-tech innovation enterprises. For example, innovate a whole-chain relief mechanism, extend dispute resolution coverage to all links of case filing, adjudication, and enforcement, achieve whole-process protection and assistance for enterprises, and ensure the stability and security of industrial chains and supply chains

Support high-quality financial development with professional justice. During the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan, promoting high-quality financial development places higher demands on the professional level of financial justice. Using more professional financial justice to help reduce market transaction costs and prevent and defuse debt default risks can continuously cultivate the perseverance of financial institutions' long-term investment and promote the continuous flow of financial resources to the real economy. It is necessary to protect according to law and protect equally all types of business entities, giving consideration to the lawful rights and interests of both large financial institutions and small-and-medium financial institutions, helping inclusive finance improve quality and efficiency and small-and-medium financial institutions grow steadily. Optimize the coordinated governance pattern among financial regulatory departments, the Financial Court, and mediation organizations. In this process, the Financial Court should discover problems in individual cases, summarize rules in analogous cases, and promote all parties to improve institutions and coordinate governance through linkage, using financial justice with clear rules and consistent judgments in analogous cases to create a stable, fair, transparent, and predictable business environment

(The author is a member of the Party Leadership Group and Vice President of the Beijing Financial Court)

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Optimizing the Business Environment to Stimulate Vitality in Enterprise Effective Investment

By: 赵 勇

Investment is demand in the current period and supply for the future. General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "We must comprehensively improve the investment environment, form sound investment expectations, and stimulate the vitality of investment throughout society." Enterprises are important subjects in expanding effective investment, and optimizing the business environment is of great significance for expanding enterprises' effective investment. The "15th Five-Year Plan" Outline has made arrangements around "actively creating a first-class business environment," proposing to "continue advancing the improvement and upgrading of the business environment, creating a market-oriented, law-based, and internationalized first-class business environment." To implement the Party Central Committee's decisions and deployments, we must use creating a first-class business environment to boost enterprises' confidence in development, and use effective investment to help strengthen the momentum of economic development.

Effective investment is the organic combination point of deepening supply-side structural reform and expanding effective demand. At present, expanding investment lies in "effectiveness"; we must not only look at scale, but also at whether it can improve the supply structure, raise production efficiency, enhance people's livelihood and well-being, etc. As the micro-foundation of the market economy, enterprises' investment behavior is an important driving force for promoting high-quality development. In this process, improving and upgrading the business environment can further reduce institutional transaction costs, break through various hidden barriers, etc., and is an important guarantee for promoting enterprises to expand effective investment

This is mainly reflected in the following aspects: maintaining the stability and continuity of institutional rules, enhancing the synergy among policy objectives, policy tools, and policy implementation, can help enterprises stabilize expectations, establish the concept of "long-termism," and arrange investment according to market "signals"; creating a standardized and efficient government affairs environment, advancing government data sharing and cross-department business collaboration, optimizing project approval procedures, can help enterprises channel more funds and energy into links that truly create value, such as technology, equipment, talents, etc.; removing unreasonable restrictions in market access, bidding and tendering, government procurement, and other fields, legally and equally protecting the property rights and legitimate rights and interests of all forms of ownership economies, can enable all types of enterprises to participate in competition on an equal footing, expanding broader market space for enterprise investment; respecting the laws of technological innovation and industrial growth, forming a multi-level, wide-coverage, differentiated financial service system, can enable funds to truly flow to projects with innovation value and growth potential, injecting an unending stream of something (源源不断, yuan yuan bu duan - "source, source, not, continuous") of financial living water into enterprise investment. To this end, we must implement the "15th Five-Year Plan" Outline's arrangements on "actively creating a first-class business environment," continue advancing the improvement and upgrading of the business environment, so that enterprises' confidence in investment is stronger and their confidence is more sufficient

Improve the convenience of investment services. Enterprise investment, from project planning to construction and commissioning, often involves multiple departments and links. Optimizing approval procedures can continuously improve the precision, timeliness, and satisfaction of investment services, stimulating enterprises' willingness to invest. We must deepen the reform of the investment approval system, further streamline the reporting-and-approval matters for investment projects, strengthen the intensive construction of the investment approval management information system, reduce links, optimize procedures, compress time, increase convenience in accordance with laws and regulations, and strengthen high-quality and efficient service support. Continue strengthening project services, publish information on major projects that encourage private economy investment, provide standardized, efficient, and convenient services in project promotion and matching, preliminary work, reporting-and-approval, etc., facilitate enterprises' declaration of investment projects, and create a favorable environment for promoting the development of private investment. Carry out special actions to regulate law enforcement involving enterprises, improve the long-term mechanism for regulating law enforcement involving enterprises, prevent and correct illegal cross-regional law enforcement and profit-driven law enforcement, advance joint law enforcement methods such as "comprehensive inspection in one go."

Continue strengthening factor guarantees. When enterprises implement investment projects, they need coordinated guarantees of factors such as land, energy, funds, technology, data, and talents. Unimpeded factor allocation will not only delay project construction, but may also cause idle equipment, mismatch of technology and talents, etc. To this end, we must build a more complete institutional mechanism for market-based allocation of factors, continue advancing the construction of factor markets such as land, capital, labor, technology, data, etc., enable all types of factors to achieve optimal allocation in fair competition, help enterprises improve investment returns. Further consolidate enterprises' status as the main subjects of investment, establish and improve the working mechanism for fund and factor guarantees that promote private investment, strengthen the synergy between policies for enterprise investment project approval, filing management and policies for factor fund management, promote the unimpeded flow of factor resources, accelerate the release of market potential. Support enterprises to increase the introduction and cultivation of high-end investment and financing talents, strengthen the cultivation of R&D personnel, improvement of workers' skills, and organizational management innovation, smooth the channels for talent exchange among universities, research institutes, and enterprises, promote more high-level talents to gather toward enterprises

Optimize investment orientation. The foothold of improving the business environment lies in enhancing the quality and efficiency of economic development. At present, through precise guidance and service mechanisms, improving the comprehensive returns of investment, can better give play to investment's important role in supporting national strategies, optimizing supply structure, meeting people's livelihood needs, etc., promote effective investment to accelerate its agglomeration toward fields of high-quality development, such as the conversion of old and new growth drivers, developing new quality productive forces, etc. We must promote enterprise investment to tilt toward innovation links, guide the National SME Development Fund to drive more social capital to invest early, invest small, invest long-term, invest in hard technology, promote the formation of a virtuous cycle in which production, market, returns, and investment mutually reinforce each other, avoid "involution-style" competition. Improve the long-term mechanism for private enterprises to participate in major project construction, actively support private enterprises to participate in the construction of key projects in fields with certain returns, such as railways, nuclear power, hydropower, etc.

Improve the social credit system. This can create a high-quality social credit environment and enhance investors' confidence. We must improve the new type of supervision mechanism based on credit, optimize the allocation of supervision resources guided by credit risk. Deeply advance the construction of a law-based government, perform contracts in good faith in accordance with the law in activities such as government-social capital cooperation, investment attraction, etc. Establish and improve the long-term mechanism for clearing and preventing overdue payments, enhance judicial credibility, promote judgment debtors to actively perform legal obligations, punish false litigation in accordance with the law. Strengthen the protection of investors' rights and interests, create an honest and trustworthy financial ecological environment

(Author's affiliation: Beijing Academy of Social Sciences)

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Poetry and Prose Write a City of Elegance (Decoding: Systematic Protection of Cultural Heritage)

By: 本报记者 李凯旋

The Min River cuts through the city, and fertile fields stretch for a thousand li — in Meishan, Sichuan, poetry and prose have written a city of elegance and refinement.

Meishan was known in ancient times as "Meizhou," and is the birthplace, inheritance site, and symbolic landmark of the Three Su culture. In recent years, Meishan's archaeology has made solid progress. A series of major archaeological discoveries have revealed the local, continuously evolving, profound civilizational accumulation and the trajectory of urban development, and the holistic, systematic protection of cultural heritage has achieved good results.

In March of this year, Meishan was approved as a National Famous Historical and Cultural City. Why did the ancient city earn this title? The answer lies in the historical exploration of"archaeology first," in the lineage of poetry, books, and literary heritage passed down through generations, and still more in the urban practice of protection and development advancing in tandem.

Archaeology First

Outlining the City's Historical Annual Rings

"Palace wall remains discovered at the construction site are very likely the Meishan Confucian Temple!"In 2022, an accidental discovery during the expansion of a primary school filled Meishan's archaeological workers with great excitement.

The Meishan municipal government quickly adjusted the project plan and placed the site under protection. Cleaning sections, digging exploratory trenches, and collecting relics, experts from the Sichuan Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology led systematic cultural relic surveys and archaeological excavations. The Meishan Confucian Temple site yielded Qing Dynasty palace wall remains and over 200 cultural relics unearthed. These discoveries provide an important basis for further research on the changes in Meishan's urban layout.

However, urban archaeological exploration work once faced considerable resistance: project works often involve people's livelihoods, making suspension or redirection difficult; archaeological excavation results are an unknown quantity, and the economic calculus may not be worthwhile."The boldness of the government in protecting history and culture greatly influences the'depth' of archaeology."Zhang Yan, associate research curator at the Meishan Municipal Institute of Cultural Relics Protection, said.

In the excavation work at the Meizhou city site, the archaeological team encountered difficulties. This area was originally a shantytown district, and still retained many makeshift single-story houses and hardened grounds. Who would do the clearing work??How would funds be guaranteed??Where would construction waste be transported?"Relevant departments spent considerable effort straightening out the work lines, and only then could the archaeological excavation proceed smoothly."Zhang Yan said.

Meishan has persisted in placing cultural relic protection in an important position within urban development. In 2024, the"Meishan Municipal Measures for the Archaeological Pre-positioning of Land Reserve"was promulgated, pursuant to the system of"archaeology first, transfer later," before land enters reserve storage, archaeological survey, exploration, or excavation work must be carried out, while archaeological implementation conditions must also be guaranteed; county(district) governments, planning and natural resources departments, among others, clarify their responsibilities, ensuring seamless connection across the entire process and all links, including land reserve plan compilation, archaeological survey and exploration, and funding guarantees.

"Adhering to'archaeology first,'our work has also shifted from passive rescue to proactive action."Zhang Yan told reporters that, as of the end of 2025, Meishan had completed 64 cultural relic surveys for infrastructure projects and 31 rescue excavations under the framework of"archaeology first."In major project constructions such as the Chengdu-Meishan municipal railway S5 line, the early involvement of archaeological work not only protected cultural relic sites but also made project advancement smoother.

In recent years, Meishan's Tanguan Mountain, Lianhuaba, Dengyun Ancient City, and other sites have been successively excavated."Strong policy support has made Meishou's historical annual rings increasingly clear."Su Hong, director of the Meishan Municipal Bureau of Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism (Municipal Bureau of Cultural Relics),, said.

Authentic Display

A Thousand-Year-Old Site, Tangible and Perceptible

In Meishan's old city proper, a section of remnant ancient city wall built of red sandstone has a distinctive bearing of toughness. First built in the late Tang and Five Dynasties period, the ancient city wall displays Meishan's urban pattern of"unchanged for a thousand years."

In April of this year, the Meizhou Ancient City Wall Site Park opened. Stepping into the park, residents and visitors discover that the"protagonist"here seems not to be only the city wall.

"In the initial plan, the ancient city wall was to play a'solo role.'"Song Wenlin, head of the Historical and Cultural City Protection Section of the Meishan Municipal Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, told reportersthat, as the archaeological team discovered multiple sites in the surrounding area, the layout of Meizhou city since the Song Dynasty became increasingly clear, and the housing department, together with all participating parties, reconsidered the direction of restoration and exhibition.

Researchers examined voluminous historical records such as the"Meizhou Prefecture Gazetteer," organized oral histories from elderly residents, and clarified the history of the Meizhou ancient city wall's construction, repair, and changes across successive dynasties. The site can speak: the remnants of Ming and Qing Dynasty city walls, the ruined foundations of the Qing Dynasty Kuixing Pavilion, and the remains of moat embankments cleared by archaeology, tell modern people of the ancient Meizhou city's urban construction picture of"mountain—water—city—culture."

Why not widen the spotlight, to display the wisdom of ancient Meizhou's urban construction??The line of thinking gradually became clear.

The old river course has long since changed its path. In front of the ancient city wall, Meishan laid cobblestones and plank roads, recreating a river channel landscape. At the embankment remains, stratigraphic traces from four periods — Tang, Song, Ming, and Qing — are marked, with red sandstone strips, rammed earth, and blue bricks layered upon one another, like a three-dimensional history book. Above the ancient city's culvert site, people can still glimpse the original appearance of the site through a suspended glass platform; though there is no water now, the scene from a thousand years ago — of a babbling river outside the city and people washing clothes and drawing water within the city — seems to appear before their eyes.

To the southeast of the ancient Meizhou city, numerous historical buildings such as academies, the Confucian Temple, Kuixing Pavilion, and the Classics Pavilion were once concentrated. The archaeological team unearthed part of the column bases and foundations of Kuixing Pavilion beside the city wall. Should this pavilion, which symbolized the literary fortune of Meizhou, be rebuilt??Staff once had differences of opinion.

"No matter how exquisite a replica is made, it can hardly compare with the evocative power of the historic site itself."Song Wenlin saidthat, in the end, the relevant departments decided to preserve the current state of Kuixing Pavilion. After carefully selecting a vantage point, a transparent display panel was installed in the park, showing a restored distant view of Kuixing Pavilion, which fits seamlessly with the city wall landscape. Looking from afar, time seems to reverse, and the pavilion stands tall and majestic.

Does the restoration of the ancient city wall require the pursuit of perfection??There were many voices hoping to replace the broken wall bricks and restore the ancient city wall's dignified appearance. After several rounds of discussion, Meishan established the principle of"minimal intervention, restore the old as it was," implementing protection at original sites and authentic display.

"The Meizhou ancient city wall is a typical superimposed construction structure. In its long history of expansion and repair, rammed earth acted like the adhesive of time, tightly binding together wall bodies from different eras."Liu Li, deputy director of the Dongpo District Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, introduced that restoration workers followed traditional techniques, with the interior of the wall entirely filled and rammed with tabia (a mixture of lime, sand, and clay,, with the rammed earth compacted layer by layer by hand, ensuring that every repair is coordinated and unified with the original appearance.

As night falls, in the site park, surrounding residents stroll and relax, chatting about everyday matters beneath the ancient city wall. Meishan's old city proper has long lacked green spaces and public rest areas, and the site park has won much praise.

"Making the thousand-year-old site tangible and perceptible, bringing it into people's daily lives, is one of the goals of cultural heritage protection work."Liu Li said, "The city wall that has guarded Meizhou for a thousand years still watches over our happy lives today."

The Ancient City's Hearth Smoke

The Fragrance of Books and Literary Charm, Transforming Customs and Nurturing the People

"'One family, father and sons, three ci poets; through the ages, four great prose masters.'This couplet tells of the Three Su's brilliant achievements in the history of Chinese literature."Inside the Three Su Memorial Temple Museum, 13-year-old young docent Zhang Xinyu, with a young and tender voice, spoke in a slow and captivating manner (娓娓道来, wei wei dao lai -"mouth, mouth; come, come"), telling stories of poetry, allusions, and literary anecdotes.

The cultural lineage of a city is engraved in cultural relics and historic sites, and is even more passed down through generations of hearts. Carrying forward the Three Su culture, Meishan continuously presents citizens with an ancient cityscape rich in the fragrance of books and literary charm.

Integrating the fragrance of books into the city's fabric, Meishan has named over 110 culturally themed streets such as Dongpo Avenue and Wenzhong Street, and cultural landmarks such as the Three Su-themed cultural park and the Dongpo Trail have been completed one after another. Researchers of"Su studies"and outstanding docents regularly bring cultural lectures into schools and communities; every year during Dongpo Culture Month, newly created literary and artistic works on Dongpo themes are splendid and varied. In Meishan, most citizens are familiar with the famous works of the Three Su and can tell the stories of Su Dongpo.

The life of the marketplace also harbors history and culture."Besides protecting cultural relics and historic sites, we must also protect the city's authentic hearth smoke, leaving a touch of nostalgia for the people living in the ancient city."Wang Jin, secretary of the Party Committee of Luoping Community and director of its neighborhood committee in Dongpo District, said.

Taiping Ancient Street lies quietly by the banks of the Min River, and was once a bustling water-and-land commercial port. In 2023, the local government launched the protection and renewal project for the Taiping Ancient Street historical and cultural district, bringing back vitality to the old street.

"We must protect every brick and tile, and even more, retain the original life of the ancient street."Visiting household by household, Wang Jin invited back craftsmen from the district skilled in pyrography and bamboo weaving to set up intangible cultural heritage experience halls; old blacksmiths and boatbuilders have not retired, and now make handicrafts.

In just a few short years, Taiping Ancient Street's annual visitor volume has leapt from an initial less than 200 person-times to 300,000 person-times. The hearth smoke on both sides of the street remains as before, while production and daily life have taken on a new look.

In Meishan today, a"brisk wind"of historical and cultural protection and inheritance sweeps across the entire city. The unearthed cultural relics, the poetry and prose handed down through generations, and the hearth smoke of everyday life, all coalesce into a"vast, righteous spirit"in people's hearts, inspiring people to write a new glorious chapter for this"City of Poetry and Books of a Thousand Years."

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From "Little Kid Brother" Correcting Museum Errors to Broader Reflections (New Phrases)

By: 银 燕

In recent times, museums have burst into the public eye in an unexpected way. On short-video platforms, a 7-year-old "little kid brother" pointed out an error at the Shenzhen Natural History Museum in Guangdong; on the bulletin board of the Yiyang Museum in Hunan Province, a child discovered that "dagger" (匕首) had been mistakenly written as "seven dagger" (七首)… In the face of these error-spottings, the various museums have responded with sincere attitudes, replying promptly and making corrections. These individual cases may seem minor, yet they are worth discussing from multiple levels.

Let us first speak of the "new demands" and"new expectations" conveyed by this"enthusiasm for finding fault". In recent years, the cultural-and-museum fever has continued to heat up, and some audiences, particularly young people, are no longer satisfied with a superficial glance or cursory inspection (走马观花, zou ma guan hua - "walk, horse, observe, flower")-style check-ins, but instead enter the exhibition halls carrying a certain reserve of knowledge anda sense of questioning. Audiences are willing to spend time reading exhibit labels and finding problems, because they hold expectations toward this cultural hall. In fact, every correction is also the audience, with their own knowledge, helping the museum pass a checkpoint.

Looking deeper, this mindset of"giving a helping hand" reflects that audiences are unwilling to stop at the one-way relationship of"you exhibit, I view", but rather crave to integrate into it as participants. Especially for children, when the errors they have pointed out are humbly accepted and corrected by the museum at that moment, they gain a gift more precious than knowledge: the dignity of knowledge lies not in who tells it, but in whether it itself can withstand scrutiny.

Between audiences"brimming with thirst for knowledge"and museums that are candid and open, a benign interaction forms, which not only jointly consolidates the rigor of exhibition content, but also effectively strengthens the audience's sense of cultural participation and identification.

However, emphasizing and cherishing audience feedback and participation does not mean museums may"outsource"the responsibility of content gatekeeping. The"carelessness"and"lack of attentiveness"behind textual oversights, we must also discuss them properly. Many errors on exhibit boards are relatively low-level and appear frequently, showing that certain museums have problems such as lax control over details and lagging content updates. Causing errors is not entirely the occasional accident of"carelessness", but more often the absence of responsibility of"not using one's heart". As public cultural service institutions, if museums emphasize"exhibition"over"management"and end up becoming a laughingstock to experts or professionals (贻笑大方, yi xiao da fang - "cause, laugh, great, expert"), it can easily shake the professionalism and authority of exhibitions.

In response to problems such as textual errors and improper expressions in exhibitions at individual museums, the National Cultural Heritage Administration recently issued a notice, clarifying that museums, as the responsible entities for reviewing exhibition content, must conduct independent review of exhibition content, may not outsource it to third parties, and even less may entrust or shift the review responsibility.

At bottom, audience corrections are"filling a gap"for museums. Museums should first do the professional work solidly, then incorporate audience feedback into the closed loop of"correction — review — optimization". "A museum is a great school." Today, when visiting museums and viewing exhibitions is increasingly becoming a way of life, museums must put sufficient effort into controlling content quality and designing splendid exhibitions, only then can they catch more of the enthusiasm and expectations.

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2026 International Symposium on Copyright Protection and Promotion of Folk Literary and Artistic Works Held in Fuzhou, Jiangxi

(People's Daily, Fuzhou, September 8) (Reporters Wang Dan, Yang Yanfei) The 2026 International Symposium on Copyright Protection and Promotion of Folk Literary and Artistic Works, hosted by the National Copyright Administration of China and the World Intellectual Property Organization, and organized by the Jiangxi Provincial Copyright Administration and the People's Government of Fuzhou City, opened on September 8 in Fuzhou, Jiangxi. Nearly 400 representatives from the World Intellectual Property Organization and more than 30 countries and regions attended the meeting.

