People's Daily - October 2, 2026

All Hearts as One in Celebration, United in Joy for the Nation’s Birthday

By: 本报记者

This is a moment of nationwide celebration, this is a hymn offered to the motherland.

"At this very moment, we are immensely proud of the world-drawing achievements (举世瞩目, jushi zhumu - "world, look, attention; eye, gaze") won by New China, and we are full of confidence in the bright prospects of Chinese modernization." General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

On October 1st, from Tiananmen Square to the snowy frontiers, five-star red flags flutter in the wind, one stirring national anthem after another resounds through people's hearts, and one "Long live the motherland" after another pours out deep feeling. Hundreds of millions of Chinese sons and daughters jointly wish the great motherland prosperity and strength, people of all ethnic groups happiness and well-being, high-spirited and full of vigor (意气风发, yiyi fengfa -"spirit, energy, high; wind, burst forth") and brimming with pride.

China red, surging across the divine land. In this splendid scene, the deep patriotic sentiment gushes forth abundantly.

Raising the same flag together

An unswerving commitment to a goal (矢志不渝, shizhi buyu -"arrow, will; not, change") declared aloud

At a little past 6 o'clock on the 1st, in the capital Beijing. Greeting the first ray of sunlight of the early morning, the national flag guard, handsome and spirited in appearance (英姿飒爽, yingzi sashuang -"heroic, posture; bright, cool"), marched toward the flag-raising platform of Tiananmen Square.

"Salute — to the — national flag!"

Following the shouts of the honor guard members, the "March of the Volunteers" resounded across the square. People stood at attention in silence, sang the national anthem in unison, and the five-star red flag rose slowly and steadily (冉冉升起, ranran shengqi -"slowly, slowly; rise, up") beneath the morning sun. Thereafter, thousands of peace doves swept past, the melody of "Ode to the Motherland" struck up, and people waved the national flags in their hands, singing together aloud.

At this moment, the most profound declaration of love came from the bottom of one's heart (发自肺腑, fazi feifu -"emit, from, lungs, viscera"), and the most beautiful blessings were offered to the motherland. Shi Zhiyong, coach of the Chinese weightlifting team who returned from the Asian Games arena, said: "Watching the five-star red flag rise, I deeply feel the strength and greatness of the motherland." He, who once, as an athlete, caused the five-star red flag to rise time and again on international arenas, is now determined to lead the team to"win glory for the motherland with results."

On this day, "I love you, China" resounded across all parts of the divine land, China red reflected in streets and alleys, five-star red flags fluttered at national gates and ports, and the China Space Station sent forth a"cosmic-level" blessing. At Nie Er Square in Yuxi, Yunnan, the national anthem rang out clearly; citizen Wang Shuang specially brought her daughter to watch the flag-raising, saying,"Such a National Day is especially meaningful." At Bayi Square in Nanchang, Jiangxi, tens of thousands of people stood at attention silently watching the national flag rise slowly, wishing the motherland flourishing and developing day by day (蒸蒸日上, zhengzheng ri shang -"steam, steam; sun, up"). People took photos with the national flag, walked in step with the times, shared one heart with the nation, firmly believing that tomorrow will be even better.

"Home is Yumai, the country is China" — with action, they voice the deepest love. At 10 o'clock on the 1st, in Yumai Township, Longzi County, Tibet, the national gate flag guard of the Yumai Border Police Station walked with firm and vigorous steps (步履铿锵, bubu kengqiang -"step, walk; clanging, resonant"). In accordance with the deployment of the National Immigration Administration, the themed flag-raising ceremony of"raising the same flag at national gates" was held at large open ports and border tourist attractions. This was the first time Yumai, after being included in the first batch of important port flag-raising sites, held a centralized flag-raising ceremony on National Day.

Beneath the first five-star red flag raised in Yumai back then, there were only the three members of the border-guarding family. Today, more than a hundred people observe the ceremony here, and the"township of three" has also become a"township of moderate prosperity." Basang Zhogma, daughter of border guardian Zhoga and Party branch secretary of Niulintang Village, Yumai Township, said:"Having watched Mama and Grandfather guard Yumai since I was little, now I have taken up the baton."

Sharing the same sincere heart

A faith passed down from generation to generation

Celebrating National Day is a look back at the road traveled, and even more a resonance of patriotism that spans time and space. People pay homage to revolutionary sites, revisit red stories, and anchor the direction forward in the depths of history.

At 76 Xingye Road, Shanghai, the vermilion window lattices of the small Shikumen building are just as they were more than a hundred years ago, five-star red flags flutter in the wind, and the"red of the First Congress" and the"red of National Day" shine and reflect upon each other (交相辉映, jiaoxiang huiying -"interchange, together; shine, reflect").

In the Memorial Hall of the First National Congress of the Communist Party of China, more than 20 children sat together in a circle, following their teacher reading creative children's books and learning stories of Party history. This is a live-action Party history classroom that the memorial hall has opened for teenagers during the National Day holiday.

Opening the pop-up book, the picture of"Chen in the south, Li in the north, pledging to found the Party" came into view. "The taste of truth is very sweet!" Chen Yuehe, a student of the Second Affiliated School of Fudan University, studied earnestly. Profound history steps out of the display cases and into people's hearts.

Where one comes from, where one is going — examining the past to know the present, facing history to embark anew. From red flags fluttering before the Shikumen gate, the rippling waves of Nanhu Lake in Jiaxing, to the verdant greenery at the foot of Pagoda Mountain, the endless and continuous growth or life (生生不息, sheng sheng bu xi -"life, life, not, cease") deep in the Taihang Mountains... The torch is passed down from generation to generation, originating from a value pursuit that runs through one continuous line.

By the Jialing River, in Yuzhong, Chongqing, lies the birthplace of the Red Rock spirit.

In the center of the exhibition hall of the Red Rock Revolutionary Memorial Hall, the situational drama"Eternal Red Rock" is being performed. Combining the museum's collected cultural relics and historical materials, staff members used the performance to string together those eventful years. The nourishment of red culture exists both in the historical retrospect that spans thousands of years of thought and in the tangible, knowable, participable personal experience.

Jointly building the dream of a strong nation

Forging ahead without flinching

At the foot of the Taihang Mountains, in Miaohuang Village, Linzhou City, Henan, the water of the Red Flag Canal passes through the village. On formerly barren hillsides, high-yield, stable-income fertile fields have grown up.

More than 20 kilometers away, on the monument square of the Red Flag Canal Memorial Hall, tourists sang"Ode to the Motherland" aloud, and at the sledgehammer experience spot not far away, people gripped iron hammers with both hands and swung down with all their might, feeling the valuable spirit of cutting through mountains and chiseling caves, bridging valleys and building bridges, decades ago.

"The older generation, relying on hard work and solid toil, chiseled out the Red Flag Canal through sheer effort." Liu Ke, an entrepreneur from Shandong, said that, just like building the canal, only by staying down-to-earth, working hard, and striving tenaciously can one make life more and more prosperous.

In the long historical river of the continuous development of the Chinese nation, patriotism has always been the surging main theme, and it will inevitably, as the spiritual bond of unity, struggle, self-improvement, and unremitting self-renewal, inspire us to stride vigorously toward the future.

"Walk forward, one firm step at a time." Today's China walks out a myriad of scenes, walking on the broad road of Chinese modernization. Look — from Ruijin, the starting point of the Long March, to Yan'an, its foothold, high-speed rail now connects them directly; the Pinglu Canal connects rivers to the sea;the"Jiuzhang-4" has set new records; the harvest scroll is slowly unfolding; scientific and technological progress changes with each passing day; patriotism has taken deep root in people's hearts; the spirit of unity and struggle is running high.

"As long as we strengthen our confidence, anchor our goals, and walk forward solidly, step by step, success will certainly belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China!"

The bugle call to advance is stirring and clear, the light of chasing dreams illuminates the future!

(Reporters of this newspaper: Pan Junqiang, Qiongda Zhogma, Cao Lingjuan, Shen Jingran, Zhao Shuaijie, Zhang Tianpei, Zhou Huan, Ye Chuanzeng; Coordinator: Luan Xinyi)

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Strengthen confidence, anchor goals, and move forward steadily step by step

By: 本报评论员

The coordinates of time etch solid footprints. The magnificent journey summons a new advance.

"As long as we strengthen our confidence, anchor our goals, and move forward steadily step by step, success will surely belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China!"

At the reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping reviewed the great achievements scored by the Party leading and uniting the people in unremitting struggle since the founding of New China, fully affirmed the new progress and new results achieved in the Party's and state's undertakings since the beginning of this year, put forward clear requirements for advancing Chinese modernization, and inspired the entire Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country to strive courageously toward the Second Centenary Goal of building China into a great modern socialist country in all respects.

The path determines the destiny. Having undergone immense hardships** (千辛万苦, qian xin wan ku -"thousand, hard, ten thousand, bitter") and paid a huge price, Chinese modernization is the fruit of long-term practical exploration by the Communist Party of China and the Chinese people—how great it is, how hard-won it is!

From "a scene of decline and decay" to "a scene of flourishing and prosperity"** (欣欣向荣, xin xin xiang rong -"flourishing, flourishing, towards, prosperous"), looking back at this historical juncture, the achievements of New China that are attracting worldwide attention** (举世瞩目, ju shi zhu mu -"entire, world, gaze, eye") fill us with immense pride, and we come to understand even more deeply that Chinese modernization is the broad road to building a strong country and rejuvenating the nation.

By upholding the root and soul through the Two Integrations** (两个结合), this path is the right one.

The Pinglu Canal connects rivers to the sea, opening up the shortest, most economical, and most convenient sea passage in southwest China, turning into reality the vision laid out in the Founding Strategy of the Nation more than 100 years ago. Looking across today's China, high-speed trains race along, highways extend in all directions** (四通八达, si tong ba da -"four, connect, eight, reach")…"Only we members of the Communist Party of China have achieved this."

From being unable to build "a single automobile, a single airplane, a single tank, or a single tractor," to now becoming the world's largest manufacturing country with the most complete range of industrial categories and the world's second-largest economy, relying on the modern industrial system as its strategic foundation, our economy has been braving the wind and waves** (顶风破浪, ding feng po lang -"top, wind, break, wave"), maintaining strong resilience and vitality.

Committed to unity and struggle, committed to common prosperity, committed to comprehensive development, committed to sustainable development, committed to peaceful development—this path is "deeply rooted in China's excellent traditional culture, embodies the advanced nature of scientific socialism, draws on and absorbs all the fine achievements of human civilization, and represents the direction of progress of human civilization."

Chinese modernization opens up a new path for humanity's march toward modernization, creates a new form of human civilization, and turns one "impossible" after another into "certainly possible."

Supporting "governance of China" with "institutions of China"—this path is a steady one.

Such a moment is inspiring! After the Long March rocket completed the world's first maritime net-based recovery last July, the Zhuque rocket successfully achieved China's first land-based recovery this August. Leveraging the strengths of the new system for mobilizing resources nationwide, the double success of rocket recovery on both sea and land proves once again that "the 'chokepoint' imposed on us cannot choke us."

Facing downward pressure on the economy head-on, a package of incremental policies has promoted economic recovery and improvement; encountering tariff wars and trade wars, "we have fought out the ambition, backbone, and confidence of the Chinese people, demonstrating our hard-core strength"…

In this extraordinary and remarkable new era, why have we been able, time and again, to remain calm in a crisis** (临危不乱, lin wei bu luan -"approach, danger, not, chaotic") and turn danger into safety** (化险为夷, hua xian wei yi -"transform, danger, become, safe")?

"Through long-term exploration and practice, the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics has demonstrated enormous advantages, the level of modernization of China's system and capacity for governance has been continuously improved, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is advancing with an unstoppable force or trend** (势不可挡, shi bu ke dang -"momentum, not, can, block")." General Secretary Xi Jinping's words run through history, the present, and the future.

Practice has fully proven that the Party's leadership is the greatest advantage of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. With the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, hundreds of millions of people have the most reliable pillar of support when storms come, and can firmly hold the destiny of the nation's development and progress in their own hands.

Advancing Chinese modernization comprehensively through high-quality development—this path is a good one.

From building the world's largest and fastest-developing renewable energy system, to ranking first globally for four consecutive years in the number of top-100 global innovation clusters, to "Intelligent Manufacturing in China" becoming another shining calling card of Chinese modernization…

"China is a stabilizing force and core engine for global stability and growth, trade, and technological transformation." Some international observers believe that high-quality development has already become a distinctive feature of present-day China, marking China's shift toward growth centered on new quality productive forces, innovation, sustainability, and resilience.

Today's China, anchoring high-quality development as the primary task, sees new quality productive forces surging forth, urban-rural integration and regional coordinated development gathering momentum, and in creating a high quality of life, advancing efficient governance, achieving high-level security, and expanding high-standard opening up, it continuously expands development space and leads the future of development.

Cherishing grand goals, determined to achieve undertakings that will benefit generations to come.

The more unprecedented the great undertaking, the more we must strengthen confidence in our path, theory, system, and culture, and maintain the resolve to keep our path unchanged and our will unshaken;

The more glorious and dream-filled the expedition, the more we must stir up the tenacity of "to reach the summit, one must not begrudge the toil," and maintain the drive of "moving forward steadily step by step."

Forging ahead into the 15th Five-Year Plan, looking ahead to 2035, gazing toward the middle of this century—the blueprint has already been drawn, and the road extends beneath our feet.

Moving forward, we are steadfast and composed—

The prospects of Chinese modernization are infinitely bright, and the pace of progress of the Chinese people and nation cannot be stopped!

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March Forward Bravely Toward the Goal of Building a Great Modern Socialist Country in All Respects

By: 新华社记者

“As long as we strengthen our confidence, anchor our goals, and move forward steadily step by step, success will surely belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China!” On the evening of September 30, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Cadres and the masses from all walks of life said that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech is inspiring and galvanizing, and that they must strengthen confidence, row hard and press forward with dedication, and on the new journey, with the spirit of seizing every moment (只争朝夕, zhi zheng chao xi - "only seize the morning and evening") and never slackening, pool their hearts and minds to turn the grand blueprint of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation into beautiful reality.

Immensely proud of the achievements, full of confidence in the future

Listening on site to General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, Chen Jia, National Model Worker and Chairman of the Trade Union of the Manzhouli Operation Workshop of the Qiqihar Rolling Stock Depot under China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd., felt immensely proud.

“From independently designing and building the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, to today's crisscrossing high-speed rail network, a history of China's railway development is a microcosm of the history of national rejuvenation. China's train of development has been racing forward all along, and we truly feel immensely proud.” Chen Jia said.

The whistle sounds, the canal surges onward. Since the Pinglu Canal opened to navigation half a month ago, 5,000-ton vessels have been passing through, writing a new chapter of the southwest reaching the sea.

“When the General Secretary spoke of the achievements made by New China over the past 77 years, we are both witnesses and participants.” Cheng Yaofei, Chairman of Guangxi Pinglu Canal Construction Co., Ltd. under Pinglu Canal Group, said, “The opening of the Pinglu Canal embodies the dream of several generations and is the best example of the extraordinary achievements of our great motherland. Being able to participate in building the canal, I feel feeling honored to share in the glory (与有荣焉, yu you rong yan - "with, have, glory, oneself"), and I understand even more clearly that great achievements are made by the Party and the people striving together, working together, and struggling together.”

Just a few days ago, “China's Sky Eye” ushered in its tenth anniversary since completion. “Over the past decade, ‘China's Sky Eye’ has delivered a scientific answer sheet far exceeding expectations. From following and catching up, to leading the world, behind it all stands generation after generation enduring hardships to start a cause (筚路蓝缕, bi lu lan lu - "thorny paths, blue/purple silk"), working tirelessly, with the great cause passing the torch from generation to generation (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, torch, pass from one to another"). We will continue striving without interruption, continuously enhancing original innovation capacity, laying solid foundations for building a powerful country in science and technology, and striving forward toward the Second Centenary Goal of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country.” Said Jiang Peng, Deputy Director of the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chief Engineer of “China's Sky Eye.”

This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. History has eloquently proved that without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China, and without the Communist Party of China, there would be no the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

“As emphasized in General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, our Party has united and led the people in unremitting struggle, creating the two great miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.” Li Liancheng, recipient of the“July 1 Medal” and Secretary of the Party Branch of Xixinzhuang Village, Qingzu Town, Puyang County, Henan Province, said with deep emotion, “A fast train depends on the locomotive to pull it; primary-level Party organizations are fighting bastions. We primary-level Party members and cadres must firmly establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, take the lead in advancing the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, carry forward fine work styles, and lead our fellow villagers in rolling up our sleeves and working with vigor.”

The superiority of a political system is the greatest superiority of a country. Meng Nan, deputy to the National People's Congress and professor at the School of History of Xinjiang University, said: “The General Secretary pointed out that, ‘after long-term exploration and practice, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has demonstrated enormous superiority.’ We must leverage the disciplinary strengths of history departments in universities, continue to tell vivid stories of the practice of institutional superiority, and support national development with academic responsibility.”

Forge ahead with determination and strive with all our might, achieving a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan

The 15th Five-Year Plan marks the beginning of a new stage; China's development has entered a critical period of consolidating the foundation for basically realizing socialist modernization and launching a full-scale push.

In the farmland of Bianlin Town, Lingcheng District, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, a gratifying scene of a bumper harvest in sight unfolds. On June 24 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping came here and chatted warmly with the villagers. Fan Changshun, a major grain grower, was right there at the time.

“In his speech, the General Secretary emphasized the need to work hard to accomplish the year's entire goals and tasks, achieving a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan. Judging by the current growth of the corn, this year is bound to be another bumper harvest again.” Fan Changshun said, “Nowadays, farming is fully mechanized from start to finish, and agricultural technicians often come to the fields to guide refined management, making it more convenient and worry-free. To accelerate building an agricultural powerhouse, grow good grain and produce more grain, we are full of confidence.”

The key to Chinese modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology. In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to scientific and technological innovation, consistently placing scientific and technological innovation in a prominent position in modernization efforts.

At the National Information Technology Innovation Park in Beijing Yizhuang, the open-source, open “Lingji OS” project, a common infrastructure for AI agents, is accelerating technological breakthroughs and standard formulation.

Xie Tao, Director of the Beijing Tongminghu Information Technology Application Innovation Center, said: “Advancing high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology is a major mission entrusted to us by the times. We will concentrate our efforts on securing breakthroughs in key technologies to solidify the foundation of security, strive to genuinely transform scientific and technological innovation into industrial competitiveness, and work hard to lay a solid scientific and technological foundation for high-quality development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.”

The lives of ordinary people are family matters, and even more so affairs of state. “The continuous improvement of people's quality of life” is one of the main goals of economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

The upcoming National Day holiday is the first National Day holiday that old neighborhood residents will spend back living in the Citizens' New Village residential area of Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict, Huangpu District, Shanghai, after its renovation. Zhang Wei, director of the neighborhood committee, has been busy these days going door to door with her colleagues to visit residents, carrying out pre-holiday safety inspections and service guarantee work.

“The General Secretary has repeatedly urged that people's livelihoods must be effectively safeguarded and improved. We must always make improving people's livelihoods the focus of our grassroots work, and serve residents wholeheartedly by doing good deeds, handling practical matters, and resolving difficulties.” Zhang Wei said.

The blueprint has been drawn; action is what matters.

At the construction site of the Xiong'an Guomao Trade Center project in the launch area of Xiong'an New Area, there is a zone known as the“underground heart,” where over 900 underground equipment rooms carry multiple system functions including electrical, HVAC, fire protection, and water supply and drainage. Cui Haotian, an engineer in the Engineering Management Department of Xiong'an Xiongshang Real Estate Co., Ltd., was carefully checking pipelines row by row with a flashlight.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping places particular emphasis on‘Xiong'an Quality.’ For us frontline builders, creating‘Xiong'an Quality’ means turning every single process into a project of reassurance and making every single commissioning run accurate and error-free.” Cui Haotian said, “We must, through hard work and solid effort, turn the beautiful blueprint into a vivid, tangible reality that stands the test of time.”

The mission is as weighty as a mountain, and the bugle urges us onward. Cheng Qian, professor at the College of Military Culture of the National Defense University, said:“General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has greatly inspired all officers and soldiers of the armed forces. We will surely bear in mind the supreme commander's instructions, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military, forge the heroic military under our Party's leadership into an even stronger force, and strive unremittingly toward achieving the centenary goal of building the people's military and creating a new situation in the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.”

Strengthen confidence, anchor goals, and move forward steadily step by step

Before the National Day holiday, Chang'an Avenue in Beijing is resplendent with flowers. From the“Long March Continues” flower bed at Jianguomen, to the“Forge Ahead Bravely” flower bed featuring galloping steeds as its main scene at Fuxingmen, the displays string together China's past, present, and future.

“Every time we delivery riders pass these flower beds, we feel very inspired. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that if we move forward steadily step by step, success will surely belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China! I firmly believe that if everyone does their own job well and takes every step well, there will certainly be a better future.” At the National Day reception, Gao Feng, a National Outstanding Communist Party Member and Secretary of the Party Branch of the Beijing Meituan 707 Riders, was full of confidence.

