Summary: The 20th issue of *Qiushi* magazine will publish an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, titled "Advancing Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party with Higher Standards and More Concrete Measures." The article stresses that the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan is critical for basically realizing socialist modernization, requiring strengthened Party leadership and persistent full and rigorous self-governance. It emphasizes that major decisions of the Party Central Committee must be implemented with resolve, with the Two Upholds reflected in concrete actions rather than slogans, and that power must be confined within the cage of institutions with strict enforcement. The article also calls for advancing the fight against corruption with greater sobriety, maintaining a high-pressure posture, and integrating efforts to ensure officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to be corrupt.
Summary: The article discusses the goal of building a Healthy China by 2035, as established at the Party's 20th National Congress, with the 15th Five-Year Plan period deemed critical for achieving it. General Secretary Xi Jinping, at the National Conference on Health and Wellness, emphasized leveraging strengths, consolidating foundations, shoring up weaknesses, and reinforcing weak links to ensure decisive progress. The piece highlights arrangements by Xi for this period, including implementing the strategy of prioritizing health in development, meticulously handling foundational work, and comprehensively raising medical service levels. It notes China's progress, such as over 1.1 million medical institutions and 16 million personnel, while acknowledging unbalanced resources and weak primary-level services. The article concludes that success requires shared responsibility across the Party and society, guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Summary: President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), affirming its historical achievements and reiterating China's firm resolve to expand high-level opening up. Various officials and business leaders, including Zhang Jinsong of Guangdong's Department of Commerce and Wei Min of Guangzhou's Municipal Bureau of Commerce, pledged to implement the letter's spirit and support the Fair's success. Executives from Galanz, Haier, ICBC, and other firms highlighted the Fair's role in building foreign trade competitiveness, global reach, and innovation. A Russian buyer attending for the first time praised the Fair's global fame, while Shen Minghao of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies suggested converting its traffic into institutional opening up gains. The article concludes that openness has been the enduring path to progress over the Fair's 70-year history.
Summary: Premier Li Qiang held talks with Faure Gnassingbé, President of Togo's Council of Ministers, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 15. Li stated that President Xi Jinping and Faure had met the day before, elevating bilateral ties to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era, and expressed China's willingness to deepen cooperation in connectivity, infrastructure, agriculture, and finance. Faure affirmed Togo's firm support for the one-China principle and expressed willingness to strengthen practical cooperation with China in trade, investment, and other fields. The two leaders witnessed the signing of cooperation documents and issued a joint statement on building the community with a shared future. Wu Zhenglong attended the activities.
Summary: The article reports on the nationwide concentrated rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses, launched in 2024 under the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission leading the effort. It highlights how discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have resolved urgent livelihood issues—such as rural collective "three assets" management, food safety, elderly care, property services, and wage arrears—by coordinating with functional departments and involving mass participation. Specific examples include Jiangxi's platform for transparent village accounts, Zhejiang's cross-regional long-term care insurance settlement, and Gansu's resolution of property certificate backlogs. Officials quoted, such as Deng Bijing, Zhu Jiangjiang, Fu Xiaohui, Xiong Bin, Hu Zhangwei, Yao Hailiang, and Zhang Jie, emphasize that the rectification targets the masses' urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant concerns, with the masses having the final say on results. The piece stresses that the Party's roots are in the people and that the rectification has deepened Party-masses ties, with cadres shifting from being pushed to act to proactively solving problems.
Summary: The article is a special report titled "Passing the Torch from Generation to Generation, Relay the New Long March," part of a series on carrying forward the Great Long March Spirit and walking well the Long March Road of the New Era. It emphasizes the theme of passing the torch from generation to generation and relaying the new Long March. The report appears to be the ninth edition of a theoretical series and the sixth edition of a special report on the road to the dream.
Summary: General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the National Conference on Health and Wellness in Beijing from October 12 to 13, delivering an important speech that emphasized promoting high-quality development of health and wellness undertakings and ensuring decisive progress in building a Healthy China. Health workers across the country responded, pledging to implement the conference's spirit and anchor on the goal of completing the Healthy China construction by 2035. Various officials and medical professionals, including Xing Shaoyun, Yuan Jin, Jiang Hui, Hu Xiaozhong, Wuhasi Sulaiman, Shi Qiaorong, Zhu Hongming, Zheng Zhongwei, Zhou Xingtao, and Hou Hong, shared their commitments to improving grassroots services, cultivating talent, deepening medical-education reform, and advancing traditional Chinese medicine. The article focuses solely on domestic health policy responses and does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: At the 140th Canton Fair, Skyworth’s overseas marketing general manager Zheng Xiaosong discussed with Russian distributor Milstein a shift from exporting complete appliances to shipping key components and sending engineers to teach local assembly, enabling Milstein to build a production line and assemble about 10,000 units annually. Zheng noted that making plastic parts locally maximizes benefits for both sides, as they reduce shipping costs and damage. Similar cases include TCL, where staff member Tang Fan reported buyers increasingly asking for joint production lines abroad, and founder Li Dongsheng described a Brazilian joint venture upgrading local factories with product technology, digital management, and operational capability, while TCL’s Polish factory produces 5 million televisions yearly and supports 800–1,000 local jobs. Among over 30,000 Canton Fair exhibitors, nearly 20 percent have made outward investments, contributing more than 200,000 local jobs. The article frames these examples as a microcosm of China’s complete industrial system helping countries, especially developing ones, integrate into global production and supply chains.
Summary: At the 140th Canton Fair, Ecovacs Robotics showcased a floor-cleaning robot developed with European partner BSH Home Appliances, shifting from trading to innovation partnership, with Ma Xianbin explaining how they combined technologies and shared markets to enhance brand globalization. Galanz Group chairman Liang Zhaoxian highlighted joint development with foreign retail partners on custom products like air-fryer microwave ovens, which filled a high-end market gap and improved R&D efficiency. The article frames the Canton Fair as a platform for China's high-standard opening up and building an open world economy, with more overseas customers becoming innovation partners of Chinese enterprises.
Summary: At the 140th Canton Fair, Pan Hongqiang, deputy marketing director of Guangzhou Chengzhi Intelligent Machine Technology Co., Ltd., met Brazilian purchaser Vini in person after prior online exchanges, highlighting the fair's role in connecting customers and promoting low-altitude solution products globally. Belgian purchaser Adnan found a lightweight exterior wall cleaning robot at Guangdong Lingdu Intelligent Technology Development Co., Ltd.'s booth, praising its safety, cost-effectiveness, and remote support, and planned to return for further negotiations. Spanish purchaser Antonio experienced the quiet operation of an air conditioner at Gree Electric Appliances Inc. of Zhuhai, where business specialist Xu Pingping introduced the rotary cylinder refrigeration air conditioning compressor developed over 12 years. The first phase of the fair focuses on advanced manufacturing across 19 exhibition areas in five sectors, linking global purchasers and exhibitors. The Canton Fair, born of openness, continues to expand space for mutually beneficial international economic and trade cooperation.
Summary: On October 15, Chinese and foreign merchants and staff walked through the exhibition halls of the Canton Fair, as shown in a photo provided by the China Foreign Trade Center.
Summary: The 140th China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair) opened in Guangzhou on October 15, with approximately 32,000 exhibitors and 340,000 overseas buyers. The first phase, themed "Advanced Manufacturing," features over 12,000 exhibitors, including more than 6,000 high-quality firms such as high-tech enterprises, those focusing on specialization and innovation, and single-product champions. The exhibition highlights "new, green, and intelligent" trends, setting up 17 emerging and future industry zones covering areas like service robots, drones, and display technology, alongside achievements in new quality productive forces such as new-type energy storage and high-end chips. For the first time, the trade services exhibition area achieves full coverage of the ten major categories of producer services across nine zones. Held in three phases from October 15 to November 4, the fair plans over 700 new product launch events, with an expected 15% increase in released products and a debut new product launch display zone.
Summary: The 140th Canton Fair opened on October 14, coinciding with the release of China's foreign trade data showing an 18.8 percent year-on-year growth in goods imports and exports for the first three quarters, the fastest for that period in five years. The first phase, themed "advanced manufacturing," featured Chinese and foreign enterprises cooperating on R&D, with high-frequency terms like "strong, strong, join, unite" and "collaborative innovation" highlighting how openness enhances competitiveness. New this year were a product debut area and full coverage of ten major producer services categories, continuing the fair's 70-year legacy of innovative openness. Looking ahead, China's door of opening up will only open wider, injecting new momentum into world development and prosperity.
Summary: The article reports on the nationwide concentrated rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses, launched in 2024 under the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, with the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission leading the effort. It highlights how discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have resolved urgent livelihood issues—such as rural collective "three assets" management, food safety, elderly care, property services, and wage arrears—by coordinating with functional departments and involving mass participation. Specific examples include Jiangxi's platform for transparent village accounts, Zhejiang's cross-regional long-term care insurance settlement, and Gansu's resolution of property certificate backlogs. Officials quoted, such as Deng Bijing, Zhu Jiangjiang, Fu Xiaohui, Xiong Bin, Hu Zhangwei, Yao Hailiang, and Zhang Jie, emphasize that the rectification targets the masses' urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant concerns, with the masses having the final say on results. The piece stresses that the Party's roots are in the people and that the rectification has deepened Party-masses ties, with cadres shifting from being pushed to act to proactively solving problems.
Summary: Premier of the State Council Li Qiang delivered a video address on October 15 at the opening ceremony of the new China-DPRK Yalu River Bridge. Li Qiang stated that the bridge is an important cross-border infrastructure project jointly cared for and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong Un, and its smooth opening will promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation, strengthen personnel exchanges, and become a new landmark of traditional friendship. He expressed hope that both sides will optimize port customs clearance, raise connectivity levels, and tap cooperation potential in border areas. Li Qiang noted that under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and countries, China-DPRK relations are entering a new stage, and reiterated Xi Jinping's three "no change" commitments regarding the traditional friendship, support for Kim Jong Un, and safeguarding common interests. Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Thae-song also delivered a video address.
Summary: Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé made an official visit to China from October 9 to 16, 2026, at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, during which he met with President Xi Jinping and held talks with Premier Li Qiang and NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji. The two sides decided to elevate bilateral relations to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era, with Togo reaffirming its adherence to the one-China principle and opposition to any form of "Taiwan independence." The joint statement outlines cooperation under the Global Development, Security, Civilization, and Governance Initiatives, including trade, infrastructure, health, security, and artificial intelligence. Togo welcomed China's zero-tariff policy and expressed willingness to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, aligning it with its "Togo 2040 Vision." The visit was deemed significant for building the China-Togo community with a shared future and the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Summary: Premier Li Qiang met with Botswana's President Duma Boko at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, following President Xi Jinping's meeting with Boko that drew a new blueprint for bilateral relations. Li expressed China's willingness to consolidate political trust, support each other on core interests, and expand cooperation in mining, digital technology, green energy, and artificial intelligence. He also highlighted using China's zero-tariff treatment and "green channel" to boost Botswana's exports to China, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges in education, youth, culture, tourism, and healthcare. Boko praised China's development achievements, affirmed Botswana's adherence to the one-China principle, and supported Xi's four major global initiatives. Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting.
Summary: Premier Li Qiang will pay official visits to Uzbekistan and Tajikistan from October 17 to 20, and attend the 25th SCO Council of Heads of Government Meeting in Tajikistan. He will then travel to Russia from October 20 to 22 for the 31st Regular Meeting between Chinese and Russian Heads of Government. The visits and meetings are at the invitation of Prime Ministers Abdulla Aripov, Kohir Rasulzoda, and Mikhail Mishustin, respectively.
Summary: Wang Yi, Special Representative of President Xi Jinping, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended and delivered a speech at the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in Baku on the 15th. He stated that CICA is a pan-Asian dialogue and cooperation platform initiated and jointly built by Asian countries on their own, and China highly appreciates Azerbaijan's efforts during its chairmanship to promote CICA cooperation and build a "Stronger Asia." Wang Yi put forward a four-point initiative: jointly safeguarding peace and stability, jointly promoting prosperity and revitalization, jointly advancing mutual learning among civilizations, and jointly improving global governance. He emphasized that China will firmly follow the path of peaceful development and use its own high-quality development to provide more stability to the international situation and stronger driving force for global growth. During the meeting, Wang Yi also met separately with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin.
Summary: He Lifeng, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, met in Beijing with Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates of the United States. He Lifeng stated that China's economy is maintaining a development trend of moving toward the new, the superior, and the good, and that President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States achieved a complete success. He noted that guided by the strategic consensus of the two heads of state, China-U.S. economic and trade consultations have reached a series of mutually beneficial, balanced, and positive outcomes. Dalio stated that he is optimistic about the prospects and opportunities of China's economic development and is willing to continue playing an active role in promoting U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation.
Summary: The Seventh CICA Summit, held in Baku on October 15, 2026, adopted a declaration reaffirming member states' commitment to multilateralism with the United Nations at its core and to a common, comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable, indivisible, and equal security concept. The declaration expresses grave concern over humanitarian disasters from armed conflicts and urges all countries to refrain from unilateral economic restrictive measures that violate international law and the UN Charter. It also emphasizes cooperation on connectivity, digitalization, energy security, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, while welcoming Laos as a new member state and Azerbaijan as CICA Chair for 2026–2028.
Summary: State Councilor Shen Yiqin conducted research in Jilin from October 13 to 15 on preparations for the Changchun Winter Universiade and the construction of the football youth training system. She emphasized the need to prepare for and host the Changchun Winter Universiade with high quality and operate football youth training centers at a high level. Shen stressed that the Universiade is the first world-class major international sporting event in China after entering the 15th Five-Year Plan, requiring meticulous preparation of major events and thorough service guarantees. She also inspected provincial, municipal, and county-level football youth training centers in Changchun City and Yanbian Prefecture, calling for improved coaching staff and youth competition systems to support Chinese football's revitalization. She urged solid implementation of pilot work in key cities and western region sports-education integration, while promoting ethnic interaction and forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation.
Summary: Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, met in Beijing with a delegation of senior cadres from Turkey's Justice and Development Party, led by Vice Chairman Efkan Ala. The two sides exchanged views on jointly implementing the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, strengthening inter-party exchanges and cooperation, and promoting the development of the China-Turkey strategic cooperative relationship.
Summary: The China-Laos Railway international passenger trains have surpassed 1 million cumulative entry-exit trips, operating over 4,000 trips as of October 15, according to the Mohan Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station in Yunnan. Personnel from over 120 countries and regions have crossed the border, with an average annual growth rate exceeding 30%. Foreign passengers totaled over 151,000 person-times, led by Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia, and visa-free foreign passengers made up over 55% of the total.
Summary: The article marks the 1,050th anniversary of the founding of Yuelu Academy and the 100th anniversary of Hunan University, highlighting General Secretary Xi Jinping's September 2020 inspection visit, during which he encouraged students to study hard and contribute to national rejuvenation. It details how the university has implemented Xi's spirit by integrating the academy's cultural heritage into talent cultivation, focusing on "seeking truth from facts" and "applying knowledge to serve society." The piece showcases student innovations, such as an AI-based elderly care robot, and research achievements, including Academician Wang Yaonan's epidemic prevention robots and Luo An's electromagnetic stirring technology. Hunan University's scientific research efforts are framed as serving national strategy, with breakthroughs in wind power and vibration reduction technology applied domestically and abroad. The university aims to build a world-class institution with Chinese characteristics, supporting Hunan's "Three Highlands and Four New" strategy and the broader goal of national rejuvenation.
Summary: The article recounts how Mao Zedong's poem "Pure Serene Music · Mount Liupan," written during the Long March and later revised in 1961 at the request of Ningxia comrades, has been kept alive through a 108-li walking memorial hike to the Renshanhe Martyrs' Cemetery, held annually since 1995. Former principal Han Hong initiated the hike to teach students the Red Army's hardships, and this year thousands of students participated, with one injured student refusing to quit and another offering candy to martyrs' graves. The hike has grown into a citywide and nationwide phenomenon, drawing participants from across China and generating billions of online views. The Liupan Mountain Red Army Long March Tourist Area has expanded with a Red Army Trail, VR experiences, and red-themed agritourism, boosting local incomes. The article concludes that the poem, from rice paper to reality, continues to inspire each generation's own Long March road.
Summary: The article praises the preservation and revitalization of a handwritten calligraphy by Comrade Mao Zedong, which has been transformed from a static cultural relic into an experiential "walking ideological and political lesson" along a 108-li hiking route. It argues that the creative transformation of red culture depends on finding an interface connecting with contemporary people, such as young participants understanding the weight of being a "real hero" through physical exertion. The author, a research fellow at the Ningxia Academy of Social Sciences, emphasizes that such participatory rituals allow history and insight to be continuously reinforced in people's hearts.
Summary: Togolese President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé made an official visit to China from October 9 to 16, 2026, at the invitation of Premier Li Qiang, during which he met with President Xi Jinping and held talks with Premier Li Qiang and NPC Standing Committee Chairman Zhao Leji. The two sides decided to elevate bilateral relations to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era, with Togo reaffirming its adherence to the one-China principle and opposition to any form of "Taiwan independence." The joint statement outlines cooperation under the Global Development, Security, Civilization, and Governance Initiatives, including trade, infrastructure, health, security, and artificial intelligence. Togo welcomed China's zero-tariff policy and expressed willingness to strengthen Belt and Road cooperation, aligning it with its "Togo 2040 Vision." The visit was deemed significant for building the China-Togo community with a shared future and the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
Summary: China has added four new irrigation projects to the 2026 (13th batch) World Heritage Irrigation Structures list, announced at the 77th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage in Marseille, France, bringing China's total to 46. The selected projects are the Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River in Henan, the Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System in Gansu, the Guangxin Huangsha Canal in Jiangxi, and the Longjin Ancient Weir Irrigation Project in Fujian. The Guangli Canal uses a multi-headworks, dam-free diversion model and preserves Ming Dynasty engineering structures, while the Taolai River system, first built in the Ming Dynasty, exemplifies oasis irrigation in the Eurasian arid zone. The Guangxin Huangsha Canal, dating to the Song Dynasty, is a model of low-impact development in small mountain watersheds, and the Longjin Ancient Weir comprises the Yanfu and Shiwuhu Weirs, representing a "low weir + long vine bearing melons" pattern on southeastern coastal mountain-stream rivers.
Summary: The Seventh CICA Summit, held in Baku on October 15, 2026, adopted a declaration reaffirming member states' commitment to multilateralism with the United Nations at its core and to a common, comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable, indivisible, and equal security concept. The declaration expresses grave concern over humanitarian disasters from armed conflicts and urges all countries to refrain from unilateral economic restrictive measures that violate international law and the UN Charter. It also emphasizes cooperation on connectivity, digitalization, energy security, and the peaceful use of nuclear energy, while welcoming Laos as a new member state and Azerbaijan as CICA Chair for 2026–2028.
Summary: The article argues that tapping domestic demand potential requires the supply side to adapt flexibly to changes in demand structure, resolving everyday pain points to create a virtuous cycle between supply and demand. It cites examples like hotels renovating rooms for family travel and small products addressing trivial annoyances, which have achieved high sales overseas. The piece emphasizes opening up "matching" by breaking information barriers, grasping "effectiveness" by guiding investment with effective demand, and using "reform" to remove market barriers, such as waiving hospital stay filing requirements in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region. It quotes General Secretary Xi Jinping on correctly handling the relationships between consumption and investment and between demand and supply. The conclusion stresses that smoothing out life's "wrinkles" will make the Chinese economy more vast and surging.
Summary: The article argues that China's market retains its appeal for foreign investors despite a recent decline in utilized foreign investment, citing new projects like SEW's base in Foshan and Tenneco's innovation center in Kunshan. It notes that nearly 4,800 foreign-invested enterprises made additional investments in the first half of the year, and quotes American Chamber of Commerce in South China president Harley Seyedin rejecting the theory of foreign capital withdrawal. The piece highlights that foreign capital is shifting toward high-tech industries, with R&D and technology commercialization investment growing significantly. It attributes China's new gravitational pull to cutting-edge technology application scenarios, an upgraded innovation ecosystem, and green development opportunities, exemplified by BASF's renewable-powered Guangdong base. The article concludes that China's stable, transparent business environment provides certainty, making investment in China a bet on the future.
Summary: The photo report highlights the development of agricultural product processing in 2025, which extends the industrial chain, raises the value chain, broadens employment channels, and promotes farmers' income growth. Nationwide, there are over 100,000 agricultural product processing enterprises above designated size, with operating revenue approaching 18 trillion yuan and a processing conversion rate of 75% for major agricultural products. The article includes a poem by Xu Zhiwen celebrating the mechanization and industrialization of rural work.
Summary: The article argues that in the age of AI, news professionals must embrace self-evolution by combining reading of "books with words" and "books without words" to maintain independent thinking and judgment. It emphasizes that journalistic work requires sustained effort, footwork, and deep engagement with society, which AI cannot replace. The piece stresses that kindness, integrity, and courage are qualities AI cannot take away, and that humans should shape AI rules while avoiding uncritical acceptance. It cites an example of students from Southwest University of Political Science and Law conducting practical activities in Tibet to illustrate that spiritual strength is a non-replicable subjectivity. The author, the dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, concludes that self-evolution is the greatest certainty in the AI era.
Summary: The article profiles Yu Xianghong, an employee of the State Grid Zhejiang Dongyang Power Supply Company, who for over 20 years has supported disabled and impoverished families through projects like "Happy Snail Dwelling" and "Happy Wheel Friends." His efforts have expanded into a social work center running nine public welfare projects, with 80,000 volunteer slots filled and more than 120,000 people served. The piece argues that ordinary, persistent acts of kindness constitute true virtue, contrasting with perceptions of thinning human warmth in modern society. It cites General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis that "The spirit of Lei Feng is something everyone can learn; offering love is something that can be done everywhere." The article concludes that integrating goodwill into daily life allows anyone to become a "Yu Xianghong" and contribute to societal warmth.
Summary: The article compiles three contributions on grassroots governance, emphasizing Xi Jinping's call for joint construction and shared enjoyment. Pi Xinyu from Benxi City, Liaoning, argues that cadres must ask the people what they need, citing a community renovation where door-to-door visits revealed residents wanted lighting, parking, and leisure areas, not just cosmetic fixes. Luo Jing from Baicheng County, Xinjiang, highlights the "bench meeting" as an effective grassroots research tool, urging cadres to act on residents' concerns rather than merely discuss them. Chen Lin from Nantong City, Jiangsu, warns against formalism in digital feedback channels, advocating a closed-loop system for demand reception, handling, feedback, and follow-up to ensure problems are truly solved. The piece stresses that serving the people requires concrete action and continuous improvement, transforming governance from handling single matters to governing entire categories of issues.
Summary: The article marks the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March victory, highlighting how ordinary people across China embody the Long March spirit in their daily work. It profiles villagers in Ruijin, Jiangxi, who preserve the memory of 17 Red Army soldiers through a grove of pines, and a Hunan man whose family has guarded an unnamed Red Army soldier's grave for three generations. In Zunyi, Guizhou, a young docent at the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall tells revolutionary stories to visitors, while in Luding, Sichuan, a retired worker with 43 years of experience maintains the historic Luding Bridge. The article also features a music teacher in Huining, Gansu, who teaches students red revolutionary songs, and a retired fruit industry official in Yan'an, Shaanxi, who promotes apple cultivation techniques to boost local livelihoods.
Summary: The article profiles Xu Chunmei, captain of the women's patrol team of the Dongning City Management and Protection Center of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, and her team's seven years of work patrolling approximately 24,000 hectares and walking over 9,000 kilometers. Xu recounted an encounter with an Amur leopard's howl, and the team's tasks include clearing snares, maintaining infrared cameras, and rescuing wild animals. The team has cleared over 4,300 snares, established 30 supplementary feeding points, and rescued 69 wild animals, with monitoring showing nine Amur tigers and eighteen Amur leopards active in the area since 2021. Xu explained her motivation stems from her father and grandfather's forestry work, with her initial curiosity deepening into love, while youngest member Mou Ling, born in 2002, expressed excitement at seeing young leopards. The article notes that newly set snares have basically disappeared and local residents now participate in wildlife protection, with Xu saying her child calls her a hero.
Summary: The CPPCC National Committee's "Member Science Lecture Hall" held a popular science lecture at the CPPCC National Committee Auditorium on October 15, where Tang Xudong, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and chief researcher at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, delivered a report on the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine. Centering on "change" and "constancy," Tang systematically reviewed traditional Chinese medicine's developmental trajectory, analyzed its current opportunities and challenges, and discussed the dialectical relationship between upholding principles and embracing innovation. He shared reflections on promoting the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine and interacted with the audience on site.
Summary: The third round, seventh batch of central ecological and environmental protection inspections has fully commenced field entry, with all five inspection teams completing their deployment. Two routine inspection teams will inspect the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs for one month, while three special inspection teams will target pollution in karst caves, sinkholes, and valleys across Hubei, Hunan, Guangxi, Chongqing, Sichuan, Guizhou, and Yunnan for about two weeks. The inspections aim to wield the "sharp sword" role of inspection, consolidate political responsibility for building a Beautiful China, and accelerate green transformation. Routine teams will set up dedicated duty telephones and postal mailboxes for public reports, while special teams will not establish petition channels. The teams will reduce burdens on grassroots units and improve inspection precision to ensure orderly task completion.
Summary: The Fifth China Archaeology Congress opened in Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province, hosted by the Chinese Archaeological Society, with several hundred archaeologists from China and countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea attending. The conference, themed "The History and Future of Archaeology," focused on presenting major discoveries and research related to the origins of Chinese civilization and the formation of a unified multi-ethnic state. Concurrently, the "Sixth Xiyin Forum" commemorated the 100th anniversary of the excavation of the Xiyin site, a milestone in Chinese archaeology. The congress, held every two to three years since 2016, aims to showcase Chinese archaeology's achievements and promote international academic exchange. Over 570 reports and 22 public lectures will be delivered to disseminate knowledge of Chinese civilization's development.
Summary: A joint investigation team comprising the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission, and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration was established to verify media-reported public opinion on formamide in infant diapers. The team conducted sampling inspections of 168 domestic infant diaper manufacturers, covering 180 brands and 368 batches, with testing by authoritative institutions finding no formamide detected. The testing entities cited in public opinion claims were found to have problems such as unclear qualitative principles and deleted original data, making it impossible to conclude formamide was detected. The team also developed and applied a blood-sample testing method, re-testing samples from a publicly scrutinized institution with no formamide found, and concluded no formamide-related health hazards from infant diapers. Relevant departments will continue strengthening supervision of infant products and welcome societal participation in ensuring a safe consumption environment.
Summary: The National Conference on Major Archaeological Sites was held from October 13 to 14 in Zhengzhou, Henan, summarizing achievements and challenges while deploying tasks for strengthening protection and utilization in the new era. Major archaeological sites were defined as large-scale settlements, city sites, palaces, mausoleums, and other sites reflecting historical and cultural information across ancient Chinese history. The conference stressed high-level archaeology as a guide to enhance research capacity and promote sites as a platform for building an archaeology with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese bearing. It also emphasized sustainable protection, high-quality presentation to optimize cultural services, and highly efficient management to enhance vitality in inheritance and development. The conference was hosted by the National Cultural Heritage Administration and organized by the Henan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration and the Zhengzhou Municipal People's Government.
Summary: The Shaanxi Provincial Grain and Material Reserves Bureau, together with the Shaanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Provincial Department of Education, has carried out the "Cultivate a Grain-Cherishing Heart, Practice Grain-Loving Actions" activity among primary and secondary school students, with participation reaching 738,700 person-times across all 10 cities and the Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Industries Demonstration Zone as of the end of September. The campaign integrates food security education into classroom teaching, themed lectures, study tours, and open days, including 3,590 activities and 30 provincial-level grain science study bases. Localities have adopted measures such as "Mom's Cafeteria" in Linyou County and "Clean Plate" check-in competitions in Hanzhong and Weinan to cultivate grain-saving habits. The province has also formed sub-brands of "Shaanxi Good Grain and Oil," with 84 enterprises and 98 products selected into the brand matrix. The next step is to establish a normalized mechanism of "campus grain-saving education + on-site study at grain depots + family grain-saving practice" to promote long-term effectiveness.
Summary: At the 77th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage in Marseille, France, all four structures submitted by China—the Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River in Henan, the Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System in Gansu, the Guangxin Huangsha Canal in Jiangxi, and the Longjin Ancient Weir Irrigation Project in Fujian—were selected for the 2026 World Heritage Irrigation Structures list, bringing China's total to 46. The article details the historical and engineering features of each structure, citing officials such as Wang Zhong, Kang Dekui, Shen Xiaosu, and Zhan Shuisong on their design principles, water management systems, and ongoing functions in irrigation, flood control, and ecological protection. A relevant official of the Ministry of Water Resources stated that these structures embody the wisdom of the Chinese nation in respecting and conforming to nature, and their protection is significant for cultural inheritance, enhancing cultural confidence, and advancing high-quality water conservancy development.
Summary: The article commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Long March, emphasizing the need to carry forward the great Long March spirit on the new journey of the new era. It highlights General Secretary Xi Jinping's remarks that "every generation has its own Long March" and that "the Long March is always on the road." The piece outlines key lessons from the Long March, including firming up ideals and convictions, carrying forward the spirit of struggle, upholding the Party's ideological line, and maintaining unity under the Party's leadership. It stresses the importance of using Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unite hearts and forge souls, and of resolutely achieving the Two Establishments and the Two Upholds. The article concludes by calling for unity around the Party Central Committee to advance Chinese modernization and national rejuvenation.
Summary: The article is a special analysis on consolidating the "root" and "soul" of state-owned enterprises, citing General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis on Party leadership and Party building as the glorious tradition and unique advantage of China's state-owned enterprises. It calls on Party organizations in state-owned enterprises to study and act on Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, uphold the Party's leadership, and support the Two Establishments and practice the Two Upholds. The piece urges deep integration of Party building with production and operation, implementation of the Eight-Point Regulation, and continued advancement of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. It also stresses cultivating feelings for the people, fulfilling economic, political, and social responsibilities, and strengthening state-owned enterprises to serve national rejuvenation. The author is the Chairman of the Board and Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of China Huadian Corporation Ltd.
Summary: The article argues that east-west regional collaboration, a major decision by the Party Central Committee to promote coordinated development and common prosperity, fully demonstrates the significant advantages of the Party's leadership and the socialist system. It emphasizes that Party leadership provides the fundamental political guarantee, with organizational advantages ensuring strong executive capacity and the mass line guiding policy design and implementation. The piece highlights adherence to a people-centered approach, focusing on improving livelihoods in recipient regions, and upholding the principle of "whole country, one chess" to concentrate resources for the western region's long-term development. The text is excerpted from *Guangming Daily*, authored by Qu Pengfei.
Summary: Yunnan is leveraging its diverse landscapes and ethnic cultures to position itself as a "natural studio," with 167 film and television crews shooting in the province by the end of September. The article highlights differentiated services, including a compiled shooting guide, "one policy per drama" support, and one-stop logistics, exemplified by the Anning Kungang industrial heritage site and Lüjiang Town's free filming locations. Local officials and industry figures, such as Yunnan Provincial Film and Television Association president Ding Xiangheng, emphasize standardized co-production networks and the integration of 89 service suppliers. The piece also details how dramas like *Meet Yourself* and *The Good Times* have boosted cultural tourism, turning film traffic into local revenue. Yunnan's 15th Five-Year Plan and 2026 government work report call for strengthening the "natural studio" brand and building a film and television base facing South and Southeast Asia.
Summary: The article, authored by the Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, discusses the implementation of the Whole Grain Action Plan in China. It cites General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis on ensuring food security through both increasing production and reducing losses. The piece outlines the significance of whole grains, highlights progress in public awareness, standards, technology, and product supply, and calls for sustained efforts in publicity, standards leadership, scientific innovation, and industrial upgrading. The article does not mention the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: Beijing has issued its "Modern Logistics Development Plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan Period," targeting a 30% share for new-energy freight vehicles (excluding pickup trucks) by 2030, a 13% green transportation rate for arriving and departing cargo, and a decline in total social logistics costs to 12% of regional GDP. The plan's main goal is a more complete "corridors + bases + networks" modern logistics system by 2030, with logistics channels smoothly connected both internally and externally, more efficient resource circulation, coordinated hub bases with industrial development and consumer demand, and more convenient urban delivery services.
Summary: On October 15, at the Red Beach National Scenic Corridor in Dawa District, Panjin City, Liaoning Province, suaeda salsa plants dyed the tidal flats a deep red, attracting many tourists to view the red wetland scenery. The photo was taken by Zhu Hongsheng (Image China).
Summary: The "Regulations of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the Promotion and Administration of Tourist Homestays" was recently promulgated and will take effect on February 1, 2027. The regulations encourage the repurchase, leasing, and exchange of idle courtyards, homestead land, and residential housing for renovation into tourist homestays. Support is given to the revitalization of qualified rural idle resources or old town districts for homestay development. Residents are also encouraged to operate tourist homestays independently using their own residential housing.
Summary: The article reports on SCEGC Logistics Group's digital transformation, highlighting its Huashan Cloud Procurement platform with cumulative transactions exceeding one trillion yuan and over 160,000 registered suppliers. Fang Shaowen, general manager of Huashan Cloud Procurement Technology Company, said the online process shortened contract signing from about 7 days to as little as 1 day. The company has developed AI models like "Lingjing" for supplier risk identification and data assetization, including a data asset securitization project on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange. The article also covers the Xi'an Beilin Museum expansion, where a deep foundation pit intelligent monitoring system with 32 points updates data every 20 seconds, as described by deputy project manager Feng Gaowei. Shao Hua, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and general manager, said the group plans to explore overseas supply chains alongside SCEGC's international projects.
Summary: The Asian Development Bank upgraded its 2026 growth forecast for developing economies in Asia and the Pacific to 5.0 percent, citing robust domestic demand, government stimulus, and strong technology-related industries as sources of resilience. The report revised down the 2026 regional inflation forecast to 4.2 percent, while slightly raising the 2027 forecast to 3.5 percent due to possible El Niño effects. Southeast Asia and South Asia outperformed expectations, with Vietnam seeing the largest upward revision and India benefiting from public investment and export growth. The ADB remains optimistic about China's economic prospects, highlighting high-tech manufacturing, AI-related investment, and government support for domestic demand as key pillars. The report warns of downside risks from geopolitical conflicts, a strong El Niño, tighter financial conditions, and trade policy uncertainty, while stressing the importance of strengthening regional cooperation in supply chains, connectivity, and food and energy security.
Summary: Djibouti's Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Bahdon, on behalf of President Guelleh, conferred the "National Independence Day Medal" on all 12 members of China's (Shanxi) 24th medical team aiding Djibouti. Bahdon praised the team's dedication and medical skills, saying they played an important role in improving Djiboutian health and that Djibouti is willing to deepen cooperation with China, including in the health sector. Chinese Ambassador to Djibouti Hu Bin noted the 45th anniversary of China's dispatch of medical teams to Djibouti and said the honor was the highest tribute from the Djiboutian government and people, with China committed to deepening cooperation in various fields. Medical team leader Liang Xingyu described the honor as full recognition and a testimony to China-Djibouti traditional friendship, adding that the team had completed its mission and was returning home. The 24th team departed on the 15th after about 14 months, while the 25th team has arrived to continue the mission.
Summary: Chinese diplomat Teng Fei addressed a Security Council Arria-formula meeting on Ukraine, urging all efforts to reduce the conflict's negative impact on civilians. He stressed that dialogue and negotiation are the only viable way out, called for restraint and adherence to international humanitarian law, and urged against military-purpose logistics blockades. Teng also invoked the Third Geneva Convention, demanding humane treatment for prisoners of war and detained persons. He reaffirmed China's support for a political settlement, a ceasefire, and a comprehensive, lasting peace agreement.
Summary: The European Union's Regulation on Deforestation-free Products took effect, requiring operators to prove commodities do not involve deforestation after December 31, 2020, with phased implementation from December 30, 2026. The regulation embeds "traceability" into trade rules, but international institutions and professionals warn it may form new trade barriers with asymmetric impacts on developing economies. The European Commission adjusted the regulatory scope, removing raw hides and exempting some leather products while adding instant coffee and palm oil derivatives, sparking controversy from environmental groups and the business community. A UNCTAD report notes the regulation significantly affects African countries, with Uganda and Ethiopia's coffee exports to Europe accounting for 64% and 45% of their total exports respectively. The debate reflects the EU's difficult balance between upgrading environmental standards and controlling trade costs, as it deepens economic cooperation with resource-exporting regions while raising environmental thresholds.
Summary: According to a Nikkei report, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae hinted during a Diet interpellation that wording on the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" may be adjusted when the "three security documents," including the National Security Strategy, are revised at year's end. Responding to Komeito lawmaker Isa Shinichi, Takaichi said the government continues to adhere to the principles as policy direction but that there "remains room for discussion" on specific wording. The Nikkei interpreted this as a possible adjustment to policy wording without changing the principles themselves. The report noted Takaichi had long advocated revising the principle of "not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons," and Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has publicly proposed discussing nuclear policy without taboos. These developments have fueled domestic concern in Japan over a shift in nuclear policy under the Takaichi government.
Summary: The article reports on Yuecheng District, Shaoxing, Zhejiang's approach to historic district conservation, centered on "keeping the people, preserving the tangible heritage, and sustaining everyday life." It details how Cangqiao Straight Street, which received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award in 2003, avoided large-scale demolition and relocation, retaining over 800 households of original residents while upgrading infrastructure. The district is extending this model citywide through the "Ten Major Actions for Quality Improvement and Expansion of the Cangqiao Straight Street Conservation Experience," including projects like the micro-renovation of the "Xueshi Fang" traditional residential area. The block now hosts 30 intangible cultural heritage stores, with peak single-day visitor volume exceeding 120,000, and has been selected as a Zhejiang Province characteristic commercial street. Digital technology, including the "Ancient City Smart Brain" with digital twin coverage, is integrated into conservation and management, while policies attract young entrepreneurs to revitalize old gatehouse residences.
Summary: Bank of China, responding to the national strategy of actively addressing population aging, is advancing its "BOC Silver Age" brand across pension finance, elderly-care service finance, and elderly-care industry finance. The bank reported serving as a custodian for the National Social Security Fund and Basic Pension Insurance Fund, with 131 million valid social security cards and over 10 million individual pension accounts opened. It has built more than 1,200 elderly-care financial specialty branches and launched the "Suiyue Changqing" elderly-appropriate mobile banking version, while increasing elderly-care industry loans by over 50% in the first half of 2026. The bank also highlighted cross-border elderly-care services in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and its "Silver Age Partner Plan" launched in 2025. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, it will focus on Party building guidance, customer-centered "finance +" services, serving the real economy, and innovation to reshape the service ecosystem.
Summary: The article examines how Chinese cities are improving property management services as urban development shifts from expansion to quality enhancement, citing Xi Jinping's call to apply "embroidery craftsmanship" to community services. It profiles Chengdu's "trust system" model, where property fees and public revenues are deposited in community accounts with transparent disclosure, boosting payment rates from below 50 percent to 97 percent and expanding from 7 to over 1,300 pilot communities. In Shenzhen, a "menu-style" service model splits bundled services into standardized items with clear pricing, allowing owners to choose as needed, achieving a 99.5 percent fee collection rate and 95 percent satisfaction. Changsha uses a contiguous area bundling approach for open old communities, integrating scattered neighborhoods for centralized management with rewards instead of subsidies, raising property coverage to over 85 percent citywide. The piece highlights grassroots governance innovations, owner participation, and Party-building leadership as key mechanisms for resolving property disputes and improving livability.
Summary: The article features first-person accounts from two elderly athletes—82-year-old "hurdling grandpa" Ding Ming, a retired cadre from Anshan, Liaoning, who won gold at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships in Daegu, South Korea, and 86-year-old "dancing grandma" Li Wenhui, a retired Beijing Sport University teacher—both advocating scientific exercise and active aging. Ding emphasizes competing with himself, safety, and gradual training, while Li advises acting according to one's ability and joining structured exercise groups. An exclusive interview with Lei Jun, President of the Chinese Association of Senior Sports, notes China's 60-plus population exceeded 320 million by end-2025 and stresses that sports for older adults protect more than health, supporting national fitness and active aging strategies. Lei recommends combined strength, aerobic, and balance training, 4,000–6,000 steps daily for those over 60, and steady progress without overexertion. The piece frames exercise as a path to a fulfilling old age, with no mention of the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The Chinese delegation is actively preparing for the 5th Asian Para Games in Nagoya, with over 3,000 para athletes from 45 countries and regions set to compete from October 18 to 24. The Chinese wheelchair basketball team conducted its first adaptation training, with head coach Huang Jianhong emphasizing adjustments to venue conditions, wheelchair tire pressure, and axle tightness, while veteran athlete Huang Xunan noted the team is scientifically controlling training load. The Chinese blind football team, led by head coach Wang Guishun, trained intensively with opaque eye masks, focusing on physical confrontation and venue adaptation. The youngest delegation member, 16-year-old table tennis player Huang Zhirui, aims to perform at her training level in her Asian Para Games debut.
Summary: The article reports on Poly Development Holding Group Co., Ltd.'s community cultural initiatives, highlighted by the "Moon Rising in the East · Ten Thousand Lamps of Harmony" show in Shanghai, which featured residents and performers in music, opera, and intangible heritage displays. Poly Development promotes its "Three-Good Poly, Living with Heart" brand, cultivating community IPs like "Hele China" and "Ten Thousand Lamps of Harmony," reaching over 100 cities and 900 communities. Zhang Fangbin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of Poly Development, stated that "the house is only the carrier; life is the essence," emphasizing co-creation between homeowners and the enterprise. The article also details the "Homeowners' Spring Festival Gala" in Hainan and the Guangzhou Poly Time Social Innovation Center, which has held 66 community activities since March. Poly Development, as a central state-owned enterprise, is exploring a multi-party collaborative governance model of "street-level coordination and guidance, enterprise implementation and execution, and homeowners' active participation."
Summary: Chen Yujie, a 17-year-old sprinter who won 3 golds and 1 silver at the 20th Asian Games, returned to Xiaoshi High School in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, where she balances academics and training while preparing for major competitions such as the 2027 Beijing World Championships. She described her Asian Games experience, noting that after initial anxiety, she found herself "awesome" and has been exploring coping strategies like resting with a floral blanket and using hot showers and "carb comas" to recover. Chen Yujie said the women's 200 meters, her only non-gold event, taught her to improve judgment for future races against stronger opponents. She views the tight schedule of morning classes, afternoon training, and evening self-study as complementary, with academics helping her understand training principles like muscle mechanics. Chen Yujie aims to show her best self at the World Championships and Olympic Games, steadily improving while maintaining health rather than rushing for quick success.
Summary: The article explains the differences between recurve and compound bows ahead of the 2026 National Archery Championships (Outdoor). The recurve bow, used in official Olympic competition, has a simple design and requires athletes to release the string with their fingers, making it a test of physical and mental state, according to national team leader Mu Yong. The compound bow, a relatively young discipline, will debut as an Olympic event at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics with a mixed team event. It features magnifying sights, a peep sight, and a pulley system that reduces strain and errors, but demands perfect coordination between person and equipment. In the mixed team event, the compound bow is decided by total points, placing high demands on athletes' on-the-spot performance.
Summary: This special Double Ninth Festival feature offers health advice for older adults, with experts addressing immunity, mental health, and neurological issues. Wu Jun, deputy director of the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital, recommends balanced nutrition, regular exercise, pleasant mood, adequate sleep, scientific prevention, and managing underlying diseases to strengthen immunity. Wang Gaohua, president of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, advises older adults to integrate into family life, open new social circles, update knowledge, avoid excessive interference in children's lives, reduce "fast-food entertainment," exercise appropriately, and undergo regular psychological check-ups. Qin Qi, deputy chief physician at the High-Center for Neurological Diseases of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, stresses early action in distinguishing benign forgetfulness from disease-related cognitive decline, exercising the mind, and pursuing early screening and treatment. The article emphasizes that early intervention and healthy lifestyles can help control or reverse mild cognitive impairment.
Summary: The article reports on the "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping" initiative in Xinjiang, which uses lottery public welfare funds to establish 100 community service points across the region starting in 2025. These points provide free housekeeping training and employment guidance to local women, helping them find jobs near home while offering public welfare services like cleaning and caregiving to elderly residents. The story highlights Li Lin, a resident of Jingyuan Community in Urumqi, who trained at a service point and now earns an extra two to three thousand yuan monthly while caring for her family. It also notes that the service points have helped nearly 40 women in Jingyuan Community and 35 in Sai Machang West Community find employment, with over 210 professional housekeeping workers trained region-wide. The initiative has benefited more than 19,000 person-times of residents through volunteer services.
Summary: The article highlights Zhengzhou's urban rainwater and sewage management efforts, led by Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. and the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau, as a model for city resilience. It details the sewage treatment system's upgrade, including a project that won the 2026 International Water Association Global Innovation Award for water-energy coupling and resource recovery. The piece also covers systematic pipeline renovations in historically waterlogged areas, using tailored "one point, one strategy" solutions, which reduced urban waterlogging depth exceedances from 10 to 1 during the 2026 flood season. A digital monitoring system integrating over 10,000 video channels and 400 monitoring points now enables three-hour waterlogging risk prediction. The article concludes that these government-enterprise efforts support Zhengzhou's high-quality development as a national central city.
Summary: The article highlights Yuhang District, Hangzhou, as the guardian of the 5,000-year-old Liangzhu Ancient City, a UNESCO World Heritage site, on the 90th anniversary of its discovery. It details systematic governance, including the "Hangzhou Liangzhu Ancient City Site World Cultural Heritage Protection and Management Regulations" and digital-intelligence applications, to address the challenges of preserving earthen sites. Archaeological research under the Project to Trace the Origins of Chinese Civilization bolsters the foundation of civilizational confidence, with findings published in international journals. The district promotes revitalization through a "one museum and three parks" display system, digital experiences, and cultural products, while using the Liangzhu Forum and dialogues with world heritage sites to foster mutual learning among civilizations. The article concludes that Yuhang will continue to develop through protection and innovation, contributing Chinese wisdom to global large-site preservation.
Summary: Marc Hermann, a prominent German translator of contemporary Chinese literature, was profiled in an article recounting his views on translation and cultural exchange. He argued that Germany should publish more works by young Chinese writers with an international vision to break down stereotypical perceptions among overseas readers about China. Hermann discussed his translation philosophy, emphasizing fidelity to the spirit rather than literal wording, and his preference for contemporary novels and comics over the poetry favored by his mentor Wolfgang Kubin. He noted that German readers' interest in Chinese literature is growing, with science fiction and comics helping to convey traditional Chinese culture and enhance China's soft power. The article also highlighted his admiration for the *Tao Te Ching* and his desire to translate the *Zhuangzi*.
Summary: The article reflects on Raphael's early life and legacy, beginning with a self-portrait sketch from around 1500 and a related exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It describes Urbino, Raphael's birthplace, highlighting Federico da Montefeltro's role in fostering Renaissance culture and the city's UNESCO World Heritage status. Raphael's former residence and early artistic influences are detailed, including a fresco attributed to him at age 15. The piece traces his artistic maturation in Rome, culminating in *The School of Athens*, and notes his death in 1520 and lasting influence, including the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. It concludes with a statue of Raphael outside Urbino, symbolizing the mutual illumination of artist and city.
Summary: The Wuxi Opera Troupe performed *Liaozhai · Purple Tail* at the 33rd Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre, the only Chinese production selected among 15 official main performances from 324 submissions. The article frames the play's exploration of human nature through the fox maiden's purple tail as echoing Egypt's tradition of weighing the heart with Maat's feather, both rooted in ancient civilizations yet facing the contemporary. Written by Yu Sihan and directed by Zhang Lei, the production blends Wuxi opera's gentle style with experimental small-theater techniques, resonating with the festival's artistic pursuit of innovation. Egyptian audiences grasped the story's core despite the Wu dialect, and the China Theatre Association's art troupe engaged in exchanges with Egyptian practitioners. The piece concludes by likening the Nile and Yangtze as nourishing both nations' theatrical traditions, which beheld one another on the contemporary stage.
Summary: This article traces the history of Puebla talavera pottery as a product of trans-Pacific cultural exchange, linking China's southeastern coast, the Philippines, and Mexico via the Manila-Acapulco galleon route. It details how Puebla's potters, from the 17th century onward, incorporated Chinese blue-and-white porcelain aesthetics into their craft, with guild regulations mandating imitation of Chinese styles. The pottery blended Chinese, Iberian, Arab-Moorish, and indigenous American decorative traditions, producing a distinctive local style. The article cites a mid-18th-century chocolate jar in the Art Institute of Chicago as evidence of Chinese influence on Puebla ware. It concludes that this craft exemplifies how civilizations interact creatively across oceans, with cultural exchange being a mutual reconstruction rather than one-way transplantation.
Summary: The article highlights the growing popularity of rural markets in China as new carriers for integrating agriculture, culture, and tourism, citing examples from Jilin, Shandong, Shaanxi, and Zhejiang. It notes that in 2025, leisure agriculture operating revenue reached 950 billion yuan, with markets now serving as interfaces for rural e-commerce and new consumption scenarios. The piece argues that sustaining this buzz requires meticulous, long-term effort, including tapping local characteristics to avoid uniformity and improving infrastructure like parking and toilets. It emphasizes that the vitality of new rural industries lies in driving farmers' incomes through mechanisms such as "company + village collective + farmers." The article concludes that rural markets, connecting rural development and urban consumption, will provide steady momentum for rural industrial revitalization.
Summary: The article reports on how Shengzhou, Zhejiang, has developed its county economy by industrializing its local xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) industry, overcoming a long-standing lack of brand recognition. The local government established a "Snack Food Office" with annual subsidies and tailored policies, while cross-industry entrepreneurs like Lou Xiaoming, chairman of Zhejiang Fengxi Food Co., Ltd., invested in factories with pharmaceutical-grade workshops and handmade production lines. Standardization and digital supervision, including the "Xiaolong Code" system, were introduced to ensure quality, with Shen Lu, deputy mayor of Shengzhou City, and Qian Donghai, a member of the Party Committee of the Shengzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration, among those quoted. The industry expanded through cold-chain logistics and international exports, achieving dual "hundred-billion" goals of 10 billion yuan in profits and output value by 2025. The article does not discuss the United States or U.S.-China relations.