Participants held that folk literary and artistic works are the common spiritual wealth of all mankind. In the era of artificial intelligence, safeguarding the cultural roots, and building a fair and reasonable governance system in cross-border flows, are common issues facing all countries. All parties should strengthen copyright protection, promote industrial integration and digital empowerment, deepen international cooperation, deepen understanding and consensus on the protection of folk literary and artistic works, and contribute cultural strength to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

At the meeting, the National Copyright Administration released the list of pilot regions for copyright protection and promotion of folk literary and artistic works in 2026. The Copyright Society of China and People's Daily Digital Communication Co., Ltd. jointly released the International Communication Plan for Copyright of Folk Literary and Artistic Works. The Copyright Society of China, together with the Publicity Department of the Jiangxi Provincial Committee of the CPC and the Publicity Department of the Fuzhou Municipal Committee of the CPC, jointly launched the new media matrix for folk literary and artistic works copyright, themed "Protecting Cultural Heritage through Copyright, Awakening New Voices through Communication."

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Baidu AI Cloud Leverages Full-Stack AI Infrastructure to Deepen Presence in Financial Large Model Market

At present, financial intelligent agents are accelerating toward a new stage of large-scale application, with multiple listed banks disclosing the implementation status of intelligent agents in their 2026 semi-annual reports. According to the International Data Corporation (IDC) report "China Financial Industry Generative AI Platform and Application Solutions Market Share, 2025," in 2025, the size of China's financial industry generative AI market reached 1.74 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 90.4%. According to the IDC report, Baidu AI Cloud has ranked first in China's financial large-model market share for two consecutive years, having served more than 800 financial institutions.

Promoting the Deep Integration of AI into Financial Business

For large models to enter the financial industry, they must not only adapt to basic scenarios such as employee Q&A and knowledge retrieval, but also gradually integrate into the important business of financial institutions, providing assistance in completing a series of complex tasks such as approval, risk control, investment research, and so on.

Baidu AI Cloud is committed to enabling large models to not only generate content, but also to further understand financial rules and participate in real business processes. In the credit approval scenario, Baidu AI Cloud has assisted Shanghai Pudong Development Bank in building a financial specialized large model that integrates as a single entity (于一体, yu yi ti - "at, one, body") financial professional knowledge, complex interaction capabilities, and compliance and risk control capabilities, and through automatically collecting and integrating multi-source data, intelligently completing the verification of financial statement articulation relationships, identifying anomalies and risks, compressing the time required for financial analysis work to the minute level. In the risk management scenario, Baidu AI Cloud has supported China CITIC Bank Bailian Bank in building an intelligent risk control intelligent agent, further enhancing risk identification capabilities.

At present, AI is gradually transforming from a tool that provides information into a partner that participates in decision-making and executes tasks. From "whether to introduce AI" or "which type of model to choose," to "how to embed model capabilities into existing business processes," and then to "whether financial institutions hold operational control over AI," Baidu AI Cloud is following the development trend of AI, focusing on helping financial institutions answer the topic of AI application. In the future, Baidu AI Cloud will also focus on enhancing AI's ability to decompose complex tasks, call external tools, and process contextual information, helping financial institutions resolve new questions such as "under what boundary conditions AI makes autonomous decisions, and how anomalies should be handled when they occur."

Improving the Full-Stack AI Cloud Infrastructure

The McKinsey "2025 State of AI Application Survey" report shows that approximately 88% of surveyed enterprises have already normalized the use of AI tools in at least one business function, but only about one-third have begun large-scale deployment. One of the reasons for this phenomenon of "high penetration, low restructuring" is that the applying party lacks an engineering system capable of converting AI capabilities into stable productivity.

To this end, Baidu AI Cloud has continuously improved its full-stack AI cloud infrastructure comprising AI Infra (computing infrastructure) and Agent Infra (intelligent agent infrastructure).. At the computing foundation level, Baidu Tianchi Supernode meets the high-concurrency demands of large-scale model training and inference for financial institutions through cluster-level computing scheduling and unified management of heterogeneous resources; Kunlunxin, as Baidu AI Cloud's self-developed AI chip, provides a controllable, trustworthy domestic computing option for the security of the financial supply chain. At the intelligent agent infrastructure level, Baidu AI Cloud has launched the Token Factory and Harness engineering system. The Token Factory helps models deeply understand regulatory rules, business logic, and risk semantics, enabling tokens to carry higher-value financial cognitive capabilities. The Harness engineering system focuses on full-process control of AI during the runtime phase, encompassing five major dimensions: Agent Runtime, context engineering, tool orchestration, evaluation systems, and governance mechanisms, aiming to transform AI from "probabilistic capability" into "controllable, compliant, auditable productivity," thereby breaking through the three major bottlenecks of execution reliability, compliance stability, and traceability that AI faces when entering financial systems.

In addition, by providing coverage of privilege-escalation prevention and prompt injection detection on the input side, knowledge verification and rule review on the output side, role-based permission control on the execution side, and full-process traceable logs on the audit side, Baidu AI Cloud can help financial institutions build a four-tier security governance system, creating a security foundation for the large-scale application of financial intelligent agents that is "visible, controllable, and recoverable."

Helping Financial Institutions Build "AI-Native Capabilities"

At present, the AI capability construction of many financial institutions is moving from "capability validation" toward "systematic implementation," with the development focus shifting from "model capability competition" to "AI operation and governance capability competition." To adapt to this trend, Baidu AI Cloud has launched a "knowledge-process" two-dimensional classification framework, categorizing financial scenarios into four types: expert advisor-type, chief engineer-type, executive assistant-type, and general assistant-type, and matching corresponding intelligent paths for business scenarios of different complexity levels.

Baidu AI Cloud aims to help financial institutions' intelligent transformation move toward "AI-native," that is, centering on large-model capabilities, restructuring business processes, data governance, and human-machine collaboration mechanisms, ultimately forming a hybrid organizational form of "collaboration between human employees and digital employees." From minute-level financial analysis in credit approval, to the intelligent leap of risk control models, and then to breakthroughs in underlying computing power and intelligent agent infrastructure, Baidu AI Cloud continuously promotes the deep application of AI in the business chain of financial institutions, helping financial institutions build "AI-native capabilities."

From underlying computing power to upper-level applications, from model capabilities to intelligent agent engineering, Baidu AI Cloud, with its full-stack AI infrastructure as the foundation, provides financial industry with systematic support covering data management, model training, and intelligent agent deployment. As more and more financial institutions accelerate their embrace of AI, Baidu AI Cloud will increase its efforts to build for the industry a full-stack AI foundation that "understands finance, upholds compliance, and can be implemented," embracing the new blue ocean of intelligent transformation in the financial industry.

Data source: Baidu

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Page editors: Cao Yiqing, Chen Shihan, Yin Yan

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Teachers, you've worked hard—please accept this health guide (Service Window: Caring for Teachers' Health)

Long hours of loud lecturing, bending over desks to prepare lessons, and standing for extended periods while teaching have left many teachers plagued by health problems such as vocal cord damage and cervical spine strain; teaching responsibilities, home-school communication, and other duties also place a non-negligible psychological burden on teachers. As Teachers' Day approaches, this page focuses on the physical and mental health of the teacher community, offering practical health guidance to all educators.

—Editor

Read the body's warning signals and engage in scientific self-care

People's Daily reporter Yang Xun

At the podium, teachers are devotedly teaching and imparting knowledge (潜心传道授业, qian xin chuan dao shou ye - "submerge, heart; transmit, path; bestow, knowledge; teach"); below the podium, they bend over desks to prepare lessons, grade assignments, and mark papers. For a teacher community that spends long hours lecturing loudly, sitting for extended periods hunched over desks, and standing for long stretches while teaching, what health issues require attention? How can one read the body's warning signals and better engage in scientific self-care?

Frequent hoarseness of the voice — be alert to damage to the throat and vocal cords

Classroom lecturing, answering questions between classes — long-term, high-intensity use of the voice has made chronic pharyngitis, vocal cord nodules, and vocal cord polyps high-incidence diseases among the teacher community, with prevalence rates far higher than those of other populations.

Xiao Xuping, director of the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, reminds us that teachers' throat problems that repeatedly fail to heal are not merely due to overuse of the voice — laryngopharyngeal reflux is an important, easily overlooked trigger. Many people experience laryngopharyngeal reflux, but teachers' vocal cords and throats, being chronically congested, are more fragile; when reflux irritation is superimposed on vocal overuse, the damage is more severe. The combination of vocal overuse and laryngopharyngeal reflux will continuously aggravate damage to the vocal cords and throat. Teachers need to attach great importance to these bodily warning signals: chronic dry throat and itchy throat, a foreign-body sensation in the throat, repeated coughing up of phlegm that is difficult to expectorate; the voice growing fatigued, weak, and unstable in volume after teaching for a short while; persistent hoarseness that does not ease even after one to two days of rest; in severe cases, sudden loss of voice, speaking accompanied by stinging pain in the throat, anda foreign-body or burning sensation during daily swallowing — all of the above symptoms indicate that the throat mucosa and vocal cords have already sustained damage.

Xiao Xuping suggests that teachers prioritize the use of amplification equipment for daily teaching; during rest periods, appropriately speak less and rest more, drinking warm water in small sips at frequent intervals; keep the neck warm and avoid spicy, irritating foods. If hoarseness lasting more than two weeks, throat stinging pain, frequent loss of voice, or similar conditions occur, do not self-medicate — promptly visit the hospital's otolaryngology department, undergo electronic laryngoscopy to check for vocal cord edema, nodules, polyps, and other problems, and receive professional treatment to avoid irreversible damage.

Recurrent soreness and pain in the neck, shoulders, lower back, and back — read the spine's strain alarm

Bending over desks to write lesson plans, grade assignments, and prepare courseware — long-term lowered-head, prolonged-sitting, and fixed postures have made cervical spondylosis, lumbar muscle strain, and cervical-lumbar degeneration high-incidence diseases among the teacher community. Many teachers dismiss neck, shoulder, lower back, and back pain as physical fatigue, giving themselves a simple massage and then no longer paying attention to it; by the time limb numbness, dizziness, or radiating pain appear, spinal strain has already evolved into chronic injury.

Shen Xiongjie, director of the Department of Spine Surgery at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, reminds us that spinal injury is mainly caused by the following factors: improper matching of office desk and chair heights, computer screen positioned too low, leading to prolonged lowered-head, chest-caved-in posture hunched over the desk; maintaining the same posture for several consecutive hours without intermittent activity; when the neck feels sore and distended, quickly twisting the neck or shrugging the shoulders causes joints to "crack" with popping sounds, further accelerating wear on the spinal joints.

"Maintaining spinal health hinges on preventing strain and engaging in scientific rehabilitation." Shen Xiongjie suggests that at work, one should adjust sitting posture and the height of office equipment so that the line of sight is level with the center of the screen, chest out and abdomen in; adhere to the principle of "one hour at the desk, five minutes of activity," rising periodically for gentle stretching, and absolutely avoid violently flinging the head, neck, shoulders, and back; in leisure time, engage in brisk walking, swimming, and other exercises to strengthen core muscle groups and enhance spinal protection.

"If neck, shoulder, lower back, and back pain recurs repeatedly, accompanied by limb numbness, dizziness, radiating pain in the lower limbs, and other manifestations, it is advisable to promptly visit a spine surgery specialty clinic for precise screening of organic lesions such as spinal degeneration and intervertebral disc herniation — specialty diagnosis and treatment is more targeted and professional. Absolutely avoid blind bone-setting or violent massage manipulation, to prevent causing secondary injury that aggravates spinal pathology." Shen Xiongjie reminds.

Prolonged standing places a burden on the lower limbs — pay attention to abnormal conditions in the legs

Alternating between standing while teaching and sitting for long periods at a desk leaves many teachers' lower-limb veins under prolonged high pressure, easily causing lower-limb venous insufficiency and venous return obstruction. The early symptoms of lower-limb venous insufficiency are hidden, manifesting only as soreness, distension, and fatigue in the legs, and are extremely easy to overlook; as the condition gradually develops, it can cause varicose veins in the lower limbs or even venous thrombosis. Many people, by the time they notice blue veins bulging on their calves accompanied by localized pigmentation and itching on the calves, find that the condition has already entered its middle stage.

Wang Qing, director of the Department of Interventional Vascular Surgery at Hunan Provincial People's Hospital, explains that the early warning signals of lower-limb lesions are clear and recognizable: after work each day, the calves feel sore, distended, heavy, fatigued, and weak, with slight swelling of the ankles in the evening; after prolonged sitting or standing, the legs feel distended, with some relief after elevating both legs; the calf skin appears dull, develops pigmentation, and localized itching. In later stages, blood vessels in the calves become prominent, twisted, and clustered, resembling earthworms in shape; if left unchecked, this may induce serious complications such as phlebitis and skin ulceration.

"Scientific care for the lower limbs centers on promoting blood circulation and reducing venous pressure. While teaching, keep both feet alternately bearing weight and rise onto the toes periodically to activate the calf muscles, helping blood flow return; walk around more between classes; during daily rest periods, prop the legs up on a cushion so that they are higher than the level of the heart, holding still for 15 to 20 minutes to relieve blood stasis in the lower limbs and promote venous return." Wang Qing suggests that teachers who stand for long periods while lecturing may, under the guidance of a specialist in interventional vascular surgery, wear medical-grade compression stockings for protection, and persist in mild exercise such as brisk walking and stretching in daily life. If calf swelling, soreness, distension, pain, prominent twisted blood vessels, or abnormal skin pigmentation occur frequently, one should promptly visit a vascular surgery clinic for examination and assessment of venous valve function and vascular status, intervene as early as possible, and avoid aggravation of the condition leading to complications.

Do not let the heartstrings be pulled too tight — engage in psychological adjustment

People's Daily reporter Lu Fanbing

As the new semester begins, tasks such as preparing lessons, delivering lectures, grading assignments, managing classes, and others arrive one after another. In the classroom, one must maintain a high degree of concentrated attention; after class, one must also handle home-school communication and other work…… Many teachers feel that their "brains never stop running," sleep poorly, and become easily irritable — yet they assume they are simply "not strong enough," habitually avoiding and suppressing their own negative emotions. How should fatigue and anxiety be addressed? What signals indicate that one can no longer tough it out?

For brief fatigue or irritability, one may self-regulate and increase rest

In January of this year, the "National Survey Report on the Current Situation of Primary and Secondary School Teachers" released by the magazine Educator showed that nearly 40% of teachers believe they have depressive or anxious tendencies.

"Clinically, the more common complaints among teachers include anxious mood, depressed mood, insomnia, and somatic symptoms such as headaches, heart palpitations, and gastrointestinal discomfort." Liu Jing, director of the Clinical Psychology Ward at Beijing Anding Hospital, Capital Medical University, explains that teachers' stress often has characteristics of persistence, concealment, and blurred boundaries: they must complete teaching tasks while also managing students and various affairs; even when feeling anxious or wronged inside, they often need to steady their emotions first. Over time, emotional resources become depleted, and burnout may appear.

Different positions have different stress points. Head teachers must frequently switch between teaching, class management, and home-school communication; kindergarten teachers expend great physical energy and must remain constantly vigilant about student safety issues; psychology teachers are exposed to students' negative emotions over the long term. Many teachers may also face multiple pressures including role adaptation, classroom management, and assessment evaluation. During the back-to-school season, around examinations, graduation season, and when responding to sudden student incidents, teachers should pay particular attention to the accumulation of stress.

Liu Jing notes that short-term stress reactions usually have clear triggers, such as heavy teaching workloads or poor home-school communication, manifesting as brief fatigue, irritability, or worsening sleep. After stress is reduced and adequate rest is obtained, one's condition can gradually recover. Burnout, by contrast, often lasts longer, with prominent manifestations of exhaustion, detachment from work, and diminished professional accomplishment — but it basically does not affect personal life or interactions with family and friends, and can be improved through self-regulation and increased rest.

Anxiety disorders and depressive disorders, however, are mental illnesses — disease states requiring professional intervention. Anxiety disorders manifest as inexplicable tension and anxiety, worry that bad things will happen, excessive rumination, physical tightness, inability to concentrate, and insomnia; depressive disorders manifest as low mood lasting more than two weeks, diminished interest, self-denial, slowed thinking, lack of motivation, and in severe cases, falling into pessimism and hopelessness.

When negative emotions last for a relatively long time and affect work and life, seek professional help promptly

With heavy teaching workloads, how can teachers use fragmented time for psychological adjustment? Liu Jing suggests appropriately stepping away from screens, closing the eyes to rest, and moving the shoulders and neck; during lunch breaks, one may set aside 10 minutes for meditation and relaxation; when emotions are ignited by sudden negative events, one may use the "4-7-8 breathing technique" — inhale for 4 seconds, hold the breath for 7 seconds, exhale slowly for 8 seconds, for 3 consecutive rounds, and only respond after the body has relaxed.

Try to maintain regular daily routines and a basic sleep rhythm; set aside 10 to 15 minutes each day for simple exercise — brisk walking, stretching, or yoga all work — and release stress through physical activity. Establish boundaries between work and life as much as possible, and cultivate one's own hobbies and interests.

Liu Jing reminds us that teachers should allow themselves to have negative emotions and allow themselves to express vulnerability. Ideas such as "I am a teacher, so I should always be patient" easily over-reinforce one's sense of responsibility, leading to self-criticism and self-blame when problems arise. Rather than pursuing perfection in every matter, it is better to adjust one's goal to: conscientiously complete what one can do at the present moment, accept uncertainty in work and life, and promptly seek help when difficulties arise.

Self-regulation does not apply to all situations. To judge whether one needs professional help, one should look both at the duration of negative emotions and at the degree of impact. "The stigma surrounding mental illness should be eliminated." Liu Jing states that if low mood, diminished interest, insomnia, changes in appetite, decreased attention, and other symptoms persist for more than two weeks, are difficult to resolve on one's own, and have clearly affected work, family life, or interpersonal interactions, one should seek assessment as early as possible at the psychiatry department, psychology department, or psychological clinic of a regular medical institution.

Schools and students' parents must also see teachers' emotions

Teachers' maintenance of mental health cannot be separated from the understanding and support of schools and students' parents. The "Implementation Plan for Improving the Social Psychological Service System and Crisis Intervention Mechanisms" issued this year proposes universally carrying out psychological services for occupational groups. Implement the primary responsibility of the employing unit, and provide targeted psychological services according to the job characteristics of different occupational groups.

Schools need to do a good job of burden reduction and providing a safety net. Liu Jing suggests that schools can reduce the sources of teacher stress, streamlining non-teaching ledgers, unnecessary meetings, and formalistic tasks, and strive to guarantee teachers normal rest time. Carry out mental health popularization for the teacher community on a regular basis, fostering a positive interactive atmosphere of "self-help, mutual aid, and professional help-seeking." Strictly protect the privacy of teachers seeking help, establish confidentiality mechanisms, and eliminate teachers' concerns about seeking help. For teachers experiencing severe psychological distress, promptly provide professional assistance, adjust work positions, grant leave for rest and recuperation, and comprehensively safeguard teachers' physical and mental health.

Colleagues, if they notice a fellow teacher around them in poor condition, may increase their attention, listen more and judge less, and when necessary, accompany them in seeking professional help. Students' parents should understand the professional boundaries of teachers and establish reasonable communication limits.

Seeing teachers' emotions is also guarding the warmth of education. Only when teachers feel understood, accepted, and supported can they stand at the podium more calmly and with greater focus.

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"Mom-style nagging" is a warm force (People's Livelihood Perspective)

By: 刘子赫

The authority of law enforcement officers and goodwill share a common goal. The vitality of law lies not only in the constraint of rigid standards, but also in the transmission of humanistic warmth.

"First, give me the time of one lollipop."

A girl in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, was recently scratched and knocked to the ground by a car while riding at night, and her bicycle chain came off. She was alone, pushing her bike forward through the night. At the moment of her helplessness, she met Zhang Shuai, a traffic police officer on duty. After learning of the situation, Zhang Shuai first took out a strawberry-flavored lollipop and handed it over, then flipped the bike over and deftly repaired it. The heartwarming act won praise from netizens, and one comment voiced what many were thinking: "I wasn't surprised that the traffic police officer repaired the bike, but I was shocked that he took out a lollipop."

Echoing that lollipop from afar was the "motherly nagging" of Xinjiang traffic police officers. "Keep your distance, drive slower!" "It's getting dark soon; if you really can't go on, rest at the service area!" Motorcycle touring enthusiast Li Na encountered traffic police officers several times in a row during her ride through Xinjiang, and every time she was stopped, she would hear patient, gentle reminders, making her exclaim, "How is it that every Xinjiang traffic police officer is like my mom?" At Bayi Square in Nanchang, Jiangxi, special police officers patiently helped tourists find the right angle for photos, and this scene recently "won countless fans" on overseas social media platforms, writing a vivid footnote for the "Chinese-style sense of security."

A lollipop, a sentence "like my mom," a photo capturing a beautiful moment—though seemingly trivial, they all manifest the respectable, approachable, and lovable image of the people's police. The authority of law enforcement officers and goodwill share a common goal. The vitality of law lies not only in the constraint of rigid standards, but also in the transmission of humanistic warmth. They all chose to "do a little more" within the framework of rules, serving the people in a more considerate way.