Basic research is the source of scientific and technological innovation, and its level determines the depth of innovation capability and the staying power of a country's science and technology. On April 30 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended a symposium on strengthening basic research and delivered an important speech, issuing a call to further consolidate the foundation for building a powerful country in science and technology on the new journey of the new era.

“What the country needs is what scientific research pursues.” At the National Key Laboratory of Green Hydrogen and Power at Xi'an Jiaotong University, Guo Liejin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his team members are holding fast at the frontline of scientific research. “We must, as the General Secretary requires, carry forward and promote the spirit of westward relocation, strengthen our sense of responsibility toward family and country, adhere to the integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent, and around fields such as energy supply security and green low-carbon transformation, gnaw hard bones, venture into uncharted territory, and serve Chinese modernization with solid achievements in original innovation.” Guo Liejin said.

At Jinggangshan, the cradle of the revolution, visitors from all over are walking into memorial venues, drawing strength for endeavor from red memories, and perceiving the practice of revitalization and development of the old revolutionary base areas through the contrast between past and present.

“This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. Standing at a new historical starting point, we must bear in mind the suffering and glory, and march toward the dream of rejuvenation. We must deeply comprehend the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, nourish our original aspiration and temper our character with the Jinggangshan spirit, the Soviet Area spirit, and the Long March spirit, educate and guide Party members and cadres to firmly ideal and convictions, bear in mind our original aspiration and founding mission, actively forge ahead, dare to take on responsibility, and strive to win greater glory for the Party and the people.” Said Yang Shaohua, professor at the China Executive Leadership Academy Jinggangshan.

The hope of a country lies in its youth, and the future of a nation lies in its youth.

“In May this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back encouraging us that‘young people are just at the right time to make contributions.’ This important speech has made me feel that the direction for striving is even clearer.” Shi Jinglong, recipient of the China Youth May Fourth Medal and a special-grade technical expert at the Commercial Vehicle Development Institute of FAW Jiefang Group Co., Ltd., said that he will bear in mind the instructions, “strengthen confidence, anchor goals,” and contribute youthful strength on the new journey.

Carry forward the feelings of family and country, and forge a bright future.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has left a deep impression on me: Hong Kong's confidence lies in the motherland, and Hong Kong's opportunities lie in the motherland.” Huang Mingxin, professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Hong Kong, is now even more confident about the future.

Wu Zhibin, Deputy Director of the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that General Secretary Xi Jinping reaffirmed at the National Day reception the relevant principles and policies toward Hong Kong and Macao, and that we should carry forward the tradition of loving the motherland, loving Hong Kong, and loving Macao, and achieve better development for ourselves while integrating into and serving the overall development of the country.

“Only when the country is good and the nation is good will compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait be good.” Wu Jiaying, Executive Vice President of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, said that Taiwan compatriots will stand shoulder to shoulder with mainland compatriots, march forward in unity, and strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

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From "Red Electric Waves" to a Digital and Intelligent City (Carrying Forward the Long March Spirit, Forging Ahead on the New Journey of Rejuvenation)

By: 本报记者 马跃峰 陈隽逸

At No. 96 Ziyin Road, Honghuagang District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall stands quietly, a two-story small building. Inside the memorial hall there is a special collection — a replica of the "Half a Radio Set"; more than 90 years ago, the"red electric waves" crossed the flames of war, transmitting intelligence, helping the Red Army during the Long March seize the initiative at critical moments and find a way out.

More than 90 years later, on this land that witnessed a historic turning point, new changes are taking place.

In February 2021, during his inspection tour in Guizhou, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Seize new opportunities in implementing the digital economy strategy" and "from the Long March Spirit and the Zunyi Conference Spirit, profoundly comprehend the original aspiration and mission of Communists, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, seek truth from facts, uphold truth, respond scientifically to changes, proactively seek change, staying focused on a goal (咬定目标, yao ding mu biao - "bite, fix, target"), pressing forward courageously (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "brave, go, towards, front"), and walk well the Long March road of the new era." In March 2025, during his inspection tour in Guizhou, the General Secretary pointed out: "We must carry forward the Long March Spirit and the Zunyi Conference Spirit, and with high morale walk well the Long March road of the new era."

Thoroughly implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, in recent years, Zunyi has seized opportunities, focused efforts on developing the digital economy; in 2025, the city's big-data integration development index rose to 50.51, with comprehensive development level ranking among the forefront of the province.

Aiming at the technological frontier, development has broken into a new world.

In Feilixin (Zunyi) Digital Technology Co., Ltd. in Zunyi High-tech Zone, data annotation specialists stare intently at screens. As the mouse moves, street-view outlines and object frame lines are traced out one by one. Here, after massive amounts of raw data are processed, they will provide support for the iteration of intelligent driving.

"From contract signing to investment and operation, the company took only 3 months." Wen Wei, general manager of Feilixin Company, introduced that the company focuses on three major businesses: AI (artificial intelligence) large-model training, internet content review, and autonomous driving data annotation, with delivery efficiency improved by 40% compared with the industry average level.

"Zunyi leverages its advantages of rich application scenarios, ample human resources, and proximity to Chengdu-Chongqing, among others, to seek breakthroughs on the digital economy track." An Chao, director of the Zunyi Municipal Big Data Development Center, introduced that in 2025, Zunyi newly cultivated and added 7 software and information technology service enterprises with revenue above 5 million yuan, with the revenue growth rate of software and information technology services industries above designated size reaching 43.6%, and the revenue growth rate of internet and related services industries above designated size reaching 4.8%.

Adhering to the integration of digital and real economies, industries have radiated new vitality.

In Zhuohao Agricultural Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. located in Bozhou District, the"Zhuohao Yuan" agricultural production intelligent management platform integrates functions such as meteorological monitoring, precision irrigation, and pest warning, realizing whole-process management of agricultural products from production to sales. "In the past, farmers relied on looking with their eyes and feeling with their hands; now the platform automatically issues warnings and automatically pushes prevention and control plans, which is equivalent to installing a'sensor' on the land." Mei Jianfei, technical director of the company, said that the platform has gathered 1.7 million records of agricultural activities, and related technologies have been promoted to other places.

Mountain agriculture, sauce-flavor liquor industry, red cultural resources, etc., are all the"family assets" of Zunyi's digital economy development. Based on its own resource endowments and industrial foundation, Zunyi actively promotes the digital transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. At present, Zunyi has implemented 175 excellent digital application scenarios in fields such as agriculture and industry, and the cultural tourism industry has also found new space for expression.

Putting on VR (virtual reality) equipment, before the eyes is pervasive gun smoke, beside the ears are whistling artillery fire... In the"Turning Point: Starting Anew" exhibition hall of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, visitors seem to personally experience the fierce battle moment of the Great Victory at Loushan Pass. In 2025, the memorial hall completed digital exhibition upgrade, with key implementation of projection system renovation, presenting in a combination of virtual and real ways the panoramic scenes of key nodes of the Long March. "Digital preservation, scenographic presentation, let every cultural relic be able to tell the story of the Long March, helping to carry forward the great Long March Spirit." Huang Chao, deputy director of the Information Technology Department of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, saidthat

Looking back at the beacon-fire years, the Red Army soldiers broke through numerous difficulties and predicaments on the land of northern Guizhou, seeking a way out from desperate situations, realizing a great historic turning point. Today, Zunyi embraces the digital economy; what has changed is the development scenario, what has remained unchanged is the spiritual force inheriting a tradition from the very beginning (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng - "one, vein, mutual, inherit").

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China Opportunity 2.0: Insights from Four September Expos

By: 本报记者 罗珊珊 窦瀚洋

In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, China's economy is moving toward the new and the superior, and its steps of opening up to the outside world are steady and firm.

In the September that has just passed, four major expositions —the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services, the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, and the 5th Global Digital Trade Expo—were held successively in Xiamen, Fujian; Beijing; Nanning, Guangxi; and Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The '15th Five-Year Plan' is not only a blueprint for China's own development, but also a cooperation list oriented toward the world.」

The Investment and Trade Fair focuses on two-way investment, the Trade in Services Fair is rooted in services trade, the China-ASEAN Expo is grounded in regional cooperation, and the Digital Trade Expo is anchored in digital trade. These four expositions, though each with a different thematic emphasis, echo and complement one another—the three pillars of a trading power, namely goods trade, services trade, and digital trade, are all encompassed within them.

Through these four expositions, "China Opportunity 2.0" is slowly unfolding—no longer merely a single market advantage, but a fusion and resonance of opening-up dividends, innovation dividends, and market dividends, bringing to the world more development opportunities and greater development space.

Opening-up dividends—

The expositions arrive as scheduled every year, a stable commitment to high-level opening up.

The fact that these four expositions arrive as scheduled every year is itself China's forceful and convincing (掷地有声, zhi di you sheng - "strike the ground, have sound") stable commitment to opening up to the outside world.

Amidst intensifying turbulence in the international situation, China insists on holding expositions with open doors, building economic and trade platforms connecting the globe, and proving through continuously implemented actions that opening up is not a temporary measure, but a long-term, unchanging choice.

A closer look at the guest countries of honor at the four expositions reveals a cooperation network spanning continents, clearly extending. The Investment and Trade Fair, for the first time, has set up two guest countries of honor—Finland and Saudi Arabia jointly serving in that capacity;the guest country of honor at the Trade in Services Fair is Norway, focusing its display on green energy, digital technology, and so forth;the China-ASEAN Expo has entered a new pattern of "12 countries, 13 parties" jointly organizing, with the 11 ASEAN countries, following the expansion of ASEAN, gathering together in Nanning for the first time;the guest countries of honor at the Digital Trade Expo are Malaysia and Hungary, with the number of overseas exhibition groups exceeding the total of previous sessions.

From Northern Europe and the Middle East to ASEAN, countries with different resource endowments and at different stages of development can all find cooperation entry points on China's exposition platforms.

What is the China opportunity?

At the Investment and Trade Fair site, a large number of multinational enterprises used concrete actions to give the answer: a stably developing China is precisely the "oasis" of certainty that global capital pursues, and"going to China" has become a tangible action for multinational enterprises.

As of the end of 2025, China's stock of absorbed foreign investment approached 4 trillion US dollars. In the first half of this year, nearly 4,800 foreign-funded enterprises made additional investments in China.

"High-level opening up to the outside world has not only brought about the flow of capital and technological progress, but has also enhanced the fusion of concepts and the development of innovation." Dong Huijuan, Global Vice President of the ABB Group, stated that in recent years, China, by issuing an action plan for stabilizing foreign investment and implementing a new version of the catalog of industries encouraged for foreign investment, has effectively stimulated the enthusiasm of foreign-funded enterprises to increase investment and develop in China.

China's opening up to the outside world has never been a one-way"bringing in," but rather a two-way, mutually beneficial investment win-win.

Indonesia has numerous islands, and its energy infrastructure is unevenly distributed—how can resource utilization efficiency be improved? CIMC Group's subsidiary, CIMC Enric, joined hands with partners to build a steel-coke integrated project locally, converting industrial tail gas into high value-added clean energy products, providing systematic Chinese solutions for the global green transformation of industry.

As of the end of 2025, the number of enterprises established by China overseas reached 58,000, creating an average of over 2 million jobs annually for host countries. Chinese enterprises"going global" bring projects, technology, and employment, activating local development momentum and realizing each pursuing its own unique excellence (各美其美, ge mei qi mei - "each beautiful its own beauty").

On the eve of the opening of the China-ASEAN Expo, the Pinglu Canal officially began navigation, opening new imaginative space for industrial collaboration between Southwest China and ASEAN. "The Pinglu Canal may also, in the future, open up trade routes toward Europe, Africa, and the Indian Ocean direction." Rao Zhaobin, Director of the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaya, said.

Innovation dividends—

World premieres and debut showcases concentrated appearances;new technologies drive a new engine for cooperation.

Expositions are an excellent window for observing China's innovation up close. At the sites of the four expositions, a large number of world premieres and debut showcases made concentrated appearances.

Zhejiang Dream Aerospace displayed at the Digital Trade Expo its hybrid tilt-rotor manned eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft), with a maximum effective payload of 600 kilograms and a maximum designed range of 1,000 kilometers—not only high speed and long range, but also fast recharging and light infrastructure requirements.

Rokid's second-generation fully functional AI glasses with display, on top of functions including photography, translation, teleprompter, navigation, and payment, have further strengthened their capabilities in segmented scenarios.

Zheng Hanzhen, Vice President of an Australian capital investment company, stated that when international capital evaluates Chinese enterprises, in addition to paying attention to the Chinese market itself, it is also increasingly paying attention to whether enterprises can, relying on China's R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain capabilities, serve the global market over the long term.

Shifting from"produced in China" to"created in China," a growing number of multinational companies are coming to China to establish R&D centers and regional headquarters, deeply integrating into China's innovation chain and industrial chain. In China, enterprises from various countries can quickly find full-process partners ranging from R&D, pilot testing, to mass production.

"The logic of China's attraction for foreign investment is precisely moving from providing market opportunities toward further providing innovation opportunities." Yin Yuhan, a relevant person in charge at Boehringer Ingelheim, stated that the company plans to establish a new R&D center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, to deepen cooperation with the Chinese side.

China's innovation dividend not only signifies investment opportunities, but also includes empowering development and sharing achievements. Many Chinese innovations follow the open-source route, which enables more countries, especially developing countries, to be able to use and afford new technologies and new products.

In the era of the digital intelligent economy, how can the digital intelligence divide be bridged? At this year's China-ASEAN Expo, artificial intelligence played the leading role, with the robot corps, spinal three-dimensional measurement, AI pediatricians, intelligent teaching aids, and others taking turns on stage, releasing 42 items of ASEAN artificial intelligence application scenario cooperation demands, reaching nearly 100 preliminary cooperation intents, among which the amount of intended cooperation reached with ASEAN countries exceeded 1 billion yuan.

China's emerging field technologies and products bring to the world not impact but opportunity, not threat but empowerment.

Market dividends—

Goods and services work in concert;the super-large-scale market is brimming with vitality.

What is the China opportunity?

Many people's first reaction is the vast market. Sail Al-Habti, Chairman of the China Region of Saudi energy giant Acwa Power, said that China possesses a very strong potential demand market, with a population group of enormous scale whose consumption capacity and affluence are continuously rising.

Deconstructing China's super-large-scale market from the perspective of traditional supply and demand—

On the demand side, a population of over 1.4 billion constructs the fundamental base of super-large-scale domestic demand, with consumption continuously iterating and upgrading, opening broad market space for global enterprises;on the supply side, a complete industrial system, enormous industrial clusters, and continuously deepening industrial transformation, release a large amount of cooperation space in intermediate goods, equipment, and technology.

At the Trade in Services Fair, China Opportunity 2.0 gained a new observation perspective—

Under the traction of industrial upgrading and the needs of a quality life, a vast development space for the service industry and service consumption has been brought forth.

Wang Xun, Vice President of the World Trade Centers Association, stated that an increasing number of Chinese brands are going overseas, bringing with them not only products, but also design, culture, and business models;at the same time, numerous international brands are entering the Chinese market, continuously innovating according to the needs of Chinese consumers.

At present, China's consumer market has entered a development stage that places equal emphasis on"goods + services," and over the past five years, China's per capita service consumption expenditure has grown at an average annual rate of 8.5%. From clothing, food, housing, and transportation, to enterprise transformation and technological innovation, all are inseparable from the high-quality development of the service industry.

Zou Jun, Chairman of the China Region of KPMG, stated that China's service industry is steadily advancing along the development path of digital intelligence, standardization, integration, and internationalization, and the professional capability and international competitiveness of"China Services" are continuously improving.

Conforming to industrial development trends, China has made the service industry the focus of expanding opening up. "In the past, we deepened reform and expanded opening up in the manufacturing industry, becoming the'world's factory';at present, in the service industry, we are promoting deeper reform and high-quality development through high-level opening up, and will equally create the'China Services' brand." Yang Zhengwei, Vice President of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said.

Dai Bintu, President and Chairman of the Board of CPA Australia, stated that Australia-China cooperation is extending and upgrading from traditional goods trade toward services trade and knowledge-based industries, with broad prospects for cooperation in fields such as the digital economy, professional services, and green low-carbon development.

China continues to use expositions as bridges, opening its doors wide, sharing innovation, and connecting markets, making the road of mutually beneficial win-win cooperation ever wider.

"China will continue to promote high-quality development, expand high-level opening up, implement the Global Development Initiative, advance high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and share opportunities and create prosperity together with countries around the world."

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Cross-regional travel expected to exceed 330 million trips

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 1) (Reporter Han Xin) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Transport: on October 1, the first day of the National Day holiday, the total cross-regional personnel flow across society is expected to reach 334.10 million person-times, an increase of 52.3% over the previous day.

By mode of transport, railway passenger volume is expected to reach 24.80 million person-times, up 26.9% from the previous day and up 7.2% from the same period last year; highway personnel flow is expected to reach 305.45 million person-times, up ​55.4% from the previous day and down 1.1% from the same period last year; waterway passenger volume is expected to reach ​1.34 million person-times, up ​63% from the previous day and up ​1.4% from the same period last year; civil aviation passenger volume is expected to reach ​2.51 million person-times, up ​2.4% from the previous day and up ​0.3% from the same period last year.

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Stepping onto the New Journey, We Advance with Confidence and Resolute Action (One Look

By: 本报记者 王 洲

As the seasons turn and another year passes, the People's Republic of China ushers in the 77th anniversary of its founding. Chinese modernization — the only correct path toward building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation — what kind of bearing should we adopt to continue walking this road?

On September 30, at the reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech was both inspiring and enlightening. "Confidence" and "steadfast practice" are the profound guidance contained within it.

Let us first speak of confidence. It originates from the myriad mountains and passes already traversed.

"Over the past 77 years, our Party has united and led the people in unremitting struggle, creating the two miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability, and achieving the first centenary goal of building a moderately prosperous society in all respects," General Secretary Xi Jinping provided a clear outline or key points (提纲挈领, tigang qieling - "pull the handle; lift the knot"), stirring lasting resonance.

Working hard through great difficulties (筚路蓝缕, bilu lanlu - "rough path; scattered silk") to blaze a trail through the wilderness. From the proud declaration that "the Chinese people have stood up," to creating the "human miracle recorded in the annals of history" by historically resolving absolute poverty; from the railway, highway, and canal blueprints that lay only on paper in Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Foundations of National Reconstruction, to the historical record written stroke by stroke that "only we Chinese Communists have realized them"; from longing that "fellow villagers may eat their fill of meat," to the everyday detail that "sometimes we eat coarse grains and actually eat quite well"... For this ancient nation, how many dreams have been realized in new China, realized in the new era!

"At this moment, we are immensely proud of the achievements of new China that have attracted worldwide attention (举世瞩目, jushi zhumu - "the entire world raises its eyes"), and full of confidence in the bright prospects of Chinese modernization." General Secretary Xi Jinping, reflecting on the past while looking at the present (抚今追昔, fujin zhuixi - "touch today; pursue past"), sets his sights even more firmly on the future.

Pride in the past is nurtured by the incremental achievements along the road traveled; confidence in the future is tempered by the scientific methods discovered and institutional strengths formed through practical exploration.

"Through long-term exploration and practice, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has demonstrated enormous superiority,our country's modernization level of governance system and governance capacity has been continuously raised, and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has become an unstoppable force or trend (势不可挡, shibu kedang - "momentum that cannot be blocked")." General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out.

At the 2024 National Day reception, General Secretary Xi Jinping once profoundly expounded the significance of "the leadership of the Communist Party of China" and "the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics" for advancing Chinese modernization. In this year's important speech, the "15th Five-Year Plan," mentioned twice, is also an example of this superiority.

Formulating and implementing the 15th Five-Year Plan is the powerful guarantee for "the Party and the country's undertakings achieving new progress and new results" since the beginning of this year;"striving to complete this year's goals and tasks," anchoring the realization of a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan... Looking back and looking forward, the thread of the 15th Five-Year Plan runs through the entire speech.

The five-year plan is the blueprint and program of action for economic and social development. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Scientifically formulating and successively implementing five-year plans is an important experience of our Party in governing the country, and also an important political advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics." It is precisely through 14 five-year plans of rolling rocks up mountains that the historical leap of China from standing up, growing rich,to becoming strong has been built up. And this year is precisely the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan.

Stepping onto the new journey,besides a confident bearing,we cannot do without the practical character of steadfast practice.

"Adhere to the general principle of seeking progress while maintaining stability (稳中求进, wenzhong qiujin - "seeking progress amid stability"), fully, accurately,and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, accelerate the construction of the new development pattern, further deepen reform and opening up, better coordinate development and security";

"Unswervingly and steadfastly (坚定不移, jianding buyi - "firm and steadfast; not moving") implement the policy of 'One Country, Two Systems,' 'Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong,' 'Macao people administering Macao,' and a high degree of autonomy,support Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating into and serving the country's overall development, and maintaining long-term prosperity and stability";

"Resolutely combat 'Taiwan independence' separatist forces, oppose interference by external forces, promote the peaceful development of cross-strait relations,and advance the great cause of national reunification";

"Adhere to the independent and self-reliant (独立自主, duli zizhu - "standing alone; being one's own master") peaceful foreign policy,promote the implementation of the four major global initiatives,promote the building of a community with a shared future for mankind,and inject more certainty and positive energy into a world of a complex mix of changes and turmoil (变乱交织, bianluan jiaozhi - "change and chaos interweaving")";

What is upheld, what is opposed — all lands ultimately in action. Each "adhere," "firmly," "resolutely" — the most vivid manifestation of steadfast practice — "once the path is chosen correctly, one must persist in walking it."