Summary: The article reports on the inauguration of the first coffee farmer field school in Shidian County, held directly in the 700-mu standardized coffee planting base of Baoshan Fuqiu Coffee Manor in Jianshan Village, Yunnan Province. Lecturer Sun Xinquan, head of the manor, taught villagers hands-on techniques such as cutting bent taproots and proper planting depths, addressing initial skepticism from farmers who relied on old methods. Villager Yang Zizhou, who had suffered crop failures, credited the field school with reviving his coffee trees and plans to expand his planting area. The school supports a benefit-sharing chain where villagers can exchange fruit for seedlings, receive guaranteed minimum-price purchases, and earn wages while learning. Sun Xinquan stated the school will continue hands-on training on scientific management, pest control, and processing to build a high-quality production area and increase villagers' income.
Summary: The article emphasizes that the people-centered essence of a Healthy China remains unchanged, citing General Secretary Xi Jinping's call at the National Conference on Health and Wellness to integrate health protection into all policies. It highlights China's progress in health indicators, including average life expectancy rising to 79.25 years in 2025, and the expansion of medical services to over 1.1 million institutions, with 90 percent of the public within 15 minutes of a medical point. Reform measures, such as centralized drug procurement and price negotiations, have reduced medical costs, exemplified by the dramatic price drop of the drug nusinersen sodium after inclusion in medical insurance. The article stresses that health is being integrated into all policies, covering the entire life cycle, from vaccination to elderly care, and promoting national fitness. It concludes that despite challenges like population aging, upholding the people-centered character of a Healthy China will lay a solid health foundation for national rejuvenation.
Summary: Yunnan Province has established eight "zero myopia" schools, where the goal is not zero myopic students but a trend toward zero growth in new myopia cases within an academic year through scientific measures. Schools like Shihe Primary School attribute success to outdoor activity, small class sizes, and strict eye-use habits, while Beicheng Primary School uses precise screening and early warning lists to control its myopia rate at 18.66%. The Yunnan Provincial Department of Education has issued detailed guidelines, including standards for establishing "zero myopia" schools and classes, with annual new myopia rates not exceeding 5% school-wide and 2% per class. Wantang Primary School, a model of "dynamic guardianship," maintains 565 of 567 students with vision above 5.0 through continuous monitoring, family cooperation, and outdoor activity. Officials like Long Wei and He Qiuli emphasize that "zero myopia" is routine work, not a competition over numbers, and that reducing myopia often correlates with improvements in children's overall physical and mental health.
Summary: The article, timed around the Double Ninth Festival, cautions that glucosamine health foods cannot replace medication for joint pain, despite marketing claims of repairing cartilage and treating arthritis. It explains that while glucosamine can help repair cartilage, the medical community holds divergent views on its therapeutic value, and Chinese guidelines list it only as an adjunctive treatment for early- and mid-stage osteoarthritis. The piece outlines who may consider supplementation under a doctor's guidance—such as those over 50 with degenerative changes—and who should avoid it, including diabetics and those allergic to crustaceans. It emphasizes that results require 4 to 12 weeks of use, with weight control and muscle exercise being first-line interventions for knee osteoarthritis. Consumers are advised to verify "blue hat" health food registration and seek medical attention for persistent symptoms.
Summary: The article commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Red Army's Long March through the personal recollections of the author, the daughter of writer Wei Wei. Wei Wei, who joined the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University at 17 and served in the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area, was deeply influenced by veteran Red Army soldiers and later wrote the novel *The Red Ribbon of the Earth*, published in 1988. He twice retraced the Long March route in the early 1980s, including inspecting the former site of the Battle of the Xiang River, where he urged officials to properly bury martyrs' remains and care for surviving Red Army soldiers, leading to memorial halls and cemeteries being established. The novel's title was inspired by the image of the Red Army's 25,000-li march as a red ribbon across the earth, and it was later adapted into an award-winning comic book series. The article concludes by affirming that the Long March's spiritual legacy provides inexhaustible strength for future generations.
Summary: The article reflects on Wang Meng's piece in the People's Daily's "Dadi" supplement, using the traditional aesthetic concept of "lively charm" to argue that supplements should embody life's breath and vitality. It contrasts news as bones with supplements as blood and qi, citing Wang's examples of elevating personal experience into reflections on modernization and grounding solemn occasions in everyday detail. The author asserts that lively charm is nurtured through authentic life experience, requiring editors to discover ordinary people with stories rather than relying solely on professional writers. It criticizes "materials tone" and "literary tone" as damaging to charm, advocating for language that is cordial, plain, individual, and thoughtful. The piece concludes by summarizing the supplement's "three qi"—staying grounded, possessing literary refinement, and carrying sharpness—as essential for a vibrant spiritual home in an age of information explosion.
Summary: The article reviews the book *In Search of the Ancient Shangri-La*, which recounts scientific expeditions to find plant fossils on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and restore its ancient landscapes. The author, Zhou Zhekun, a veteran member of the plateau scientific expedition team, shares firsthand stories, including a 1992–1993 overwintering plant survey in Medog County that collected approximately 30,000 specimens. The review notes that fossils such as alpine oak, Lagokarpos, palm, and catfish remains reveal the plateau's tropical past and its floristic exchanges with North America and Europe, making it a "crossroads" for global plant dispersal. The text highlights discoveries like the "central valley" 39 million years ago and the subtropical Jianglang flora 47 million years ago, emphasizing the joy of fossil finds despite harsh conditions. The author, a professor at the Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology, concludes by urging readers to join in pursuing the ancient "Shangri-La" and develop reverence for the Earth and life.
Summary: This article reviews *The Cloudspotter's Guide: New Expanded Edition*, translated by Wang Yanping and Zhang Chao and published by Yilin Press, as an accessible introduction to cloud-watching that integrates natural-history observation into daily life. The book prioritizes clouds and atmospheric optical phenomena commonly encountered in everyday viewing, while incorporating newly recognized categories from the updated *International Cloud Atlas*, such as the asperitas cloud, which was formally classified in 2017 following advocacy by the author's Cloud Appreciation Society. The author translates meteorological principles into plain language with British humor, and the book features an original cloud-collecting scoring system that rewards readers for recognizing and recording sky scenes. The review emphasizes that the book offers a spiritual journey of getting close to nature suited to modern life, requiring no travel or specimens—just looking up.
Summary: The author, a first-class actor, reflects on her career rooted in Yue opera and enriched by Kunqu and Peking opera, crediting masters like Zhang Yunxia for guiding her from technique to artistic and spiritual depth. She describes how opera's aesthetics—form, emotion, conception, language, and melody—shaped her film and television work, including award-winning roles in *Behind the Enemy Lines* and *Chasing the Moon*. She details the physical and emotional demands of acting, recounting how filming *The Grand Mansion Gate* left her feeling possessed by her character Yang Jiuhong, and explains her refusal to watch playback to preserve immersion. She asserts that theater endures despite film and television, and that AI will not easily replace live human performance. The piece concludes with her lifelong pursuit of classical Eastern beauty, symbolized by the moon, as expressed in her book *Spring River, Flower, Moon: Saifei's Random Notes*.
(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) The 20th issue of Qiushi magazine, to be published on October 16, will carry an important article by Xi Jinping, General Secretary of the CPC Central Committee, President of the State, and Chairman of the Central Military Commission, titled "Advancing Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party with Higher Standards and More Concrete Measures."
The article stresses that the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan is a critical period for consolidating the foundation and making comprehensive efforts to basically realize socialist modernization. To turn the blueprint drawn up at the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee into reality, it is necessary to uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership and persistently advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
The article points out that major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee must be implemented with greater resolve and force. Implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee is a fundamental requirement for upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, and is also an important historical experience in the continuous development and progress of the cause of the Party and the people. We emphasize the Two Upholds (两个维护) and maintaining a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee, which must be reflected in concrete actions to implement the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee; we cannot merely shout slogans, still less engage in saying one thing and doing another (说一套做一套, shuo yi tao zuo yi tao - "say one set, do one set"). It is necessary to closely focus on strategic arrangements such as implementing the new development philosophy, promoting high-quality development, and accelerating the construction of the new development pattern, to focus on tasks and requirements such as building a modern industrial system and developing new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, to strengthen concrete, targeted, and routine supervision, to make good use of inspection results and strengthen supervision over rectification, and to ensure that all decisions and arrangements of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee are implemented. Resolutely and forcefully implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee is not in conflict with carrying out work creatively. While conducting strict supervision, it is necessary to support and encourage all regions and departments to explore effective methods and approaches for implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee in light of their actual conditions, ensuring that the final results conform to the decision-making intent and original policy purposes of the Party Central Committee.
The article points out that power must be more scientifically and effectively confined within the cage of institutions. Confining power within the cage of institutions is an important task of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era. It is necessary both to improve institutional rules and weave the cage tightly and firmly, and to enhance the enforcement of institutions and strengthen rigid constraints. It is necessary to strengthen institutional supply in light of the practical needs of governing the Party, making institutions dense but not cumbersome, effective and practical, and preventing the situation of "a cow pen being used to keep a cat." We must uphold that everyone is equal before laws, regulations, and institutions, that there are no privileges in observing laws, regulations, and institutions, and that there are no exceptions in enforcing laws, regulations, and institutions, ensuring that institutional provisions truly become live high-voltage lines. It is necessary to focus on solving the problem of "top leaders" taking the lead in implementing institutions. Members of leading bodies at all levels, especially "top leaders," must lead by example and take the lead in implementation, and relevant supervision must also be in place.
The article points out that the fight against corruption must be advanced with greater sobriety and resolve. Since the 18th CPC National Congress, our Party has successfully blazed a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics, which, under the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, involves treating both the symptoms and the root causes (标本兼治, biao ben jian zhi - "symptom, root, both, treat") and advancing in an integrated manner the efforts to ensure that officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to be corrupt. This path must be firmly continued. At present, corruption problems remain prone to occurring and recurring. Facts have once again shown that the Party Central Committee's judgment that "the situation of the fight against corruption remains severe and complex, and the task of eradicating the soil and conditions for corruption remains arduous and heavy" is completely correct. The fight against corruption is a major struggle that cannot be lost and must not be lost; it must not stop for a moment, nor retreat half a step. It is necessary to maintain a high-pressure posture without wavering, adhere to the principle that corruption must be opposed wherever it exists, graft must be eliminated wherever it exists, and evil must be completely eradicated (除恶务尽, chu e wu jin - "remove, evil, must, exhaust"), leaving corrupt elements no place to hide. It is necessary to continuously enhance the penetrating power of the fight against corruption, grasp new trends and new characteristics of corruption, innovate means and methods, and further discover, accurately identify, and effectively govern all types of corruption problems in a timely manner. It is necessary to make greater efforts in advancing in an integrated manner the efforts to ensure that officials dare not, cannot, and do not want to be corrupt, strengthen the systems concept, achieve simultaneous, coordinated, and comprehensive efforts, further improve the working mechanisms for the fight against corruption, coordinate and cooperate in task deployment, resource allocation, work advancement, and performance assessment, connect supervision from all aspects, and promote integrated governance through whole-chain collaboration.
Return to TopBy: 本报评论员
The Party's 20th National Congress established the goal of building a Healthy China by 2035, and the period of the 15th Five-Year Plan is a critical period for achieving this goal.
At the National Conference on Health and Wellness, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly elucidated the strategic tasks for building a Healthy China during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, emphasizing the need to "leverage strengths, consolidate foundations, shore up weaknesses, and reinforce weak links, promote high-quality development of health and wellness undertakings, continuously raise the people's health level, and ensure decisive progress in the construction of a Healthy China."
The people's health is the foundation of the nation. Building a Healthy China by 2035 is a major strategic decision made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, coordinating both domestic and international situations and based on the overall development landscape, and it is the Party's solemn commitment to the people.
To achieve the goal of building a Healthy China, we have a solid foundation and favorable conditions in many respects. At the same time, we must recognize that the problem of unbalanced and inadequate development in China's health and wellness undertakings remains prominent. There are now only nine years left to achieve this goal. During this critical period of the 15th Five-Year Plan, we must plan comprehensively and press forward with greater urgency.
"Firmly implement the strategy of prioritizing health in development," "meticulously handle all foundational and source-level work in health and wellness," "comprehensively raise the level of medical services," "persist in making the coordinated development and governance of medical treatment, medical insurance, and pharmaceuticals the main direction of medical and health system reform," "build a strong cadre and talent team for the health and wellness system," "actively promote the building of a global community of health for all"...
At this conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping made important arrangements for ensuring decisive progress in the construction of a Healthy China during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. We must deeply study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, anchor on the 2035 goal, and promote the unswerving and thorough implementation (不折不扣, bu zhe bu ke - "not fold, not subtract") of all tasks.
Here we focus on explaining "meticulously handling all foundational and source-level work in health and wellness" and "comprehensively raising the level of medical services."
Prevention is the most economical and most effective health strategy.
By combining service to patients with service to the entire population, meticulously handling all foundational and source-level work, and striving to keep the masses from falling ill or falling ill less often, we can better consolidate the foundation of health for the entire people.
From "the state calling on you to lose weight" to the establishment of "healthy weight management clinics"; from offering complete physical education and health courses and preventing "little chubby kids" and "little bespectacled kids" to building a "multi-disease co-prevention" system for common student diseases and infectious diseases; from promoting "health points" to advancing rural toilet renovation and improving drinking water safety...
By implementing the Healthy China initiative and actively advocating healthy and civilized lifestyles, a social atmosphere of valuing health, pursuing health, and safeguarding health is taking shape.
"Treating existing illness" is not as good as "preventing illness before it occurs."
From guiding the whole society to establish a correct view of health and engage in effective health self-shaping and management, to resolutely fighting the battles to protect blue skies, clear waters, and clean soil and creating a sound ecological environment and production and living environment;
From strengthening food safety supervision and safeguarding "safety on the tip of the tongue," to improving the disease prevention and control system and holding the bottom line of preventing large-scale epidemic outbreaks...
Accelerating the shift in the philosophy and service methods of health and wellness work toward greater emphasis on a people-centered approach to health, integrating prevention first and disease prevention at the source into all policies and measures, and forming lifestyles, ecological environments, and social environments conducive to health will surely lay a solid foundation for safeguarding the people's health in all respects and throughout the life cycle and for building a Healthy China.
Comprehensively raising the level of medical services is a key task in building a Healthy China.
Enabling the people to obtain high-quality, efficient, systematic, and continuous medical and health services nearby and conveniently is an inevitable requirement for building a Healthy China and also the eager expectation of the masses.
After years of effort, the accessibility of medical and health services in China has improved markedly. At present, more than 1.1 million medical and health institutions and more than 16 million medical and health personnel are spread across urban and rural areas, and more than 90 percent of residents can reach the nearest medical service point within 15 minutes.
But we must also recognize that the total volume, structure, and distribution of China's medical resources are still unbalanced, primary-level medical services remain a weak link, and specialized fields such as rehabilitation, nursing, pediatrics, geriatric medicine, mental health, and psychology are still relatively weak.
During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, to achieve the transition from "having" to "being excellent," we must, in accordance with the requirements put forward by General Secretary Xi Jinping, deeply implement the project to strengthen primary-level medical and health services, strengthen comprehensive prevention and control of chronic diseases, improve the mechanism for the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine, strengthen basic research and original innovation in the health and wellness field, and optimize the medical experience.
Only by doing these tasks well and thoroughly, and continuously enhancing the inclusiveness, accessibility, and capacity of medical services, can we effectively meet the people's growing health needs.
The construction of a Healthy China is a systematic project and a shared responsibility of the entire Party and the whole society.
Striving forward in the 15th Five-Year Plan period, adhering to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, with Party committees and government departments at all levels fulfilling their responsibilities and working solidly, and with the entire Party and the whole society anchoring on the goal and coordinating efforts, we will surely gather a powerful joint force for the construction of a Healthy China and continuously write a new chapter of Chinese modernization.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 罗珊珊 李 刚 洪秋婷
Since its founding 70 years ago, the Canton Fair has played an important role in promoting trade between China and foreign countries. Under the new circumstances, China is willing to join hands with countries around the world to jointly uphold the multilateral trading system and continue to inject new impetus into global development and prosperity. On October 14, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to the 140th session of the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair), fully affirming the Fair's historical achievements and reiterating China's firm resolve to expand high-level opening up, drawing warm responses from people in all sectors.
"President Xi Jinping's important congratulatory letter has pointed the direction and provided the fundamental guidance for foreign trade work," said Zhang Jinsong, Director General of the Department of Commerce of Guangdong Province. He said that the letter must be earnestly studied and implemented, confidence and direction firmly maintained, local support responsibilities resolutely shouldered, and the 140th Canton Fair jointly organized to ensure it is pragmatic, splendid, and fruitful.
Wei Min, Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Bureau of Commerce, said that guided by the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important congratulatory letter, the city will provide full-cycle services and support, promote the upgrading of exhibitors and buyers from trade partners to partners in innovation, investment, and industrial and supply chains, and contribute to advancing an inclusive and beneficial economic globalization and serving the country's high-level opening up.
Liang Zhaoxian, Chairman and President of Galanz Group, said: "It was precisely by relying on the Canton Fair that Galanz built its initial foreign trade competitiveness. We not only secured orders, but also made friends from all over the world. Chinese manufacturing goes global, achieving mutually beneficial outcomes with partners and continuously exploring new space for cooperation."
"President Xi Jinping's important congratulatory letter has given Chinese enterprises a clearer direction and greater drive," said Zhou Yunjie, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Haier Group. When Haier first participated in the Canton Fair, it had only a five-square-meter booth and two refrigerators; today its products and services reach more than 200 countries and regions.
Chen Ming, President of the Guangdong Branch of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, said the bank will leverage its global service network to provide comprehensive financial solutions including cross-border settlement, trade financing, and exchange rate risk hedging, and continue to use financial vitality to help "Made in China" set sail for overseas markets.
Zeng Qi, Deputy Director of the Port Supervision Division of Guangzhou Customs, said: "Guangzhou Customs will innovate measures such as 'on-site inspection at the exhibition hall' to deliver attentive services right to the booths and fully support the smooth holding of the Canton Fair."
Duan Yu, Party Committee Secretary and Chief Strategic Resources Officer of CVTE, said that the Canton Fair is both an efficient platform for concentrated customer acquisition and a global showcase for technological capabilities such as artificial intelligence and ecosystem strengths. In 2025, the company's own-brand overseas revenue grew 54.83 percent year on year.
Wang Kexue, General Manager of Skyworth's Overseas Marketing Eurasia Region, said that as a foreign trade practitioner long rooted in the Eurasian market, he has deeply felt that the high-quality development of foreign trade cannot be separated from scientific and technological progress, and that innovation and independent brands must be pursued simultaneously.
"Having participated in the Canton Fair for many consecutive years, I have found that the Fair is not just a 'window for securing orders,' but also an important platform for building brands, strengthening supply chains, and planning for the long term," said Xie Sheng, Managing Director of Guangdong Daye Motorcycle Technology Co., Ltd. He said the company will use the Canton Fair as a link to lead upstream and downstream enterprises to go global together.
Ren Xiaoyu, founder of Dongyi Technology, said that President Xi Jinping's important congratulatory letter has made the company more determined to deepen industrial chain and supply chain collaboration with global trade partners. "In the future, we will leverage the Canton Fair to promote embodied intelligence into more workplaces, so that Chinese intelligent manufacturing can better serve the world."
Russian buyer Ira Tokareva, attending the Canton Fair for the first time, said in Chinese: "The whole world knows the Canton Fair — it's very famous!" She hopes to find the products she needs and reliable, stable suppliers at the Fair.
Shen Minghao, Vice President of Guangdong University of Foreign Studies and Dean of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Research Institute, said that the Greater Bay Area possesses a complete industrial system and should convert the exhibition traffic and business visitor traffic brought by the Canton Fair into increments of institutional opening up.
The Canton Fair connects the world and benefits all under heaven. Over 70 years and 140 sessions, openness has been the enduring path to steady and long-term progress. Looking ahead, participants from all sectors said they will earnestly practice the spirit of President Xi Jinping's important congratulatory letter, pool global innovation resources through high-level opening up, and continue to inject new impetus into global development and prosperity.
(People's Daily reporters He Linping and Cheng Yuanzhou, and People's Daily Online reporter Wang Yadie contributed to this article)
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) (Reporter Wu Yue) On the afternoon of October 15, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council held talks with Faure Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, who was in China for an official visit, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
Li Qiang stated that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of the leaders of both countries, China-Togo relations have continued to reach new heights. President Xi Jinping and President Faure held a meeting the day before yesterday, elevating the bilateral relationship to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era and making new plans for expanding cooperation between the two countries. No matter how the international situation changes, China is willing to always be a trustworthy good brother and good partner with Togo, carry forward the traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, deepen cooperation in various fields, and better serve the modernization of both countries.
Li Qiang pointed out that China is willing to deeply align development strategies with Togo, explore and cultivate more new growth points for cooperation, strengthen cooperation in connectivity, infrastructure, agricultural modernization, finance, and other fields, and jointly strengthen the development momentum of both countries. China is willing to import more high-quality products from Togo and welcomes Togo to make full and good use of China's zero-tariff policy and the upgraded "green channel" for products exported to China. The two sides can strengthen cooperation in healthcare, youth, culture, think tanks, and sub-national exchanges to enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples. China is willing to work with Togo and other African countries to actively implement the "Ten Partnership Actions" of China and Africa, contributing to Africa's lasting peace, development, and prosperity.
Faure stated that the friendship between Togo and China has existed for a long time (源远流长, yuan yuan liu chang - "source, far, flow, long"). China's development is changing with each passing day (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new, month, different"), setting an example for the world. President Xi Jinping and I reached important consensus on developing Togo-China relations and jointly building a Togo-China community with a shared future in the new era. The Togolese side firmly supports the one-China principle and is willing to strengthen practical cooperation with China in trade, investment, agricultural products, customs quarantine, science and technology, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, education and training, and other fields, to improve the well-being of the two peoples. The Togolese side supports resolving differences through dialogue and resolving hot-spot issues in Africa, and is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China to safeguard regional peace and stability.
After the talks, the leaders of the two countries jointly witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents in fields such as industrial and supply chains, human resources, digital trade, customs inspection and quarantine, and media.
Before the talks, Li Qiang held a welcome ceremony for Faure in the North Hall of the Great Hall of the People.
The two sides jointly issued the "Joint Statement of the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the Togolese Republic on Building a China-Togo Community with a Shared Future in the New Era."
Wu Zhenglong attended the above activities.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 洋 曾亦辰 中国纪检监察报记者 瞿 芃 中国纪检监察杂志记者 王 雪
"In the study chamber, lying down, I hear the rustling bamboo, suspecting it is the sound of the people's suffering." In accordance with the deployment of the Party Central Committee, since 2024, the concentrated rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses has continued to deepen and expand, promoting the resolution of a series of prominent problems strongly reflected by the masses, allowing the common people to truly feel that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is right by their side, and that fairness and justice are right by their side.
Starting today, this newspaper, together with China Discipline Inspection and Supervision News and China Discipline Inspection and Supervision magazine, launches a series of reports to vividly present the progress and effectiveness of the concentrated rectification work.
— Editor
"Old fellow, how are things going? Any difficulties still? Did you receive the full agricultural machinery subsidy?" "Grandpa, are you satisfied with the new property management in the community? Does the food at the community canteen suit your taste?" These are the everyday words of grassroots Party member cadres as they walk into villages and households, asking after people's warmth and needs — what they ask about are the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant concerns of the people, and what they connect is the Party's heart and the people's heart.
The lives of the common people are family matters, but they are even more state affairs. The Communist Party exists to serve the common people. Whatever the common people need, we do. Whatever the common people oppose, we resolutely guard against and correct.
Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission began in 2024 to carry out nationwide concentrated rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses. Discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have fulfilled their duties, taken on their responsibilities, and acted with initiative, pushing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party to continuously extend to the grassroots, so that the masses can feel that fairness and justice are right by their side.
"The farther unhealthy tendencies are from us, the closer the masses will be to us." Through the concentrated rectification, one by one the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant problems of the masses have been resolved, one by one "flies and ants" of corruption have been punished, and one by one policies benefiting the people have been implemented among the masses. Cadres' feet have gathered more soil, the people's hearts have gained more warmth, and the Party, deeply rooted in the people and closely relying on the people, has always been the most trusted and most reliable pillar of the masses.
Practicing the original aspiration, holding fast to the original aspiration
In Wuchang Village, Makou Town, Yongxiu County, Jiangxi Province, sunlight passes through the windows, slanting into the village Party-masses service center, and also shining on faces full of smiles.
Around the long table, village cadres, group leaders, and villagers sit together, chatting about "group accounts managed by the village." "This method is good, it works, I hope it can be maintained over the long term" "With the account books open and transparent, we group leaders no longer suffer unjust treatment"... One word from you, one word from me, and the more they talk, the warmer it gets.
The rural collective "three assets" (funds, assets, and resources) are the common "family property" of the peasant masses. Once, many village groups had chaotic management and absent oversight, and the masses had no confidence in their hearts. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Jiangxi Province, together with departments such as agriculture and rural affairs, natural resources and planning, and auditing, worked in coordination to carry out systematic and in-depth rectification.
Where "how much money there is, no one can say clearly," a comprehensive inventory was carried out, with the "three assets" situation at both the village and group levels registered item by item in ledgers and entered into the platform, made clear and laid open for all to see;
Where "where the money was spent, no one knows," a cloud-based Jiangxi Agriculture·"Three Assets" governance big-data supervision system platform was built, and "group accounts managed by the village" is precisely one of the functions embedded in the system;
Where "the income and expenditure account books are all in a mess," a "bank-village direct link" was launched, allowing cash to completely withdraw from village-level payments, with every transaction leaving an immediate trace in the system.
One task after another is carried out. Deng Bijing, deputy director of the Second Supervision and Inspection Office of the Jiangxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, explained unhurriedly: "We think about problems from the standpoint of the masses, follow the masses' demands to find the crux and find solutions, push the rectification work deeper, and continue until the masses are satisfied."
Today, in Wuchang Village, by logging into the platform, the "three assets" situation and incoming and outgoing income and expenditure of the village and groups are clear at a glance (一目了然, yī mù liǎo rán - "one, eye, clearly"), and muddled accounts have become clear accounts. Zhu Jiangjiang, director of the Party Conduct and Political Style Supervision Office of the Yongxiu County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, put it thoroughly: "On the surface of the accounts, they are books of economic accounts; think deeper, and they are books of the people's hearts."
The country is the people and the people are the country. "The people's aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle" — this is the Party's original aspiration and a solemn commitment to the people.
Since the concentrated rectification was launched, the vast number of discipline inspection and supervision cadres have learned while doing and done while learning: "Communists have no special interests of their own; they single-mindedly safeguard and develop the interests of the masses" "I am a Party member cadre, and also a child of peasants; I cannot forget my roots"... The words of a street discipline work committee secretary were simple and moving: "When the common people are happy, I too am much happier."
Carrying this original aspiration, Beijing has strengthened inspections of institutional elderly care, home-based elderly care, and other fields, focusing on uncovering problem clues in areas such as the use of subsidy funds; Guangdong has focused on hospitals with large medical insurance fund expenditures but few patients, carrying out special supervision inspections without notice, without prior arrangement, without formalities, and without accompanying personnel; Liaoning has taken the promotion of establishing supervision accounts for public revenue in residential property communities as its entry point to rectify prominent problems in the property sector... Discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels, together with various localities and departments, have focused on the fields of the masses' clothing, food, housing, and transportation, birth, aging, illness, and burial, and living and working in peace, advancing with a coordinated, unified plan, exerting strength with one concerted force, and tackling difficulties with one heart, so that the masses gain real benefits and our Party gains the people's hearts.
Walking into the "Not Difficult Food Market" in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, more than 20 catering stalls are delivery-only without dine-in service, accepting only platform orders, and all operate in closed environments. Is the food clean? In fact, this type of online catering model was once labeled "ghost takeout," with food safety causing concern.
Food is the first necessity of the people; safety is the first priority of food. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Zhejiang Province, together with market supervision departments, held consultations and assessments, decisively bringing this problem into the scope of the concentrated rectification, and "artificial intelligence + off-site supervision" was promptly promoted and applied. Today, the Xiaoshan District Market Supervision Administrative Law Enforcement Brigade can inspect stall environments at any time through video surveillance; the backend, based on artificial intelligence big-data analysis, issues timely warnings.
In Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, "rental traps" had repeatedly harmed the interests of new employment groups. Young people in their early twenties, just entering society, wanted to become food delivery riders and earn their "first pot of gold," only to be lured by rental shops into signing contracts containing overbearing clauses, making it difficult to cancel the contract and difficult to defend their rights.
The Yiwu City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision listed this as a key matter in its own level of concentrated rectification, promoting social work, petition, public security, judicial, transportation, market supervision, and other departments to work together to address it. "Although this is a new problem, it occurs frequently and easily. With relevant departments working in coordination, the problem has been effectively resolved. This is both safeguarding the business environment and safeguarding the dreams of young entrepreneurs one by one." Fu Xiaohui, secretary of the Yiwu City Commission for Discipline Inspection and concurrently director of the Supervisory Commission, said.
"What the people worry about, I must think of; what the people hope for, I must do."
As the concentrated rectification work continues to deepen and expand, whether discipline inspection and supervision cadres or Party member cadres on other fronts, all are continuously establishing a correct view of political achievements in serving the people, more consciously taking the stand of the masses, and their feelings for the masses have further deepened. A township Party committee secretary said frankly: "What the concentrated rectification targets are all hard bones to gnaw. At first, it was being pushed to do it, being told to do it; now it is I who want to do it, and I must see it through to success."
Feelings are being cultivated, healthy tendencies are being promoted, and the original aspiration is becoming ever more resolute and bright on the new road of the examination.
Viewing it from a political perspective, treating it from the root
The setting sun melts into gold, spilling over the Yellow River beach. Liu Weiguo stands in his living room, looking out the window, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turning up — the stone hanging over his heart has finally fallen to the ground.
In 2015, he and his family purchased an affordable housing unit on Yanchang Road Subdistrict, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province. However, the property ownership certificate was delayed time and again. The crux was tangled and complex: construction before approval, the development enterprise's capital chain breaking... For this reason, neighbors repeatedly reported the matter, but it always sank like a stone into the sea, and they could not help complaining: "Who on earth is in charge of this?"
The turning point came from the concentrated rectification. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Gansu Province focused on the difficult problem of obtaining real estate certificates and mounted a strong assault, supervising functional departments to handle all eligible housing that should be handled, handle it quickly where possible, and clear the backlog within a time limit, and making every effort to correct problems of functional departments passing the buck, poor coordination, and slow handling.
"Someone is finally in charge of this!" With supervisory pressure transmitted layer by layer, functional departments sprang into action, and the blockages were cleared one by one. On September 1 this year, Liu Weiguo received "the red booklet he had been waiting for for more than ten years."
The Party's greatest political advantage is close ties with the masses, and the greatest danger after the Party takes power is becoming divorced from the masses. The concentrated rectification targets the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant problems of the masses and tempers the work style of Party member cadres. The "micro-corruption" that infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of the masses, the "stumbling blocks" that hinder the implementation of policies benefiting the people, and unhealthy tendencies such as failure to take responsibility and arbitrary action — all must be viewed from a political perspective and treated from the root.
What the people like, like; what the people dislike, dislike. Discipline inspection and supervision organs have strengthened the driving role of case handling and deepened the rectification.
Anhui resolutely investigates major cases, connected cases, and nest cases, investigating typical corruption cases of county-level "top leaders" and cleaning up "cancers" in fields such as medical insurance and civil affairs; Shanxi takes severely punishing the "key minority" and attacking "key cases" as the hard yardstick that best demonstrates determination and strength; Guizhou insists on combining points and overall aspects, taking rectification in the three fields of medical insurance fund management, elderly care services, and high-standard farmland construction as breakthroughs to drive overall improvement of the rectification work...
Judging from daily supervision and case investigation, some county-level department and township "top leaders" collude with businessmen and bosses, nibbling away at livelihood special funds, either committing crimes over the long term "like ants moving house," or reaching out everywhere "like a wild goose plucking feathers as it passes," arousing the deep hatred of the masses. "If this is allowed to develop and spread, what accumulates is resentment, and what is separated is the Party's heart and the people's heart." Xiong Bin, deputy director of the Party Conduct and Political Style Supervision Office of the Jiangxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, said.
Lift the lid, dig out the root!
The Shangrao City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Jiangxi Province flexibly used auditing, big-data analysis, and other means to uncover a typical case of a businessman boss wantonly encircling and corroding civil affairs system cadres; the Nanchang City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, starting from investigating a series of cases involving special maintenance funds for residential housing, successfully severed a black "industrial chain" spanning multiple counties and districts.
Investigating one case warns a whole area. Today, the cage of institutions is tighter, discipline and rules are stricter, and the atmosphere of clean governance and practical work is stronger. Discipline inspection and supervision organs both wield the sharp sword and supervise responsibility, pushing relevant departments to shoulder the burdens they should shoulder and handle the matters they should handle properly.
The changes are written in the lives of the masses.
In the first half of this year, an inspection tour by the Linchuan District Party Committee of Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, found that the management and use of centralized support funds in some township nursing homes was chaotic, and that a certain township nursing home had fabricated menus to embezzle more than 400,000 yuan in meal expenses.
The district Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision conducted a systematic investigation and urged the district civil affairs department to improve the fund management system, uniformly open special accounts, and ensure that funds are used exclusively for their designated purposes and subject to whole-process control.
At lunchtime, walking into the Fubei Town Health and Elderly Care Service Center in Linchuan District, Fu Tiangen, an elderly man, held his meal tray and said with a beaming smile: "For breakfast there is milk, eggs, and fruit; for lunch and dinner there is meat, and it suits my teeth." The steaming hot food, the steaming hot people's hearts.
The more long-standing and difficult the problem, the less we can walk around it
Single room, nursing bed, upper and lower limb exercise equipment, air purifier... This is the Gulou Guang'an Home-based Elderly Care Service Center in Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, and it is also Ms. Li's "home."
A few years ago, she followed her daughter from Hangzhou to Ningbo, but because of illness she became disabled, and her family was unable to care for her at home, so she moved in here and enjoys special first-level nursing care. Since February this year, Ms. Li has begun to enjoy long-term care insurance benefits, treated equally with local insured persons in Ningbo, and the feeling of home has grown ever stronger.
Insured in Hangzhou, cared for in Ningbo, equal treatment... In the concentrated rectification, in response to the pain points faced by elderly people living across regions, such as cumbersome procedures for cross-regional care, inconvenient expense advances, and inconsistent treatment standards, the Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision promoted the provincial medical insurance bureau and other departments to issue a trial measure for direct settlement of long-term care insurance services across regions within the province, breaking down regional barriers, optimizing handling procedures, and realizing that long-term care insurance "follows the person with the money, with worry-free service."
Not only long-term care insurance. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Zhejiang Province have carried out in-depth rectification of prominent problems in elderly care services. "Against the background of population aging, the problems of uncoordinated and unbalanced development of elderly care services are gradually becoming prominent, and the timing of rectification is right. From practice, discipline inspection and supervision organs have played the roles of a scalpel for discovering and correcting deep-seated problems, a binder for departmental coordination, and an accelerator for the implementation of policies benefiting the people." Hu Zhangwei, deputy director of the Second Supervision and Inspection Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, said.
In this tough battle of concentrated rectification, discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have grasped one problem after another and treated one field after another. Some problems have been pursued for three years, grasped deeply, grasped in detail, grasped in a down-to-earth manner — not letting go until the problem is solved, not stopping until the goal is achieved.
Since being transferred in September 2023 to work in the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group stationed at the District Education Commission of the Tongliang District Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision in Chongqing, Wang Kaizhong has remained on the front line of rectifying prominent problems in the "campus meal" field. He and his colleagues have integrated supervision and discipline enforcement work into daily routines and regular practice, tightened and consolidated the responsibilities of functional departments, promoted the formation of a joint rectification force with all parties working together, and built a solid defense line for food safety in primary and secondary school cafeterias.
Since late August this year, Wang Kaizhong and his colleagues have kept a close eye on the key node of the "school season," and together with relevant departments have visited supplier warehousing centers and primary and secondary school cafeterias one by one, inspecting on site the entire chain of food procurement, storage, processing, and distribution, not letting any hidden danger go unchecked.
"Seeing the children eating happily in the school cafeteria with bright smiles on their faces, all the running around and hard work has turned into motivation to continue moving forward." Wang Kaizhong said.
Yao Hailiang, secretary of the Longxi County Commission for Discipline Inspection and acting director of the Supervisory Commission in Gansu Province, has long worked in the discipline inspection and supervision system. At the start of the concentrated rectification, he and his colleagues judged that this tough battle would not be easy: some problems span a long time, some involve many departments, and some have complex relationships behind them.
But for the sake of the masses, no matter how hard or tiring, they must carry on.
Recently, the discipline inspection and supervision organs of Longxi County promoted the resolution of another livelihood petition problem: carpenter Wang Junfu participated in the construction of a centralized resettlement site project for ecological and geological disaster avoidance relocation in a township of Longxi County. The project was completed, but the wages were delayed time and again, with the construction unit owing a total of 190,000 yuan in wages to 9 migrant workers.
After the county Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision obtained this clue, it conducted in-depth verification of the situation, consolidated the responsibility for rectification, and on the one hand urged the county human resources and social security bureau to issue a "Labor Security Supervision Order to Rectify within a Time Limit" to the construction unit, and on the other hand urged the township government where the project is located to rectify the problem. In the end, Wang Junfu and the others smoothly received their withheld wages.
Gnawing hard bones and fighting tough battles — such stories are everywhere. Since the beginning of this year, discipline inspection and supervision organs have taken resolving petition problems in the livelihood field as a breakthrough point in the concentrated rectification, promoting Party committees and governments to shoulder responsibility, making every effort to resolve petition problems strongly reflected by the masses and of high social concern, and properly resolving the reasonable and lawful demands of the masses. Responsible comrades of multiple functional departments said with emotion: "The concentrated rectification has been carried out with great force. Discipline inspection and supervision organs have investigated deeply where they should investigate deeply and coordinated where they should coordinate, promoting the resolution of a batch of difficult problems."
"It would be unrealistic to say there is no pressure, but the more strongly the masses reflect a problem, the more long-standing and difficult it is, the less we can walk around it." Yao Hailiang said, "In the concentrated rectification, the county level is the 'main battlefield.' We must put the problems the masses are most anxious and most hopeful about on the table, dare to confront the hard ones, and truly solve them."
What is the quality of the results? The masses have the final say
"We thank the Party Central Committee, thank the Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Supervisory Commission, for helping us solve the drinking water problem that had plagued us for so many years."
"The country is so big, with so many people and so many affairs, yet it has not forgotten us common people living in the mountains."
This is a handwritten letter of thanks from Xiao Xian'en and other villagers of Beishao Natural Village, Shuikou Village, Futian Town, Qingyuan District, Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province. The handwriting is not neat, but stroke by stroke, it writes gratitude with burning warmth.
The letter explains that they live scattered in a mountain hollow, and because of the high terrain and distance from the main village road, connecting to the tap water pipe network was difficult, and they could only rely on wells or springs for water: "On rainy days the water was as muddy as soup; on dry days one could not even scrape out a ladleful."
In April this year, discipline inspection and supervision cadres of Qingyuan District learned of this problem during a visit to the village, immediately included it in the supervision list of livelihood practical matters, and urged relevant departments to step up efforts to advance the water supply renovation project. Relevant departments responded promptly, making trip after trip into the mountains, surveying the terrain and laying water pipes, and before long the water was flowing. "The clear, bright tap water gushed out of the faucet, and our several households were overjoyed!"
However good, however fine, only when the common people say it is good is it truly good. What is the quality of the concentrated rectification? The masses have the final say.
Over the past three years, various localities have deepened the application of the working mechanism of "the masses raise the issues, departments answer them, the discipline inspection commissions supervise, and society evaluates," helping to safeguard the people's money, handle the people's affairs well, and govern the power that serves the people: in Jiangsu, multiple departments were promoted to carry out unannounced inspections, investigating and recovering misused medical insurance funds; in Xinjiang, the introduction of 10 measures for elderly care services was promoted, realizing "exemption from application and immediate enjoyment" of old-age allowances; in Shandong, pilot work on standardizing rural property rights circulation and transaction was promoted and explored, with village-level financial disclosure comprehensively implemented...
What can be felt and reached is not only the clarity of the tap water, but also the consultations on the field ridges.
The autumn wind brings coolness, and the high-standard farmland in Xietang Town, Shangyu District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, surges with layer upon layer of rice waves, as town and village cadres and major grain growers walk along the field ridges, looking, discussing, and deliberating.
Previously, regarding the construction of high-standard farmland, major grain grower Dai Zhipeng and others put forward suggestions: "The machine-cultivation roads are a bit narrow" "The irrigation demand here is large; the water pump power should be raised to 10 kilowatts, and the ditches raised accordingly" "The optimal slope for the field access ramp is 35 degrees, which neither occupies cultivated land nor makes it convenient for agricultural machinery to enter and exit"...
"Don't think this is just a small plot of land; we treat it the same as a project worth over a hundred million yuan, because this is the lifeline of the farmers." Zhang Jie, secretary of the Shangyu District Commission for Discipline Inspection and concurrently director of the Supervisory Commission, said, "People who farm understand farming practice best. To avoid investing money and completing facility renovations only to ruin the land, we place great emphasis on mass participation."
With the promotion of the district Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, the district natural resources, agriculture and rural affairs, and other departments have run mass participation through the entire process of planning, construction, acceptance, and maintenance, adopting 27 opinions from the masses and improving 11 systems in series, including project application, project design, and project quality insurance.
Mass participation and mass supervision have turned the masses from beneficiaries of rectification into participants, bringing the Party's heart and the people's heart closer together in one joint assault after another.
Brother Wang, a resident of Lanshi Run'an Community in Qilihe District, Lanzhou City, had just bought a new energy vehicle, but when parked in the original parking space in the community, the car door could not open fully, and he had to squeeze in and out sideways. In the past, this would at most have drawn a few complaints. This time, Brother Wang scanned the QR code for collecting clues on problems in the property service field posted in the community and tried to report it.
Community cadres and the property company sent people to take on-site measurements the same day, widening what needed widening and modifying what needed modifying. Brother Wang tried it, and the car door could open fully: "Our opinions are heard and acted upon! The parking space is wider, and my heart is wider too."
"Now, the masses complain less and cooperate more, and when they meet us they have gone from 'lowering their heads and taking a detour' to greeting us warmly." A responsible comrade of the Renjiazhuang Street West Community in Dunhuang Road Subdistrict, Qilihe District, introduced that the enthusiasm of the masses to participate in community governance is continuously being stimulated, and a group of warm-hearted people are active in the community, promptly reporting problems and hidden dangers to the community when they are discovered.
As she spoke, she pulled out a thick stack of ledgers of feedback on problems from the masses. What is recorded in them is not only livelihood demands one by one, but also the accumulated achievements of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing in social governance.
The closer you are to the masses, the closer the masses are to you.
"What do we common people seek? Isn't it just smooth handling of affairs, a clear heart, and a stable life? Now, the Party has thought of all these things for us."
In Chinese modernization, the people's livelihood is paramount. Our Party's roots are in the people, and its bloodline is in the people. We must always be mindful of the people's warmth and cold, always think of the people's joys and worries, always take the stand of the people, always stand among the people, place the word "people" in the highest position in our hearts, and let the feeling of serving the people be integrated into our souls, most sincere and most profound. The concentrated rectification is a major matter that shares the Party's concerns and a practical matter that benefits the people. The most fundamental reason it has been pursued for three years with obvious results is that we keep the common people in our hearts and resolutely fight for the people.
Return to TopTheory
Carry Forward the Great Long March Spirit Walk Well the Long March Road of the New Era
Ninth Edition
On the Road to the Dream · Special Report
Passing the torch from generation to generation (薪火永相传, xin huo yong xiang chuan - "fire, wood, forever, mutually, pass on") Relay the New Long March
Sixth Edition
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 白剑峰 陆凡冰
The National Conference on Health and Wellness was held in Beijing from October 12 to 13. General Secretary Xi Jinping attended the conference and delivered an important speech, emphasizing the need to promote the high-quality development of health and wellness undertakings, continuously improve the people's health levels, and ensure decisive progress in the construction of a Healthy China.
In recent days, General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has evoked strong responses among the vast number of health and wellness workers. They expressed that they will bear in mind his instructions, bravely shoulder their missions, anchor on the goal of completing the construction of a Healthy China by 2035, implement the spirit of the National Conference on Health and Wellness through concrete actions, safeguard the people's lives and health with heart and soul, effectively meet the people's ever-growing health needs, and promote decisive progress in the construction of a Healthy China.
Xing Shaoyun, Party branch secretary and head nurse of the Dermatology Rehabilitation Department of Hainan Provincial Fifth People's Hospital, has been rooted on the front line of leprosy prevention and treatment for more than three decades. She said: "I will continue to hold my post on the front line of leprosy prevention and treatment, do solid work in clinical nursing rehabilitation and full-cycle health management, strive to cultivate young nursing backbone personnel, extend high-quality nursing services to communities and families, and enable the masses to enjoy professional health care at their doorsteps."
Yuan Jin, president of Beijing Tongren Hospital affiliated with Capital Medical University, said: "This year happens to mark the 140th anniversary of the founding of Beijing Tongren Hospital. We will closely focus on the goal of 'balanced and inclusive, high-quality and efficient,' make every effort to enhance the capacity for diagnosis and treatment of difficult and critical illnesses and for scientific research and innovation, give play to our radiating and driving role, help expand and sink high-quality medical resources, and contribute greater strength to the construction of a Healthy China."
Jiang Hui, Party committee secretary of Peking University First Hospital, said that it is necessary to act with greater initiative and responsibility, continuously promote the expansion and sinking of high-quality medical resources, rely on the construction of national regional medical centers, paired assistance, and remote collaboration to export technology, standards, and talent, help improve the hierarchical diagnosis and treatment system, overcoming great difficulties (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack, overcome; difficult, hard") and take on solid responsibilities, and make every effort to push the hospital's high-quality development to a new level.
Hu Xiaozhong, Party branch secretary of the Health Center of Shiye Town, Dantu District, Zhenjiang City, Jiangsu Province, said: "We must implement the General Secretary's important instructions and requirements into every diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up visit." He expressed that they will continue to take the masses' health needs as the starting point and foothold of their work, and take the masses' satisfaction as an important criterion for testing work effectiveness.
"The General Secretary's important speech has pointed out the direction for our future work." Wuhasi Sulaiman, winner of the "July 1 Medal" and former deputy chief physician of the Internal Medicine Department of the Animal Husbandry Hospital of Yumin County, Tacheng Prefecture, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, has been rooted in pastoral areas practicing medicine for decades. He said: "I am willing to use the rest of my life to safeguard the health of the grassland masses and contribute my strength to building a solid line of defense for the health of the entire population in the border areas."
Shi Qiaorong, Party committee secretary of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that it is necessary to always adhere to the orientation of running the hospital with the distinctive advantages of traditional Chinese medicine and the service philosophy of taking the patient as the center at all times, inherit, innovate, and develop the cause of traditional Chinese medicine with greater responsibility and stronger commitment, and make new contributions to advancing the construction of a Healthy China.
"The talent team is an important guarantee for the construction of a Healthy China." Zhu Hongming, director of the Health Development Research Center of the National Health Commission, said that it is necessary to strive to build a medical workforce that is sufficient in number, reasonable in structure, and excellent in quality, so that appropriate grassroots talent strengthens the foundation of the network, high-level innovative talent raises the ceiling, and medical-prevention-management composite talent improves efficiency.
Zheng Zhongwei, supervision commissioner of the Department of Science, Technology and Education of the National Health Commission, said that it is necessary to deepen the reform of medical-education coordination, strengthen ideological and political education, medical ethics and professional conduct education, and medical humanities education, cultivate more high-quality medical talent, and provide solid scientific and technological support and talent guarantees for the construction of a Healthy China.
Zhou Xingtao, president of the Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital of Fudan University, said that it is necessary to deepen the reform of the systems and mechanisms for talent development, stimulate the innovative development momentum of talent, continuously promote the sinking of high-quality talent to the grassroots, shore up the shortcomings in grassroots service capacity, promote the construction of a Healthy China with a high-quality talent team, and safeguard the health and well-being of the people.
Hou Hong, deputy secretary of the Party Leadership Group and deputy director of the Health Commission of Henan Province, said that it is necessary to thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the National Conference on Health and Wellness, make every effort to accomplish a number of practical projects for the people's livelihood, enhance the capacity of grassroots medical and health services, carry out "five health" screening and science popularization for children and adolescents, and consolidate and deepen the reform achievements of "convenient medical treatment" such as fewer trips, optimized procedures, and improved quality.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 刚
On October 15, at the booth of Skyworth Group at the 140th Canton Fair, Zheng Xiaosong, general manager of the overseas marketing center, chatted warmly with Russian customer Milstein.
Milstein is Skyworth's distributor in the Russian Far East. Previously, he purchased about 10,000 refrigerators from China each year. In recent years, he has proposed to Skyworth: besides importing refrigerators and washing machines, could they set up a production line locally?
Expanding the space for mutually beneficial international economic and trade cooperation, and advancing a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. Skyworth's mode of cooperation with him has gradually changed — no longer selling only complete machines, but instead packing and exporting key components such as those for refrigerators and washing machines, while sending engineers to teach assembly personally and closely (手把手, shou ba shou - "hand, grasp, hand"). Milstein built a production line locally and hired workers; today he assembles about 10,000 units a year.
A local supply chain has also gradually developed: packaging cartons and small injection-molded parts are now made locally. Zheng Xiaosong said: "Plastic parts take up volume and are easily damaged in sea freight; making them locally maximizes benefits for both sides."
At this Canton Fair, Milstein wants to further strengthen cooperation. Both sides can clearly calculate this win-win account: for the customer, costs fall and local employment is boosted; for Skyworth, profits have not thinned, the cooperative product line has expanded to all categories, and the content of cooperation has extended from buying and selling products to research and development, manufacturing, and after-sales training.
There are many similar cases. At the TCL booth, staff member Tang Fan said: "The question buyers ask most this year is, 'Can you come build a production line together with us over there?'"