Empathizing with others by considering their perspective (将心比心, jiang xin bi xin - "take, heart, compare, heart") carries even more weight when people are vulnerable. A man in Bengbu, Anhui, recently received news of his mother's death while driving, and his emotions collapsed to the point that he could no longer drive. When traffic police officers arrived, they heard him crying, "I don't have a mom anymore, I can't drive (the car) anymore," and while comforting him, one of them took the steering wheel and escorted the man all the way home. After the video was posted online, it resonated with netizens: "A filial son, and warm police officers." The warmth between people often lies hidden in these seemingly tiny moments—a piece of candy, a direction given, a word of comfort—all leave a lasting impression.

Goodwill also settles into lasting action. In Jingtai, Gansu, Xie Wudong, deputy director of the Public Security Bureau, has over more than 10 years raised more than 5 million yuan in scholarships for nearly 700 impoverished students, helping them complete their studies. In Tongcheng, Hubei, police officer Wu Gang has continuously cared for a child from a difficult family for 13 years. The people-oriented sentiment rooted in their hearts makes them regard "doing a little more" as a responsibility, transforming it into years of accumulated guardianship and concern.

The power of the rule of law lies not only in keeping people in check, but also in making people convinced. It safeguards order while also soothing people's hearts. When law enforcement officers add a bit of "motherly nagging," society gains a warm and solid force.

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Nationwide Employment Policy Publicity Month Campaign Launched

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter Qiu Chaoyi) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security: in September 2026, a nationwide employment policy publicity month campaign will be carried out, with the theme "Policies at Your Side, Employment Warming the Heart," adhering to the orientation of "policies find people, services come to the door," prominently publicizing various enterprise-benefiting and people-favoring employment policies, service measures, and access channels, ensuring policies are explained thoroughly, services are delivered to the doorstep, and subsidies are implemented to the letter, so as to effectively enhance the sense of gain of workers and employers alike.

During the publicity month, five specific tasks will be advanced: distributing a set of publicity materials. Make good use of the policy lists and brochures uniformly formulated at the ministerial level, and, in light of local industrial characteristics, group needs, and policy differences, supplement information on subsidy standards, application procedures, and handling channels, and widely post and distribute them at public employment service institutions, government service halls, universities, industrial parks, and communities. Building a publicity matrix. Organize publicity teams to conduct roving lectures in key enterprises, campuses and parks, and grassroots communities, routinely open "employment policy lecture halls," produce micro-videos, animations, infographics, and other products, so that the masses can understand, calculate clearly, and put to use. Handling a batch of service matters. Embed policy publicity into the entire process of employment services; at public employment service windows, implement "on-site consultation with simultaneous processing," and when pushing policy information, simultaneously attach online application links or appointment handling channels, achieving "pushed information can be simultaneously applied for," helping workers know the policies, enjoy the services, and reap the benefits. Weaving a dense linkage network. Organize grassroots personnel and labor security coordinators to proactively visit door-to-door, distribute policy clarity cards, and, in coordination with relevant departments and mass organizations, share data and jointly publicize, expanding coverage and social influence. Cultivating a group of advanced models. Summarize and promote grassroots "service golden ideas" and "working methods," select and establish employers that actively stabilize and expand employment, unearth workers who have achieved stable employment or self-employment through policy assistance, tell the employment stories of people around them, and foster a strong atmosphere in which labor is most glorious and happiness depends on hard work.

The campaign requires that the employment policy publicity month be truly made into a pragmatic action that serves the masses and solves problems, better leveraging the role of policies in stabilizing and promoting employment.

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Wang Xiangxi, former Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Emergency Management, expelled from the Party and dismissed from public office for serious violations of discipline and law

(People's Daily, Beijing, September 8) (Reporter: Shi Yiqi) Upon approval of the CPC Central Committee, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission conducted an investigation and review into Wang Xiangxi, member of the 20th CPC Central Committee, former Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Minister of the Ministry of Emergency Management, for serious violations of discipline and law.

The investigation found that Wang Xiangxi lost his ideals and convictions, betrayed his original aspiration and founding mission, disregarded the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation, illegally accepted gift money, accepted banquets that might affect the impartial execution of official duties, and illegally participated in banquets paid for with public funds; violated organizational principles, illegally seeking benefits for others in cadre promotion procedures; lost his bottom line of integrity, using his positional influence to seek benefits for the business operations of specific persons with whom he had a close relationship; he displayed a complete lack of legal or disciplinary boundaries (毫无纪法底线, hao wu ji fa di xian - "none, have, discipline, law, bottom, line"), alienating public power into a tool for private gain, using his positional convenience to seek benefits for others in engineering project contracting, cadre promotion, and other matters, and illegally accepting enormous amounts of property.

Wang Xiangxi seriously violated the Party's organizational discipline, integrity discipline, and life discipline, constituting serious duty-related illegality and suspected bribery crimes, and he did not restrain himself or stop his misconduct after the 18th CPC National Congress; the nature is serious, the impact is adverse, and he should be dealt with severely. In accordance with relevant provisions of the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Actions, the Supervision Law of the People's Republic of China, the Law of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Discipline for Public Officials, and other relevant regulations, after deliberation at a meeting of the Standing Committee of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and submission to a meeting of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee for review, it was decided to give Wang Xiangxi the disciplinary action of expulsion from the Party; the National Supervisory Commission gave him the disciplinary action of dismissal from public office; terminate his qualification as a delegate to the 20th CPC National Congress; confiscate his disciplinary and illegal gains; transfer the suspected criminal issues to procuratorial organs for legal review and prosecution, with the involved property transferred together. The decision to expel him from the Party is subject to ratification at a plenary session of the CPC Central Committee when it is convened.

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Funds Arrive in Time, Boosting Confidence in Development

By: 本报记者 李 纵

In Shunde, Guangdong, a number of manufacturing enterprises are relying on technological innovation to work hard in a specific field (深耕, shen geng - "deep, plow") in overseas markets, and Guangdong Lianbai Technology Group Co., Ltd. is one of them. This enterprise focuses on producing small kitchen appliances,and its products are welcomed by overseas customers.

For an enterprise to walk farther and more steadily, it needs not only good products,but also sufficient financial support. In recent years, the Agricultural Bank of China Shunde Sub-branch has cumulatively granted Lianbai Technology credit of nearly 300 million yuan, providing financial support through various forms such as fixed-asset loans, working-capital loans,and trade finance.

"Timely arrival of funds gives our development more confidence."said the relevant person in charge of Lianbai Technology. Sufficient funds have provided support for the enterprise to expand its production scale; since the beginning of this year, the coffee machines, steak machines,and other products produced by this enterprise have been favored by customers in Europe, the Middle East,and other regions.

The story of Lianbai Technology is a miniature representation of something larger (缩影, suo ying - "shrink, image") of finance assisting the coordinated development of Guangdong's manufacturing industry and service industry. The Agricultural Bank of China Guangdong Branch closely follows the deployments of the Guangdong Provincial Party Committee and Provincial Government, strengthens financial supply to manufacturing, issues ten measures to assist the construction of a modern industrial system, increases support for technical renovation projects,and promotes the concentration of credit resources toward key industries, chains,and enterprises. At the same time, it focuses on Guangdong's ten trillion-yuan-level industrial clusters, works hard in the field of industrial finance, improves the service coverage rate for upstream and downstream small, medium,and micro enterprises, jointly establishes strategic emerging industry funds,and provides full-cycle comprehensive services for technology-based enterprises.

Special enameled copper wire made from 0.1-millimeter copper wire through a composite coating process can withstand temperatures of 300 degrees Celsius and voltages of 30,000 volts,and is a key component of new-energy motors and photovoltaic inverters. Guangdong Jingda, as one of the largest domestic manufacturers of enameled wire and electromagnetic wire, has its enameled wire and electromagnetic wire products selling well in both domestic and foreign markets.

"This is our independently developed special enameled copper wire, whose service life is five times that of traditional products,and is mainly supplied to enterprises such as BYD and Midea."Looking at the enameled wire products on the production line, Mr. Yin, general manager of Guangdong Jingda, said,"With the development of the new-energy vehicle industry and the photovoltaic industry, the application fields of enameled wire and electromagnetic wire are constantly expanding,and our order volume has already exceeded our original design production capacity."Mr. Yin introduced that the introduction of high-end equipment, the increase in R&D expenses,and the financial pressure of capacity expansion have become practical difficulties facing the enterprise.

The Agricultural Bank of China Nanhai Sub-branch learned of Guangdong Jingda's financial needs during its transformation stage, quickly formed a professional team to conduct in-depth research at the enterprise,and, in light of its cyclical funding needs for equipment upgrading and R&D investment, tailored a dedicated financing plan and efficiently achieved loan disbursement.

With the assistance of financial services, Guangdong Jingda's business transformation has pressed the fast-forward button. In 2025, the enterprise's annual production capacity of enameled wire will exceed 80,000 tons,and its operating revenue will break through 4 billion yuan.

"Now we don't have to worry about funds,and we are prepared to continue expanding the market."Mr. Yin said that, with the application of nanotechnology, the insulation and high-temperature resistance of enameled wire will be significantly improved,and the enterprise will accelerate its layout in the field of new materials to seize the technological high ground.

Centering on serving new quality productive forces, the Agricultural Bank of China Guangdong Branch has issued implementation opinions on technological finance innovation and quality improvement, established specialized institutions such as a new quality productive forces review, approval,and verification center, established a whitelist model of "broad coverage, wide credit granting" for technology-based enterprises,and launched distinctive products such as "Guangdong Science and Technology Easy Loan."In 2026, the branch will further improve the three-tier technological financial service architecture, optimize the comprehensive service system of "loans, bonds, investment, leasing,and insurance,"and make every effort to do a good job in the great article of technological finance.

As of the end of August, among the 71,000 technology-based enterprises in Guangdong (excluding Shenzhen),, the Agricultural Bank of China Guangdong Branch has opened accounts for 32,000 enterprises; the branch's manufacturing loan balance stands at 436.9 billion yuan, an increase of 69.8 billion yuan compared with the beginning of the year; the technology-based enterprise loan balance stands at 264.1 billion yuan, an increase of 66.1 billion yuan compared with the beginning of the year, both ranking among the forefront of the industry.

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Page editors: Tang Tianyi, Bai Zhenzhi, He Yuche

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China International Fair for Trade in Services: Global Services, Shared Benefits

September 9–13, 2026

China · Beijing · Shougang Park

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“China Has Become an Important Force in Global Consumer Electronics Innovation”（国际视点）

By: 本报记者 刘仲华 徐 馨

From September 4 to 8, the 2026 IFA Berlin (Internationale Funkausstellung Berlin) was held in Germany. With the theme "The Future Has Arrived," this year's expo attracted more than 1,900 exhibitors from around the world, of whom over 900 were Chinese enterprises, accounting for nearly half. From robots and AI (artificial intelligence) to smart homes and flying cars, visitors could experience up close at the venue a wide range of cutting-edge innovative technological achievements, sensing within the global evolution of technology the pulse of China and Chinese wisdom.

AI is accelerating its embedding into daily life

Stepping into the main hall of the Berlin Exhibition Grounds, a huge transparent LED screen hung in midair like a light gauze, with scenes of technology and life interweaving spreading across the floor. Following the rich aroma closer, a robot was smoothly and flowing like flowing water completing coffee grinding, extraction, and latte art; beside it, on a simulated off-road obstacle course, a multimodal inspection robot dog nimbly leaped…. "The world today stands at a critical juncture of technological iteration and industrial reshaping. IFA Berlin is a concentrated showcase of industry achievements and also an important platform for the public to gain insight into future trends and technologies." said the event's organizer head, Leif Lindner, noting that breakthroughs in AI models are driving cutting-edge computing power to rapidly permeate concrete scenarios such as smart terminals, intelligent mobility, and home hardware, achieving a deep embedding from algorithms into the physical world.

At the expo, embodied intelligence technology drew significant attention for its applications across different scenarios including homes, the service industry, and industry. In the smart wearables exhibition area, putting on the "Chaoyingjing" AI glasses designed for outdoor sports and riding a bicycle, a clear route map and real-time traffic hazard warnings immediately floated before one's eyes; and switching to the "Yingmu" AI glasses, when facing a foreign exhibitor and beginning to speak, simultaneous interpretation almost instantly popped up in one's ears and field of vision. Beside a staircase at the side of the exhibition area, an intelligent exoskeleton from Jike Technology was being eagerly tried on by many; it not only provided power to the hips, but also added precisely coordinated motor components at the knees. When climbing stairs, the heavy feeling of pressure on the knees suddenly lightened.

Kai Schadon, Managing Director of the German Consumer Electronics Association, believed that the investment boom in the AI field is a major catalyst driving economic growth and technological transformation. In the future, the market for technology durables centered on AI will demonstrate long-term growth resilience, with key momentum concentrated in AI, such as service robots handling household chores like sweeping and lawn mowing, as well as smart wearables entering the 2.0 era, among other fields.

Chinese intelligent manufacturing attracts attention and shines bright

The smart products and technological creativity displayed by Chinese exhibitors were highly impressive. At the Haier exhibition area, staff were demonstrating Haier's representative smart laundry care product —the Vision 15 series washing machine. Opening the drum door, one could see that at the upper edge of the door gasket, on the black inner lining, a sensing probe emitting a faint blue glow was embedded therein—this was the "AI Eye." "It is like installing eyes and a brain on the washing machine. The moment clothes are placed in, the 'AI Eye' completes full-dimensional recognition of fabric material, color, size, and even degree of soiling." Haier Group Vice President and Chief Brand Officer Wang Meiyan stated that, from its self-developed smart home large model Uhome to the "Xiaoyou intelligent agent," "AI no longer remains at the conceptual level, but runs through every daily aspect of life assistance, such as laundry, refrigeration, and cooking." Wang Meiyan introduced that Haier, through high quality, continuous innovation, quality service, and deep localization, has steadily consolidated its brand foundation, ranking first globally in large home appliance brand share for 17 consecutive years—"This is the result of global users choosing Haier, and also a testament to Haier's insistence on independently building its brand and long-term deep cultivation of the global market."

This year's TCL exhibition area had the theme "Inspiration Dwelling," focusing on presenting a new paradigm of smart living and showcasing a full-scenario future home. In the exhibition area, an ivory-white "Xiaolanwing P7 Ultra" air conditioner operated quietly, with the wing-shaped structure at the upper right of the unit slightly rising, indicating that the fresh air system was continuously introducing outdoor fresh air. Pointing at the sensor "AI Safe-Sleep Eye" above the upper right of the air conditioner, exhibition staff introduced that it is equipped with high-precision millimeter-wave radar sensing technology equipment, capable of keenly capturing users' micro-movements during sleep, accurately judging different physiological stages such as light sleep, deep sleep, and wakefulness, and dynamically fine-tuning temperature and wind speed.

"This 'AI Kitchen Companion' consists of three products: a large-screen refrigerator, an intelligent oven, and an intelligent wine cabinet." Hisense intelligent R&D expert Yan Ronghua reached out to touch the multi-door large-screen smart refrigerator before him, and the smart control large screen immediately lit up, with family message board, schedule calendar, and whole-house control center pages sliding out smoothly. "It can recognize in real time the dynamics of food storage and retrieval and proactively remind about freshness status. Simply speak your current dietary needs at the screen, and the built-in AI cooking intelligent agent will autonomously plan a weekly meal plan based on the nutritional structure of family members, and generate a customized exclusive recipe. After confirming the menu, cooking instructions and parameters can be synchronized with one click across devices to the oven."

On a miniature sloping lawn, a lawn mower was gliding freely close along a white wall, neatly sweeping through the 90-degree right-angle edge seams where weeds most easily remained. This MOVA lawn mowing robot under Dreame Technology was equipped with a 360-degree 3D laser radar, working in real time in coordination with multi-eye vision sensors, capable of rapidly completing three-dimensional spatial modeling. Staff introduced: "In the past, European families using old-brand lawn mowing equipment had to first bury a loop of signal wire around the yard. Now none of these cumbersome tasks are needed at all—the equipment can start working straight out of the box once placed on the ground." Dreame Technology this time participated with its four major businesses: smart home, outdoor courtyard, intelligent mobility, and embodied intelligence, focusing on showcasing intelligent application scenarios in home cleaning, courtyard maintenance, mobility, and industrial fields.

At the Creality exhibition area, a set of 3D-printed drum kit attracted many onlookers. A young boy excitedly gripped drumsticks and swung them to strike, the drumbeats energizing the atmosphere of the whole venue. On the display stand, 3D-printed trendy toys, figurines, and crafts were rich and varied. Ye Xingxing, head of the brand department at Creality Group, introduced that, with AI empowerment, the company's newly launched 3D printers are becoming increasingly intelligent; the SPARKX series and K3 printers, equipped with Creality Cloud's brand-new AI production function, allow AI algorithms to automatically complete depth calculation and feature extraction on two-dimensional photos within seconds, reconstructing high-precision 3D model files, with instructions then going directly to the print nozzle. This zero-barrier AI-empowered experience let users at the scene truly experience that"everyone can enjoy playing with 3D printing."

Embodied intelligence wins widespread acclaim

In the "Future Technology" exhibition area, the theme "The Future Has Arrived" was reflected to the fullest—Unitree robots were engaged in a vigorous and powerful boxing match, Zhiyuan Robotics robots were calm and composed practicing tai chi, and Accelerated Evolution robots were playing soccer…. This year, more than 100 enterprises gathered in the embodied intelligence exhibition area, with the number of humanoid robots on display reaching a historic high. "Here I have seen astonishing cutting-edge technology, and I feel that the moment when robots change our lives is already close at hand." said Felix, a German tech blogger visiting the expo.

At the Agibot exhibition area, a young boy took hold of the mechanical palm of the Agibot Q1, and the robot, relying on sensitive force perception and adaptive algorithms, followed closely like a shadow, turning and going straight along with the child's pace. Another young girl squatted down to stroke the Agibot T1, which had switched to robot dog mode. During the expo, this Agibot T1, capable of autonomous transformation, won the organizer's "Innovation Achievement Award" for its breakthroughs in content creation and form innovation; the Agibot Q1 also won the "Innovation Honor Award," showcasing China's cutting-edge technological strength in the embodied intelligence track. Zou Jiyuan, Chief Marketing Officer overseas at Agibot, introduced that Agibot is a "personal robot" oriented toward families and consumers, focusing on intelligent companionship, tech-savvy trendy play, creative interaction, and multi-form adaptation.

The expo also held a robot fashion show for the first time. Accompanied by lively, upbeat music, humanoid robots of various forms took the stage one after another—some walked toward the center of the stage, some danced to the rhythm, and others performed backflips or even splits on stage, winning rounds of applause from the audience. Over 90 percent of these robots came from Chinese enterprises.

At the opening ceremony of the AliExpress brand going-global exhibition booth, the host announced that AI hardware has become one of the fastest-growing segments on AliExpress. From January to July this year, cross-border exports of the AI hardware category on the AliExpress platform grew 100 percent year-on-year. AliExpress brought the Yingkan Zhizhi flying robot, the Magic Atom bionic robot, and others to attract customers from various countries to come for cooperation discussions. Lloyd, Chief Customer Officer of Awin, a renowned European affiliate marketing network, believed that AliExpress introducing high-quality Chinese products such as AI hardware to European consumers will accelerate its leap from a "sales channel" to a "brand-new home ground for Chinese brands going global."

Lindner stated that Chinese enterprises continue to promote innovation and sustainable development, actively respond to market concerns, place greater emphasis on product design and durability, and demonstrate strong innovation vitality and competitive advantages. "More and more technological innovation achievements come from China. China has become an important force in the global innovation and development of consumer electronics."

(People's Daily, Berlin, September 8)

Graphic design: Wang Ting

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China Presses the 'Pause Button,' Showing Strategic Foresight of a Major Power (Global Notes)

By: 张梦旭

Max Fisher, a former columnist for the American New York Times, recently released an international energy observation video titled "China Quietly Saved the World," which has sparked broad resonance on overseas social platforms. In the footage, he spreads out a global map of oil tanker routes and says: "The most surprising thing is not who is scrambling for oil, but who is slowing down." The video has surpassed 6 million views, and among more than 20,000 comments, many netizens used words like "clear-headed" and "steady" to describe China's response.

As a vital artery for global energy transport, the Strait of Hormuz has recently seen sustained tension in navigational conditions, pushing up the risk premium on international crude oil. By past market logic, when geopolitical conflict triggers supply concerns, major consuming countries tend to accelerate procurement and stockpile inventories, while the widening of the supply-demand gap further drives up oil prices, transmitting through energy costs into global inflation. Since the latest escalation of the Middle East situation, market concerns that energy price rebounds will impact the global economic recovery have continued to heat up, and expectations of a "scramble for oil" once pervaded the commodity trading markets.

But the Chinese market has given a different answer. Domestic refining enterprises have adjusted their production rhythms accordingly, flexibly and orderly slowing new procurement of high-priced crude oil, easing the growth rate of imports from the demand side. China, in an extremely restrained manner, has pressed the "buffer button" for the tense global supply-demand balance. The Wall Street Journal wrote that China's move to reduce oil imports has provided important support for the strained world economy; France's Le Figaro said this is the second time since the 2008 international financial crisis that China has played a key role in stabilizing the global economy.