The importance of perseverance (人贵有恒, rengui youheng - "what is precious in a person is having constancy") — governing the country even more requires a spirit of "driving in nails." It originates from Comrade Xi Jinping's long-term and rich grassroots work practice,and has been tested and developed in the new practice of governance:"Driving in a nail often cannot be done with a single hammer blow; rather, one must strike blow after blow in succession, until the nail is driven solid and secure. Once one nail is driven firm, drive the next, and keep driving continuously — results are bound to be substantial."

Today, when we are closer than any period in history to realizing the goal of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation,every step forward is a courageous climb undertaken while bearing heavy burdens. At the National Day reception two years ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping once quoted a couplet from Mount Heng in southern Hunan to encourage everyone:"Follow the Way and proceed — but at the halfway point one must strive harder; the goal is not far from the heart — to reach the summit, do not begrudge the toil."

At this year's National Day reception, General Secretary Xi Jinping's words were equally resounding,giving people the strength to continue striving:"As long as we firm up our confidence, anchor our goals,and steadily move forward step by step, success will certainly belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people,and the great People's Republic of China!"

The best action to celebrate the anniversary of the Republic is to keep advancing that unprecedented great cause of comprehensively building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization. The new journey lies right beneath our feet — full of confidence, practicing steadfastly with solid work,the grand goal will ultimately be realized.

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People from multiple countries praise China's development achievements, expect to deepen cooperation with China

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing) Comprehensive reports from Xinhua correspondents stationed abroad: In recent days, Chinese embassies and consulates abroad have held receptions and other events in multiple locations around the world to solemnly celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Political figures from multiple countries attending the events spoke highly of China's development achievements and expressed expectations for deepening mutually beneficial cooperation with China.

Kim Hyong-sik, Vice Chairman of the Standing Committee of the Supreme People's Assembly of the DPRK, said that over the past 77 years, the industriousand courageous Chinese people have overcome all kinds of difficulties and challenges, creating remarkable development achievements. The DPRK side is willing to work together with the Chinese side, for the common interests of the peoples of the two countries, to promote the continuous deepening and development of DPRK-China friendly and cooperative relations.

Myanmar Vice President Nyan Tun Nyein, in his address, spoke highly of the four major global initiatives proposed by the Chinese side, expressed admiration for China's development achievements, reaffirmed Myanmar's firm adherence to the one-China policy, and expressed the wish that the Myanmar-China "paukphaw" friendship would be everlasting and enduring friendship (万古长青, wan gu chang qing - "ten thousand, ages, long, green")。

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Infrastructure and Transport Matteo Salvini said that Italy-China relations are constructive and full of vitality. In the field of artificial intelligence, China has already taken the lead, and exchanges between the two countries around this field are very important. He expressed hope to visit China again, bringing China's experience back to Italy.

Zimbabwe's Minister of Higher Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development Frederick Shava said that Zimbabwe-China friendship has been tested and is highly resilient, and the relations between the two countries are built on the basis of sovereign equality and mutual respect. Cooperation with China has played a transformative role in driving Zimbabwe's economic development, significantly improving people's livelihoods. The Zimbabwean side will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle, and maintain close coordination with the Chinese side in multilateral settings.

South African Minister of Tourism Patricia de Lille, on behalf of the South African government, extended sincere congratulations to the Chinese government and people, spoke highly of China's economic and social development achievements, thanked the Chinese side for its support and assistance to South Africa, and said that South Africa is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with China, continuously raising the level of bilateral relations.

Marinko Čavara, Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, said that Bosnia and Herzegovina has benefited greatly from cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative, and China's development experience has provided reference for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He extended holiday congratulations to the Chinese people, wishing China an even better and more prosperous future, and a more important influence in the world.

Peru's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Eric Anderson, on behalf of the Peruvian government, congratulated China on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China and the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Peru and China, speaking highly of the cooperative achievements between the two countries since the establishment of diplomatic relations in the political, economic, trade, cultural, and people-to-people fields. He said that the Peruvian side is willing to continue strengthening high-level dialogue with the Chinese side, expanding development cooperation in areas such as trade, investment, connectivity, promoting the transformation of more cooperation achievements into development, employment, technological progress, and improvement of people's livelihoods, continuously consolidating the friendly relations between Peru and China.

Sri Lanka's Minister of Ports, Civil Aviation, and Energy Anura Karunathilaka spoke highly of the development achievements of Chinese modernization and Sri Lanka-China cooperation, reaffirmed the Sri Lankan side's firm adherence to the one-China policy, thanked China for its long-term valuable support to Sri Lanka, and expressed expectations for both sides to continue deepening cooperation in various fields, jointly building a peaceful, prosperous future.

Olaf Lies, Minister-President of Lower Saxony, Germany, said that the vigorous vitality and innovative capacity displayed by China are deeply impressive. Lower Saxony has a tradition of cooperation with China, hoping that both sides will continue to carry out cooperation in key areas such as transportation, digital economy, intelligent manufacturing, the automotive industry, and ports.

Michael Miller, representative of the Governor of New South Wales, Australia, and Official Secretary to the Governor, said that the extraordinary journey of the People's Republic of China over the past 77 years has witnessed remarkable development achievements. Over the past nearly 20 years, China has been New South Wales' largest trading partner, and he expressed expectations for the continuous development of cooperation between the two sides in areas such as trade, healthcare, life sciences, and net-zero emissions.

Abdrashov, head of the representative office of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kazakhstan in Almaty, said that China has set an example for the world in adhering to sustainable development. Next year will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Kazakhstan and China, and he believes that this important milestone will endow Kazakhstan-China cooperation with new connotations, further unleashing the potential for cooperation between the two sides.

Belgian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Employment, Economy, and Agriculture Clarinval, on behalf of the Belgian side, warmly congratulated the People's Republic of China on the 77th anniversary of its founding, saying that China is a major world economy and an important partner of Belgium, and that the Belgian side is willing to work together with the Chinese side to transform the potential for cooperation between the two sides into more practical results that benefit the peoples of both countries.

Turkmenistan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Meredov congratulated China on the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, and said that in recent years, the scale of Turkmenistan-China trade exchanges and people-to-people exchanges has grown significantly, expressing hope that cooperation between the two countries will continue to expand into more fields.

Deputy Secretary-General of the European External Action Service Zvach, on behalf of the European Union, extended National Day congratulations to the Chinese side, saying that EU-China relations have become one of the most influential bilateral relationships in the world, hoping that both sides will strengthen constructive communication, promoting the forward development of EU-China relations.

Ratrey, Director of the Executive Office of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, and other senior UN officials, warmly congratulated the People's Republic of China on the brilliant achievements made over the past 77 years since its founding, spoke highly of China's contributions to the cause of multilateralism at the United Nations, and sincerely expressed the hope that China will inject more momentum into global peace and development, promoting the condensation of more international consensus to benefit the world.

Indranee Rajah, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for Finance and National Development of Singapore, warmly congratulated the People's Republic of China on the 77th anniversary of its founding, positively evaluating the extraordinary development achievements of New China. Indranee Rajah said that she is full of confidence in the continuous development of the Singapore-China all-round, high-quality, forward-looking partnership. Next year, Singapore will serve as the rotating chair of ASEAN, and she expressed expectations for strengthening coordination and close cooperation with the Chinese side, jointly promoting regional peace, stability, and prosperity.

Moalusi, Minister of Presidential Affairs of Botswana, said that he extends warm holiday congratulations to the Chinese people. The tremendous development achievements made by New China have inspired many countries, and Botswana is willing to learn from China's experience in improving people's lives and reducing poverty. China is Botswana's "loyal friend and reliable development partner," and the Botswana side is willing to attract more Chinese investment.

Madagascar's Minister of Armed Forces Razafitombona extended sincere holiday wishes to the Chinese people. He said that cooperation between Madagascar and China in areas such as agriculture, digital development, infrastructure construction, as well as personnel training and exchanges, is becoming increasingly close. The Malagasy side is willing to further deepen cooperation with China, enhance mutual understanding, better serve national development, and benefit the peoples of both countries.

Seferogile, Chairperson of the National Assembly's House Business Committee of South Africa, said that since the founding of the People's Republic of China 77 years ago, China has become a major global economy, a center of scientific and technological innovation, and an important participant in international affairs. China's long-term vision, sustained investment in talent and infrastructure, has provided inspiration for the development of the Global South.

Ghana's Minister of Environment, Science and Technology Opoku-Agyemang-Rollins spoke highly of the brilliant achievements made by New China over the past 77 years and the cooperative achievements between Ghana and China in various fields. Ghana will serve as the rotating chair of the African Union in 2027, and is willing to continue deepening cooperation with the Chinese side, promoting Africa-China relations to continuously reach new heights.

Bangladesh's Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Md. Moin Khan said that since the founding of the People's Republic of China 77 years ago, China has blazed a path of Chinese modernization that suits its own national conditions, contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to world peace and development. The Bangladeshi side is willing to strengthen cooperation and exchanges with the Chinese side, better benefiting the peoples of both countries.

Azerbaijan's Deputy Prime Minister Mustafayev said that China is one of Azerbaijan's main economic and trade partners, and cooperation between the two sides in the investment field is actively developing, with Chinese enterprises participating increasingly broadly in Azerbaijan's economic construction. Green energy is one of the important areas for mutually beneficial cooperation between Azerbaijan and China, and China's advanced technological capabilities and rich experience are helping Azerbaijan develop its renewable energy potential.

Armenia's Deputy Prime Minister Grigoryan said that deepening the development of relations with China is one of the priority directions of Armenia's foreign policy. Political dialogue between the two countries is continuously deepening, economic and trade cooperation is continuously expanding, and Armenia's "Crossroads of Peace" plan is expected to effectively dock with the Belt and Road Initiative.

Kazakhstan's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Economy Zhuman-garin said that developing relations with China is an unchanging priority direction of Kazakhstan's foreign policy. The Kazakh side is willing to further deepen strategic mutual trust with the Chinese side, promoting cooperation between the two countries in various fields to achieve more results in the new "golden thirty years."

Tunisia's Minister of Economy and Planning Abdelhafidh said that China's announcement of implementing zero tariffs on 100% of tariff lines for the 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China has provided important opportunities for closer Tunisia-China economic and trade exchanges, and the Tunisian side supports Chinese initiatives such as the Global Development Initiative, willing to deepen mutually beneficial cooperation with the Chinese side within the frameworks of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

Brazil's Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Klebank, in her address, congratulated the People's Republic of China on the 77th anniversary of its founding. She said that in recent years, Brazil has become a major destination for Chinese investment, and the two sides are also carrying out cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence, education, and medicine. The two countries have also held various activities of the "Brazil-China Culture Year," carrying out extensive and diverse cultural exchange programs, greatly promoting mutual understanding between the two sides.

Ukraine's Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Perebyinis spoke highly of the magnificent development course of New China and the tremendous achievements it has made, expressing expectations for deeply exploring cooperation potential with the Chinese side, jointly opening a new chapter in the partnership.

Former Austrian President Fischer said that the economic ties between Austria and China are very close, and according to Austrian statistics, China was Austria's third-largest trading partner globally in 2025. China is a peace-loving country, a trustworthy partner, and China enjoys a good reputation among the Austrian people.

Nam In-soon, Vice Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea, said that China has a long history and is full of development vitality. The National Assembly of the Republic of Korea will, based on the two pillars of people's livelihoods and peace, promote the ROK-China strategic cooperative partnership to keep pace with the trends of the times and continue to move forward.

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Write a New Chapter in Building a China-Brunei Community with a Shared Future ()

By: 陈少春

On September 30, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Brunei faces the South China Sea to its north and has long enjoyed the reputations of the "Abode of Peace" and the"Gem of Borneo." The traditional friendship between China and Brunei has a long and continuous history (源远流长, yuan yuan liu chang - "source, far; flow, long"), becoming stronger and more resilient over time(历久弥坚, li jiu mi jian -"time, long; increasingly, firm"). In the course of jointly advancing modernization, the two countries have set an example of mutual respect, equality, and common development between large and small countries. Over the 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China-Brunei political mutual trust has continued to deepen, cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges have grown ever closer.

Leadership at the head of state level anchors the direction of advance. Head-of-state guidance is the fundamental guarantee for the rapid development of China-Brunei relations. Since 2013, President Xi Jinping and Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah have met and held talks on multiple occasions, building deep mutual trust and sincere friendship, and, from a strategic height and a long-term perspective, steering the course of bilateral relations and guiding China-Brunei relations to continuously achieve historic leaps. In 2013, the two heads of state decided to establish a China-Brunei strategic cooperative relationship. In November 2018, President Xi Jinping made a state visit to Brunei, and the bilateral relationship was elevated to a strategic cooperative partnership. In February 2025, President Xi Jinping held talks with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah, who was in China on a state visit, and the two sides reached important consensus on jointly building a China-Brunei community with a shared future, leading bilateral relations into a new stage of historical development.

Achieving mutual benefits and win-win outcomes(互利共赢, hu li gong ying -"mutual, benefit; together, win") and sharing the fruits of development. China and Brunei adhere to extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, and high-quality Belt and Road cooperation has yielded fruitful results, with flagship projects such as the Guangxi-Brunei Economic Corridor and Hengyi Industries steadily advancing, making important contributions to improving the well-being of the Bruneian people and accelerating the diversification of its economy. In 2025, bilateral trade volume reached US$2.726 billion, more than 200 times the figure at the time diplomatic relations were established, and China has for many consecutive years been Brunei's largest source of foreign investment and one of its top three trading partners. The two countries have achieved positive results in cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, clean energy utilization, and hybrid rice breeding, while cooperation in fields such as artificial intelligence and the digital economy is flourishing and showing great promise(方兴未艾, fang xing wei ai -"just, arise; not, yet"). This year marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, and Brunei is striving toward its"Wawasan Brunei 2035" vision. The two countries are, through actions that achieve mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, writing a new chapter of advancing hand in hand on the path toward modernization.

Having mutual understanding and closeness(相知相亲, xiang zhi xiang qin -"mutually, know; mutually, be close"), we carry forward the bonds of friendship. The interaction between countries lies in the closeness of their peoples. China has for many consecutive years been Brunei's second-largest source of tourists, direct flights between the two countries are becoming increasingly frequent, and the people of the two countries come and go as often as relatives visiting each other. A Chinese wushu coach has been based in Brunei for 20 years, leading Bruneian wushu athletes to appear at international competitions on multiple occasions and win gold medals. This year, people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two sides have shone even more brightly: China's domestically produced embodied intelligent robots appeared at Brunei's Hari Raya Aidilfitri celebrations; Chinese drones painted the brilliant spectacle of"jointly building a China-Brunei community with a shared future" in the night sky over Brunei; the China Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe visited Brunei again after an interval of 22 years. Nanjing, China presented its sister city Bandar Seri Begawan with a commemorative sculpture of friendship named"Dream Boat," which has become a new landmark embodying China-Brunei friendship.

Mutual support consolidates the partnership. Over the 35 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Brunei have always firmly supported each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. Brunei firmly adheres to the One-China policy and supports China's cause of national reunification. The concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping have received positive responses from the Bruneian side. The two countries coordinate closely in international and regional affairs, uphold the harmonious coexistence and shared flourishing of different civilizations, uphold cooperation for win-win outcomes and common development among all countries of the world, firmly safeguard multilateralism, and jointly respond to global challenges. Not long ago, Brunei joined the World Association for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation, working together with the Chinese side to actively contribute to international cooperation and global governance in artificial intelligence. The two countries have more and more common language and coordinated actions in promoting an equal and orderly multipolar world anda universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, which are injecting strong momentum into the development of China-Brunei relations in the new era.

At present, China-Brunei relations stand at a new historical starting point. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state and with the joint efforts of the two peoples, China and Brunei will surely carry forward their traditional friendship, consolidate the foundation of cooperation, march side by side on the journey of jointly pursuing modernization, jointly write a new chapter in building a China-Brunei community with a shared future, and make new and greater contributions to peace, stability, development, and prosperity in the region and the world.

(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Brunei.)

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March Forward Bravely Toward the Goal of Building a Great Modern Socialist Country in All Respects

By: 新华社记者

“As long as we strengthen our confidence, anchor our goals, and move forward steadily step by step, success will surely belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China!” On the evening of September 30, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Cadres and the masses from all walks of life said that General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech is inspiring and galvanizing, and that they must strengthen confidence, row hard and press forward with dedication, and on the new journey, with the spirit of seizing every moment (只争朝夕, zhi zheng chao xi - "only seize the morning and evening") and never slackening, pool their hearts and minds to turn the grand blueprint of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation into beautiful reality.

Immensely proud of the achievements, full of confidence in the future

Listening on site to General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, Chen Jia, National Model Worker and Chairman of the Trade Union of the Manzhouli Operation Workshop of the Qiqihar Rolling Stock Depot under China Railway Harbin Group Co., Ltd., felt immensely proud.

“From independently designing and building the Beijing-Zhangjiakou Railway, to today's crisscrossing high-speed rail network, a history of China's railway development is a microcosm of the history of national rejuvenation. China's train of development has been racing forward all along, and we truly feel immensely proud.” Chen Jia said.

The whistle sounds, the canal surges onward. Since the Pinglu Canal opened to navigation half a month ago, 5,000-ton vessels have been passing through, writing a new chapter of the southwest reaching the sea.

“When the General Secretary spoke of the achievements made by New China over the past 77 years, we are both witnesses and participants.” Cheng Yaofei, Chairman of Guangxi Pinglu Canal Construction Co., Ltd. under Pinglu Canal Group, said, “The opening of the Pinglu Canal embodies the dream of several generations and is the best example of the extraordinary achievements of our great motherland. Being able to participate in building the canal, I feel feeling honored to share in the glory (与有荣焉, yu you rong yan - "with, have, glory, oneself"), and I understand even more clearly that great achievements are made by the Party and the people striving together, working together, and struggling together.”

Just a few days ago, “China's Sky Eye” ushered in its tenth anniversary since completion. “Over the past decade, ‘China's Sky Eye’ has delivered a scientific answer sheet far exceeding expectations. From following and catching up, to leading the world, behind it all stands generation after generation enduring hardships to start a cause (筚路蓝缕, bi lu lan lu - "thorny paths, blue/purple silk"), working tirelessly, with the great cause passing the torch from generation to generation (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, torch, pass from one to another"). We will continue striving without interruption, continuously enhancing original innovation capacity, laying solid foundations for building a powerful country in science and technology, and striving forward toward the Second Centenary Goal of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country.” Said Jiang Peng, Deputy Director of the National Astronomical Observatories of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chief Engineer of “China's Sky Eye.”

This year marks the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China. History has eloquently proved that without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China, and without the Communist Party of China, there would be no the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

“As emphasized in General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, our Party has united and led the people in unremitting struggle, creating the two great miracles of rapid economic development and long-term social stability.” Li Liancheng, recipient of the“July 1 Medal” and Secretary of the Party Branch of Xixinzhuang Village, Qingzu Town, Puyang County, Henan Province, said with deep emotion, “A fast train depends on the locomotive to pull it; primary-level Party organizations are fighting bastions. We primary-level Party members and cadres must firmly establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, take the lead in advancing the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, carry forward fine work styles, and lead our fellow villagers in rolling up our sleeves and working with vigor.”

The superiority of a political system is the greatest superiority of a country. Meng Nan, deputy to the National People's Congress and professor at the School of History of Xinjiang University, said: “The General Secretary pointed out that, ‘after long-term exploration and practice, the socialist system with Chinese characteristics has demonstrated enormous superiority.’ We must leverage the disciplinary strengths of history departments in universities, continue to tell vivid stories of the practice of institutional superiority, and support national development with academic responsibility.”

Forge ahead with determination and strive with all our might, achieving a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan

The 15th Five-Year Plan marks the beginning of a new stage; China's development has entered a critical period of consolidating the foundation for basically realizing socialist modernization and launching a full-scale push.

In the farmland of Bianlin Town, Lingcheng District, Dezhou City, Shandong Province, a gratifying scene of a bumper harvest in sight unfolds. On June 24 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping came here and chatted warmly with the villagers. Fan Changshun, a major grain grower, was right there at the time.

“In his speech, the General Secretary emphasized the need to work hard to accomplish the year's entire goals and tasks, achieving a good start for the 15th Five-Year Plan. Judging by the current growth of the corn, this year is bound to be another bumper harvest again.” Fan Changshun said, “Nowadays, farming is fully mechanized from start to finish, and agricultural technicians often come to the fields to guide refined management, making it more convenient and worry-free. To accelerate building an agricultural powerhouse, grow good grain and produce more grain, we are full of confidence.”