When seeking a Brazilian partner, the head of a local home appliance company flew more than 20 hours to China. Later, the two sides established a joint venture, combining TCL's product technology with the Brazilian company's local manufacturing and market experience. Today, TCL continues to carry out technological transformation of the local factory. "It's not just moving equipment over, but upgrading products, digital management, and operational capability together," said Li Dongsheng, the company's founder and chairman. In Poland, TCL's local factory has an annual television production capacity of 5 million units, provides about 800 to 1,000 local jobs each year, and products can be delivered to European countries within 3 to 4 days.
Among the more than 30,000 exhibitors at the Canton Fair, nearly 20 percent have carried out outward investment, contributing more than 200,000 jobs locally. From buying complete machines to buying technology and building production lines, the conversations at the fair are a vivid microcosm of how China, with its complete industrial system, provides support for countries — especially developing countries — to integrate into the global production and supply chain. The win-win road is growing ever wider.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 洪秋婷
On October 15, the service robot section of the 140th Canton Fair was crowded with domestic and foreign buyers.
A floor-cleaning robot 25 centimeters tall drew considerable attention. "It is equipped with technologies such as fast charging, roller-based live-water floor washing, and targeted stain dissolution, and can tackle stubborn grease in kitchens," said Ma Xianbin, public relations director of Ecovacs Robotics.
Behind this floor-cleaning robot lies an exploration by Ecovacs and European company BSH Home Appliances in shifting from trading partners to innovation partners: from "selling a robot" to "building a robot together."
Since its founding 70 years ago, the Canton Fair has become an effective platform for China to expand high-standard opening up and promote the building of an open world economy, and more and more overseas customers have become innovation partners of Chinese enterprises.
In 2025, Ecovacs and BSH Home Appliances reached a cooperation agreement to jointly develop a fully embedded floor-cleaning robot, "hiding" the robot inside kitchen cabinets. "To fit everything within 8.4 centimeters, the robot must be more integrated and thinner," Ma Xianbin said. Over more than a year, the R&D team tackled the "hard bone" of split, replaceable modules. The R&D patents remain with Ecovacs, while the two brands appear "side by side" on the product.
"BSH Home Appliances understands European consumers' preferences and has market advantages in Europe; Ecovacs, for its part, possesses robot motion control, cleaning, and artificial intelligence technologies. The market has demand, and we have the capability," Ma Xianbin summarized. "Combining technologies and sharing markets is highly beneficial (大有裨益, da you bi yi - "greatly, have, benefit") to enhancing the level of brand globalization."
A few halls away, on Galanz's booth, rows of new microwave ovens were neatly displayed. "Through the Canton Fair, we have not only secured orders but also made friends from all over the world. The Canton Fair has become the most important moment of exchange between us and our global customers," said Liang Zhaoxian, chairman and president of Galanz Group. Targeting overseas users' preferences, Galanz has worked with foreign retail partners to custom-develop air-fryer microwave ovens, with products sold worldwide; facing the customization needs of overseas market users, the technology and market teams have worked in "joint offices, breaking time-zone barriers," and over more than a year jointly developed a multifunctional all-in-one machine, filling a gap in the high-end market.
"It both meets customers' quality control requirements and responds to the real needs of the market," Liang Zhaoxian said. This model of joint development helps enterprises further open up new markets, and while showcasing technological strength, it also drives improvements in R&D efficiency.
Return to TopBy: 人民网记者 王雅蝶
"Vini, hello, we finally meet in person!" On October 15, at the electronics and information products exhibition area of the 140th Canton Fair, Pan Hongqiang, deputy marketing director of Guangzhou Chengzhi Intelligent Machine Technology Co., Ltd., finally met his "online friend" — Brazilian purchaser Vini — with whom he had been talking with great pleasure (相谈甚欢, xiang tan shen huan - "mutually, talk, very, happy").
Vini had long heard of the company's drone mission payload products: "Chinese drone products are applied in scenarios such as firefighting and rescue and personnel search and rescue. This time I came specifically to take a look."
Pan Hongqiang explained: "Through the Canton Fair platform, we can reach more customers and promote low-altitude solution products to the world."
Besides "online friends meeting in person," there were many delightful encounters at the Canton Fair site.
"I have been working in the technology industry in Belgium for many years. I came to the Canton Fair this time to look for lightweight exterior wall cleaning robots suitable for old buildings, and I never expected to find one on the very first day." Belgian purchaser Adnan said with a smile. At the booth of Guangdong Lingdu Intelligent Technology Development Co., Ltd., a high-efficiency curtain wall robot demonstrated running up and down and automatically overcoming obstacles, and Adnan, with great interest, picked up his phone to record the process.
"The product's safety, environmental protection and energy efficiency, cost-effectiveness, as well as the remote support solutions provided by the company, all deeply attracted me. We will come back to the site tomorrow to continue negotiations," Adnan said.
In the household appliances exhibition area, Spanish purchaser Antonio put on headphones and immersively experienced the "quiet" operation of an air conditioner. "Listen, it's quieter than the sound of turning a page." At the site, Xu Pingping, business specialist of Gree Electric Appliances Inc. of Zhuhai, introduced to purchasers the rotary cylinder refrigeration air conditioning compressor — an innovative achievement resulting from 12 years of research.
Advanced manufacturing is the theme of the first phase of the 140th Canton Fair. Here, the cutting-edge achievements across 19 exhibition areas in five major sectors — electronics and home appliances, industrial automation, lighting and electrical, hardware tools, and new energy vehicles and smart mobility — closely connect purchasers and exhibitors from around the world. Born of openness and thriving on openness, the Canton Fair continuously expands the space for mutually beneficial international economic and trade cooperation, creating a trade event for advanced manufacturing.
(Liao Ruoting contributed to the reporting)
Return to TopOn October 15, Chinese and foreign merchants and staff walk through the exhibition halls of the Canton Fair.
Photo provided by the China Foreign Trade Center
Return to Top(People's Daily, Guangzhou, October 15) The 140th China Import and Export Fair (hereinafter referred to as the "Canton Fair") opened in Guangzhou on October 15. This session of the Canton Fair has a total of approximately 32,000 enterprises participating as exhibitors, with approximately 340,000 overseas buyers attending to make purchases. Among them, the first phase has the theme of "Advanced Manufacturing," with over 12,000 enterprises participating as exhibitors, and over 6,000 high-quality exhibitors including high-tech enterprises, those focusing on specialization and innovation (专精特新, zhuan jing te xin - "specialized, refined, unique, new"), and single-product champions.
The first phase of the exhibition closely follows the development trends of "new, green, and intelligent," focusing on global procurement hotspots such as new energy, intelligent manufacturing, and embodied intelligence. It has set up 17 emerging and future industry zones, including service robots, drones, and display technology, while also bringing together development achievements in new quality productive forces such as new-type energy storage, high-end chips, and AI visualization products. In the trade services exhibition area, 9 trade service zones have been established around producer services, achieving for the first time full coverage of the ten major categories of producer services.
This session of the Canton Fair is held in three phases from October 15 to November 4, with plans to hold over 700 new product launch events. The number of products released is expected to increase by 15%, and a new product launch display zone has been established for the first time.
(Compiled from reports by People's Daily reporters Luo Shanshan, Li Gang, and Hong Qiuting)
Return to TopBy: 张安宇
On October 14, the 140th Canton Fair opened; on the same day, China's foreign trade data for the first three quarters of the year was released — the total value of imports and exports of goods grew 18.8 percent year on year, the fastest growth rate for the same period in the past five years. An increasingly open China is bringing new opportunities for prosperity to the world.
On the 15th, the first phase of the Canton Fair, themed "advanced manufacturing," opened its doors to visitors: Chinese and foreign enterprises cooperated in research and development, bringing consumers ultra-thin, zero-embedded sweeping robots; Chinese home appliance enterprises built production lines abroad, opening up markets while driving local employment and economic development... A powerful combination of strong parties (强强联合, qiang qiang lian he - "strong, strong, join, unite") and "collaborative innovation" were high-frequency words at the Canton Fair, with the circulation of capital, technology, and personnel brought by openness helping enterprises continuously enhance their competitiveness.
For the first time, a new product debut and launch display area was established, and for the first time full coverage of ten major categories of producer services was achieved... Since its founding 70 years ago, the Canton Fair has striven to advance innovative development, and the story of openness has never been interrupted.
Looking to the future, China's door of opening up will only open wider, continuously injecting new momentum into world development and prosperity.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 洋 曾亦辰 中国纪检监察报记者 瞿 芃 中国纪检监察杂志记者 王 雪
"In the study chamber, lying down, I hear the rustling bamboo, suspecting it is the sound of the people's suffering." In accordance with the deployment of the Party Central Committee, since 2024, the concentrated rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses has continued to deepen and expand, promoting the resolution of a series of prominent problems strongly reflected by the masses, allowing the common people to truly feel that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is right by their side, and that fairness and justice are right by their side.
Starting today, this newspaper, together with China Discipline Inspection and Supervision News and China Discipline Inspection and Supervision magazine, launches a series of reports to vividly present the progress and effectiveness of the concentrated rectification work.
— Editor
"Old fellow, how are things going? Any difficulties still? Did you receive the full agricultural machinery subsidy?" "Grandpa, are you satisfied with the new property management in the community? Does the food at the community canteen suit your taste?" These are the everyday words of grassroots Party member cadres as they walk into villages and households, asking after people's warmth and needs — what they ask about are the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant concerns of the people, and what they connect is the Party's heart and the people's heart.
The lives of the common people are family matters, but they are even more state affairs. The Communist Party exists to serve the common people. Whatever the common people need, we do. Whatever the common people oppose, we resolutely guard against and correct.
Under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission began in 2024 to carry out nationwide concentrated rectification of unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses. Discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have fulfilled their duties, taken on their responsibilities, and acted with initiative, pushing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party to continuously extend to the grassroots, so that the masses can feel that fairness and justice are right by their side.
"The farther unhealthy tendencies are from us, the closer the masses will be to us." Through the concentrated rectification, one by one the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant problems of the masses have been resolved, one by one "flies and ants" of corruption have been punished, and one by one policies benefiting the people have been implemented among the masses. Cadres' feet have gathered more soil, the people's hearts have gained more warmth, and the Party, deeply rooted in the people and closely relying on the people, has always been the most trusted and most reliable pillar of the masses.
Practicing the original aspiration, holding fast to the original aspiration
In Wuchang Village, Makou Town, Yongxiu County, Jiangxi Province, sunlight passes through the windows, slanting into the village Party-masses service center, and also shining on faces full of smiles.
Around the long table, village cadres, group leaders, and villagers sit together, chatting about "group accounts managed by the village." "This method is good, it works, I hope it can be maintained over the long term" "With the account books open and transparent, we group leaders no longer suffer unjust treatment"... One word from you, one word from me, and the more they talk, the warmer it gets.
The rural collective "three assets" (funds, assets, and resources) are the common "family property" of the peasant masses. Once, many village groups had chaotic management and absent oversight, and the masses had no confidence in their hearts. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Jiangxi Province, together with departments such as agriculture and rural affairs, natural resources and planning, and auditing, worked in coordination to carry out systematic and in-depth rectification.
Where "how much money there is, no one can say clearly," a comprehensive inventory was carried out, with the "three assets" situation at both the village and group levels registered item by item in ledgers and entered into the platform, made clear and laid open for all to see;
Where "where the money was spent, no one knows," a cloud-based Jiangxi Agriculture·"Three Assets" governance big-data supervision system platform was built, and "group accounts managed by the village" is precisely one of the functions embedded in the system;
Where "the income and expenditure account books are all in a mess," a "bank-village direct link" was launched, allowing cash to completely withdraw from village-level payments, with every transaction leaving an immediate trace in the system.
One task after another is carried out. Deng Bijing, deputy director of the Second Supervision and Inspection Office of the Jiangxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, explained unhurriedly: "We think about problems from the standpoint of the masses, follow the masses' demands to find the crux and find solutions, push the rectification work deeper, and continue until the masses are satisfied."
Today, in Wuchang Village, by logging into the platform, the "three assets" situation and incoming and outgoing income and expenditure of the village and groups are clear at a glance (一目了然, yī mù liǎo rán - "one, eye, clearly"), and muddled accounts have become clear accounts. Zhu Jiangjiang, director of the Party Conduct and Political Style Supervision Office of the Yongxiu County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, put it thoroughly: "On the surface of the accounts, they are books of economic accounts; think deeper, and they are books of the people's hearts."
The country is the people and the people are the country. "The people's aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle" — this is the Party's original aspiration and a solemn commitment to the people.
Since the concentrated rectification was launched, the vast number of discipline inspection and supervision cadres have learned while doing and done while learning: "Communists have no special interests of their own; they single-mindedly safeguard and develop the interests of the masses" "I am a Party member cadre, and also a child of peasants; I cannot forget my roots"... The words of a street discipline work committee secretary were simple and moving: "When the common people are happy, I too am much happier."
Carrying this original aspiration, Beijing has strengthened inspections of institutional elderly care, home-based elderly care, and other fields, focusing on uncovering problem clues in areas such as the use of subsidy funds; Guangdong has focused on hospitals with large medical insurance fund expenditures but few patients, carrying out special supervision inspections without notice, without prior arrangement, without formalities, and without accompanying personnel; Liaoning has taken the promotion of establishing supervision accounts for public revenue in residential property communities as its entry point to rectify prominent problems in the property sector... Discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels, together with various localities and departments, have focused on the fields of the masses' clothing, food, housing, and transportation, birth, aging, illness, and burial, and living and working in peace, advancing with a coordinated, unified plan, exerting strength with one concerted force, and tackling difficulties with one heart, so that the masses gain real benefits and our Party gains the people's hearts.
Walking into the "Not Difficult Food Market" in Xiaoshan District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province, more than 20 catering stalls are delivery-only without dine-in service, accepting only platform orders, and all operate in closed environments. Is the food clean? In fact, this type of online catering model was once labeled "ghost takeout," with food safety causing concern.
Food is the first necessity of the people; safety is the first priority of food. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Zhejiang Province, together with market supervision departments, held consultations and assessments, decisively bringing this problem into the scope of the concentrated rectification, and "artificial intelligence + off-site supervision" was promptly promoted and applied. Today, the Xiaoshan District Market Supervision Administrative Law Enforcement Brigade can inspect stall environments at any time through video surveillance; the backend, based on artificial intelligence big-data analysis, issues timely warnings.
In Yiwu City, Zhejiang Province, "rental traps" had repeatedly harmed the interests of new employment groups. Young people in their early twenties, just entering society, wanted to become food delivery riders and earn their "first pot of gold," only to be lured by rental shops into signing contracts containing overbearing clauses, making it difficult to cancel the contract and difficult to defend their rights.
The Yiwu City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision listed this as a key matter in its own level of concentrated rectification, promoting social work, petition, public security, judicial, transportation, market supervision, and other departments to work together to address it. "Although this is a new problem, it occurs frequently and easily. With relevant departments working in coordination, the problem has been effectively resolved. This is both safeguarding the business environment and safeguarding the dreams of young entrepreneurs one by one." Fu Xiaohui, secretary of the Yiwu City Commission for Discipline Inspection and concurrently director of the Supervisory Commission, said.
"What the people worry about, I must think of; what the people hope for, I must do."
As the concentrated rectification work continues to deepen and expand, whether discipline inspection and supervision cadres or Party member cadres on other fronts, all are continuously establishing a correct view of political achievements in serving the people, more consciously taking the stand of the masses, and their feelings for the masses have further deepened. A township Party committee secretary said frankly: "What the concentrated rectification targets are all hard bones to gnaw. At first, it was being pushed to do it, being told to do it; now it is I who want to do it, and I must see it through to success."
Feelings are being cultivated, healthy tendencies are being promoted, and the original aspiration is becoming ever more resolute and bright on the new road of the examination.
Viewing it from a political perspective, treating it from the root
The setting sun melts into gold, spilling over the Yellow River beach. Liu Weiguo stands in his living room, looking out the window, the corners of his mouth unconsciously turning up — the stone hanging over his heart has finally fallen to the ground.
In 2015, he and his family purchased an affordable housing unit on Yanchang Road Subdistrict, Lanzhou City, Gansu Province. However, the property ownership certificate was delayed time and again. The crux was tangled and complex: construction before approval, the development enterprise's capital chain breaking... For this reason, neighbors repeatedly reported the matter, but it always sank like a stone into the sea, and they could not help complaining: "Who on earth is in charge of this?"
The turning point came from the concentrated rectification. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Gansu Province focused on the difficult problem of obtaining real estate certificates and mounted a strong assault, supervising functional departments to handle all eligible housing that should be handled, handle it quickly where possible, and clear the backlog within a time limit, and making every effort to correct problems of functional departments passing the buck, poor coordination, and slow handling.
"Someone is finally in charge of this!" With supervisory pressure transmitted layer by layer, functional departments sprang into action, and the blockages were cleared one by one. On September 1 this year, Liu Weiguo received "the red booklet he had been waiting for for more than ten years."
The Party's greatest political advantage is close ties with the masses, and the greatest danger after the Party takes power is becoming divorced from the masses. The concentrated rectification targets the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant problems of the masses and tempers the work style of Party member cadres. The "micro-corruption" that infringes on the legitimate rights and interests of the masses, the "stumbling blocks" that hinder the implementation of policies benefiting the people, and unhealthy tendencies such as failure to take responsibility and arbitrary action — all must be viewed from a political perspective and treated from the root.
What the people like, like; what the people dislike, dislike. Discipline inspection and supervision organs have strengthened the driving role of case handling and deepened the rectification.
Anhui resolutely investigates major cases, connected cases, and nest cases, investigating typical corruption cases of county-level "top leaders" and cleaning up "cancers" in fields such as medical insurance and civil affairs; Shanxi takes severely punishing the "key minority" and attacking "key cases" as the hard yardstick that best demonstrates determination and strength; Guizhou insists on combining points and overall aspects, taking rectification in the three fields of medical insurance fund management, elderly care services, and high-standard farmland construction as breakthroughs to drive overall improvement of the rectification work...
Judging from daily supervision and case investigation, some county-level department and township "top leaders" collude with businessmen and bosses, nibbling away at livelihood special funds, either committing crimes over the long term "like ants moving house," or reaching out everywhere "like a wild goose plucking feathers as it passes," arousing the deep hatred of the masses. "If this is allowed to develop and spread, what accumulates is resentment, and what is separated is the Party's heart and the people's heart." Xiong Bin, deputy director of the Party Conduct and Political Style Supervision Office of the Jiangxi Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, said.
Lift the lid, dig out the root!
The Shangrao City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision of Jiangxi Province flexibly used auditing, big-data analysis, and other means to uncover a typical case of a businessman boss wantonly encircling and corroding civil affairs system cadres; the Nanchang City Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, starting from investigating a series of cases involving special maintenance funds for residential housing, successfully severed a black "industrial chain" spanning multiple counties and districts.
Investigating one case warns a whole area. Today, the cage of institutions is tighter, discipline and rules are stricter, and the atmosphere of clean governance and practical work is stronger. Discipline inspection and supervision organs both wield the sharp sword and supervise responsibility, pushing relevant departments to shoulder the burdens they should shoulder and handle the matters they should handle properly.
The changes are written in the lives of the masses.
In the first half of this year, an inspection tour by the Linchuan District Party Committee of Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, found that the management and use of centralized support funds in some township nursing homes was chaotic, and that a certain township nursing home had fabricated menus to embezzle more than 400,000 yuan in meal expenses.
The district Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision conducted a systematic investigation and urged the district civil affairs department to improve the fund management system, uniformly open special accounts, and ensure that funds are used exclusively for their designated purposes and subject to whole-process control.
At lunchtime, walking into the Fubei Town Health and Elderly Care Service Center in Linchuan District, Fu Tiangen, an elderly man, held his meal tray and said with a beaming smile: "For breakfast there is milk, eggs, and fruit; for lunch and dinner there is meat, and it suits my teeth." The steaming hot food, the steaming hot people's hearts.
The more long-standing and difficult the problem, the less we can walk around it
Single room, nursing bed, upper and lower limb exercise equipment, air purifier... This is the Gulou Guang'an Home-based Elderly Care Service Center in Haishu District, Ningbo, Zhejiang, and it is also Ms. Li's "home."
A few years ago, she followed her daughter from Hangzhou to Ningbo, but because of illness she became disabled, and her family was unable to care for her at home, so she moved in here and enjoys special first-level nursing care. Since February this year, Ms. Li has begun to enjoy long-term care insurance benefits, treated equally with local insured persons in Ningbo, and the feeling of home has grown ever stronger.
Insured in Hangzhou, cared for in Ningbo, equal treatment... In the concentrated rectification, in response to the pain points faced by elderly people living across regions, such as cumbersome procedures for cross-regional care, inconvenient expense advances, and inconsistent treatment standards, the Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision promoted the provincial medical insurance bureau and other departments to issue a trial measure for direct settlement of long-term care insurance services across regions within the province, breaking down regional barriers, optimizing handling procedures, and realizing that long-term care insurance "follows the person with the money, with worry-free service."
Not only long-term care insurance. The discipline inspection and supervision organs of Zhejiang Province have carried out in-depth rectification of prominent problems in elderly care services. "Against the background of population aging, the problems of uncoordinated and unbalanced development of elderly care services are gradually becoming prominent, and the timing of rectification is right. From practice, discipline inspection and supervision organs have played the roles of a scalpel for discovering and correcting deep-seated problems, a binder for departmental coordination, and an accelerator for the implementation of policies benefiting the people." Hu Zhangwei, deputy director of the Second Supervision and Inspection Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, said.
In this tough battle of concentrated rectification, discipline inspection and supervision organs at all levels have grasped one problem after another and treated one field after another. Some problems have been pursued for three years, grasped deeply, grasped in detail, grasped in a down-to-earth manner — not letting go until the problem is solved, not stopping until the goal is achieved.
Since being transferred in September 2023 to work in the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Group stationed at the District Education Commission of the Tongliang District Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision in Chongqing, Wang Kaizhong has remained on the front line of rectifying prominent problems in the "campus meal" field. He and his colleagues have integrated supervision and discipline enforcement work into daily routines and regular practice, tightened and consolidated the responsibilities of functional departments, promoted the formation of a joint rectification force with all parties working together, and built a solid defense line for food safety in primary and secondary school cafeterias.
Since late August this year, Wang Kaizhong and his colleagues have kept a close eye on the key node of the "school season," and together with relevant departments have visited supplier warehousing centers and primary and secondary school cafeterias one by one, inspecting on site the entire chain of food procurement, storage, processing, and distribution, not letting any hidden danger go unchecked.
"Seeing the children eating happily in the school cafeteria with bright smiles on their faces, all the running around and hard work has turned into motivation to continue moving forward." Wang Kaizhong said.
Yao Hailiang, secretary of the Longxi County Commission for Discipline Inspection and acting director of the Supervisory Commission in Gansu Province, has long worked in the discipline inspection and supervision system. At the start of the concentrated rectification, he and his colleagues judged that this tough battle would not be easy: some problems span a long time, some involve many departments, and some have complex relationships behind them.
But for the sake of the masses, no matter how hard or tiring, they must carry on.
Recently, the discipline inspection and supervision organs of Longxi County promoted the resolution of another livelihood petition problem: carpenter Wang Junfu participated in the construction of a centralized resettlement site project for ecological and geological disaster avoidance relocation in a township of Longxi County. The project was completed, but the wages were delayed time and again, with the construction unit owing a total of 190,000 yuan in wages to 9 migrant workers.
After the county Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision obtained this clue, it conducted in-depth verification of the situation, consolidated the responsibility for rectification, and on the one hand urged the county human resources and social security bureau to issue a "Labor Security Supervision Order to Rectify within a Time Limit" to the construction unit, and on the other hand urged the township government where the project is located to rectify the problem. In the end, Wang Junfu and the others smoothly received their withheld wages.
Gnawing hard bones and fighting tough battles — such stories are everywhere. Since the beginning of this year, discipline inspection and supervision organs have taken resolving petition problems in the livelihood field as a breakthrough point in the concentrated rectification, promoting Party committees and governments to shoulder responsibility, making every effort to resolve petition problems strongly reflected by the masses and of high social concern, and properly resolving the reasonable and lawful demands of the masses. Responsible comrades of multiple functional departments said with emotion: "The concentrated rectification has been carried out with great force. Discipline inspection and supervision organs have investigated deeply where they should investigate deeply and coordinated where they should coordinate, promoting the resolution of a batch of difficult problems."
"It would be unrealistic to say there is no pressure, but the more strongly the masses reflect a problem, the more long-standing and difficult it is, the less we can walk around it." Yao Hailiang said, "In the concentrated rectification, the county level is the 'main battlefield.' We must put the problems the masses are most anxious and most hopeful about on the table, dare to confront the hard ones, and truly solve them."
What is the quality of the results? The masses have the final say
"We thank the Party Central Committee, thank the Commission for Discipline Inspection and the Supervisory Commission, for helping us solve the drinking water problem that had plagued us for so many years."
"The country is so big, with so many people and so many affairs, yet it has not forgotten us common people living in the mountains."
This is a handwritten letter of thanks from Xiao Xian'en and other villagers of Beishao Natural Village, Shuikou Village, Futian Town, Qingyuan District, Ji'an City, Jiangxi Province. The handwriting is not neat, but stroke by stroke, it writes gratitude with burning warmth.
The letter explains that they live scattered in a mountain hollow, and because of the high terrain and distance from the main village road, connecting to the tap water pipe network was difficult, and they could only rely on wells or springs for water: "On rainy days the water was as muddy as soup; on dry days one could not even scrape out a ladleful."
In April this year, discipline inspection and supervision cadres of Qingyuan District learned of this problem during a visit to the village, immediately included it in the supervision list of livelihood practical matters, and urged relevant departments to step up efforts to advance the water supply renovation project. Relevant departments responded promptly, making trip after trip into the mountains, surveying the terrain and laying water pipes, and before long the water was flowing. "The clear, bright tap water gushed out of the faucet, and our several households were overjoyed!"
However good, however fine, only when the common people say it is good is it truly good. What is the quality of the concentrated rectification? The masses have the final say.
Over the past three years, various localities have deepened the application of the working mechanism of "the masses raise the issues, departments answer them, the discipline inspection commissions supervise, and society evaluates," helping to safeguard the people's money, handle the people's affairs well, and govern the power that serves the people: in Jiangsu, multiple departments were promoted to carry out unannounced inspections, investigating and recovering misused medical insurance funds; in Xinjiang, the introduction of 10 measures for elderly care services was promoted, realizing "exemption from application and immediate enjoyment" of old-age allowances; in Shandong, pilot work on standardizing rural property rights circulation and transaction was promoted and explored, with village-level financial disclosure comprehensively implemented...
What can be felt and reached is not only the clarity of the tap water, but also the consultations on the field ridges.
The autumn wind brings coolness, and the high-standard farmland in Xietang Town, Shangyu District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, surges with layer upon layer of rice waves, as town and village cadres and major grain growers walk along the field ridges, looking, discussing, and deliberating.
Previously, regarding the construction of high-standard farmland, major grain grower Dai Zhipeng and others put forward suggestions: "The machine-cultivation roads are a bit narrow" "The irrigation demand here is large; the water pump power should be raised to 10 kilowatts, and the ditches raised accordingly" "The optimal slope for the field access ramp is 35 degrees, which neither occupies cultivated land nor makes it convenient for agricultural machinery to enter and exit"...
"Don't think this is just a small plot of land; we treat it the same as a project worth over a hundred million yuan, because this is the lifeline of the farmers." Zhang Jie, secretary of the Shangyu District Commission for Discipline Inspection and concurrently director of the Supervisory Commission, said, "People who farm understand farming practice best. To avoid investing money and completing facility renovations only to ruin the land, we place great emphasis on mass participation."
With the promotion of the district Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervision, the district natural resources, agriculture and rural affairs, and other departments have run mass participation through the entire process of planning, construction, acceptance, and maintenance, adopting 27 opinions from the masses and improving 11 systems in series, including project application, project design, and project quality insurance.
Mass participation and mass supervision have turned the masses from beneficiaries of rectification into participants, bringing the Party's heart and the people's heart closer together in one joint assault after another.
Brother Wang, a resident of Lanshi Run'an Community in Qilihe District, Lanzhou City, had just bought a new energy vehicle, but when parked in the original parking space in the community, the car door could not open fully, and he had to squeeze in and out sideways. In the past, this would at most have drawn a few complaints. This time, Brother Wang scanned the QR code for collecting clues on problems in the property service field posted in the community and tried to report it.
Community cadres and the property company sent people to take on-site measurements the same day, widening what needed widening and modifying what needed modifying. Brother Wang tried it, and the car door could open fully: "Our opinions are heard and acted upon! The parking space is wider, and my heart is wider too."
"Now, the masses complain less and cooperate more, and when they meet us they have gone from 'lowering their heads and taking a detour' to greeting us warmly." A responsible comrade of the Renjiazhuang Street West Community in Dunhuang Road Subdistrict, Qilihe District, introduced that the enthusiasm of the masses to participate in community governance is continuously being stimulated, and a group of warm-hearted people are active in the community, promptly reporting problems and hidden dangers to the community when they are discovered.
As she spoke, she pulled out a thick stack of ledgers of feedback on problems from the masses. What is recorded in them is not only livelihood demands one by one, but also the accumulated achievements of co-construction, co-governance, and sharing in social governance.
The closer you are to the masses, the closer the masses are to you.
"What do we common people seek? Isn't it just smooth handling of affairs, a clear heart, and a stable life? Now, the Party has thought of all these things for us."
In Chinese modernization, the people's livelihood is paramount. Our Party's roots are in the people, and its bloodline is in the people. We must always be mindful of the people's warmth and cold, always think of the people's joys and worries, always take the stand of the people, always stand among the people, place the word "people" in the highest position in our hearts, and let the feeling of serving the people be integrated into our souls, most sincere and most profound. The concentrated rectification is a major matter that shares the Party's concerns and a practical matter that benefits the people. The most fundamental reason it has been pursued for three years with obvious results is that we keep the common people in our hearts and resolutely fight for the people.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) (Reporters Sun Nan, Ding Feibai) Premier of the State Council Li Qiang delivered a video address on October 15 at the opening ceremony of the new China-DPRK Yalu River Bridge.
In his address, Li Qiang stated that the new China-DPRK Yalu River Bridge is an important cross-border infrastructure project jointly cared for and promoted by General Secretary Xi Jinping and General Secretary Kim Jong Un. Through the joint efforts of both sides, the smooth opening of the bridge will not only effectively promote bilateral economic and trade cooperation, but will also further strengthen personnel exchanges between the two sides and tighten the emotional bond between the two peoples, and will surely become a new landmark symbolizing the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK. He expressed the hope that both sides will take the opening of the bridge as an opportunity to continuously optimize port customs clearance, raise the level of connectivity, tap the potential for cooperation in border areas, and continuously enhance the well-being of the peoples of both countries.
Li Qiang pointed out that China and the DPRK are socialist friendly neighbors sharing a common border (山水相连, shan shui xiang lian - "mountain, water, mutually, connect"). At present, under the strategic guidance of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, China-DPRK relations are entering a new stage and opening a new chapter. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that no matter how the international situation changes, the firm stance of the Chinese Party and government in attaching great importance to the traditional friendship between China and the DPRK will not change, the firm support for General Secretary Kim Jong Un in leading the socialist cause of the DPRK will not change, and the firm determination to safeguard the common interests and sound strategic environment of both sides will not change. China is willing to continue working together with the DPRK side to implement the important consensus of the top leaders of the two parties and two countries, strengthen strategic communication, consolidate political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, intensify multilateral coordination, and promote the continuous deepening and development of China-DPRK relations, so as to better benefit the peoples of the two countries.
Premier of the DPRK Cabinet Pak Thae-song delivered a video address.
The new China-DPRK Yalu River Bridge connects China's Liaoning Province and the DPRK's North Pyongan Province, and is an important channel for connectivity between China and the DPRK.
Return to TopAt the invitation of Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of the Togolese Republic, paid an official visit to China from October 9 to 16, 2026.
During the visit, Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, met with President Faure, and Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, respectively held talks and meetings with President Faure.
The two sides believe that no matter how the international situation changes, China and Togo have always maintained positive and stable friendly and cooperative relations, and the two countries have always remained united and coordinated, focused on development, working together through hardships (和衷共济, he zhong gong ji - "harmony, together, jointly, overcome"), and pursued mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, constituting an outstanding example of China-Africa friendship and South-South cooperation.
President Faure, on behalf of the Government and people of Togo, warmly congratulated the Communist Party of China on the 105th anniversary of its founding, commended the historic achievements made by the Party and the country under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era since the beginning of the new era, and believed that the successful practice of Chinese modernization, while comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, provides useful reference for Global South countries, including Togo, in independently exploring their own development paths.
The Chinese side positively evaluates that under the leadership of President Faure, Togo's economy has continued to grow, society has remained stable, and it has played an active role in regional affairs, and believes that Togo will achieve greater development accomplishments through the implementation of multiple development strategies, including the 2026-2031 Government Roadmap.
The Togolese side highly appreciates and supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi Jinping, agrees that the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative contribute to exploring major issues of global governance and cooperation, and believes that the world is facing major changes unseen in a century and undergoing significant transformation, and that the above-mentioned major visions and initiatives increasingly demonstrate the value of the times and Chinese wisdom. To deepen China-Togo friendship and jointly advance the noble cause of human development and progress, the two sides decided to elevate bilateral relations to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era.
I. Building a China-Togo Community with a Shared Future in the New Era
(1) The two sides firmly believe that the joint efforts of the international community will promote world development. The two sides are committed to upholding the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, advocating an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness and beauty, and promoting the common values of all humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom.
(2) The two sides support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. The Chinese side reiterates its firm support for Togo in safeguarding national independence, unity and territorial integrity, as well as sovereignty, security and development interests. The Togolese side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, reiterates that there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and firmly supports all efforts by China to achieve national reunification. The Togolese side resolutely upholds the authority of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and resolutely opposes any form of "Taiwan independence." The Togolese side firmly supports the Chinese side's positions on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, human rights and the South China Sea. The two sides reiterate their opposition to politicizing human rights issues and to interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.
(3) The Togolese side congratulates China on successfully accomplishing the main goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan, believes that China will successfully accomplish the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan, strive to open a new chapter of Chinese modernization, and continue to bring new opportunities for the development of African countries, including Togo.
(4) The Chinese side congratulates the Togolese side on completing its constitutional reform on May 24, 2024 and entering the Fifth Republic, and on implementing the 2020-2025 Government Roadmap, and supports Togo in actively and independently exploring a modernization path that suits its national conditions and aspirations, and in building a more resilient and more prosperous Togo under the guidance of the three principles of protection, unity and transformation. China is committed to supporting Togo's efforts to achieve development.
(5) The two sides highly evaluate the achievements of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and are willing to further strengthen the alignment of development strategies, tap cooperation potential, promote the quality improvement and upgrading of practical cooperation between the two countries, and promote common development. The Togolese side is willing to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, making it a strategic pillar of its "Togo 2040 Vision" and building a solid framework for economic cooperation.
(6) The two sides are pleased to see the close exchanges and profound friendship between the Communist Party of China and the Union for the Republic of Togo, and are willing to further strengthen exchanges, explore cooperation in sharing governance experience and building cadre capacity, and promote the continuous development of inter-party relations.
(7) The two sides agree that over the 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, the two sides have always shared weal and woe, shared destiny and developed together, setting a model for a new type of international relations and standing at the forefront of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The two sides appreciate the role of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in promoting the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, and are willing to continue to implement the outcomes of the Summit and promote the implementation of the "Ten Partnership Actions" in Togo.
II. Jointly Implementing the Global Development Initiative
(8) The Togolese side highly appreciates and supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, believing that since its proposal five years ago, the Initiative has formed international consensus and become one of the most important development cooperation platforms in the world. The Chinese side appreciates the Togolese side's joining the "Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative," and is willing to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, food security, health, climate change and green development, industrialization, and the digital economy.
(9) The two sides agree to expand trade and investment cooperation, further enhance the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and respect the rules of the World Trade Organization. The two sides are committed to giving full play to the role of mechanisms such as the Joint Committee on Economy and Trade and further aligning economic and trade cooperation needs.
(10) The Togolese side appreciates China's implementation of zero tariffs on all products from African countries having diplomatic relations with China, believing that this demonstrates the Chinese side's firm determination to uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith and the correct view of justice and interests (正确义利观) toward Africa, as well as its firm determination to expand high-standard opening up. The Chinese side is pleased to see the Togolese side leverage its geographical advantages, make good use of measures such as the zero-tariff policy and the "Green Channel 2.0" for agricultural products exported to China, and utilize platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo to expand exports to China. The two sides congratulate each other on the signing of the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Togolese Soybeans to China. The two sides are willing to take the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the "Authorized Economic Operator" (AEO) project as an opportunity to further deepen customs and inspection and quarantine cooperation.
(11) The Chinese side is committed to aligning the zero-tariff measure with the Togolese side's needs for advancing industrialization and agricultural modernization and promoting local employment, improving the cooperation layout of the two countries' ports, airports and other facilities, jointly exploring the deepening of cooperation in port infrastructure and logistics, and helping Togo build Lomé into an important gateway and trade hub for the West African region.
(12) The two sides highly evaluate the Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development, and are willing, on the basis of signing the Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development, to promote positive progress in negotiations on subsequent modules, provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantees for trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, and attract more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Togo.
(13) The Togolese side is pleased to see the continuous development of the strategic economic partnership between the two countries, and will be committed to improving the business environment and creating favorable conditions for the implementation of Chinese investment in Togo. The two sides encourage, relying on Togo's regional positioning and various opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area, investment that promotes local processing, value chain development, technology transfer, innovation, capacity building and job creation in Togo. The Togolese side welcomes Chinese financial institutions to establish a presence in Togo to promote financial, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
(14) The Togolese side thanks the Chinese side for its long-term support for Togo's economic and social development, and positively evaluates the results of development assistance cooperation between the two countries. The two sides are willing to continue to strengthen exchanges of development experience.
(15) The Togolese side thanks the Chinese side for its support in areas such as agriculture.
(16) The Chinese side is willing to continue to send medical teams to Togo, strengthen cooperation between paired hospitals, and provide support within its capacity for the building of the Togolese health system.
(17) The Togolese side appreciates the Chinese side's implementation of the "African Solar Belt" project under South-South cooperation on climate change, and is willing to deepen cooperation with the Chinese side in areas such as climate change response, desertification prevention and control, and satellite remote sensing.
III. Jointly Implementing the Global Security Initiative
(18) The Togolese side reiterates its support for the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. The two sides reiterate that they should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and resolve differences and disputes peacefully through dialogue and consultation. The two sides are pleased to see the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation under the Global Security Initiative, and are willing to take it as a priority framework for deepening security cooperation and promoting international peace, stability and security.
(19) The Chinese side appreciates Togo's initiative in establishing the African Political Union and successfully hosting the Ninth Pan-African Congress, and is pleased to see Togo, especially President Faure himself, actively promote Pan-Africanism and advocate the building of a strong, independent, confident and non-aligned Africa. The Chinese side appreciates the unique role played by President Faure in advancing dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation among African countries, supports President Faure in his capacity as the African Union Mediator for the Great Lakes Region crisis, and is pleased to see him contribute to promoting peace and stability in the Sahel and other regions.
(20) The Togolese side appreciates the Chinese side's implementation of the Partnership Action for Common Security in Africa, providing military assistance to the African side and helping African countries train military personnel and police and law enforcement officers. The two sides agree to deepen exchanges and cooperation in the field of peace and security, strengthen exchanges between the two countries' militaries and police forces, enhance exchanges and cooperation in personnel training, equipment and technology, and joint exercises and training, and jointly improve security governance capacity.
(21) The two sides agree to strengthen the protection of the safety and legitimate rights and interests of each other's citizens, institutions and projects within their respective territories.
IV. Jointly Implementing the Global Civilization Initiative
(22) The Togolese side highly appreciates and actively supports the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. The two sides are willing, under the guidance of the Global Civilization Initiative, to jointly advocate a view of civilization featuring equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness, jointly implement the UN General Assembly resolution on the "International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations," jointly advocate respect for the diversity of world civilizations, and promote the common values of all humanity.
(23) The two sides highly evaluate activities under the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges," such as the China-Togo Youth Gala and the appearance of a Chinese traditional culture formation in Togo's National Day parade, believing that the Year has played an important role in carrying forward traditional friendship and strengthening mutual learning among civilizations between China and Africa, and are willing to continue to promote mutual understanding and affinity between the peoples of China and Togo.
(24) The Togolese side appreciates the "China-Africa Joint Action for the Health of African Orphans" activity reaching Togo, believing that the activity reflects the Chinese side's attention to and care for the health and well-being of vulnerable children in Africa, and has generated broad positive responses in Togolese society.
(25) The two sides are willing to continue to give full play to the role of cultural exchange platforms such as the Confucius Institute at the University of Lomé, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of education. The Chinese side will continue to provide Chinese government scholarships and training quotas to outstanding young people of Togo. The two sides will continue to strengthen cooperation in print and audio-visual media.
V. Jointly Implementing the Global Governance Initiative
(26) The Togolese side warmly welcomes the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and particularly appreciates the Initiative's emphasis on upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach and focusing on action orientation. The two sides agree to continue dialogue on reforming and improving global governance, believe that the Initiative conforms to the common expectations of the vast majority of countries, is conducive to promoting the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, and endorse the five core concepts contained in the Initiative. The Chinese side appreciates the Togolese side's joining the "Group of Friends of Global Governance."
(27) The two sides firmly believe that the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law should be firmly upheld. The two sides reiterate their advocacy of true multilateralism, enhancing the representation and voice of the Global South in international arenas, so as to jointly address major global crises. The two sides reiterate their opposition to all forms of hegemonism and power politics. The two sides are committed to actively promoting the reform of the World Trade Organization and safeguarding the common interests of developing members. The two sides reiterate their opposition to unilateralism and protectionism, and uphold an open, inclusive, rules-based multilateral trading system. The two sides emphasize the importance of respecting the digital sovereignty of all countries, believing that each country has the right to independently determine its own development path for artificial intelligence, especially digital intelligence technology, in accordance with its national conditions and development priorities.
(28) The Togolese side warmly welcomes the Chinese side's initiative to establish the International Organization for Mediation, believing that the Organization enriches the toolbox of global governance and contributes Chinese wisdom to settling disputes and ending conflicts for countries around the world. The Chinese side appreciates the Togolese side's signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation.
(29) The Togolese side warmly welcomes and supports the establishment of the secretariat of the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity in Xiamen. The two sides are willing to jointly promote global ocean governance, protect the marine ecological environment, and promote sustainable development of the oceans.
(30) The Togolese side appreciates the Chinese side's initiative to establish the World Organization for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation. The Chinese side is pleased to see the Togolese side join the Organization, and welcomes the Togolese side becoming a member of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. The two sides are willing to take this as an opportunity to expand cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and promote the equal benefit of Global South countries in the process of AI development. The Chinese side supports Togo's aspiration to become a leading country in Africa in using artificial intelligence to promote public services, education, health and economic development. The Togolese side encourages Chinese enterprises to provide support in the fields of technology, capacity building, technology transfer, digital transformation, and investment and financing.
During the visit, the two sides signed cooperation documents in multiple fields.
The two sides congratulated each other on the complete success of President Faure's visit to China, and agreed that this visit is of great significance for building a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era and building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. The two sides agreed that in the new stage, the two countries will promote the formation of more mutually beneficial cooperation outcomes. President Faure expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and people for the warm and friendly reception during the visit.
(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15)
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) (Reporter Wu Yue) On the afternoon of October 15, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang met at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with President Duma Boko of Botswana, who is in China for a state visit.
Li Qiang stated that China and Botswana share a profound traditional friendship. In recent years, through the joint efforts of both sides, China-Botswana relations have maintained a sound momentum of development. The day before yesterday, President Xi Jinping held a meeting with the President and drew a new blueprint for deepening bilateral relations. China is willing to work with Botswana, following the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, to further consolidate political mutual trust, firmly support each other on issues involving each other's core interests, continuously expand mutually beneficial cooperation, jointly promote development and revitalization, and better benefit the peoples of both countries.
Li Qiang pointed out that China is willing to work with Botswana to jointly build the Belt and Road Initiative with high quality, better leverage the complementary economic advantages of both sides, make good use of mechanisms such as the China-Botswana Economic and Trade Joint Committee, deepen cooperation in fields such as mining, digital technology, green energy, and artificial intelligence, and strive for more tangible results. The two sides can further make good use of policy conveniences such as China's zero-tariff treatment and the "green channel" for products exported to China, promote more high-quality Botswana products to enter the Chinese market, upgrade the bilateral investment protection agreement, and promote the expansion and enhancement of two-way trade and investment. The two sides can expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and cooperation in education, youth, culture, tourism, and healthcare, and enhance mutual understanding and friendship (相知相亲, xiang zhi xiang qin - "mutually know, mutually be close") between the peoples of the two countries. China is willing to unite and collaborate more closely with African countries including Botswana, implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and inject more momentum into the building of a China-Africa community with a shared future.
Boko stated that Botswana deeply admires China's tremendous development achievements. During this visit, President Xi Jinping and I elevated the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, which is of milestone significance. Botswana firmly adheres to the one-China principle, thanks China for its strong support and assistance to Botswana's economic and social development, is willing to make good use of China's zero-tariff policy to expand trade with China, and further strengthen practical cooperation in various fields such as infrastructure, scientific and technological innovation, healthcare, and people-to-people and cultural education. Botswana supports the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping and is willing to maintain close multilateral coordination with China to achieve common development.
Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) A Foreign Ministry spokesperson announced on October 15: At the invitation of Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council will pay an official visit to Uzbekistan from October 17 to 18.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Kohir Rasulzoda of the Republic of Tajikistan, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council will pay an official visit to Tajikistan from October 18 to 20 and attend the 25th Meeting of the Council of Heads of Government (Prime Ministers) of the Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization.
At the invitation of Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin of the Russian Federation, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council will travel to Russia from October 20 to 22 for the 31st Regular Meeting between Chinese and Russian Heads of Government.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Baku, October 15) (Reporters Zhong Zhong, Liu Shuchen) Wang Yi, Special Representative of President Xi Jinping, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, and Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended and delivered a speech at the Seventh Summit of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence-Building Measures in Asia in Baku on the 15th.
Wang Yi stated that CICA is a pan-Asian dialogue and cooperation platform initiated and jointly built by Asian countries on their own. Since its establishment, it has actively advocated the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, systematically advanced confidence-building measures cooperation, consistently practiced multilateralism, and has been persevering continuously (锲而不舍, qie er bu she - "drill, and, not, abandon") in consolidating the foundation of trust for peace and security in Asia. China highly appreciates the efforts made by Azerbaijan during its chairmanship to promote CICA cooperation and build a "Stronger Asia," and is willing to continue to strongly support and actively participate in the CICA process.
Wang Yi said that the people of Asia love peace the most and desire development the most. Faced with the accelerated evolution of major changes unseen in a century, only by fostering a sense of community with a shared future, adhering to the correct historical direction, and upholding solidarity and coordination can Asian countries succeed in leading the way at the forefront of a trend (勇立潮头, yong li chao tou - "bravely, stand, wave, top") and turning a crisis into an opportunity (化危为机, hua wei wei ji - "transform, danger, into, opportunity"), jointly creating a better future.
Wang Yi put forward a four-point initiative: first, jointly safeguarding peace and stability; second, jointly promoting prosperity and revitalization; third, jointly advancing mutual learning among civilizations; and fourth, jointly improving global governance.
Wang Yi emphasized that this year marks the opening year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. China will firmly follow the path of peaceful development, and use its own high-quality development to provide more stability to the international situation and stronger driving force for global growth. China is willing to work with all parties to build consensus, deepen cooperation, and jointly build a peaceful, stable, prosperous and flourishing (繁荣昌盛, fan rong chang sheng - "prosperous, flourishing, long-lasting, thriving"), open and inclusive Asian community with a shared future, contributing a stronger Asian force to world peace and development.
The meeting adopted and issued the "CICA Seventh Summit Declaration."
During the meeting, Wang Yi also met separately with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Bahraini Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, and Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian Shahin, and conducted friendly exchanges with political figures from various countries.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) He Lifeng, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and director of the Central Financial and Economic Affairs Commission, met in Beijing on the 14th with Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates of the United States.
He Lifeng stated that this year marks the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and that China's economy is maintaining a development trend of moving toward the new, the superior, and the good. President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States achieved a complete success (圆满成功, yuan man cheng gong - "complete, full, succeed"), which is of major significance for the next stage of development of bilateral relations. Guided by the strategic consensus of the two heads of state, China-U.S. economic and trade consultations have reached a series of mutually beneficial, balanced, and positive outcomes, which are conducive to the stability and development of both countries' economies and the global economy.
Dalio stated that he is optimistic about the prospects and opportunities of China's economic development and is willing to continue playing an active role in promoting U.S.-China economic and trade cooperation.
Return to TopWe, the Heads of State and Government of the member states of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), gathered in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on October 15, 2026, to attend the Seventh CICA Summit.
Reaffirming our commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the generally recognized principles and norms of international law, and adherence to the purposes and principles established in the Declaration on the Principles Guiding Relations among CICA Member States and the Alma-Ata Document.
Emphasizing that CICA cooperation aims to promote peace, security, stability, and development in the region, in accordance with the principles of equal cooperation, mutual trust and benefit, consensus-based decision-making, and respect for the diversity of economic, social, and cultural development of member states.
Acknowledging the contribution of CICA to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region.
Recognizing that the global security landscape is undergoing profound transformation, and that the international community continues to face various challenges, expressing concern over the growing threats to international peace and security, and the erosion of mutual trust and multilateralism.
Reaffirming the central role of the United Nations as a global multilateral organization, and acknowledging its unique contribution to upholding the rule of law in international relations.
Emphasizing the need to uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable, indivisible, and equal security concept.
Recognizing that, amid the growing multipolarity, member states must deepen cooperation to effectively address various threats and challenges, adhere to common principles and goals, seize opportunities to promote peace, security, stability, and sustainable development, and expand space for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation among all countries.
Emphasizing that the increasingly complex international environment calls for greater adherence to multilateralism and enhanced mutual cooperation, and resolving to work together to enhance understanding and mutual trust among member states.
We declare the following:
Reaffirming that peace, security, and development are interconnected, we will actively practice multilateralism, implement CICA confidence-building measures cooperation, build a fair, sustainable, and representative model of multilateral relations, promote mutually beneficial outcomes (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual, benefit; together, win"), and deliver tangible benefits to member states and their peoples.