For a long time, global approaches to coping with oil crises have mainly revolved around the supply side, and most large consuming countries could only passively bear price fluctuations. But this round of practice shows that a super-large-scale consumer market can likewise play a buffering role through production capacity adjustment and inventory dispatch, becoming an important force in maintaining market equilibrium. Reuters believes that since the latest escalation of the Middle East situation, the reduction in China's crude oil purchases has, to a considerable extent, offset the impact of supply fluctuations from the Middle East; the Financial Times has also commented that China is becoming a key variable affecting the balance of the global oil market.

Why has China been able to go against the grain and tread a different path? This confidence comes from China's strategic foresight.

In earlier years, when international oil prices were in a low cycle, China steadily advanced the construction of its commercial inventory system, gradually accumulating a solid family foundation. During this round of oil price increases, the domestic market suspended the normal rhythm of commercial inventory accumulation, using previously accumulated stock to replace part of high-priced imports, which both ensured the basic operational needs of domestic refining and avoided further aggravating supply-demand tension by scrambling for supplies at high levels on the international market. Having sufficient reserves to feel confident and unconcerned (手里有粮、心中不慌, shou li you liang, xin zhong bu huang - "hand, hold, grain, heart, middle, not, panic"), ample reserves are precisely the direct support enabling China to flexibly adjust its import rhythm.

Through sustained deep cultivation, China has formed a smooth and efficient commercial inventory turnover system, and crude oil import sources have continued to expand toward Brazil, Africa, and other countries and regions, continuously reducing dependence on any single transport route. More importantly, the market-oriented refining operation mechanism is increasingly mature, and enterprises can keenly capture price and risk signals, flexibly adjusting procurement and production plans. This diversified, resilient energy supply system has given China more room to maneuver when facing disturbances in the geopolitical situation.

From an even longer-term perspective, what truly reshapes energy logic is a green transformation advancing in depth. Data from the International Energy Agency show that in the second quarter of this year, electric vehicles alone — a single category — China's daily average substitution of crude oil reached 1.5 million barrels, far exceeding previous general market expectations. The rapid development of China's new energy sector is not only reshaping its own energy landscape, but also quietly changing the underlying logic of global energy market operations.

From a passive recipient of international energy price fluctuations in the past, to an active stabilizer of global market balance today. Behind this change lies China's consistent and continuous throughout (一以贯之, yi yi guan zhi - "one, continuously, through") steady logic of energy development — holding its own energy rice bowl steadily and firmly, responding to uncertainty in the external environment with the certainty of its own development; this itself is the most concrete and most enduring contribution to global market stability.

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Global Scan

2026 Baku Climate Action Week Focuses on Energy Transition and Climate Finance

(Xinhua News Agency, Baku, September 7) (Reporter Zhong Zhong) The 2026 Baku Climate Action Week opened on September 7 in Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan. The five-day event will center on topics including energy transition, climate finance, industrial decarbonization, and regional cooperation, aiming to translate climate commitments into concrete action.

Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan's presidential representative on climate issues and former president of the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, said at the opening ceremony that this year marks the third consecutive year Baku Climate Action Week has been held, and that Azerbaijan will be committed to maintaining global climate action momentum, promoting the translation of dialogue into concrete action, and fostering new partnerships.

In November 2024, COP29 was held in Baku, and the first Baku Climate Action Week took place on the eve of the conference, aiming to pool the strength of governments, international organizations, business circles, academic institutions, and social organizations, among other parties, to promote the linkage between climate policy and practical action. The UN Climate Change Conference in Baku at that time adopted a new global climate finance goal, namely that by 2035 developed countries will mobilize at least $300 billion per year and the world at least $1.3 trillion per year to support climate action in developing countries.

This year's Baku Climate Action Week is also held concurrently with the fourth Climate Week under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Both events will run through September 11, with discussions focusing on how to implement the Paris Agreement and the outcomes of successive climate conferences, and to align the agenda for the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Turkey in November this year.

Cuba Says US Trade Embargo Has Caused "Record" Economic Losses

(Xinhua News Agency, Havana, September 7) (Reporter Wang Zhongyi) Cuban Foreign Minister Rodriguez said on September 7 that the US trade embargo against Cuba has caused "record" economic losses.

Rodriguez chaired a press conference that same day to release a report on the US trade embargo against Cuba from March 1, 2025 to February ​​28, 2026. The report showed that during this period, the economic losses caused by the US trade embargo against Cuba reached $8.0833 billion, a record high. Rodriguez said that the US trade embargo against Cuba has exacerbated the decline in real income and the rise in living costs for poor families in Cuba. In addition, restrictions on energy supplies and threats against shipping companies have also undermined water and electricity supplies and other public services.

The United States has long imposed economic, financial blockade and trade embargo against Cuba. On August ​​25, the US government's Federal Register published a presidential proclamation signed by US President Trump on August ​​20, extending the term of the Trading with the Enemy Act against Cuba for another year, until September ​​14, 2027. The Trading with the Enemy Act is a law enacted by the United States in 1917, aimed at restricting trade with "enemy" countries. Cuba is currently the only country subject to this law.

UAE Activates Alternative Logistics Corridors in Response to Disruption in the Strait of Hormuz

(Xinhua News Agency, Dubai, September 8) (Reporters Wen Xinnian, Xia Xiao) UAE Minister of State for Foreign Trade Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi said on September 8th that, in the face of challenges posed by disrupted passage through the Strait of Hormuz, the UAE has activated multiple alternative logistics corridors and accelerated the construction of ports on its eastern coast, and that related measures will be incorporated into the country's long-term strategic layout.

Al Zeyoudi said at a forum held in Abu Dhabi that same day that since the beginning of this year, the geopolitical situation in the region has undergone profound changes, posing "more direct and more serious challenges" to global supply chains. After shipping through the Strait of Hormuz was disrupted, the UAE quickly took measures to ensure smooth trade, activating regional logistics corridors connecting the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea, and the Gulf of Oman. In addition, the UAE has cooperated with Oman to transship goods destined for the UAE via the ports of Sohar and Duqm. He also said that the UAE is accelerating the construction of ports on its eastern coast, including Khor Fakkan, Fujairah, and Dibba, and has put new energy pipelines into operation to connect its domestic energy resources with international markets.

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U.S. Voices Across Sectors Oppose Tariff Policy

By: 本报记者 李志伟

On September 8, Canada's countervailing tariffs on U.S. imports officially took effect. Trade talks between Canada and the United States collapsed in late August, and the United States imposed 50% tariffs on Canadian goods worth $20 billion. Earlier, the U.S. Trade Representative's Office, citing so-called "forced labor,"" imposed new tariffs of 10% to 12.5% on 60 countries and regions. Brazil and other countries have stated that they will initiate relevant procedures to counter the U.S. new tariff measures. U.S. domestic public opinion worries that the new tariff measures may trigger a new wave of retaliatory tariffs, which will continue to push up production costs for U.S. enterprises, and in turn affect consumer prices. Research by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston shows that, over the course of 2025, the average effective tariff rate on U.S. imported goods rose from approximately 2.5% to approximately 10%, causing increased input costs for many U.S. enterprises, with some of those costs ultimately being passed onto consumers.

In early August, 25 U.S. states jointly filed suit in the U.S. Court of International Trade, seeking to halt the federal government's July new tariff policy. The complaint states that the U.S. government has once again imposed tariffs on dozens of countries and regions, which will push up inflationary pressures and make U.S. businesses and consumers pay more costs. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in a statement that the tariff policy has raised the costs of household necessities, groceries, and other daily goods, which is tantamount to taxing American families, and that the U.S. government cannot impose tariffs on a large scale while ignoring the law.

National Public Radio published an article arguing that, after years of high inflation, remaining at a high level without falling (居高不下, ju gao bu xia -"reside, high, not, descend") of living costs remains the issue of greatest concern to many families. Yale University's Budget Lab estimates that, if the tariff policy continues, the economic burden on the American people will further increase, with ordinary households bearing an additional approximately $1,100 in annual expenses as a result.“This will keep economic uncertainty persisting.”Eswar Prasad, a professor at Cornell University, said that if the tariff policy is implemented over the long term, the prices of imported goods will inevitably be pushed up, which in turn will intensify inflationary pressures. This will dampen corporate investment, and may cause enterprises to postpone investment and hiring.

In February this year, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize the president to impose large-scale tariffs. The U.S. Court of International Trade subsequently ordered customs to process relevant refunds. In early August, data disclosed by officials of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, an agency under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to the U.S. Court of International Trade showed that U.S. Customs had refunded approximately $100 billion in tariffs previously collected under the U.S. International Emergency Economic Powers Act. However, research released by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office in February showed that approximately 70% of the costs generated by U.S. additional tariffs are ultimately passed onto consumers through price increases, while enterprises bear approximately 30%. Most of these refunds flow into importing enterprises or related third-party institutions, while consumers, who actually bear most of the tariff costs, find it difficult to benefit from them.

CNN reported that tariffs have raised the prices consumers pay, while most enterprises will not pass tariff rebates back to consumers. Democratic Congressman Mark Pocan said on social media that companies such as Walmart, Apple, Ford, and Amazon have received tariff refunds ranging from tens of millions to billions of dollars, while ordinary consumers have received nothing,“This is merely transferring wealth from ordinary Americans to large corporations.”

Kyle Peacock, head of the U.S. Peacock Tariff Consulting firm, estimated that, due to the impact of tariff costs, from 2025 to 2026, American households spent an average of approximately $1,700 more, and it is expected that only 15% to 20% of that amount will ultimately be returned to consumers in the form of refunds or price reductions. Unlike large enterprises, constrained by market conditions, many small businesses are unable to make up for the costs caused by tariffs through price increases. Busy Baby, a Minnesota-based baby products company, is one such example: the company received a $50,000 refund. However, company founder Beth Benike said that this refund did not make up for the losses the tariffs caused the company. Whenever the company tried to raise prices, sales quickly declined. As a result, they had no choice but to lay off half their employees and cut other expenses across the board

The Peterson Institute published an article stating that the U.S. government has put forward all sorts of arguments to defend its tariff policy,“but in reality, American families and enterprises bear most of the burden of the tariff policy.”

(People's Daily, Washington, September 8)

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Page editors: Zou Zhipeng, Zhang Huizhong, Liu Gang

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Changsha: A Millennium of Culture Flows into Modern Life (A Foreigner's View of a Chinese City)

By: 本报记者 袁 泉 颜 珂 杨 迅

In Changsha, Hunan, a long history is layered and superimposed between the streets and lanes.

The Xiang River flows northward, and Yuelu Mountain stands tall. For more than 3,000 years, the city's name has not changed, and its city site has not been relocated. The Yuelu Academy's continuous singing and playing of music (弦歌不绝, xian ge bu jue - "string, song, not, cease") has never ceased, and the Mawangdui Han Tomb quietly recounts the elegance of the Han era. The granite-paved roads of Taiping Street and Chaozong Street follow the texture of the ancient city as they extend outward. Stepping out of the old streets and ancient lanes, museums, cultural centers, and intangible cultural heritage workshops open new entry points for ancient culture. In recent years, Changsha has continuously advanced the protection, inheritance, and revitalized utilization of historical and cultural heritage. A deep cultural foundation is being integrated into modern urban life through new methods of protection, participation, and dissemination.

Changsha's cultural flavor has attracted many foreign friends from afar; among them, some devote themselves to scholarship in the millennium-old academy, some have spent nearly 20 years perceiving how traditional culture enters daily life, and others pick up their phones and tell Changsha's story in ways familiar to overseas youth. Their experiences provide a new perspective for observing how an ancient city of a thousand years safeguards its cultural lineage and carries it forward.

The cultural lineage continues, keeping the millennium-old academy's music and song unceasing

"Learning reaches the nature of Heaven" — in order to render the plaque suspended above the lecture hall of Yuelu Academy, American scholar David Porter and his team deliberated back and forth for several hours. If translated literally, rendering these four characters from Chinese into English is not difficult; what is difficult is enabling foreign readers unfamiliar with traditional Chinese culture to also grasp the profound philosophical meaning contained within. "In the Chinese context, some profound meanings are self-evident, and Chinese readers can fully comprehend them without explanation. But once translated into English, one must clearly explain the thoughts hidden behind the words." he said.

Such careful deliberation and refinement is David Porter's daily work at Yuelu Academy. After arriving in Changsha in 2017, he joined the Department of History at Yuelu Academy, Hunan University, as a faculty member, researching Ming dynasty history, and leading a team to translate documents such as the "Yuelu Academy School Regulations" and the "Gazetteer of Yuelu Academy". For his outstanding contributions in promoting Sino-foreign academic exchange, he has successively received the Hunan Province Xiaoxiang Friendship Award and the 2024 Chinese Government Friendship Award.

Why has Yuelu Academy not become a museum that "can only be viewed from afar"? In David Porter's view, from an ancient academy to today's university research institution, although its form has undergone several changes, the tradition of reading, teaching, and research has never been interrupted. In today's Yuelu Academy, people still give lectures, people still conduct research, and people continue to raise new academic questions here. Tourists walk past the front of the lecture hall; separated by a single wall, students are attending class. Ancient buildings preserve their historical form, while the teaching and research of a modern university continue the academy's original functions.

How to preserve this history that is still continuing is another task David Porter is currently undertaking. In the "Yuelu Academy Oral History" project in which he participates, nearly 200,000 characters of oral history materials from faculty and staff have already been compiled. "Today's visitors see a fully restored academy and find it hard to imagine what kind of restoration, reconstruction, and academic revival it once underwent." David Porter and his team hope that, through the accounts of those who experienced it firsthand, they can preserve this history that cannot be seen from the buildings' exterior. "The Yuelu Academy we see today is not the appearance it has been consistent and unchanging throughout (始终如一, shi zhong ru yi - "always, middle, like, one") for thousands of years. The efforts of generations of teachers, students, and cultural relics and architectural workers are themselves part of the academy's history."

This approach of "letting history continue to tell its story" is also being unfolded in broader cultural practice across Changsha. In recent years, Changsha has advanced the construction of a "City of Museums," developing public archaeology, cultural relic restoration experiences, and cultural study tours, with many related activities opening their doors to ordinary citizens. Cultural relic protection is no longer limited to the research of professional workers; more and more ordinary people are able to approach and understand how a cultural relic is restored, how a site is excavated, and how a piece of history is re-recognized, re-examined, and retold.

The more one wants to help more people approach history, the more one must maintain reverence for history. On this point, David Porter has his own conviction: "One cannot flatten and trivialize profound history just to make tourists feel relaxed and entertained." In his view, the most valuable quality of Yuelu Academy lies precisely in the fact that, after becoming a popular cultural landmark, it has not abandoned its original intellectual depth. In the millennium-old academy, people still read books and pursue learning; ancient documents, through different languages, reach readers of different cultural backgrounds — history has never remained in the past. In David Porter's eyes, this is precisely one of the things that most attracts him to Changsha. "Teachers and students read and think here, while visitors tour and reflect. Different people can coexist harmoniously in the same cultural space and draw nourishment from the cultural lineage of a thousand years — this is precisely the endless and vigorous growth or life (生生不息, sheng sheng bu xi - "birth, birth, not, cease") code of Yuelu Academy and even of this famous historical and cultural city."

Having been at the academy for many years, David Porter still habitually regards himself as a"student." "Foreign researchers who come here can certainly bring their own research methods and perspectives, but first they must learn." he said, "Only by understanding the culture and spirit formed by the academy over thousands of years, and then telling more people what one has understood, can this be called true exchange."

Living inheritance, letting traditional culture integrate into ordinary life

Setting aside time each day to practice tai chi is a habit Canadian Martin has maintained for many years. Whether practicing tai chi, strolling through old streets, visiting museums, or encountering an intangible cultural heritage craft at a community event — in Martin's view, culture entering modern life often does not require a treating something with great seriousness and formality (郑重其事, zheng zhong qi shi - "serious, its, matter") ceremony. "The true vitality of traditional culture lies precisely in these ordinary moments that can happen any day." Martin said.

In 2007, Martin came to Changsha from Victoria, Canada — Changsha's sister city. Practicing tai chi led him to encounter traditional Chinese medicine; later, he entered Hunan University of Chinese Medicine to study systematically, progressing from bachelor's degree, to master's degree, to doctorate. Today, his research direction is the international dissemination of traditional Chinese medicine. Nearly 20 years have passed, and he has long regarded Changsha as his second hometown.

"To inherit culture, the most important thing is broad participation." Martin said. When he first arrived in Changsha, foreigners who wanted to systematically engage with traditional culture such as traditional Chinese medicine and tai chi mostly had to enter a school, find a teacher, and then tackle thick professional books. "Back then, there were not as many channels as there are today, but now, the situation is completely different."

Today in Changsha, universities regularly carry out experiential activities in tai chi, Baduanjin, and other practices; the Changsha Tai Chi Association has several thousand members, regularly trains civilian coaches, and brings classes into communities, allowing ordinary citizens to practice right at their doorstep; the Hunan Folk Traditional Chinese Medicine Association provides a platform for enthusiasts who have not entered institutions of higher learning to systematically study traditional medicine. On Taiping Street and at Huogongdian, traditional arts performances are staged almost daily, and intangible cultural heritage workshops and heritage districts are gradually emerging. "Add to that the popularization of short videos, and ordinary people can touch traditional culture anytime, anywhere; the threshold for learning and experiencing keeps lowering again and again." Martin said.

Over nearly 20 years, Martin has transformed from a beginner into a participant, and then into a storyteller. "In recent years, more and more overseas friends have asked me where in Changsha they can learn tai chi and how they can experience traditional Chinese medicine." He has served as an interpreter for foreign medical students coming to learn about traditional Chinese medicine culture, explaining to them at the Jiuzhitang Museum concepts of traditional Chinese medicine that cannot be directly rendered into English. He also operates social media accounts such as"Martin in Changsha," attempting to explain to overseas audiences the lifestyles and cultural concepts behind the language and phenomena. "Translating a word is not difficult; what is difficult is making others truly understand why this word came to exist." he said.

Continuously lowering the threshold for cultural participation, turning professional skills that originally belonged to a few inheritors into an urban daily life that the public can collectively experience — this is what Martin regards as the most valuable quality of Changsha. "Drink a cup of tea, practice a set of tai chi, stroll through a stretch of old street — traditional culture is hidden in the bits and pieces of clothing, food, housing, and transportation."

Diverse expression, letting more people participate in storytelling

Standing beneath the ancient city wall of Tianxin Pavilion, Huang Peihua thought of her hometown. This young person from Malacca, Malaysia, is no stranger to ancient city walls. Facing the camera, she did not first reel off a long string of historical knowledge, but instead began with the old city wall of Malacca: "Finding something everyone is familiar with makes history easy to understand."

In 2025, Huang Peihua came to Central South University of Forestry and Technology in Changsha to study. Previously, she had long been engaged in short video and livestream creation. Changsha's rich historical and cultural resources and its youthful urban temperament quickly became new content in her lens. Chaozong Street, Orange Isle, Tianxin Pavilion... She strolls through the city while filming videos, introducing Changsha in Malay to netizens back home.

"Truly effective communication is not about directly translating a passage of Chinese into another language." Huang Peihua said. "Starting from one's own real experience and connecting it with things the audience is familiar with makes it easier for young people to understand and accept." For example, when introducing Changsha stinky tofu, she compares it to the stinky bean of Malaysia — its smell is particularly distinctive, but once in the mouth it is savory and delicious; the shared taste memory instantly narrows the distance. After visiting the Hunan Embroidery Museum, she used Malay to describe those vivid and lifelike (活灵活现, huo ling huo xian - "alive, flexible, alive, appear") stitching techniques, bringing netizens far away in the Nanyang region closer to this Hunan intangible cultural heritage.

This kind of observation from different cultural backgrounds is also actively incorporated by Changsha into its urban communication. As a"Media Arts City" in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, Changsha continuously broadens its international communication channels, and more and more foreign youth living and studying here are being appointed as"International Communication Recommenders," participating in the telling of the city's story. Huang Peihua, who has been appointed as an International Communication Recommender of Changsha's Tianxin District, is one of them. "For me, this opportunity is very precious; it means I can access a Changsha beyond travel guides." she said. Rather than completing a single shoot, she prefers to seek out those details that surprise her — a small shop, a local custom, a traditional craft that young people are rediscovering a fondness for. Such details often elicit more responses from overseas netizens than grand landmarks do.

In her view, the most interesting thing about Changsha is that antiquity and innovation often appear in the same camera frame. Ancient city walls still stand tall, while young people drink tea and stroll through historical districts; traditional crafts such as Hunan embroidery preserve their fine workmanship while, through new media, being seen by more young people. "Changsha is full of vitality, but its history has not disappeared because of this." Huang Peihua said. After becoming an International Communication Recommender, she wants to continue seeking out more such stories. "I hope to discover some details that perhaps even locals have not noticed, and tell them to overseas audiences, letting them understand a real, three-dimensional Changsha."

Dusk spreads over Yuelu Mountain, and the last class of the academy has just ended; across the Xiang River, lights on the old streets are lit one after another. Beneath the lamps, some people read books; beside the streets, some people practice boxing; someone is in front of a camera telling the story of a stretch of common streets and alleys (寻常巷陌, xun chang mo - "ordinary, common, lane, street") to friends far away. They come from different countries and speak different languages, yet all draw nourishment from the cultural lineage of this ancient city and inject new vitality into it. The cultural traditions of many years also continue in such daily life, being seen, loved, and guarded by more people.