The key to Chinese modernization lies in the modernization of science and technology. In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has attached great importance to scientific and technological innovation, consistently placing scientific and technological innovation in a prominent position in modernization efforts.

At the National Information Technology Innovation Park in Beijing Yizhuang, the open-source, open “Lingji OS” project, a common infrastructure for AI agents, is accelerating technological breakthroughs and standard formulation.

Xie Tao, Director of the Beijing Tongminghu Information Technology Application Innovation Center, said: “Advancing high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology is a major mission entrusted to us by the times. We will concentrate our efforts on securing breakthroughs in key technologies to solidify the foundation of security, strive to genuinely transform scientific and technological innovation into industrial competitiveness, and work hard to lay a solid scientific and technological foundation for high-quality development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.”

The lives of ordinary people are family matters, and even more so affairs of state. “The continuous improvement of people's quality of life” is one of the main goals of economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period.

The upcoming National Day holiday is the first National Day holiday that old neighborhood residents will spend back living in the Citizens' New Village residential area of Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict, Huangpu District, Shanghai, after its renovation. Zhang Wei, director of the neighborhood committee, has been busy these days going door to door with her colleagues to visit residents, carrying out pre-holiday safety inspections and service guarantee work.

“The General Secretary has repeatedly urged that people's livelihoods must be effectively safeguarded and improved. We must always make improving people's livelihoods the focus of our grassroots work, and serve residents wholeheartedly by doing good deeds, handling practical matters, and resolving difficulties.” Zhang Wei said.

The blueprint has been drawn; action is what matters.

At the construction site of the Xiong'an Guomao Trade Center project in the launch area of Xiong'an New Area, there is a zone known as the“underground heart,” where over 900 underground equipment rooms carry multiple system functions including electrical, HVAC, fire protection, and water supply and drainage. Cui Haotian, an engineer in the Engineering Management Department of Xiong'an Xiongshang Real Estate Co., Ltd., was carefully checking pipelines row by row with a flashlight.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping places particular emphasis on‘Xiong'an Quality.’ For us frontline builders, creating‘Xiong'an Quality’ means turning every single process into a project of reassurance and making every single commissioning run accurate and error-free.” Cui Haotian said, “We must, through hard work and solid effort, turn the beautiful blueprint into a vivid, tangible reality that stands the test of time.”

The mission is as weighty as a mountain, and the bugle urges us onward. Cheng Qian, professor at the College of Military Culture of the National Defense University, said:“General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has greatly inspired all officers and soldiers of the armed forces. We will surely bear in mind the supreme commander's instructions, thoroughly implement Xi Jinping's thought on strengthening the military, forge the heroic military under our Party's leadership into an even stronger force, and strive unremittingly toward achieving the centenary goal of building the people's military and creating a new situation in the modernization of national defense and the armed forces.”

Strengthen confidence, anchor goals, and move forward steadily step by step

Before the National Day holiday, Chang'an Avenue in Beijing is resplendent with flowers. From the“Long March Continues” flower bed at Jianguomen, to the“Forge Ahead Bravely” flower bed featuring galloping steeds as its main scene at Fuxingmen, the displays string together China's past, present, and future.

“Every time we delivery riders pass these flower beds, we feel very inspired. General Secretary Xi Jinping said that if we move forward steadily step by step, success will surely belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China! I firmly believe that if everyone does their own job well and takes every step well, there will certainly be a better future.” At the National Day reception, Gao Feng, a National Outstanding Communist Party Member and Secretary of the Party Branch of the Beijing Meituan 707 Riders, was full of confidence.

Basic research is the source of scientific and technological innovation, and its level determines the depth of innovation capability and the staying power of a country's science and technology. On April 30 this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping attended a symposium on strengthening basic research and delivered an important speech, issuing a call to further consolidate the foundation for building a powerful country in science and technology on the new journey of the new era.

“What the country needs is what scientific research pursues.” At the National Key Laboratory of Green Hydrogen and Power at Xi'an Jiaotong University, Guo Liejin, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and his team members are holding fast at the frontline of scientific research. “We must, as the General Secretary requires, carry forward and promote the spirit of westward relocation, strengthen our sense of responsibility toward family and country, adhere to the integrated advancement of education, science and technology, and talent, and around fields such as energy supply security and green low-carbon transformation, gnaw hard bones, venture into uncharted territory, and serve Chinese modernization with solid achievements in original innovation.” Guo Liejin said.

At Jinggangshan, the cradle of the revolution, visitors from all over are walking into memorial venues, drawing strength for endeavor from red memories, and perceiving the practice of revitalization and development of the old revolutionary base areas through the contrast between past and present.

“This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. Standing at a new historical starting point, we must bear in mind the suffering and glory, and march toward the dream of rejuvenation. We must deeply comprehend the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, nourish our original aspiration and temper our character with the Jinggangshan spirit, the Soviet Area spirit, and the Long March spirit, educate and guide Party members and cadres to firmly ideal and convictions, bear in mind our original aspiration and founding mission, actively forge ahead, dare to take on responsibility, and strive to win greater glory for the Party and the people.” Said Yang Shaohua, professor at the China Executive Leadership Academy Jinggangshan.

The hope of a country lies in its youth, and the future of a nation lies in its youth.

“In May this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping wrote back encouraging us that‘young people are just at the right time to make contributions.’ This important speech has made me feel that the direction for striving is even clearer.” Shi Jinglong, recipient of the China Youth May Fourth Medal and a special-grade technical expert at the Commercial Vehicle Development Institute of FAW Jiefang Group Co., Ltd., said that he will bear in mind the instructions, “strengthen confidence, anchor goals,” and contribute youthful strength on the new journey.

Carry forward the feelings of family and country, and forge a bright future.

“General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has left a deep impression on me: Hong Kong's confidence lies in the motherland, and Hong Kong's opportunities lie in the motherland.” Huang Mingxin, professor at the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Hong Kong, is now even more confident about the future.

Wu Zhibin, Deputy Director of the Committee for Liaison with Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan Compatriots and Overseas Chinese of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, said that General Secretary Xi Jinping reaffirmed at the National Day reception the relevant principles and policies toward Hong Kong and Macao, and that we should carry forward the tradition of loving the motherland, loving Hong Kong, and loving Macao, and achieve better development for ourselves while integrating into and serving the overall development of the country.

“Only when the country is good and the nation is good will compatriots on both sides of the Taiwan Strait be good.” Wu Jiaying, Executive Vice President of the Association of Taiwan Investment Enterprises on the Mainland, said that Taiwan compatriots will stand shoulder to shoulder with mainland compatriots, march forward in unity, and strive for the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.

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ASEAN-China Economic and Trade Ties to Grow Even Closer

By: 本报记者 李 琰

"After the Protocol on Upgrading the ASEAN–China Free Trade Area to Version 3.0 enters into force and takes effect, both sides will seize the new opportunities to cultivate new growth drivers in digitalization, artificial intelligence, green industries, and renewable energy, achieving greater mutually beneficial outcomes and win-win cooperation." During the 23rd China–ASEAN Expo, ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn said in a joint media interview that the FTA 3.0 opportunities have opened new pathways for both sides to accelerate the building of an integrated large market, innovative cooperation, and shared prosperity, pushing their high-quality cooperation into a new phase.

This year is a milestone year for China–ASEAN relations, as both sides mark the 5th anniversary of the establishment of their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and the 35th anniversary of the establishment of their dialogue relations. "Over the past 35 years, ASEAN–China relations have developed steadily, with both sides maintaining over 60 cross-field cooperation mechanisms under the three pillars of political-security, economic, and socio-cultural cooperation, and cooperation in all fields has yielded fruitful achievements. Over the past five years, ASEAN–China relations have in particular continued to expand, deepen, and consolidate. I believe that, driven by the FTA 3.0 opportunities, ASEAN–China economic and trade relations will become even closer, and the scope of cooperation will continue to expand." Kao Kim Hourn said.

In 2025, China–ASEAN trade volume exceeded US$1 trillion for the first time, reaching US$1.05 trillion, a year-on-year increase of 7.4%. China has remained ASEAN's largest trading partner for 17 consecutive years, while ASEAN has been China's largest trading partner for six consecutive years. In the first eight months of this year, the total value of China–ASEAN trade reached 5.95 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 20.6%. "The data confirm the substance of the development of bilateral relations. Despite the various challenges we face, we have always been working together side by side." Kao Kim Hourn said that coordination should be strengthened between the ASEAN–China FTA Version 3.0 and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, so as to provide greater convenience for enterprise trade and investment, and in particular to help micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises participate more effectively in the deep integration of regional production and supply chains, thereby obtaining tangible and substantial benefits from the opportunities of FTA 3.0.

Kao Kim Hourn spoke highly of the key role the China–ASEAN Expo has played in promoting trade exchanges, tourism economy, and people-to-people exchanges between ASEAN countries and China. "Today, the China–ASEAN Expo has become an important platform for ASEAN to expand and deepen its cooperation with China, accumulating mutual trust for both sides to deepen practical cooperation." He said he looks forward to the Expo continuing to play a key role, converting the opportunities created by the FTA Version 3.0 into stronger business partnerships, broader participation, and new sources of growth, thereby helping ASEAN and China achieve common development and progress.

The Pinglu Canal has created a water transport corridor connecting southwest China with ASEAN that offers shorter routes, lower costs, and more convenient transportation. "This is a canal of great historical significance." Kao Kim Hourn believes that a large volume of goods moving between ASEAN and China needs to be transported through ports, and the Pinglu Canal is conducive to lowering logistics costs, improving transport stability, enhancing regional economic competitiveness, and opening up new opportunities for both sides to deepen practical cooperation.

At present, ASEAN countries are advancing negotiations on the ASEAN Digital Economy Framework Agreement. Kao Kim Hourn said that, as the digital economy continues to develop, digital cooperation is expected to become an important direction for future ASEAN–China cooperation. "The ASEAN–China FTA Version 3.0 covers digitalization-related content, and I hope ASEAN and China will strengthen innovative cooperation, share the dividends of artificial intelligence, benefiting not only the business community but also the peoples of both sides, and raising the overall level of digitalization in the ASEAN region." Kao Kim Hourn said.

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Amid the Cang Mountains and Erhai Lake, vitality emerges (cultivating more "China Services" brands)

By: 本报记者 李茂颖

The Cang Mountains are verdant, and Erhai Lake ripples with waves. In Haidong Town, Dali City, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, the rainbow-colored lakeside road extends along the shore, with guesthouses and small shops scattered about, the aroma of coffee wafting through the air, and visitors strolling leisurely.

Travel-residing visitors Li Li, Rong Rong, and Zhu Peiyun met and became companions at the Jinghai Wellness Travel-Residence Base in Haidong Town. "The scenery is beautiful, there's plenty of local flavor, and it's comfortable to stay here." Li Li said.

"Here you can get physiotherapy, and there are also village markets." Liu Jingjing, head of the Jinghai Wellness Travel-Residence Base, introduced, "We've also customized rural rambling routes to make it convenient for guests to explore."

The pleasant travel-residence experience stems from the cultural-tourism brand building of recent years. "To build a travel-residence brand, one must revitalize rural resources and shore up development shortcomings." Zhang Shaojiu, mayor of Haidong Town, said that at the beginning of brand building, challenges were numerous: infrastructure needed repair, new cultural-tourism business formats lacked mature reference models, and a standardized travel-residence service system needed to be built from scratch...

Village transformation met considerable resistance. A few years ago, Wenbi Village in Haidong Town was still a small fishing village with a large outflow of young and middle-aged adults and lagging development, with bumpy, potholed dirt roads inside the village, many courtyards lying idle, and no complete supporting facilities or services whatsoever. Visitors who came to the village were mostly short-term sightseers, and almost no one stayed for an extended period.

The village party organization took the lead, revitalizing idle resources, improving reception capacity, and optimizing travel-residence services, and villagers also threw themselves into cultural tourism, starting businesses and seeking employment... By 2025, Wenbi Village's collective income approached one million yuan, with more than 360 people employed within the village itself.

The transformation of Wenbi Village is a microcosm of the quality improvement and upgrading of Dali Prefecture's travel-residence industry.

For a long time, the local cultural-tourism industry over-relied on landscape sightseeing, with a relatively short industrial chain. In December 2024, Dali Prefecture issued implementation opinions on advancing the construction of "Travel-Residence Dali," implementing six key tasks including the "'Hundred Villages, Thousand Guesthouses' Cultivation Project" and the "Business Entity Introduction and Cultivation Project," pushing the cultural-tourism industry to transform from single-dimensional sightseeing toward diversified business formats such as wellness travel-residence and literary and artistic creation.

On the opposite shore of Erhai Lake, Fengyangyi Village is ancient and tranquil, having become a foothold where many people settle down and start businesses. "What moved me most was its humanistic atmosphere and entrepreneurial vibe." Travel-residence entrepreneur Gong Yanrong said. She and her husband delve deeply into the history of the Tea-Horse Road, employ Bai ethnic tie-dye, straw weaving, and other local elements to create modern works of art, and also organize local artisans and outside creators to learn from each other. Tradition and modernity empower each other bidirectionally, coexisting and co-thriving.

Abandoned warehouses have become art galleries, and idle old residences have been transformed into cultural-creative spaces... Fengyangyi Village has become being true to one's reputation (名副其实, ming fu qi shi - "name, match, actual, reality") an artistic habitat, and was rated as a pilot unit for Yunnan Province's "Artists' Second Residence," receiving over one million visitors annually.

In the process of building "Travel-Residence Dali," how does one escape the predicament of homogenized development and create a regional brand with distinct recognition?

Dali Prefecture continuously guides all counties and cities to act in light of local conditions, excavate distinctive features, and pursue differentiated development, launching 38 travel-residence and travel-creation products across various themes including literary-arts, elderly care, medical-nursing, and sports, forming a development pattern of developing in many different areas simultaneously (多点开花, duo dian kai hua - "many, points, bloom, flowers"). Heqing County has built supporting facilities such as travel-residence canteens, parent-child daycare, and village-level medical service points, establishing a refined travel-residence service system; Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County deeply excavates its ancient-city culture and food resources, relying on cultural and sports festivals to gather popularity and activate business formats; Jianchuan County, relying on its complete ancient-village resources along the Tea-Horse Road, coordinates the ancient courtyards and ancient towns across the entire county to build a slow-life travel-residence system.

In addition, Dali Prefecture has simultaneously advanced the work of introducing and cultivating professional talent, activating rural endogenous momentum. Taking Shangmatai Village, Xinjie Town, Midu County as an example, the locality has introduced cultural-tourism enterprises to carry out professional management and service operations, regularly conduct community activities, and simultaneously established a revenue feedback mechanism to strengthen the village collective economy.

At present, Dali Prefecture has issued 17 special support policies, promoting more than 80 key villages to be equipped with professional operating entities. Between the Cang Mountains and Erhai Lake, this travel-residence destination, which combines aesthetics, culture, and warmth, is enabling more and more people to "fall in love with life in Dali."

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New Scenarios Unlock New Momentum for Development

By: 金 轩

A scenario is the concrete context for the innovative application of new technologies, new products, and new business forms. On one end it connects to technology, on the other to industry; on one end it connects to R&D, on the other to the market. In large mining areas, clean-energy heavy trucks shuttle back and forth in streams; on the Yangtze River shipping lanes, drone-delivered takeout "descends from the sky"; on the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, new-energy vessels sail on zero-carbon shipping lanes... One concrete and vivid scenario after another sends technologies and products that had been "kept hidden in a deep boudoir" into all walks of life (千行百业, qian hang bai ye - "thousand, industry, hundred, industry") and pushes them out into the vast world. Scenarios are rapidly becoming an important vehicle for releasing innovation vitality and activating new momentum for development.

By cultivating and opening up scenarios, we release development potential and forge competitive advantages

Our country possesses a super-large-scale market, a complete industrial system, and a huge population size, bringing the enormous advantage of rich scenarios, and scenarios have already become a key innovation resource. The Central Economic Work Conference held in December 2024 proposed launching a large-scale demonstration and application action for new technologies, new products, and new scenarios. In the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the word "scenario" appears 19 times, highlighting its importance. Facing a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, we must seize the historical opportunity, put rich scenarios to good use and activate them well, and continuously transform scenario advantages into development momentum.

New scenarios cultivate new quality productive forces, letting innovation emerge and flourish rapidly (破土成林, po tu cheng lin - "break, soil, become, forest"). New quality productive forces are an advanced quality of productive forces in which innovation plays the leading role, and their cultivation and growth cannot be separated from the nourishment of scenario "soil". Judging from the practical course of successive industrial revolutions, new technologies and new products, from emergence to large-scale application, generally need to pass through a tortuous and lengthy process. Relying on scenario cultivation and opening, effectively bringing into play the government's guiding role, can greatly shorten the process of promotion and application, achieving revolutionary technological breakthroughs and an accelerated enhancement of productive forces. Through forward-looking scenario construction, guiding the agglomeration of innovation resources, letting new technologies and new products each take their proper place and display their respective strengths, undergoing real combat or practical testing (真刀真枪, zhen dao zhen qiang - "true, knife, true, gun") in real scenarios, will help old trees sprout new shoots, new seedlings grow into big trees, and fine seeds seize the first opportunity

New scenarios release domestic demand potential, letting market vitality surge like a tide (奔涌成潮, ben yong cheng chao - "surge, flow, become, tide"). At present, the external environment is complex and severe, and we must adhere to the strategic fulcrum of expanding domestic demand. Scenario cultivation and opening are gradually becoming a new support for stimulating consumption vitality, driving effective investment, and smoothing the economic cycle. Scenarios that integrate multiple new technologies, new business forms, and new models can better stimulate and satisfy people's diversified, differentiated consumption demands, driving economic development through consumption increments, letting demand "come alive"; can drive the construction of various types of infrastructure, accelerate the process of urban renewal and block renovation, accelerate the layout of new types of infrastructure such as 5G networks and computing power centers, opening up new space for effective investment; can use new demand to pull new supply, letting enterprises see the market clearly, grasp demand accurately, produce more targeted goods, while also using new supply to create new demand, bringing new products and new services through new scenarios, letting supply and demand sides meet each other halfway in scenarios, making the economic cycle smoother

Scenario cultivation and opening are flourishing vigorously, brilliant and diverse (亮点纷呈, liang dian fen cheng - "bright, spot, abundant, present")

Various relevant departments and localities, aiming at effective demand and combining with actual development conditions, are actively exploring and tapping scenario resources, and a batch of landmark application scenarios are landing at an accelerated pace

Scenario supply is continuously increasing. Scenarios are a systematized "social pilot," serving simultaneously as the "accelerator" for industrial upgrading, the "catalyst" for consumption expansion, and the "touchstone" for institutional reform, gradually permeating all aspects of economic and social life. In the production field, scenarios are accelerating their spread into links such as manufacturing and agriculture. For example, a batch of intelligent factories and unmanned workshops are landing at an accelerated pace, with industrial robots working collaboratively alongside workers, helping to continuously optimize production processes. As another example, drones are widely applied in links such as plant protection, fertilization, and hoisting, becoming "new farm tools" in the fields. In the consumption field, scenarios are continuously opening up new demand space. For example, new cultural-tourism scenarios, by deeply integrating cultural elements into tourism spaces, let tourists change from "viewing the scenery" to "entering the scenery." As another example, silver-haired technology fitness centers integrating fun interactive training, community cultural-entertainment centers offering elderly courses and social activities, and other new scenarios, let the elderly not only have support in old age, but also be able to find joy in old age and enjoy life in old age

Scenario exploration has its own distinctive features in each place. Localities, based on their actual conditions, have gradually explored a batch of replicable and scalable paths in the process of tapping scenario resources and opening up scenarios

First, events provide the stage, real-world application. Concentrated application of new technologies and new products at major events such as sports meets and expositions can both undergo real-world testing and form demonstration effects. For example, the opening ceremony of the 15th National Games adopted for the first time a "high-reliability municipal power + new-type energy storage online" main power supply scheme, opening a new path for ensuring power supply at large-scale sporting events

Second, whole-region integration, collaborative verification. Opening up an entire region as a whole, letting multiple advanced technologies and multiple application forms undergo integrated verification and coordinated operation in the same space, can both reduce the verification cost of individual technologies and give rise to synergistic effects among technologies. For example, Luogang Park in Hefei, Anhui, has set aside 12.7 square kilometers of land area and 3 kilometers of airport runway, letting unmanned buses, unmanned logistics, and aerial transportation undergo cross-verification and coordinated operation within the same park, promoting the landing of a batch of new technologies, new products, and new scenarios

Third, competitions provide traction, competitive tempering. By hosting large-scale competitions, using same-field competition to force technological breakthroughs, can both accelerate product iteration and upgrading and drive industrial development and growth. For example, Beijing hosted a humanoid robot sports meet, through "promoting industry through competitions" accelerating the leap of robot technology from basic motor abilities toward practical application, evolving from "can run and jump" toward "can work and solve problems"

Push scenario cultivation and opening to go deeper and more solid, land effectively and produce results