Reaffirming our commitment to multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, and supporting the United Nations, as a global multilateral organization, in actively maintaining international peace and security, advancing friendly relations and international cooperation among states, promoting sustainable development and the protection of human rights, and addressing global challenges such as economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian issues.
Reaffirming adherence to the Statement of the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers on the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in World War II, and encouraging CICA to deepen its institutional ties with the United Nations and other multilateral institutions.
Deeply regretting the escalation of tensions and instability in relevant regions caused by the use of force, and expressing grave concern over humanitarian disasters resulting from armed conflicts, including civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.
Advocating equal dialogue and mutual learning among civilizations, and promoting closer people-to-people bonds. Acknowledging the significance of the establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/286, and appreciating the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in promoting cultural and religious inclusion, understanding, and respect.
Recognizing that diverse civilizations and cultures can all contribute to sustainable development. Welcoming the proclamation by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/308 of the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development for 2027–2036.
Emphasizing the growing importance of connectivity and digitalization in promoting cooperation on confidence-building measures in various fields and in achieving peace, security, and development in the CICA region.
Recognizing that the application of emerging technologies such as digital, artificial intelligence, and information and communication technologies can unleash enormous development potential, but that their misuse can also pose significant risks to security, development, and human rights.
Committed to upholding an open, fair, inclusive, equitable, transparent, universal, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system, and urging all countries to refrain from formulating and implementing unilateral economic restrictive measures that violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
Attaching importance to comprehensive regional connectivity in road, rail, aviation, and maritime transport, as well as its security, and committed to building a competitive, integrated, digitalized, secure, and reliable transportation and logistics system.
Promoting energy diversification, energy conservation, and efficiency improvement, building open and transparent markets, protecting cross-border energy infrastructure, and safeguarding the security and openness of maritime shipping lanes. Confirming the right of member states to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Recognizing that global and regional environmental conditions significantly affect sustainable growth, and that countries should cooperate to address environmental challenges in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
Recognizing the key role of small and medium-sized enterprises in economic growth, social development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and poverty reduction.
Noting the role of tourism in promoting economic and social development, cultural and educational undertakings, and enhancing mutual understanding, harmony, and prosperity among countries, and encouraging member states to expand space for tourism cooperation.
Attaching importance to enhancing the participation and role of women in social, economic, and cultural life. The Global Summit of Women, held in Beijing on October 13–14, 2025, further confirmed the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted in 1995, and member states need to conduct dialogue, exchange, and coordination to promote women's empowerment and leadership.
Promoting sustainable development should attach importance to and facilitate the participation of youth, which is key to deepening people-to-people exchanges, strengthening dialogue among civilizations, and enhancing mutual understanding.
Emphasizing that education, science and technology, innovation, information and communication technologies, and human resources cooperation are key to achieving inclusive growth and digital transformation.
Acknowledging the exploratory role of the CICA Workers' Skills Competition in promoting people-to-people exchanges and advancing vocational and technical cooperation, and encouraging member states to continue exchanges and cooperation in the field of workers' skills.
Acknowledging the long-standing role of the CICA Think Tank Forum in promoting cooperation among think tanks and academic institutions of member states.
Recognizing that building mutual trust in the digital age requires responsible media to play a role in disseminating truthful information and exercising prudence in the use of digital technologies. All parties should work together to combat disinformation and enhance citizens' media and information literacy.
Welcoming Laos as a new CICA member state and Azerbaijan as the Chair of CICA for 2026–2028.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Changchun, October 15) State Councilor Shen Yiqin conducted research in Jilin from the 13th to the 15th on the preparations for the Changchun Winter Universiade and the construction of the football youth training system. She emphasized the need to thoroughly study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on sports work, earnestly implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, prepare for and host the Changchun Winter Universiade with high quality, and operate the football youth training centers at a high level.
Shen Yiqin specifically listened to reports on the preparatory work for the Changchun Winter Universiade. She emphasized that the Changchun Winter Universiade is the first world-class major international sporting event to be held in China after entering the 15th Five-Year Plan. The preparatory work has now entered the final sprint stage. It is necessary to practice the concept of hosting the Games with "green, shared, open, and clean" principles and the requirements of "simple, safe, and splendid" Games, meticulously prepare major events such as the opening and closing ceremonies and the torch relay, efficiently advance event organization and preparation for competition and participation, make thorough arrangements for service guarantees, build a solid line of defense for safety, create a favorable atmosphere, and strive to present a splendid university student ice and snow sports gala to the world.
Shen Yiqin visited Changchun City and Yanbian Prefecture to inspect on-site the construction and team training conditions of the provincial, municipal, and county-level football youth training centers. She pointed out that it is necessary to conscientiously implement the spirit of the National Football Work Conference, build and operate football youth training centers at all levels well, strengthen the expansion and quality improvement of the coaching staff, improve the youth football competition system, so that outstanding football talents can continue to emerge rapidly (涌现, yong xian - "surge, appear"), and lay a solid foundation for the revitalization and development of Chinese football. It is necessary to solidly carry out the pilot work of football development in key cities and the integration of sports and education in youth training in the western region, so as to better lead and drive the development of football in various regions. It is necessary to give full play to the role of football and other sports programs in promoting interaction, exchange, and integration among ethnic groups, forge a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, and advance the building of the community of the Chinese nation.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) On October 15, Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, met in Beijing with a delegation of senior cadres from Turkey's Justice and Development Party, led by Vice Chairman Efkan Ala. The two sides exchanged views on jointly implementing the important consensus reached by the heads of state of the two countries, strengthening inter-party exchanges and cooperation, and promoting the development of the China-Turkey strategic cooperative relationship.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Xishuangbanna, October 15) (Reporter Ye Chuanzeng) The reporter recently learned from the Mohan Entry-Exit Border Inspection Station in Yunnan that: as of October 15, the China-Laos Railway international passenger trains have operated more than 4,000 trips in total, with the cumulative number of entry-exit personnel from over 120 countries and regions worldwide surpassing 1 million for the first time, and the average annual growth rate of entry-exit personnel exceeding 30%. Among them, foreign passengers entering and exiting exceeded 151,000 person-times, with passengers from Laos, Thailand, and Malaysia ranking in the top three, and visa-free foreign passengers accounting for over 55% of the total.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 袁 泉 杨 迅
Mount Yuelu stands tall and majestic, and the Xiang River flows vast and mighty. A thousand-year-old academy, a century of brilliance. From the Yuelu Academy founded in 976 AD to Hunan University, which received its current name in 1926, this institution of higher learning — the one in China that has operated continuously at the same site for the longest period — is about to mark the 1,050th anniversary of the founding of the Yuelu Academy and the 100th anniversary of the establishment of Hunan University.
"I hope you students will not let down your youth, not let down your prime years, and not let down the era. Cherish your time and study hard, acquire knowledge and skills, establish a correct worldview, outlook on life, and set of values, button the first button of your life properly, and walk the path of life well, contributing your wisdom and talent to realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation." On September 17, 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the Yuelu Academy of Hunan University for inspection and research, warmly encouraging the young students.
Seeking truth from facts, and daring to be first. Hunan University has fully implemented the important spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's speech during his inspection and research visit into all aspects of its work of building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics that is rich in historical and cultural heritage, focusing on cultivating leading talents of the new era who apply knowledge to serve society, and contributing to building a strong education nation.
Inheritance —
Firmly Strengthening Cultural Confidence
With towering ancient trees and a serene and solemn academy hall, the autumn sunlight falls on the front eaves of the lecture hall of the Yuelu Academy, where the plaque reading "Seeking Truth from Facts" is glittering and shining brightly.
"Chairman Mao was nurtured and influenced right here back then, and 'seeking truth from facts' originated from here. How could the Communist Party succeed? Back then in the Shikumen building, on such a small boat on South Lake, with just over a dozen people, to reach where we are today. The path taken along the way must be clearly understood, and truth must be localized."
In September 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping walked into the Yuelu Academy and, gazing at the "Seeking Truth from Facts" plaque, pondered for a long time.
"To pioneer and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics on the profound foundation of more than five thousand years of Chinese civilization, combining the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities and with China's excellent traditional culture is the only way."
The thousand-year cultural lineage nourishes Hunan and enlightens China.
"From the Song Dynasty's 'three hundred followers at Daolin, a thousand disciples at the academy' to the Qing Dynasty's 'nine out of ten of the ministers and generals of the restoration were from Hunan,' the Yuelu Academy, serving as the School of History and Philosophy of Hunan University, has built a complete talent cultivation system from bachelor's to master's to doctoral levels, allowing the spirit of 'transmitting the Way, benefiting the people, and applying knowledge to serve society' to nourish both the past and the present." Professor Zhu Hanmin of the Yuelu Academy introduced that from a traditional educational organization to a modern institution of higher learning, this cultural hall of profound accumulation has provided a model for academic research and talent cultivation, forming a unique educational purpose and philosophy of nurturing people.
The thousand-year academy, honing scholarship, still resounds with the music of learning to this day.
Professor Jiang Guanghui, a septuagenarian expert on the history of classical studies at Hunan University, makes the Book of Changes extremely fascinating and captivating; Professor Chen Xian compares ancient and modern life scenarios in his course on the study of the Spring and Autumn Annals; the compilation of the General History of China (New Edition), a major national academic project undertaken by Hunan University, has been selected for the first batch of the "Ancient Scripts and the Inheritance and Development of Chinese Civilization" collaborative innovation platform... Professor Deng Hongbo of Hunan University, who has engaged in research on academy culture for more than 40 years, said: "General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech during his inspection of the Yuelu Academy has pointed out the direction for research on academy culture. We must do a good job in the collation, interpretation, and revitalized transformation of China's excellent traditional culture, and promote the integration and mutual understanding of the wisdom of ancient academies with contemporary theories."
Creative transformation and innovative development — the endless and continuous growth of cultural inheritance constantly infuses new connotations of the era.
Lecturing on the spirit of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression at the former site of the Changsha Battle Command Headquarters, teaching the thought of targeted poverty alleviation in the fields of Longhui County... In recent years, the ideological and political theory courses of Professor Long Bing of the School of Marxism at Hunan University have moved from inside the campus to outside, making the small classroom of ideological and political education more closely integrated with the big classroom of society. "Adhere to fostering virtue and cultivating people, firmly strengthen cultural confidence, and let the cultural inheritance of the thousand-year academy radiate even more vigorous vitality in the new era," said Long Bing.
Transmitting the Way and benefiting the people, applying knowledge to serve society, and seeking truth from facts are the three major spiritual and cultural pillars of Hunan University. Deng Wei, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hunan University, said: "The university is striving to polish the brand of the Yuelu Academy in the new era, building a highland for cultivating leading talents who apply knowledge to serve society in the new era, a highland for the study of Chinese classics, and a highland for the dissemination of China's excellent historical and cultural heritage, and striving to make the Yuelu Academy an important support for the university's construction of a world-class university with Chinese characteristics."
Cultivation —
Bravely Shouldering the Era's Mission
"Only Chu has talent, and it thrives here." In front of the famous couplet of the Yuelu Academy, the place is bustling with crowds of people.
At a place where talented people emerge one after another and at a time of great opportunity, the new interpretation of the character "Si" (here) resounds for a long time —
"Students must not let down the heavy trust of the era, and must not let down your youth and prime years, contributing your wisdom and strength to building a great modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
Keeping the instructions firmly in mind, Hunan University adheres to its original aspiration of educating people for the Party and cultivating talents for the country, integrating the cultural heritage of the thousand-year academy into the entire process of talent cultivation, continuously nurturing young talents who bear the country and its people in mind and apply knowledge to serve society. Batch after batch of Hunan University students take root in the land of the three Xiang rivers and rush to where the country needs them, blooming with the brilliance of youth in serving Hunan's "Three Highlands and Four New" strategy and the great cause of national rejuvenation.
With the rapid development of AI (artificial intelligence) technology, intelligent elderly care service robots have become an innovative carrier for solving traditional elderly care problems. The "Zhiwei Old Companion — Anomaly Monitoring Robot for the Elderly at Home" created by the team of Hunan University student Qin Yizhou originated from the experience of an elderly person living alone who fell and was injured while walking up the stairs. From idea to implementation, this team of only four people spent more than two months overcoming technical difficulties, ultimately winning the national first prize in the Embedded AI Special Topic Competition of the 2026 Intel Cup Undergraduate Electronic Design Contest.
"Taking root in the land of China and aiming at the needs of society is both a responsibility and a commitment," said Qin Yizhou.
Clarifying the cultivation goal of "leading talents of the new era who apply knowledge to serve society," Hunan University has built a new education system supported by first-class majors, first-class courses, and first-class textbooks, cumulatively winning 4 National Textbook Construction Awards, and achieving fruitful results in talent cultivation.
Advancing the development of education, science and technology, and talent as an integrated whole, providing strong support for promoting the high-quality development of Hunan and realizing the beautiful blueprint of the "Three Highlands and Four New" strategy. At the finals of the Third National College Student Career Planning Competition held in April this year, Wang Wei, a 2023-level master's student at the School of Materials Science and Engineering of Hunan University, won the gold award in the student employment track of the higher education group.
In recent years, Hunan University has built a full-chain practical education supply system, connecting paths such as social practice and volunteer service. Special activities organized by the university, such as the "He Xi Plan" and "Qing Feng Plan," provide students with more than 1,000 opportunities for grassroots government affairs practice each year, and students go to the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps, Ningxia, and other places to carry out practical training in rural education and rural construction.
Scientific Research —
Serving National Strategy
"Whatever the country needs, that is what we will develop." This is the research conviction that the team of Academician Wang Yaonan of Hunan University has always upheld. On the fourth day of the Chinese New Year in 2020, Wang Yaonan, then in his sixties, led his team to urgently devote themselves to the research and development of epidemic prevention robots. Within 30 days, four types of robots — including medical ultraviolet disinfection and material distribution robots — were successfully developed and quickly applied in multiple medical institutions across the province.
Integrating the aspiration of serving the country through science and technology into the great cause of strengthening the nation and achieving rejuvenation, the creed of "applying knowledge to serve society" at the foot of Yuelu Mountain radiates new brilliance of the era.
"Doing scientific research requires the perseverance of ten years of grinding a single sword, and even more so, the ambition to tackle key problems for the country," said Luo An, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and professor at the School of Electrical and Information Engineering of Hunan University.
In the early years, due to the long-term technology blockade imposed by foreign countries in the field of electromagnetic stirring, China's special steel yield rate was low and its competitiveness was insufficient. To support the high-quality production of special steel, Luo An led his team to travel among major domestic steel plants for research and testing, spending more than 10 years on arduous research and development, and pioneering the creation of the slotless electromagnetic stirring roller structure and field-oriented control technology, which were successfully applied in enterprises such as Shougang and Baosteel.
Subsequently, Luo An's team focused on the major needs of national industrial development and national defense construction. The National Key Laboratory for Efficient and High-Quality Electrical Energy Conversion, which he leads, carried out interdisciplinary research, developing leading equipment such as tundish electromagnetic refining, high-power high-frequency heating, and long-distance underwater acoustic wave detection systems, which have been successfully applied with significant social and economic benefits.
Such scientific research "long-distance races" are not isolated cases at Hunan University. The team of Professor Huang Shoudao has successively developed a series of permanent magnet wind power generators ranging from 1.5 to 20 megawatts, achieving independent control and technological leadership in large-scale wind power equipment; the team of Academician Chen Zhengqing, after more than 10 years of research, developed a new high-energy-density eddy current damping vibration reduction technology, winning the first prize of the National Technological Invention Award, and the resulting series of products have been widely applied in more than a hundred major projects in many places across China and in countries and regions such as Morocco and Malaysia...
In recent years, Hunan University's strategic science and technology platforms have developed comprehensively: it has led or participated in the construction of 7 national key laboratories, and since 2019 has led the winning of 13 National Science and Technology Awards...
From the Yuelu Academy to Hunan University, the thousand-year cultural lineage continues unbroken, and the spirit of applying knowledge to serve society is passed down from generation to generation. This thousand-year academy is building a world-class university with Chinese characteristics rich in historical and cultural heritage at an even more vigorous pace, making new and greater contributions to strengthening the nation and achieving national rejuvenation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 秦瑞杰
In the Ningxia Museum's "Red Flags Unfurling" exhibition of Ningxia revolutionary cultural relics, there is a facsimile of Comrade Mao Zedong's handwritten copy of "Pure Serene Music · Mount Liupan": a scroll assembled from six sheets of sixteen-kai rice paper, the paper yellowed with age, yet the calligraphy still vigorous and flowing. A line of small characters after the poem bears the inscription—"Written in September 1961 at the request of comrades in Ningxia." The docent said that the exhibition hall's name, "Red Flags Unfurling," is taken from the line in the poem, "On the summit of Mount Liupan, red flags unfurl in the west wind."
Why does a facsimile lying in a display case remain eye-catching (引人瞩目, yin ren zhu mu - "pull, person, eye, look") after more than 60 years? In Ningxia, the answer is a mountain road.
In October 1935, Mao Zedong led the Central Red Army over Mount Liupan, the last great mountain crossed during the Long March, and composed "Ballad of the Long March" along the way. After many revisions, it was finalized as "Pure Serene Music · Mount Liupan."
On September 8, 1961, at the request of comrades in Ningxia, Mao Zedong rewrote this poem, changing the draft's "the banner head (also written as the star banner) unfurls in the west wind" to "red flags unfurl in the west wind," and entrusted Dong Biwu to deliver it to Ningxia. On September 30 of the same year, the Ningxia Daily published it in red on its front page. A few months later, craftsmen in Yinchuan, Ningxia, carved the handwritten characters one by one onto Helan stone, creating a stone screen three meters long and one meter wide, which was hung in the Ningxia Hall of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.
More than 60 years have passed, yet this poem has not remained on paper.
Just before this year's Qingming Festival, before dawn, more than 3,000 teachers, students, and people from all walks of life from Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, Hongwen Middle School, and other schools in Guyuan City, Ningxia, held high red flags and set out on foot from the urban area of Guyuan. They headed to the Renshanhe Martyrs' Cemetery in Pengyang County to pay tribute to the more than 390 martyrs resting there, a round trip of 108 li.
Such a "walking ideological and political lesson" has not been interrupted for 31 years, from the Qingming Festival of 1995 to the present.
"The Red Army managed to climb snow mountains and cross grasslands back then; today's children can certainly walk this hundred-li mountain road." Thirty-one years ago, Han Hong, then 40 years old and former principal of Guyuan No. 2 Middle School, led more than 300 teachers and students from the first year of junior high school in taking the first step.
Han Hong grew up in a rural area and is well versed in the history of the Long March. In those years, much of the road was "a goat-track path trodden out by herders' sheep." To ensure safety, he took several teachers to walk the route on the ground a few days in advance. Before setting out, he also suggested that the children "walk a stretch on empty stomachs to experience the hardships the Red Army endured back then." Now in his seventies, he still speaks of this mountain road with deep emotion. He told reporters that what the hundred-li hike teaches children is a kind of "shoulder-to-shoulder" comradely bond—the support among classmates and the mutual assistance among Red Army soldiers back then are the same kind of strength.
This year, while crossing Huangmao Mountain, Zhang Zeyu, a student from Hongwen Middle School, slipped and sprained his ankle. Teachers and accompanying rescue team members urged him to get in a vehicle, but he shook his head: "Revolutionary soldiers never thought of giving up; how could I stop?" His classmates supported him, and step by step they followed behind the main group, never once stopping.
Wang Jiaqi, a junior high school student who took part in the hike, got up at past 3 a.m. After walking for an hour or two, her legs grew heavier and heavier, and her clothes were soaked through with sweat. Entering the cemetery, before the more than 390 tombstones, she took out the candy her mother had tucked into her pocket—she had been reluctant to eat it along the way, saving it to place before the martyrs' graves, "so they too can taste today's sweetness."
In Han Hong's eyes, this 108-li road is the embodiment of "He who has never been to the Great Wall is not a true man": the "Great Wall" is nowhere else but beneath the children's feet; the "true man" is not a slogan but the perseverance to walk to the martyrs' tombstones even with a sprained ankle.
The "newness" of a poem lies in its having stepped from rice paper into reality.
Over 31 years, this "walking ideological and political lesson" has grown from a single school's affair into a citywide participation, and has spread across the country through short videos, with related coverage accumulating billions of online views. A family member of a veteran in Dezhou, Shandong, called after much effort to donate savings to establish a special scholarship; parents from Heilongjiang, Sichuan, and Shanxi brought their children to join the ranks; more than a dozen teachers and students from Peking University also walked alongside. "Each generation has its own Long March road," said Ding Weichao, a retired college student soldier who participated in this year's Qingming Festival hike.
The "Long March road" in the poem has grown ever wider on Mount Liupan.
The Liupan Mountain Red Army Long March Tourist Area in Guyuan City has built a new 2.5-kilometer "Red Army Trail," with 18 groups of sculptures laying out scenes such as "Bloody Battle at the Xiang River," "Zunyi Conference," and "Crossing the Chishui River Four Times" in sequence, complemented by the immersive live performance "The Immortal Long March"; in the VR (virtual reality) experience area of the memorial hall, visitors can "personally" experience the difficulty of crossing snow mountains. Today, the Liupan Mountain Red Army Long March Tourist Area receives an average of over 600,000 visitors annually, with young visitors accounting for more than 40 percent; at the "Red Army Village" of Yangjiadian at the foot of the mountain, red-themed agritourism and under-forest mushroom cultivation have driven more than 40 households to find nearby employment and increase their incomes, with average annual household income growth exceeding 30,000 yuan; the intangible cultural heritage exhibition hall in the tourist area has brought Liupan Mountain's embroidery and clay sculpture out of the mountains together with the stories of the Long March.
From a facsimile, to a walking lesson, a Red Army trail, and a 5A-level tourist attraction, and then to the 108-li road beneath the feet of countless young people, this poem—composed on the Long March road and committed to rice paper more than 60 years ago—has never stopped "walking."
Every year after the Qingming Festival hike ends, as teachers and students return to school in the twilight, parents wait early at the school gate holding flowers. Ren Hao, Party branch secretary of Hongwen Middle School, said: "Ten thousand lectures are no match for one unforgettable practice. This road, we will continue to walk."
Return to TopBy: 薛正昌
A piece of handwritten calligraphy by Comrade Mao Zedong is itself a precious cultural relic; displaying it in a showcase for public viewing is only natural. What is truly admirable is that more than 60 years have passed, and its existence is not confined to the display case—it has traversed wind and rain, crossed mountains and ridges, and echoes in the footsteps of young people.
From the rice paper on the desk to the Helan stone carving, from the memorial hall's display case to the 108-li hiking route, from the line "one who has not reached the Great Wall is not a real hero" to a "walking ideological and political lesson"... The revitalization of "Pure Serene Music · Liupan Mountain" transforms static symbols into an experienceable field and written poetry into a participatory ritual, allowing history and insight to be continuously reinforced in people's hearts.
The key to making creative transformation and innovative development of red culture lies in finding an interface that connects with the hearts of contemporary people. When young people come to understand the weight of being a "real hero" through the blisters on the soles of their feet, at that moment, the spirit finds better inheritance.
(The author is a research fellow at the Ningxia Academy of Social Sciences; compiled and organized by People's Daily reporter Qin Ruijie)
Return to TopAt the invitation of Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, Faure Essozimna Gnassingbé, President of the Council of Ministers of the Togolese Republic, paid an official visit to China from October 9 to 16, 2026.
During the visit, Xi Jinping, President of the People's Republic of China, met with President Faure, and Li Qiang, Premier of the State Council, and Zhao Leji, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, respectively held talks and meetings with President Faure.
The two sides believe that no matter how the international situation changes, China and Togo have always maintained positive and stable friendly and cooperative relations, and the two countries have always remained united and coordinated, focused on development, working together through hardships (和衷共济, he zhong gong ji - "harmony, together, jointly, overcome"), and pursued mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, constituting an outstanding example of China-Africa friendship and South-South cooperation.
President Faure, on behalf of the Government and people of Togo, warmly congratulated the Communist Party of China on the 105th anniversary of its founding, commended the historic achievements made by the Party and the country under the scientific guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era since the beginning of the new era, and believed that the successful practice of Chinese modernization, while comprehensively advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, provides useful reference for Global South countries, including Togo, in independently exploring their own development paths.
The Chinese side positively evaluates that under the leadership of President Faure, Togo's economy has continued to grow, society has remained stable, and it has played an active role in regional affairs, and believes that Togo will achieve greater development accomplishments through the implementation of multiple development strategies, including the 2026-2031 Government Roadmap.
The Togolese side highly appreciates and supports the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind proposed by President Xi Jinping, agrees that the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative and the Global Governance Initiative contribute to exploring major issues of global governance and cooperation, and believes that the world is facing major changes unseen in a century and undergoing significant transformation, and that the above-mentioned major visions and initiatives increasingly demonstrate the value of the times and Chinese wisdom. To deepen China-Togo friendship and jointly advance the noble cause of human development and progress, the two sides decided to elevate bilateral relations to a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era.
I. Building a China-Togo Community with a Shared Future in the New Era
(1) The two sides firmly believe that the joint efforts of the international community will promote world development. The two sides are committed to upholding the principle of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, advocating an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, building a world of lasting peace, universal security, common prosperity, openness, inclusiveness, cleanliness and beauty, and promoting the common values of all humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy and freedom.
(2) The two sides support each other on issues involving each other's core interests and major concerns. The Chinese side reiterates its firm support for Togo in safeguarding national independence, unity and territorial integrity, as well as sovereignty, security and development interests. The Togolese side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, reiterates that there is only one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory, and that the Government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China, and firmly supports all efforts by China to achieve national reunification. The Togolese side resolutely upholds the authority of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 and resolutely opposes any form of "Taiwan independence." The Togolese side firmly supports the Chinese side's positions on issues related to Hong Kong, Xinjiang, Tibet, human rights and the South China Sea. The two sides reiterate their opposition to politicizing human rights issues and to interfering in other countries' internal affairs under the pretext of human rights.
(3) The Togolese side congratulates China on successfully accomplishing the main goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan, believes that China will successfully accomplish the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan, strive to open a new chapter of Chinese modernization, and continue to bring new opportunities for the development of African countries, including Togo.
(4) The Chinese side congratulates the Togolese side on completing its constitutional reform on May 24, 2024 and entering the Fifth Republic, and on implementing the 2020-2025 Government Roadmap, and supports Togo in actively and independently exploring a modernization path that suits its national conditions and aspirations, and in building a more resilient and more prosperous Togo under the guidance of the three principles of protection, unity and transformation. China is committed to supporting Togo's efforts to achieve development.
(5) The two sides highly evaluate the achievements of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, and are willing to further strengthen the alignment of development strategies, tap cooperation potential, promote the quality improvement and upgrading of practical cooperation between the two countries, and promote common development. The Togolese side is willing to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, making it a strategic pillar of its "Togo 2040 Vision" and building a solid framework for economic cooperation.
(6) The two sides are pleased to see the close exchanges and profound friendship between the Communist Party of China and the Union for the Republic of Togo, and are willing to further strengthen exchanges, explore cooperation in sharing governance experience and building cadre capacity, and promote the continuous development of inter-party relations.
(7) The two sides agree that over the 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, the two sides have always shared weal and woe, shared destiny and developed together, setting a model for a new type of international relations and standing at the forefront of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind. The two sides appreciate the role of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in promoting the building of an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, and are willing to continue to implement the outcomes of the Summit and promote the implementation of the "Ten Partnership Actions" in Togo.
II. Jointly Implementing the Global Development Initiative
(8) The Togolese side highly appreciates and supports the Global Development Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, believing that since its proposal five years ago, the Initiative has formed international consensus and become one of the most important development cooperation platforms in the world. The Chinese side appreciates the Togolese side's joining the "Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative," and is willing to further strengthen cooperation in areas such as poverty reduction, food security, health, climate change and green development, industrialization, and the digital economy.
(9) The two sides agree to expand trade and investment cooperation, further enhance the level of trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, and respect the rules of the World Trade Organization. The two sides are committed to giving full play to the role of mechanisms such as the Joint Committee on Economy and Trade and further aligning economic and trade cooperation needs.
(10) The Togolese side appreciates China's implementation of zero tariffs on all products from African countries having diplomatic relations with China, believing that this demonstrates the Chinese side's firm determination to uphold the principle of sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith and the correct view of justice and interests (正确义利观) toward Africa, as well as its firm determination to expand high-standard opening up. The Chinese side is pleased to see the Togolese side leverage its geographical advantages, make good use of measures such as the zero-tariff policy and the "Green Channel 2.0" for agricultural products exported to China, and utilize platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo to expand exports to China. The two sides congratulate each other on the signing of the Protocol on Phytosanitary Requirements for the Export of Togolese Soybeans to China. The two sides are willing to take the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the "Authorized Economic Operator" (AEO) project as an opportunity to further deepen customs and inspection and quarantine cooperation.
(11) The Chinese side is committed to aligning the zero-tariff measure with the Togolese side's needs for advancing industrialization and agricultural modernization and promoting local employment, improving the cooperation layout of the two countries' ports, airports and other facilities, jointly exploring the deepening of cooperation in port infrastructure and logistics, and helping Togo build Lomé into an important gateway and trade hub for the West African region.
(12) The two sides highly evaluate the Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development, and are willing, on the basis of signing the Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development, to promote positive progress in negotiations on subsequent modules, provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantees for trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, and attract more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business in Togo.
(13) The Togolese side is pleased to see the continuous development of the strategic economic partnership between the two countries, and will be committed to improving the business environment and creating favorable conditions for the implementation of Chinese investment in Togo. The two sides encourage, relying on Togo's regional positioning and various opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area, investment that promotes local processing, value chain development, technology transfer, innovation, capacity building and job creation in Togo. The Togolese side welcomes Chinese financial institutions to establish a presence in Togo to promote financial, trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.
(14) The Togolese side thanks the Chinese side for its long-term support for Togo's economic and social development, and positively evaluates the results of development assistance cooperation between the two countries. The two sides are willing to continue to strengthen exchanges of development experience.
(15) The Togolese side thanks the Chinese side for its support in areas such as agriculture.
(16) The Chinese side is willing to continue to send medical teams to Togo, strengthen cooperation between paired hospitals, and provide support within its capacity for the building of the Togolese health system.
(17) The Togolese side appreciates the Chinese side's implementation of the "African Solar Belt" project under South-South cooperation on climate change, and is willing to deepen cooperation with the Chinese side in areas such as climate change response, desertification prevention and control, and satellite remote sensing.
III. Jointly Implementing the Global Security Initiative
(18) The Togolese side reiterates its support for the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. The two sides reiterate that they should uphold the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries, abide by the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, and resolve differences and disputes peacefully through dialogue and consultation. The two sides are pleased to see the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation under the Global Security Initiative, and are willing to take it as a priority framework for deepening security cooperation and promoting international peace, stability and security.
(19) The Chinese side appreciates Togo's initiative in establishing the African Political Union and successfully hosting the Ninth Pan-African Congress, and is pleased to see Togo, especially President Faure himself, actively promote Pan-Africanism and advocate the building of a strong, independent, confident and non-aligned Africa. The Chinese side appreciates the unique role played by President Faure in advancing dialogue, reconciliation and cooperation among African countries, supports President Faure in his capacity as the African Union Mediator for the Great Lakes Region crisis, and is pleased to see him contribute to promoting peace and stability in the Sahel and other regions.
(20) The Togolese side appreciates the Chinese side's implementation of the Partnership Action for Common Security in Africa, providing military assistance to the African side and helping African countries train military personnel and police and law enforcement officers. The two sides agree to deepen exchanges and cooperation in the field of peace and security, strengthen exchanges between the two countries' militaries and police forces, enhance exchanges and cooperation in personnel training, equipment and technology, and joint exercises and training, and jointly improve security governance capacity.
(21) The two sides agree to strengthen the protection of the safety and legitimate rights and interests of each other's citizens, institutions and projects within their respective territories.
IV. Jointly Implementing the Global Civilization Initiative
(22) The Togolese side highly appreciates and actively supports the Global Civilization Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping. The two sides are willing, under the guidance of the Global Civilization Initiative, to jointly advocate a view of civilization featuring equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness, jointly implement the UN General Assembly resolution on the "International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations," jointly advocate respect for the diversity of world civilizations, and promote the common values of all humanity.
(23) The two sides highly evaluate activities under the "China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges," such as the China-Togo Youth Gala and the appearance of a Chinese traditional culture formation in Togo's National Day parade, believing that the Year has played an important role in carrying forward traditional friendship and strengthening mutual learning among civilizations between China and Africa, and are willing to continue to promote mutual understanding and affinity between the peoples of China and Togo.
(24) The Togolese side appreciates the "China-Africa Joint Action for the Health of African Orphans" activity reaching Togo, believing that the activity reflects the Chinese side's attention to and care for the health and well-being of vulnerable children in Africa, and has generated broad positive responses in Togolese society.
(25) The two sides are willing to continue to give full play to the role of cultural exchange platforms such as the Confucius Institute at the University of Lomé, and strengthen exchanges and cooperation in the field of education. The Chinese side will continue to provide Chinese government scholarships and training quotas to outstanding young people of Togo. The two sides will continue to strengthen cooperation in print and audio-visual media.
V. Jointly Implementing the Global Governance Initiative
(26) The Togolese side warmly welcomes the Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping, and particularly appreciates the Initiative's emphasis on upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach and focusing on action orientation. The two sides agree to continue dialogue on reforming and improving global governance, believe that the Initiative conforms to the common expectations of the vast majority of countries, is conducive to promoting the building of a more just and equitable global governance system, and endorse the five core concepts contained in the Initiative. The Chinese side appreciates the Togolese side's joining the "Group of Friends of Global Governance."
(27) The two sides firmly believe that the international system with the United Nations at its core and the international order based on international law should be firmly upheld. The two sides reiterate their advocacy of true multilateralism, enhancing the representation and voice of the Global South in international arenas, so as to jointly address major global crises. The two sides reiterate their opposition to all forms of hegemonism and power politics. The two sides are committed to actively promoting the reform of the World Trade Organization and safeguarding the common interests of developing members. The two sides reiterate their opposition to unilateralism and protectionism, and uphold an open, inclusive, rules-based multilateral trading system. The two sides emphasize the importance of respecting the digital sovereignty of all countries, believing that each country has the right to independently determine its own development path for artificial intelligence, especially digital intelligence technology, in accordance with its national conditions and development priorities.
(28) The Togolese side warmly welcomes the Chinese side's initiative to establish the International Organization for Mediation, believing that the Organization enriches the toolbox of global governance and contributes Chinese wisdom to settling disputes and ending conflicts for countries around the world. The Chinese side appreciates the Togolese side's signing of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation.
(29) The Togolese side warmly welcomes and supports the establishment of the secretariat of the Agreement on Marine Biological Diversity in Xiamen. The two sides are willing to jointly promote global ocean governance, protect the marine ecological environment, and promote sustainable development of the oceans.
(30) The Togolese side appreciates the Chinese side's initiative to establish the World Organization for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation. The Chinese side is pleased to see the Togolese side join the Organization, and welcomes the Togolese side becoming a member of the Group of Friends for International Cooperation on AI Capacity Building. The two sides are willing to take this as an opportunity to expand cooperation in the field of artificial intelligence and promote the equal benefit of Global South countries in the process of AI development. The Chinese side supports Togo's aspiration to become a leading country in Africa in using artificial intelligence to promote public services, education, health and economic development. The Togolese side encourages Chinese enterprises to provide support in the fields of technology, capacity building, technology transfer, digital transformation, and investment and financing.
During the visit, the two sides signed cooperation documents in multiple fields.
The two sides congratulated each other on the complete success of President Faure's visit to China, and agreed that this visit is of great significance for building a China-Togo community with a shared future in the new era and building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era. The two sides agreed that in the new stage, the two countries will promote the formation of more mutually beneficial cooperation outcomes. President Faure expressed sincere gratitude to the Chinese government and people for the warm and friendly reception during the visit.
(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 15) (Reporter Wang Hao) On the evening of October 14, Beijing time, at the 77th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage held in Marseille, France, the 2026 (13th batch) World Heritage Irrigation Structures list was officially announced. All four irrigation projects submitted by China — the Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River in Henan, the Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System in Gansu, the Guangxin Huangsha Canal in Shangrao City, Jiangxi, and the Longjin Ancient Weir Irrigation Project in Changtai, Fujian — were successfully selected. With this, the total number of World Heritage Irrigation Structures in China has reached 46.
The Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River is located in the northwestern part of Henan Province. It adopts a multi-headworks, dam-free water diversion irrigation model and is one of the few large-scale irrigation districts in China that has completely preserved the main engineering structures of the Ming Dynasty irrigation water diversion system. The Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System, located in Gansu, was first built in the Ming Dynasty and is a typical representative of oasis irrigation systems in the arid zone of the Eurasian continent. The Guangxin Huangsha Canal, located in Guangxin District, Shangrao City, Jiangxi Province, was first built in the Song Dynasty and is a model of low-impact development in small mountain watersheds in ancient China. The Longjin Ancient Weir Irrigation Project, located in Changtai District, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, comprises two irrigation works, the Yanfu Weir and the Shiwuhu Weir, and is a typical model of "low weir + long vine bearing melons (weir-pond-ditch-field)" on mountain-stream rivers along the southeastern coast.
(Related report on page 8)
Return to TopWe, the Heads of State and Government of the member states of the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia (CICA), gathered in Baku, the capital of the Republic of Azerbaijan, on October 15, 2026, to attend the Seventh CICA Summit.
Reaffirming our commitment to the Charter of the United Nations and the generally recognized principles and norms of international law, and adherence to the purposes and principles established in the Declaration on the Principles Guiding Relations among CICA Member States and the Alma-Ata Document.
Emphasizing that CICA cooperation aims to promote peace, security, stability, and development in the region, in accordance with the principles of equal cooperation, mutual trust and benefit, consensus-based decision-making, and respect for the diversity of economic, social, and cultural development of member states.
Acknowledging the contribution of CICA to promoting peace, security, and prosperity in the region.
Recognizing that the global security landscape is undergoing profound transformation, and that the international community continues to face various challenges, expressing concern over the growing threats to international peace and security, and the erosion of mutual trust and multilateralism.
Reaffirming the central role of the United Nations as a global multilateral organization, and acknowledging its unique contribution to upholding the rule of law in international relations.
Emphasizing the need to uphold a common, comprehensive, cooperative, sustainable, indivisible, and equal security concept.
Recognizing that, amid the growing multipolarity, member states must deepen cooperation to effectively address various threats and challenges, adhere to common principles and goals, seize opportunities to promote peace, security, stability, and sustainable development, and expand space for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation among all countries.
Emphasizing that the increasingly complex international environment calls for greater adherence to multilateralism and enhanced mutual cooperation, and resolving to work together to enhance understanding and mutual trust among member states.
We declare the following:
Reaffirming that peace, security, and development are interconnected, we will actively practice multilateralism, implement CICA confidence-building measures cooperation, build a fair, sustainable, and representative model of multilateral relations, promote mutually beneficial outcomes (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual, benefit; together, win"), and deliver tangible benefits to member states and their peoples.
Reaffirming our commitment to multilateralism with the United Nations at its core, and supporting the United Nations, as a global multilateral organization, in actively maintaining international peace and security, advancing friendly relations and international cooperation among states, promoting sustainable development and the protection of human rights, and addressing global challenges such as economic, social, cultural, and humanitarian issues.
Reaffirming adherence to the Statement of the CICA Council of Foreign Ministers on the 80th Anniversary of the Victory in World War II, and encouraging CICA to deepen its institutional ties with the United Nations and other multilateral institutions.
Deeply regretting the escalation of tensions and instability in relevant regions caused by the use of force, and expressing grave concern over humanitarian disasters resulting from armed conflicts, including civilian casualties and damage to civilian infrastructure.
Advocating equal dialogue and mutual learning among civilizations, and promoting closer people-to-people bonds. Acknowledging the significance of the establishment of the International Day for Dialogue among Civilizations by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/78/286, and appreciating the work of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in promoting cultural and religious inclusion, understanding, and respect.
Recognizing that diverse civilizations and cultures can all contribute to sustainable development. Welcoming the proclamation by UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/80/308 of the International Decade for Culture for Sustainable Development for 2027–2036.
Emphasizing the growing importance of connectivity and digitalization in promoting cooperation on confidence-building measures in various fields and in achieving peace, security, and development in the CICA region.
Recognizing that the application of emerging technologies such as digital, artificial intelligence, and information and communication technologies can unleash enormous development potential, but that their misuse can also pose significant risks to security, development, and human rights.
Committed to upholding an open, fair, inclusive, equitable, transparent, universal, and non-discriminatory multilateral trading system, and urging all countries to refrain from formulating and implementing unilateral economic restrictive measures that violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations.
Attaching importance to comprehensive regional connectivity in road, rail, aviation, and maritime transport, as well as its security, and committed to building a competitive, integrated, digitalized, secure, and reliable transportation and logistics system.
Promoting energy diversification, energy conservation, and efficiency improvement, building open and transparent markets, protecting cross-border energy infrastructure, and safeguarding the security and openness of maritime shipping lanes. Confirming the right of member states to the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
Recognizing that global and regional environmental conditions significantly affect sustainable growth, and that countries should cooperate to address environmental challenges in accordance with the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.
Recognizing the key role of small and medium-sized enterprises in economic growth, social development, innovation and entrepreneurship, and poverty reduction.
Noting the role of tourism in promoting economic and social development, cultural and educational undertakings, and enhancing mutual understanding, harmony, and prosperity among countries, and encouraging member states to expand space for tourism cooperation.
Attaching importance to enhancing the participation and role of women in social, economic, and cultural life. The Global Summit of Women, held in Beijing on October 13–14, 2025, further confirmed the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action adopted in 1995, and member states need to conduct dialogue, exchange, and coordination to promote women's empowerment and leadership.
Promoting sustainable development should attach importance to and facilitate the participation of youth, which is key to deepening people-to-people exchanges, strengthening dialogue among civilizations, and enhancing mutual understanding.
Emphasizing that education, science and technology, innovation, information and communication technologies, and human resources cooperation are key to achieving inclusive growth and digital transformation.
Acknowledging the exploratory role of the CICA Workers' Skills Competition in promoting people-to-people exchanges and advancing vocational and technical cooperation, and encouraging member states to continue exchanges and cooperation in the field of workers' skills.
Acknowledging the long-standing role of the CICA Think Tank Forum in promoting cooperation among think tanks and academic institutions of member states.
Recognizing that building mutual trust in the digital age requires responsible media to play a role in disseminating truthful information and exercising prudence in the use of digital technologies. All parties should work together to combat disinformation and enhance citizens' media and information literacy.
Welcoming Laos as a new CICA member state and Azerbaijan as the Chair of CICA for 2026–2028.
Return to TopBy: 李 斌
From the adjustment and renovation of production lines to the expansion of capacity and improvement of quality in the service sector, when the supply side takes a step forward, actively draws closer to consumer demand, and works to resolve pain points in people's daily lives, what results is occurring in synchronization (同频共振, tong pin gong zhen - "same, frequency, resonate") and a virtuous cycle (良性循环, liang xing xun huan - "good, nature, cycle") between the supply and demand ends.
The author traveled with family and searched online platforms for a family room using the keyword "two separate bedrooms," and only with difficulty found a suitable hotel. Upon check-in, it turned out that this hotel had not originally designed double-bedroom rooms, but had reasonably renovated adjacent guest rooms to meet the needs of family travel.
There is always a way to be found if one looks, and potential is not hard to discover if one digs. By breaking through traditional constraints in space and enhancing differentiation in services, hotels can better seize business opportunities such as multi-child travel and whole-family trips. As demand grows upward and life moves toward beauty, the supply of products and services should also be advancing in response to demand (应需而进, ying xu er jin - "according to, demand, advance") and tackling difficulties head-on (迎难而上, ying nan er shang - "facing, difficulty, move up"), providing consumers with better solutions.
Many people have been troubled by snacks going stale, the harsh sound of dragging chairs, or glasses that always slide down, and these seemingly trivial problems have given rise to products such as mini sealers, anti-slip pads for chair legs, and anti-slip sleeves for glasses. They meet demand with high quality and low price (质优价廉, zhi you jia lian - "quality, excellent, price, cheap") supply, and have even created high sales figures in overseas markets. Pain points are business opportunities, and solving them is value; "the wrinkles of life" contain new opportunities for development. When goods that do not match the description (货不对板, huo bu dui ban - "goods, not, match, board") turn into excellent value for money (物超所值, wu chao suo zhi - "thing, exceed, what, worth"), and when helpless or having no choice (无可奈何, wu keo nai he - "cannot, endure, how") turns into full satisfaction, the potential of the domestic demand market can be released more fully.
Viewed from a broader perspective, an important lever for solving the problem of "insufficient effective demand and blockages and bottlenecks in the domestic economic cycle" lies in promoting the flexible adaptation of the supply system to changes in the demand structure. From the adjustment and renovation of production lines to the expansion of capacity and improvement of quality in the service sector, when the supply side takes a step forward, actively draws closer to consumer demand, and works to resolve pain points in people's daily lives, what results is occurring in synchronization and a virtuous cycle between the supply and demand ends.
Open up the hub of "matching." In Beijing, more and more people are eating at community canteens: elderly people find soft and palatable meals there, office workers find off-peak delicacies, and children and adolescents find nutritious meals — whoever goes can buy an affordable set meal. Achieving a high-level dynamic balance in which demand drives supply and supply creates demand is not simply a matter of placing new goods and services before consumers; rather, it requires breaking down information barriers between supply and demand, correcting structural mismatches, and aligning with consumers' stratified and individualized needs.
Grasp the key of "effectiveness." Copying antique-style blocks and piling up imitation ancient buildings without caring about what tourists truly need will ultimately lead to dwindling visitor flows and a mere waste of land and funds. Scenic areas such as the Great Tang All Day Mall in Xi'an, Shaanxi; Wansuishan Wuxia City in Kaifeng, Henan; and Hetou Old Street in Tangshan, Hebei, have shifted away from the inertial mindset of "emphasizing construction and neglecting operation," winning countless fans through immersive play experiences. Only by guiding investment direction with effective demand can investment be prevented from becoming ineffective capacity; using effective investment to expand high-quality supply can support and create new effective demand. "Effectiveness" stems from the efficient operation of market mechanisms and depends on the safeguarding role of a capable government. The more "effective" investment there is, the smoother the economic cycle.
Make good use of the lever of "reform." For example, reform has helped the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region waive the filing requirement for hospital stays across the three areas. Not only can Hebei residents more conveniently seek treatment in Beijing, but elderly people in Beijing can also more conveniently choose ecological wellness and retirement projects in Zhangjiakou, Chengde, Baoding, and other places. Only when policy orientation, consumption orientation, and supply direction reinforce one another in the same direction can market barriers be effectively removed, the free flow of factors be promoted, consumption shortcomings be quickly made up, and domestic demand — the primary driver of economic growth — be stabilized.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed: "All regions and departments must correctly handle the relationships between consumption and investment and between demand and supply, adhere to the close integration of benefiting people's livelihoods with promoting consumption and of investing in things with investing in people, identify precise policy focal points, and strive to improve the quality and efficiency of the national economic cycle." When every small need is seen and every "wrinkle of life" is smoothed out, the great sea of the Chinese economy will surely become even more vast and even more surging.
Return to TopBy: 周泽将
New technologies are accelerating their rollout, the innovation ecosystem is continuously improving, green development is releasing opportunities, and institutional opening-up is stabilizing expectations—together these are shaping a new gravitational pull for China's economy.
Recently, a new batch of major foreign-invested projects has entered operation in quick succession. In Foshan, Guangdong, German enterprise SEW's South China intelligent manufacturing base, with an investment exceeding 10 billion yuan, has begun operations; in Kunshan, Jiangsu, American automotive parts supplier Tenneco's global innovation center has been launched. Foreign capital is accelerating its flow into new industries and new tracks, demonstrating that China remains a global hotspot for investment.
In the first eight months of this year, the nationwide amount of actually utilized foreign investment declined year on year, leading some to question whether the Chinese market has already lost its appeal. To judge the quality of a market, one cannot look only at short-term fluctuations in volume; one must also look at expectations and trends. Viewed through a long-term lens, the logic behind foreign capital's continued optimism about China can be better understood.
Additional investment is the most persuasive evidence. In the first half of this year, nearly 4,800 foreign-invested enterprises made additional investments in China. A previous survey by the American Chamber of Commerce in South China showed that 75 percent of respondent enterprises plan to reinvest in China within the year. This shows that the Chinese market has long-term appeal, and deepening engagement in China remains a realistic choice for many foreign-invested enterprises. "American enterprises are not withdrawing from China; on the contrary, they are deepening their participation." These words from Harley Seyedin, president of the American Chamber of Commerce in South China, are a rejection of the theory of foreign capital withdrawal. Behind this deep participation lies foreign enterprises' long-term optimism about the development prospects of the Chinese market.
Foreign capital has not "left"; rather, it has switched "tracks." In the first eight months of this year, the share of actually utilized foreign investment in high-tech industries rose to 41.7 percent of the national total, of which actually utilized foreign investment in R&D and design services and in technology achievement commercialization services grew by 74 percent and 64.2 percent respectively, with the investment structure further optimized. Against the backdrop of generally sluggish global cross-border investment, fluctuations in actually utilized foreign investment are hardly surprising, and the investment transformation deserves greater attention. New technologies are accelerating their rollout, the innovation ecosystem is continuously improving, green development is releasing opportunities, and institutional opening-up is stabilizing expectations—together these are shaping a new gravitational pull for China's economy.
The new gravitational pull lies in the application scenarios of cutting-edge technologies. The super-large market and rich application scenarios provide a complete chain for technological innovation, from concept validation to commercial implementation. Technologies have scenarios in which to be used, products have markets in which to be tested, and models have space in which to be expanded. As China's economy continues to transform and upgrade and accelerates the shift between old and new growth drivers, it is nurturing long-term structural opportunities in new tracks such as artificial intelligence and advanced manufacturing.
The new gravitational pull lies in the continuous upgrading of the innovation ecosystem. AstraZeneca's global strategic R&D center project has landed in Beijing, and Schneider Electric has inaugurated a thermal management solutions innovation laboratory in Shanghai... More and more multinational enterprises are making China an important fulcrum for R&D innovation, manufacturing upgrading, and global layout, building their capabilities in China and exporting innovation to the world. All of this shows that China is moving from a manufacturing base toward a source of innovation.