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Let History and the City Nourish Each Other (Reporter's Notebook)

By: 杨 迅

Culture is the deepest foundation of a city.

Turn the clock back several decades, and cultural heritage sites such as Yuelu Academy and the Mawangdui Han Tombs primarily served the functions of protection, research, and display of history. Today, cultural heritage is moving from "being protected, being viewed" toward"being participatory, being experiential, being disseminable." On Chaozong Street and Taiping Street, intangible-heritage workshops and guofeng-style tea shops are very close at hand (近在咫尺, jin zai zhi chi -"near, at, reach"); in the classrooms of Yuelu Academy, students of different skin colors are spending every moment together (朝夕相处, zhao xi xiang chu -"morning, evening, together, stay") with the thousand-year-old institution; beneath the statue of young Mao Zedong at Orange Isle, livestream cameras are carrying the stories of Hunan to the world.

Changsha has never relied on its historic sites alone to speak for it, but rather, through living transmission, lets history and the city nourish each other. Yuelu Academy has upheld the fundamental mission of teaching and research, old neighborhoods have completed conservation-oriented restoration, and intangible cultural heritage has stepped out of the professional circle and into the streets and alleys. From the construction of a"city of museums" to the exploration of integrating museums with heritage parks, from the fusion of"culture + technology" to the popularization of intangible-heritage study and practice open to citizens... the threshold for cultural participation has gradually been lowered, and the city's preservation of its cultural lineage has brought historical culture into close connection with the daily lives of the public.

Today, foreign friends in Changsha are no longer merely travelers who have come from afar. American scholar David Pattinson has put down roots at Yuelu Academy, compiling the vicissitudes of the thousand-year-old institution into a collective memory of nearly 200,000 characters; Canadian Martin has lived here for nearly 20 years, from practicing Tai Chi to pursuing a doctorate in Chinese medical culture, documenting daily life in Changsha through new-media accounts;; Malaysian student Huang Peihua, in ways pleasing and widely acceptable (喜闻乐见, xi wen le jian -"happy, hear, enjoy, see") to her overseas peers, tells the stitches of Xiang embroidery and the bricks of the ancient city walls... Their shifting roles reflect the deep-level change in Changsha from"displaying culture" to"activating culture."

What Changsha presents to the world is not only the exploration and practice of how to integrate cultural lineage into modern life, but also the composed magnanimity of respecting tradition, embracing the times, and absorbing diversity. By continuously building open international exchange platforms, Changsha has brought people of different cultural backgrounds into the city's cultural ecosystem, painting a picture of each appreciating their own unique merits (各美其美, ge mei qi mei -"each, beautiful, its, beauty") and sharing beauty in all its diverse forms (美美与共, mei mei yu gong -"beautiful, with, and, share"). In Changsha, foreign friends feel the weight of a thousand years of history, and even more, they feel the sense of belonging that"once you come, you are one of us."

A city with cultural heritage can both revere the historical traditions handed down over millennia and open its arms to embrace diverse perspectives, organically combining historical lineage, living transmission, and multi-faceted dissemination. When an ancient cultural lineage can continue to be passed down and revitalized in modern life, a famous historical and cultural city can truly possess the charm of attracting visitors from both near and far (近悦远来, jin yue yuan lai -"near, pleased, far, come").

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Page editors: Hou Lulu, Song Yiran

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China Exim Bank: Supporting Foreign Trade Development, Serving Opening-Up in the New Era

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Exploring AI Supply Chain Industrialization Path: JD.com Drives AI Integration into the Physical World

Since the beginning of 2026, the scope of artificial intelligence applications has accelerated its expansion, continuously moving from the digital space into real life, and being widely integrated into production lines, warehouses and factories, delivery stations, and family life.

Measured against the requirements of building a modernized industrial system, the digital-intelligent transformation of the real economy still faces common bottlenecks: general-purpose large models find it difficult to adapt to complex physical scenarios, the supply of high-quality scenario data for industry is relatively insufficient, there are barriers between computing power, models, terminals, and industry business operations, and in many fields there still exists the phenomenon of technology implementation that "emphasizes demonstration but neglects practical results," and the "last mile" of technology sinking down into industrial and people's-livelihood scenarios urgently needs to be opened up.

To solve the above difficulties, it is necessary both to strengthen the supply of underlying technology, and, even more, to polish replicable and scalable implementation plans based on real scenarios, pushing artificial intelligence to transform into the practical driving force for developing new quality productive forces. The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan clearly states, "Comprehensively implement the 'AI+' action, strengthen the integration of artificial intelligence with scientific and technological innovation, industrial development, cultural development, people's livelihood security, and social governance, seize the commanding heights of AI industrial application, and empower all walks of life in an all-round way." Closely following this strategic deployment, JD.com, along the path of consolidating the AI infrastructure, deeply cultivating industrial applications, and expanding consumer scenarios, is pushing artificial intelligence to move from digital interaction to real-world practice, converting technological capabilities into productive forces for serving the real economy that can be seen and touched.

Consolidating the technological foundation

Strengthening the underlying support of AI facing the physical world

At JD.com's embodied intelligence data collection center in Suqian City, Jiangsu Province, staff wearing the JoyEgoCam second-generation collection terminal simulate warehousing operations, and the equipment synchronously collects human hand grasping, carrying, and placing movements. These first-person-perspective operational data will undergo automatic annotation, deep reconstruction, and simulation alignment, forming training materials that robots can learn from.

Focusing on bottlenecks in embodied intelligence industrialization such as insufficient supply of high-quality data, JD.com, relying on massive scenarios in retail, logistics, health, industry, food delivery, and housekeeping, with the goal of building the world's largest embodied intelligence data collection center, plans to mobilize over 100,000 internal employees and 500,000 external personnel from various industries, striving to collect 10 million hours of high-quality data within 2 years, accumulating valuable data resources for embodied intelligence. At present, JD.com has open-sourced the first batch of data, and has received usage applications from over a hundred universities and research institutions.

Unlike general-purpose large models that focus on text generation, achieving physical AI capabilities requires understanding the physical constraints, spatial relationships, and operational logic of the real world, which poses entirely new requirements for computing power, real-scenario data, and specialized foundation models. JD.com, with computing power, embodied intelligence data, and the JoyAI model matrix as its three major foundations, is building AI infrastructure facing the physical world, placing technology validation within real industrial scenarios.

In terms of computing power, JD Cloud, together with industrial partners, is building a domestic ten-thousand-card computing cluster, while simultaneously advancing the planning and construction of a hundred-thousand-card cluster, providing computing power guarantees for embodied large-model training, simulation inference, and large-scale industrial AI operation. The computing cluster achieves heterogeneous unified scheduling of multiple types of domestic computing power, improving computing power utilization efficiency through software-hardware collaboration, not only meeting the internal computing power needs for large-model training and robot simulation, but also opening computing power services to robot enterprises, manufacturers, and research institutions, helping to lower the threshold for industries to carry out embodied intelligence research and development.

In terms of data, JD.com is orderly advancing the construction of the world's largest embodied intelligence data collection center, having built an embodied intelligence data infrastructure covering the full chain of "collection, storage, annotation, training, evaluation, simulation, and testing."

In terms of models, JD.com has formed a JoyAI foundation model matrix covering multimodal models, world models, and embodied models. Recently, JD.com also released two models, JoyAI—Video and JoyAI—Echo WM. JoyAI—Video moves from audiovisual generation toward physical simulation, creating a unified audio-video foundation model for embodied intelligence; JoyAI—Echo WM, as a real-time interactive world model, ranks among the industry's leading in public evaluations. At present, JD.com's model capabilities have sunk down to frontline business sites in retail, logistics, health, industry, and other fields, allowing large models to not merely "think," but also to understand how to complete tasks in the physical world.

Taking root on the industrial frontline

Making AI a capable hands-on assistant for the real economy

After completing the construction of technological foundation capabilities, JD.com lands physical AI capabilities on the industrial frontline, relying on the super AI supply chain, outputting complete sets of solutions for the logistics and manufacturing industries, with robot products and industry large models entering factories, warehouses, and cross-border nodes, solving real and practical problems in industrial operations.

In the logistics field, JD Logistics' "Wolf Clan" robot family possesses a product matrix of 9 models and 11 variants, covering all links and scenario segments of the logistics chain, including storage, handling, sorting, and delivery. The "Wolf Clan" robot cluster, coordinated and dispatched by the Logistics Superbrain Large Model 3.0, has been deployed on a large scale in over 20 provinces domestically and over 10 countries overseas; besides ensuring the efficient operation of JD.com's own warehousing and distribution, it also opens up to industries such as fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, and cold-chain, helping partners advance warehousing unmannedization and fulfillment automation transformation. Relying on this digital-intelligent capability, Feihe Intelligent Warehouse has increased warehousing operation efficiency by 40% and reduced costs by 25%; Panasonic Wuxi Intelligent Warehouse has connected forward fulfillment with reverse product regeneration processes, creating a closed-loop supply chain for the home appliance industry; Tsingtao Beer has applied intelligent supply planning, achieving cost reduction and efficiency improvement across the entire chain.

In the industrial field, the JoyIndustrial large model has launched its 2.0 multimodal version, comprehensively landing in various segmented business scenarios, with cumulative calls exceeding 1 billion times this year, receiving the "International First Echelon" certification from the China Academy of Industrial Internet; jointly with over 130 suppliers, it has built six major industrial industry models, and its unique model innovation architecture allows "precise industry-expert shopping guidance" to greatly reduce the hallucination rate in Q&A. JD Industrial has incubated, "from zero to one," an industrial design large model and released a mechanical-field CAD evaluation leaderboard, and JD Industrial Design Master software can complete AI CAD generation and 3D printing in the Gongpinhui cloud, greatly improving engineers' design efficiency. In industrial practice, JD Industrial, together with Delixi Electric, has built an electrical large model, increasing the efficiency of manual work in standardized collection of material data by 3—4 times, and shortening the time for selection decision-making by approximately 70%; in cooperation with Guoneng e-commerce, it has integrated AI verification of products, supply chains, and fulfillment into the entire procurement process, improving procurement efficiency and compliance levels.

Empowering all walks of life

Comprehensively expanding the applicable scenarios of physical AI capabilities

JD.com, through industrial accumulation, polishes mature physical AI capabilities, and further applies them to consumer scenarios, on one hand enriching the daily experience of household users, and on the other hand creating new employment positions, achieving the goals of technology improving life and technology creating employment.

In the field of family life, the JoyInside ecosystem continues to iterate and upgrade, having reached cooperation with nearly 200 brands, opening up a complete set of embodied intelligence capabilities for home furnishings and appliances, robots, health devices, AI toys, and others. After accessing JoyInside capabilities, the average number of dialogue turns for hardware has increased by over120%, and whether it is parent-child companionship, home care, or health maintenance, intelligent hardware is no longer merely a tool that simply executes commands, but will become a carrier that conveys warmth.

In the field of retail consumption, the JD APP has completed an AI-oriented redesign, adopting the dual-path approach of "AI-enhanced traditional shopping flow + native shopping Agent" to reconstruct the e-commerce experience. AI is embedded in original processes such as search, product detail pages, and shopping cart, assisting users in sorting out their needs; the native Agent supports multimodal interaction via voice, 3D real-scene, and video, assisting in purchase analysis, with consumers retaining the final choice, pushing services from "one thousand people, one thousand faces" toward "one person, one policy." Users can raise procurement needs in natural language, and AI sorts out conditions, compares products, summarizes reviews, and outputs complete sets of reference solutions tailored to the needs. This AI shopping-guidance capability is applied to intelligent agents on multiple JD.com partner terminals, allowing users to also enjoy one-stop consultation, price comparison, and shopping services.

In the field of health management, JD Health's Jingyi Qianxun 3.0 foundation has completed model iteration, comprehensively upgrading its product matrix. It connects the entire health management process before, during, and after diagnosis, links home testing hardware, and helps medical services continue to extend toward the grassroots. Relying on this medical large-model system, JD Health, together with multiple top-tier hospitals, is jointly building specialized AI large models for various departments; it links various home medical hardware manufacturers, optimizing health monitoring and management services; the clinical nutrition AI solutions it has implemented have served millions of people, pushing professional health management to benefit more people.

Technological progress gives birth to new positions and new professions. As the scale of the robot industry expands, JD.com plans to cultivate over 100,000 robot after-sales service engineers in the next 5 years, with positions open to frontline practitioners such as warehouse managers and couriers, and at present the first batch of employees has completed the transition and started work. JD.com is laying out training centers across the country, offering services globally, letting more people share the dividends of AI industry development, letting machines undertake repetitive and heavy physical operations, and steering human resources toward high-value work such as operations and maintenance, services, and strategy, building a sound pattern of human-machine collaboration.

Continuous iteration and upgrading

Pushing AI to take every step steadily in serving the real economy

AI's leap from the digital world to the physical world tests an enterprise's patience and determination in taking root in industries and polishing scenarios. JD.com is committed to letting AI take deep root in the fertile soil of China's super-large market and complete industrial system, truly transforming it into the surging driving force that drives the construction of a modernized industrial system.

Relying on supply chain infrastructure accumulated over more than20 years, JD.com, in the process of building the world's largest embodied intelligence data collection center, will strive to explore replicable and scalable paths, letting AI play a greater value in production and life, and making greater contributions to cultivating new quality productive forces and deepening the integration of digital and real economies.

Data source: JD.com

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Expanding Domestic Demand While Improving People's Livelihoods (Weekly Economic Review)

By: 王 珂

This summer, consumer markets across various regions have shown robust supply and demand. The new-flavor summer consumption is not only a vivid microcosm of the continuous improvement of people's livelihoods and well-being, but also a window into observing the potential of China's domestic demand.

Data show that during the 2026 National Summer Cultural and Tourism Consumption Season, various regions, centering on new consumption hotspots such as escaping the summer heat, study tours, and the nighttime economy, held over 30,000 events and issued consumer subsidies exceeding 450 million yuan. From July 1 to August 31, the national railway cumulatively transported 954 million passenger trips; summer-season box office reached 12.498 billion yuan, with 340 million moviegoers.

Practice has shown that when improving people's livelihoods and expanding domestic demand are better linked and resonate at the same frequency, livelihood improvement will continuously take new steps, and domestic demand expansion will gain new growth fulcrums and more enduring power support.

Expanding domestic demand while improving people's livelihoods is not a makeshift or expedient measure, but rather a strategic consideration with an eye toward the long term. The Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed upholding the strategic basis point of expanding domestic demand, upholding the close integration of benefiting the people's livelihoods with promoting consumption, and of investing in material things with investing in people, guiding new supply with new demand, creating new demand with new supply, promoting benign interaction between consumption and investment, supply and demand, and enhancing the endogenous driving force and reliability of the domestic great cycle. From the "Two New" policies being strengthened and expanded in scope, to the high-quality advancement of urban renewal, to cultural and tourism benefits for the people, child-rearing subsidies, long-term care insurance, and other measures being rolled out in succession, promoting consumption and benefiting the people's livelihoods exerting force in both directions, investing in material things and investing in people advancing in coordination, have driven the steady expansion of the consumer market and the shift of the investment structure toward the new and toward the superior.

Facing the current severe and complex external environment, the inherent unity of improving people's livelihoods and expanding domestic demand has become even more prominent. The two are not "two separate skins" cut off from each other, but rather an organic whole that is interdependent and mutually reinforcing. Improving people's livelihoods is the premise and foundation for expanding domestic demand; expanding domestic demand is the pathway and handle for improving people's livelihoods. On the one hand, the super-large-scale market of over 1.4 billion people and the huge middle-income group, superimposed with the deepening advancement of new-type urbanization and the continuous upgrading of the consumption structure, harbors enormous demand potential in fields such as education, healthcare, elderly care, and cultural tourism; on the other hand, some shortcomings and weaknesses in the livelihood field are precisely the space for expanding domestic demand. From childcare to elderly care to housing, for every increment of improvement in livelihood security, residents' willingness to consume increases by one increment. Handling the practical matters that benefit the people's livelihoods one by one, properly and well, is precisely continuously storing energy for the "reservoir" of expanding domestic demand.

To further expand domestic demand while improving people's livelihoods, the key lies in exerting coordinated force on releasing residents' consumption potential and expanding effective investment space. On the consumption end, it is necessary both to boost consumption willingness and to enhance consumption capacity; it is necessary to deeply implement the special action to boost consumption, implement thoroughly and meticulously consumer promotion policies such as trade-in of consumer goods, and create new demand with new supply; at the same time, it is necessary to stabilize and expand employment through multiple channels, continuously increase residents' income, improve the social security system, and make people more confident in consuming. On the investment end, it is necessary to further do well the great article of closely integrating investing in material things with investing in people, adhere to a livelihood-oriented approach in planning projects and allocating resources, make investment decisions more aligned with the people's expectations and more effective in solving livelihood problems, and use effective investment to stimulate and release more final demand.

In Chinese modernization, the people's livelihoods come first. The essence of modernization is the modernization of people; advancing Chinese modernization anchors on the people's yearning for a better life. Adhering to making the people's good life the starting point and ultimate goal of all work, enhancing people's livelihood and well-being in high-quality development, handling practical livelihood matters with greater intensity and more concrete measures, making the people's sense of gain, sense of happiness, and sense of security more substantial, more guaranteed, and more sustainable, expanding domestic demand will then have a solid support and strong confidence, gathering the mighty force for advancing Chinese modernization.

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New Items in the "Shop in China" Suitcase (New Window)

By: 证券时报记者 郭博昊 江 聃 唐 颖

As our country continues to optimize visa-free entry and departure tax refund policies and enrich tourism products, "Travel in China" and "Shopping in China" are growing increasingly popular, with many foreign tourists coming to China to "discover China" and "recommend China." According to statistics from the National Immigration Administration, in the first half of this year, foreign nationals entering the country reached 22.914 million person-times, a year-on-year increase of 20.4%, showing a trend of rapid growth.

"Today's tourists, especially the younger generation and deep-travel tourists, tend to prefer products of the 'lifestyle aesthetics' type. They are no longer satisfied with the proof of 'I have been here,' but rather want to 'take away the lifestyle of this place.'" Dou Junjie, a frontline practitioner in the inbound tourism industry, said so.

A reporter recently visited stores in multiple commercial districts in Beijing and Shanghai and found that foreign customer flow has become an important increment in sales for many domestic brand stores. The consumption logic has also shifted from "check-in style buying of specialty products" to "lifestyle buying of good goods." Besides traditional silk, tea, and souvenirs, diversified categories such as sportswear, beauty and skincare, and smart hardware are rapidly occupying a place, and foreign tourists' "shopping list" for "Shopping in China" now contains new products.

Foreign tourists hold their "shopping lists" and come to China to sweep up goods

Dou Junjie shared with the reporter a case that left a deep impression on him. In a recent Dubai tour group, a middle-aged tourist, before the end of the itinerary, specially took out a notebook, on which was neat and orderly (工工整整, gong gong zheng zheng - "work, work, straight, straight") recorded more than a dozen Chinese brands he had "planted" on social media, asking the tour guide to help confirm which ones could be bought at duty-free shops in the airport, and which ones had to be purchased at downtown brand counters.

Looking closely at the categories, from Baixiang instant noodles and Bee&Flower conditioner, to Huawei's smart wearable devices... all of them reflect that the consumption preferences of foreign tourists for travel souvenirs are becoming increasingly diversified.

Behind these micro-scenes is a profound structural transformation taking place in "Shopping in China." In the past, the shopping lists of inbound tourists were highly homogenized — Great Wall-pattern T-shirts, silk, antique-style ornaments, essentially tokens of "having come and visited this place." Now, foreign tourists are more inclined to buy products that can be integrated into daily life, with items such as shoes and bags, clothing and other objects that combine practicality with Oriental aesthetics becoming the new favorites. "Foreign tourists coming to China to shop are shifting from 'buying symbols' to 'buying life.'" Dou Junjie said.

While consumption preferences diversify, social media has become a new traffic gateway for new domestic brands. On overseas social platforms, a large amount of authentic experience content from ordinary consumers has formed a spontaneous word-of-mouth dissemination effect. A batch of local designer brands have gone viral online, and their domestic offline stores have also become internet-famous check-in spots.

At the "PANE shoes" first store in North China at Sanlitun, Beijing, the store clerk introduced that the store experienced its peak period for foreign tourist shopping in April and May, and during certain time periods, the proportion of foreign customers had already exceeded domestic consumers, with many guests also purchasing on behalf of relatives and friends.

On Middle Huaihai Road in Shanghai, a long queue stretched in front of the flagship store of "Songxia Youth," with half of the people in line being foreign tourists. A store clerk said that many people had come specially because of the online word-of-mouth, some selecting items for themselves, and others taking away several bags at once as gifts for relatives and friends.

This change is the inevitable result of decades of upgrading and accumulation by Chinese manufacturing and Chinese brands. In the past, Chinese manufacturing was mainly OEM and ODM, with products hidden behind overseas brands; now, a batch of domestic brands continue to iterate in R&D, design, supply chain efficiency, and have completed the cognitive groundwork among global users through cross-border e-commerce and overseas content platforms.