The "small incision" of scenarios connects to the "big article" of development. In November 2025, the General Office of the State Council issued the《Implementation Opinions on Accelerating Scenario Cultivation and Opening and Promoting Large-Scale Application of New Scenarios》, systematically deploying the roadmap for scenario cultivation and opening. During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, we must develop well the "rich mine" of scenarios, build wide the "stage" of innovation, letting new momentum compete to burst forth and surge forward in scenario cultivation and opening

Open wide the "door of admission," enrich the supply of high-quality scenarios. In scenario cultivation and opening, supply is the premise. We must strengthen national-level overall coordination of scenario cultivation and opening. Plan and launch a batch of super-scenarios in key fields with strong leading power and broad driving coverage, promoting the opening of industry-wide scenario ecosystems. Implement landmark major application scenario projects in batches, support the construction of a batch of comprehensive major scenarios, industry-domain integrated scenarios, and high-value small-incision scenarios, advancing the cultivation and large-scale application of new scenarios by using points to drive the whole. Select a batch of cities to carry out comprehensive pilot programs for scenario cultivation and opening, systematically advancing scenario work, exploring replicable and scalable experience for the whole country. Promote cross-field and cross-region collaboration, pay attention to scenario specialization and differentiation, cultivate and expand large-scale application of new scenarios in light of local conditions, prevent rushing into something blindly or all at once (一哄而上, yi hong er shang - "one, swarm, and, go up") and duplicate construction

Build well the "bridge between supply and demand," promote efficient docking of scenario resources. Scenario cultivation and opening does not mean building a closed, isolated "display cabinet," but rather actively attracting all types of entities to jointly participate in scenario construction. Government organs, public institutions, and state-owned enterprises must strengthen demonstration and leadership, and state-owned enterprises, especially central enterprises, must proactively open up scenario resources in their main business fields, attracting private enterprises, small-and-medium enterprises, and research institutes to participate. We must establish a market-based allocation mechanism for scenario resources, promote equal access to scenario opportunities and optimized allocation of scenario resources, letting all types of entities participate fairly in scenario cultivation and opening, letting the utility of scenario resources be brought into play to the greatest extent

Use well the "magic weapon of reform," coordinately advance institutional innovation. Scenario cultivation and opening requires not only promoting "hard construction" such as infrastructure and platforms, but even more so "soft innovation" in laws, regulations, institutions, and policies. We must strengthen inter-departmental coordination, improve regulatory mechanisms, explore due-diligence exemption, pilot a batch of new institutions and new rules, continuously enhance the adaptability of market rules, standard systems, regulatory means, and policy systems to new business forms and new fields, and in real-world applications clarify the boundaries of responsibility among all parties, improve safety standards, explore access rules, turning "having no rules or precedents to follow" (无章可循, wu zhang ke xun - "no, chapter, can, follow") into "having rules to rely on." We must coordinately advance reforms in access, scenarios, and factors of production, breaking through departmental barriers and industry barriers in a controllable environment, optimizing the market access environment, improving the efficiency of resource allocation. We must strengthen the guarantee of factors such as technology, data, talent, and capital, improve the confirmation-of-rights and trading rules for new-type factors such as data, deep sea, and underground space, fully release the potential value of new-type factors, and cultivate a sound innovation ecosystem

Fertile soil can cultivate fine seeds, openness can gather momentum. Cultivating and opening up new scenarios — the time has come, the momentum has taken shape. We must deeply implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, accelerate the formation of a sound scenario innovation ecosystem featuring central-local coordination, government-enterprise linkage, social participation, and multi-stakeholder co-construction, providing solid and strong support through large-scale application of new scenarios for accelerating the cultivation and development of new quality productive forces and promoting high-quality economic and social development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period

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Hong Kong and Macao SAR governments hold flag-raising ceremonies and National Day receptions to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of New China

(People's Daily, Hong Kong, October 1) (Reporter Feng Xuezhi) The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government held a flag-raising ceremony and National Day reception on October 1 to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

The flag-raising ceremony was held at 8 a.m. at Golden Bauhinia Square. Attending were Liang Zhenying, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee; John Lee Ka-chiu, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong SAR; Zhou Ji, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR; Dong Jingwei, Director of the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong SAR; Cui Jianchun, Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Hong Kong SAR; Lai Ruxin, Political Commissar of the Chinese People's Liberation Army Hong Kong Garrison, as well as prominent figures from all walks of life in Hong Kong society.

As the band played the national anthem, the bright red national flag of the People's Republic of China and the regional flag of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region rose steadily and gradually (冉冉升起, ran ran sheng qi - "slowly, rise"), and the guests stood at attention, singing the national anthem.

After the flag-raising ceremony concluded, the invited guests moved to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to attend the National Day reception. In his address at the reception, John Lee said that this was the first National Day welcomed after the publication of Hong Kong's first five-year plan, making it of special significance. Today, China has become the world's largest manufacturing country and largest trader in goods, among other achievements, and plays a key influential role in international affairs. Hong Kong's formulation of a five-year plan is not merely the drafting of a series of policies and measures, but rather strategic planning that, grounded in the unique advantages of "One Country, Two Systems", keeps pace with the trends of the times and seizes the country's development opportunities.

John Lee said, "We must seize the opportunities, proactively integrate into and serve the overall development of the country, so that Hong Kong can develop better and let our citizens share more of the development dividends. I have confidence that, as long as we all work together with one heart and mind (齐心协力, qi xin xie li - "together, heart, cooperate, strength") at our respective posts and jointly bring our strengths into play, Hong Kong will surely be brilliant and full of promise (风光无限, feng guang wu xian - "scenery, no, limit")."

(People's Daily, Macao, October 1) (Reporter Fu Zimei) The Macao Special Administrative Region Government held a flag-raising ceremony and National Day reception on October 1 to celebrate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.

Attending were Ho Hau Wah, Vice Chairman of the CPPCC National Committee; Sam Hou Fai, Chief Executive of the Macao SAR; Zheng Xincong, Director of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; Chui Sai On and Ho Iat Seng, former Chief Executives of the Macao SAR; Cheng Lei, Acting Commissioner of the Office of the Commissioner of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China in the Macao SAR; Chen Wensheng, Commander of the PLA Macao Garrison, as well as prominent figures from all walks of life in Macao society.

The flag-raising ceremony was held at 8 a.m. at Golden Lotus Square. The flag-guard contingent of the Public Security Police Force and the ceremonial guard of honor of the security services made their first official appearance in Chinese-style formation drill. To the accompaniment of the national anthem, the national flag and the regional flag rose steadily and gradually at Golden Lotus Square.

The National Day reception was held at 9:30 a.m. at the China and Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Cooperation Service Platform Complex. In his address, Sam Hou Fai said that the motherland's changing with each passing day (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new, month, change") vigorous development has always been Macao's strongest backing and warmest harbor. The SAR Government will proactively and closely align with the country's 15th Five-Year Plan, pool the wisdom of all sectors and development consensus, and formulate and implement its third five-year plan.

Sam Hou Fai said that, looking to the future, the SAR Government will firmly anchor on the two footholds of "citizen-centered" refined governance and "preventing and defusing internal and external risks and challenges"; in effectively responding to risks and challenges, achieve sustainable development; in stimulating market vitality, enhance overall competitiveness; in improving people's livelihood and well-being, ensure that residents live and work in peace and contentment (安居乐业, an ju le ye - "peacefully, live, happily, work"); strive to push all areas of work in the SAR to a new level; in the great journey of building a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation, demonstrate greater achievements, and strive to write a new chapter in the successful practice of "One Country, Two Systems" with Macao characteristics.

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Shooting Events Conclude with 16 Golds, Setting Multiple World Records

On October 1 local time, the Nagoya Asian Games entered its twelfth competition day since the opening ceremony, and the Chinese sports delegation harvested 4 gold medals that day in canoeing, sailing, and rock climbing.

The rock climbing events produced two gold medals that day, both won by Chinese team athletes: Zhang Yuetong won the gold medal in the women's bouldering event with a score of 85 points, while Chu Shouhong claimed the gold medal in the men's speed event with a time of 4.71 seconds.

The women's bouldering event is modeled on the Los Angeles Olympic Games event setup; athletes must challenge 4 routes, and if they reach the top on the first attempt for each route they can earn 25 points, with the full score for completing all 4 routes being 100 points. Zhang Yuetong passed the first three routes on her first attempts, and scored 10 points on the fourth route, winning the first gold medal for the Chinese rock climbing team at these Asian Games.

In the men's single canoe slalom event, Chinese team athlete Zhang Zhicheng claimed the title with a time of 98.09 seconds. In the men's fast boat 49er class sailing event, the Chinese team combination of Liu Tian/Wen Zaiding successfully defended their title.

The shooting events concluded that day. The Chinese team won a total of 16 gold, 8 silver, and 4 bronze medals at these Asian Games, setting new records in multiple events: Wang Zifei, Han Jiayu, and Du Yuchen scored 1904.2 rings in the women's 10m air rifle team event, winning the gold medal and breaking the world record; Zhang Changhong, Sheng Lihao, and Ma Sihan scored 1899.0 rings in the men's 10m air rifle team event, winning gold and setting a new world record; the Sheng Lihao/Wang Zifei combination won gold in the 10m air rifle mixed team event final, breaking the world record with a score of 507.1 rings. In the shotgun events, Jiang Yiting scored 35 hits in the women's skeet final, tying the world record, and together with Lyu Jianlin scored 52 hits in the mixed skeet team event, setting a new world record. Sheng Lihao scored 254.2 rings in the men's 10m air rifle individual event, breaking the Asian record and Asian Games record that he himself held. Along with winning gold with Liu Yukun and Zhang Changhong in the men's 50m rifle three positions team event, Sheng Lihao won a total of 4 gold medals at these Asian Games.

On the tennis court, Chinese team athletes Zhang Shuai and Wang Xiyu met in the women's singles final; the men's doubles combination of Jiang Fumin/Zhang Tianhui won a bronze medal, marking the first time in 16 years that Chinese men's tennis won a men's doubles medal at the Asian Games. Zhang Shuai defeated the Kazakhstani athlete 6:4, 6:2 to advance to the final; Wang Xiyu lost the first set 3:6, then reversed her opponent 6:3, 6::2. The Chinese team locked up the women's singles gold and silver medals in advance, achieving a sixth consecutive Asian Games women's singles title, and this was also the third time after Jakarta and Hangzhou that China won all the top prizes (包揽, bao lan - "encompass, take up") in the women's singles gold and silver medals at the Asian Games.

(People's Daily reporters Fan Jiayuan, Chen Chenxi, Sun Longfei, Gao Ji, Li Shuo)

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China Opportunity 2.0: Insights from Four September Expos

By: 本报记者 罗珊珊 窦瀚洋

In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, China's economy is moving toward the new and the superior, and its steps of opening up to the outside world are steady and firm.

In the September that has just passed, four major expositions —the 26th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, the 2026 China International Fair for Trade in Services, the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, and the 5th Global Digital Trade Expo—were held successively in Xiamen, Fujian; Beijing; Nanning, Guangxi; and Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The '15th Five-Year Plan' is not only a blueprint for China's own development, but also a cooperation list oriented toward the world.」

The Investment and Trade Fair focuses on two-way investment, the Trade in Services Fair is rooted in services trade, the China-ASEAN Expo is grounded in regional cooperation, and the Digital Trade Expo is anchored in digital trade. These four expositions, though each with a different thematic emphasis, echo and complement one another—the three pillars of a trading power, namely goods trade, services trade, and digital trade, are all encompassed within them.

Through these four expositions, "China Opportunity 2.0" is slowly unfolding—no longer merely a single market advantage, but a fusion and resonance of opening-up dividends, innovation dividends, and market dividends, bringing to the world more development opportunities and greater development space.

Opening-up dividends—

The expositions arrive as scheduled every year, a stable commitment to high-level opening up.

The fact that these four expositions arrive as scheduled every year is itself China's forceful and convincing (掷地有声, zhi di you sheng - "strike the ground, have sound") stable commitment to opening up to the outside world.

Amidst intensifying turbulence in the international situation, China insists on holding expositions with open doors, building economic and trade platforms connecting the globe, and proving through continuously implemented actions that opening up is not a temporary measure, but a long-term, unchanging choice.

A closer look at the guest countries of honor at the four expositions reveals a cooperation network spanning continents, clearly extending. The Investment and Trade Fair, for the first time, has set up two guest countries of honor—Finland and Saudi Arabia jointly serving in that capacity;the guest country of honor at the Trade in Services Fair is Norway, focusing its display on green energy, digital technology, and so forth;the China-ASEAN Expo has entered a new pattern of "12 countries, 13 parties" jointly organizing, with the 11 ASEAN countries, following the expansion of ASEAN, gathering together in Nanning for the first time;the guest countries of honor at the Digital Trade Expo are Malaysia and Hungary, with the number of overseas exhibition groups exceeding the total of previous sessions.

From Northern Europe and the Middle East to ASEAN, countries with different resource endowments and at different stages of development can all find cooperation entry points on China's exposition platforms.

What is the China opportunity?

At the Investment and Trade Fair site, a large number of multinational enterprises used concrete actions to give the answer: a stably developing China is precisely the "oasis" of certainty that global capital pursues, and"going to China" has become a tangible action for multinational enterprises.

As of the end of 2025, China's stock of absorbed foreign investment approached 4 trillion US dollars. In the first half of this year, nearly 4,800 foreign-funded enterprises made additional investments in China.

"High-level opening up to the outside world has not only brought about the flow of capital and technological progress, but has also enhanced the fusion of concepts and the development of innovation." Dong Huijuan, Global Vice President of the ABB Group, stated that in recent years, China, by issuing an action plan for stabilizing foreign investment and implementing a new version of the catalog of industries encouraged for foreign investment, has effectively stimulated the enthusiasm of foreign-funded enterprises to increase investment and develop in China.

China's opening up to the outside world has never been a one-way"bringing in," but rather a two-way, mutually beneficial investment win-win.

Indonesia has numerous islands, and its energy infrastructure is unevenly distributed—how can resource utilization efficiency be improved? CIMC Group's subsidiary, CIMC Enric, joined hands with partners to build a steel-coke integrated project locally, converting industrial tail gas into high value-added clean energy products, providing systematic Chinese solutions for the global green transformation of industry.

As of the end of 2025, the number of enterprises established by China overseas reached 58,000, creating an average of over 2 million jobs annually for host countries. Chinese enterprises"going global" bring projects, technology, and employment, activating local development momentum and realizing each pursuing its own unique excellence (各美其美, ge mei qi mei - "each beautiful its own beauty").

On the eve of the opening of the China-ASEAN Expo, the Pinglu Canal officially began navigation, opening new imaginative space for industrial collaboration between Southwest China and ASEAN. "The Pinglu Canal may also, in the future, open up trade routes toward Europe, Africa, and the Indian Ocean direction." Rao Zhaobin, Director of the Institute of China Studies at the University of Malaya, said.

Innovation dividends—

World premieres and debut showcases concentrated appearances;new technologies drive a new engine for cooperation.

Expositions are an excellent window for observing China's innovation up close. At the sites of the four expositions, a large number of world premieres and debut showcases made concentrated appearances.

Zhejiang Dream Aerospace displayed at the Digital Trade Expo its hybrid tilt-rotor manned eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft), with a maximum effective payload of 600 kilograms and a maximum designed range of 1,000 kilometers—not only high speed and long range, but also fast recharging and light infrastructure requirements.

Rokid's second-generation fully functional AI glasses with display, on top of functions including photography, translation, teleprompter, navigation, and payment, have further strengthened their capabilities in segmented scenarios.

Zheng Hanzhen, Vice President of an Australian capital investment company, stated that when international capital evaluates Chinese enterprises, in addition to paying attention to the Chinese market itself, it is also increasingly paying attention to whether enterprises can, relying on China's R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain capabilities, serve the global market over the long term.

Shifting from"produced in China" to"created in China," a growing number of multinational companies are coming to China to establish R&D centers and regional headquarters, deeply integrating into China's innovation chain and industrial chain. In China, enterprises from various countries can quickly find full-process partners ranging from R&D, pilot testing, to mass production.

"The logic of China's attraction for foreign investment is precisely moving from providing market opportunities toward further providing innovation opportunities." Yin Yuhan, a relevant person in charge at Boehringer Ingelheim, stated that the company plans to establish a new R&D center in Zhangjiang, Shanghai, to deepen cooperation with the Chinese side.

China's innovation dividend not only signifies investment opportunities, but also includes empowering development and sharing achievements. Many Chinese innovations follow the open-source route, which enables more countries, especially developing countries, to be able to use and afford new technologies and new products.

In the era of the digital intelligent economy, how can the digital intelligence divide be bridged? At this year's China-ASEAN Expo, artificial intelligence played the leading role, with the robot corps, spinal three-dimensional measurement, AI pediatricians, intelligent teaching aids, and others taking turns on stage, releasing 42 items of ASEAN artificial intelligence application scenario cooperation demands, reaching nearly 100 preliminary cooperation intents, among which the amount of intended cooperation reached with ASEAN countries exceeded 1 billion yuan.

China's emerging field technologies and products bring to the world not impact but opportunity, not threat but empowerment.

Market dividends—

Goods and services work in concert;the super-large-scale market is brimming with vitality.

What is the China opportunity?

Many people's first reaction is the vast market. Sail Al-Habti, Chairman of the China Region of Saudi energy giant Acwa Power, said that China possesses a very strong potential demand market, with a population group of enormous scale whose consumption capacity and affluence are continuously rising.

Deconstructing China's super-large-scale market from the perspective of traditional supply and demand—

On the demand side, a population of over 1.4 billion constructs the fundamental base of super-large-scale domestic demand, with consumption continuously iterating and upgrading, opening broad market space for global enterprises;on the supply side, a complete industrial system, enormous industrial clusters, and continuously deepening industrial transformation, release a large amount of cooperation space in intermediate goods, equipment, and technology.

At the Trade in Services Fair, China Opportunity 2.0 gained a new observation perspective—

Under the traction of industrial upgrading and the needs of a quality life, a vast development space for the service industry and service consumption has been brought forth.

Wang Xun, Vice President of the World Trade Centers Association, stated that an increasing number of Chinese brands are going overseas, bringing with them not only products, but also design, culture, and business models;at the same time, numerous international brands are entering the Chinese market, continuously innovating according to the needs of Chinese consumers.

At present, China's consumer market has entered a development stage that places equal emphasis on"goods + services," and over the past five years, China's per capita service consumption expenditure has grown at an average annual rate of 8.5%. From clothing, food, housing, and transportation, to enterprise transformation and technological innovation, all are inseparable from the high-quality development of the service industry.

Zou Jun, Chairman of the China Region of KPMG, stated that China's service industry is steadily advancing along the development path of digital intelligence, standardization, integration, and internationalization, and the professional capability and international competitiveness of"China Services" are continuously improving.

Conforming to industrial development trends, China has made the service industry the focus of expanding opening up. "In the past, we deepened reform and expanded opening up in the manufacturing industry, becoming the'world's factory';at present, in the service industry, we are promoting deeper reform and high-quality development through high-level opening up, and will equally create the'China Services' brand." Yang Zhengwei, Vice President of the Development Research Center of the State Council, said.

Dai Bintu, President and Chairman of the Board of CPA Australia, stated that Australia-China cooperation is extending and upgrading from traditional goods trade toward services trade and knowledge-based industries, with broad prospects for cooperation in fields such as the digital economy, professional services, and green low-carbon development.

China continues to use expositions as bridges, opening its doors wide, sharing innovation, and connecting markets, making the road of mutually beneficial win-win cooperation ever wider.

"China will continue to promote high-quality development, expand high-level opening up, implement the Global Development Initiative, advance high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative, and share opportunities and create prosperity together with countries around the world."

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From "Red Electric Waves" to a Digital and Intelligent City (Carrying Forward the Long March Spirit, Forging Ahead on the New Journey of Rejuvenation)

By: 本报记者 马跃峰 陈隽逸

At No. 96 Ziyin Road, Honghuagang District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall stands quietly, a two-story small building. Inside the memorial hall there is a special collection — a replica of the "Half a Radio Set"; more than 90 years ago, the"red electric waves" crossed the flames of war, transmitting intelligence, helping the Red Army during the Long March seize the initiative at critical moments and find a way out.

More than 90 years later, on this land that witnessed a historic turning point, new changes are taking place.

In February 2021, during his inspection tour in Guizhou, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized, "Seize new opportunities in implementing the digital economy strategy" and "from the Long March Spirit and the Zunyi Conference Spirit, profoundly comprehend the original aspiration and mission of Communists, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, seek truth from facts, uphold truth, respond scientifically to changes, proactively seek change, staying focused on a goal (咬定目标, yao ding mu biao - "bite, fix, target"), pressing forward courageously (勇往直前, yong wang zhi qian - "brave, go, towards, front"), and walk well the Long March road of the new era." In March 2025, during his inspection tour in Guizhou, the General Secretary pointed out: "We must carry forward the Long March Spirit and the Zunyi Conference Spirit, and with high morale walk well the Long March road of the new era."

Thoroughly implementing the important instructions of General Secretary Xi Jinping, in recent years, Zunyi has seized opportunities, focused efforts on developing the digital economy; in 2025, the city's big-data integration development index rose to 50.51, with comprehensive development level ranking among the forefront of the province.