The new gravitational pull lies in the long-term opportunities of green development. BASF's integrated base in Guangdong has a total investment of approximately 8.7 billion euros and achieves 100 percent renewable energy supply through long-term green power direct purchase agreements and offshore wind power investment. What multinational enterprises value about the Chinese market is no longer just traditional factor costs such as labor, but also the supply of new types of production factors such as green electricity and computing power.
In fact, the greatest appeal of the Chinese market lies precisely in certainty. Since the beginning of this year, policies such as the Action Plan for Stabilizing and Optimizing the Utilization of Foreign Investment have been rolled out in succession, continuously expanding market access and improving the convenience of foreign investment. A stable, transparent, and predictable business environment is precisely the source of confidence for foreign capital's long-term deep engagement in China.
Attracting foreign investment, opening up for innovation, and pursuing win-win cooperation—this is China's long-term strategy. The concrete actions of foreign capital in deepening its engagement in the Chinese market are continuously confirming: believing in China means believing in tomorrow; investing in China means investing in the future.
Return to TopDeveloping agricultural product processing helps extend the industrial chain, raise the value chain, broaden employment channels, and promote increases in farmers' incomes and prosperity. In 2025, localities across the country focused on developing primary processing, deep processing, and comprehensive utilization processing of agricultural products, achieving notable results. Nationwide, there are more than 100,000 agricultural product processing enterprises above designated size, with operating revenue approaching 18 trillion yuan, and the processing conversion rate of major agricultural products reaching 75%.
This is precisely:
At the village head, the sound of machinery rises,
Fine goods leave the mountain gate.
In the fields, those who bend to till,
Are also people of industry.
Xu Zhiwen
Return to TopBy: 蔡 斐
When it comes to the rapid development of AI (artificial intelligence), some believe that both intelligent agents and enterprises need to evolve themselves. How could those who disseminate news in the age of AI lack an evolutionary mindset?
Today, the boundaries of communication have long since broken through the scope of traditional journalism, and they continue to expand. The more information there is, the more it needs to be screened, verified, explained, and guided, and the more professional communicators are needed.
The more powerful AI becomes, the more important reading becomes. What AI provides is information, while what reading provides is a knowledge system; what AI provides are answers, while what reading provides is a way of thinking. AI may be able to generate a thousand-character essay in one second, but it cannot generate the knowledge network inside the brain. That network can only be slowly woven together, book by book, day by day, through reading.
Reading can resist impatience and is also an effective path to improving one's abilities and increasing one's knowledge. Journalism and communication are not about "hearing things" behind closed doors or typing at a computer, but are closely connected or related (息息相关, xi xi xiang guan - "breath, breath; connect, relate") to social development, the progress of the times, and the concerns of the masses. One must read "books with words," and also read "books without words" — going to communities, to the countryside, to factories, to the streets and alleys, and to the midst of the people, only then will one come to understand the real China. "Books with words" allow one to stand tall; "books without words" allow one to walk steadily. Reading both, one's thinking will not be "outsourced," one's judgment will not be "taken over," and self-evolution will have its foundation.
Evolution requires being willing to put in the effort, and it cannot be separated from the steadfastness of "slowness." AI's "one-second generation" cannot replace the first scene of the news. Journalistic work emphasizes footwork, eyesight, brainpower, and writing skill, requiring sustained, long-term effort and repeated refinement. Only by thinking more deeply, going further, and doing more solidly can one regain a sense of control over life. Slowing down also gives us time for integration and connection. Today's communication work requires learning to express oneself using the culture and ways of thinking of audiences in different regions; it requires understanding regional and country-specific conditions, including the history, culture, economy, politics, and mass psychology of the target audience; and it also requires knowing how to use AI to reduce the "cultural discount" in international communication, putting ourselves first, so as to better tell China's story.
In evolution, there are variables, and there are also constants. The kindness that protects the weak, the integrity that safeguards fairness, and the courage of "shouldering righteousness with iron shoulders" — these are requirements of character, professional norms, and, even more, responsibilities of the era. In the age of AI, those who disseminate news must dare to ask questions, promote progress, and become people who hold the line in the torrent of traffic. Kindness is one's nature, integrity is one's moral character, and courage is one's choice. These three qualities are things AI cannot take away, not a single one.
Now, the role of AI needs no further elaboration; it empowers all walks of life (千行百业, qian hang bai ye - "thousand, line; hundred, industry") and also brings opportunities for self-improvement. Looking through history, humans and technology have never been in a relationship of substitution. Embracing AI means embracing the technological lever of self-evolution, but one must not accept it without boundaries, without bottom lines, or without discernment; one must not lose professional thinking, in-depth analysis, or humanistic insight; one must not drift toward self-weakening, self-blunting, or even self-alienation. Nor should one stop at "using" it; one should also work together to shape rules so that AI moves toward the good and the virtuous. Embrace — apply — reshape the ecosystem: this is the roadmap for self-evolution.
AI can drive technological iteration, but human cognition and the capacity for action cannot be replaced. This summer, five undergraduates from the School of Journalism and Communication at Southwest University of Political Science and Law went to Kejia Village in Pulan County, Tibet, at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters, to carry out practical activities. In the photographs they took, a five-person border patrol team spontaneously formed by local villagers was seen patrolling along the steep ridgeline, with bright red flags fluttering in the wind (迎风招展, ying feng zhao zhan - "greet, wind; wave, spread"). AI can be everywhere and does not suffer from altitude sickness; when people go up to the plateau, they may lack oxygen, but they do not lack spirit — spiritual strength is a subjectivity that cannot be replicated.
In the age of AI, we have more of a future than ever before. Becoming a better version of ourselves is the greatest certainty we can grasp.
(The author is the dean of the School of Journalism and Communication at Southwest University of Political Science and Law.)
Return to TopBy: 虞志锋
A one-time helping hand is a temporary kindness; day-after-day persistence is a moving sense of responsibility.
Yu Xianghong, an employee of the State Grid Zhejiang Dongyang Power Supply Company, is precisely such a practitioner. The starting point of the story could not be smaller. While visiting villages and households, he saw that some families with disabled members had leaking roofs and aging electrical equipment and wiring, and he could not bear it in his heart. The simple thought of "giving a helping hand" later became the source of the "Happy Snail Dwelling" project. Measuring every point of water seepage at the home of a blind grandmother, recording exposed wires and damaged doors and windows at the homes of people in difficulty... Repeatedly doing ordinary small things and persisting in doing them gathered into a force that relieves difficulties and warms people's hearts.
The most precious form of goodwill lies not only in a momentary, passionate "helping hand," but also in long-term perseverance. For more than 20 years, Yu Xianghong has performed no earth-shaking feats, yet day after day and year after year he has supported the disabled and aided those in difficulty. Over the years, awards and certificates such as National Post Model in Learning from Lei Feng, "China Good Person," and the National May Day Labor Medal have filled an entire drawer. Yet he remains the same Master Yu who walks the villages and alleys, still squatting on the ground to inspect and repair wiring for the elderly, and lifting patients with spinal cord injuries on and off wheelchairs. "Ordinariness forges greatness; heroes come from the people." Integrating goodwill into daily life and carving perseverance into the years, the faint light of ordinary people can eventually converge into a river of stars that illuminates the era.
A person's virtue or reputation will naturally attract followers without the need for self-promotion (桃李不言，下自成蹊, tao li bu yan, xia zi cheng xi - "peach, plum, not, speak; under, self, form, path"). From one person rushing about alone at the beginning, to the social work center named after him now operating 9 public welfare projects spanning the fields of disability assistance, elderly care, poverty relief, and education support, 80,000 volunteer slots have been filled by people who have successively joined, serving more than 120,000 people. "Happy Snail Dwelling" helped families in difficulty settle into good homes, and he then launched "Happy Wheel Friends," helping more than 90 patients with spinal cord injuries, some of whom have even achieved re-employment; "Happy Seeds" has helped 156 children of disabled people grow better. This goodwill not only helps in the present, but also forms a long-term mechanism, turning the transmission of warmth into a relay race.
In recent years, people have often sighed that neighbors have grown distant and human warmth has thinned. Yet the stories of the "Yu Xianghongs" show that what has changed is only the living environment and the way people interact; what has not changed is the warmth in people's hearts. Goodwill has never needed much fanfare: when you see others in difficulty, lend a hand; if you have surplus strength, keep at it. The warmth of society precisely originates from the support of countless ordinary people, who conscientiously carry out one small act of kindness after another.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The spirit of Lei Feng is something everyone can learn; offering love is something that can be done everywhere. "Accumulating small acts of kindness to achieve great goodness, there is no greater virtue than kindness." When a temporary "helping hand" settles into a conscious good habit and an everyday reflex, mutual assistance is no longer a moral precept in books, but a life norm in the world of everyday life that can be felt, known, and practiced.
With kindness in the heart and practice in action, everyone can be a "Yu Xianghong" and can shine and glow.
(Author's affiliation: Party School of the Zhejiang Provincial Committee of the CPC)
Return to TopGeneral Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Only through joint construction can there be shared enjoyment, and the process of joint construction is also the process of sharing." Grassroots affairs are numerous and complex; relying solely on the government cannot complete them all, nor can it do them well. It is necessary to fully leverage the role of all sectors of society. In this installment of "Everyone's Discussion," we have selected three contributions to explore how to better consolidate the joint force for joint construction.
—Editor
Asking the People What They Need, Locking Onto the Target
Benxi City, Liaoning Province Pi Xinyu
A community cadre once recounted an experience: at the beginning of a residential community renovation, everything was advanced according to procedure, with items on the ledger checked off one by one, yet the residents were not convinced. An elderly woman said to their face: "The walls are white now, but the corridors are pitch dark at night. The roads are level now, but the places with chaotic parking are still chaotic." This shows that improving people's livelihoods still requires relying on the masses to identify shortcomings.
Whether shoes are comfortable, the feet know best. Only by asking the people what they need can one lock onto the target. Later, the community cadres visited door to door and discovered that what everyone hoped for was not just a facelift of the environment, but also improving corridor lighting, planning parking spaces, adding leisure areas, and so on. The community incorporated these needs into the renovation, which proceeded more smoothly and won praise from the residents. It is evident that only by allowing the masses to participate in governance can more golden ideas be found.
Cadres taking the initiative to shoulder responsibility and actively work is their duty, but relying solely on cadres, the strength is ultimately limited. Building a neighborhood deliberation platform and improving the mechanism of "small matters discussed at the building level, major matters deliberated at the community level" transforms the masses from bystanders into participants — this is wisdom, and it is also a method for getting things done.
Keeping the "Bench Meeting" Fresh and Frequent
Baicheng County, Xinjiang Luo Jing
While conducting research in a village, I happened upon a "bench meeting." A dozen or so benches were arranged in a circle, with township cadres and residents sitting together chatting about daily life and discussing difficult matters. An uncle reported that the irrigation canal was silted up, an auntie asked how to apply for the courtyard economy subsidy, and a returning college student proposed setting up an e-commerce service point in the village. The cadres listened and took notes as they went; what could be answered on the spot was answered on the spot, and what required coordination was recorded one by one with clear feedback deadlines.
Although the "bench meeting" format is simple, it does not go through the motions or put on a show; it directly addresses the concerns of the masses and is a good way to conduct grassroots research. Looking across the country, in addition to "bench meetings," there are also "courtyard meetings," "ridge meetings," and others. These methods are plain but effective — shifting from "what I want to learn about" to "what the masses need solved." Problems are discovered at the front line, contradictions are resolved at the front line, and work is implemented at the front line — this is the most vivid interpretation of the people-centered stance.
The "bench meeting" must not become engaging in discussion without taking practical action (坐而论道, zuo er lun dao - "sit, then, discuss"); every opinion raised by the masses is an examination paper. If the canal is silted up, roll up your trouser legs and clear the silt; if the subsidy is unclear, go to their homes and explain the policy clearly; if an e-commerce point is needed, promptly make connections and actively strive for it. Only by handling each matter well and solidly, one by one, will the masses be willing to come and continue communicating next time.
Though the bench is small, it carries the trust of the masses and measures the work style of cadres. Keep the "bench meeting" fresh and frequent, ensure the masses have a place to speak and someone to handle their affairs, and the foundation of grassroots governance will be even more solid.
Cultivating a Closed-Loop Mindset
Nantong City, Jiangsu Province Chen Lin
Scan the code for direct access, online direct connection... Nowadays, many places have established digital feedback channels for opinions, making the expression of public opinion more convenient. However, there are also places where the phenomenon of "channels built with great fanfare, problems solved with cold indifference" exists, which warrants vigilance.
When the demands of the masses sink like a stone into the sea after collection, and problems remain "the same as before" after being reported, this easily breeds new formalism and also undermines the trust of the masses. Collecting the demands of the masses is only the first step; solving their urgent difficulties and worries is the key. This requires cultivating a closed-loop mindset and grasping every link of the entire work chain firmly and in detail.
From the perspective of solving specific problems, a complete working mechanism should be established for demand reception, categorized dispatch, time-limited handling, result feedback, and follow-up return visits, and the actual effectiveness of handling and the evaluation of the masses should be incorporated into the assessment system, putting an end to situations where problems are left unattended.
A closed loop cannot be satisfied with solving one matter at one time; it should also take a step forward, promoting the upgrading of governance through drawing inferences from one case. For example, one can regularly compile and review public opinion demands, analyze high-frequency common problems, and move from point to surface, promoting the transformation from "handling one matter" to "governing one category of matters."
Superficial words waste action, superficial action wastes affairs, and superficial affairs waste governance. Serving the people admits not the slightest bit of vanity or flippancy. Cultivating a closed-loop mindset, holding onto problems without letting go and grasping them through to the end, can one open up the work situation and win the acclaim of the masses.
Return to TopGeneral Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed: "The Long March, that great feat in human history, has left us with its most precious spiritual treasure — the great Long March spirit forged by the Chinese Communists and the officers and men of the Red Army with their lives and blood."
On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army of China, we look back on the glorious path traversed by the revolutionary martyrs and visit the "Long March stories" of ordinary people along the way.
Among them are villagers whose families have kept watch for three generations over the grave of an unnamed young Red Army soldier in the mountains, craftsmen who have guarded the Luding Bridge with unwavering dedication for decades, and music teachers who have made students fall in love with red revolutionary songs... Although they did not personally experience those surging, arduous revolutionary years, their stories embody the great Long March spirit's remaining fresh and vigorous over time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "last long, stay new").
In cities and villages, in the fields and at the roadside, countless ordinary people continue to cross new "snowy mountains" and "grasslands," conquer new "Loushan Passes" and "Lazikou Passes," striving to achieve great things (奋发有为, fen fa you wei - "strive, act with purpose") and serving the people in their respective posts, letting the great Long March spirit be passing on the torch from generation to generation (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "fire, wood, pass from"), and carrying forward in relay on the new Long March road.
— Editor
Ruijin, Jiangxi
In October 1934, setting out from Ruijin, Jiangxi, the Central Red Army began its strategic shift and stepped onto the Long March road. Seventeen young men from Huawu Village, Yeping Township, Ruijin, collectively signed up to join the army. Before leaving, each planted a pine tree on the rear hill as a pact to return home, but in the end all of them died in sacrifice. Today the 17 green pines stand tall and straight, and have been included in the local protection list of red revolutionary heritage sites.
17 Green Pines Bear Witness to a Small Village's New Look
People's Daily reporter Yang Yanfei
Morning light spills over the hillside of the Huawu Village residents' group in Huangsha Village, Yeping Township, Ruijin, Jiangxi, where 17 green pines stand tall. A mountain breeze sweeps through, and the pines rustle in waves. In the pavilion atop the slope, Hua Sheng, secretary of the village Party branch, is telling visitors the story of the 17 young men and the green pines.
Among the young men who died in sacrifice was Hua Sheng's great-uncle Hua Taosheng, who was only 15 years old when he left home.
"To support the Red Army, our fellow villagers responded actively, giving their best supplies and their dearest kin to the revolution," Hua Sheng said. At that time, Huawu Village had only 43 households, yet every family had someone join the Red Army — contributing people, labor, grain, and money, giving everything they had to support the revolution. "Many people in the village are descendants of Red Army soldiers. My great-uncle set out on the Long March road, while my eldest great-uncle stayed behind in the Central Soviet Area," Hua Sheng said. "I also want to follow in my ancestors' footsteps and do something for the village."
In 2011, Hua Sheng gave up his job in the city and returned to his hometown, raising pigs and growing white lotus. He not only became a model of prosperity himself but also led fellow villagers to increase their incomes together.
In 2021, Hua Sheng was elected secretary of the Party branch of Huangsha Village. On the night he was elected, he walked to the rear hill and stood for a long time beneath the towering pines. "The 17 green pines have been watching the village's changes all along. We have the responsibility to take up the baton and lead the villagers toward a better life," Hua Sheng said.
Hua Sheng and the village's two committee teams walked over every mountain slope and field, and in light of local conditions defined a development approach of "oil-tea camellia and moso bamboo on the hills, melons, fruits, and vegetables in the fields, and ecological beekeeping on the slopes," while also developing red cultural tourism. They took the lead in establishing the Huawu Rural Tourism Cooperative, linking separate elements into a cohesive whole (串珠成链, chuan zhu cheng lian - "string beads, make chain") out of the village's 17 green pines, the Red Army Ancestral Hall, and the village history museum, and developed a "red study tour + ecological picking" route.
Huawu, once impoverished, has now been transforming from an old look to a new one (旧貌换新颜, jiu mao huan xin yan - "old appearance, change, new face"). In 2025, the collective economic income of Huangsha Village exceeded 450,000 yuan, the average income increase per villager household exceeded 20,000 yuan, and the village received more than 31,000 tourist visits. Many tourists come specifically to pay homage to the 17 green pines, and Huawu has also been selected as a national key village for rural tourism.
"Our ancestors walked the Long March road for national liberation and the people's happiness; we do our own work well also for the people," Hua Sheng said. "In the future, we must continue to make good use of red resources and pass on the red genes, so that everyone's life grows ever happier."
Dong'an, Hunan
In December 1934, after breaking through the Xiangjiang River blockade, the Central Red Army advanced westward and crossed Laoshanjie (the Yuecheng Mountains), the first high mountain on the Long March. More than 30,000 officers and men marched through the night in the great mountains at the junction of Hunan and Guangxi, passing perilous sections such as Baibu Steep and Leigong Rock. Part of the Yuecheng Mountains lies within Dong'an County, Hunan, where multiple red revolutionary relics remain, including a Red Army slogan wall and unnamed Red Army graves.
Three Generations Keep Watch for 92 Years over an Unnamed Young Red Army Soldier
People's Daily reporter Shen Zhilin
Standing at the door and looking into the distance, one sees dense forests and vast green mountains — in a mountain in Da'ao Village, Dong'an County, Yongzhou, Hunan, Xie Hongjun is the only villager.
"It's been nearly a month — time to go see my 'kin.'" After lunch, Xie Hongjun tucked a broom and a machete under his arms and walked into the depths of the dense forest.
This path has been walked by three generations for 92 years — from his grandfather Xie Zhongzhi and his father Xie Chenming to Xie Hongjun, now past 60.
"One day in 1934, my grandfather opened the door at dawn and saw a group of people in military uniforms wearing red five-pointed-star caps," Xie Hongjun recalled, retelling the story he had heard countless times from his grandfather and father. They spoke kindly, and Xie Zhongzhi agreed to lend them his stove and let them stay overnight. Seeing that the Xie family's roof was leaking, the soldiers took the initiative to help repair it, and also told the then-under-10-year-old Xie Chenming many stories from beyond the mountains.
Thus the Xie family learned that these people were called the "Red Army," a force fighting to win the world for ordinary people.
When the troops moved out, a young soldier who could not go on due to severe wounds was entrusted to the Xie family, and died before he could reveal his name. Xie Zhongzhi buried him near the family graves, and from then on regularly brought his family to "guà qīng" (a local dialect term meaning "to pay respects at ancestral graves") for him.
The unnamed Red Army grave lies on the hillside opposite Xie Hongjun's home. The mountain path is slippery, but Xie Hongjun walks steadily: "My father walked this path with me for decades; I remember every stone on the road."
"My father said it was the Red Army and the Communist Party that brought good days to ordinary people. Our family keeps watch over a Red Army soldier — he is our kin, our elder — so my father named me 'Hongjun' [Red Army]." When Xie Chenming passed away in 1995, Xie Hongjun carried on his father's last wish and began shouldering the responsibility of guarding the grave alone.
For Xie Hongjun, life in the mountains is not easy. A mishap in his youth cost him both hands. Xie Hongjun painstakingly learned to take care of himself, but his regular "guà qīng" visits have never been interrupted.
Crossing the high slope, a flat clearing appears. The unnamed Red Army grave sits with its back to the green mountains and facing the stream. Xie Hongjun bit a cloth strip with his teeth to bind the machete tightly to his arm, and deftly cleared the weeds from the grave.
As early as 30 years ago, the village's households gradually moved down the mountain. Township and village cadres urged him many times, and his family left, but Xie Hongjun still chose to stay: "I'm afraid that if I leave, no one will remember him. I have to keep this promise."
In recent years, surrounding organizations, schools, and military units have come here regularly to carry out patriotic education, and Xie Hongjun has also served as a volunteer docent, often helping visitors in difficulty.
As dusk falls, Xie Hongjun, returning from tending the grave, sits at the door to rest. A lamp is lit in the main room, glowing softly in the mountains — like the spark of the road behind and the beacon of the road ahead.
Zunyi, Guizhou
In January 1935, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held an enlarged meeting in Zunyi, Guizhou, to focus on resolving the then-decisive military and organizational issues, and co-opted Mao Zedong as a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. This was a matter of life and death (生死攸关, sheng si you guan - "life, death, involve") turning point in the Party's history. Zunyi now has multiple red revolutionary heritage sites, and in 2025 the number of red tourism visitors reached 28.735 million.
Telling Zunyi's Story to More People
People's Daily reporter Su Bin
At No. 96 Ziyin Road, Honghuagang District, Zunyi City, Guizhou Province, a two-story building stands along the street, with the plaque "Site of the Zunyi Conference" catching the eye. In the Red Communications Exhibition Hall of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall inside the building, there is a special exhibit — a replica of the "Half a Radio Set."
"This is the 'half a radio set' — it can only receive, not transmit," explained 27-year-old Gu Yixue. "At the end of 1930, the First Front Army of the Red Army captured this radio set in battle. Although the transmitting part was damaged, it still accompanied the Red Army soldiers through the entire Long March, witnessing one victory after another."
Gu Yixue is a native of Zunyi. Like many local children, she grew up listening to red revolutionary stories. "I like listening to stories, and I also like telling stories." After completing her undergraduate studies, Gu Yixue joined the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall to work as a docent: "I hope to tell the stories here to more people, so that the revolutionary martyrs will always be remembered, and so that everyone understands why the spirit of the Zunyi Conference shines forever."
A single tour usually takes about an hour, and one must master a commentary of more than 10,000 characters. "The key information must be memorized thoroughly; there is no shortcut," Gu Yixue said. "I also need to adjust dynamically based on the latest current events and the characteristics of the visitors, so that visitors truly take in what they hear."
"When I first became a docent, after one tour, several elderly visitors pressed me for details about the Red Army's marching routes and timings. I couldn't answer, and was so embarrassed I wished I could run away on the spot." The next day, Gu Yixue plunged into the library, looked up the Red Army's marching routes around the time of the Zunyi Conference in full, and drew them repeatedly on a map several times.
"The longer I do this work, the better I understand the historical facts, the deeper my understanding of the revolutionary spirit, and the more moving my narration becomes." Gu Yixue and her colleagues also often step out of the exhibition hall and into schools, villages, and communities, spreading red culture at the grassroots level.
In Guizhou, the profound red culture attracts many visitors. From January to July this year, the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall received 4.341 million visitors, with over 1 million in July alone. "We try to offer customized tours by audience, by setting, and by depth, making greater use of physical objects and scene reconstruction, so that history can be seen and touched," Gu Yixue said.
To enhance visitors' sense of immersion, Guizhou has built "Red Ribbon," a whole-domain immersive digital experience hall themed on the Long March, using technologies such as virtual interaction, holographic imaging, and three-dimensional sound fields to let visitors immersively experience the historical scenes of crossing the Chishui River four times and climbing snowy mountains and traversing grasslands. At the same time, it has launched the large-scale theatrical production "The Great Turn" and other fine artistic works, as well as 10 premium red tourism routes, driving the flourishing and developing rapidly (蓬勃发展, peng bo fa zhan - "vigorous, develop") of catering, accommodation, and other industries along the routes.
Luding, Sichuan
In May 1935, the Fourth Regiment of the Second Division of the First Red Army Corps was ordered to seize the Luding Bridge, and after a forced march of 120 kilometers in a single day and night, arrived at the west bank of the Luding Bridge. Facing the bridge with its planks removed and only iron chains remaining, 22 commandos launched the assault, helping the troops rout the defenders and successfully seize the Luding Bridge, opening a key passage for the Red Army's northward advance. Today, the Luding Bridge remains in normal use.
43 Years Guarding a Remarkable Bridge
People's Daily reporter Li Kaixuan
In Luding County, Sichuan Province, the Dadu River surges on without pause. Waves crash against the banks, the iron chains sway, and people come and go across the Luding Bridge.
First built during the Kangxi reign of the Qing Dynasty, the Luding Bridge, after more than 300 years of wind and rain, is now a key cultural relic protection unit and remains in normal use. The bridge retains components from various eras — Qing Dynasty bridge foundations, iron rings from the revolutionary war years, and wooden planks replaced just last year — all welcoming visitors and passersby together.
Among the crowd, an elderly man stands out — he does not look at the scenery, but focuses on the iron chains, iron rings, steel cables, and wooden planks of the bridge. The deck sways, yet his steps are steady as he occasionally taps the bridge structure and runs his hands over it carefully.
His name is Wang Qixue, 65 years old, and he has been engaged in the repair and maintenance of the Luding Bridge for 43 years.
In 1955, 20 years after the feat of seizing the Luding Bridge, Wang Qixue's father joined the then Luding Bridge repair team. "Like my father, I've spent my whole life revolving around the bridge." Wang Qixue, who grew up by the Luding Bridge, became an apprentice to an old worker of the bridge repair team in 1983.
Having spent half his life with the Luding Bridge, Wang Qixue knows every component on the bridge. "In the past, I mainly relied on looking with my eyes, feeling with my hands, and listening with my ears," Wang Qixue said. Looking with the eyes is to observe whether the iron chains and wooden planks have deformed; feeling with the hands is to detect small damages on components; "listening with the ears is the hardest — when you tap the iron chains, damaged components produce subtle differences in sound, and that takes decades of skill."
Wang Qixue said that for a long time, the Luding Bridge has undergone minor repairs every 3 years and major repairs every 5 years. For minor repairs, damaged components must be removed manually; for major repairs, all the iron chains must be dismantled, steel cables erected on both banks, and workers suspended from them to carry out the work. "Daily maintenance cannot be neglected either. For rust removal, for example, you first soak the parts in kerosene, then brush repeatedly with a steel brush, and after cleaning thoroughly, immediately apply grease to form a protective film," Wang Qixue said.
After retirement, Wang Qixue still insists on walking the bridge every day, patiently answering visitors' questions, telling the Red Army's story, and explaining the bridge-building process. Today, the repair and maintenance of the Luding Bridge is handled by a professional company, and Wang Qixue is invited to provide guidance for every major and minor repair. At the end of last year, the Luding Bridge underwent a fully enclosed inspection and maintenance. Watching the infrared flaw detection equipment, ultrasonic testing instruments, and advanced engineering equipment, Wang Qixue clicked his tongue in admiration.
As night falls and visitors thin out, the Luding Bridge sways gently in the wind. Looking upstream about 5 kilometers away, vehicles speed across the Xingkang Extra-Large Bridge on the Yakang Expressway. "The natural moat has become a thoroughfare. Back then the Red Army crossed the river at the risk of their lives; now we cross it in the blink of an eye," Wang Qixue sighed. "Not forgetting the road we came from, we must let more people see the old bridge and remember history."
Huining, Gansu
In October 1936, the First and Fourth Front Armies of the Red Army triumphantly joined forces in Huining, Gansu. The victorious rendezvous of the Red Army earned this small town the reputation of "City of the Rendezvous," and also left this land with a rich red revolutionary heritage. In the locality, many classic red revolutionary songs have been passed down from generation to generation, enduring for a long time without fading (经久不衰, jing jiu bu shuai - "long time, not decay").
Planting Red Seeds in Students with Song
People's Daily reporter Zeng Yichen
"Since childhood, Grandpa told me, when drinking water, do not forget those who dug the well..." In Kechuang Middle School in Huining County, Baiyin, Gansu, melodious singing echoes through the classroom as music teacher Li Bin leads students in rehearsing the song "Under the Bright Sunshine." The children are especially earnest — this is the piece they have prepared for the school's theatrical performance commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Red Army's Long March.
Huining is the site of the former site of the Red Army's Long March rendezvous. Listening to red revolutionary stories and singing red revolutionary songs, the children here have been being influenced by what one sees and hears (耳濡目染, er ru mu ran - "ear, moist; eye, dye") since childhood. "My hometown is not far from Huining. Since childhood I have loved listening to and singing red songs, and I feel their powerful spiritual strength." After graduating from the vocal music department of the Sichuan Conservatory of Music, Li Bin came to Huining in 2020 to become a teacher: "As a music professional and an educator, I have the responsibility to pass on the red revolutionary strength."
To help the children sing with more genuine emotion, he plays historical footage and film and television works of the Red Army's Long March in class, and takes students to the former site of the Red Army rendezvous in Huining for red study tours, allowing them to experience the eventful years on site.
Piece after piece of real history and vivid stories deeply move the children. "After learning about the history of the Long March, when I sing red songs again, they sound even better. Singing with my eyes closed, it feels like traveling back more than 90 years," said eighth-grader Wang Ke. "The ancestors' journey on the Long March was very hard; we must cherish the life we have now."
"After the children learn about the Long March, their singing is different from before — it has gained a heartfelt power of expression. They truly feel the spiritual strength of the Long March, and they are deeply proud of their hometown," Li Bin said. "I hope to use music and song to plant red seeds in the children's hearts."
Over the past six years, Li Bin has not only taught children to sing red songs, but has also poured his love for his hometown into creative work.
Not long ago, he collaborated with a friend to compose a song eulogizing Huining's red revolutionary history, and upon completion, sang it to his students at the first opportunity. "Unexpectedly, after just two renditions, some students began humming along, and before long they had learned it." Li Bin is very proud.
"I want more students to never forget history, and to use song to help the great Long March spirit take root and sprouting (生根发芽, sheng gen fa ya - "grow roots, sprout buds") and be passed on from generation to generation in the hearts of young people," Li Bin said.
Yan'an, Shaanxi
After the victorious conclusion of the Long March, the central organs of the CPC moved to Yan'an, Shaanxi, in January 1937. In 1940, the Yan'an Academy of Natural Sciences in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region introduced apple seedlings, and the Guanghua Farm conducted trial planting, beginning the history of apple cultivation in Yan'an. After more than 80 years of development, Yan'an's apple planting area now exceeds 3.3 million mu, with a comprehensive output value surpassing 60 billion yuan, making it a pillar industry for local rural revitalization.
Yan'an's Apples Are Getting Sweeter and Sweeter
People's Daily reporter Zhang Danhua
Morning light pierces the clouds, illuminating Pagoda Mountain, and the Loess Plateau gradually awakens. In Yandonggou Village, Baota District, Yan'an, Shaanxi, several fruit farmers are busy between the warehouse and the orchard. A dark-skinned man walks into the orchard, deftly picks an apple from a branch, and examines it carefully. The fruit farmers gather around: "Director Bu, what keeps you busy after retirement?" "Master Bu, try some of my family's fruit!"
The "Director Bu" and "Master Bu" the fruit farmers speak of are one and the same person — Bu Xiaoyu, a retired cadre of the Baota District Fruit Industry Bureau and former deputy director.
Bu Xiaoyu's connection to agriculture stems from his father, Bu Chongzhou. "My father was a vegetable expert. Villagers often came to our home to ask for advice, and he always answered patiently." A phrase his father often said, Bu Xiaoyu later often repeated: "Our rice bowl is given to us by the farmers; farmers are our relatives." After graduating from university, Bu Xiaoyu chose to work in the fruit industry, and has been at it for more than 30 years.
In his work, he discovered a common problem troubling local fruit farmers: with traditional techniques, fruit trees bear fruit in 5 years and reach full production in 7 years — a long cycle that many cannot sustain. "How can we shorten the time through technological innovation?" Bu Xiaoyu plunged into the orchard and tried to improve management and protection techniques.
Some people laughed at him, saying he did not even understand the old adage "peaches take three years, apricots four, apples five." He did not argue, only buried himself in experiments. Two years later, the fruit trees in the experimental orchard really bore fruit, and entered full production in the third year.
When word spread, Ma Wenchang, a villager from Yandonggou Village, came to his door. Bu Xiaoyu taught him hand by hand, and the orchard increased production year after year, selling more than 3 million yuan last year. Liu Baisheng, a villager from Renjiayuan Village, renovated his old orchard, but the new trees were not growing well. Bu Xiaoyu examined them tree by tree and wrote out a "prescription" that restored the orchard to vitality. In this way, as the new technology spread and apprentices multiplied, Bu Xiaoyu gained a new identity — "Master Bu."
To help fruit farmers, he and his apprentices formed the "Yunhai" team, managing more than 3,000 mu of orchards free of charge and providing technical guidance to fruit farmers. They promoted fruit tree management methods suited to the dry highlands of northern Shaanxi, effectively solving the problems of drought and thin soil, and raising local apple yield per mu to about 5,000 jin.
"I heard from my elders that Yan'an originally did not produce apples. It was only after the victory of the Red Army's Long March that the Party Central Committee carried out production and construction in Yan'an and began planting apples," Bu Xiaoyu said. "Now Yan'an's apples are growing better and better, and are even exported abroad. The fruit farmers' lives are getting sweeter day by day."
A few years ago, Bu Xiaoyu fell seriously ill. Not long after the surgery, he plunged back into the orchard. Someone asked him: you're retired, why push yourself so hard, what are you after? "Farmers are our relatives — I've remembered that phrase all my life," Bu Xiaoyu said with a smile. "Does helping relatives need a reason?"
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 蒋雪鸿 尹 婕
"When we heard the howling, crows were traveling in large groups (成群结队, cheng qun jie dui - "become, group, tie, team") overhead, and through the dense forest we could see sika deer fleeing in panic in the distance, with the figures of beasts of prey appearing and disappearing intermittently (若隐若现, ruo yin ruo xian - "if, hide, if, appear")." Recalling an experience in the mountain forest one winter several years ago, Xu Chunmei, captain of the women's patrol team of the Dongning City Management and Protection Center of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, still found it hard to contain her excitement. Infrared cameras had captured images of Amur leopards in this forest on multiple occasions, and they later inferred that the howling must have come from an Amur leopard.
The mountains are resplendent in color, with lush greenery and golden scenery (叠翠流金, die cui liu jin - "stack, emerald, flow, gold"). A light drizzle was falling at the Chaoyanggou Protection Station in the area under the Dongning City Management and Protection Center of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park. The women's patrol team to which Xu Chunmei belongs was established in 2019 and has seven members in total, with the youngest, Mou Ling, born in 2002. Patrolling the mountains and clearing snares, maintaining monitoring equipment, rescuing wild animals... Over the past seven years, they have been rooted in the Chaoyanggou Protection Station's responsibility area of approximately 24,000 hectares, walking a cumulative total of more than 9,000 kilometers of mountain trails.
"Our work is precisely 'venturing into danger despite knowing the risks' (明知山有虎，偏向虎山行, ming zhi shan you hu, pian xiang hu shan xing - "clearly, know, mountain, have, tiger, even so, head towards, tiger, mountain, walk')." The team members often joke about this.
"Knowing full well there are tigers on the mountain" is no empty talk. The Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park spans the provinces of Heilongjiang and Jilin and is home to the largest wild population of Amur tigers and Amur leopards in China, and the only one with breeding families. In the area under the Dongning City Management and Protection Center of the Northeast China Tiger and Leopard National Park, traces of tigers and leopards have become increasingly numerous in recent years. Monitoring shows that since 2021, nine individual Amur tigers have been active in this area, four of which have taken up long-term residence; eighteen individual Amur leopards have been active in this area, with at least three families breeding and multiplying in this region.
Patrolling is meant to better safeguard the homeland of wild animals. "Clearing the snares left by poachers so that wild animals are not harmed; maintaining the infrared cameras used for monitoring at the protection station, replacing batteries and memory cards; setting up supplementary feeding points in corridors with dense traces of wild animals when heavy snow seals off the mountains..." Xu Chunmei enumerated the specific tasks of patrol work — each one trivial, each one important.
Xu Chunmei took out various equipment from the backpack she carries on every mountain patrol — bear spray, signal flares, spare batteries, memory cards, medical kits, and more, all available. "In more than ten years of work, I have never had to use the equipment for defending against beasts of prey, but it must be carried just in case," Xu Chunmei said.
Passing through dense forests, the mountain trails are rugged. Climbing steep slopes, pushing through thickets, wading across rivers, and crossing ravines are all part of the daily routine of patrolling, and unexpected incidents along the way are even harder to guard against. "Once I slipped on the side of a hillside and fell headfirst toward a mountain stream. Fortunately, I grabbed hold of a tree, and my teammates pulled me up in time," Xu Chunmei said.
Why persist in doing patrol work? Xu Chunmei explained that her father and grandfather both worked in forestry, and she has always had a natural curiosity about and affinity for the forest. "Later, I taught myself a great deal of knowledge about wild animals and national parks, and my initial curiosity evolved into a deeper love. Now, whenever I patrol in the forest, it feels like I have found that sense of affinity again," Xu Chunmei said.
"Every time I go up the mountain to patrol, I am very happy." The 24-year-old Mou Ling's eyes lit up as she spoke of her work: "Through the four seasons, watching the woods change from green to red to yellow, and then to being covered with thick white snow (白雪皑皑, bai xue ai ai - "white, snow, white, white"), and I can often see sika deer, roe deer, and wild boars." What excites her most is seeing young leopards: "Although I have seen them many times in surveillance footage, every time I see a young leopard with my own eyes, I still get very excited."
The patrol team practices "mentoring newcomers through the experience of veterans" (以老带新, yi lao dai xin - "use, old, lead, new") to pass on experience and skills. Through repeated patrols and exchanges, the post-2000s new members have gradually learned professional skills such as identifying the traces of tigers, leopards, and associated animals, rescuing wild animals, and recording samples. "Walk with your feet turned sideways to increase the contact area, so you are less likely to slip." Mou Ling smiled as she shared the tip the captain taught her before her first trip into the mountains.
Over the past seven years, this women's patrol team has cleared a cumulative total of more than 4,300 snares; established 30 fixed winter supplementary feeding points, distributing corn, soybean cake, salt licks, and other feed every year; rescued 69 wild animals; and captured clear images of Amur tigers and Amur leopards on multiple occasions.
"In the past, people often set snares for poaching, but now newly set snares have basically disappeared. What is occasionally found is mostly rusty old snares, and local residents have also taken the initiative to participate in protecting wild animals." Xu Chunmei was deeply moved as she spoke of the changes over the years.
"My child is always proud of me. He often tells his classmates, 'My mother is a great hero who guards the forest and protects the tigers and leopards.'" At this point, Xu Chunmei's eyes reddened slightly: "To be able to do work I love while setting a good example for my child — it is all worth it."
Over the years, some members of the women's patrol team have left due to injuries, illness, or other reasons, but love and responsibility have led more people to stay the course. They, along with countless other patrol members, guard the lucid waters and lush mountains and the myriad living creatures — a vivid microcosm of national park construction taking root and becoming firmly established (落地生根, luo di sheng gen - "fall, ground, grow, root") at the grassroots level.
The rain stopped, and the mountain forest was washed all the cleaner, with the air full of the freshness of grass and trees. The team members shouldered their backpacks and headed once again into the depths of the dense forest.
(Ouyang Yijia, reporter for People's Daily Online, contributed to the reporting)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 15) (Reporter Jiang Jie) The CPPCC National Committee's "Member Science Lecture Hall" held a popular science lecture at the CPPCC National Committee Auditorium on October 15. Tang Xudong, a member of the CPPCC National Committee and chief researcher at the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, delivered a report titled "Inheritance and Innovative Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine in the New Era: Upholding Principles Without Being Stuck in Tradition, Innovating Without Losing Original Essence — The Ancient Charm and New Voice of Traditional Chinese Medicine," and interacted with the audience on site.
Centering closely on "change" and "constancy," Tang Xudong began from the dialectical relationship in traditional Chinese medicine of upholding principles without being stuck in tradition, innovating without losing original essence, and, around such content as the foundational theoretical core of traditional Chinese medicine, inheritance and protection, modernized innovative practice, and coordinated development of Chinese and Western medicine, systematically sorted out the thousand-year developmental trajectory of traditional Chinese medicine, deeply analyzed the opportunities and challenges currently facing the cause of traditional Chinese medicine, dialectically expounded the "Way" and "correctness" that traditional Chinese medicine must uphold as well as the "newness" and "change" it must embrace, and shared his reflections on promoting the inheritance and innovative development of traditional Chinese medicine.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) A reporter learned on the 15th from the Ministry of Ecology and Environment that all five central ecological and environmental protection inspection teams of the third round, seventh batch have completed their entry into the field for inspections.
It is understood that this batch of inspections has formed 2 central ecological and environmental protection routine inspection teams, which will carry out routine inspections of the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs respectively, with an entry period of one month. At the same time, 3 central ecological and environmental protection special inspection teams have been formed, which will carry out special ecological and environmental protection inspections on pollution problems in karst caves, sinkholes, and valleys in the three provinces (autonomous regions) of Hubei, Hunan, and Guangxi, the two provinces (municipalities) of Chongqing and Sichuan, and the two provinces of Guizhou and Yunnan respectively, with an entry period of about two weeks.
Each inspection team will give full play to the acting as a powerful, decisive tool (利剑作用, li jian zuo yong - "sharp sword, function") role of inspection, further consolidate the political responsibility of all regions and departments in building a Beautiful China, accelerate the comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, and promote a marked improvement in the quality of the ecological environment and new major progress in building a Beautiful China.
During the entry period, the 2 routine inspection teams will each set up a dedicated duty telephone and postal mailbox to receive letters, calls, and petition reports from the inspected entities regarding ecological and environmental protection, with the telephone line for receiving reports open from 8:00 to 20:00 every day. According to relevant regulations, the 3 special inspection teams will not set up dedicated petition channels. In their subsequent work, the inspection teams will strictly implement the relevant requirements of the central authorities, establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, further reduce the burden on grassroots units, continuously improve the precision and targeting of inspection work, and ensure that inspection tasks are completed in an orderly and effective manner.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Taiyuan, October 15) (Reporters Yang Xuemei, Zhou Feiya) On the 15th, the Fifth China Archaeology Congress, hosted by the Chinese Archaeological Society and others, opened in Yuncheng City, Shanxi Province. Several hundred archaeologists from across China and from countries including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, and South Korea gathered to exchange and discuss under the theme "The History and Future of Archaeology," presenting the latest major discoveries, cutting-edge research results, and multidisciplinary research theories and methods related to important sites concerning the origins of Chinese civilization and the formation and development of a unified multi-ethnic state, thereby promoting in-depth exchanges across all fields of Chinese archaeology.
In October 1926, Chinese scholars investigated, discovered, and for the first time led the excavation of the Xiyin site in Xia County, Shanxi Province, an event having great historical significance (里程碑意义, li li bei yi - "mile, stone, marker, meaning") in the history of Chinese archaeology. During the conference, the "Sixth Xiyin Forum — Academic Symposium Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the Excavation of the Xiyin Site" was held concurrently, with academic exchanges centered on topics such as a century of Xiyin and Chinese archaeology.
The China Archaeology Congress is the largest-scale, broadest-ranging, and highest-level academic conference in Chinese archaeology. Held every two to three years since 2016, it aims to comprehensively showcase the current state and achievements of Chinese archaeology, promote the opening-up of archaeology and international academic exchange, and advance the comprehensive development of Chinese archaeology. During this session, more than 570 reports will be delivered, and 22 public archaeology lectures will be held for local audiences, guiding the general public to understand the historical trajectory of the origins and development of Chinese civilization and disseminating the splendid achievements of Chinese civilization.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 15) The State Administration for Market Regulation reported on October 15 that, in response to recent public opinion reflected in the media regarding the issue of formamide in infant diapers, the State Administration for Market Regulation, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the National Health Commission, and the National Disease Control and Prevention Administration have established a joint investigation team, adhering to seeking truth from facts, carefully verifying leads, and conducting a comprehensive and in-depth investigation.
The joint investigation team conducted comprehensive sampling inspections of 168 domestic infant diaper manufacturers (including contract manufacturers), covering 180 brands and 368 batches of finished diaper product samples, which were entrusted to authoritative institutions such as the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the China Academy of Quality Inspection and Testing Science for testing; no formamide was detected. All inspected enterprises met the requirements of health standards for the production of disinfection products, and no situation was found in which formamide was added or contained in production processes or raw materials. Upon investigation and verification, the multiple testing entities involved in the public opinion claims that formamide was detected in infant diapers had problems such as unclear qualitative principles, failure to conduct blank sample and parallel sample testing, lax testing procedures and judgment criteria, and deletion of original data, making it impossible to reach a conclusion that formamide was detected.
At the same time, the joint investigation team entrusted academicians and experts from the National Health Commission Clinical Laboratory Center, the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, the First Hospital of China Medical University, and Peking Union Medical College Hospital to conduct multiple rounds of deliberation and validation to develop a testing method for formamide in blood samples, and used this method to re-test the blood samples tested by a certain institution that had drawn public attention; no formamide was detected. Based on the current investigation and testing results, no formamide-related health hazards caused by infant diapers have been found.
The testing of formamide in infant diapers is a serious and professional inspection and testing activity, and research on formamide-related health hazards requires even more prudent and objective approaches. The relevant departments will continue to strengthen supervision of infant products, and welcome active participation from all sectors of society to jointly create a safe and reassuring consumption environment.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Zhengzhou, October 15) (Reporter Zhao Shuaijie) The National Conference on Major Archaeological Sites was held from the 13th to the 14th in Zhengzhou, Henan. The conference summarized and analyzed the achievements of work on major archaeological sites and the challenges faced, and studied and deployed tasks and measures for strengthening the protection and utilization of major archaeological sites in the new era.
Major archaeological sites mainly include large-scale settlements, city sites, palaces, mausoleums and tombs, and other sites, site clusters, and cultural landscapes that reflect historical and cultural information concerning politics, religion, military affairs, science and technology, industry, agriculture, architecture, transportation, and water conservancy at various stages of development in ancient Chinese history, and that are characterized by of great scale and grandeur (规模宏大, gui mo hong da - "scale, large, vast, grand"), great value, and having a profound and far-reaching influence (影响深远, ying xiang shen yuan - "influence, deep, far-reaching").
The conference stressed that high-level archaeology should serve as the guide to enhance the capacity for research into the civilizations revealed by major archaeological sites, and to promote major archaeological sites as an important platform for building an archaeology with Chinese characteristics, Chinese style, and Chinese bearing; that sustainable protection should serve as the foundation, with protection carried out in accordance with the law and science, and responsibility for the safety of cultural relics firmly consolidated; that high-quality presentation should serve as support to optimize the effectiveness of cultural services at major archaeological sites, better realizing the value of cultural relics and serving the people; and that highly efficient management should serve as the guarantee to enhance the vitality of major archaeological sites in inheritance and development.
The conference was hosted by the National Cultural Heritage Administration and organized by the Henan Provincial Cultural Heritage Administration and the Zhengzhou Municipal People's Government.
Return to TopFood security is a matter of national importance. To safeguard food security, we must work on increasing production, tap potential in reducing waste, and, more importantly, plant the seed of cherishing and saving grain in the hearts of the next generation. Adolescence is a critical stage for cultivating the awareness of cherishing and saving grain. How to plant this "seed" in the hearts of the next generation is an important subject that requires exploration and practice.
Shaanxi Province has written its answer in the fields, grain depots, and school cafeterias. Since the beginning of this year, the Shaanxi Provincial Grain and Material Reserves Bureau, together with the Shaanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Provincial Department of Education, has carried out the "Cultivate a Grain-Cherishing Heart, Practice Grain-Loving Actions" (树粮心、爱粮行) activity among primary and secondary school students and young people across the province, organically integrating the publicity and education of cherishing and saving grain with the national whole-grain action plan, and systematically advancing six major tasks: classroom teaching, themed lectures, study tours and open days, grain-cherishing initiatives, publicity works, and cultural venues. As of the end of September, all 10 cities in the province and the Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Industries Demonstration Zone have launched the activity, with participation reaching 738,700 person-times among young people. A publicity and education pattern in which campuses drive families and students radiate influence to society is rapidly taking shape across the land of the Three Qin.
Integrating into Teaching, Making Food Security "Tangible and Perceivable"
Cherishing and saving grain begins with awareness. Based on the popularization of food security education, schools across Shaanxi rely on ideological and political courses, labor classes, and themed class meetings to integrate knowledge of grain production, loss and waste reduction, and whole-grain nutrition into daily teaching. The Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Industries Demonstration Zone carries out planting practice under the theme of "Little Successors of Houji," allowing students to understand that "every grain of rice costs a thousand drops of sweat" through tilling soil, sowing seeds, and tending crops; Shangluo City has incorporated food security education into its teaching arrangements, offering more than 1,700 class hours to date. Food security education is becoming a growth lesson that children can see and touch.
Stepping out of the classroom, the voice of publicity travels farther. Teams of business backbones, quality inspection technicians, and model workers go deep into campuses to talk about food security and how to eat whole grains more healthily. The Shaanxi Provincial Grain and Material Reserves Bureau has produced six short science-popularization videos and opened a "Grain-Heart Mini Classroom" on its official account, so that food security lessons are no longer just "listening to lectures."