Hong Tao, director of the Sustainable Commerce and Innovation Working Committee of the China Trade in Services Association and director of the Institute of Commercial Economics at Beijing Technology and Business University, said: "This is essentially the offline on-site experience link in the globalization process of domestic brands, forming a complete chain of 'planting online — pulling the weed offline — repurchasing after returning home.'"

Chinese brands rely on solid, real product strength to win recognition in the global market

Unlike selecting souvenirs, when interviewed foreign tourists talked about their consumption during their travels, "a good usage experience" was a keyword repeatedly mentioned.

At the Anta store in Sanlitun, a couple from Switzerland, after careful selection, purchased a pair of sports shoes. "We originally had no shopping plan, but the design of this store happened to be the style I like, the quality is good, and the price is also cheap." This tourist said that when he bought those shoes, he did not even notice the brand.

Ivan, a Russian tourist wearing a light green Xtep sports short-sleeve shirt, also excitedly shared his shopping experience with the reporter. "It feels great. In China, the variety of goods is too rich, and it is very easy to keep browsing without stopping, completely unable to control the shopping urge." Ivan said that the short-sleeve shirt he was wearing was bought casually two days ago while visiting Olympic Park, and the experience of wearing it so far had far exceeded expectations.

Hong Tao believes that the core driving force currently attracting foreign tourists to consume is the triple superposition of "policy facilitation + product hard strength + cultural uniqueness." The hard strength of our country's goods has surpassed mere price advantage and become a key factor determining long-term consumption willingness and word-of-mouth dissemination.

When the final decision to place an order is mainly because "the style is suitable and the quality is also good," this precisely shows that Chinese brands, relying on solid, real product strength, have won recognition from consumers in the global market.

Supporting services still have room for improvement

The changes in the product side are obvious to all (有目共睹, you mu gong du - "have, eye, together, see"), and the matching service experience has also become a key link. In recent years, our country has continuously optimized policies such as departure tax refunds and actively built a friendly environment for inbound tourism, but judging from the feedback of interviewees, the policy dividends have not yet been fully released, and the implementation links still need to be improved.

At the tax-free counter of a fast-moving consumer goods store in Beijing, the reporter noticed that although the store was equipped with self-service devices, during more than an hour, almost every tourist handling tax refund procedures completed the relevant formalities with the assistance of store staff, highly dependent on manual assistance.

Ivan also frankly told the reporter that although there was a tax refund machine, he had not yet fully understood information such as the specific method by which the refund was credited and the length of the process. At the same time, he also hoped that there could be more goods and stores eligible for tax refunds.

Dou Junjie believes that currently the policy dividends of departure tax refunds have not yet been fully released, and some tax refund outlets have problems such as long queuing times, cumbersome handling procedures, and inconsistent execution processes at different airports, bringing obvious inconvenience to tourists with tight itineraries and large purchase volumes.

At the same time, many tourists still have doubts about the guarantee of authentic goods. Dou Junjie gave an example: some high-priced categories such as silk, tea, and specialty handicrafts still have counterfeit products, and there is an urgent need for a more authoritative authenticity traceability and certification system. For large specialty goods such as furniture and artworks, there is still a gap in the currently suitable international logistics services, and many tourists, worried that the safety and convenience of cross-border transportation of large items cannot be guaranteed, have to give up the products they fancy.

In addition, some specialty shopping venues still remain at the stage of simply displaying goods, with insufficient excavation and display of the intangible cultural heritage craftsmanship and local cultural stories behind the products, which to a certain extent weakens the cultural thickness of the shopping experience and also restricts the space for quality upgrading of inbound tourism consumption.

The "Expanding Consumption '15th Five-Year Plan'" has made special arrangements for expanding inbound consumption, proposing to optimize the inbound consumption environment and build the "Shopping in China" brand. In the next step, it is necessary to optimize the facilitation measures for departure tax refunds, increase the number of departure tax refund stores, and actively promote the "buy now, refund now" service.

Yang Jinsong, a researcher at the China Tourism Academy, said that the experience upgrade of "Shopping in China" requires not only efforts on the product side, but also refined polishing on the service side. China can make good use of the narrative of yearning for a better life, do a good job with technology and guochao ( national trend) brands, inject comprehensive factors such as manufacturing and technological advantages into brand goods, and create more experience products with high average transaction values, sharability, and eligibility for tax refunds.

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“Reverse Cross-Border Shopping” Is a Global Cognitive Upgrade on China (Reporter’s Notes)

By: 郭博昊

In the past, Chinese tourists queuing up in Japan to snap up rice cookers and sweeping up luxury goods in France were classic scenes of globalized consumption. Today, more and more foreign tourists are dragging empty suitcases to China, filling their luggage with everyday consumer goods such as smart wearables, China-chic apparel, and household daily necessities. This "reverse cross-border shopping" is far from a short-term fad driven by price differences, but rather a consumption leap from "buying distinctive symbols" to "buying a lifestyle," reflecting the strength that emerges after long-term accumulation (厚积薄发, hou ji bo fa - "accumulate, thickly; release, thinly") of China's manufacturing, Chinese brands, and the comprehensive strength of Chinese culture.

The iteration of the shopping list is the most intuitive signal of transformation. In the past, tea, silk, and antique-style ornaments were the standard purchases of foreign tourists, with the consumption logic remaining at the level of cultural souvenirs, essentially serving as proof of a "a mere souvenir of having visited a place" (到此一游, dao ci yi you - "arrive, here, one, travel"). Today, foldable-screen phones, AI glasses, smart wristbands, and other cutting-edge tech products have become hard currency; China-chic luggage, designer apparel, and trendy designer toys have gained large numbers of devoted fans; even home-textile bedding, smart small appliances, and other daily necessities have made it onto bestseller lists. When foreign tourists wear Chinese-made products on their bodies and incorporate them into daily life, the essence is bringing Chinese people's quality of life and aesthetic tastes into their own life systems, already far transcending the narrow scope of tourist shopping.

This leap is rooted in the long-term upgrading and accumulation of Chinese manufacturing and brands. In the past, China relied on OEM production to embed itself in the global industrial chain, and "Made in China" was synonymous with "high quality at a low price" (物美价廉, wu mei jia lian - "thing, beautiful, price, cheap"), long absent from the high-value-added segments defined by brands, design, and standards—goods went abroad yet remained hidden behind overseas brands. Through sustained R&D investment and brand building, the efficiency advantages of China's complete industrial chain are being transformed into multidimensional product-strength advantages; Chinese brands have shed the path of imitation, forming independent design languages and aesthetic systems, enabling overseas consumers to recognize both the hard power of quality and the soft power of culture.

The generational shift and cognitive iteration of inbound tourists have provided a customer-base foundation for the transformation of consumption logic. Global social platforms have established three-dimensional channels for the younger generation to understand China, and many inbound consumers have already done detailed "planting-grass strategy guides" (recommendation research) before coming to China, with consumption shifting from random encounters to targeted purchasing. They place greater value on a product's practicality, design sensibility, and social attributes, elevating shopping from a sideline accessory of sightseeing to a core purpose of travel itself.

From "Chinese people going abroad to buy" to "foreigners coming in to buy," this consumption shift is in essence an upgrade in the world's perception of China. It is not a fleeting traffic dividend, but the inevitable result of the combined effect of industry, brands, and culture. It must also be recognized that product strength is only the first half; the coordinated upgrading of service systems, consumption ecosystems, and trust mechanisms is the core competitiveness of the second half. How "Shopping in China" can settle from a passing craze into a long-term national calling card still requires opening up the entire chain from product to experience and service.

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Fragrance Drifting for a Thousand Years: Naan Is Both Delicious and Fun

By: 本报记者 尚嵘峥

In the evening, walking on the streets of Urumqi, Xinjiang, a pleasant smell that fills the nose (香气扑鼻, xiang qi pu bi - "fragrance fills the nose") wafts by from time to time. There is no need to follow the scent to find its source, because with just a few steps, one can pass by the origin of this fragrance — the naan-baking shop.

The dough flatbread is spread out, stamped with patterns, held up with one hand and quickly slapped onto the inner wall of the naan pit; in no time at all, the fragrance of naan spreads in all directions, and when eaten, it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, so delicious that one simply cannot stop eating. Buying a freshly baked naan that is still piping hot on the way home from work is a habit of many local people; leaving Xinjiang with a full bag of naan purchased has become an increasingly popular consumer trend among tourists.

Xinjiang's naan can be large or small: Kuqa's large naan is as big as a cart wheel, with a diameter of about 60 centimeters;; the "wowo" naan is as small as a bagel, a few bites per one, leaving one wanting more.

In the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Museum, there are also two naan from the Tang Dynasty, one large and one small, which were anciently called "hu bing" (barbarian flatbread), — they are witnesses to the eating habits that have continued for a thousand years on this land.

The large naan cultural relic, named "hu bing," was unearthed in 1972 from Tomb No. 149 at Astana, Turpan City, with a diameter of 19.5 centimeters, round in shape, earthy yellow in color, thin at the center and thick at the edges, with patterns stamped in the middle; when unearthed, it had already dehydrated and dried out, and had cracked into 12 pieces, and its shape and method of preparation are completely identical to the naan commonly eaten today. The small naan cultural relic, named "sesame hu bing," was unearthed in 1973 from Tomb No. 191 at Astana, Turpan, with a diameter of 3.8 centimeters, its surface sprinkled with sesame seeds, and it has been preserved relatively intactly.

Zhang Shiqi, associate research librarian at the Xinjiang Museum, introduced that hu bing is a product adapted to the local arid, low-rainfall climatic conditions; according to historical records, as early as the Han and Wei dynasties, hu bing had already, along with merchants traveling eastward from the Western Regions, been introduced into Chang'an and the Central Plains region.

"The fact that hu bing have been discovered in the ancient tombs at Astana, Turpan, shows that people living in that area during the Tang Dynasty already commonly consumed them. In the course of historical development, hu bing were inherited and gradually carried forward, ultimately forming a Xinjiang food culture represented by naan and characterized by distinct regional features." Zhang Shiqi said that Turpan's dry, low-rainfall climate has allowed these two hu bing cultural relics to be preserved to this day, providing precious physical evidence for people to understand the daily lives of Xinjiang residents at that time.

Today's naan is, long since, not merely a flatbread and nothing more; naan's diverse ways of eating are frequently being "newly launched," and cross-border fusions are winning countless "foodies" over with their charm.

Naan plus coffee — what does that taste like? At a coffee shop in Urumqi, a barista is making naan coffee. The dough is kneaded into the shape of a coffee cup, the rim of the cup is coated with sesame seeds, sent into the oven, baked until set, and then slowly filled with freshly brewed coffee — and a cup of naan coffee is done. Take a sip of coffee and a bite of naan; the bitterness of the coffee and the wheat fragrance of the naan intertwine on the tip of the tongue — the opening notes are rich, the middle notes are mellow, and the finish is slightly sweet, with a layered mouthfeel.

Making naan into an edible cup — anything can be held in it. Some shop owners, seeing that naan coffee has become the new "top trend," have launched naan yogurt as well, pouring yogurt into the edible naan cup, sprinkling raisins on top, and drinking it offers yet another distinctive flavor.

It's not just for eating — one can also, taking "naan" as inspiration, make it into plush toys, worn on the back, hung on bags, or stuck on refrigerators.

"Many tourists say that after bringing naan back to the south, the naan quickly goes bad in the humid environment, so we have designed naan into all kinds of plush products, precisely so that tourists can bring home a 'naan' that won't spoil." Wen Nana, head of the "Naan Is Here" cultural and creative design team, introduced that the team has personified naan into "Naan Xiaobao," launching products such as crossbody bags, refrigerator magnets, plush pendants, throw pillows, and storage pouches, whose adorable image has charmed countless young consumers.

The team has stepped out of Xinjiang, opening pop-up stores in first-tier cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, and has also turned the tools used to make naan — dough sheets, rolling pins, naan stamps, naan pits — into plush products, allowing consumers to immersively experience the naan-making process through a "play house" style of play.

A map marks the local products of various places across Xinjiang; atop the map are placed afternoon tea items made from specialty local products, such as camel-milk cheese mousse naan and spicy beef with sesame naan, as well as personified plush toys designed with these local products as inspiration. This is a "Naan Is Here" afternoon tea launched by the "Naan Is Here" team in cooperation with a hotel in Urumqi — it not only innovates new ways of eating naan, but also brings plush toys and afternoon tea together into new ways of playing, with the focus on the experiential feeling.

From creative ways of eating to cultural and creative products, the "ways to play" with naan are far from limited to this. Recently, a naan-shaped public transit card went on sale in Urumqi, made of polymer clay, with a diameter of about 5 centimeters, and hanging on a phone, it looks small and cute.

Fragrant for a thousand years, naan is still very traditional — so traditional that it has become a regular presence on the dining tables of Xinjiang people, and naan-making techniques have been inscribed on the national-level intangible cultural heritage list. Naan is also very innovative — so innovative that it can perfectly integrate with a variety of dining styles, and its creative toys charm countless tourists.

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Page editors: Wang Donghui

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Understanding the Dialectic of Chinese Manufacturing Growing Stronger and More Agile

By: 邱超奕

Chinese manufacturing is continuously winning over global audiences. According to data from the Ministry of Commerce, from January to July this year, foreign visitors spent 263.6 billion yuan in China, a year-on-year increase of 27.8%, and the number of foreign tourists who handled tax refunds upon departure increased by more than threefold year-on-year.

Why has the scale of China's manufacturing value-added been able to lead the world for 16 consecutive years? Let us, through a series of popular products, understand the dialectic of Chinese manufacturing growing stronger and becoming more agile.

Yiwu, the "world's supermarket," is neither along the border nor by the sea, but local people have turned small commodities into a big business. Some time ago, a "palm-sized hat" went viral overseas; in the morning it was still sweeping across netizens' phone screens, and by the afternoon it had achieved mass production in Yiwu, quickly landing on European and American markets. From the "crying horse" toy unexpectedly going viral at the start of the year, with production lines expanded within 48 hours, to mid-year, when the World Cup whistle had not yet blown, stocking up in advance on hot-selling peripheral products, Yiwu has shed the old path of passive OEM work, switching to "zero-lag" insight into demand and "zero-threshold" connection to production, actively leading consumer trends. From "waiting for the wind to come" to "standing at the wind's eye," flexible market thinking can rapidly capture business opportunities.

In May this year, Huawei released the "Tao's Law," using "time scaling" to replace "geometric scaling," successfully designing and mass-producing hundreds of chip models.

Likewise, BYD circumvented the old path of cylindrical and prismatic batteries, developing the blade battery, using structural innovation to resolve the safety pain point of power batteries; Zhang Xue motorcycle found a new way to do things (另辟蹊径, ling pi xi jing - "another, path, open, way"), conquering the three-cylinder water-cooled engine, and achieving sudden and remarkable success (一鸣惊人, yi ming jing ren - "one, chirp, startle, person") in international competitions... Here there is a switch in technological routes, and even more, the wisdom of industrial advancement — daring to break established conventions, daring to switch tracks and overtake, and even a seemingly impassable threshold can become a breakthrough point for independent innovation.

In recent years, Chinese manufacturing's new products have been landing densely, and new technologies have been iterating at an accelerated pace. An important reason lies in early layout, having accumulated ample confidence to respond to changing circumstances.

Take AI (artificial intelligence) as an example. The end of AI is electricity; developing large models requires not only cutting-edge intelligent chips and advanced algorithms, but also depends on abundant and reliable electricity infrastructure. China, through long-term investment, has built the world's largest ultra-long-distance power transmission network and renewable energy system, carving out a unique energy advantage on the AI track.

From promoting the 5G networks and modern logistics needed by advanced manufacturing, to cultivating and expanding a high-quality engineer and highly skilled talent force, China has made sustained, long-term effort in many foundational fields, building a full-category, multi-tiered industrial structure, and forging industrial resilience that is strong against pressure and adjustable.

Chinese manufacturing growing bigger and stronger is not achieved by harming others to serve one's own interests (以邻为壑, yi lin wei he - "take, neighbor, as, ravine") or zero-sum games, but rather by open cooperation and achieving mutual benefits and win-win outcomes (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual, benefit, together, win")。

Recently, the reality-themed film "Welcome to the Dragon Restaurant" has been showing to wide acclaim, and a line in it, "Don't forget to eat well," moved many foreign viewers. These plain words convey a value concept of pursuing peaceful development and mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, which is connected to the inner logic of Chinese manufacturing.

In Africa, the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone has built industries such as new energy and white goods, driving employment for over 10,000 people; in Southeast Asia, Chinese textiles have deeply integrated with the industrial chains of countries like Malaysia, forming a cooperative bond of "China supplies raw materials, ASEAN makes garments, the world expands markets"; in Latin America, multiple Chinese automakers have built factories in Brazil, using capital and local cultivation of talent to support the local industrialization process... As Chinese manufacturing goes global, what accompanies it is an increasingly long "list of opportunities."

From this one can see Chinese manufacturing's flexible adaptability, strong execution, and inclusive affinity. As the world's century-old transformations accelerate, and a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation accelerates breakthroughs, responding to change with "agility," the vibrant Chinese manufacturing will surely create even more new achievements.

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China's Express Delivery Sector Shifts Gears for Transformation and Upgrading (Industry Perspective: Strengthening, Optimizing, and Expanding the Real Economy)

By: 本报记者 韩 鑫

In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, how has China's express delivery sector performed? By the end of August, major listed express delivery companies had successively released their "semi-annual reports," and in these report cards one can "see the whole leopard from a single spot" —

First, look at business volume. In the first half of the year, SF Express, a directly-operated express company, saw its completed parcel volume grow 0.2% year on year, while the franchise-based express companies YTO Express and Shentong saw parcel volume growth of 9.5% and 15.8% respectively;

Next, look at profits. SF Express's net profit attributable to the parent company, excluding non-recurring items, grew 9.3% year on year, while YTO, Yunda, and Shentong all saw net profits attributable to the parent company in the first half grow by more than 70%;

Profit growth rates generally "outpacing" parcel volume growth rates sends a clear signal that the express delivery industry is shifting gears and upgrading. This trend has been corroborated by macro data: in the first half of this year, China's express delivery business volume exceeded 100 billion parcels, up 5% year on year, with business revenue exceeding 770 billion yuan, up 7.3% year on year — for the first time, the half-year business revenue growth rate surpassed the business volume growth rate, and the industry's long-standing pattern of "exchanging price for volume" has seen a reversal.

How has the transformation and upgrading been achieved, and where does the new increment come from? Our reporters interviewed a number of express delivery companies.

Digital and intelligent acceleration —

Artificial intelligence has become an important engine for the industry's cost reduction and efficiency enhancement

Why have profits risen so quickly? Let us find the answer from the data.

The financial reports show that, in the first half of the year, ZTO's per-parcel sorting and transportation costs combined fell by 4 fen, YTO's per-parcel transportation cost was 0.36 yuan, and its per-parcel central hub operating cost was 0.26 yuan, with both indicators falling by 1 fen year on year; Yunda's per-parcel expenses fell 7.46% year on year.

The per-parcel cost reduction may seem modest, but multiplied by a business volume in the hundreds of millions, it becomes a considerable sum. Taking Yunda as an example, in the first half of the year, four expense items — sorting, transportation, customer service, and risk prevention and control — fell by more than 100 million yuan year on year.

"The collective surge in profits across the express delivery industry in the first half of the year stems more from the phased realization of earlier digital investments." Yu Rao, senior engineer at the State Post Bureau's Development Research Center, noted that, with artificial intelligence technology accelerating its application across the entire process, especially the large-scale deployment of drones and unmanned vehicles, it is becoming an important engine for the industry's cost reduction and efficiency enhancement.

Let us look at a few scenarios to gain a tangible sense of this —

In Zizhong County, Sichuan Province, in June this year, JD Logistics launched the country's largest-scale drone village-delivery network, with services capable of covering 131 incorporated villages locally, and the fastest drone flight reaching mountain villages in just 7 minutes.

At the Jianggao Mail Processing Center of the Guangzhou Postal District Center, on the sorting line, eight humanoid robots work "shoulder to shoulder" with sorters, rapidly completing feeding operations. Grasping, flipping, and placing are done in one continuous motion (一气呵成, yi qi he cheng - "one breath, complete"), with the autonomous feeding efficiency reaching 800 pieces per hour.

In Longhua District, Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, at SF Express's Shenglu transfer center, 11 unmanned vehicles shuttle in night-time loops between the center and five surrounding terminal outlets, helping next-day parcels complete terminal delivery earlier. From single-route pilot trials to full-time, normalized operation, today, nearly 200 unmanned vehicles travel on more than 300 routes, with peak daily parcel handling reaching 90,000 pieces.

Drones "flying high," robots "taking up posts,"" and unmanned vehicles "hitting the streets"… In recent years, major express delivery companies have accelerated their digital and intelligent transformation, carried out differentiated layouts, and artificial intelligence technology has continued to release cost-reduction effects.

Developing "intelligent routing." YTO has built an intelligent agent that can calculate the optimal plan for each route based on historical order volumes and actual costs. Relying on this intelligent agent, in the first half of this year, YTO saved nearly 90 million yuan in operating costs.

Upgrading "intelligent customer service." Currently, about 90% of ZTO's merchant after-sales work orders and 70% of recipient customer inquiries are independently closed out by intelligent customer service. Yang Wen, chief technology officer of ZTO Express, introduced that, "currently, over 60% of common problems are independently resolved by intelligent customer service, significantly reducing labor costs."