Aiming at the technological frontier, development has broken into a new world.

In Feilixin (Zunyi) Digital Technology Co., Ltd. in Zunyi High-tech Zone, data annotation specialists stare intently at screens. As the mouse moves, street-view outlines and object frame lines are traced out one by one. Here, after massive amounts of raw data are processed, they will provide support for the iteration of intelligent driving.

"From contract signing to investment and operation, the company took only 3 months." Wen Wei, general manager of Feilixin Company, introduced that the company focuses on three major businesses: AI (artificial intelligence) large-model training, internet content review, and autonomous driving data annotation, with delivery efficiency improved by 40% compared with the industry average level.

"Zunyi leverages its advantages of rich application scenarios, ample human resources, and proximity to Chengdu-Chongqing, among others, to seek breakthroughs on the digital economy track." An Chao, director of the Zunyi Municipal Big Data Development Center, introduced that in 2025, Zunyi newly cultivated and added 7 software and information technology service enterprises with revenue above 5 million yuan, with the revenue growth rate of software and information technology services industries above designated size reaching 43.6%, and the revenue growth rate of internet and related services industries above designated size reaching 4.8%.

Adhering to the integration of digital and real economies, industries have radiated new vitality.

In Zhuohao Agricultural Technology (Group) Co., Ltd. located in Bozhou District, the"Zhuohao Yuan" agricultural production intelligent management platform integrates functions such as meteorological monitoring, precision irrigation, and pest warning, realizing whole-process management of agricultural products from production to sales. "In the past, farmers relied on looking with their eyes and feeling with their hands; now the platform automatically issues warnings and automatically pushes prevention and control plans, which is equivalent to installing a'sensor' on the land." Mei Jianfei, technical director of the company, said that the platform has gathered 1.7 million records of agricultural activities, and related technologies have been promoted to other places.

Mountain agriculture, sauce-flavor liquor industry, red cultural resources, etc., are all the"family assets" of Zunyi's digital economy development. Based on its own resource endowments and industrial foundation, Zunyi actively promotes the digital transformation and upgrading of traditional industries. At present, Zunyi has implemented 175 excellent digital application scenarios in fields such as agriculture and industry, and the cultural tourism industry has also found new space for expression.

Putting on VR (virtual reality) equipment, before the eyes is pervasive gun smoke, beside the ears are whistling artillery fire... In the"Turning Point: Starting Anew" exhibition hall of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, visitors seem to personally experience the fierce battle moment of the Great Victory at Loushan Pass. In 2025, the memorial hall completed digital exhibition upgrade, with key implementation of projection system renovation, presenting in a combination of virtual and real ways the panoramic scenes of key nodes of the Long March. "Digital preservation, scenographic presentation, let every cultural relic be able to tell the story of the Long March, helping to carry forward the great Long March Spirit." Huang Chao, deputy director of the Information Technology Department of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, saidthat

Looking back at the beacon-fire years, the Red Army soldiers broke through numerous difficulties and predicaments on the land of northern Guizhou, seeking a way out from desperate situations, realizing a great historic turning point. Today, Zunyi embraces the digital economy; what has changed is the development scenario, what has remained unchanged is the spiritual force inheriting a tradition from the very beginning (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng - "one, vein, mutual, inherit").

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Page 1 editors: Hu Anqi, Zhao Zheng, Luan Xinyi; Page 2 editors: Han Xiaoming, Jiang Bo, Guan Haoyu; Page 3 editors: Liu Nian, Liu Jingwen, Zhang Xueyan

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The country is prosperous and strong, and the people live in happiness and well-being.

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Step by step, steadily forging ahead

By: 张雪妍

In this golden autumn season, with the mountains and rivers in splendid array, the sons and daughters of China joyously celebrate the National Day. At the reception celebrating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "At this very moment, we are immensely proud of the achievements drawing worldwide attention (举世瞩目, ju shi zhu mu - "world, all, look, eye") attained by New China, and we are full of confidence in the bright prospects of Chinese modernization."

Across the divine land of China, a rich, warm, and filled with great joy and excitement (欢欣鼓舞, huan xin gu wu - "joyful, heart, drum, encourage") festive atmosphere pervades everywhere.

Bless our great motherland, and stir up the heroic spirit of endeavor. From Tiananmen Square, to mountain villages and border regions, and then to the Asian Games venues overseas, the bright national flags and the stirring national anthem fill us with filled with surging emotions (心潮澎湃, xin chao peng pai - "heart, tide, surge, swell") and strength; one after another confident smiling faces, one after another heartfelt blessings, converge into a mighty force for forging ahead on the new journey and making contributions in the new era.

Celebrating the National Day holiday, invigorating cultural and tourism vitality. People either head for mountains, rivers, and scenic spots, experiencing the charm of natural scenery and historical culture; or seek out red footprints, recalling the extraordinary and momentous years (峥嵘岁月, zheng rong sui yue - "lofty, rugged, years, time") and comprehending the original aspiration and founding mission; or walk toward streets, parks, restaurants, and cinemas, experiencing the lively atmosphere and savoring the flavors of everyday life. The colorful holiday life highlights the vigorous vitality of the economy and society.

Jointly creating a better life, paying tribute to those holding their posts in steadfast dedication. Public security officers patrol and perform their duties, railway workers serve passengers, medical staff welcome the arrival of new lives... One after another figures still busily at work make the festival peaceful and harmonious (平安祥和, ping an xiang he - "peace, safe, auspicious, harmonious") and add color and splendor to happiness.

General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "As long as we firm up our confidence, anchor our goals, and steadily march forward step by step, success will surely belong to the great Communist Party of China, the great Chinese people, and the great People's Republic of China!"

Love China, unite and forge ahead; march forward steadily, success is within reach!

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Page editors: Liu Nian, Liu Jingwen, Zhang Xueyan

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Home by the Yellow River (A River by My Door)

The Yellow River falls from the sky and races east to the sea; ten thousand li of it are written into the breast.

General Secretary Xi Jinping carries this mother river of the Chinese nation in his heart, and has stressed that "the Yellow River must be made into a river of happiness that benefits the people."

The year 2026 marks 80 years since the Communist Party of China led the people in harnessing the Yellow River. Eighty years of sustained, long-term effort, and the Yellow River runs in peace and surges onward. Since the new era began, ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin have been elevated into a national strategy; the upper, middle,and lower reaches have been working together with one heart and mind (齐心协力, qi xin xie li - "together, heart, cooperate, strength"), jointly guarding the "beauty of the great river," unfolding a magnificent and grand in scale (波澜壮阔, bo lan zhuang kuo -"waves, surging, magnificent, vast") picture of Yellow River harnessing. Guarding ecology, controlling sediment, managing water and revitalizing water, passing on culture—batch after batch of cadres and the masses have participated in protecting the Yellow River and harnessing the Yellow River, with sustained, long-term effort and unbroken struggle, striking up an even more resounding new-era"Yellow River Chorus."

In order to profoundly reflect the practical power of Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization, and vividly present the notable achievements of ecological protection and high-quality development in the Yellow River basin, the Economic and Social Department and New Media Center of this newspaper, jointly with the Yellow River Water Conservancy Commission of the Ministry of Water Resources and the Publicity and Education Center of the Ministry of Water Resources, have jointly launched the 2026 "A River Before My Door" visual image solicitation and converged media report. The activity invites the broad readership to pick up their phones and cameras to photograph pictures and videos of the Yellow River, telling their own stories with the Yellow River. This page selects some of the solicited photographic works and vivid stories for publication; readers are invited to follow along.

—Editor

Protecting the "Grass Coal"  Huahu Lake Recovers

Narrator: Bai Yujun, Deputy Director of the Ecology and Environment Bureau of Zoigê County, Sichuan

I grew up in Zoigê, and the grasslands here are truly beautiful. Located within the Zoigê Wetland National Nature Reserve, Huahu Lake is the largest high-cold peat swamp wetland in the world. Beneath the lakebed is entirely "grass coal," accumulated over several thousand years.

Since childhood I have heard the elderly call peat "grass coal." It is pitch black, and once dug up and dried can be burned for fire. Experts from the Sichuan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences say that peat is formed from plant roots after fermentation in wetlands, and belongs to the early form of coal. Who could have imagined that this stuff would later be targeted by people, selling for considerable money per ton.

It takes a hundred years for peat to grow one centimeter; once a truckload is dug away, the wetland is like having a piece of flesh gouged out. Around 2017, illegal digging was at its most rampant. People drove excavators into the marsh, working under cover of night, loading trucks and leaving before dawn. The peat was dug away, leaving pits behind; water could no longer be held, plateau pikas came to burrow, grass could not grow, and the black earth slowly turned into sand.

Back then, under the guidance of the Central Ecological and Environmental Protection Inspection Team, we assisted in investigating several cases of illegal peat digging. At first, many people did not think that digging "mud" was illegal. We joined hands with several departments, going from township to township, bringing the verdicts of those cases before the herdsmen and reading them aloud, so that everyone would know that"digging 'grass coal' means going to prison." In recent years, illegal digging has basically disappeared.

To protect the "grass coal," relying solely on "blocking" is not enough; it also requires "nurturing." One of the main reasons for wetland degradation is the lack of water. In the 1960s and 1970s, ditches were dug to drain water, and the water area of Huahu Lake shrank from 386 hectares to 215 hectares.

How to retain the water? We relied on units such as the Sichuan Academy of Ecological and Environmental Sciences, and through preliminary scientific demonstration and environmental impact assessment, built an ecological embankment 1,740 meters long and 0.6 meters high downstream of Huahu Lake. The embankment is built of a mixture of earth, sand, gravel, and stone, with inflow and outflow adjustable by human control. After the embankment was completed, the effect quickly appeared—the water level rose, and the surrounding semi-swamp and dry swamp came back to life along with it.

One embankment alone was not enough. We also, in townships such as Xiaman and Tangke, relying on the stationed scientific and technological assistance organized by the Joint Research Center for Ecological Protection and High-Quality Development of the Yellow River Basin, took Huahu Lake as a model, filled and blocked 80 kilometers of drainage ditches, and built 300 micro check dams and 5 small check dams. The small dams raised the average water level by 0.5 meters, increasing water storage by 1.46 million cubic meters.

When the water came back, the grass came back, and the plateau pikas could no longer stay. This is the virtuous cycle of "water—grass—sand—pika" that we have explored. The county has also carried out rectification of the Huahu Lake scenic area. In June 2020, Huahu Lake reopened as a study and exchange base. Visitor feedback: Huahu Lake is more beautiful, quieter, and clearer.

Today, the water level of Huahu Lake has risen steadily by 52 centimeters, the water area is 650 hectares, and the thickness of the "grass coal" has visibly recovered. Black-necked cranes in the national nature reserve have increased from 407 in 1999 to around 1,100, nationally protected first-class wild animals have increased from 9 species to 18 species, and the Oriental white stork has been recorded on camera for the first time in Sichuan Province.

I come to Huahu Lake more than 10 times a year. Thinking of the pits left behind when"grass coal" was dug in those years, I feel deep emotion. Today, the"grass coal" rests quietly in the mud, continuing to help the Yellow River store water and the plateau sequester carbon.

(Compiled and organized from an interview by You Yi, reporter of this newspaper)

【Reporter's Reflections】

Peat is especially important to the plateau wetlands. It is slow—growing one centimeter takes 100 years; it is heavy—nurturing the headwaters of the upper Yellow River; and it is also "fragile"—once a truckload is dug away, water and soil disperse.

In the past, "grass coal" was treated as fuel, dug up and sold, with one ton fetching over ten thousand yuan. But once a truckload of peat is dug away, the wetland loses a layer of its"water-storing sponge," and the upper Yellow River loses a measure of its nurturing capacity. Today, the"grass coal" is once again covered by water, entangled by grass roots, and guarded by law and institutions.

The change in ecology stems from a change in perception. To promote high-quality development of the Yellow River basin, we must uphold the concept that lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets, adhere to ecological priority and green development, act in light of local conditions and adopt tailored measures, jointly do a good job of great protection, and coordinately advance great governance. With sustained, long-term effort, let the Yellow River's waters be beautiful, its banks green, and its course unimpeded.

We Cherish the "Thirst-Quenching Canal" Especially Much

Narrator: He Tingtang, villager of Tianshuijie Village, Tianshui Town, Huan County, Gansu

The corn is about to be harvested. Looking at the fields and canals, I cannot help but feel: a good life is "watered" out by the Yellow River's water.

Our area sits at the edge of the Mu Us Sandy Land, arid and with little rain. Relying only on"water from the sky," the cellars often cannot fill up. In severe cases, gullies and rivers run dry, and ponds and embankments dry up. Moreover, the water is high-fluoride water—the villagers all have yellowed teeth, and some even suffer from Kashin-Beck disease. More than 30 years ago, our family moved from the mountains to Tianshuijie Village, precisely in order to drink good water.

In 1992, the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Yanhuan-Dingbian Yellow River Lifting Gansu Special Project broke ground—the"project of happiness" we had long awaited. We had long heard people say that this project, through stage-by-stage pumping stations, could"lift" the low-lying Yellow River water up to the high, arid tablelands. After several years of construction, we became among the first beneficiaries of the Yellow River Lifting Project—we villagers, who had long suffered the hardships of drought, windblown sand, and high-fluoride water, finally drank the sweet Yellow River water. Good water brought a good life—Kashin-Beck disease basically disappeared, and the villagers' teeth also turned good.

With water for people to drink, the land also quenched its"thirst." Corn and daylily took root and grew on this land. My family cultivates 42 mu of land, earning more than 100,000 yuan each year. Every time I see the branch canals spread across the fields, and hear the gurgling flow of Yellow River water, my heart feels utterly at ease.

We cherish the"thirst-quenching canal" especially much. Some canals were built early and are earthen canals; after years of water delivery, cracks and breaches have appeared. As industries have developed, the places using water have multiplied, and the villagers all hope for wider canals and more water. Over these years, the Yellow River Lifting Project has been continuously upgraded—pipe network renovation, canal repair and reinforcement—making the old canals young again.

Less than a kilometer from my home, the Tianshuibao Regulation and Storage Reservoir has been put into operation, becoming our"big water jar." The county waterworks has built 100,000-cubic-meter and 300,000-cubic-meter storage pools here. Tap water has reached every home—ample volume, stable pressure, good quality—no matter when you use water, there is never a shortage.

With water, the confidence for development is full. Our village's branch canal is more than 10 kilometers long, connecting more than 3,000 mu of high-standard farmland. Our village and neighboring villages have jointly built a 10,000-mu high-standard farmland, and have successively established a thousand-head lake sheep demonstration cooperative and a daylily planting cooperative. These new industries are our new hope for prosperity, and I look forward to making a big push.

From the time water first flowed to now, a full 30 years have passed, and my children have also grown up drinking Yellow River water. The endlessly flowing Yellow River water continuously brings new hope. The Yellow River Lifting Project has now brought Yellow River water to Huan County, Qingcheng, Xifeng, and other places—more and more ordinary people are drinking Yellow River water. "The Yellow River water is sweet, and the Communist Party is good"—every time I see this slogan at the Tianshuibao Regulation and Storage Reservoir, my heart always fills with pride and excitement.

(Compiled and organized from an interview by Song Chaojun, reporter of this newspaper)

【Reporter's Reflections】

"The waters of the Yellow River come from heaven." Since the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Yanhuan-Dingbian Yellow River Lifting Gansu Special Project was completed, its functions have continued to enrich, its coverage has continuously expanded, and last year's annual water transfer volume broke through 20 million cubic meters for the first time, with directly benefited population reaching 893,000 people.

The gurgling "sweet water" comes from sustained, long-term effort. Scarce and poor-quality water was the"millennium-old hardship" of the local people; Party members and cadres led the broad masses in hard work and solid effort, overcoming difficulties such as complex geology, harsh environment, and great construction difficulty, to"lift" Yellow River water up onto the dry tablelands, and have consolidated and improved it with decades of unremitting effort, letting Yellow River water long nourish the people's hearts.

The gurgling "sweet water" has brought new opportunities for the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas. He Tingtang's daylily, also known as the"forget-sorrow grass," is the"prosperity grass" of the local people. Relying on Yellow River water—where water suits, use water; where mountains suit, use mountains; where grain suits, grow grain; where farming suits, farm; where industry suits, develop industry; where commerce suits, develop commerce—every locality can surely blaze a new path of high-quality development with distinctive regional characteristics.

Xiliugou Has Gradually Turned Green

Narrator: Hao Ruifen, Head of the Water and Soil Conservation Engineering Construction Work Section of the Water Conservancy Development Center of Dalad Banner, Inner Mongolia

At the apex of the Yellow River's"several-bend" curve, the"Ten Major Kongdui" run from south to north, and the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region's Dalad Banner, known as"five ridges, three sands, two flats," is located here.

"Kongdui" means mountain torrent gully in Mongolian. On this land, I have been engaged in water and soil conservation work for nearly 15 years. I studied civil engineering in university, and knew little about the"Kongdui." Within Dalad Banner's territory there are 10 seasonal mountain torrent gullies; the"Ten Major Kongdui" divide the whole banner into 3 types of landforms—the south is hilly and gully terrain, the middle is the Kubuqi Desert, and the north is the Yellow River alluvial plain—with severe water and soil erosion, desertification, and frequent mountain torrents.

The nine-bend Yellow River"carries seven parts sand in every ten of water." After starting work, I gained a clearer understanding of the"Kongdui": whenever torrential rain falls, floodwaters carrying sediment flow into the Yellow River, exacerbating water and soil erosion. This also made me resolve that I must harness water and soil erosion.

In the past, harnessing water and soil erosion was "treating symptoms rather than the root cause" (头痛医头、脚痛医脚, tou tong yi tou, jiao tong yi jiao -"head, pain, treat, head;; foot, pain, treat, foot"). After continuous exploration, my colleagues and I have defined the harnessing goals of"controlling upstream sediment, blocking midstream windblown sand, ensuring downstream safety," adhered to coordinated and integrated advancement, managing mountains above and below together, harnessing upper, middle,and lower reaches together, and systematically harnessing gully by gully.

The upper reaches are the"first sluice gate." If the upper reaches are not harnessed, sediment will rush all the way downstream. On hilltops, plant trees and forests to"put on a hat;" on slopes, return farmland to grass to"put on a coat;" on mountainsides, build terraced fields to"fasten a belt;" at gully bottoms, build warping dams to"put on boots;" unified planning of mountains, waters, forests, fields, lakes, grass, and sand, with"storage, blocking, diversion, utilization" coordinated and grasped together.

What impressed me most was Xiliugou. As one of the"Ten Major Kongdui," its water and soil erosion was once extremely severe, and local farmers have a deep memory of"lighting lamps in broad daylight, with bowls full of sand." In recent years, my colleagues and I have deeply participated in the comprehensive water and soil conservation harnessing of Xiliugou—going out for surveys, studying countermeasures, and together with relevant departments, bit by bit harnessed Xiliugou into a green ecological gully.

The middle reaches are an important link in coordinating the water-sediment relationship. The middle section of the"Ten Major Kongdui" runs horizontally through the Kubuqi Desert, where shifting sand dunes meet mountain torrents, exacerbating river channel siltation. We have adopted the desert harnessing model of"enclose the south, block the north, cut through the middle," blocking the channels by which windblown sand enters the rivers. At the northern and southern ends, we implement enclosure and grazing prohibition, returning farmland to forest, building shelterbelt forests combining trees, shrubs, and grass to"lock down" the desert. In the middle, relying on desert-crossing highways, we divide the desert into blocks and carry out zone-by-zone harnessing, laying sand barriers on both sides of the highways and planting Salix psammophila, dry willow, and others, to fix the shifting sand dunes.

In the lower reaches, we reinforce embankments and hold the bottom line of flood control safety. River channels are straightened, curves cut off, dredged, and desilted; embankment raising and thickening, ecological slope protection projects are implemented, with the goal of perfecting the flood control system through the"stabilize the channel, consolidate the floodplain" model. Today, the lower reaches have stable embankments and smooth river courses, and the confidence for flood control is even greater.

As of the end of 2025, Dalad Banner has cumulatively completed 4,314.3 square kilometers of water and soil erosion control area, with a water and soil conservation rate of 59.39%, built 167 kilometers of embankments, and reduced annual sediment entering the Yellow River by nearly 9.9 million tons. Water and soil conservation has also carved out a path to increased income for the common people. We actively promote the model of rewards in place of subsidies—through building first, subsidizing later, and rewards upon meeting standards—driving mass employment and income growth. The mountains are greener, the scenery is more beautiful, letting more and more villagers earn an ecological living anda cultural-tourism living.

The Yellow River flowing in peace is my wish. Going forward, I will continue to root myself in the front line of water and soil conservation work, using solid work and tangible results to build a solid ecological barrier.

(Compiled and organized from an interview by Deng Jianyang, reporter of this newspaper)

【Reporter's Reflections】

The story of the beautiful transformation of the Yellow River's"several-bend" curve is written in the transition from"mud torrent gully" to"ecological gully." Dalad Banner has prescribed different harnessing prescriptions for the three landform types of hills, desert, and plain, blazing a new path of desert control, sand prevention, ecological prosperity, and people's enrichment.