Opening the Doors, Letting Young People Understand the "Granary of a Major Country"
Knowledge is the beginning of action. Shaanxi has opened the doors of food security publicity and education bases, modern grain depots, grain and oil quality inspection centers, and grain and oil processing enterprises to young people. The Shaanxi Provincial Grain and Material Reserves Bureau has publicly announced 30 provincial-level grain science study bases, developed standardized grain depot study courses, and designed segments including observation of procurement and storage processes, interactive quality inspection experiments, displays of grain storage technology, and visits to whole-grain processing. The "Granary of a Major Country" is no longer just a textbook concept, but a real-life classroom that can be entered and touched.
As of the end of September, the province has carried out a total of 3,590 themed lectures, study tours, and grain-cherishing initiative activities. Children have seen the entire process of moderate whole-grain processing in processing workshops and gained a more intuitive understanding of the idea that "reducing grain loss and waste is itself increasing production."
Adapting Measures in light of local conditions, Making "Clean Plate" a New Campus Trend
Cherishing and saving grain hinges on habit formation. Across Shaanxi, various localities rely on themed class meetings and team activity days to carry out activities such as "Reject Food Waste, Strive to Be Grain-Saving Youth" and "Little Hands Holding Big Hands." Linyou County of Baoji City promotes distinctive brands such as "Mom's Cafeteria," bringing in parents as "food education partners" to participate in whole-process supervision; Yulin City calls on students to serve as "little grain-cherishing publicity officers"... Localities are rolling out practical measures one after another to cultivate students' habits of cherishing and saving grain in real life.
In campus cafeterias, grain-saving culture corners, "Clean Plate" action display walls, and civilized dining reminder signs can be seen everywhere. Student civilized dining supervision posts have been established, and "Clean Plate" check-in activities are carried out on a regular basis. Hanzhong City, Weinan City, and other places have carried out "Clean Plate" check-in competitions and original work collection activities. Saving grain is transforming from a slogan into a habit and a social trend.
Building Strong Brands, Letting the Fragrance of Grain Reach Thousands of Households
The foundation of the whole-grain industry is also being consolidated in tandem. Relying on high-quality whole-grain raw materials, sub-brands of "Shaanxi Good Grain and Oil" have been formed, including "Yan'an Millet," "Ankang Selenium-Enriched Grain and Oil," "Guanzhong High-Quality Wheat," "Hanzhong Rice," "Yulin Buckwheat," and "Yangxian Black Rice." At present, 84 enterprises and 98 products in Shaanxi have been selected into the "Shaanxi Good Grain and Oil" brand matrix.
Science education on cherishing and saving grain is carried out for young people, and then through "little hands holding big hands," families are led to establish scientific and healthy dietary concepts. In the next step, the Shaanxi Provincial Grain and Material Reserves Bureau will join with the Shaanxi Provincial Development and Reform Commission and the Provincial Department of Education to form a normalized mechanism of "campus grain-saving education + on-site study at grain depots + family grain-saving practice," continuously integrating various publicity and education resources, enriching the forms of publicity carriers, encouraging localities to innovate and carry out diversified themed cultural activities, broadening science communication channels, and promoting the publicity and education of cherishing and saving grain to go deeper and more practical, and to be normalized and long-term effective.
Shaanxi's organic integration of publicity and education on cherishing and saving grain with the implementation of the national whole-grain action plan points not only to "less waste" on the dining table, but also to "eating well" for a Healthy China and "guaranteed security" for food security. Planting the "seed" of "cultivating a grain-cherishing heart, practicing grain-loving actions" in the hearts of the next generation, Shaanxi is making every effort to contribute to building a solid long-term foundation for national food security.
Data source: Shaanxi Provincial Grain and Material Reserves Bureau
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 浩
On the evening of October 14, Beijing time, at the 77th International Executive Council meeting of the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage held in Marseille, France, the 2026 (13th batch) World Heritage Irrigation Structures list was officially announced. All four structures submitted by China — the Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River in Henan, the Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System in Gansu, the Guangxin Huangsha Canal in Shangrao City, Jiangxi, and the Longjin Ancient Weir Irrigation Project in Changtai, Fujian — were successfully selected. With this, the total number of World Heritage Irrigation Structures in China has reached 46.
China is the country with the richest variety of irrigation heritage structures, the widest distribution, and the most prominent irrigation benefits. From an ancient irrigation nation to today's builder of the world's largest water conservancy infrastructure system, China's water governance wisdom has a long and continuous history, and its efforts to benefit the people through water governance represent a sustained, long-term effort.
In light of local conditions, acting in accordance with circumstances, harmony between humanity and nature, governing water to benefit the people
From the foothills of the Taihang Mountains to the Hexi Corridor, from the southern hills to the southeastern coast, these four ancient irrigation structures are becoming more vibrant with the passage of time, embodying the wisdom of "in light of local conditions, acting in accordance with circumstances, harmony between humanity and nature, and governing water to benefit the people."
The eight-hundred-li Taihang Mountains stand tall; the Qin River emerges from the mountains and rushes toward the plains. The Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River in Henan — a single canal of clear water flowing for a thousand years.
The Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River was first built in the Qin Dynasty. Extant complete remains include the Guangji Canal head gate and diversion tunnel, the Yongli Canal head gate and diversion tunnel, the Guanghui Canal head gate site and underground delivery culvert, the Ganlin Canal head gate, and other important water conservancy relics.
"The Guangli Canal (Wulongkou) on the Qin River fully embodies the principle of in light of local conditions and acting in accordance with circumstances, bearing witness to the wisdom and ingenuity of the ancients in utilizing and transforming nature. It is an important physical object for studying ancient water conservancy projects and the development of water conservancy science and technology in the Yellow River basin," said Wang Zhong, head of the Guangli Canal Head Management Office of the Jiaozuo Yinxin-Guangli Irrigation District Service Center.
Take the head of the Guangli Canal as an example: the site selection followed the mountain terrain, and water diversion made use of the water's momentum. Wang Zhong explained that the intake was built on a stable concave bank, using the centrifugal force of the water flow to automatically separate sediment and effectively reduce canal siltation. The ancestors pioneered the "fire and water" method to cut through hard rock, using tunnels to bring water across mountains — a rare example in ancient China of a tunnel-and-gate water diversion hub.
The Taolai River, passing through the wind and sand of the Hexi Corridor, flows through a crisscrossing network of canals, nourishing the oasis. The Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System, first built in the Ming Dynasty, is a typical representative of oasis irrigation systems in the arid regions of the Eurasian continent.
"The Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System consists mainly of three parts: the Hongshui River Dongzi Canal, the Taolai River main stream canal system, and the Linshui River–Qingshui River canal system, with a current irrigation area of 947,800 mu," said Kang Dekui, director of the Taolai River Basin Water Resources Utilization Center of the Gansu Provincial Department of Water Resources.
Kang Dekui explained that the Hongshui River is the largest tributary of the Taolai River, flowing through deep gorges where the land is high and the water is low. Ming Dynasty ancestors, on cliffs nearly a hundred meters high, used the technique of "horizontal pilot tunnels with multi-head excavation" to cut large-section water diversion tunnels. The tunnel cross-sections were "as tall as a person's height and wide enough to extend one's arms," bringing water out of the mountains and onto the banks.
The Guangxin Huangsha Canal in Guangxin District, Shangrao City, Jiangxi, draws its water from Huangsha Ridge. This gravity irrigation system, first built in the Song Dynasty, is a model of low-impact development in ancient China's mountainous small watersheds. It employs distributed cascade development, building canals and ponds from low to high ground, from the bottom up.
"The Huangsha Canal presents a distinctive 'branch-like' and 'long vine bearing melons' engineering layout, establishing an integrated water resource utilization model combining ponds, canals, weirs, and farmland. Building materials were sourced locally, with block stone, cobblestone, and dressed stone used to construct retaining walls. The weirs along the route are arranged in cascades, slowing the water flow, improving water quality, and facilitating water intake," said Shen Xiaosu, Party secretary of Huangshaling Township, Guangxin District.
The Longjin Ancient Weir Irrigation Project is located in Changtai District, Zhangzhou City, Fujian. It comprises two irrigation structures, the Yanfu Weir and the Shiwuhu Weir, first built in the Southern Song Dynasty. With a history of more than 800 years, it still performs multiple functions including irrigation, drainage, and flood control.
Zhan Shuisong, director of the Changtai District Water Resources Bureau, enumerated the features of the Longjin Ancient Weir: the project relies on natural elevation differences to achieve gravity irrigation, forming an interconnected irrigation system of weirs, ponds, channels, and canals adapted to the hydrological characteristics of mountain streams in southern Fujian. The special "stone nail structure" of the head barrage can effectively reduce the impact of floodwaters on the dam body; the "grade-separated channel" for separating irrigation water from flood discharge prevents silting of the weir and canal, reflecting the wisdom of the ancients in water governance.
A relevant official of the Ministry of Water Resources stated that World Heritage Irrigation Structures, having weathered the passage of time, embody the wisdom of the Chinese nation in respecting and conforming to nature. The continuous and unending water culture fully reflects the long and continuous history and the vast and profound in scope and depth of China's excellent traditional culture.
Still performing functions in irrigation, flood control, ecological protection, and other areas
Looking at the 46 World Heritage Irrigation Structures already selected, they are diverse in type and distinctive in regional character, and many still perform functions in irrigation, flood control, ecological protection, and other areas.
In Huangsha Village, Huangshaling Township, Guangxin District, clear water winds around the fields, and egrets dance or flutter lightly. "The ancient canal can irrigate in drought and drain in flood; it brings good water and grows good rice," said Gong Fa, a major rice grower in Huangsha Village.
The irrigation canal is also an ecological canal. Shen Xiaosu explained that the local area regularly dredges silt and protects the banks to ensure the canal system operates normally and continues to function. At the same time, attention is paid to repairing old structures in their original style, preserving the ancient appearance of the canals.
A canal of clear water merges into the modern water network. Yellow River water sets out from the Xiaolangdi Reservoir and, along the canal system of the Xiaolangdi North Bank Irrigation District, moistens the fertile farmland of northern Henan.
Within the water network is a dialogue between ancient and modern. A portion of the main canal of the Guangli Canal is "shared" with the Xiaolangdi North Bank Irrigation District. Yellow River water enters the Guangli Canal; the canal delivers water, and the water nourishes the canal — mutually beneficial.
Now consider the Taolai River Oasis Irrigation System. Kang Dekui explained that its downstream Linshui River–Qingshui River canal system was historically fed by springs; as the canal system was linked with the main stream of the Taolai River, it has continued in use to this day.
Using water to prosper industry. The diverse values of World Heritage Irrigation Structures are continuously being tapped, helping to develop new industries and new business forms in rural areas.
The gurgling clear water of the Longjin Ancient Weir nourishes a fertile land. "Changtai ponkan" from the May Fourth Farm in Yanxi Town, Changtai District, and guava from the Xuemeiyang Modern Agricultural Demonstration Zone sell well in many places. This ancient irrigation district continues to empower the developing vigorously of diversified industries such as specialty planting and leisure agriculture.
Zhan Shuisong explained that the renewed vitality of the ancient weir confirms once again that the deep integration of traditional water heritage with modern agriculture and cultural tourism can continuously open up new space for rural industrial development and inject a steady stream of development vitality into comprehensive rural revitalization.
The water governance wisdom of the ancients contains the prototype of scientific water resource scheduling and management
Water veins connect cultural veins. World Heritage Irrigation Structures are "flowing history" and "flowing culture."
How to use water rationally? Facing the basic hydrological conditions of "summer floods and winter droughts, water scarcity in the north and abundance in the south," the ancients explored a series of institutions that contain the prototype of scientific water resource scheduling and management.
The Guangli Canal — one canal, broad benefits. Wang Zhong explained that historically, local people explored water rights allocation, adopting "maintaining balance to spread benefits" as the principle of water use, and established six management rules including "clarifying river boundaries to prevent encroachment" and "fixing canal and weir arrangements to distribute benefits equitably," so that upstream and downstream used the water of one canal in an orderly manner. The ancients left behind numerous water conservancy steles in water use and governance, forming a diverse water culture landscape.
In the villages along the Huangsha Canal, the ancients created a villager self-governance water management system, following the principle of "those who benefit are responsible." In project maintenance, the ancient maxim of "one hoe manages to the end" has been passed down to this day, forming a sound water use order.
"The traditional water distribution system of the Taolai River basin can be said to be a vivid practice of water resource allocation systems in arid regions," Kang Dekui explained. Historically, strict regulations designated exclusive irrigation periods for upstream and downstream areas, skillfully resolving water use conflicts. Through continuous evolution, the current water distribution system was formally established in 1984, organically integrating historical wisdom into the modern management system.
How to protect the water? The Longjin Ancient Weir has had a "weir chief system" since ancient times. Beginning in the Song Dynasty, local people elected "capable persons" each year to serve as weir chiefs, establishing a full-process management and protection system covering "annual repairs and inspections, water use scheduling, fund raising, and mediation of water disputes." Through management measures such as "distributing irrigation by acreage according to established rules" and "rotating irrigation by day," the long-term stable operation of the project was ensured.
Zhan Shuisong explained that the Longjin Ancient Weir carries the ancient wisdom of southern Fujian ancestors in governing water in accordance with circumstances and managing water collaboratively, nourishing a cultural soil of maintaining a tradition of farming and scholarship, and exerting a profound influence on the local economy, society, culture, and history.
A relevant official of the Ministry of Water Resources stated that the Chinese nation has a fine tradition of excelling in water governance. Protecting World Heritage Irrigation Structures is of important practical significance for promoting cultural inheritance and development, protecting China's excellent traditional culture, enhancing cultural confidence, promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, and advancing the high-quality development of water conservancy.
Return to TopBy: 中央党史和文献研究院院务会理论学习中心组
It has been 90 years since the victory of the Long March!
Ninety years ago, the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army faced death and found life, repelling countless pursuing and blocking enemies, bravely traversing the forbidden zones of human existence, and with the heart of a child and the courage of a hero, wrote a magnificent and awe-inspiring epic of humanity, erecting an unparalleled monument in history! It proclaimed the bankruptcy of the enemy's encirclement, pursuit, blocking, and interception, publicized the propositions of the Chinese Communist Party, sowed the seeds of revolution, brought light and hope to the people, turned danger into safety for the Chinese revolution, and forged the great Long March spirit! History flows on without cease, and the spirit is passed down from generation to generation. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Every generation has its own Long March," "The Long March is always on the road," and "No matter what stage our cause reaches, no matter how great our achievements, we must vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit and continue to advance bravely on the new Long March."
Firmly strengthen ideals and convictions, unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unite hearts and forge souls, draw the power of faith from the great Long March spirit, and illuminate the new journey with the light of ideals
The victory of the Long March was the victory of lofty ideals and convictions.
In the history of human warfare, the reason the Long March is unique is that the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army was an unprecedented force. The road of the Long March was a difficult road strewn with thorns and full of tests of life and death. The extreme scarcity of material support and the extreme harshness of the natural environment already pushed physical suffering to the limit, not to mention the more than one million extremely vicious and evil pursuing and blocking enemies; the Red Army was at all times in a crisis of survival. In such a desperate situation, the vast majority of Red Army officers and soldiers firmly believed that resisting Japan to save the nation and liberating the workers and peasants was their responsibility; lofty ideals transcended personal life and death, and firm convictions guided the direction of advance. It was precisely firm ideals and convictions that gave the Red Army an invincible combat effectiveness, enabling them to overcome countless difficulties and dangers, break through the limits of survival, treating death as a return home and pressing forward without hesitation. It was precisely firm ideals and convictions that kept the Red Army's ranks from dispersing and its morale from collapsing, and moreover enabled it to break through the enemy's blockades and "encirclement and suppression" time and again, reversing the passive battle situation.
An important connotation of the great Long March spirit is to place the fundamental interests of the people of the whole country and the Chinese nation above all else, to firmly uphold revolutionary ideals and convictions, and to firmly believe that the just cause is bound to triumph. The great victory of the Long March was a military victory and a victory of will, and in the final analysis, a victory of ideals and convictions. The ideals and convictions of the Chinese Communist Party are the Marxist faith, the lofty ideal of communism, and the common ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics. These are the spiritual pillar and political soul of Chinese Communists, and also the ideological foundation for maintaining the Party's unity and solidarity. Once the fire of ideals and convictions is ignited, it will never be extinguished. A political party with lofty ideals and noble pursuits will be strong and powerful, invincible and always victorious, able to endure setbacks time and again and rise up time and again.
To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era, we must firmly strengthen ideals and convictions, consolidate the ideological foundation of ideals and convictions, and unremittingly use Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era to unite hearts and forge souls. We must study well and apply well the world view, methodology, and the standpoints, viewpoints, and methods running through Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, consciously transform the Party's innovative theories into a powerful force for strengthening ideals, tempering Party spirit, guiding practice, and advancing work, truly make ideals and convictions the lighthouse in our hearts, achieve devotion and persistence, utmost faith and profound depth, and use our own practical actions to strive unremittingly for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics and for realizing the lofty ideal of communism.
Carry forward the spirit of struggle, strengthen the ability to struggle, draw the power of endeavor from the great Long March spirit, and advance on the new journey with tenacious struggle
The victory of the Long March was the victory of the great spirit of struggle.
The long road of the Long March was drenched with the blood of revolutionary soldiers. On the 25,000-li journey of the First Front Army of the Red Army, on average one Red Army soldier sacrificed every 300 meters. The "red ribbon" of the Long March was dyed with the blood of countless Red Army soldiers. However, "The Red Army fears not the trials of the distant march; a thousand rivers and ten thousand mountains are treated as nothing." The bloody battle at the Xiang River, the four crossings of the Chishui River, the skillful crossing of the Jinsha River, the forced crossing of the Dadu River, the flying capture of the Luding Bridge, the fierce battle at Dushu Town, the brave capture of Baozuo, the mobile warfare in the Wumeng Mountains... all demonstrated the heroic spirit and revolutionary spirit of the Red Army officers and soldiers in overwhelming all enemies without being overwhelmed by any enemy, and conquering all difficulties without being conquered by any difficulty. In the Battle of the Xiang River, facing the enemy's heavy encirclement, Red Army officers and soldiers stained the Xiang River with blood and broke through the fourth blockade line; in the flying capture of the Luding Bridge, heroic Red Army assault team members charged toward the opposite bank under the enemy's dense firepower, opening the road northward for the Central Red Army; when crossing the snow mountains, the biting cold wind and thin air caused many soldiers in thin clothing to lie down in eternal rest; when trekking through the grasslands, with marshes everywhere and grain and ammunition scarce, many soldiers sank into the mud and never stood up again. The Red Army units and guerrilla forces remaining in the base areas, the Red Army in the northwest region, the Northeast Anti-Japanese United Army, the Party organizations persisting in work in areas under Kuomintang rule, and all forces under the Party's leadership all carried out extremely difficult and arduous struggles and all made indelible contributions to the victory of the Long March. For this reason, the Long March became a monument to human firmness and fearlessness, to be passed down forever in the world.
An important connotation of the great Long March spirit is to fear no difficulties or obstacles and spare no sacrifice in order to save the country and the people. Our Party was born amid internal and external troubles, grew up amid hardships and trials, and strengthened itself by surmounting difficulties. The courage to struggle is the political gene inherent in our Party and the distinctive character tempered over a century, and "being full of the spirit of struggle and the spirit of sacrifice" is a necessary condition for a qualified Communist Party member. Our Party created a glorious history by relying on struggle, and must rely on struggle to open up a bright future.
To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era, we must be prepared to wage a great struggle with many new historical features. For the happiness of the people and the rejuvenation of the nation, facing one "Loushan Pass" and "Lazikou" after another on the new Long March road, no matter how powerful the enemy, how difficult the road, or how severe the challenges, we must never fear or retreat. We must carry forward the spirit of struggle, not believe in evil, not fear ghosts, not fear pressure, advance in the face of difficulties and rise to meet challenges. We must strengthen our ability to struggle, deeply perceive the times and the situation, accurately identify crises and opportunities, and firmly grasp the initiative in struggle. We must pay attention to struggle strategy, adhere to being justified, advantageous, and restrained, grasp well the timing, degree, and effectiveness of struggle, yield not an inch on matters of principle, be flexible and agile on matters of strategy, and rely on tenacious struggle to continuously open up new horizons for the development of our cause.
Uphold the Party's ideological line, uphold proceeding from reality in everything, draw the power of practice from the great Long March spirit, and open up the new journey by upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground
The victory of the Long March was the victory of the great spirit of practice.
The Long March was a life-and-death choice of road. At the beginning of the Long March, due to the erroneous leadership of "Left" dogmatism, the Red Army suffered continuous losses. The painful lessons made the Party and the Red Army deeply reflect on the harm of dogmatism and gradually come to realize that "the universal truth of Marxism-Leninism should be believed, but it must be combined with the actual conditions of the Chinese revolution." Through a series of meetings such as the Tongdao Conference, the Liping Conference, and the Hochang Conference, the Zunyi Conference finally ended the rule of the erroneous "Left" dogmatism in the Central Committee, opened a new stage in which the Party independently resolved the practical problems of the Chinese revolution, and at an extremely critical juncture saved the Party, saved the Red Army, and saved the Chinese revolution. Liu Bocheng, then Chief of Staff of the Red Army, recalled: "When the spirit of the Zunyi Conference was conveyed to the troops, the entire army was inspired, as if the heavy fog had been dispelled and sunlight seen, and all doubts and discontent were swept away." "After the Zunyi Conference, our army completely reversed its previous situation, as if it had suddenly gained new life." Thereafter, through extremely difficult and arduous practical exploration, our Party successfully linked resolving the survival crisis with saving the nation from peril, linked the general direction of the Long March with establishing forward positions for resisting Japan, and laid a solid foundation for winning the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and then winning the victory of the New Democratic Revolution. After the Long March, the Party and the Red Army were not weaker, but stronger. As Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "The Long March of ten thousand li educated us," "We suffered such great setbacks and endured such great hardships, and thus were tempered, gained experience, corrected the erroneous line, and restored the correct line."
An important connotation of the great Long March spirit is to uphold independence and self-reliance, seeking truth from facts, and proceeding from reality in everything. Taking our own road is the foothold of all the Party's theories and practices and the historical conclusion drawn from the Party's century of struggle. Our Party has adhered to proceeding from China's national conditions and explored and formed the new democratic revolutionary road, the road of socialist transformation and socialist construction, and the road of socialism with Chinese characteristics that conform to China's reality. This fearless great spirit of practice, this great spirit of creation reborn from fire, this great spirit of independent exploration, and this firm determination to take our own road are the true meaning of our Party's continuous awakening from setbacks and continuous advance from victory to victory.
To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era, we must uphold the Party's ideological line, uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, combine the basic principles of Marxism with China's specific realities and with China's excellent traditional culture, and unswervingly take our own road. We must uphold the integration of theory with practice, focus on solving the practical problems of reform, opening up, and socialist modernization in the new era, continuously answer the questions of China, the questions of the world, the questions of the people, and the questions of the times, continuously advance theoretical innovation, institutional innovation, scientific and technological innovation, cultural innovation, and innovation in all other aspects on the basis of practice, continuously open up new horizons for the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, and let the spirit of seeking truth from facts radiate new vitality and vigor in the new era.
Inherit the red gene of considering the overall situation, strictly observing discipline, and maintaining close unity, draw the power of unity from the great Long March spirit, and march together toward the new journey with unity and solidarity
The victory of the Long March was the victory of the great spirit of unity.
This great expedition that shook the world tested the Red Army's concept of the overall situation, concept of discipline, and awareness of unity at every moment and in every place. On the road of the Long March, the balance of forces between the enemy and ourselves was vastly disparate, and the battlefield situation changed rapidly; sometimes it was necessary to voluntarily abandon local positions to preserve the main force, sometimes it was necessary to maneuver across regions to support neighboring units; the unconditional subordination of local interests to the overall interests of the revolution became a norm consciously observed by the entire army. Whether in long-distance marching, breakout operations, or the planning and deployment of operations, the Party and the Red Army always judged the situation from the overall perspective, striving not only to win the actual results of every battle but also to firmly grasp the strategic initiative of the entire war situation. Facing the perilous environment fraught with crises and the schemes to split the Party and the Red Army, the vast majority of Red Army officers and soldiers gave priority to the overall interests of the revolution, were strictly disciplined, obeyed orders and prohibitions, worked in unity and coordination, and jointly resisted the powerful enemy, achieving a great revolutionary unity between the whole Party, the whole army, and the army and the people. Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out that the people's army "has strength because all those who participate in this army possess conscious discipline." It was precisely iron discipline that guaranteed the unity of the Party and the Red Army.
An important connotation of the great Long March spirit is to consider the overall situation, strictly observe discipline, and maintain close unity. Unity is iron, unity is steel, unity is a powerful force for overcoming all difficulties and an important guarantee for rallying people's hearts and accomplishing great undertakings. The development achievements China has made that have attracted worldwide attention are precisely the result of the people of all ethnic groups across the country working with one heart and one mind and striving in the same direction; united struggle is the only way for the Chinese people to create the great cause of history. As long as more than 1.4 billion Chinese people always carry forward this great spirit of unity, we will certainly be able to form a powerful force that advances courageously and is invincible.
To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era, we must consciously enhance political consciousness, consciousness of the overall situation, core consciousness, and consciousness of alignment, and always maintain a high degree of consistency with the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in thought, politics, and action. We must strictly enforce Party discipline, with the firmness and persistence of always being on the road, and persistently advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. We must uphold great unity and great alliance, continuously consolidate and develop the great unity of all ethnic groups, the great unity of the people of the whole country, and the great unity of all Chinese sons and daughters, fully stimulate the initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity of hundreds of millions of people, and gather the mighty force for advancing Chinese modernization.
Uphold putting the people first, everything for the people, everything relying on the people, draw the power of character from the great Long March spirit, and devote ourselves to the new journey with sincere hearts
The victory of the Long March was the victory of the people.
As a Marxist governing party, our Party not only possesses powerful force of truth but also possesses powerful force of character. The reason the Party and the Red Army were able to achieve victory under extremely difficult conditions is that this contingent was "entirely for the liberation of the people and thoroughly works for the interests of the people," and enjoyed deep popular support. Wherever the Red Army went, it received the support of the masses; the support of the people was the deepest foundation of confidence for the Red Army in achieving the victory of the Long March under extremely difficult conditions. No matter how harsh the environment, how scarce the supplies, or how difficult the conditions, the Red Army still strictly observed discipline, took not a single needle or thread from the masses, and touched not a single blade of grass or tree among the people. Red Army officers and soldiers used their force of character to win the trust and support of the masses. At the special exhibition hall of "The Warmth of Half a Quilt," General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Our army is the people's army, and the feeling between our Communists and the common people is the feeling of sharing one quilt." In the areas through which the Red Army's Long March passed, countless touching stories of deep affection between the army and the people, like "Half a Quilt," were left behind. It was precisely this deep affection of sharing life and death and weathering hardships together with the people that enabled the Red Army to obtain an inexhaustible source of strength under extremely difficult conditions, ultimately achieving the great victory of the strategic shift, and also laying a solid mass foundation for the victory of the Chinese revolution.
An important connotation of the great Long March spirit is to closely rely on the masses of the people, share life and death with them, share hardships and difficulties, and work hard. The people are the creators of history, and the masses are the true heroes. Our Party comes from the people, takes root among the people, and serves the people; the Party's foundation is in the people, its bloodline is in the people, and its strength is in the people. The mass line is the Party's lifeline and fundamental working line. Only by always believing in the people, closely relying on the people, and fully mobilizing the initiative, enthusiasm, and creativity of the broad masses can we gather the mighty force of unity of purpose.
To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era, we must uphold putting the people first, uphold the people-centered development philosophy, always bear in mind that the country is the people and the people are the country, always place the people in the highest position in our hearts, regard bringing well-being to the people as the greatest achievement, always think of the people's hardships in our hearts, always plan policies to enrich the people in our minds, continuously realize development for the people, development relying on the people, and development achievements shared by the people, and let the fruits of modernization benefit all the people more and more equitably. We must consciously practice the Party's fundamental purpose, walk well the Party's mass line in the new era, uphold everything for the masses, everything relying on the masses, from the masses and to the masses, transform the Party's correct propositions into the conscious actions of the masses, so that our Party will forever win the trust and support of the people and our cause will always have an inexhaustible source of strength.
Uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, resolutely safeguard the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, firmly uphold the Two Establishments (两个确立), and resolutely achieve the Two Upholds (两个维护)
The victory of the Long March was the victory of the Party's leadership.
Comrade Mao Zedong pointed out: "Who made the Long March victorious? It was the Communist Party. Without the Communist Party, such a Long March would be inconceivable." The Zunyi Conference held during the Long March in fact established Comrade Mao Zedong's leadership position in the Party Central Committee and the Red Army, began to establish the leadership position of the correct Marxist line with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative in the Party Central Committee, and began to form the Party's first generation of central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core. This was the most important guarantee for our Party and the revolutionary cause to turn danger into safety and continuously open up new situations.
History has repeatedly proven and will continue to prove: the key to running China's affairs well lies in the Party. Without the Chinese Communist Party, there would be no new China, and there would be no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. The leadership of the Chinese Communist Party is the most fundamental guarantee for the continuous victories of China's revolution, construction, and reform, the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the greatest advantage of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the Long March road of the new era, we must uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership and the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, persistently advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and ensure that the Party always remains a vigorous Marxist governing party that walks at the forefront of the times, is sincerely supported by the people, dares to engage in self-revolution, can withstand all kinds of storms and trials, and always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. We must deeply comprehend the decisive significance of the Two Establishments and resolutely achieve the Two Upholds. In this regard, our minds must be especially clear, our eyes especially bright, and our positions especially firm; we must never be shy or vague, never conceal or engage in self-numbing, and never have any ambiguity or wavering.
The great victory of the Long March has been recorded in the glorious annals of the Chinese people's united struggle. The new Long March of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation faces a more glorious mission, more arduous tasks, more severe challenges, and greater work. On the eve of the founding of New China, Comrade Mao Zedong cautioned the whole Party: "To win nationwide victory is only the first step in a long march of ten thousand li. If this step is worth being proud of, it is relatively insignificant; what is more worthy of pride still lies ahead." Today, the picture of the new era is magnificent and awe-inspiring, and the chapter of the new journey is grand and imposing: by 2035, basically realize socialist modernization; from 2035 to the middle of this century, strive for another 15 years to build our country into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious, and beautiful. This is another great march unprecedented in history; every time node is a signpost of the new Long March and a coordinate of our advance on the road of rejuvenation. Let us unite more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, vigorously carry forward the great Long March spirit, and with a mental state of never slackening and a posture of pressing forward without hesitation, strive unremittingly to comprehensively advance the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization!
Return to TopBy: 叶向东
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "Upholding the Party's leadership and strengthening Party building are the glorious tradition of China's state-owned enterprises, the 'root' and 'soul' of state-owned enterprises, and the unique advantage of China's state-owned enterprises." Xi Jinping's thought on Party building systematically answers the major questions of the era of what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party, providing fundamental guidance and a guide to action for strengthening Party building in state-owned enterprises. Party organizations in state-owned enterprises must study deeply and act with determination (深学笃行, shen xue du xing - "deep, study; resolute, act") Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, implement the requirements of managing and governing the Party and revitalizing and strengthening the Party, and bravely shoulder the mission of the era on the magnificent journey of advancing the building of a strong country and the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Deeply comprehend the powerful force of truth contained in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and always keep the direction of progress on course. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building originates from the scientific theory of Marxism, is rooted in the fine traditional culture of China, connects history, grasps the present, and guides the future, demonstrating its distinct scientific nature and truth. Party members and cadres in state-owned enterprises must deeply comprehend the major original contributions Xi Jinping's thought on Party building has made to enriching and developing Marxist party-building theory, and in particular must deeply comprehend that upholding the Party's leadership is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and the scientific connotation and important value of upholding the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, firmly grasping the supreme principle of the Party's leadership. Conscientiously implement systems such as the "First Agenda Item," carry through to the end the implementation of the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speeches and important instructions and directives, and support the Two Establishments (两个确立) and practice the Two Upholds (两个维护) with concrete actions. Deeply comprehend the creative transformation and innovative development of traditional Chinese governance wisdom in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, promote the innovative integration of Party building in state-owned enterprises with the fine traditional culture of China, and use the unique concepts, wisdom, bearing, and charm of the fine traditional culture of China to cultivate the character of state-owned enterprises and nourish the spiritual temperament of the broad masses of Party members. Relying on the cooperation ties of state-owned enterprises with foreign partners, in friendly dialogue with the world and in promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations, enhance the influence and appeal of the fine traditional culture of China.
Deeply comprehend the powerful force of character contained in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and enhance the conscious action of benefiting the people. The firm ideals and convictions, fine work style, and profound feelings for the people contained in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building have forged the powerful force of character with which our Party unites the people and rallies popular support, and are the source of strength for our Party to forever maintain vigorous vitality and strong combat effectiveness. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building proposes persisting in using the Party's innovative theory to unite hearts and forge souls, reflecting that the Party's ideological building focuses on firming up ideals and convictions and replenishing the "calcium" of the spirit. State-owned enterprises must deepen the application of the long-term mechanism of forging the soul through study, increasing wisdom through study, rectifying conduct through study, and promoting work through study, improve the theoretical study mechanisms at all levels such as Party committees, Party branches, and Party groups (work teams), tap and make good use of internal red resources to strengthen Party member education, and build firm convictions on the basis of theoretical clarity. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building creatively proposes starting from grasping work style to advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, leading the whole Party with unremitting perseverance (锲而不舍, qie er bu she - "drill, and; not, abandon") to rectify the Four Malfeasances (四风) and foster new conduct. State-owned enterprises must with unremitting perseverance implement the spirit of the Central Committee's the Eight-Point Regulation (八项规定) and its implementation rules, persist in advancing the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style building, advocate the work style of "handle matters immediately, and handle them well," and pursue development, seek innovation, and promote reform with a fine work style. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building adheres to the people-centered development philosophy, profoundly answering "who am I, for whom do I act, and on whom do I rely," fully embodying the lofty realm of selfless dedication to the people (我将无我, wo jiang wu wo - "I, will, no, self") and never failing the people. Party members and cadres in state-owned enterprises must cultivate profound feelings for the people, take benefiting the people as the fundamental value orientation, faithfully fulfill economic responsibilities, political responsibilities, and social responsibilities, strive to do more practical things for the people, and demonstrate the responsibility of state-owned enterprises in serving and safeguarding people's livelihoods.
Deeply comprehend the powerful force of practice contained in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and focus on giving play to the advantages of Party building. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building was nurtured in the great practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, has a solid practical foundation, demonstrates powerful practical force, and has enabled our Party to win the historical initiative of not changing its nature, not changing its color, and not changing its flavor. State-owned enterprises must implement Xi Jinping's thought on Party building in all aspects and links of Party building work, give play to the advantages of Party building, and strengthen the empowerment of Party building. Persist in improving the organizational system that connects the upper and lower levels and is effective in execution, and strengthen the political functions and organizational functions of Party organizations. Centering on strengthening core functions and core competitiveness, promote the deep integration of Party building work with production and operation, and truly test the creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness of Party organizations with the results of the reform and development of state-owned enterprises. Strengthen the clear orientation of valuing practical work, valuing performance, and valuing responsibility, truly enabling those who act to have positions, those who are capable to rise, and those who are excellent to be prioritized. Deeply implement the strategy of strengthening the enterprise with talent, coordinate the use of cadres of all age groups, and cultivate "good seedlings" and forge "iron shoulders" through practical tempering. With the spirit of always being on the road, continue to advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, make the chain of management tighter and the atmosphere of strictness stronger, and continuously achieve clean cadres, clean enterprises, and clean politics. Continuously improve the quality and effectiveness of Party building work, create a good political ecology that is positive, upward, entrepreneurial, and a clean and upright political atmosphere (风清气正, feng qing qi zheng - "wind, clear; air, upright"), and escort the strengthening, improvement, and expansion of state-owned enterprises.
(The author is Chairman of the Board and Secretary of the Party Leadership Group of China Huadian Corporation Ltd.)
Return to TopCarrying out east-west regional collaboration is a major decision made by the Party Central Committee with a view to promoting coordinated regional development and advancing common prosperity. Over the past 30 years, east-west regional collaboration has always been deployed and implemented under the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, with emphasis on bringing into play the Party's political advantages, organizational advantages, and advantages in maintaining close ties with the masses. It fully demonstrates that the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics possesses notable advantages, and is a vivid embodiment of better translating China's institutional advantages into governance effectiveness.
The Party's leadership is the most fundamental political guarantee and the most notable political advantage of east-west regional collaboration, ensuring that the work always advances in the correct direction. This kind of political guidance runs through the entire process and all aspects of east-west regional collaboration, organically integrating economic development, ecological protection, improvement of people's livelihoods, and the forging of a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation, thereby achieving the unity of political effects, economic effects, and social effects. The Party's organizational system provides strong executive capacity for east-west regional collaboration. Relying on the mobilization capacity of Party organizations, east-west regional collaboration organizes Party members and gathers talent, pooling together a powerful driving force for paired assistance. By organizing cadres and talent to consolidate joint strength, the "peripheral nerve endings" of east-west regional collaboration are kept unblocked, and the Party's organizational advantages are translated into governance effectiveness. The mass line is the lifeline of the Communist Party of China and its fundamental working line. The Party's advantage in maintaining close ties with the masses is embodied in east-west regional collaboration throughout the entire chain of policy formulation, implementation, and evaluation: policy design precisely aligns with the needs of the masses, and the implementation process upholds mass participation, forming a virtuous cycle of "policy formulation—implementation feedback—mass evaluation."
East-west regional collaboration has always adhered to the socialist direction and followed the path of common prosperity. Through the linkage of industrial cooperation and labor collaboration, it channels development factors into the western region in a targeted manner, and through institutional innovation has formed a path to common prosperity of "capacity enhancement—opportunity provision—outcome sharing." It has always adhered to a people-centered approach, taking the improvement of people's livelihoods as the guide for paired assistance work, focusing on resolving the urgent, difficult, and anxious problems of the masses in the recipient regions, and ensuring that the fruits of development genuinely benefit the grassroots masses. It has always adhered to a unified national strategy or coordinated effort (全国一盘棋, quan guo yi pan qi - "whole country, one chess") and the principle of concentrating efforts to accomplish major undertakings. Through institutionalized measures, it advances cross-provincial collaboration, emphasizes complementary advantages and common development, breaks through the constraints of different regions and different stages of development, concentrates human, material, and financial resources to resolve key problems within a short period, and provides strong support for the long-term development of the western region.
— Excerpted from Guangming Daily, September 9, 2026, author: Qu Pengfei, original title: "East-West Regional Collaboration Demonstrates the Party's Political Advantages and the Superiority of the Socialist System"
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李茂颖
In the old factory area of Anning Kungang (Kunming Iron and Steel), mottled red-brick factory buildings stand quietly — this is the filming location for the period drama The Good Times; in Wengding Ancient Village in Lincang, the neatly arranged and well-proportioned (错落有致, cuo luo you zhi - "scattered, orderly; well-arranged") Wa-style stilted thatched houses exude distinctive charm, adding a bright touch to the film Panda Plan: Tribal Adventure; in Pu'er's "Beautiful Star Village · Windy Coffee Valley," terraced fields rise and fall in layers, forming the healing scenes in the micro-drama My Journey Home Has Wind 2...
As of the end of September, 167 film and television crews have come to Yunnan this year in search of light and shadow. This "natural studio" tells moving stories with its real and diverse scenes. From the natural endowment of "a scene at every step," to the warm-hearted service of "one policy per drama," to the deep integration of "film and television + cultural tourism," Yunnan as a "natural studio" is being redefined.
A Scene at Every Step, Constituting the Asset Base of Film and Television Resources
With diverse landscapes, Yunnan has a rich film and television material library: in Xinping Jinshan Primeval Forest, ancient trees are covered in moss, with light and shadow interweaving in the deep, tranquil woods, providing natural shooting scenes for suspense films; in Jietou Township, Tengchong, 150,000 mu of terraced flower fields are embraced by the Gaoligong Mountains, and in spring the rapeseed flowers spread out like a vast sea of golden waves, requiring almost no post-production retouching when filmed...
With unique terrain and landforms, a three-dimensional climate environment, rich biodiversity, and colorful and varied (多姿多彩, duo zi duo cai - "many, colors, many, colors") ethnic cultures, Yunnan has nearly assembled every type of shooting scene. A Yunnan Film and Television Shooting Service Guide has been carefully compiled, incorporating high-quality filming locations from across the province.
Opening the guide, one finds information on filming location introductions, free shooting resources, 24-hour contacts, service items available from co-production enterprises, and relevant policies and regulations listed one by one (一一罗列, yi yi luo lie - "one, one, list, list"), making it convenient for crews coming to Yunnan to scout, select, and use locations. These carefully excavated niche filming location resources are precisely matched to multiple film and television creation tracks, including pastoral healing, urban suspense, period retro, and ancient-costume xianxia, providing crews with precisely matched solutions.
The true charm of a "natural studio" lies not only in the richness of natural landscapes, but also in the uniqueness and irreplaceability of cultural scenes. "When selecting a filming location, it must be sufficiently ethnic in character, and cannot be a completely fictional, Western-style fantasy tribe.We visited many places and finally chose this one." Xu Hongyu, director of Panda Plan: Tribal Adventure, explained the original intention behind choosing Wengding Village as the location.
Rather than catching up where one is weak, it is better to break through where one is strong. Compared with regions with developed film and television industries, Yunnan has chosen a differentiated path, giving priority to leveraging the advantages of its ecological and climatic resources, taking film and television shooting services as the entry point, drawing a resource map that can be used at any time, transforming resource endowments into industrial competitiveness, and making Yunnan one of the preferred places for film and television creation.
A Single Shot Enters the Frame, One-Stop Logistics Support Services
Turning "a scene at every step" into "a single shot entering the frame" cannot be achieved without the support of services behind the scenes.
During the filming of The Good Times, Yin Yuexun, who had worked for 33 years at the Kungang Company Machinery Repair Plant, played a lathe worker in his own right, saying: "Filming in the place where I worked all my life is both exciting and proud." The drama was filmed at the national industrial heritage site of Anning Kungang, where mottled relics such as No. 3 and No. 6 blast furnaces lay out a rich sense of period atmosphere. To restore the real scenes, crew members went deep into the field to interview veteran workers and meticulously restored life details such as "steaming meals over steam"; local authorities coordinated environmental protection, transportation, logistics, and other forces to fully guarantee shooting in terms of road access, vehicle parking, and other aspects.
After filming ended, the service did not stop. On the basis of the earlier services, Kungang Huachuang Group took the lead in establishing the "Anning Light and Shadow Alliance," integrating previously scattered resources such as extras, locations, and services. Zhang Bin, secretary-general of the alliance, introduced that the first batch already includes 7 film and television service enterprises and 30 supporting units, providing one-stop services from location scouting coordination to logistics support: "When crews come, they don't need to go running around busily (东奔西跑, dong ben xi pao - "east, run, west, run"); we provide the support."
In Lüjiang Town, Yimen County, Yuxi, services are equally efficient and high-quality. In May 2023, Lüjiang Town was selected as one of Yunnan Province's first batch of free filming locations, and the local government immediately established a "one-stop service" mechanism: opening filming sites free of charge, assigning staff to cooperate with crews throughout the process, and coordinating residents to help crews shoot inside homes, allowing crews to "move in with just their luggage."
According to reports, Kunming City and the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture have launched co-production service mini-programs, providing crews with "one-click direct access" services; the Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture attracts crews with its unique advantage of "scenery taken wherever the land goes, drama born wherever the scenery is," gradually forming a sound development trend of "crews flock in, tourists follow"; Yimen County is upgrading from a "popular filming location" to a "standardized film and television base."
In January 2025, the Yunnan Provincial Film and Television Association was established; in September, the shooting service procedures and industry self-discipline convention were officially released, moving Yunnan's film and television services from experience-based to standardized. Ding Xiangheng, president of the Yunnan Provincial Film and Television Association, introduced that Yunnan has built a co-production service network covering the provincial, municipal, and county levels, providing crews with full-process services including project matching, location scouting coordination, and shooting support. "Centering on crew needs and relying on the Yunnan Digital Film and Television Industrial Park, we continue to integrate film and television service resources, having already gathered 89 film and television service suppliers, continuously improving the supporting system of locations, costumes, props, equipment, vehicles, hotels, and more, so that crews not only find the scenery good, but also feel it is easy to shoot." Ding Xiangheng said.
One Hit Drama Brings New Cultural Tourism "Retention"
At the entrance of the Windy Courtyard, queues of tourists checking in form every day; on the stone-paved road, travel photography teams hold up cameras to capture "the same shots as in the drama" for tourists; in the village's tie-dye workshop, tourists personally experience the dyeing process of a square scarf... These are the daily scenes of Fengyangyi Ancient Village in Dali Prefecture after the TV drama Meet Yourself aired. The once niche village has leapt to become a popular check-in destination, with more than 30 new homestays, cultural and creative shops, and intangible cultural heritage experience stores added around it, and the film and television traffic has brought tangible income increases to local residents.
How can traffic be turned into "retention," allowing film and television IP (intellectual property) to truly take root? The local government has deeply explored classic film and television resources and launched 6 themed routes of "Traveling Dali Following Films," covering diverse scenes such as martial arts secret realms, slow journeys through ancient villages, and cultural check-ins. The stories in the lens become the roads under tourists' feet, the coffee in their hands, and the longing in their hearts.
At the beginning of this year, after The Good Times aired, scenes such as the "Machinery Factory Lüjiang Street Family Compound," "Kuncheng City Song and Dance Troupe," and "Qiu Lin Department Store" quickly became popular. These scenes were completely preserved after filming ended and became check-in landmarks. Lüjiang Town not only set up check-in maps and signage, but also preserved giant tape recorders and other 1980s-style art installations, as well as specialty shops such as the "One Cup of Lüjiang" tape recorder café. During the 2026 Spring Festival holiday, the local area received 65,000 tourist visits, and revenue of catering and accommodation merchants grew 60% year-on-year. "Coming here feels like traveling back into the drama," said Ms. Liu, a tourist from Zhejiang.
From Fengyangyi's continued popularity thanks to Meet Yourself, to Lüjiang Town being seen by more people through The Good Times, the story of "one drama igniting a city" continues to unfold across Yunnan.
The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development of Yunnan Province has set clear goals and tasks for developing the film and television industry: "Continuously strengthen the brand influence of the 'natural studio' and accelerate the construction of a film and television base facing South and Southeast Asia." In 2026, the Yunnan Provincial Government Work Report explicitly proposed "expanding industries such as film and television and publishing, and substantiating the 'natural studio' brand."
Yunnan is accelerating the construction of the "Shoot in Yunnan" platform, exploring artificial intelligence empowerment of film and television creation, and accelerating the construction of the Yunnan Digital Film and Television Industrial Park... This "natural studio" is transforming and upgrading from an "outdoor location" to a "creation and production base," allowing every frame of light and shadow to grow stories that are real and warm, belonging to this land.
Return to TopBy: 刘焕鑫
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "To ensure food security, efforts must be made on both the increase of production and the reduction of losses." October 16, 2026 marks the 46th World Food Day, and the National Food Security Publicity Week activities are being carried out simultaneously. This National Food Security Publicity Week, themed "Implementing the Whole Grain Action Plan, Promoting Grain Loss Reduction and Nutrition and Health," aims to deeply study and implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on national food security, implement the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee and the State Council, earnestly implement the requirement set forth in the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan to "promote loss and waste reduction across the entire post-production grain chain and implement the Whole Grain Action Plan," and accelerate the implementation of the Whole Grain Action Plan to achieve greater results.
Implementing the Whole Grain Action Plan benefits the country and the people and is of great significance
Whole grains are intact grain kernels that, after the removal of inedible parts such as the husk, retain the bran, endosperm, and germ. Whole grain foods are foods made with whole grains as the main raw material, with the whole grain raw material content reaching 25% or more. In December 2024, seven departments — the National Development and Reform Commission, the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the National Health Commission, and the State Administration for Market Regulation — jointly issued the "National Whole Grain Action Plan (2024–2035)," proposing to be oriented toward the needs of a big food, big nutrition, and big health approach, develop the whole grain industry in light of local conditions, promote grain loss and waste reduction, promote residents' nutritious and healthy consumption, and safeguard national food security at a higher level and on a higher plane.
Implementing the Whole Grain Action Plan is an effective path to adhere to placing equal emphasis on increasing production and reducing losses and to cultivate the "invisible grain field." Reducing losses and waste is increasing production. Promoting whole grain processing maximizes the retention of grain components such as the bran and germ, enhancing the level of edible utilization of grain resources. The yield rate of whole grains can reach over 98%, which is 20 to 30 percentage points higher than the yield rate of refined rice and white flour. In this way, it can both reduce "visible" losses of structural components and reduce the "invisible" loss of effective nutrients. Without increasing resource input, merely by changing processing and consumption methods, the effect of increasing the supply of staple food can be achieved.
Implementing the Whole Grain Action Plan is a scientific choice to adhere to placing equal emphasis on quantity and quality and to optimize residents' dietary structure. Whole grains maximize the retention of natural nutrients and bioactive substances in grains. While being rich in carbohydrates and proteins, they also retain dietary fiber, B vitamins, mineral elements, and bioactive substances, making the composition of macronutrients and micronutrients more balanced. Scientific research shows that reasonably increasing whole grain diets is conducive to maintaining a healthy body weight and helps reduce the risk of chronic metabolic diseases such as cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases and diabetes. It can be said that replacing part of refined rice and white flour with whole grain staple foods is a proactive health "treating disease before it occurs" lifestyle.
The implementation of the Whole Grain Action Plan has gotten off to a good start with strong momentum
Since the implementation of the Whole Grain Action Plan, relevant national departments have worked in coordination, all localities have advanced the work solidly based on their actual conditions, and the vast number of research institutes, universities, and enterprises have actively responded and participated. All work has been carried out in an orderly manner, and phased results have been achieved.
Public awareness has gradually increased. Extensive science popularization publicity on the theme "Whole Grains, Good Nutrition, Better Health" has been carried out. Combined with activities such as World Food Day and the National Food Security Publicity Week, the National Grain and Strategic Reserves Science and Technology Activity Week, and the China Grain Trade Conference, through methods such as displays of scientific and technological achievements, tasting of whole grain products, and science popularization lectures, knowledge about whole grain health has been deeply publicized and popularized, and the awareness and recognition rate of whole grains have been increasing day by day.