Increasing "intelligent equipment.""As of the end of June this year, the entire network has more than 1,500 unmanned vehicles, an increase of more than 1,000 vehicles compared with last year." Zhou Baigen, executive vice president of Yunda, introduced that, the normalized, large-scale operation of unmanned delivery is helping outlet transportation costs fall by 30%.

"From the 'semi-annual reports,' it is not difficult to see that the industry is accelerating its transformation from traditional 'sweat-driven express delivery' to modern 'intelligent express delivery.'" Yu Rao believes that, entering the "second half," whether artificial intelligence technology can upgrade from a cost-reduction tool into an increment engine will become key to enterprises' market competition and the industry's high-quality development.

After years of development, technologies such as intelligent customer service, intelligent sorting, intelligent security inspection, intelligent video surveillance, and intelligent route planning have accelerated their promotion and application in the postal and express delivery industry, and nationwide, more than 16,000 unmanned delivery vehicles and over 400 drones have been put into use for terminal delivery services. "'During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we will further accelerate the promotion and application of frontier achievements in the industry, fostering and expanding new growth drivers for industry development.'" Xu Huarong, deputy director of the State Post Bureau's Policy and Regulation Department, stated.

"Anti-involution" taking effect —

Improved per-parcel revenue is helping enhance corporate profitability

When observing profitability recovery capacity, per-parcel revenue is the core indicator. Flipping through the semi-annual report cards of various companies, since the beginning of this year, per-parcel revenue has shown varying degrees of improvement across the board.

Looking at the data, in the first half of the year, YTO Express's per-parcel express delivery revenue was 2.17 yuan, with per-parcel gross profit of 0.27 yuan, up 57% year on year; Yunda's per-parcel express delivery business revenue was 2.13 yuan, up 10.9% year on year; SF Express's logistics segment per-parcel revenue rose 3.3% year on year. ZTO Express's second-quarter per-parcel revenue rose 15.5% year on year.

"Thoroughly rectifying 'involution-style' competition is an important reason for the rebound of this indicator." Yu Rao said that, in July 2025, the State Post Bureau held a symposium with express delivery companies, proposing to govern "involution-style" competition in accordance with laws and regulations. Over the past year or more, the industry's "price war" has gradually cooled, the average express delivery price has continued to recover, and corporate profitability has improved significantly.

Dissecting one case study will make the feeling more intuitive —

Starting from August 4 last year, major express delivery companies reached a price consensus, and nationwide, in Guangdong Province, the express delivery industry's "grain-producing area," the floor price for express delivery was raised across the board, with each parcel increased by 0.4 yuan, and the average price rising to above 1.4 yuan, officially kicking off "anti-involution."

Over the past year, enterprises' mindset of "grabbing volume at low prices" has gradually changed, and the industry has welcomed a brand-new situation of "volume declining while revenue increasing." In the first half of this year, Guangdong Province's cumulative express delivery business volume reached 22.06 billion parcels, down 5.8% year on year; by contrast, cumulative express delivery business revenue reached 159 billion yuan, up 6.5% year on year.

An even more notable change has occurred at the grassroots outlet level.

"Our survival situation has clearly improved now." He Weiyao, person in charge of ZTO Express's Zhongshan region, recalled that, during the fiercest period of the "price war," shipping nationwide at 8 or 9 mao per parcel was the norm, and many outlets found it difficult even to maintain a profit of a few fen per parcel; after the price adjustment, each parcel now yields at least two or three mao in profit, leaving room to increase investment in customer service.

"Previously, more than half of the province's outlets were in poor operating condition; now, the number of loss-making outlets has decreased significantly." Wang Xiaohui, person in charge of network management for YTO Express's Guangdong provincial region, told reporters that, with the front-end market price higher, outlet operating conditions have improved, and those benefiting most are the frontline express delivery couriers, whose wages, benefits, and various safeguards have become more stable.

Under government guidance, "anti-involution" has become a common choice of market players based on market realities. Wang Yanxiang, person in charge of J&T Express's Shenzhen region, proposed that, under "reducing volume while improving quality," it is inevitable to experience the "growing pains" of declining business volume in the short term, but in the long run, couriers' incomes have risen, their service awareness has strengthened, and customer stickiness will also become higher.

"Through comprehensive policy measures and combined efforts, the province's 'anti-involution' work has shown initial results and notable benefits." A relevant person in charge of the Guangdong Provincial Postal Administration stated that, at present, express delivery prices have rationally returned to near enterprises' cost lines, operational losses at the grassroots enterprise level have been alleviated, and the stability of express delivery outlets has improved to a certain extent. "More importantly, after market players' confidence has strengthened, their willingness to invest in production safety, service quality, and sustainable development capacity building has noticeably increased."

From one region to the overall picture, as the express delivery industry's "anti-involution" advances in depth, the average express delivery price in the first half of the year rose 1.86% year on year compared with last year.

"For the delivery network to grow from large to strong, industry development must leap out of the old path of 'competing on volume and low-price involution' and turn toward the new path of 'equal emphasis on quality and efficiency, value-based operation.' To achieve this shift, 'anti-involution' is an important lever." Hu Kai, director of the State Post Bureau's Policy and Regulation Department, stated that, during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, the State Post Bureau will continue to rectify "involution-style" competition issues, strengthen source governance, promote delivery enterprises to raise their level of compliance, and protect the lawful rights and interests of industry practitioners.

New scenarios gaining momentum —

Deeply mining customer needs, continuously opening up new increment space

The old model no longer works, and a new engine must be ignited. Scanning through the various companies' first-half financial reports, finding new incremental markets is becoming a new goal the entire industry is diligently pursuing.

Many people have observed that, this year's "618" e-commerce shopping festival, the "picture" seems to have changed —

Looking at the industry as a whole, in June alone, express delivery business volume grew 3.8% year on year, lower than the average growth rate of the first half.

Looking at company performance, SF Express and Yunda saw slight year-on-year declines in business volume, while YTO and Shentong maintained year-on-year growth, but their growth rates fell short of expectations.

"Domestic demand is relatively insufficient, promotions have become routine, and consumers have gradually formed new shopping habits." In the view of industry insiders, for express delivery enterprises, this means that the development model that once relied on the dividend of e-commerce traffic has reached a new stage. Finding new growth points beyond e-commerce is a proposition more worthy of the entire industry's attention.

Where, exactly, are the new growth points?

— In new scenarios.

Customizing efficient fulfillment and collection strategies for home appliance enterprises, providing warehousing, distribution, and delivery services for supermarket clients' online channels… In the first half of this year, JD Logistics' total revenue from integrated supply chains reached 59.4 billion yuan, up 18.5% year on year, becoming a powerful engine driving growth in operating performance.

Launching ski equipment delivery services, achieving "skiing far away, ski equipment arrives first"; innovating the "hands-free travel" luggage storage and delivery model, allowing out-of-town tourists to "travel light"… By deeply mining customer needs and expanding service scenarios, since the beginning of this year, SF Express has accelerated its layout in special scenarios such as cultural tourism, exhibitions, and professional markets, with differentiated, refined delivery services drawing a "second growth curve."

— In new markets.

Facing the international market, YTO has accelerated the densification of its global network, having cumulatively opened 170 cargo routes, with route coverage basically spanning major regions of Asia and parts of Eastern Europe; JD Logistics has accelerated the expansion of overseas warehouses, operating more than 200 overseas warehouses and direct-mail warehouses in 26 countries and regions, driving continuous high-speed growth in overseas business.

Deepening the sinking market, J&T Express is focusing efforts on remote areas, upgrading the Yinchuan transfer center into a Northwest China smart logistics hub, and by strengthening its radiating capacity toward western provinces, driving parcel volume growth; Yunda is focusing on the rural market, establishing village-level service stations in some core agricultural production areas, opening dedicated collection routes, and expanding revenue space.

Economic theory holds that, when the first growth curve approaches its peak, cultivating new growth engines through transformation and innovation will enable one to cross the life cycle and achieve sustained growth.

""The 15th Five-Year Plan for Postal Industry Development" sets the average annual growth of core indicators such as express delivery business revenue and express delivery business volume uniformly at around 6%, marking that, after years of rapid advancement, the industry is bidding farewell to the stage of high-speed expansion and entering a new development stage of 'equal emphasis on quality and efficiency.'" Yu Rao saidthat, entering the new stage of value-based competition, the level of technological innovation, the quality of service, and the capacity for market expansion will become the core competitiveness of enterprise development.

Challenges are even more opportunities. Passing the "inflection point of volume and price," the market will ultimately prove that: when growth rates shift gears, only those who bravely break new ground and move toward the new can possess the power to traverse cycles.

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Ruili Riverside: A Border City's Transformation (Economic Geography Notes)

By: 李伟华

The Ruili River surges down from the deep gorges of the Gaoligong Mountains, and when it flows through the Ruili plain it suddenly slows. On this beautiful plain, the national border line runs straight through the villages, and Chinese and Myanmar border residents on both sides share water from the same well and frequent the same street.

Ruili, the border city of Yunnan, is a rare economic-geographic sample: the entire city borders Myanmar on three sides, with a border line stretching 169.8 kilometers, and across a single river lies Muse, a major town of northern Myanmar. Geographic endowment has shaped Ruili's history, and it is also continuously rewriting its present day.

Ruili was known in ancient times as Mengmao, and was an important post station on the Southern Silk Road leading to Myanmar, India, and even the hinterlands of Asia and Europe. In the smoke of modern warfare, the Burma Road once became the only transport route for international aid supplies to China, and when more than 3,200 overseas Chinese mechanics and drivers returned to the motherland, they braved intense and heavy gunfire (枪林弹雨, qiang lin dan yu -"gun, forest, bullet, rain") to rush 500,000 tons of military supplies through this "lifeline of the War of Resistance." A corridor with Ruili as its node once bore the "breathing" of the nation at the critical juncture of national survival.

Entering the new era, standing at the very forefront of opening up along the border, and by transforming corridor advantages into developmental advantages, Ruili continues to display new dynamism.

The embarrassment that port economies most easily fall into is goods passing through in transit, taxes not retained, processing done elsewhere, and the locality earns only the hard-earned money of handling and hauling. Ruili's solution is to turn "passing through" into "landing and taking root."

Walk through the Huanshan area of the Ruili Border Industrial Park, and enterprises relocated from the Yangtze River Delta and Pearl River Delta regions stand side by side, one after another. Fully leveraging its location advantages, policy advantages, and labor advantages, in recent years Ruili has accelerated the development of four leading industries—equipment manufacturing, communications and electronics, textiles and garments, and landed processing of imported goods—along with three supporting industries—bonded business, cross-border business, and modern logistics. A cross-border industrial chain of "overseas primary processing—park precision processing—global distribution" has rapidly taken shape—in 2025, the number of landed processing enterprises at the Ruili port increased to 37, cross-border trade volume grew 20.5% year on year, and the city's gross regional product reached 16.225 billion yuan, up 7.6% year on year.

What underpins this industrial relocation is the favorable east wind of opening-up policies. Ruili sits atop multiple national-level opening platforms, including the National Key Development and Opening-up Pilot Zone, the Dehong Area of the Pilot Free Trade Zone, and the Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Pilot Zone; moreover, the Jiegao Border Trade Zone implements a special supervision model, where goods may be freely stored, processed, displayed, and sold within the zone, and with stacked benefits such as the "five-year exemption, five-year half reduction" corporate income tax policy for border trade import processing enterprises and zero tariffs on imports of products of Myanmar origin, stable first-hand supply sources and pricing power have become the industrial foundation for Ruili's prosperity of the border, stability of the border, and enrichment of the border people.

In recent years, unique port advantages and diverse cultural heritage are making this small border town of Ruili a newly emerging "check-in destination" for the integration of culture and tourism. Through deep excavation of local specialties such as Dai pottery and Dai brocade weaving, through the activation of intangible cultural heritage and the empowerment of festivals, the cultural tourism industry is becoming a new growth point driving the regional economy. The Manau Zong dance steps have caught fire and "gone viral," and domestic and international tourists come in a continuous stream (络绎不绝, luo yi bu jue -"continuous, not, cease").

From a post station on the Southern Silk Road to a gateway hub of the China-Myanmar Economic Corridor, the vivid practice of this border city Ruili in turning geographic "periphery" into an opening-up"pivot" teaches us this: use location advantages to the fullest, and you can shed the old and be reborn, ushering in a butterfly-like transformation.

(The author is an associate professor at the School of Ethnology and Sociology of Yunnan University; this article was compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Zhang Chi.)

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Page editors: Han Xin

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Seven Hundred Baked Flatbreads (Encounter)

By: 李春雷

Since last year, I have mostly lived in a residential community in the Rongdong area of Xiong'an New Area. In the mornings, I often go to a small shop nearby for a meal.

My breakfast is very simple: a baked sesame flatbread, a bowl of porridge or wonton soup, plus a small dish of free pickled vegetables. The flatbread is either stuffed with braised pork, or with vegetables, or with an egg. All told, this breakfast costs six or seven yuan in total — comfortable and affordable.

That flatbread is golden, solid, crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. With the filling, the wheat aroma, meat aroma, oil aroma, fresh aroma, and toasted aroma — all five aromas are present, quite appetizing and palate-pleasing.

This small shop sits on the west side of the road, 50 meters north of the intersection of Shuangwen North Street and Xingxian Road. Though it is in an out-of-the-way spot with a modest storefront, at mealtimes it is always bustling with people coming and going, and a seat is hard to find. Most of the diners are local residents and migrant workers, wearing helmets, dressed in work clothes, and riding electric bikes. They say that the flatbread at this shop is truly something special.

So I began to pay attention to the person who makes the flatbread.

Looking from a distance, in front of the flatbread oven stood a tall, sturdy middle-aged woman, dressed in a work uniform and wearing special gloves, concentrating all one's attention (聚精会神, ju jing hui shen - "gather, spirit, concentrate, spirit") on her work, her face covered in sweat, yet also covered in smiles.

Once, during her break, I went up to greet her, and we agreed to chat after her shift ended.

Unexpectedly, that one chat brought out a whole string of stories.

Her name is Li Shumei, born in 1970, from the mountain area of Longhua County, Chengde City. She finished only elementary school; her parents, favoring sons over daughters (重男轻女, zhong nan qing nv - "heavy, male, light, female"), urged her to drop out. First she did farm work at home, then she went to work at a garment factory in the county seat. At 18, she had grown into a beautiful young woman, 1.7 meters tall, having bright eyes and white teeth (明眸皓齿, ming mou hao chi - "bright, eyes, white, teeth"), graceful and elegant in stature (亭亭玉立, ting ting yu li - "towering, towering, jade, stand"), the "village beauty" and "factory beauty" whom everyone admired. Back then, she was arrogant and full of pride (心高气盛, xin gao qi sheng - "heart, high, breath, rise"), longing for the glamorous life of the city. At the end of 1988, she married into Baigou Town, near what is now Xiong'an New Area. At that time, Baigou was gradually becoming one of the largest luggage-and-bag distribution centers in the country. Her husband opened a small luggage workshop; at its peak, it employed more than 60 workers. Making luggage requires, crucially, an eye-catching, sturdy outer shell, with a fine, delicate interior of multiple compartments. She was naturally dexterous and skillful (心灵手巧, xin ling shou qiao - "heart, spirit, hand, skillful"), and quickly became an expert or skilled person (行家里手, xing jia li shou - "industry, expert, inside, hand") in the trade.

Unexpectedly, as the business prospered, her husband picked up many bad habits, living a life of debauchery (花天酒地, hua tian jiu di - "flower, sky, wine, earth"), and later became addicted to alcohol, until he died suddenly of illness, leaving behind a huge debt. After the business collapsed, she also ran into the luggage-market crackdown. At 30, she had two young sons and had to start over from scratch. First she scraped out a living locally, then went to work in Beijing, Langfang, and other places, and later opened a flatbread stall next to the Gaobeidian railway station. Her two sons, having received little proper discipline growing up, drifted through society at a young age. During those long years, her heart was like a dried-up well, her body as if weighted down with lead, as if a flock of cawing, restless crows circled day and night above her head. It was not until Xiong'an New Area was established that she, having drifted through half a lifetime, settled here, marrying Old Tian, a cleaner.

At that time, the residential buildings in the Rongdong area were being renovated. Though it was a modern city, much of the basic work could only be done by manual labor. She and Old Tian had little education, but they had plenty of strength. A considerable portion of the interior renovation work consisted of carrying materials upstairs — cement, sand, floor tiles, and so on, all genuinely heavy goods. Though she was past 50, 20 years of hardship had long since tempered her into a sturdy, strong-bodied woman with remarkable physical strength. Hoisting a 100-jin bag of cement onto her shoulder, she came and went with ease, almost matching a strapping man, though drenched in sweat and her face covered in gray dust. Working like this for a day, she could earn 200 yuan.

When the Rongdong area was initially completed, construction of the Rongxi area began. This time, she signed up directly as a pipe fitter. The various underground pipe networks — thick and thin, deep and shallow. She crawled in and out, climbed high and low, agile in her movements. Working like this for a day, she could earn 300 yuan.

After the construction and renovation work ended, she went on to work as a dishwasher and cleaner at the Xiong'an International Hotel, as a meal-delivery worker at a postpartum care center, and as a massage therapist at a rehabilitation hospital. During this period, she also participated in skills training several times, obtaining certificates as a Western pastry chef and as a massage therapist. The year before last, she was hired by this small shop as a flatbread maker.

Making flatbread, though it looks simple, actually carries considerable technical content. She told me that making flatbread has three key points: kneading the dough, shaping the flatbread, and baking it.

The first hurdle is kneading the dough. The trick to kneading lies in the proportions of flour, water, and salt, as well as the resting time for the dough and the control of water temperature. In addition, an appropriate amount of cooking oil or lard needs to be added. Only thus can moisture be locked in, ensuring that the finished product is crisp on the outside and soft on the inside.

Why use unleavened dough for making flatbread? In order to pursue a dense, solid texture and a pure wheat aroma. Especially when making meat-filled flatbread, it can maintain its complete shape. Leavened dough, by contrast, is soft and spongy, lacking toughness and layers; when filled, it absorbs juices, becomes soft and collapses, greatly diminishing the taste.

The second hurdle is shaping. The key to shaping lies in creating layers, and the key to creating layers lies in oil-paste separation and multiple folding. After the dough is rolled into a thin sheet, oil paste is spread evenly over it, then it is tightly rolled into a long strip, and then either coiled up or folded over once, with the edges pinched tight to prevent air from leaking. After the long strip is rolled, it rests for another 10 minutes to avoid the skin breaking. This is the key to forming multiple hollow layers and a crisp texture.

The final hurdle is baking. The oven is fully preheated, exceeding 300 degrees Celsius. Once the flatbread goes into the oven, it must be baked quickly, causing the internal moisture to expand and puff up, making the crust crisp. Too high a heat won't do — it causes scorching; too low a heat is also unacceptable — the bread may be undercooked, with the inside turning sticky.

This whole sequence of movements is like writing calligraphy, painting, or composing an essay — easy to know, hard to do. Fortunately, after the tempering of half a lifetime, she has long since come to understand much of this. Take making this flatbread, for instance — it works on the same principle as making luggage back then: a handsome shell on the surface, with many layers within. Do every step well, and that is success.

Indeed, the flatbread is honest, and the small shop is honest, too.

In the small shop, everything is the home-style fare ordinary people like — various porridges, old-style tofu pudding, soy milk, wonton soup, and so on. There are also more than 20 kinds of fillings — saucy donkey meat, donkey large-intestine, pork head meat, pork large-intestine, fried shrimp, braised eggs, and so on, plus shredded potatoes, shredded kelp, mung bean sprouts, tofu skin, shredded scallions, cilantro, and more.

The shop owner, thoroughly familiar with local tastes, decisively established the flatbread's starring role and invited two professional masters at high salaries. Our protagonist works the early shift. The two masters, on an ordinary day, generally make more than 1,400 flatbreads. Because of their professional standard, their reputation has gradually grown. Though the shop sits on a small street in a small lane, somewhat out of the way, its popularity is vigorous — on cloudy days, rainy days, snowy days, almost every day it is extremely crowded with customers (门庭若市, men ting ruo shi - "gate, courtyard, like, market").

More than 1,400 fragrant, fresh flatbreads, stuffed with meat, stuffed with vegetables, stuffed with eggs, happily walk into the stomachs of Xiong'an, blending into the vigor of Xiong'an.

Every day at 3:30 in the morning, Li Shumei gets up. After washing up, she drives her own car and arrives at work on time. During her shift, she kneads dough twice, using 50 jin of flour each time. After the dough has fully rested, comes the meticulous shaping on the workbench. Her hands dance, flying up and down. In the blink of an eye, batches of white flatbread blanks appear, neat and orderly, like large chess pieces. Finally comes the careful baking. Those 700 exquisite flatbreads are her craftsmanship, and also her life; they are her profession, and also her career.

Bustling about without stopping for the better part of a day does leave her tired. After work, she needs to sleep well at home. In the evening, she drives her car again, takes her old husband along, and heads to the nearby Yuerong Park, where they stroll, dance, and sing.