This enlightens us that the governance of a great river lies in coordination. In harnessing the Yellow River, a single small change can affect the entire situation, and we must adhere to systematic thinking and coordinated advancement, coordinating planning the upper, middle,and lower reaches, trunk and tributary streams, left and right banks, and play the"one chess game" of Yellow River governance well.Maintaining resolve and persevering with constancy (持之以恒, chi zhi yi heng -"hold, that, with, perseverance"), singing well the new-era"Yellow River Chorus," we will surely be able to make the Yellow River a river of happiness that benefits the people.

Yellow River Work Chant  Endless and Continuous Life or Growth

Narrator: Zhang Shoutian, performer of Yellow River work chants at the Old Street Long Lane Intangible Cultural Heritage Cultural Street, Yanwo Town, Lijin County, Shandong

I grew up beside the Yellow River, drank Yellow River water, and have spent most of my life dealing with the Yellow River. If you come to stroll through the Old Street Long Lane Intangible Cultural Heritage Cultural Street, you may well see me standing on the stage, shouting Yellow River work chants.

When I was young, life beside the Yellow River floodplain was hard. The Yellow River's water carried sediment, and whenever the rainy season came, it would overflow the floodplain. Back then there was an old saying,"three years saving money, three years raising the foundation, three years building the house, three years paying off debts"—to build a house you first had to pile up an earthen platform, and it had to be renovated every year. Piling up the earthen platform meant building embankments, entirely relying on people to push earth and tamp it with rammers, layer by layer. The Yellow River work chants were shouted out, one by one, in the midst of this labor.

Back then, wooden rammers were used for tamping foundations—round logs tied with ropes, one person holding the long handle, four people gripping the ropes and slamming down. At first, everyone sang their own tune, and their strength could not be brought together. Later, someone began humming a little melody, carrying a rhythm—while humming, everyone pulled the ropes in time, and people found it interesting, work was no longer dull, strength was brought together, and the rammer was thrown higher and more steadily. Gradually, these little melodies formed the special work chants for tamping.

When I was around ten years old, I heard the tamping chants for the first time, and felt an indescribable warmth in my heart. Whenever I heard that tamping was happening somewhere, I would buy melon seeds and candy and rush over to listen. I have loved singing since childhood, and when I heard that chant sound, my feet could not move away.

After growing up, I also joined the tamping team. The chant leader stood at the front, shouting out a line at the top of his lungs, and we would follow with responses. The elders said that tamping was a job of strength, but even more a job of unity. The chant was the command—when one sound rose, everyone exerted force simultaneously, each person lifting the rope by nearly 10 kilograms; when one sound fell, the rammer slammed heavily onto the ground. The people on the Yellow River floodplain, relying on chant after chant, built up the homes behind them.

Later, machines became numerous, tamping work became scarce, and the sound of the chants gradually faded away. After I retired, I always kept those tunes in my heart. Sometimes sitting alone by the Yellow River, I seem to hear those old tunes that have disappeared, and in my mind's eye appear those old comrades who once worked bare-chested, shouting work chants.

A few years ago, cadres from the county and township came to the village for research, saying they wanted to rescue the intangible cultural heritage of Yellow River work chants and build the"Old Street Long Lane" cultural tourism project. When they really got going, it was no small undertaking—they repaired the old opera stage, built an intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall, renovated the old houses along the street, and one after another intangible cultural heritage workshops opened their doors, bringing bustle back to the once-deserted old street.

The old comrades who once shouted chants are now old and cannot shout anymore, so everyone came to me. At first, I worried that I could not shout them out. But the moment I stood before that rammer, the tunes would come out of my mouth involuntarily. Now our rammer chant team has around ten members—the oldest is 74, and the youngest is also over 50. On market days and holidays, we stand on the stage shouting work chants; not only do locals love hearing Yellow River work chants, but even foreign tour groups come over, holding up cameras and clicking away without stop.

Now, we have written new lyrics, singing about the new look of the Yellow River floodplain—"United hearts and strength, let's tamp the rammer; the Yellow River floodplain has fine scenery""Intangible cultural heritage spreads to all directions, welcoming tourists to come and enjoy""Now the old street has taken on a new look, economic development grows more prosperous, and the people's life is happy for ten thousand years"……

(Compiled and organized from an interview by Li Rui, reporter of this newspaper)

【Reporter's Reflections】

The Yellow River work chant is the rhythm of labor, and even more the Yellow River memory engraved in the minds of a generation—a living fossil of the spiritual symbiosis between man and the great river.

Zhang Shoutian's perseverance is"holding the dike" for the cultural lineage of the Yellow River. Organizing teams, writing new lyrics, performing regularly……these efforts are meant to make the long-silent chants ring out loud and resound once more. This chant sound, spanning generations, testifies to the tenacious vitality of Yellow River culture; the strength of pulling together as one rope within the chant is both a vivid footnote to the history of Yellow River harnessing and the eternal spiritual foundation of the children of the Yellow River.

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Page editors: Shen Shaotie

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Crossing Mountains, Seas, and Stars, Writing a New Chapter of the Era (Witnessing the "Firsts" of New China)

In this golden October, the whole nation celebrates together. Over the more than 70 years since the founding of New China, we have relied on our own efforts and striven hard through difficulties, forging ahead through hardships on the basis of a poor and blank foundation, and our development achievements have attracted worldwide attention. Especially since entering the new era, we have been making great efforts to move forward and moving forward with courage and determination, with major projects reporting frequent successes, key core technologies achieving breakthroughs one after another, and the weight of the great instruments of the nation growing heavier and heavier.

This issue's "Witnessing the 'Firsts' of New China" column focuses on landmark major projects since the new era, recording, through the oral accounts of frontline witnesses, the innovative leaps and developmental transformations of China in the new era.

The aerospace breakthrough of deep-space lunar exploration, the infrastructure miracle of cross-sea thoroughfares, the high-speed rail calling card of going to sea to empower, the hydropower chapter at Baihetan... Each unique "first" has witnessed the historic leap of China's science and technology and infrastructure from following alongside to leading, and has become the original aspiration portrait of generations of scientific researchers and constructors striving to be the first among many and striving to reach the highest level.

Letting Shenzhen and Zhongshan "hold hands" at the bottom of the sea

What matters most to me are the more than 30 smooth and silky joints

Ning Jinjin

Before I knew it, the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link has been open to traffic for two years. Whenever I have a connecting flight in Shenzhen, I always find time to drive into this undersea corridor in the Lingdingyang waters. In the past two years I have traversed the tunnel more than 10 times, and every time I have new feelings. Ordinary tourists will marvel at the magnificence of the project and the convenience of commuting, but having personally experienced the entire construction process, what I care about most is whether, when passing over those more than 30 immersed tube joints, there will be bumps or "jumps" of the vehicle. When the wheels roll over joint after joint, it is smooth and silky. It is hard to imagine that this world's longest two-way eight-lane undersea immersed tube tunnel is a vast project formed by dozens of steel-shell immersed tubes connected end to end, each weighing nearly 80,000 tons. The Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link has become the world's first cross-sea cluster project integrating "bridge, island, tunnel, and underwater interchange" into one.

In the Shenzhen-Zhongshan tunnel, the lights are brilliant. I often casually take a short video and send it to the "comrades-in-arms" who fought side by side back then, sharing with them the fruits that our "battles of millimeters" have brought.

One moment was at the beginning of the project—on May 30, 2020, the world's first integrated vessel for floating, transporting, and installing immersed tubes, the"Yihang Jin'an 1," held a heavy-load rehearsal. As the first person to serve as chief commander, behind me were nearly 200 technical personnel and operations personnel; beneath my feet, was the 20,000-ton integrated vessel towing an immersed tube weighing nearly 80,000 tons

Just halfway through exiting the dock, a severe convective weather suddenly hit, with towering winds and waves. A difficult problem lay before us: if we headed into the wind and set out, the vessel was at risk of damage at any moment; if we stayed put, the integrated vessel that we had poured efforts into developing and building might well end up flashy but lacking substance.

After weighing the options, we decided to grit our teeth and "take a gamble." "Continue exiting the dock!" After the order was issued, in the night, the integrated vessel sailed out of the dock gate and into the sea. After a fierce battle of continuous day-and-night operations, we finally successfully completed this test, verifying a record of the integrated vessel running at nearly 3 meters per second under heavy load. This tough battle fully proved that our independently developed technical scheme and great national instruments could withstand the test of critical moments.

One moment was at the end of the project—in June 2023, inside the command hall of the integrated vessel, more than 150 technical personnel were standing by in strict readiness, using the Beidou navigation system to inspect the undersea operations: the final immersed tube was steadily placed in its designated position, the final joint was slowly pushed out, and then came compression, alignment, and sealing.

If the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge was China's breakthrough in immersed tube tunnel technology "from 0 to 1," then the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link is the upgrade and iteration "from 1 to 100": for the first time globally, the Beidou system was introduced into undersea immersed tube construction, putting an end at once to the situation in which key systems were constrained by others; the world's first integrated vessel for floating, transporting, and installing immersed tubes, independently built, achieved autonomous navigation and automatic cruising... Only by seeking in inheritance and breaking through in innovation could we produce one shining calling card after another of "Made in China."

In the past, when doing projects, we used whatever equipment we had to determine what projects to do and what plans to set. Now, whatever ideas Chinese engineers have, we can build whatever great instruments are needed to realize those ideas.

Having personally undergone the baptism of two super projects, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link, now I am also in new engineering projects, continuing to pass on to the new generation of builders the spirit of"persistent dedication, constant refinement, facing risks head-on, and rigorous review," striving to replicate and extend the construction experience of super projects to more river-and-sea projects.

(The author is chief engineer of the Second Engineering Company of CCCC First Harbor Engineering Company, formerly deputy chief engineer of the First Harbor Engineering Company's Shenzhen-Zhongshan Link project; this article was compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Han Xin; the portrait photo was taken by Cao Hanwen)

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The climb of China's hydropower equipment will never stop

Qin Daqing

The Baihetan Hydropower Station, situated on the Jinsha River, has created many world firsts: the world's first hydro-generating unit to achieve full-load power generation at 1 million kilowatts, and the hydraulic turbine runner's optimal efficiency setting a world record at that time. These records write the historic leap of China's hydropower from following, to running alongside, to leading. Baihetan is precisely the stage where my team and I have been pursuing our dream of scaling the "Mount Everest" of world hydropower.

In 2007, pre-research on the Baihetan hydro-generating units was launched. What lay before us was the world's largest single-unit-capacity 1-million-kilowatt hydro-turbine generator set, a height never reached by anyone in the history of world hydropower equipment. Someone asked: from the Three Gorges' 700,000 kilowatts, Xiluodu's 770,000 kilowatts, to Baihetan's 1 million kilowatts, isn't it just adding two or three hundred thousand kilowatts? I said, this is not a simple stacking of numbers. The larger the single-unit capacity, the more the difficulty of a series of problems such as hydraulic stability, runner strength, and electromagnetic design will grow exponentially.

What I remember most is the choice in the design of the runner blades. At that time, two opinions appeared within the team: one was to choose conventional blades that were technologically mature and with lower risk; the other was to choose long-and-short blades that had better performance on all indicators but were extremely difficult to design and manufacture.

During the research and development process, we successively developed 11 model runners and conducted more than 50 rounds of model tests of different design schemes. In those years, the team had no holidays, and the lights in front of the test stand were always on through the night.

In the end, we innovatively proposed methods for blade-back flow separation and runner-channel vortices, and developed a long-and-short blade runner of"15 long + 15 short." This runner achieved the world's first"zero counterweight" for a giant long-and-short blade runner, equivalent to forging a"perfect heart" for the unit.

From June 28, 2021, when the first unit, No. 14, was put into operation, to December 20, 2022, when the last unit, No. 9, was put into high-quality commercial operation, the eight units on the right bank of Baihetan developed by Harbin Electric Group were each a fine product, each piece first-class. As a major national project of the"West-to-East Power Transmission," the Baihetan Hydropower Station has an average annual power generation of about 62.4 billion kilowatt-hours. What kind of concept is this? Calculated according to the current national average per capita annual household electricity consumption of about 1,000 kilowatt-hours, the station's daily power generation can meet the annual household electricity needs of more than 170,000 people; each year it can save about 19.68 million tons of standard coal and reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 51.6 million tons

Some people say that Baihetan is a miracle. In my view, this miracle is precisely a vivid embodiment of Chinese modernization: advocating independent innovation, daring to advance into the"no-man's land"; adhering to green development, letting clean electricity light up the motherland; relying on solidarity and cooperation, pooling everyone's strength to jointly forge great national instruments.

Looking back at the road traveled, for more than 30 years I have done only one thing: making China's hydropower equipment stand tall. From the Three Gorges, to Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, and then to Baihetan, I have been fortunate to personally experience the course of China's hydropower leapfrog development. Fortunately, I have caught up with a good era, with major national projects as the stage, and a team that dares to fight hard battles and can win battles. Baihetan is not the finish line; today, we are again launching an assault on pumped-storage units with higher heads and larger capacities. The climb of China's hydropower equipment will never stop.

(The author is a National Outstanding Engineer and chief scientist of Harbin Electric Group; this article was compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Zhu Dawei; the portrait photo was taken by Zhao Gang. )

Things we dared not imagine in the past are becoming reality

Rong Qiliang

On June 25, 2024, the Chang'e-6 return capsule landed safely, achieving the world's first lunar far-side sample return. At that moment, I was extremely excited and proud.

In the Chang'e-6 mission, the research team of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, in cooperation with the China Academy of Space Technology, was mainly responsible for developing the"surface sampling execution device." Unlike the sampling methods of other countries, such as drilling or manual excavation, this device completes lunar soil collection, placement, and sealing through a fully automatic, multi-point method. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University team participated in the development and production of the principle prototype of the entire system, and undertook the development of key flight components including the sample container and sealing system, two high-temperature samplers, and two high-temperature close-up cameras.

The Moon is 380,000 kilometers from Earth, but what truly made my team and I feel pressure was not the distance, but the unknown.

There was no precedent in human history for sampling the lunar far side. During the development of the device, the most critical and challenging technical difficulty lay in fully mastering and simulating the physical properties of lunar soil. We could not predict what state the lunar soil in the landing area would be in, nor could we wait until we arrived on the lunar surface to adjust the equipment. Therefore, during the design phase, we had to consider every possible situation as much as possible, research and simulate the physical properties of lunar soil that might appear in different regions, and then, through repeated ground tests, enable the device to have sufficient adaptability and fault tolerance.

The entire lunar far-side sampling process was interlinked at every step, and every detail was extremely important. After sampling began, the high-temperature close-up cameras played their role first. Installed beside the samplers, they provided close-range visual information for the sampling process, helping the device judge and navigate. The collected lunar soil then had to be accurately poured into the sample container, and after covering the container, excess lunar soil was removed, and then the sealing system completed the sealing. After sampling ended, the sampler, with the assistance of the high-temperature close-up cameras, had to grasp the sample container tightly and accurately lift it into the ascender.

What I remember most was the period during mission execution when I stared at the real-time sampling images in the measurement and control center. When sampling was completed, my heart relaxed a little; when the sample entered the container, I felt more reassured; when sealing was completed, I continued waiting... Only when the sample container was smoothly transferred into the ascender and the hatch was closed did my team and I truly let go of the anxiety hanging over our hearts. This was a major breakthrough in China's lunar exploration program, and also a vivid embodiment of the nation's aerospace science and technology strength.

Over these years, from the Moon to Mars, my team and I have been fortunate to participate in many major national aerospace projects, witnessing time and again China's aerospace continuous breakthroughs. For me, what is most worth cherishing is that I have been able to participate in creating a new record in human lunar exploration.

I often think of my childhood. Back then, "spacemen" or even"interstellar cruises" were utterly beyond reach; now, with the nation's science and technology strength continuously growing, many things we dared not imagine in the past are becoming reality.

In May 2021, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University established the Deep Space Exploration Research Center, bringing together research strength from different disciplines to further carry out interdisciplinary cooperation. At present, the center focuses on frontier directions such as lunar soil property analysis and space resource utilization, hoping that through more research, it can provide scientific basis for the nation's future deep-space exploration.

The space for national development is growing wider and wider, the pace of scientific and technological progress is accelerating, and individuals also have a larger stage for growth. The aerospace industry needs professional talent from different fields; as long as young people do their own specialty well, accumulate a little bit at a time, and move forward step by step, they will have the opportunity to find their place in the process of national development.

The first handful of lunar far-side soil has already returned to Earth, but the pace of exploration will not stop, and China's aerospace industry is advancing toward deeper space. I am very fortunate to have personally witnessed it.

(The author is director of the Deep Space Exploration Research Center of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University; this article was compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Chen Ran; the portrait photo was provided by the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. )

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Page editors: Meng Yang, Tang Zhongke, Xu Yang

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HUAWEI Ruiying: A Panoramic Vision, Gathering Light into Imaging

XMAGE is upgraded to "HUAWEI Ruiying XMAGE", opening a new decade of HUAWEI mobile imaging

On October 1, 2026, at the HUAWEI Mate 90 series and all-scenario new product launch event, HUAWEI officially announced that the mobile imaging brand XMAGE would be upgraded to "HUAWEI Ruiying XMAGE." At the technology foundation level, the logic-folding τ chip provides new computing power support for imaging computation, further perfecting the full-stack technology system of "software, hardware, chip, and cloud" collaboration; in terms of imaging capability, the "new species" of mobile imaging — the brand-new HUAWEI Ruiying Z10 modular camera — has come to market, once again breaking through the optical boundaries of smartphones; the HUAWEI Mate 90 series "Ruiying Red Maple Portrait" feature adds portrait original files, soft-light portraits, gorgeous fireworks, and starburst effects, comprehensively upgrading portrait creation;in terms of imaging culture, after ten years, the HUAWEI Imaging Competition continues to provide a platform for global creators to showcase and exchange, and has grown into a highly influential global imaging culture brand.

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Earth's Splendor · Good Days

There is currently a popular internet phrase — "day-to-day people" (日子人) — used to describe ordinary people who are down-to-earth, hardworking, and full of enthusiasm for life. When people talk about them, they always do so with a tone of approval.

Behind this lies the full expectation of Chinese people to "live their days well." From the institutional codes embedded in the five-year plans at the macro level, to the heartwarming moments in the vegetable market at the micro level, we have selected here five books closely related to the daily lives of the people, to savor together with our readers where a good life comes from and how it will continue to flourish and prosper (蒸蒸日上, zheng zheng ri shang - "steam, steam, sun, rise"). Amid the festive atmosphere of celebrating the National Day, let us together feel the warmth and vitality of life and the times, and the joint progress of the "big country" and the "small family."

— Editor

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China Through the Lens of Its Wet Markets (The Land's Splendor)

By: ​钟淑如

There are currently more than 38,000 wet markets in China, scattered across streets and alleys, continuously supplying fresh ingredients to the dinner tables of countless households. As an anthropology scholar, I have been studying wet markets since 2016 and have conducted in-depth fieldwork in more than 200 wet markets across over 50 cities nationwide. During this time, I sold seafood and vegetables in the markets, befriended many stallholders, and listened to them tell their life stories, which I subsequently compiled into a small book titled Chinese Wet Markets. What I sought to explore was: in an era when buying groceries is so convenient, why do wet markets still exist? Why do Chinese people love visiting wet markets?

The vitality of wet markets has deep historical roots. After the founding of New China, wet markets became the hub of the urban food distribution system. Under the system of unified state purchase and sale, agricultural products were purchased uniformly from rural areas, and each district's wet market was the core distribution node, with several small grocery shops attached beneath it reaching deep into residential neighborhoods. After reform and opening-up, the "Vegetable Basket Project" (菜篮子工程) launched, pushing wet market construction to another climax. Local governments incorporated wet markets into urban planning: a medium-sized wet market of two to three thousand square meters serves the surrounding population of twenty to thirty thousand, reachable within a ten-minute walk. The explosive growth of wet markets went hand in hand with the release of residents' consumer demand, and the cross-provincial "big market, big circulation" logistics system enriched the dining table. The grocery-shopping memories of several generations were thus forged.

Why do Chinese people love visiting wet markets? I ask customers, and the most frequent answer I hear is: "Because the things in wet markets are fresher."

But what exactly does "fresh" mean? We often treat it as a self-evident quality—visible, tangible, tastable—but when it comes to defining its standard, it seems hard to articulate. In reality, different cultures understand freshness differently. In Western countries, the mainstream is "technological freshness":food is graded, packaged, refrigerated, and transported, crossing vast distances while still remaining intact and in good condition. This kind of freshness relies on technology to delay spoilage and is suited to large-scale, long-distance circulation. In Chinese wet markets, by contrast, freshness means immediacy—staying ahead of time, transforming living organisms into food, going directly from the field to the table, preserving as much as possible the original flavor of the food within the shortest time. In Guangzhou, fish that meets the freshness standard must be live swimming fish slaughtered on the spot; in Chaoshan, beef is broken down into various fine cuts before it even has time to undergo rigor mortis, brought home to cook in hotpot.