The standards system has been continuously improved. At the national level, 18 national standards and industry standards related to whole grains have been formulated or revised; at the local level, 29 local standards, 200 group standards, and 179 enterprise standards have been formulated or revised. The national standard "Whole Wheat Flour" will be implemented in November 2026, and the national standard "Requirements for Naming and Labeling of Whole Grain Foods" will be implemented in February 2027. The supporting role of the standards system in leading the development of whole grains has become more robust.
Breakthroughs in key technologies have been accelerated. The "Creation of Whole Grain Nutritious and Healthy Foods" project under the national key research and development program of the 14th Five-Year Plan has achieved a series of results in improving the taste of whole grains, extending shelf life, and facilitating processing. All localities have organized 435 basic research projects and 657 applied research projects on whole grains, developed and researched 495 innovative products, and a batch of new, efficient, and low-consumption specialized processing equipment has completed research, development, and transformation, with technical bottlenecks in whole grains being cleared one after another.
Product supply has become increasingly abundant. Some grain processing enterprises have accelerated the upgrading and transformation of whole grain processing technology and equipment, with specialized equipment for whole wheat flour and specialized equipment for extruded and puffed whole grain foods being put into application. Some leading enterprises have optimized their process flows and launched innovative products such as whole grain staple foods and whole grain ready-to-eat convenience foods, which are well received by consumers. Some retail enterprises have actively promoted whole grain products into supermarkets, onto shelves, and onto platforms, forming a lively situation of active online and offline purchasing and sales.
Pilot work has been steadily advanced. Taking whole grains entering canteens as the entry point, service manuals such as whole grain science popularization publicity packages and production technology packages have been compiled, whole grain food preparation and cooking training has been carried out, the supply of whole grain foods has been appropriately increased, employees' dining tables have been enriched, and consumption habits have been cultivated. Using point-to-area approaches to drive whole grain consumption in families and society, paths and experience have been explored and accumulated for multi-subject, multi-scenario consumption promotion.
Implementing the Whole Grain Action Plan requires sustained, long-term effort and continuous exertion
The period of the 15th Five-Year Plan is a critical stage for implementing the Whole Grain Action Plan. It is necessary to closely focus on the needs of residents' food consumption upgrading and promote whole grains to enter thousands of households more quickly and to be integrated into three meals and four seasons.
Further advance publicity and guidance. Vigorously publicize knowledge about whole grains and whole grain foods, and accelerate the formation and release of a scientific consensus on whole grain nutrition and health. Popularize the concept of whole grain nutrition and health, and advocate healthy consumption of whole grain diets. For people of different age groups and different dietary needs, explore the formulation of personalized whole grain dietary plans and strengthen precise nutritional guidance.
Further advance standards leadership. Strengthen the formulation and revision of standards for subdivided products such as whole grain raw materials, staple foods, and whole grain convenience foods, further improve standards for whole grain products and inspection and testing methods, and strengthen the publicity, interpretation, implementation, and application of whole grain standards. Encourage the formulation of whole grain enterprise standards and group standards, and strengthen international exchanges and cooperation in the standardization of the whole grain field.
Further advance scientific and technological innovation. Encourage integrated innovation in agriculture, food, medicine, and health, build innovation platforms for industry-university-research cooperation in whole grains, research and develop quality and safety assurance technologies for whole grain raw and auxiliary materials, and develop efficient and low-consumption technology and equipment for whole grain raw and auxiliary material and food processing and circulation. Create whole grain foods that suit the grain consumption characteristics of our country, and further improve the palatability and storability of whole grains.
Further advance industrial upgrading. Guide enterprises to establish supply bases for whole grain raw and auxiliary materials in regions rich in raw material resources, and carry out intensive, standardized, and large-scale production. Increase financial and policy support, implement projects for updating grain and oil processing equipment and improving the quality and efficiency of grain circulation, actively cultivate whole grain industrial clusters, and continuously enrich the supply of whole grain products.
(The author is Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Director of the National Food and Strategic Reserves Administration)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 15) (Reporter Wang Haonan) The "Beijing Municipality's Modern Logistics Development Plan for the 15th Five-Year Plan Period" was recently officially issued. The plan proposes that by 2030, the proportion of new-energy freight vehicles (excluding pickup trucks) in Beijing will be raised to 30%, the proportion of green transportation for arriving and departing cargo will be raised to 13%, and the ratio of total social logistics costs to regional gross domestic product will decline to 12%.
According to the plan, the main goal of Beijing's modern logistics development during the 15th Five-Year Plan period is that by 2030, the modern logistics system of "corridors + bases + networks" will be more complete, logistics channels will be smoothly connected both internally and externally (外联内畅, wai lian nei chang - "externally connect, internally flow"), and the circulation of resource factors will be more efficient; hub bases will radiate and drive development, becoming more coordinated with industrial development and consumer demand; network facilities will be integrated and shared, and urban delivery services will be more convenient.
Return to TopOn October 15, at the Red Beach National Scenic Corridor in Dawa District, Panjin City, Liaoning Province, suaeda salsa plants dyed the tidal flats a deep red, and the red wetland scenery attracted many tourists to come and view it.
Photo by Zhu Hongsheng (Image China)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Urumqi, October 15) (Reporter Shang Rongzheng) The "Regulations of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region on the Promotion and Administration of Tourist Homestays" was recently promulgated and will take effect on February 1, 2027.
The regulations specify that the repurchase, leasing, and exchange of idle courtyards, homestead land, and residential housing are encouraged, so that such resources may be renovated, expanded, or newly built into tourist homestays in accordance with planning requirements and land-use standards; support is given to the overall revitalization and renovation of qualified rural idle resources or old town (street) districts for the development of tourist homestays; and residents are encouraged to operate tourist homestays independently using their own residential housing.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张丹华
Cumulative transaction volume has exceeded one trillion yuan, registered suppliers number more than 160,000, and annual transaction volume has surpassed one hundred billion yuan... In the office building of Shaanxi Construction Engineering Materials and Equipment Logistics Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "SCEGC Logistics Group"), a digital display screen presents in real time the relevant data of Huashan Cloud Procurement, the bidding and procurement platform built by the enterprise.
This enterprise, established in 1952, was formerly a traditional trading company responsible for material procurement. In recent years, following the "large-scale centralized procurement, large-scale logistics" strategy of its parent company SCEGC Group, the enterprise has promoted the construction of online platforms, building Huashan Cloud Procurement and the performance e-commerce platform Huashan Cloud Commerce, with business covering the entire process from bidding, contracting, ordering, and settlement to supply chain finance.
"After going online, the entire process leaves a trace, and the contract signing cycle has been shortened from about 7 days to as little as 1 day." Fang Shaowen, general manager of Huashan Cloud Procurement Technology Company, introduced.
The accumulation of massive transaction data has laid the foundation for the transformation of SCEGC Logistics Group. Starting in 2022, the company's team attempted to clean, profile, and conduct risk identification on supplier data, establishing multi-dimensional digital profiles of suppliers capable of identifying a variety of common risks, including affiliated relationships, records of dishonesty, and so on.
SCEGC Logistics Group has carried out exploration in the field of data assetization: issuing a data asset securitization project for the construction industry on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange; completing the largest single data pledge financing in the industry. "From data resource-ization to product-ization and then to capital-ization, data on construction industry supply chain platforms is realizing a transformation from a 'cost item' to a 'value item.'" Meng Xiao, deputy general manager of Huashan Cloud Commerce Technology Company, said.
Walking into the expanded and renovated Xi'an Beilin Museum, traditional corridor-style galleries and stele pavilions are integrated with modern architectural elements, drawing visitors to stop and admire.
During the expansion and renovation of the Xi'an Beilin Museum, the project team formed a technical problem-solving team, overcoming multiple difficult and key processes and achieving more than 30 innovation results of various kinds. "Traditional manual monitoring requires monitoring personnel to use instruments to collect data on site, then generate reports through calculation, and use the data to analyze the conditions of the foundation pit excavation, which is time-consuming and laborious (耗时耗力, hao shi hao li - "waste time, waste energy")." Feng Gaowei, assistant manager of the Seventh Engineering Company of SCEGC Third Construction Group and deputy project manager of the Xi'an Beilin Museum expansion and renovation project, introduced. "Before the foundation pit excavation, the team adopted a deep foundation pit intelligent monitoring system. More than 20,000 square meters of working surface was surrounded by pre-buried pipelines, with 32 monitoring points arranged. Through various sensors, wireless transmission modules, and data analysis software, monitoring continues 24 hours a day, with data updated every 20 seconds, and staff can view it in real time through a mobile phone APP."
Using AI (artificial intelligence) to improve the efficiency of the building materials logistics industry. Since 2024, SCEGC Logistics Group has launched the "Lingjing" AI large model, applied to supplier management and risk prevention and control. The model can, based on historical bidding data and supplier performance records, recommend high-quality suppliers within a region to the procuring party, and can also identify enterprises in the bidding process that have affiliated relationships or risks of dishonesty. These functions partially replace traditional manual review and offline docking work.
"The group's business has covered 31 provinces, and business bases have been established in regions such as Northwest China, South China, and East China. In the future, we also plan to explore the supply chain going overseas along with SCEGC's overseas projects." Shao Hua, deputy secretary of the Party Committee and general manager of SCEGC Logistics Group, introduced.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曹师韵
The Asian Development Bank (hereinafter referred to as "ADB") recently released a supplementary report to the Asian Development Outlook 2026, upgrading its growth forecast for developing economies in Asia and the Pacific in 2026 from 4.9 percent in July to 5.0 percent, while maintaining the 2027 growth forecast at 5.1 percent. The report holds that although the current economic growth rate of the Asia-Pacific region has moderated compared with last year, it still demonstrates resilience amid an increasingly complex and severe external environment, with robust domestic demand, government stimulus measures, and the continued strength of technology-related industries providing support for regional economic activity.
The report shows that investment and government stimulus measures underpin regional growth, and that the artificial intelligence investment cycle has driven strong exports of technology products, which is expected to continue to boost growth in multiple economies in the region. At the same time, price stabilization measures adopted by some economies have, to a certain extent, offset the impact of high energy prices, and the ADB has revised down its 2026 regional inflation forecast from 4.3 percent in July to 4.2 percent. The 2027 inflation forecast has been slightly revised up from 3.4 percent to 3.5 percent, reflecting the possible impact of El Niño.
By subregion, Southeast Asia and South Asia have performed better than expected. The ADB has revised up its growth forecasts for developing economies in Southeast Asia for this year and next from 4.6 percent and 4.8 percent to 4.7 percent and 4.9 percent respectively, with Vietnam seeing the largest upward revision, followed by Malaysia and Thailand. The 2026 growth forecast for South Asia has been revised up from 6.0 percent to 6.4 percent, mainly benefiting from public investment and export growth in India.
The ADB report remains optimistic about China's economic growth prospects. The report holds that strong high-tech manufacturing and exports, growth in AI-related investment, and government support for domestic demand are important pillars of China's economic growth. In the first half of 2026, the value added of China's high-tech manufacturing industries above designated size grew by 13.3 percent year on year, of which the value added of the integrated circuit manufacturing industry grew by 67.3 percent and the output of industrial robots grew by 28.0 percent; investment in high-tech industries grew by 4.6 percent year on year. The ADB expects that global demand for AI-related electronic products such as semiconductors and computing equipment, as well as electric vehicles, and demand from emerging markets such as ASEAN and Africa, will continue to support China's exports; the emphasis placed by China's 15th Five-Year Plan on high-tech manufacturing and industrial upgrading will also further consolidate the export competitiveness of high-tech products.
The report also points out that the growth and inflation outlook for the Asia-Pacific economy still faces multiple risks: escalation of geopolitical conflicts could keep global energy prices persistently high and intensify volatility; a strong El Niño could push up energy demand and affect agricultural output; and tighter financial conditions and rising trade policy uncertainty also constitute downside risks.
In the face of external uncertainty, the ADB has stressed the importance of strengthening regional cooperation. The report holds that more reliable supply chains, better connectivity, and more streamlined trade procedures can reduce the impact of localized supply disruptions on individual economies, and that all parties should further strengthen regional cooperation in the fields of food and energy security.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Addis Ababa, October 15) (Reporter Liu Fangqiang) Djibouti dispatch: Djibouti's Acting Prime Minister and Minister of Justice, Bahdon, on behalf of President Guelleh, held a ceremony in the capital Djibouti City on the 14th, conferring the "National Independence Day Medal" upon all 12 members of China's (Shanxi) 24th medical team aiding Djibouti.
Bahdon highly praised the work of the Chinese medical team and stated that the Chinese medical teams aiding Djibouti have been willingly making sacrifices (甘于奉献, gan yu feng xian - "willingly, accept, dedicate") and having superb medical skills (医术精湛, yi shu jing zhan - "medical skill, exquisite, profound"), playing an important role in improving the health and well-being of the Djiboutian people. The Djibouti side is willing to work together with the Chinese side to continue deepening mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, including the health sector.
Chinese Ambassador to Djibouti Hu Bin stated that this year marks the 45th anniversary of China's dispatch of medical teams to Djibouti, and this conferral of medals is the highest tribute from the Djiboutian government and people to China's medical teams aiding Djibouti. The Chinese side will continue to deepen cooperation with the Djibouti side in various fields, injecting inexhaustible momentum into the China-Djibouti comprehensive strategic partnership.
Liang Xingyu, leader of the medical team, said that this honor is full recognition by the Djiboutian government and people of the work of China's medical teams aiding Djibouti, and is also a precious testimony to the traditional friendship between China and Djibouti. "Over forty-five years of passing on a tradition or spirit through generations (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, torch, mutually, pass on"), we have successfully completed our foreign aid mission and are returning home with this commendation. May the bridge of health and friendship between China and Djibouti remain forever open."
It is reported that the 24th medical team aiding Djibouti successfully completed approximately 14 months of medical assistance mission and departed for home on the 15th. The 25th medical team has arrived in Djibouti and will continue to carry out foreign aid medical missions in the country.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, United Nations, October 14) Teng Fei, Counselor of the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations, spoke on the 14th at the Arria-formula meeting on the Ukraine issue in the Security Council hosted by the Russian delegation, calling for all efforts to reduce the negative impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on civilians.
Teng Fei said that the prolongation and expansion of the Ukraine crisis serves no one's interests, and dialogue and negotiation are the only viable way out of the crisis. China calls for placing humanitarian issues in a priority position and making every effort to reduce the negative impact of the conflict on civilians. The ground fighting is becoming increasingly intense (愈演愈烈, yu yan yu lie - "more, grow, more, fierce"), causing a large number of civilian casualties and extensive damage to civilian facilities such as energy, electricity, food, logistics and warehousing, which is deeply distressing and worrying. China calls on both parties to the conflict to show restraint, strictly abide by international humanitarian law, avoid attacking civilians and civilian infrastructure, and strive for hope for an early peace.
He said that China urges the parties concerned to put people's livelihoods first, refrain from imposing a "logistics blockade" for military purposes, and ensure the supply of daily necessities, medical assistance, and basic public services to people on the front line. The Third Geneva Convention stipulates that prisoners of war have the right to humane treatment and are protected from torture, ill-treatment, and other harm. China calls on the parties concerned to strictly abide by relevant international law and guarantee the living conditions, medical treatment, and spiritual dignity of prisoners of war and detained persons.
Teng Fei said that China has always called for a ceasefire and cessation of hostilities, adhered to promoting peace through dialogue and consultation, and pushed for a political settlement. China supports all efforts conducive to peace, encourages the parties concerned to move toward each other, properly address each other's security concerns, eliminate the root causes of the crisis, and strive for an early conclusion of a comprehensive, lasting, and binding peace agreement. China is willing to work with the international community to continue to play a constructive role in promoting the political settlement of the crisis.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 牛瑞飞
Recently, the European Union's Regulation on Deforestation-free Products (also known as the Anti-Deforestation Regulation) authorization regulation adjusting its product scope officially took effect. The regulation requires that before relevant commodities enter the EU market or are exported from the EU, operators must prove that the products do not involve deforestation occurring after December 31, 2020, comply with the laws of the producer country, and fulfill due diligence obligations.
The regulation will apply to large and medium-sized enterprises and some small and micro enterprises from December 30, 2026, and to other small and micro enterprises from June 30, 2027. The European Commission previously estimated that after full implementation, the regulation could reduce deforestation by at least 71,900 hectares per year, equivalent to reducing carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 32 million tons, generating significant environmental benefits. However, some international institutions and professionals are concerned that strict market access requirements may form new trade barriers, causing asymmetric impacts on developing economies.
For a long time, the EU has imported large quantities of commodities such as beef cattle and dairy cattle, as well as timber, cocoa, soybeans, palm oil, coffee, and rubber. The increase in production of these commodities is often closely related to agricultural land expansion and forest degradation. European Commission data shows that greenhouse gas emissions caused by global deforestation account for about 11% of total anthropogenic emissions, while 10% of global consumption-driven indirect deforestation (i.e., embedded deforestation) is caused by EU market consumption. As one of the world's largest consumer markets for agricultural products, the EU advocates implementing the principle of "those who consume, those who are responsible" by constraining import supply chains, thereby promoting global forest protection.
According to the requirements of the regulation, enterprises need to trace commodities back to specific production plots, provide precise geographic location information, and conduct risk identification and assessment of supply chains. In other words, from a bag of coffee beans to a piece of wooden furniture, in the future it will be necessary to explain which piece of land the raw materials came from and prove that no new deforestation is involved. The prominent feature of this system is that it embeds "traceability" into trade rules in legal form. In the past, forest protection mainly relied on voluntary corporate commitments and third-party certification. Now the EU has moved environmental responsibility forward to the source of the supply chain through legislation. Enterprises must not only make green commitments but also provide verifiable geographic data.
Previously, the European Commission adjusted the regulatory scope: raw hides were formally removed from the control list, some leather products and retreaded tires also received exemptions, while instant coffee and some palm oil derivatives were added. The Commission stated that the adjustment aims to improve the precision of the rules and reduce unnecessary administrative burdens. However, this move has sparked controversy from multiple parties: environmental groups point out that the livestock industry itself is an important driver of deforestation, and excluding leather may weaken the effectiveness of the regulation; the business community believes that even after the adjustment, compliance costs remain relatively high, especially for smaller-scale agricultural operators, for whom independently establishing a complete traceability system is a heavy burden.
The debate surrounding the regulation reflects the common dilemma of EU green governance — a difficult balance to maintain (难以平衡, nan yi ping heng - "hard, to, balance") between upgrading environmental standards and controlling trade costs. The EU attempts to implement consumption-side environmental responsibility through institutional constraints plus technical means, but the fairness of the rules has been widely questioned. For example, livestock may be moved among multiple pastures, making traceability extremely difficult for beef enterprises; for developing countries, establishing plot location, data reporting, and risk assessment systems requires substantial investment in funds, technology, and training.
A study recently released by the "Network of Small Producers and Workers in Fair Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean" shows that small farmers in Latin America are facing disproportionate compliance pressure, and a large number of dispersed producers may be excluded from the European market. A report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development also points out that the regulation has a particularly significant impact on African countries highly dependent on agricultural product exports — 26% of Africa's agricultural product exports are sold to the EU. Uganda's and Ethiopia's coffee exports to Europe account for 64% and 45% of their total exports respectively. Ethiopia needs to increase investment to build traceability, certification, and management systems, while Uganda, due to its numerous and dispersed farmers, can only trace about 10% of its coffee. The report worries that without sufficient financial and technical support, the regulation may directly affect the export situation of these countries.
The EU itself also faces multiple contradictions in advancing its policies. On the one hand, the EU continues to raise the environmental threshold for imported goods; on the other hand, it is still deepening economic and trade cooperation with resource-exporting regions. How to avoid institutional conflict between green rules and trade development is a practical issue that must be addressed.
(People's Daily, Brussels, October 15)
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Tokyo, October 15) (Reporters: Li Ziyue, Chen Ze'an) According to a report by the Nikkei on the 15th, Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae hinted during a Diet interpellation on the 14th that when the "three security documents," including the National Security Strategy, are revised at the end of this year, the wording concerning the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" may be adjusted.
It is understood that when responding to a related question from Komeito lawmaker Isa Shinichi at the House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting on the 14th, Takaichi stated that the Japanese government continues to adhere to the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" as a matter of policy direction; the revision of the "three security documents" is currently underway, and there "remains room for discussion" on the specific wording concerning the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles." The Nikkei interpreted this as meaning that while Takaichi may not change the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" themselves, she may adjust the policy wording concerning these principles in the "three security documents."
The "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" refer to "not possessing, not manufacturing, and not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons." Japan's National Security Strategy, one of the "three security documents," explicitly states: "The basic policy of adhering to the 'Three Non-Nuclear Principles' will not change in the future."
The report noted that before assuming the post of prime minister, Takaichi had long advocated revising the principle of "not permitting the introduction of nuclear weapons" among the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles." Since July of this year, Japanese Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro has on multiple occasions publicly proposed that "nuclear weapons-related policy should be discussed without setting taboos." The above series of developments has continued to fuel domestic concern in Japan over a shift in nuclear policy under the Takaichi government.
Return to TopOn Cangqiao Straight Street in Yuecheng District, Shaoxing City, Zhejiang Province, the bluestone-paved roads, waterways, and traditional gatehouse residences (taimen) are neatly arranged and well-proportioned (错落有致, cuo luo you zhi - "scattered, falling; have, order"), with residents' daily life and commercial storefronts interwoven and coexisting.
This year, the northward quality-improvement and expansion project of Cangqiao Straight Street has been advanced in depth, and the conservation practice that began here more than 20 years ago continues to deepen. "Keeping the people, preserving the tangible heritage, and sustaining everyday life" has become the main thread of Yuecheng District's ongoing efforts to protect, inherit, and utilize the ancient city.
Keeping the people: preserving the living vitality of the old street
At the end of the 20th century, Cangqiao Straight Street once faced problems such as dilapidated houses, aging pipelines, and a dirty and chaotic environment. In 2001, conservation and restoration of the block was launched. There was no large-scale demolition and construction (大拆大建, da chai da jian - "big, demolish; big, build"), nor were residents relocated out of the area en masse. Instead, while improving residents' living conditions, the old houses were preserved as much as possible, the original residents were kept in place, and the block's original layout was maintained. In 2003, Cangqiao Straight Street received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Heritage Award for Culture Heritage Conservation.
Today, Cangqiao Straight Street still retains more than 800 households of original residents. With utility lines placed underground, separation of rainwater and sewage, and upgraded kitchen and bathroom facilities, residents' living conditions continue to improve. During the global main event of World Cleanup Day 2026, the refined governance of Cangqiao Straight Street drew attention. Practices such as backpack vacuum cleaning, designated-point waste collection, and off-peak waste collection and transport have been integrated into the block's daily management.
Ensuring that original residents can stay and live well is an important part of old street conservation. While preserving the original appearance of the old street, Yuecheng District also pays attention to responding to the various needs of residents. In view of the overlapping functions of residential areas, commercial areas, and scenic areas, Yuecheng District continues to promote "embroidery-style" renovation of the block and "micro-governance" of back alleys, areas along both banks of the river, and public spaces around gatehouse residences, sustaining the neighborly vitality of daily life.
Preserving the tangible heritage: continuing the cultural lineage of the ancient city
The history of Cangqiao Straight Street can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and the street name itself records the changes of the ancient city. In ancient times, government granaries and storehouses were often located near the government office compound, and a nearby bridge was named after the "granary" (cang), with the connected streets and alleys accordingly called Cangqiao Straight Street.
Today, 43 traditional gatehouse residences are still preserved along the street, with bluestone slabs, old gatehouse residences, waterways, stone bridges, and revetments interdependent. Traditional layouts such as "shop below, residence above," "shop in front, residence behind," and "deep courtyards and large mansions" can still be seen today, presenting the distinctive feature of Shaoxing's traditional streets and alleys where residence and commerce are integrated.
In recent years, in conjunction with the fourth national cultural relics census, Yuecheng District has continued to conduct re-examination of immovable cultural relics and investigation and identification of newly discovered cultural relics. In the conservation of traditional dwellings and historic buildings, original components, materials, and layouts are preserved as much as possible, so that historical information remains in every brick and tile. At the same time, some idle old gatehouse residences and former residences of notable figures have been revitalized and put to use, time-honored brands have resumed business, and historic buildings have been given new functions such as cultural display, artistic exchange, and intangible cultural heritage experiences.
The conservation experience of Cangqiao Straight Street is being extended to the entire ancient city of Shaoxing, which covers 9.09 square kilometers. In 2024, Shaoxing City comprehensively promoted the "Ten Major Actions for Quality Improvement and Expansion of the Cangqiao Straight Street Conservation Experience." This year, the northward quality-improvement and expansion project of Cangqiao Straight Street has entered the implementation stage, with projects such as the micro-renovation of the "Xueshi Fang" (Scholar's Quarter) traditional residential area and the renovation and renewal of the Bazi Bridge historic block advancing in parallel.
Sustaining everyday life: activating the vitality of the block
In olden times, merchants, literati, physicians, and handicraft workers gathered in Cangqiao Straight Street, where commercial exchanges were interwoven with residents' daily routines. Today, in cultivating business formats, the block pays attention to continuing the heritage and cultural lineage of the old street.
The development of time-honored brands and intangible cultural heritage projects is supported; traditional catering and local snacks sustain the living vitality of the old street; business formats such as yellow wine derivative products, tea and coffee, calligraphy, painting, and cultural creative products, and homestays continue to enrich the block; and new scenarios such as theater performances and Hanfu (traditional Chinese clothing) experiences have successively entered the block.
More young people are coming to the old street. In recent years, Shaoxing City has introduced a special policy for "young entrepreneurs of the ancient city," attracting young people to bring new products, aesthetics, and business methods into the old gatehouse residences by revitalizing spatial carriers, deepening school-local cooperation, and integrating entrepreneurial resources.
Digital technology has also been integrated into the conservation and management of the old street. Relying on the "Ancient City Smart Brain," buildings, streets and alleys, and underground spaces along the route have achieved digital twin technology coverage, used for dynamic monitoring of the block's appearance, buildings, and infrastructure.
This old street is also a window for observing the development of the modern service industry in Yuecheng District. Cangqiao Straight Street has now gathered 30 intangible cultural heritage stores, with single-day visitor volume exceeding 120,000 at its peak. The block has been selected as a Zhejiang Province characteristic commercial street (district) and has been included in the second batch of typical cases of humanistic economy in the Yangtze River Delta.
In recent years, Yuecheng District has continued to promote the integration of culture, commerce, and tourism, optimize the business environment, improve entrepreneurship services, and cultivate new consumption scenarios, allowing more business entities to find new space for development in the ancient city. From the "micro-renovation and refined upgrading" of Cangqiao Straight Street, to the extension of conservation experience to the ancient city of Shaoxing, to the integration of digital and intelligent governance into conservation and utilization, Yuecheng District considers the protection of the historical lineage, the improvement of people's lives, and the stimulation of development vitality together, striving to ensure that the ancient city can not only retain its history but also bear the weight of today's life and future development.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Yuecheng District Committee, Shaoxing City
Return to TopActively responding to population aging is a major issue bearing on social development and the well-being of the people. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, actively responding to population aging was elevated to a national strategy. Keeping in mind the "great affairs of the state" and the expectations of the people's livelihood, Bank of China deeply grasps the political nature and people-centered nature of financial work, upholds the mission of finance serving the people, and, relying on the "BOC Silver Age" brand, focuses on the three major business areas of pension finance, elderly-care service finance, and elderly-care industry finance, using financial strength to help hundreds of millions of elderly people move from "having support in old age" toward "enjoying life in old age."
Long-cycle prudent management, serving as the professional "guardian" of pension asset reserves
Pension funds carry on one end the people's expectation of enjoying a peaceful old age and on the other end uphold the overall situation of social stability and development; they are an important ballast for livelihood security. Bank of China deeply participates in the construction of the "three-pillar" system of pension insurance and continuously consolidates the foundation of the people's pension wealth reserves.
Comprehensively helping to consolidate the foundation of the first pillar. Bank of China was among the first batch of custodian banks for the National Social Security Fund and the Basic Pension Insurance Fund, and the first bank to launch the electronic social security card. The scale of social security card issuance continues to expand, with cumulative valid cards reaching 131 million, and services are continuously optimized to meet the people's basic old-age security needs; the application scenarios of the social security card have been enriched, with the innovative launch of the BOC·China Railway Yintong social security card featuring the "four-network integration" of finance, human resources and social security, local transportation, and intercity transportation, helping residents of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region enjoy more intelligent and convenient travel and daily life.
Steadily advancing annuity services to make them stronger and better. As one of the first batch of enterprise annuity fund management institutions, Bank of China focuses on improving the supplementary old-age security level of employees, serving more than 4.7 million individual accounts, with annuity entrusted funds exceeding 340 billion yuan, enterprise annuity custody scale exceeding 680 billion yuan, and occupational annuity custody services achieving full coverage of 32 coordination regions.
Fully ensuring the nationwide implementation of the individual pension system. Bank of China is one of the first batch of commercial banks to launch individual pension business, with more than 10 million individual pension accounts opened. It has listed the five major categories of individual pension products stipulated by financial regulatory institutions—savings, wealth management, insurance, funds, and savings treasury bonds—with product types and richness ranking among the forefront of the industry, better meeting the people's personalized pension needs and helping to address multiple challenges such as "aging before preparation."
Bank of China's elderly-care financial services go beyond providing institutionalized pension products. As population aging continues to deepen, the financial needs of residents for preparing for old age, supporting old age, and enjoying old age across the full life cycle are growing rapidly. Bank of China, together with its comprehensive operating subsidiaries, continuously enriches the supply of financial products, providing individuals with multi-level, multi-variety products such as pension savings, pension target funds, and exclusive commercial pension insurance, drawing a pension wealth management map covering the full life cycle of "accumulation—allocation—inheritance," and continuously consolidating the people's pension wealth reserves.
Conveying the warmth of elderly-appropriate services, serving as the "intimate companion" who stays with the elderly for a long time
Treating the elderly of others as one's own elderly (老吾老以及人之老, lao wu lao yi ren zhi ren lao - "old, myself, old, and, person, of, person, old"), Bank of China is committed to making elderly-care financial services warmer, making dual efforts in hardware renovation and online iteration, bringing elderly-appropriate services into branches and into the fingertips, and guarding the warmth of everyday life.
Continuous deepening of offline positions. All business outlets across the entire jurisdiction implement Bank of China's elderly-care service standards, with more than 1,200 elderly-care financial specialty branches built; it has led the formation of more than 200 community elderly-care service consortiums, serving the construction of the urban "quarter-hour elderly-care service circle." Since 2020, Bank of China has held seven consecutive sessions of the "BOC 99 Silver Age" service month activities, using financial knowledge popularization, elderly-appropriate service experiences, and elderly-respecting public welfare actions as carriers to convey the warmth of respecting and caring for the elderly to thousands of households.
Continuous optimization of online services. The "Suiyue Changqing" elderly-appropriate version of the mobile banking APP, through functions such as large fonts, wide line spacing, and voice reading, lowers the threshold for the elderly to use digital operations. The mobile banking APP has an elderly-care finance zone, covering eight major functional areas including pension planning and curated products, offers an online "BOC Senior University," and launches multiple activities such as payment discounts and targeted full-reduction offers, helping silver-age life become more colorful and diverse.
Storing and channeling financial living water, serving as the "enabler" that nourishes the silver economy industry
With the water of finance, nourish the fertile soil of the silver economy. Bank of China fully leverages the group's comprehensive advantages to help the elderly-care industry improve quality and expand capacity, committed to enabling the people to enjoy more high-quality health and wellness resources.
Innovating credit models and increasing credit supply. In light of the characteristics of the elderly-care industry of "large investment, long cycle, and few collateral assets," Bank of China innovates credit models in light of local conditions, with the balance of elderly-care industry loans increasing by more than 50% in the first half of 2026. Bank of China Sichuan Branch issued more than 70 million yuan in fixed-asset loans to build a smart health incubation park, with the project setting up 1,500 medical-care integrated beds, creating a "finance + medical-care" service scenario and becoming one of the earlier elderly-care demonstration parks in Sichuan Province to embed financial services. Bank of China Guangdong Branch innovatively launched the "Overseas Chinese Capital Increase Credit + Industry Chain" chain model of the Yueqiao elderly-care loan in Chaozhou City, Guangdong Province, converting cross-border payment flows and overseas orders into credit assets, granting 10 million yuan in credit to elderly-appropriate product manufacturing enterprises, precisely channeling financial living water into the construction of elderly-care infrastructure.
Innovating the "commercial bank + investment bank" comprehensive service model to broaden diversified financing channels. Relying on the group's comprehensive operation characteristics, Bank of China actively provides bond and equity financing for the elderly-care industry. In 2025, the National Association of Financial Market Institutional Investors officially created a bond financing instrument supporting the elderly-care industry, and Bank of China successfully landed 2 first-of-their-kind-in-province non-financial enterprise debt financing instruments supporting the elderly-care industry in Jiangsu Province and Guangdong Province, precisely directing funds to areas such as elderly-care project upgrades and health and wellness service platform construction, achieving deep integration of financial resources and the elderly-care industry. Bank of China explores using equity investment instruments to guide long-term capital into the silver economy field. In the first half of 2026, its subsidiary BOC Financial Asset Investment made good use of the policy opportunities of the equity investment pilot, landing multiple equity investment projects in the biomedicine field, earnestly practicing the policy orientation of "invest early, invest small, invest long-term, invest in hard technology."
Innovating scenario-based services and weaving a dense service network. 2026 is a critical year for long-term care insurance to transition from pilot to comprehensive institutionalization. Bank of China has launched a comprehensive service plan for long-term care insurance, providing services such as policy publicity, account management, fund settlement, financing, and scenario co-construction around the needs of the three ends of government, enterprises, and individuals, opening up the "last mile" of finance empowering the elderly-care industry. Its subsidiary BOC Samsung Life Insurance has built a "home + institution" dual-wheel-driven elderly-care service ecosystem network, signing contracts with more than 100 health and wellness institutions, building a new bridge between the supply and demand sides of the industry.
Leveraging globalization advantages, serving as the "answer sheet submitter" for innovative elderly-care financial services
Bank of China continuously broadens the boundaries of elderly-care financial services, creates a model for cross-border elderly-care services, builds a silver-age ecosystem cooperation platform, and activates new momentum for the development of the silver economy.
Cross-border elderly-care services, building bridges across mountains and seas. Focusing on the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Bank of China has built a "Five Hearts, Five Joys" integrated cross-border elderly-care service system, achieving full coverage of cross-border business in 1,000 branches, serving nearly 70,000 Hong Kong and Macao customers in handling domestic social security-related business; providing cross-border settlement services for 14 mainland "elderly medical voucher" partner hospitals; launching "BOC Anju Yi" to provide fund settlement services for Hong Kong and Macao customers purchasing property in the north; coordinating with Bank of China (Hong Kong) and Bank of China (Macau), and leveraging the Cross-boundary Wealth Management Connect, to provide domestic investment and wealth management services to more than 20,000 Hong Kong and Macao customers, and serving as the first bank to implement the cross-border disbursement of elderly allowance subsidies, facilitating the elderly in Hong Kong and Macao to enjoy their old age in the mainland.
Silver-age ecosystem cooperation, gathering the strength of partners. In 2025, Bank of China launched the "Silver Age Partner Plan," a long-term, strategic initiative for co-building the silver-age ecosystem, centered on the diverse needs of financing, intellectual support, and business cooperation for the elderly-care industry, aiming to aggregate industry strength to jointly build a silver-age ecosystem circle. As a strategic partner of the China International Import Expo, Bank of China has continuously held special matchmaking events for the silver economy since 2020. During the 7th CIIE, Bank of China's silver economy trading group gathered more than 130 institutions and facilitated the signing of multiple cross-border health and wellness projects; in 2026, the "Silver Age Partner Plan" entered the Consumer Expo for the first time, holding the "Enjoy Silver Age Consumption BOC Silver Age Escort" special event of the Silver Age Partner Plan, gathering more than 50 enterprises in the fields of health and wellness tourism, silver-age consumption, and smart elderly care, curating quality elderly-care service resources for the public.
Anchoring the strategic course, striving to be the "painter" of a new picture of elderly-care finance
Forging ahead into the 15th Five-Year Plan, Bank of China insists on anchoring to national strategies and responding to the needs of the people's livelihood, making systematic efforts from four dimensions to continuously strengthen the great article of elderly-care finance.
Guided by Party building, consolidating implementation safeguards. Bank of China thoroughly implements the various arrangements of the Central Committee, adheres to the group's "one chessboard" approach, optimizes organizational structure, incentive and constraint mechanisms, and system construction, and forges a talent team capable of shouldering important tasks.
Customer-centered, making "finance +" services better. Centering on needs such as pension planning, asset allocation, risk protection, and wealth inheritance, it hones core capabilities in research, allocation, and risk control, and improves the full product supply of savings, wealth management, funds, insurance, treasury bonds, precious metals, credit, and trusts.
With the purpose of serving the real economy, empowering industrial upgrading. It deeply cultivates the customer base of the entire silver economy industry chain, supports potential industries such as elderly-appropriate product manufacturing and smart health elderly care, makes good use of diversified tools of loans, bonds, equity, leasing, and insurance, and helps the silver economy develop in a scaled, clustered, branded, and inclusive manner.
With innovation as the driving force, reshaping the service ecosystem. Adapting to the trend of population aging, it integrates and connects various resources, building an elderly-care ecosystem service model that integrates corporate and retail business, online and offline, and financial and non-financial services.
From "having support in old age" to "enjoying life in old age," Bank of China will continue to uphold the mission of finance serving the people, leverage its globalization advantages and comprehensive operation characteristics, continuously enrich and improve the "BOC Silver Age" elderly-care financial service system, jointly build a diversified and coordinated silver-age ecosystem, and contribute solid financial strength to forging a path of actively responding to population aging with Chinese characteristics.
As the Double Ninth Festival arrives, our hearts are with the elders of every household. On the occasion of the annual Double Ninth Festival, Bank of China extends its most sincere wishes to the elderly across the world: may every elderly person have support in old age, have care in old age, have joy in old age, and have peace in old age, enjoying silver-age time in the tranquility of the years and spending a happy old age.
Data source: Bank of China
Return to TopProperty management services concern every household.
During his inspection of Shanghai in July this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must continuously improve community property management and convenience service levels with the 'embroidery craftsmanship' approach, and strive to make residents satisfied." The 15th Five-Year Plan outline proposes "implementing a housing quality improvement project and a property service quality enhancement action."
At present, China's urban development is transitioning from a stage of large-scale incremental expansion to a stage focused primarily on quality improvement and efficiency enhancement of the existing stock. Against this backdrop, whether high-quality property management services can be provided has become an important yardstick for measuring a city's livability. Data provided by the China Property Management Association shows that as of 2025, there are over 375,000 property service enterprises nationwide, with 8.833 million employees (excluding outsourced personnel), and service coverage area reaching 40.57 billion square meters.
As residents' needs have upgraded from "having a place to live" to "living in a good home," property management must also move from "having services" to "having quality services." How can the "embroidery craftsmanship" approach be applied well to continuously improve community property management service levels? Reporters recently visited Chengdu in Sichuan, Shenzhen in Guangdong, and Changsha in Hunan to investigate.
Chengdu, Sichuan explores implementing a "trust system" working method to prevent and resolve community property conflicts—
One "clear account book"
Brings "peace of mind"
People's Daily reporter You Yi
"Having lived in Yihe Yaju Community for 18 years, I never imagined the property company would give money to residents!" 83-year-old resident Zheng Yinzhong was overjoyed (喜出望外, xi chu wang wai - "joy, out, hope, exceed") when he received a red envelope of over 700 yuan. On April 18 this year, the Yihe Yaju Community in Wuhou District, Chengdu, Sichuan, where Zheng Yinzhong lives, held a public revenue dividend distribution meeting, with 741 residential owner households and 4 commercial owner households sharing a total of 557,000 yuan in dividends.
In recent years, Chengdu has piloted the "trust system" working method to prevent and resolve community property conflicts. Owners of Yihe Yaju Community have been able to share in the fruits of community development, with the property fee payment rate rising from less than 50 percent five years ago to the current 97 percent, and the number of complaints dropping from dozens per month to fewer than 5 per year.
"One 'clear account book' brings 'peace of mind.'" Zheng Yinzhong said that Yihe Yaju Community was built in 2005 and was once one of Chengdu's earliest elevator-equipped commercial housing communities. However, as time passed, the community's public facilities aged, streetlights broke and no one replaced them, fire hydrants had no water... various problems followed one after another.
Recalling the community's situation in previous years, Zheng Yinzhong knitted his brows. Some owners expressed their dissatisfaction by refusing to pay property fees, and the original property company responded by lowering service standards on the grounds of reduced income, falling into a vicious cycle. A deeper rift came from the collapse of trust—advertising fees from elevators, ground parking fees, public venue rental fees, and other public revenues were never disclosed.
"Whose pockets did the community's public revenues end up in?" Zheng Yinzhong's doubt voiced the concern of many owners. Data from Chengdu's 12345 hotline and petition channels shows that complaints about property conflicts remained persistently high for a long time.
"Under the lump-sum property service fee system, property fees are entirely at the property company's disposal, and the costs it saves are its profits, so it will inevitably try every means to reduce investment." said Jiang Wei, deputy director of the Social Work Department of the Chengdu Municipal Party Committee.
How to solve this?
Chengdu has explored depositing all funds such as property fees and public revenues into a community's independent account. The property company only withdraws performance income at an agreed proportion, with the remaining funds used for community services, and every income and expenditure item is disclosed to all owners, with expenditures determined by income.
"Under this model, property fees belong to all owners, and the property company is equivalent to a steward hired by community residents to help manage this money." Jiang Wei explained.
In 2019, Wuhou District piloted the new "trust system" property service model. In 2021, this model was implemented in Yihe Yaju Community.
"Property fees are kept in the community account, and how much the property company takes and spends is clear at a glance." Yue Xiaochu, director of the Owners' Committee of Yihe Yaju Community, took out his phone and opened the "Trust System Property Service Information Disclosure Platform" mini-program. Swiping his finger across the screen, a payment of 1,200 yuan dated September 4 came into view: purchasing 30 bags of asphalt to repair the collapsed road surface at the community's main gate. The expenditure details were also accompanied by photos of the original vouchers.
"A few days ago, some residents reported that the road surface was damaged, affecting travel safety. The property company acted quickly and repaired it soon after." Yue Xiaochu said with satisfaction.
In parallel with implementing the "trust system" property service model, in 2021, Yihe Yaju Community introduced a new property service team through market-based means—Sichuan Longfeng Chengxiang Property Management Co., Ltd. A professional landscaping team came in, clearing dead trees and overgrown weeds and replanting greenery; the barren slopes once exposed with bare earth were transformed into a small park with well-arranged landscaping; not only did the streetlights come back on, but high-definition cameras were also added... Within just one year, the community's appearance was completely renewed.
Pointing at the lush plants by the roadside, Wang Lixia, Party branch secretary of Yihe Yaju Community, said: "We purchased these together with the property company, negotiated the price, 20 yuan per plant."
In Yihe Yaju Community, every owner can check their household's payment records and the details of the community's public revenue income and expenditure at any time through the mini-program, and the property company also publicly discloses income and expenditure details monthly on the bulletin board and in the owners' group.
"Dual-password account" management sets up a "firewall" for the use of funds. "The account inquiry password is disclosed to all owners, while the payment password is held by the property company, which technically eliminates the possibility of falsifying accounts." said Wang Mingbi, general manager of Longfeng Chengxiang Property Management Co., Ltd.
Entering the Party-masses service station of Yihe Yaju Community, a monthly "Neighborly Consultation and Discussion Meeting" was being held. Yue Xiaochu opened his notebook and reported this month's work to the community Party branch, owner representatives, and the property company. As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Mingbi, sitting across from him, reported the property fee income and expenditure details and the balance of public revenues.
More than a dozen people sat around a table, going through the accounts item by item and discussing matters one by one. In March this year, regarding the community's public revenue balance from 2021 to 2025, the Owners' Committee of Yihe Yaju Community formulated a dividend plan: retaining 50 percent of the funds for repair of public facilities, renovation and upgrading, and public affairs, with the remaining 50 percent distributed to all owners in cash, calculated precisely according to housing area and parking space size.
"Since the new property company moved in, the environment of Yihe Yaju Community has continuously improved and public revenues have kept rising. As of the end of 2025, the community's cumulative public revenue balance has reached over 1.1 million yuan." introduced Yang Xin, deputy secretary of the Party committee of Jinyan Community, where the community is located. This dividend distribution included over 360,000 yuan from ground parking revenue, over 130,000 yuan from venue rental revenue, and over 40,000 yuan from advertising revenue.
Deeper changes lie in people's hearts. Owner Old Yang was once the community's famous "professional fault-finder." Later, the community invited Old Yang to attend the monthly meetings, with the owners' committee explaining decision-making procedures and the property company answering questions about the ins and outs of matters. Now, Old Yang not only speaks highly of the community's environmental improvements but has also voluntarily become a volunteer for the owners' assembly.
Owner participation has also been quietly changing. In the past, attendance at owners' assemblies was low; at the most recent meeting, 680 votes were cast out of 741 households, with a participation rate exceeding 91 percent. "Previously, both the property company and residents lacked motivation; now everyone works together with one heart." In Jiang Wei's view, the "trust system" property service is both an innovation in property management institutions and a beneficial exploration in advancing the modernization of grassroots governance.
Today, in Chengdu, the number of pilot communities adopting the "trust system" property service model has expanded from the initial 7 to over 1,300, covering all counties, cities, and districts in the city.
Shenzhen, Guangdong explores a new property service model with transparent pricing and on-demand ordering—
"Menu-style" property services
Community owners purchase as needed
People's Daily reporter Cheng Yuanzhou
Walking into Ludan Mingyuan Community in Guiyuan Subdistrict, Luohu District, Shenzhen, Guangdong, a new expenditure on the bulletin board attracted many residents to stop and look: the community's underground garage planned to lease two floor-cleaning robots at a monthly rent of 6,500 yuan.
"Hiring robots as cleaners saves 1,900 yuan in labor costs per month." said Zhou Yingchun, project manager of the Ludan Mingyuan management office of China Overseas Property Management Co., Ltd. This was a new project proposed by some owners of the community. Ludan Mingyuan Community has over 1,500 households of residents, moved in in 2018, is Shenzhen's first government-led old residential area renovation project, and is also one of the earlier communities in Shenzhen to explore "menu-style" property services.
The so-called "menu-style" means splitting the previously bundled property services into several standardized items, each with clear content, standards, and prices, allowing owners to choose as needed and freely combine them, just like ordering dishes at a restaurant. Over the past nearly 8 years, this "menu" at Ludan Mingyuan Community has grown longer and longer. In addition to routine items such as security patrols, environmental maintenance, and facility repairs, convenience service items have also become increasingly abundant.
In fact, the "menu" was "forced" into existence.
Before the renovation, the property fee for the old community was 0.6 yuan per square meter per month. After the new community was built, the property fee for resettlement housing increased to 5.98 yuan per square meter per month, and for commercial housing to 8.98 yuan per square meter per month. For a time, many owners found it hard to accept: "Why such a big increase? Where is the money going?"
The property company also felt aggrieved: in the past, it was an old community requiring only basic services such as garbage collection and transport; now it has been renewed as a garden community, with smart security, landscape gardening, butler services, and other items, each adding to costs.
Each side had its own argument—where was the root of the problem?
"Mismatch between fees and services is often the trigger for property disputes." Zhang Hongxi, secretary-general of the Shenzhen Property Management Industry Association, believes that for a long time, property fees have been a "muddled account"—owners cannot see where the money is spent, and the property company cannot explain how the price is set. With unclear accounts and quality not matching price, mutual trust is impossible.
At the end of 2018, the neighborhood committee, the property company, and owner representatives sat down to negotiate, but the price could not be agreed upon no matter how they talked. Someone proposed a different approach: why not price according to needs and try "menu-style" purchased services?
"Ludan Mingyuan is a renovated new community without historical baggage; perhaps it can truly blaze a new path." said Qian Wenkai, head of China Overseas Property's Shenzhen operations.
They sorted through needs and calculated costs item by item. Basic items such as public safety, elevator maintenance, and fire safety management could not have their standards lowered; items such as cleaning frequency, butler staffing, and garden maintenance could be selected at different levels... A detailed property service "menu" was put on the table. After three rounds of consultation, in less than a month, the owners of Ludan Mingyuan Community reached a consensus: 4.5 yuan per square meter per month for resettlement housing and 5 yuan for commercial housing.
The difference of 0.5 yuan was calculated clearly: commercial housing has 3 elevators for 4 households per floor, while resettlement housing has 2 elevators for 4 households per floor; commercial housing has one more elevator, with monthly maintenance costs over 1,000 yuan more; the marble in the lobby of commercial housing is wider, with higher maintenance costs; commercial housing is allocated one property butler per 250 households, while resettlement housing has one butler serving 500 households.
This "menu" had long been guided by policy. In 2015, Luohu District issued guiding opinions advocating tiered-fee "menu-style" property services, forming a market mechanism where quality matches price. Three years later, the exploration was implemented in Ludan Mingyuan Community.
The "menu" is not set in stone. Facing residents' diverse demands, how is it updated?
Zhou Yingchun gave an example: during home visits, many owners strongly complained about the problem of objects thrown from heights and demanded the installation of cameras to capture such incidents. But when the "menu" was publicized, some were unhappy: "Where will the camera points be placed? Will the lenses face the exterior walls or the windows?" "Will the cameras capture inside my home?"...
What to do? The property company and community workers went door to door together with Party-member owners, listening to residents' concerns and providing explanations. A week later, a plan balancing safety management and privacy protection was approved, and 77 cameras were installed on the walls.
The budget for installing the cameras was 360,000 yuan, not included in the originally agreed "menu." Where did the money come from? Zhou Yingchun explained that in Ludan Mingyuan Community, the property company only takes 10 percent of property fees as remuneration, with the rest deposited into a jointly managed account for owners' common funds. When owners have needs, expenses are drawn from these funds. Expenditures above 100,000 yuan must be disclosed to all owners.
"From the initial 'ordering' to plan review and disclosure and daily supervision, the leading role of Party building is fully brought into play, with major and minor matters decided through consultation among the community Party branch, the property company, and the community." Zhou Yingchun said that focusing on the "elderly and children" groups, the community property company has joined with the community to run a senior canteen and set up a "4:30 classroom"; monthly convenience services such as haircuts and home appliance repairs are provided; on major festivals, hundred-family banquets and social gatherings are organized... Today, owner satisfaction at Ludan Mingyuan Community remains above 95 percent year-round, with a property fee collection rate of 99.5 percent.