I asked her about her two sons. She said her sons have grown up, matured, and become reassuring, and they are still developing their lives back in their hometown of Baigou, having recently gotten on the right track. The elder does branded luggage, and the younger does food delivery and catering.

I then asked her why, at nearly 60, she still strives so hard. She said, having been busy for the better part of her life, she cannot bear to be idle; while she still has strength in her body, she wants to earn a bit more money for her old age, and at the same time it exercises her body.

I asked about her income. She smiled faintly, saying it is much better than in the past, and the key thing is it is stable, and she is happy, too.

When it came to happiness, she simply burst out laughing.

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Reflections on Li Xuejian’s “Living Up to the Audience” (Jintai Musings)

By: 马 达

According to press reports, Li Xuejian, a film and television performing artist in his seventies, has been battling cancer for more than 20 years. The radiotherapy sequelae left him deaf in both ears, placing him in a world of silence. But illness has not stopped his acting career. Unable to hear, he memorizes his fellow actors' lines well in advance and watches his partners' lip movements closely during filming to complete his performances. Over decades, he has never chased traffic or coveted vanity, devoting himself wholeheartedly to shaping every role. Speaking of his professional pursuit, his words are plain: he must be worthy of the audience and worthy of his own conscience. This ordinary remark articulates the principle of conducting oneself and pursuing one's career: in handling affairs and conducting oneself, what matters most is to always cherish a heart that is "worthy of" others.

"Being worthy of" is the most unadorned original aspiration, and moreover a weighty sense of responsibility. It has nothing to do with differences in posts or distinctions between industries and fields; it is the basic standard and guideline for all people in undertaking work and establishing careers. Shouldering responsibilities on one's shoulders, keeping reverence in one's heart, and discharging one's duties with utmost dedication in every trivial matter — only then can one live up to the trust placed in one, and be considered "worthy of."

The moving perseverance in this world mostly consists of practicing this "being worthy of" through action. And "being worthy of" has long become the moral logic that drives human society to continually progress.

In the field of education, Zhang Guimei has taken root in the depths of the mountains for decades, enduring illness, content in poverty, and pouring all her energy into founding a girls' senior high school, lifting up the dreams of countless mountain-area girls to pursue their studies. Bending over the three-foot lectern, working silently in obscurity, exerting a silent, subtle influence that benefits others (润物无声, run wu sheng - "moisten, things, without, sound"), she pursues being worthy of the expectations of young students and worthy of the mission borne by the profession of people's teacher. Countless grassroots educators hold fast to the lectern day after day, interpreting the two characters "dedication" through ordinary devotion.

On the journey of serving the country, generation after generation of scientific pioneers have dedicated their lives to the nation, working silently in depth. Qian Xuesen broke through numerous obstructions and resolutely returned to the motherland, abandoning favorable conditions overseas to devote himself to national defense scientific research. Countless scientific researchers have worked in anonymity, concentrating on tackling key problems, always maintaining the mindset of being worthy of their conscience and worthy of the motherland that nurtured them, pouring forth their wisdom to propel the nation's science and technology forward, and with fervent loyalty, shouldering the heavy responsibilities entrusted by family and country, living up to the charge of the era.

On the medical and health front, doctors possess benevolent hearts, and lives are entrusted to them. Medical masters such as Wu Mengchao, Li Jieshou, and Zhong Nanshan have revered life and practiced saving the dying and helping the injured (救死扶伤, jiu si fu shang - "save, dead, assist, wounded") throughout their lives. Deeply cultivating their specialties, constantly striving for perfection (精益求精, jing yi qiu jing - "refine, increase, seek, excellence"), even into their eighties and nineties they remain on the clinical front line, protecting all living beings with their medical skills, not failing the lives entrusted to them by patients, and safeguarding the professional glory of white-coated warriors.

Looking back across the long river of history, ancient sages also took this as their standard of conduct. Su Shi endured half a lifetime of displacement and repeated demotions, yet always harbored the common people in his heart; wherever he held office, he brought benefit to that region, and even amid hardship and adversity he never abandoned his original heart of serving the people. Wang Yangming upheld the unity of knowledge and action (知行合一, zhi xing he yi - "know, act, combine, one"), held fast to his inner conscience, cultivating oneself and establishing virtue (修身立德, xiu shen li de - "cultivate, body, establish, virtue"), serving the world and bringing peace to the people (济世安民, ji shi an min - "help, world, pacify, people"), conducting himself and dealing with affairs with an open and upright original heart. The moral fiber of the ancient sages lies in striving to have no shame before one's own conscience in handling affairs, and not failing the common people in one's conduct.

A song titled "Fellow Villagers Across the Land" that has circulated in recent years strikes at the heart: "The small mountain village where I once lived — am I worthy of you?" "When I came, you gave all you had; when you looked for me, where was I?" This plain yet profound questioning deserves every person working in a post to frequently examine themselves. We occupy posts, bear responsibilities, and carry the trust of the masses and the entrustment of the era; we need to often ask ourselves whether we are worthy of our posts, worthy of the mission on our shoulders. Whether our posts are ordinary or important, we should always cherish reverence, be worthy of our original aspirations, worthy of the heavy trust of the organization, worthy of our own work, and worthy of the masses who have placed great trust in us.

Regrettably, not everyone understands how to frequently examine themselves with caution, or understands this plain truth of "being worthy of." In real life, some people do not cherish their current posts, neglect their duties and commit dereliction, doing things that damage their own post responsibilities. Some people, after gaining power and responsibility, gradually lose their direction, slowly develop an attitude of looking down from above, and become tainted with the work styles of formalism and bureaucratism. Still worse, some people allow selfish desires to swell, cross bottom lines, disappoint the organization's years of cultivation, and betray the trust of the masses. Flipping through the confession letters of many disciplinary and law-violating personnel, one can always see similar statements: I have let down the organization, let down the people, let down my family. Though the pages are full of repentance, it is already too late. Once the original aspiration is lost and the bottom line collapses, the losses caused during the performance of duties cannot be undone. A belated "I'm sorry" uttered after the fact, no matter how much regret it carries, is of no help at all.

This also sounds an alarm for everyone: "I'm sorry" must not degenerate into a word of repentance uttered only after a major mistake has been committed; "being worthy of" should be a warning ruler that accompanies us in our daily performance of duties. In handling affairs, what matters is being careful from start to finish; rather than regretting something when it is already too late (追悔莫及, zhui hui mo ji - "chase, regret, no, reach") afterward, it is better to frequently question one's inner heart in ordinary times, examine and encourage oneself, keep one's proper place, shoulder responsibility, and guard bottom lines — only by walking steadily can one go far.

The improvement and forward progress of society cannot be separated from countless ordinary people performing one's duties with utmost dedication (恪尽职守, ke jin zhi shou - "scrupulously, fulfill, duty, post") and devoting themselves wholeheartedly, nor from the unremitting pursuit of generation after generation of people with the consciousness of "being worthy of." When everyone takes root in their own posts, loves their jobs and devotes themselves to them, does not shirk when problems arise, does not go through the motions in handling affairs, and always restrains their own words and deeds with "being worthy of" as the yardstick, keeping their proper place, daring to shoulder responsibility, and being willing to contribute — the social atmosphere will naturally become clear, wholesome, and sound.

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The soil holds up ten thousand cups and goblets

By: 第广龙

Valleys flanking left and right

The rise and fall of the terrain and the winding of the roads

Let every gentle slope receive ample sunlight

And are as soft as the belly of a herbivore

On the flat ground, wherever there is a high spot

There is a low spot; if no house has been built there

Planting flowers is most suitable — the kind with small blossoms

The kind with very long flowering periods

In the patch I passed through, cosmos flowers had just been planted

I came too early; the blooming still needs another month

By then, the soil will hold up ten thousand cups and goblets

They will be pink, orange-red, bright red

That will be an autumn when time can be drunk again and again

Across from the self-service vending machine, an elephant woven from straw

Is strolling leisurely, unaware whether it will be affected by the change of seasons

It retracts its long trunk. It is almost lunchtime

Inside a yurt, someone is arranging dishes

— Mountains and waters can likewise be moved

I have already, in a spacious exhibition hall

Viewed large paintings executed in the burnt-ink technique

And again, in a cellar storing red wine

Heard, inside the quiet oak barrels, an entire vineyard

Manufacturing surge after surge of tides

In the fields of Lulong

I am in the harvest season

Taking one more step along the field ridge

On one side, in a field where sweet potatoes have just been harvested

Seedlings of baby bok choy have already been planted again

On the other side stand corn ears with hands on hips

Peel back the husk, and there is still another layer inside

At the very core are kernels clenched tight like teeth

Sorghum crowned with purple-gold

Seems to know that the wind comes from over Yan Mountain

Its straight-standing body straightens itself once more

Coming out of the sweet potato field, I pat the soil off my hands

I have connected with the earth's vitality, as if I have undergone a

Growth synchronized with the season

On The other side, the Jiahe floodplain

Is open, broad, and can still hold more flowing water

At The horizon, terraced clouds

Resemble a lift-irrigation system

Like a crop field in the sky

Also following the seasonal schedule (赶时令, gan shi ling - "chase, time, season") and preserving soil moisture (保墒, bao shang - "protect, moisture")

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Sour Jujube Paste (: A Taste of Home)

By: 张 镝

After autumn sets in, the sour jujubes in the southern hilly regions ripen one after another. One, then two, turn from green to yellow. When fully ripe, they fall from the branch tips, landing in the grass and on the muddy ground, and within a few days accumulate into a small layer, yellow and green, quite a sight to behold.

Seeing these fallen sour jujubes, whether adult or child, everyone picks up one or two, wipes them with the corner of their clothes, and puts them into their mouths. A burst of sour-and-sweet flavor instantly spreads across the tip of the tongue.

The most interesting part is when beating the jujubes down. The men bring out the longest bamboo pole in the house, climb up the sour jujube tree twenty or thirty meters tall, stand among the branches, and swing the pole at the branches laden with sour jujubes. The sour jujubes fall in profusion, thudding as they land. The women carry baskets, bags, wooden buckets, and bamboo hampers to pick them up. They pick and move, and the baskets, bags, and wooden buckets grow heavier and heavier, soon too heavy to carry, so they pour them into the bamboo hampers. The children play while they pick, specializing in hunting for those golden-yellow sour jujubes with smooth skins and no spots; when they find one, they raise it above their heads, and in a loud voice report it to their parents and show it off to their siblings.

The sour jujubes are carried home, washed in batches in large baskets, and poured into a big iron wok. The stove blazes with roaring fire, and steam rises from the stove top. A burst of sour-and-sweet aroma mingled with the fragrance of glutinous rice wafts through the kitchen. Lifting the wok lid to look, the whole wok is deep yellow and light yellow, each one split open with a grin, bursting out white glutinous flesh. After they cool, drain off the water, and pour them into a large wooden basin. Mother grabs handfuls of perilla leaves, using the friction of the perilla to mash the sour jujubes, squeezing out the jujube pits. The jujube pits, without a trace of flesh, slip out from between her fingers, clean and shiny. When not a single pit remains squeezed out, the basin is full of sour jujube mash, into which she pours chopped fresh red chili peppers, sprinkles white sugar, and kneads. She kneads while sprinkling sugar. How much perilla to add, how much sugar to sprinkle, mother knows by heart. She kneads out a basin of sour jujube mash, deep in color, dotted with specks of red — those are chili fragments, bright enough to dazzle the eyes.

The next morning at dawn, father uses stools to set up a door panel at the entrance, spreading a plastic sheet over it. Mother pours out the sour jujube mash, using a kitchen knife as a spatula, spreads the mash out, evenly smoothing it into a thin, thin layer. A basin of sour jujube mash transforms in one motion into a large sheet of sour jujube paste, gleaming with luster under the sun. Mother takes out prepared licorice root powder and sprinkles it over the sour jujube paste, wrapping the paste in a layer of golden powder, adding a touch of sweetness. That sweetness, extremely detailed and touching (丝丝入扣, si si ru kou - "silk, silk, enter, hook"), is something white sugar could never provide. The morning light shines on mother's profile, the morning breeze stirs the hair at her temples, everything real yet dreamlike. The sun absorbs the moisture from the surface of the sour jujube paste, and the side facing up solidifies. While mother isn't paying attention, we tear off a bit from the edge and stuff it into our mouths. Sour, sweet, spicy, fragrant — many flavors blended together, carrying the warmth of the sunlight, strand by strand embedded in the mouth and on the taste buds.

On the third day, mother lifts up the entire sheet of sour jujube paste, flips it over, and sprinkles another layer of licorice root powder over the surface. By evening, mother cuts the door-panel-sized sour jujube paste into strips, then snips them into pieces. We help gather the sour jujube pieces into a jar, stacking them layer by layer in neat order. In the days ahead, whenever we want to eat some, we take out one piece, then another, biting off small mouthfuls, savoring them carefully.

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Photo Report

The Chinese painting Iris and Passionflower (《鸢尾西番莲》), by the artist Ren Bonian, is held in the collection of the National Art Museum of China.

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A Reconciliation

By: 华明玥

Early that morning, on the open ground of Hailar in Hulunbuir, firewood was lit on an earthen stove. Father and daughter Xiao worked together to hoist a stainless-steel vat about one meter tall onto the earthen stove and ladled in about a quarter vat of clean water. Xiao's phone rang; it was Xiao Gu, a merchant who buys beeswax, urging: "Beeswax is in short supply lately—if you still have reserves, sell it to me quickly."

Xiao replied: "The beeswax we have on hand is not for sale—we're keeping it for the sunflower-growing neighbors to polish their old furniture." On the other end of the line, Xiao Gu was astonished:"When the sunflowers first bloomed, you two were still at odds. Your neighbors used a drone to spray pesticide without notifying you, and a batch of your little bees died. Your father was so angry he clutched his chest in pain. Have you forgotten this?"

Xiao's expression was complicated. She glanced at her father, and seeing that he looked as calm as ever, only then explained:"You can't really blame them either. In the past, when pesticide was sprayed by hand, most of it landed on the lower part of the sunflower stalk, with almost no effect on the little bees. This time, drone spraying was used for the first time, and no one expected that the pesticide solution would float on the surface of the sunflower heads. Although the pesticide was low-toxicity, the little bees still couldn't withstand it..."

Before Xiao could finish explaining, the water had already come to a boil. Father and daughter busied themselves shaking the crushed honeycomb from burlap sacks into the big steel vat. These crushed honeycomb pieces, pale yellow or light brown in color, were"lean-to shelters" that bees build outside the normal comb. The beekeepers couldn't bear to throw them away, so they melted down these stuck-together combs to make beeswax.

Xiao and her father harvested a total of three cream-yellow cylindrical blocks of beeswax—this was truly genuine and well-deserved (名副其实, ming fu qi shi - "name, follow, real, actual") "soft gold of the cosmetics industry." This time, Xiao had discussed it with her father and they agreed:the beeswax would be given to the neighbors on whose land the bees were placed, because the old furniture that those neighbors had refused to discard for decades could, once polished with beeswax, be protected against mold and insects.

The beekeeper and his neighbors could be said to have made a deal made through conflict or friction (不打不成交, bu da bu cheng jiao - "not, hit, not, complete, transaction"). After the drone pesticide incident, Old Tang carried a pouch of dead bees and went to reason with the nearest farming household. Farmer Old Zhuang, seeing Old Tang so agitated that he was becoming red-faced and angry (面红脖子粗, mian hong bo zi cu - "face, red, neck, thick") and could hardly speak clearly, could not help but feel ashamed. Old Zhuang gripped Old Tang's hand and said:"I figure it'll still be another month and a half before we harvest the sunflower heads. You go ahead and calculate your losses, and once I and the neighbors who sprayed that day sell our sunflower seeds, I'll pool together the money to compensate you—does that work for you?"

Old Tang let out a long sigh. In his mind's eye, those bees that had wobbled their way back after touching the pesticide solution were still flying. These little creatures were so spirited—they strained with all their might to get home, but they would not enter the hive; they knew they had to protect the entire colony, and with their last strength, they circled reluctant to part with someone or something (恋恋不舍, lian lian bu she - "love, love, not, leave") outside the door of their home... That scene made Old Tang feel feeling extreme grief or heartbreak (肝肠寸断, gan chang cun duan - "liver, intestine, inch, broken"). He had no heart to estimate this time's losses, and could only mumble one instruction:"When you're going to spray pesticide, remember to let us know in advance—we'll move the hives somewhere far away."

Old Tang returned to the mobile prefab house and explained the situation to his wife and daughter. He could not bear to have the farmers pay compensation. Especially when he saw that Old Zhuang and his neighbors were still using furniture from decades ago, and enamel rice basins that old grandmothers had brought as dowries. At nearly 70 years of age, these unyielding old people were still contracting land, buying seed, and working the fields diligently.

He had thought the matter was over, but the guilt of the sunflower growers had not disappeared. From that day on, whenever Old Tang's family went out to tend the bees and came back, a strange plastic bucket would often appear at the door of the prefab house. Sometimes the bucket held a head of Chinese cabbage or a head of cabbage, sometimes two bunches of chives or a cut of pork, and sometimes it held a small half-bucket of water with wild fish, shrimp, and loaches inside. On another occasion, a piece of paper was taped to the bucket with transparent adhesive tape, and on the paper was a crudely drawn hand-drawn map, on which hills, rivers, and Mongolian yurts were clearly marked. Old Zhuang had specifically noted:"Five li west, then three li south, there's a patch of milk thistle flowers in full bloom. Milk thistle protects the liver, and honey made from its flowers has a distinctive flavor."

About half a month later, the first batch of milk thistle honey was harvested. After filtering and bottling, the pale golden translucent honey was as intoxicating as flowing amber. Old Tang and his daughter leaned in for a close look. Old Tang sighed, saying that had it not been for Old Zhuang's guidance, he would never have walked into that gorgeous field of wildflowers.

In the honey-colored light of autumn, the sunflower growers and the honey gatherers reached a silent reconciliation.

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Wheat Spike Flowers

By: 王保中

Autumn began. In the courtyard of my old home, waves of floral fragrance drifted through the air. Several tall flowering trees filled the little courtyard with beauty — their dark green leaves were larger than an adult's palm, and small pink flowers hung in clusters from the branch tips, swaying in the wind. Villagers passing by would stop and stare curiously for a while. "Aren't these flowers supposed to grow in the fields? Why did you plant them at home?" Acquaintances would even ask a few questions.

Indeed, these unremarkable flowers, when I was a child, all grew in the fields, and we called them "wheat-ear flowers." After the wheat was cut in early summer, these plants would show their heads. Children would dig down from all sides, scoop up some soil with the roots, carry them home, quietly find a spot, dig a hole, plant them, bank up the soil, and water them with clean water. Finally, one day, the little red flowers would bloom. After I went to university, I learned that the "wheat-ear flowers" of my hometown had the scientific name red-knees. It has strong adaptability, tolerates drought and barren soil, is a symbol of bumper harvests and hope, and the whole plant can also be used as medicine.

It was just that, later on, they became rarer and rarer to see. A few years ago, at Mid-Autumn Festival, I returned to my hometown. Just as I reached the edge of the village, I saw a few bunches of red flowers by the roadside not far away. I walked up quickly — they turned out to be the long-missed wheat-ear flowers! I stood quietly gazing, took a deep breath, savoring that unique floral fragrance… But unexpectedly, when I came back a month later, that spot was already completely empty (空空如也, kong kong ru ye - "empty, empty, like, also"), as road construction had filled in the earth and leveled it into flat ground. The next year, when I returned to my hometown again, I deliberately searched around the village, but obtained nothing at all (一无所获, yi wu suo huo - "one, not, obtain, what"); the wheat-ear flowers, like a friend I had briefly met once, had left without saying goodbye (不辞而别, bu ci er bie - "not, resign, and, depart").

I was unwilling to give up, and searched repeatedly. The year before last, I finally found a few wheat-ear flowers in bloom at the boundary with the neighboring village, still by the roadside in a place no one tended, still so beautiful, so fragrant, swaying in the wind, like a friend standing in the fields waving to me as I returned. This time, I asked my nephew in my hometown to keep a good eye on them, and once the seeds ripened, to be sure to bring back some.

The seeds were finally brought to me. I carefully put them away, just like planting tiny seedlings as a child, afraid of any mishap. Last spring, I planted them one by one. Perhaps because the seeds had gone moldy, after sprouting only one plant grew, but fortunately, after the autumn harvest, quite a few seeds were left behind.

This year at Grain Rain, my wife and I carefully planted all the seeds around the front and back of the house. They sprouted, but the seedlings were very weak, especially that row behind the house. I was very worried, constantly troubled over how to tend them. Time slipped by day by day. Unexpectedly, after two thorough soaking rains, the seedlings grew stronger and stronger; by the time I had pulled weeds twice, before I even had time to fertilize, their branches and leaves had already shot up past the rose bushes beside them. Now, these flowers have become a unique sight for my family and even the whole village.

In the evening, I sat quietly writing in the study of my little courtyard. A gust of autumn wind blew in, and the fragrance of wheat-ear flowers drifted inside.

I know that, on the great earth of my hometown, there are many more stories like that of the wheat-ear flowers. I am still continuing to search, quietly observing, writing them down, and rooting myself in this warm soil of my native land.

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Page editors: Zhang Shanshan

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