Freshness is also a condensation of time and space. The wet market is a window onto the seasons:without checking the calendar, walking in tells you what season a city is in. Kunming's Zhuanxin Market brings to life vividly and thoroughly (淋漓尽致, lin li jin zhi -"dripping, moist, reach, limit") the saying "eat flowers in spring, mushrooms in summer, fruits in autumn, roots in winter." At Suzhou's Fengmen Cross Street, there is a stall called "All Seasons" that does not cling to any single ingredient but focuses on local seasonal produce:from river mussels and snails around Qingming Festival, to soft-shelled turtles and eels in summer, to fox nuts and hairy crabs in autumn—the flavors of Jiangnan across all four seasons are presented within this tiny space. Across the great north and south of our country, every place has its own unique taste marker, and the most common hiding place for these specialty ingredients is the wet market.

The Chinese-style freshness of immediacy, locality, and seasonality is supported by a unique ecosystem behind it. Data from the Third National Agricultural Census show that there are approximately 203 million smallholder farmers nationwide, of whom households cultivating less than10 mu each account for about85.2% of all farming households. Smallholders' agricultural products have terroir flavor, but their output is unstable and scattered, making it difficult for them to enter standardized channels such as supermarkets and e-commerce; wet market stallholders, flexible and adaptable, are exactly able to accommodate these local flavors. It can be said that wet markets and hundreds of millions of small producers achieve mutual success—they are a reasonable presence in China's food system and the best container for local agricultural products.

People also love wet markets because they are full of human warmth. Stallholders who do good business are all experts in interpersonal interaction:they precisely remember regular customers' preferences, recommend the best products without reservation, and provide fine services such as peeling, shelling shrimp, and marinating meat. In my fieldwork, I found that over60% of vendors have stable clientele, exchanging quality goods at fair prices for long-term returns.

Old Yang has been selling fish at a wet market in Shanghai since1992. The fish he sells are purchased by a dedicated agent in his hometown of Wuhu, and their quality is good, making his stall the largest fish stall in the entire market. But Old Yang hasn't made much money, because he prices his fish only10% above his purchase cost, and after accounting for losses, he sometimes even loses money. His WeChat contains more than20 customer groups organized by residential community, with over4,000 people, all of whom joined voluntarily, and more than80% are elderly people over70 years old. Some elderly people have difficulty moving around, so Old Yang conveniently helps them buy other groceries and delivers them to their doors, even for orders of just twenty or thirty yuan. A while ago he injured his lower back, and while delivering goods he walked with difficulty;his long-time customers noticed, and various ointments inexplicably appeared at his home. Watching his former peers make fortunes and leave the market, Old Yang is not envious, still cheerfully tending his fish stall. He says:"When I deliver fish to elderly people who want to eat fish, and see them smile, I feel like I'm not tired anymore."

The wet market is like a big mixed salad—every person is like a different ingredient, regardless of gender, age, or social status, everyone can find a sense of belonging within it, and together they form something both diverse and harmonious. Many elderly people cannot do without wet markets—that is their social circle. Even if they don't chat, just watching the bustling crowds is enough to stir ripples in the placid surface of everyday life.

Of course, due to changes in living habits, wet markets have shifted from being "nearby" to being a "distant place" for many young people. In recent years, wet markets have also been actively transforming. At Suzhou's Caixiang Market, the renovated old market has embedded a dining area, where customers can directly buy fresh ingredients and have them cooked on the spot to enjoy, supplemented by a bakery and a café;newly planned markets are situated close to primary and secondary schools and community service centers, equipped with cultural activity rooms, elderly activity centers, and convenience service points, becoming the core of the "15-minute living circle." Markets such as Nanjing's Kexiang, Xiamen's Eighth Market, and Chengdu's Yulin have, with their ingenious designs, cultural and creative activities, and even art exhibitions, become travel check-in destinations and windows showcasing a city's customs and local culture.

Even the unremarkable wet market near home has new "business":enthusiasts have developed study courses, taking children to read picture books, complete tasks, and observe, record, and ask questions in the market. The activities are fully booked every session, and parents say that wet markets not only let children understand local dietary traditions and seasonal foods, but also rediscover everyday life—visiting the wet market transcends mechanical habit, becoming a creative practice that allows everyone to find poetic moments of life here

From the distribution hub of the era of unified state purchase and sale, to the livelihood guarantee of the "Vegetable Basket Project," to today's community living room and city business card, the transformation of wet markets is precisely a microcosm of China's social development over several decades. It connects farmers with the dinner tables of hundreds of millions of urban households, carries the Chinese people's devotion to freshness, and preserves the warmth between neighbors. Why, in an era when buying groceries is so convenient, do we still cannot do without wet markets? The answer can be simple:because in the wet market, there is a concrete, rich, and vibrant China.

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“Planning” Our Way to a Better Life (Splendors of the Land)

By: 傅 越

National Day has come around again. Over the seventy-seven years since the founding of New China, we have been making steady progress through hardships (砥砺前行, di li qian xing - "grind, polish, move forward"), the mountains and rivers have taken on a new look with each passing day, and the fruits of development have benefited countless households. Behind this modernization practice built on sustained, long-term effort lies the unceasing relay of five-year plans (programs) advanced round after round.

Li Jie's new work Planning China: Five-Year Plans and the Communist Party of China takes us to understand the internal logic of the transformation of family and country over more than seventy years, and to probe the institutional code of Chinese modernization. The author summarizes this extraordinary and magnificent (波澜壮阔, bo lan zhuang kuo - "wave, surge, magnificent, vast") journey as establishing the country through industry, enriching the country through reform, and strengthening the country through innovation. This is not an abstract theoretical narrative, but a path trodden by generation after generation of people who were down-to-earth and practical (脚踏实地, jiao ta shi di - "foot, step, solid, ground") and continued the struggle. The so-called planning China means devising a blueprint for development with a long-term vision, converting the vision of each round of five-year plans (programs) into a real picture of renewed mountains and rivers and improved people's livelihoods, so that national development and the well-being of the people are closely interwoven.

The author first takes us back to the early days of New China, when mountains and rivers were shattered, all industries awaited revival, the industrial foundation was weak, and the road of construction was arduous. It was precisely by relying on the making steady and solid progress (稳扎稳打, wen zha wen da - "steady, pierce, steady, strike") of the First Five-Year Plan that the 156 key projects were gradually rolled out, breakthroughs were continuously achieved in key fields such as energy and infrastructure, countless builders worked hard through hardship, continuously advancing industrialization construction, laying the foundation for establishing an independent and relatively complete industrial system and national economic system, allowing the newly born People's Republic to stand firm

The tide of the times surges forward, and the five-year plans placed the gradual improvement of the people's lives each year in a position of priority, enabling the people to personally experience the superiority of the socialist system. Starting from the Eleventh Five-Year Plan, the "five-year plan" was formally renamed the"five-year plan" — behind the change of a single character lies the transformation and upgrading of the country's governance thinking and development philosophy. Under the guidance of successively advanced plans, products have become increasingly abundant, life has gradually become more comfortable, the face of the countryside has been continuously renewed, the urban layout has been continuously expanded, regional development has become more coordinated, and social vitality has surged forth

The new era and the new journey constitute the focal point of the exposition of Planning China: Five-Year Plans and the Communist Party of China. In the new era, the five-year plans inherit the achievements of past struggles, plan for the long term facing the future, place greater emphasis on development quality, comprehensive benefits, and sustainability, possessing both the strategic resolve of carrying on a tradition or lineage (一脉相承, yi mai xiang cheng - "one, vein, mutually, inherit") and highlighting the innovative vitality of advancing with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with, time, together, advance"). The changes in mountains and rivers and the blessings of people's livelihoods are clearly perceptible. The battle against poverty created a human miracle leaving a glorious mark in history (彪炳史册, biao bing shi ce - "resplendent, shine, history, book"), moderate prosperity in all respects was achieved on schedule as scheduled, major projects were implemented, continuous breakthroughs were made in deep space, deep sea, and high-end equipment fields, digital economy and green industries flourished, the safety nets for people's livelihoods such as education, healthcare, and elderly care have been woven ever denser, ecological protection has been solidly advanced, and suitability for living and working has become the background color of life... These visible, tangible changes are precisely the abundant fruits borne of successive planning and sustained, long-term hard work

Time is the best witness. Reading Planning China: Five-Year Plans and the Communist Party of China, looking back on the magnificent journey of drawing one blueprint to the end and advancing five-year plans (programs) in relay, one cannot help but feel a sense of urgency to advance with the times and seize every moment and act with urgency (只争朝夕, zhi zheng zhao xi - "only, strive, morning, evening"). From establishing the country through industry, enriching the country through reform, to strengthening the country through innovation, every inch of new landscape of mountains and rivers and every wisp of warmth in people's livelihoods are achievements of planning, and even more so fruits of struggle. Taking the First Five-Year Plan as the starting point, today, more than seventy years later, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the great ship "China" is breaking waves and forging ahead toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, embarking on a journey toward glory and dreams. Continuing to consolidate the foundation of development and stimulate innovative vitality, the path of Chinese modernization will surely grow ever broader

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Step out of the city, into the wilds (The Beauty of the Land)

By: 赵紫燕

When it comes to "birdwatching," you may think of those people in parks shouldering "long guns and short cannons" of photography equipment, waiting for long periods for birds to grace them with a visit. Indeed, many people's first impression of birdwatching is that "the threshold is too high" — one must have both money and leisure, possessing both sufficient material means to purchase professional equipment and ample time to go outdoors and squat in wait. In planning the book Let's Go Birdwatching in Xixi, we wanted to dispel this misconception, and also provide people in cities with a professional, reliable, yet accessible "guide to getting close to nature."

In fact, many people have already, without realizing it, joined the ranks of birdwatchers in their daily lives. Hearing a couple of bird calls, they curiously search for the source of the sound, wanting to know which kind of bird is singing; seeing a bird with an elegant figure or a peculiar appearance, they cannot help but pull out their phone to snap its likeness; encountering an injured or stranded fledgling in the wild, they very much want to do something for it… You may wonder: "Is birdwatching this simple?" Yes, it is this simple, because birdwatching is also a way of life.

This way of life has existed since ancient times (古已有之, gu yi you zhi - "ancient, already, have, exist"). The ancients used writing to record the myriad forms of flying birds they observed; opening the Han-dynasty character dictionary Shuowen Jiezi, one finds not only "bird" (鸟) for long-tailed birds and "zhui" (隹) for short-tailed ones, but even bird calls are distinguished into onomatopoeic characters such as "jie" (喈) and"ying" (嘤). Perhaps it is precisely because this gene etched into our bones has awakened that birdwatching has become a new leisure favorite among young people and a major choice for young parents taking their kids outdoors — who does not want to get close to nature?

However, the relaxation and casualness of birdwatching do not equal carelessness, and the ultimate joy of birdwatching is not pressing the shutter, freezing a beautiful image. Behind the low entry threshold, the bottom line of civility is by no means low. Birdwatching requires both a store of knowledge and a sense of boundaries. To this end, Let's Go Birdwatching in Xixi attempts to respond to two aspects that birdwatchers will all care about: general knowledge about birds and how to watch birds.

Understanding birds is the foundation of birdwatching. The book begins with body structure, breaking down layer by layer such knowledge as birds'"clothing, food, housing, and transportation," breeding processes, and more. For example, once you know the fact that "birds generally only use nests during the breeding season, and once the chicks grow up, the nest is empty and the birds are gone," you will not stubbornly wait by a nest for birds outside the breeding season. And in the "How to Watch Birds" section, the expert team from the Hangzhou Xixi National Wetland Park Ecological Culture Research Center will share all their knowledge or resources generously (倾囊相授, qing nang xiang shou - "empty, bag, bestow, teach"), and will even "hand-hold" readers through making birdwatching records and conducting standardized bird rescue efforts.

Nearly 300 bird photographs in the book all come from the "Flying Feathers" volunteer service team of Xixi Wetland. This team, established in 2023, has continuously recorded, by the water's edge and among the trees, the birds' wonderful daily routines of foraging, roosting, courting, and raising chicks. Opening this book feels like stepping with one foot onto the lush green grounds of Xixi Wetland, seeing the graceful silhouettes of birds amid the ink-wash Jiangnan landscape. In Hangzhou, a city born of water that has been honored as an "International Wetland City," a single wetland protects biodiversity and also lets residents enjoy, right at their doorstep, the beautiful sounds of birds singing and the fragrance of flowers (鸟语花香, niao yu hua xiang - "bird, language, flower, fragrance"), touching the beauty of ecology.

The Book of Songs·Odes of Shang says, "Heaven mandated the dark bird, descending to give birth to Shang, dwelling in the vast lands of Yin." What this records is not merely a legendary tale of tribal origins; birds fluttering about are also a vivid signal that a city's ecology is improving and its days are warming. Birdwatching, a practice of studying things to understand the underlying principles (格物, ge wu - "investigate, things") spanning thousands of years, lets us experience beauty in gentle coexistence with nature.

A small book strings together flying birds, wetlands, and the fireworks of human life.May it serve as a stepping stone, accompanying readers out of their small confines and toward mountains and wilds.

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Why Tour Guides Are Often Grandmas (The Beauty of the Land)

By: ​陈平原

To say that the publication of the book Entering the Chaoshan of Ama has nothing whatsoever to do with the film A Love Letter to Ama would be indefensible; but to conclude that this is a work of bandwagon-following would be completely untrue (大谬不然, da mi bu ran - "great, error, not, so"). For several years prior, Guangdong Education Publishing House had been in discussion with us three chief editors over how to transform the four-volume Chaoshan Culture Reader into a popular readership book for the whole country. This set of local-region textbooks, first published in early 2017 and reprinted many times since, enjoys an excellent reputation in the Chaoshan region and a certain degree of fame among overseas Chinese in Southeast Asia. If we were to change course or policy (改弦易辙, gai xian yi zhe - "change, string, change, track"), it would require major upheaval. Whether simplifying by removing the superfluous (删繁就简, shan fan jiu jian - "delete, complex, then, simplify"), filling in gaps or shortcomings (拾遗补缺, shi yi bu que - "pick up, lost, mend, gap"), broadening the horizons, or deepening the connotations, only thus could we accommodate both refined and popular tastes and present a rich and varied (丰富多彩, feng fu duo cai - "rich, abundant, many, colors"), vivid and full of life (活色生香, huo se sheng xiang - "living, color, produce, fragrance") "Chaoshan."

It was indeed the film that reminded us: region, native soil, and dialect are not absolute barriers to reading. If one can discern the currents of the times, delve deep into human hearts and human nature, and tell the "Chaoshan story" well, it can equally attract countless readers. And to achieve this, externally one relies on social transformation, internally on one's own efforts. The former refers to what I said at the Peking University post-screening dialogue: "Imagine ten or twenty years earlier, the public might not have appreciated the relatively classical lifestyle and cultural expression of Chaoshan people"; the latter refers to what I mentioned in that same dialogue: "Thirty years of cultural uplift, achieving a film that broke out of its circle." As for the specific compilation strategy for this book, besides borrowing the tailwind of the film A Love Letter to Ama, it further draws upon the academic accumulation of the earlier Chaoxue Collection, the cultural concern of Three Conversations on Chaoshan Culture, and the narrative tone of Both Banks of the Han River, to comprehensively expand and enhance the interest and quality of local-culture reading materials.

From film to book, the most crucial reference point is the symbolic significance of Ama. In early September, at the new book sharing session for Entering the Chaoshan of Ama at the Nanguo Book Festival in Guangzhou, Guangdong, I answered thus why this book is named after "Ama": "Why does a grandmother or maternal grandmother feel more intimately close to one? I think, within the Chaoshan family structure, this is a special position. Because in many families, the male head of household goes out to strive and venture, heading to Nanyang (Southeast Asia), then remits money back to support the family. The overseas remittance letters (qiaopi) sent back with money were mostly sent to the head of the family, to the family's grandfather (Agong) or grandmother (Ama).. Therefore, Ama in Chaoshan society often plays the role of supporting the entire family. This is a structure unique to Chaoshan families. We use 'Ama' as a symbol, representing Chaoshan women, Chaoshan families, and the warmth between grandparents and grandchildren within Chaoshan families."

This role, bearing suffering and responsibility, combining authority and loving kindness, is more real and credible than She Taijun in Generals of the Yang Family or Grandmother Jia in Dream of the Red Chamber. When friends discuss the traits of the Chaoshan people, they often commend Chaoshan merchants, Chaoshan scholars, Chaoshan craftsmen, and also Chaoshan women —the intelligence, kindness, and unwavering and persistent (坚忍不拔, jian ren bu ba - "firm, endure, not, pull") spirit of Chaoshan women is not only embodied in the graceful and elegant appearance (风姿绰约, feng zi chuo yue - "wind, posture, graceful, elegant") of the "elegant young ladies," but is even more concretely realized in the having experienced many vicissitudes of life (饱经沧桑, bao jing cang sang - "full, experience, mulberry, seas"), composed and serene "Ama."

When discussing the Chaoshan people, besides folk customs and cuisine, what deserves more careful examination is the family-and-country sentiment of the "qiaopi" (overseas remittance letters) and the enduring hardship and humiliation for a greater purpose (忍辱负重, ren ru fu zhong - "endure, insult, carry, heavy") of "Ama." The two mirror each other, and only thus can one discern the immense waves of history and the mottled vicissitudes of individual lives. In my view, Ama is not only a highly competent tour guide, but also a pivotal character in the book—as a popular culture book, what we pursue is not merely that it be "good to read," but also that it carry deep sentiments of remembrance and reflection.

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Live This Moment Well, and Happiness Will Come Quietly

By: ​朱伊哲

This year marks my ninth year working as an editor. Whenever I receive a newly published book, I make it a habit to place it at the very front row of my workstation bookshelf. Gradually, new books become "old books," squeezed out of the shelf time and again. And the days, too, slip quietly away amid one crop of books after another.

But there is one book that has always stood by my desk, and that is Life Is Long, Yet It Shines Bright (《人生漫漫亦灿灿》). This is a full-color illustrated book, not large in format, small enough to hold in one hand. There are no great truths in it, only 100 healing moments from everyday life. In the gaps between work, merely glancing at the words and illustrations in the book makes one feel very happy.

People of the modern age are always on the move, yet they easily miss the blooming flowers by the roadside and the evening glow at dusk. Perhaps it is meeting a friend one has not seen for a long time, perhaps it is burrowing into a soft quilt and sleeping a good sleep, perhaps it is suddenly hearing a song one once loved very much on the road... These simple and beautiful moments in life will, without our noticing, soothe our anxiety and make us feel warm and fortunate.

Looking back on those days of reviewing manuscripts, I too, without realizing it, began to pay attention to the tiny, fragmented moments around me that I had once overlooked. That was just around the turn from autumn to winter. On my way home from work, I bought a bag of steaming hot sugar-roasted chestnuts, and, unable to wait, cracked one open—oh, soft and fragrant! Even though both hands were burned as I juggled them back and forth, I still had to pop it into my mouth to "stir-fry" it, and the shopkeeper lady watched me and laughed heartily. At that moment, I suddenly realized: the present, right now, is truly wonderful.

We often place the good days in the future: waiting until we move house, waiting until the children grow up, waiting until the next holiday... But those 100 moments in the book are all in the"here and now." They are on the balcony, in the pot, at the other end of the phone line... They seem to remind us: if you live this very moment before your eyes solidly, the good days will quietly arrive.

When you possess the ability to perceive happiness, you will be able to feel the taste of happiness at every moment, in every hour.

Before the book went to press, I thought over and over again (思来想去, si lai xiang qu - "think, come, think, go") about its title, wondering which one could better express "life is long, and beauty is worth hoping for"? Perhaps it is precisely Life Is Long, Yet It Shines Bright. The road of life, just as the author Fei Wan says, "happiness is the sum total of countless moments."

In the latter half of the book, some recording pages have been deliberately set aside; these are the"happiness handbooks" left for the readers. If you encounter something worth recording, write a few lines; if you want to thank someone or miss someone, you can also say a few words. Put happiness down on paper, and no matter how long the days stretch, there will always be an echo.

As I write these words, the holiday season is approaching. The sunlight is just right, the autumn wind is not harsh, the osmanthus fragrance grows denser, and the crabs are at their fattest; people away from home make their way back, leg by leg. The so-called good days are, by and large, just like this.

But we also know that the happy"small home" cannot be separated from the support of the"big home." It is precisely the prosperity and strength of the country that string together these extremely precious (弥足珍贵, mi zu zhen gui - "fill, enough, precious, valuable") moments of happiness into days that seem nothing more than ordinary.

Life Is Long, Yet It Shines Bright is precisely such a warm little book that lets you perceive happiness anytime, anywhere. Try to slow down, capture the tiny beauties around you, and you will find that, starting from one small thing after another, you will gradually regain a sense of control over life, and that feeling of countering vague anxiety with concrete moments will also make you more and more composed.

Thank you to the you who, amid the busy rush of life, still takes every single day seriously. Life moves slowly, and it holds its own answers. May we all possess the ability to perceive the fine-grained happiness around us.

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Page editors: Zhang Mingse

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