To promote the "menu-style" service model to more communities, the Shenzhen Property Management Industry Association has taken the lead in compiling a group standard for property service lists, extracting 270 "minimum work units"—sweeping, window cleaning, floor patrols, and so on—from 200,000 operation records across 26 categories, and verifying work-hour quotas for each work unit. How much a service is worth can be calculated at a glance.
Institutional safeguards are even more solid. The Shenzhen local standard "Residential Property Service Specifications," implemented starting in 2024, divides property services into basic level, good level, and excellent level, providing a unified yardstick for "menu splitting" and guaranteeing richer and more diverse property management services.
Through service model innovations such as "menu-style" and property standardization, Shenzhen has continuously improved property service quality, with the city's property management service coverage rate reaching 97.6 percent.
Changsha, Hunan explores a contiguous area bundled management model for property services in open old communities—
Property services shared
Management responsibilities jointly borne
People's Daily reporter Shen Zhilin
"Zhang Runmei, an elderly person living alone, has not left home for 24 hours. Please conduct a timely inspection." In the evening, Zhuang Yuanhong, property butler of Majiachong Community in Fengshushan Community, Dongtang Subdistrict, Yuhua District, Changsha, Hunan, received an alert message on her phone.
While urgently reporting to the community, Zhuang Yuanhong called over a mobile patrol maintenance worker who had just arrived from the neighboring community, and the two quickly rushed to Zhang Runmei's home, knocking on the door and calling out. Zhang Runmei, 75, struggled to open the door. "My kidney stones have flared up these past two days, and the pain makes it hard to move."
Zhuang Yuanhong quickly called an ambulance and urged the elderly woman: "You can call the property command center at any time if anything happens; the backend is online 24 hours." The property command center Zhuang Yuanhong referred to was built by Hunan Zhanyue Intelligent Property Management Co., Ltd. and can dispatch services to 46 property projects in Changsha. As a property butler for Zhanyue Company, Zhuang Yuanhong is responsible for property management and services for over 30 buildings in Majiachong Community, Qimao Dormitory Community, and other communities in Fengshushan Community.
How can households in multiple communities share one property management team? This is an innovative service implemented by Changsha for open old communities.
Take Fengshushan Community: located in Changsha's old urban area, it administers 9 communities, 8 of which are open old communities. Among these communities, half had long lacked property management services; the other half, due to factors such as enterprise restructuring, fell into difficulty in property management services after the "three supplies (water supply, electricity supply, gas supply) and one industry (property)" were transferred to local jurisdiction.
"Majiachong Community went many years without a property company taking it on, with daily services for some buildings barely maintained by temporary building chiefs." introduced Wu Ting, Party committee secretary of Fengshushan Community. The Qimao Dormitory Community originally relied on the property of an adjacent commercial building for services; after the contract expired, the property enterprise withdrew from the community.
Lacking professional property management services, many open old communities face common problems such as unmanaged public areas and unclean corridors. Li Hua, deputy director of the Housing and Urban-Rural Development Bureau of Yuhua District, introduced that within the jurisdiction, open old communities account for more than one-third of all communities, reaching 372, and the vast majority previously lacked stable property management.
Similar problems are not uncommon in streets of Changsha where old communities are concentrated, and behind this lies an account that is difficult to balance between income and expenditure.
For open old communities, the boundary between community roads and public roads is blurred. Moreover, since many communities were formerly managed by work units, many residents have not formed the awareness that "those who benefit should bear the costs," and are not accustomed to paying property fees.
"The community has contacted many property enterprises in the past. We managed to invite them in for inspections, but after looking around, there was no follow-up." Wu Ting said that open old communities are generally limited in scale, and a single community cannot independently bring in a property enterprise. "Public area facilities have fallen into disrepair over the years, requiring large one-time investments and high routine maintenance costs."
How to break the deadlock? Changsha has explored a "Party building + area-based property/large property" model, making property enterprises willing to come and stay.
"Under the guidance of Party organizations at the district and subdistrict levels, community Party organizations coordinate, and through the contiguous area bundling method, the originally scattered open old communities are integrated into areas of moderate size that are convenient for centralized management, with property enterprises brought in to operate." Li Hua introduced that through this method, more than 80 percent of Yuhua District's 372 open old communities now have stable property management.
"After contiguous area bundling, the community provides appropriate subsidies to property enterprises in the form of rewards instead of subsidies for the first few years, gradually reducing them until the subsidies are completely phased out." Wu Ting said. Taking Zhanyue Company as an example, in the first year, as long as it managed the area composed of 3 communities well, it could receive a monthly reward of 10,000 yuan.
Rewards instead of subsidies are only a transitional measure. To achieve sustainable operation of property enterprises, many communities in Changsha, centering on the goals of "reducing costs, increasing revenue, lightening burdens, and improving efficiency," guide property enterprises to do subtraction on expenditures and addition on income.
How to do subtraction?
Zhanyue Company's approach is to dynamically redeploy staff among communities—5 mobile patrol maintenance workers serve 10 communities, responsible for inspection and repair of electrical facilities, troubleshooting of public area faults, and supplementary security patrols, going wherever service needs arise.
The enterprise has calculated that one patrol maintenance worker costs about 7,500 yuan per month in labor costs. If a small community hired one independently, it would not be cost-effective for the property company and would be a heavy economic burden on residents. Now, with 10 communities coordinated together, patrol maintenance workers' incomes have increased, enterprise costs have been spread thinner, and residents' burdens have been lightened—a win-win-win for all three.
How to do addition?
"Through door-to-door visits totaling 1,300 household visits, most residents have gradually developed an awareness of equal rights and responsibilities and are willing to pay property fees. For example, in Qimao Dormitory Community, residents pay an average comprehensive service fee of 40 yuan per household per month, with a payment rate of 92.8 percent." Wu Ting said.
Raising the property fee payment rate is only one channel for increasing revenue. Previously, open old communities such as Majiachong and Qimao Dormitory had no supporting parking spaces, causing difficulties for some residents in parking. The property company now plans and manages parking spaces in a unified manner, with car owners paying appropriate fees, vehicles managed in an orderly way, and the revenue effectively supplementing property maintenance funds. Opening the operating income and expenditure statement of Zhanyue Company's Fengshushan open community project, parking fee revenue has exceeded 200,000 yuan annually for each of the past 3 years, effectively guaranteeing the investment and expenses of routine management and maintenance.
Communities lead the integration of community resources, amplifying the multiplier effect of resource value appreciation. To date, among Changsha's more than 5,000 communities, the property coverage rate exceeds 85 percent, with nearly 70 percent of open old communities achieving relatively stable property management. The shared property model of "government subsidies, property investment, resident payments, and community self-generation" is gradually being promoted.
Return to TopDo not say that the mulberry and elm at dusk are late; the evening glow still fills the sky. The vigor of the "hurdling grandpa" makes netizens sigh in self-comparison, and the vitality and joy of the "dancing grandma" have moved many people... As the Double Ninth Festival approaches, this page focuses on the exercise stories and fitness needs of older adults, advocating scientific exercise and health management, and helping more older adults enjoy a fulfilling old age.
—Ed. itor
Ding Ming, 82-year-old "hurdling grandpa"—
"Cross over; ahead is a broader vista"
Ding Ming
Daegu, South Korea, the men's M80 group 80-meter hurdles final at the 2026 World Masters Athletics Championships. As the timer froze at 15.99 seconds, I not only pocketed the gold medal but also raised the Asian record by 0.52 seconds.
Unexpectedly, the competition video went viral! "A man in his early 20s can't outrun an 82-year-old grandpa," "Grandpa crosses hurdles more nimbly than I cross the street"... Many young netizens call me "hurdling grandpa," and I feel quite gratified and quite proud.
When I step onto the competition field, I never focus only on medals; more than anything, I am competing with myself. This time when I went to Daegu, South Korea, to compete, I took on multiple events, registering for 6 events including the 80-meter hurdles, high jump, and long jump, and also serving as the leader of the Chinese team. The schedule was exceptionally tight at the time—within just two hours, I had to complete three high-intensity competitions in succession: the 80-meter hurdles preliminaries, the high jump final, and the 80-meter hurdles final. After repeated weighing of options, I decided to give up contending for a placing in the high jump, treating the high jump as a warm-up and conserving my strength to focus on the 80-meter hurdles. When the starting gun sounded, I concentrated on every step and every clearance of a hurdle, steadied my rhythm, and sprinted with full effort, ultimately winning the title.
Standing on the podium, I felt no wild elation. For me, competition is not the ultimate goal; enjoying the sport itself is what is more meaningful. When you win, be calm and composed; when you lose, be gracious. If through this participation I could display the good mental outlook of Chinese older adults, I would be quite content.
For me, practicing hurdles is not a whim but a passion buried in my heart for decades. As a student, I trained in gymnastics, and later switched to track and field, where I came into contact with hurdling. After graduating from university, I was assigned to work in Anshan, Liaoning, and track and field was always my amateur hobby. After a busy half lifetime, when I officially retired in 2004, I had more time to participate in sports and competitions.
I am not a professional athlete and have never received professional training. All my hurdling techniques and running rhythms were explored bit by bit and polished over and over by myself. When exercising at an advanced age, safety is always the first principle; I never show off my strength, and I certainly never act recklessly. The winters in Anshan are bitterly cold and long, making outdoor training unsuitable, so I would do stretching and core strength training at home to maintain body flexibility. Only when the weather warms up in April would I go to the stadium for specialized training. Usually I train once or twice a week, and only when preparing for major competitions do I gradually increase the volume.
Thanks to this persistence, over the years I have won many medals in track and field competitions at home and abroad, and I have also seen a broader world. At the 2019 Asian Masters Athletics Championships, I won 4 gold medals; at the 2024 Gothenburg World Masters Athletics Championships, I won the bronze medal in the 80-meter hurdles; and this May at the 2026 China Masters Athletics Championships held in Changsha, Hunan, I ran 16.73 seconds, breaking the national record for the 80-meter hurdles in the 80–84 age group that I myself had held.
Many people ask, at over 80 years old, can your body still handle hurdling? What I want to say is that age is a hurdle, not a threshold. Cross over, and ahead is a broader vista.
As long as you are willing to take the first step, it is never too late to start exercising. Boldly go out and get moving, pick one or two sports suitable for yourself, and persist in them steadily and earnestly. Every one of us can live the second half of life with a rich and interesting life (有滋有味, you zi you wei - "have, flavor, have, flavor") and make it shine.
(The author is a retired cadre of Anshan City, Liaoning Province; compiled and organized by People's Daily reporter Hao Yingcan)
Li Wenhui, 86-year-old "dancing grandma"—
"Live to old age, and you must stay active to old age"
Li Wenhui
Recently, a video of grandmothers with an average age of over 80 dancing the cha-cha went viral and drew attention and affection from netizens. I am one of those "dancing grandmothers." We rehearse together, perform on stage together, represent our school in Beijing municipal university fitness demonstration activities, and through group exercise we have gained warm camaraderie and enriched our retirement lives.
Some netizens wonder, "How can the grandmothers be so agile?" I think it is sports that give me strength—live to old age, and you must stay active to old age.
I am now a member of the retired staff dance team of Beijing Sport University. Before retirement, I was an artistic gymnastics coach and a national-level gymnastics judge. In my view, dance is very suitable for older adults to keep fit. Movements such as single-leg toe touches and weight shifts can train balance ability and reduce the risk of falls among older adults. At the same time, posture training can help older adults improve their bearing and lift their spirits, achieving health of both body and mind.
After retirement, drawing on my past work experience, I developed a set of fitness methods suited to older adults, leading everyone to add color to their later years through dance. In daily training, we start with ballet hand positions, standard standing posture, and basic body carriage, and then learn complete dance routines. The dance team maintains making steady progress step by step (循序渐进, xun xu jian jin - "follow, sequence, gradually, advance"), holding training twice a week, one and a half hours each session, with a 5-to-10-minute rest break in between. We select quality popular dance music, balancing visual appeal and suitability, so that older adults do not get fatigued or bored while exercising.
After entering advanced age, my biggest fitness insight is to act according to one's own ability (量力而行, liang li er xing - "measure, strength, and, act"), to be scientific and measured, and never to show off one's strength. I want to offer some advice to my "old" friends: older adults need not pursue high intensity or large exercise volume in fitness; they should calmly accept the natural changes of the body and give priority to protecting joints and bodily functions; they should try to join exercise groups with standardized teaching systems, start from basic movements, and avoid incorrect movements becoming fixed over the long term and injuring the body. I hope all older friends can step out of their homes, persist in regular exercise, and through scientific exercise strengthen their bodies, improve their posture, and enrich their lives.
(The author is a retired teacher of Beijing Sport University; compiled and organized by People's Daily reporter Wang Liang)
Developing sports for older adults protects more than just health
—Exclusive interview with Lei Jun, President of the Chinese Association of Senior Sports
People's Daily reporter Wang Liang
Sports for older adults are an important cornerstone of the national fitness cause, a livelihood project for implementing the strategy of active aging and advancing the building of a sporting power and a healthy China. As of the end of 2025, China's population aged 60 and above has exceeded 320 million. Vigorously developing sports for older adults concerns not only the physical and mental health and quality of life of older adults, nor only family harmony and social concord, but also the long-term stability and security of the country.
Lei Jun, President of the Chinese Association of Senior Sports, introduced that at present the atmosphere for silver-haired fitness in China is growing increasingly strong, and the cause of fitness for older adults is showing a sound development trend. Fitness programs suited to the characteristics of older adults and with deep mass foundations, such as tai chi, square dancing, brisk walking, air volleyball, table tennis, fitness yangge, fitness qigong, and gateball, are becoming increasingly popular; various sports activities are reaching the grassroots, with regular performances, regional competitions, and inclusive training carried out at every level; and more and more older adults are stepping out of their homes, participating in sports, and embracing health.
"Sports for older adults protect more than just health," Lei Jun said. At present, older adults' demand for fitness and health is growing ever stronger, and the work of sports for older adults needs to keep upgrading. On the one hand, promote scientific fitness to reduce the incidence of chronic diseases, improve the physical quality of older adults, and enhance quality of life. On the other hand, encourage older adults to participate in physical fitness, volunteer service, and the like, so that they can contribute their remaining energy and display their sense of responsibility, achieving health in old age, joy in old age, and fulfillment in old age.
How can one get better fitness results? Drawing on his work practice, Lei Jun offered older adults some concrete suggestions.
I. Persist in combined practice of strength, aerobic, and balance exercises. Use strength training to hold on to muscle and stabilize physical fitness, performing 2 to 3 sessions of targeted resistance training per week to alleviate symptoms such as declining strength and weakened mobility that come with age. Pair this with aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, and swimming, making steady progress step by step in improving cardiopulmonary function and enhancing body metabolism and endurance. At the same time, attach importance to balance training, practicing simple movements such as single-leg standing, walking in a straight line, and slow sitting and standing on a regular basis to improve body balance and reduce the risk of falls and injury.
II. Pay attention to scientific methods and approaches. For example: when walking, one should keep the head up and chest out, let the heel land gently first with the knees slightly bent, and swing the arms naturally while striding; do not take large strides or walk with toes turned in or out, to avoid injuring the knees and pelvis. Drawing on authoritative medical research, people over 60 need not pursue high-intensity exercise or excessive step counts; 4,000 to 6,000 steps per day is the appropriate range.
III. The key lies in making steady progress step by step; never show off one's strength and force training. Be sure to assess your physical condition before exercising, and consult a professional doctor and adjust your exercise plan when necessary. Control exercise intensity, aiming for slight sweating, steady breathing, and the ability to converse normally, and absolutely avoid high-intensity or overload exercise. Cultivate good exercise habits, persist in warming up and stretching before and after each session to protect joints and muscles; avoid the high-risk period of low temperatures in the early morning, ensure adequate rest after exercise so the body recovers smoothly, and only through long-term persistence can the effects of strengthening the body and prolonging life be achieved.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 季 芳 王 亮
In Nagoya in October, the autumn colors are at their richest, and the curtain is about to rise on the 5th Asian Para Games. From October 18 to 24, more than 3,000 para athletes from 45 countries and regions will compete in the arena. The athletes of the Chinese delegation about to take the field are actively preparing for the competition, ready for action (整装待发, zheng zhuang dai fa - "set out, prepare equipment, wait to depart").
Inside Aichi International Arena, the Chinese wheelchair basketball team is conducting its first adaptation training session since arrival. Lin Suiling, an athlete on the women's team, took a group photo with her teammates before training, her smile radiating confidence and anticipation. Huang Xunan, an athlete on the men's team, aimed at the basket and shot again and again, while the coach on the sideline frequently called time-outs and gestured tactical signals.
Arriving in the host city means the final sprint has already begun. Huang Jianhong, head coach of the Chinese wheelchair basketball team, explained that in wheelchair basketball, differences in floor surface material and friction coefficient across different venues directly affect wheelchair gliding, sudden stops, changes of direction, and the overall rhythm of physical confrontation. "Before the competition, we repeatedly had the players familiarize themselves with the competition venue, adjusted wheelchair tire pressure and wheel axle tightness, and actively adapted to the venue conditions." Huang Xunan, who is participating in the Asian Para Games for the fourth time, said that the para sports arena tests not only skill but also detail and form. "Wheelchair basketball involves intense physical confrontation, so the whole team scientifically controls the training load to ensure we have ample energy and stable form when the competition begins."
At Nagoya Tsuruma Park Multi-Purpose Sports Ground, the Chinese blind football team was training in full swing with great enthusiasm (热火朝天, re huo chao tian - "fire, heat, reach, sky"). Wearing opaque eye masks, the players took turns in drills such as passing, shooting, and small-sided scrimmages. As the ball rolled, the bells jingled crisply, and throughout the roughly one-hour training session, the players remained highly focused. Wang Guishun, head coach of the Chinese blind football team, said that the team began adaptation training without pause or rest (马不停蹄, ma bu ting ti - "horse, not, stop, hoof") immediately after arriving in Nagoya. On October 14 and 15, the organizing committee arranged two opportunities to adapt to the venue. "The training has focused on increasing the intensity of physical confrontation. We hope the players can quickly adapt to the venue environment and competition atmosphere and find their competitive form," Wang Guishun said.
On the athlete roster of the Chinese sports delegation this time, 16-year-old table tennis player Huang Zhirui is the youngest. At this edition of the Asian Para Games, she will compete in the women's singles and doubles events. Facing her upcoming debut at the Asian Para Games, her goal is very pragmatic. "I will be well prepared and strive to bring out the level of my training in the competition," Huang Zhirui said.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 季觉苏
Recently, the "Moon Rising in the East · Ten Thousand Lamps of Harmony" cultural show was held at Poly Huamu Time in Shanghai. The event integrated music, traditional opera, intangible cultural heritage displays, and other forms, with performers, community residents, and public welfare groups jointly taking the stage. The atmosphere at the event was a joyful and harmonious atmosphere (其乐融融, qi le rong rong - "joy, harmonious, blending").
Behind this cultural appointment that goes deep into the community lies Poly Development Holding Group Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Poly Development")'s long-term value commitment of moving from "building good houses" to "creating a good life." In recent years, Poly Development has adopted "Three-Good Poly, Living with Heart" as its new brand proposition, constructing a progressively layered value logic of "good products, good services, good life."
Poly Development continues to cultivate community IPs (intellectual property) such as "Hele China" and "Ten Thousand Lamps of Harmony." Over 18 years, "Hele China" has grown into a community cultural brand covering multiple cities, reaching more than 100 cities and over 900 communities, lighting up the artistic dreams of more than 3 million people. "Ten Thousand Lamps of Harmony," meanwhile, has developed from a community festival into a cross-regional, cross-group co-created and co-shared cultural activity. Every year around the Mid-Autumn Festival, neighborhood lantern fairs, long-table communal banquets, and homeowners' evening parties are held in various places, adding to the festive atmosphere.
In this process, more and more residents have moved from offstage to onstage, from audience members to participants. At the "Moon Rising in the East · Ten Thousand Lamps of Harmony" cultural show, homeowners from communities in various places took the stage in turn. Zhang Jieying and Wang Yuanlai from Hefei, Anhui, presented a poetry recitation titled "China Under the Moonlight"; homeowners from Shanghai offered an energetic street dance performance and a cheongsam show... The Silver Age Dream Chasing Chorus from Jiangsu brought "Clouds Chasing the Moon" and "Jasmine Flower." Chorus member Liu Xiaobin said: "After retirement, I signed up for the community chorus and have been singing for several years now. The sisters see each other every day, and our bond is very close. Coming to this stage today, my dream has come true." Another member, Shao Haiqing, said: "We keep polishing every movement and harmony. Being able to move the audience makes us very happy."
Zhang Fangbin, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of Poly Development Holding, said that the house is only the carrier; life is the essence. From "building good houses" to "creating a good life," homeowners and the enterprise work together in both directions to create a better life.
"I'm from the north and come to Hainan every year to spend the winter. The food and lodging are quite good, but it's just a bit lacking in the sense of ceremony of gathering together for the holidays," said homeowner Wang Yanchai. To meet the needs of the residents, the "Homeowners' Spring Festival Gala" emerged in response to favorable circumstances (应运而生, ying yun er sheng - "respond to, luck, and, arise"). Over five years, this IP has grown into a regional cultural activity linking four cities with more than 12,000 people participating on site. The community provides the stage, and homeowners direct and perform their own programs. Familiar hometown accents and programs with local characteristics give homeowners a stronger sense of belonging to the community.
At the Guangzhou Poly Time Social Innovation Center, a 150-square-meter corridor space has become a public living space at the doorstep. Toy exchange days, Starry Light Party-building activities, street-level social work services... Since its trial operation in March this year, the Social Innovation Center has held 66 community activities, 53 of which were activities led by community curators, connecting more than 80 community curators and reaching more than 2,000 people offline. Community curator Master Ye discovered during a toy exchange activity that some children are very attached to their toys and don't want to exchange them—they only want to have their broken toys repaired. So Master Ye took on the role of "toy doctor" to fulfill the children's wishes, saying, "I hope children can grow up in a healthy and beautiful community atmosphere."
The community is the smallest unit of urban governance and an important carrier for the implementation of livelihood services and the taking root of a better life. It requires both the "hard support" of infrastructure and the "soft environment" of neighbors looking out for one another (邻里守望, lin li shou wang - "neighbor, neighbor, guard, watch") and cultural enrichment. As a central state-owned enterprise, Poly Development works deeply in grassroots community scenarios, exploring and forming a multi-party collaborative governance model of "street-level coordination and guidance, enterprise implementation and execution, and homeowners' active participation," demonstrating its sense of responsibility in serving people's livelihoods. "Looking to the future, we will continue our long-termist operational philosophy, deepen the community co-creation model, cultivate community culture, and strengthen neighborhood warmth, working hand in hand with the broad body of homeowners to build beautiful communities," said a relevant person in charge of Poly Development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘硕阳
Just over ten days after the 20th Asian Games concluded, Chen Yujie stepped onto another "track." On October 15, she appeared at the school sports meet of Xiaoshi High School in Ningbo, Zhejiang Province. Having won 3 golds and 1 silver at the Asian Games, what people remember is not only her agile figure and spirited and heroic bearing (飒爽英姿, sa shuang ying zi - "valiant, heroic, imposing posture"), but also her candid remarks and youthful demeanor before and after the competitions.
As the applause and glory of Mizuho Park Athletics Stadium gradually faded, the 17-year-old Chen Yujie returned to campus and became a senior high school student. On campus, she faces a critical juncture in her academic advancement; on the track, a series of major competitions such as the 2027 Beijing World Championships are arriving in quick succession (接踵而至, jie zhong er zhi - "follow, heel, arrive, arrive"). With pressures and challenges arriving in large numbers or a continuous stream (纷至沓来, fen zhi ta lai - "scattered, arrive, flood, come"), Chen Yujie's thinking has always remained clear: whether in academics or training, her opponent is always herself.
Going back to the evening of September 29, in the final of the mixed 4×100-meter relay in athletics at the 20th Asian Games, Chen Yujie, running the fourth leg, took the baton two or three body lengths behind the Thai team and strove hard to catch up (奋起直追, fen qi zhi zhui - "rise, up, straight, chase"), overtaking before the finish line to win China's first-ever Asian Games gold in this event, while also sealing her debut Asian Games haul at 3 golds and 1 silver and setting new Asian Games and Asian junior records in the women's 100 meters.
After achieving such dazzling results, Chen Yujie said the competition was very different from what she had imagined. Before arriving in Nagoya, she was somewhat anxious. "Because it was an unfamiliar arena, I couldn't help worrying about my performance. But after finishing the 100 meters, I found that I was actually pretty 'awesome.'" Chen Yujie said after the race.
At this Asian Games, Chen Yujie competed in four events, and competing across multiple events is no easy task for any athlete, so Chen Yujie has been constantly exploring ways to cope. When competing in the first event, the women's 100 meters, because she was nervous, Chen Yujie chose to cover herself with a small floral blanket on the training field before the final, closing her eyes to rest and recuperate (闭目养神, bi mu yang shen - "close, eyes, nourish, spirit") and recalling technical details. With the dense schedule requiring rest and recovery, she would take a hot shower after each day's competition schedule to relax her muscles, then go to the cafeteria to eat herself into a "carb coma" so as to fall asleep quickly and restore her energy.
The women's 200 meters was the only event at this Asian Games where Chen Yujie did not win gold, but she still gained a great deal of benefit (获益匪浅, huo yi fei qian - "gain, benefit, not, shallow") from it. "In the future, I will encounter more opponents stronger than me on more tracks, and going through this kind of situation can improve my judgment in future competitions," Chen Yujie said. Since making her talent or prominence known (崭露头角, zhan lu tou jiao - "show, reveal, head, corner") at the 2023 World School Sports Games, Chen Yujie has represented China's track and field team at major world competitions including the Tokyo World Championships and two World Relays, and every major competition is a good opportunity for her to "level up."
In 2024, Chen Yujie entered Xiaoshi High School to study. She attends classes at school in the morning, trains at the Ningbo Sports School in the afternoon, and returns to school for evening self-study at night. The tight schedule is not a burden in her eyes, but rather another form of extracurricular life. "Exercise can secrete dopamine, and training lets me give my brain a temporary rest." Chen Yujie said that academics and training are complementing and supporting each other (相辅相成, xiang fu xiang cheng - "mutually, assist, mutually, complete") and mutually reinforcing, and that academics in particular can help her understand the content and principles of training. "Take squatting with a barbell as an example: if I didn't study, I might not understand which muscles this exercise trains, which could lead to some muscle compensation." Chen Yujie said.
Chen Yujie has now resumed training at the Ningbo Sports School, preparing for the upcoming winter training to build a solid foundation for a series of major competitions such as the 2027 Beijing World Championships. "Winning a championship only within Asia is far from enough. I hope to show my best self on the stages of the World Championships and the Olympic Games." For Chen Yujie, she is willing to be a chaser on the international stage.
When will she break 11 seconds in the 100 meters? When will she stand on the final stage of a world major? Facing ever-higher expectations, Chen Yujie is not being impatient to achieve quick success (急于求成, ji yu qiu cheng - "anxious, at, seek, success"), but rather steadily improving her results while maintaining her health. "I will keep examining myself — whether I have done perfectly in training every day, and whether I have learned knowledge in my studies." Living each day well is her unchanging goal.
Return to TopOn October 16, the 2026 National Archery Championships (Outdoor) began. Some may wonder: both involve drawing a bow and loosing an arrow, so what is the difference between the recurve bow and the compound bow?
The recurve bow is the bow type commonly used in official Olympic competition. Its appearance is simple and clean, equipped only with a basic sight and stabilizer, with no pulleys, magnifying lenses, or other accessories. An athlete releases the bowstring with their fingers to shoot, so even the slightest deviation in force will alter the arrow's flight trajectory. "The recurve bow is a contest of the person; the athlete's physical and mental state is directly reflected in every arrow," said Mu Yong, leader of the national archery team. In tense competition, athletes rely on muscle memory to replicate standard movements, and feel is their important "weapon."
Compared with the recurve bow, the compound bow is a relatively young discipline. In 2025, the International Olympic Committee announced that the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics would add a compound bow mixed team event, making the compound bow an official Olympic competition event for the first time.
The compound bow is more like a "gear enthusiast's" bow. It has a magnifying sight and a "peep sight," while its pulley structure makes drawing the bow less strenuous for the athlete. Releasing the arrow no longer depends on loosening the fingers from the string; instead, the string is released through a release aid, thereby reducing errors caused by hand movement and making the arrow faster and more stable in flight. More sophisticated equipment does not mean the competition is easier; the compound bow tests whether the person and the equipment can achieve perfect coordination. In the mixed team event, the compound bow is decided by total points, with every arrow counted, which places extremely high demands on the athletes' performance on the spot.
(Compiled and arranged by People's Daily reporter Ji Fang)
Return to TopHealth is the cornerstone for older adults to enjoy a fulfilling silver-years life. As the Double Ninth Festival approaches, this page launches a special feature focusing on health topics of concern to older adults, inviting medical experts to offer advice and delivering a warm health guide to the silver-haired generation.
May every older person live with peace of mind, tranquility, and comfort, and may all enjoy health, longevity, and a happy old age.
—Editor
Strengthening Immunity: The Key Is Building Defenses
By People's Daily reporter Bai Guangdi
As age advances, the immunity of older adults gradually declines. A single drop in temperature or a common cold can put the body to the test. Wu Jun, deputy director of the Department of Geriatric Medicine at Jiangsu Provincial People's Hospital, suggests that strengthening immunity requires building defenses on multiple fronts.
1. Balanced nutrition to keep the immune system functioning efficiently
High-quality protein is an important component of immune cells; it is recommended to increase intake of fish, eggs, lean meat, soy products, and dairy products. Vitamins and minerals can enhance immune function; it is recommended to consume a rich variety of vegetables, fruits, and whole grains daily. The diet should be light, avoiding excessive intake of oil, salt, and sugar, with cooking methods centered on steaming, boiling, and stewing.
2. Regular exercise to promote blood circulation
Appropriate strength training, such as leg raises and grip exercises, can effectively slow muscle loss and improve immunity. It is recommended to engage in about 30 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise daily, such as brisk walking, tai chi, or swimming. Acting within one's capacity (量力而行, liang li er xing - "measure one's strength, act accordingly"), the goal should be slight perspiration without breathlessness.
3. Maintaining a pleasant mood
Maintaining good social relationships, staying in touch with family and friends, and enhancing bonds and improving mood through means such as video chats are all beneficial. Cultivating hobbies and interests, such as growing flowers or listening to music, can increase life satisfaction and pleasure and promote immunity.
4. Adequate sleep with a fixed daily routine
Sleep is crucial to the immune system. Maintaining a fixed schedule, reducing time spent on electronic devices, and keeping the bedroom quiet and comfortable are all key to improving sleep quality. Dinner should be light and not overly filling, and caffeine and alcohol should be avoided. Adequate sleep allows the immune system to repair itself during the night.
5. Scientific prevention and maintaining good hygiene habits
Following doctors' advice, receive influenza vaccines, pneumococcal vaccines, shingles vaccines, and others; undergo regular physical examinations; and monitor blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipids, and other indicators.
Maintaining good hygiene habits, such as washing hands frequently, ventilating rooms often, and avoiding crowded places, helps prevent infectious diseases.
6. Managing underlying diseases with standardized medication and timely follow-up visits
Patients with underlying diseases should take medication as prescribed, attend follow-up visits on time, and avoid fluctuations in their condition. Stable blood sugar and blood pressure help reduce the likelihood of infection. Medication regimens should also be adjusted regularly to avoid drug interactions.
Maintaining Mental Health: It Is Fine to "Keep Up with the Times"
By People's Daily reporter Wu Jun
When discussing health topics for older adults, one cannot focus only on physical indicators; maintaining mental health is equally important for enjoying a happy old age. Wang Gaohua, president of the Neuropsychiatric Hospital of Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, explains that to maintain mental health, older adults can appropriately pursue novelty and maintain a love for life.
1. Actively integrating into family life
If one did not previously have the habit of doing housework, one may easily feel a sense of emptiness after retirement. One can try doing some housework and discover the pleasures of family life.
2. Opening up new social and life circles
Based on one's interests and strengths, do what one is able to do, such as participating in community public-interest classes or senior citizen bands, and one can also cultivate new hobbies.
3. Updating one's knowledge base
Maintain attention to new things, continuously update one's knowledge base and concepts, and reduce the sense of helplessness of "falling behind the times." One can learn to use a mobile phone to hail taxis and order food delivery, watch newly released movies, and maintain a sense of being "in style."
4. Not interfering excessively in children's lives
The life and work experience accumulated by older adults over the years is very valuable, but they should not interfere excessively in their children's lives and should reduce lecturing.
5. Reducing "fast-food entertainment"
Be wary of addictive forms of entertainment such as short dramas and short videos, and cultivate hobbies that require thinking, such as reading, growing flowers, and playing chess, which both exercise the mind and bring a calmer, more pleasant mood.
6. Appropriate exercise
When physical conditions permit, engage in appropriate exercise. Seek opportunities to participate in group activities, such as square dancing, fitness classes, or walking with relatives and friends.
7. Regular psychological check-ups
Adults over 60 should ideally have a psychological check-up once a year. If physical function, cognitive level, memory, or other aspects show a noticeable decline within a short period, or if personality suddenly changes markedly—for example, inexplicable outbursts of temper—one should go to the hospital for examination as early as possible.
Adult children should remain patient with their older parents, consider their feelings in language and behavior, communicate with them frequently, and stay informed of their psychological state in a timely manner.
Addressing Neurological Problems: Early Action Is Key
By People's Daily reporter Yang Yanfan
Some older adults may experience neurological problems such as memory decline, reduced reaction speed and mental agility, and impaired language function. Qin Qi, deputy chief physician at the High-Center for Neurological Diseases of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, reminds us that early action is key in addressing such problems.
1. Distinguishing benign forgetfulness from disease-related cognitive decline
Cognitive decline may be related to normal physiological aging, or it may be caused by disease factors such as neurodegenerative diseases or cerebrovascular diseases. Generally speaking, benign forgetfulness in older adults typically involves "forgetting details but remembering the big picture"—for example, forgetting the name of a dish but remembering to buy groceries. Such lapses are usually recalled with a reminder and do not affect daily life.
Early memory loss caused by disease is more severe—for example, not remembering things just said, repeatedly asking the same question within a day, and being unable to recall even after reminders.
Cognitive decline caused by disease is often accompanied by other symptoms besides forgetfulness, such as frequent errors in familiar household tasks, difficulty expressing oneself in words, or personality changes toward irritability or apathy.
2. Exercising the mind frequently and engaging in physical activity
Healthy diet. The diet of older adults should be low in sugar, salt, and fat, and should maintain dietary diversity to ensure the intake of various vitamins and trace elements.
Regular routine. Maintain adequate sleep duration to allow the brain to rest fully.
Exercise the mind frequently and engage in physical activity. Engage in more mental activities and social participation, and perform at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.
Maintain a good psychological state. When memory declines, many older adults experience anxiety; they may seek psychological support in a timely manner and gain understanding and support from family and friends.
3. Early screening and early diagnosis
Cognitive decline in older adults is a process that emerges insidiously and progresses gradually. From memory decline to a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, a combination of cognitive screening and comprehensive physician judgment is required. Cognitive screening mainly includes objective cognitive function scale assessments, imaging examinations, and fluid biomarker tests. Only after comprehensive diagnosis can it be confirmed whether an older adult has cognitive abnormalities. It is recommended that people over 50 undergo an annual brain cognitive function check-up, and seek medical attention promptly if memory decline occurs.
4. Early intervention and early treatment
Research shows that some people with mild cognitive impairment can control or even reverse their condition through active intervention. Adhering to a healthy lifestyle can also help prevent cognitive decline. Treatment of cognitive impairment requires a combination of medication, non-drug therapies, and lifestyle adjustments to delay symptoms and improve quality of life.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 尚嵘峥
"Auntie Li, hello, I've come to help you clean the house." In Jingyuan Community of the High-tech Zone (New Urban District) of Urumqi City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Li Lin, wearing a red vest and carrying cleaning tools, came to the home of resident Li Xiuhua.
"We meet again, dear girl, come in, come in." Li Xiuhua smiled and welcomed Li Lin inside. After communicating the cleaning needs, Li Lin immediately got busy, mopping the floor, wiping the glass, cleaning the window screens...
Li Xiuhua, 74, suffers from lumbar disc herniation and tenosynovitis, and has difficulty using her hands; her husband is disabled. After community cadres learned about Li Xiuhua's situation, they proactively helped her connect with the free housekeeping service at the "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping" Jingyuan Community service point, and Li Lin is the housekeeping service worker dispatched by that service point.
"Thanks to Li Lin, she works very conscientiously and has helped us a great deal." Li Xiuhua said that the housekeeping service provided by the community has made things much easier for her and her husband.
Like Li Xiuhua, many elderly people have a need for housekeeping services; however, the quality of services on the market is of varying quality or uneven standards (良莠不齐, liang you bu qi - "good, bad, not, equal"), and people worry about not being able to find a suitable housekeeping worker. On the other hand, many local women hope to master a specialized skill or expertise (一技之长, yi ji zhi chang - "one, skill, possess, long") to solve their employment problems. Starting in 2025, the Women's Federation of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region has used lottery public welfare funds to establish 100 "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping" community (village) service points across the region's 14 prefectures (prefectural-level cities and autonomous prefectures).
The service points are led by the Women's Federation and operated by social organizations. Located in communities and villages, they provide free housekeeping training and employment guidance to women in their jurisdictions, helping them find jobs at their doorsteps. At the same time, they target groups such as "the elderly and children," providing public welfare services including home cleaning, organizing and storage, assisted bathing, assisted meals, and caregiving.
Li Lin lives in Jingyuan Community and previously did odd jobs while taking care of her children. In March of this year, the community opened a service point. Seeing that free housekeeping training was offered there, she immediately signed up and, based on her interests, studied home cleaning, organizing and storage, and elderly care nursing. In April, Li Lin passed the standardized assessment and became a housekeeping service worker at the "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping" Jingyuan Community service point. "The working hours are relatively flexible, and the assigned orders are not far away, so I can take care of my family." Since starting work, Li Lin has taken on over a hundred orders and increased her monthly income by two to three thousand yuan.
For Qin Huajie, who also found work at the service point, she now has a new goal. "Before, I did odd jobs and never thought about what I was suited for. Now that my children have grown up, I've started to think about what I want to do and what I can do." Qin Huajie said that the housekeeping service training has allowed her to master a skill and find a sense of achievement. "I will keep doing this."
Li Huiping, head of the "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping" Jingyuan Community service point, introduced that the service point has provided public welfare services to community residents more than 200 person-times and helped nearly 40 women achieve employment at their doorsteps.
At the "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping" Sai Machang West Community service point in Tianshan District, a housekeeping market integrating on-site observation, results reporting, and convenience services attracted many people to stop and look. Housekeeping service workers, organizing and storage specialists, and others demonstrated their skills on site; some people came to inquire, and some residents came to place orders and purchase services. Cai Lina, head of the service point, said that the service point has opened more than 10 vocational skills training courses for women in the community and has helped 35 people successfully find employment.
As of now, Xinjiang has held a total of 13 sessions of the "Pomegranate Flower · Women's Housekeeping Market," carried out more than 90 free housekeeping knowledge popularization and publicity events, covering more than 9,700 person-times of the public. It has trained more than 210 professional housekeeping service workers, and the volunteer services provided, including cleaning and storage, meal assistance and delivery, and assisted bathing services, have benefited more than 19,000 person-times of residents.
Return to TopAs an important component of the "six networks," the urban underground pipeline network is the "blood vessels" of the city, and pipeline network operation and maintenance is the "inner lining" of urban governance. When the "blood vessels" are unobstructed, the city is safe; when the "inner lining" is solid, people's livelihoods are stable.
In Zhengzhou, Henan Province, a megacity, a vast network of rainwater and sewage pipelines crisscrosses underground, forming the foundational framework for the city's drainage and flood prevention. As the main operator of Zhengzhou's urban drainage system, Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Zhongyuan Environmental Protection"), together with the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau, has promoted the upgrading and renewal of the sewage treatment system, helped shore up shortcomings in drainage and flood prevention, and earnestly answered the livelihood examination questions concerning urban safety and resilience.
A Drop of Sewage Reborn — Opening a New Chapter of Green Development
Flowing out of residents' homes, transported through the urban underground pipeline network, centrally treated at sewage treatment plants, and reused for cooling and heating in shopping malls and communities, car washing, and road greening and sprinkling... In Zhengzhou, nearly 2.5 million tons of domestic sewage complete the value transformation from "urban burden" to "resource and energy" every day.
Relying on this model, at the 2026 International Water Association (IWA) World Water Congress & Exhibition held in early October, the "Mega-City 'Water-Energy Coupling' Sewage Resource Recovery Project" of the Zhengzhou New District Sewage Treatment Plant, implemented by Zhongyuan Environmental Protection, won the gold award in the "Project Innovation Award — Water Technology and Infrastructure That Changes the Market" category for 2026, thanks to its breakthrough technological innovation, mature practical implementation, and value for scaled-up promotion, and was further awarded the 2026 IWA Global Innovation Award by expert review, achieving the highest honor in the global water sector. Through its unique and vivid practice of promoting the transformation of the traditional sewage treatment industry toward the "three centers" of resources, energy, and carbon sinks, Zhongyuan Environmental Protection has provided a replicable and scalable "Zhengzhou solution" for global water environment governance and the green transformation of large cities.
This is the practical achievement of Zhongyuan Environmental Protection and the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau in deepening water governance and releasing ecological dividends, reflecting Zhengzhou's sustained exploration of water resource recycling and water environment governance.
A Comprehensive Prescription — Cracking the Chronic Problem of Waterlogging
Sewage treatment is the "surface," the visible governance achievement; the underground pipeline network is the "inner," the internal foundation supporting the system's operation. With the joint efforts of Zhongyuan Environmental Protection and the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau, the urban sewage treatment industry has advanced to the forefront internationally, and "minor livelihood matters" such as pipeline renovation and waterlogging control are also undergoing change.
Since the beginning of this year, Zhengzhou has abandoned fragmented remediation approaches, incorporating the Heyi area and the Longhai Road–Jingguang Road area, the most severely waterlogged areas over the years, into the key areas for tackling difficulties, carrying out systematic quality upgrading of the drainage pipeline networks on 19 roads, and enhancing the rainwater drainage and discharge capacity of the areas through engineering measures such as expanding small-diameter pipes and converting circular pipes to box culverts. At present, the renovation projects in the two key areas have entered the final stage, the upgrading of main road pipeline networks and the treatment of water-blocking bottlenecks have been basically completed, and the regional drainage carrying capacity has been significantly improved.
Pipeline renovation focuses on targeted treatment. Around the 42 renovation projects in this year's key areas, Zhengzhou adheres to the principle of "one point, one strategy," coordinating and advancing projects such as pipeline expansion, river dredging, pumping station upgrading, and the addition of water collection facilities, tailoring a renovation "prescription" for each risk point. Among them, 23 projects focus on upgrading the underground drainage pipeline network, while the remaining projects focus on shoring up shortcomings in supporting facilities such as pumping stations and sluice gates. In response to the problem of insufficient pipeline flow capacity, pipe diameter expansion is implemented; in response to hidden dangers such as low pumping station efficiency and river backflow, pumping station expansion and the installation of anti-backflow facilities are advanced.
Addressing problems with specific remedies (对症下药, dui zheng xia yao - "against, symptoms, descend, medicine") at each point and implementing them item by item, many former waterlogging bottlenecks have achieved effective treatment. The Zhengzhou Shachang Open Ditch Comprehensive Renovation Project is a typical case. Before the 2026 flood season, the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau carried out upgrading renovations at two bottlenecks of the Shachang Open Ditch, breaking through the rainwater drainage bottleneck, achieving rapid discharge of upstream water into the river, and increasing the drainage capacity of local areas to four times that before the renovation.
A Flood Season Examination — Testing the Effectiveness of Governance
The actual effectiveness of the projects can ultimately only be tested in wind and rain. During the 2026 flood season, the frequency of heavy rainfall in Zhengzhou was basically the same as in previous years, but the number of times urban waterlogging depth exceeded 20 centimeters dropped from 10 in the same period last year to 1, and the pipeline network repair and damage reporting rate fell by 70 percent year-on-year. Behind these figures is the result of Zhongyuan Environmental Protection's promotion of drainage facility upgrading and enhancement of drainage system resilience, as well as the result of the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau's coordinated efforts in "engineering renovation + operation management," continuously consolidating flood prevention responsibilities and strengthening dispatch and response.
While solidifying hardware projects, Zhengzhou has simultaneously built an urban flood prevention and drainage monitoring and early warning system, densified the deployment of flow and water level sensing terminals, and, relying on the Zhengzhou Digital Urban Operation Center, integrated more than 10,000 channels of video resources and data from more than 400 monitoring points to dynamically monitor the operational status of the pipeline network, enabling prediction of urban waterlogging risks within the next three hours, greatly compressing early warning response time, and making water conditions visible, waterlogging predictable, and dispatch evidence-based.
When the root is solid, the branches flourish; when the channels are clear, the city is safe. In Zhengzhou, the management department has woven a dense underground pipeline network, using engineering offensives to eliminate waterlogging hazards and safeguarding the city through wind and rain; the water utility enterprise has activated reclaimed water resources, using recycling to enrich the green foundation and expand the space for urban development. The government and enterprise joining hands to apply "embroidery-level effort" to the "inner lining" project has yielded not only composure in the face of heavy rain and solid ground under citizens' feet, but also the profound confidence and solid foundation for the high-quality development of this national central city.
Data source: Zhongyuan Environmental Protection Co., Ltd.
Return to TopMore than 5,000 years ago, in the Taihu Lake basin along the lower reaches of the Yangtze River, an early city with meticulous planning rose and prospered by the water — this is the Liangzhu Ancient City, located in today's Yuhang District of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Rammed earth raised majestic city walls, a water conservancy system connected the surrounding fields, and exquisite jade artifacts revealed the mature ritual civilization of Liangzhu culture, constituting tangible evidence of China's 5,000-year history of civilization. In 2019, the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City were inscribed on the World Heritage List.
In 2026, the Liangzhu ruins mark the 90th anniversary of their discovery. From the first excavation 90 years ago to stepping onto the platform for world civilization dialogue after successful World Heritage inscription, Yuhang, on this land where the codes of civilization are buried, has continued to explore the sustainable preservation and living transmission of a large-scale archaeological site, using cultural heritage to build a bond for exchanges between Chinese and foreign civilizations.
Guarding the Roots: Systematic Governance Tackles the Challenge of Earthen Site Preservation
The preservation of earthen sites is a recognized worldwide challenge. The Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu Ancient City constitute an ultra-large earthen site in a humid southern environment. Hundreds of remains are buried underground, and soil weathering, water seepage erosion, and microbial erosion pose a continuing threat to the safety of the remains. The heritage site is embedded within an urban development area, and cultural relic protection is also deeply intertwined with local urban-rural construction and the production and living needs of the masses.
Hangzhou's exploration began with the construction of a systematic protection and governance system. A dedicated management body was established to coordinate protection across the entire area, pushing protection from single-item cultural relic control toward comprehensive governance with coordinated efforts across institutions, technology, and scientific research. The "Hangzhou Liangzhu Ancient City Site World Cultural Heritage Protection and Management Regulations," officially implemented in June 2026, brings the city site, water conservancy system, cemeteries, and altars together with the surrounding ecological environment into the scope of holistic protection. It not only sets rigid bottom lines such as archaeological front-loading and heritage impact assessment, but also takes everything into account and balances different needs (统筹兼顾, tong chou jian gu - "unite, manage; take into account, balance") regarding value interpretation, improvement of people's livelihoods, and regional development, providing a reference for the protection of other large sites in China. Yuhang District has also explored establishing a mechanism whereby urban development feeds back into heritage protection, channeling a portion of the revenue from new city construction into the ongoing preservation of the ancient city, turning development dividends into solid support for guarding the roots of civilization.
Technology has installed "clairvoyant eyes" for heritage protection. The "Liangzhu Site 5000+" digital-intelligence application integrates satellite remote sensing, drone patrols, ground environmental sensors, and grid-based patrol forces to achieve round-the-clock dynamic perception of the site's environment and human disturbance, pushing the protection model from post-event handling toward pre-event warning and full-process control. This practice has won the HIST-UNESCO Award for Sustainable Development of Listed Heritage Sites, and the experience of protecting the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins has been shared at international heritage conferences on multiple occasions. To address the diseases of humid earthen sites, the country's first professional laboratory for the protection of earthen sites in humid southern environments has been established at the Hangzhou Liangzhu Ancient City World Heritage Monitoring and Management Center. The research team has clarified the mechanisms of soil deterioration and explored technical pathways such as environmental regulation and green antimicrobial methods. The relevant results have been piloted at the Laohuling Dam site, accumulating replicable technical experience for the protection of similar sites in the south.
Tracing Origins: Archaeological Evidence Bolsters the Foundation of Civilizational Confidence
Protection is the foundation; research is the soul. The value of the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins lies not only in being an ancient site, but in the fact that it substantiates, with physical evidence, China's 5,000-year history of civilization, making it one of the key pillars of the Project to Trace the Origins of Chinese Civilization.
From archaeologist Shi Xingeng's first discovery of Liangzhu remains in 1936, to the successive emergence of a series of important archaeological discoveries such as Fanshan, Yaoshan, Mojiaoshan, and the outer water conservancy system, generations of archaeologists have step by step restored the social picture of an early state 5,000 years ago, substantiating the important position of the Yangtze River basin in the origin process of Chinese civilization. Today, the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins are deeply involved in the Project to Trace the Origins of Chinese Civilization and the major research project "Archaeological China — Research on the Model of Regional Civilization in the Lower Reaches of the Yangtze River," continuing to advance the second phase of archaeological excavation at Fanshan, carrying out interdisciplinary comprehensive research around early state forms, ritual systems, urban construction, and water conservancy engineering, decoding the social structure and spiritual core of Liangzhu civilization, and continuously enriching understanding of the pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization.
Relying on the Liangzhu Research Institute and the Liangzhu International Archaeological Center, Yuhang has joined with the Dunhuang Academy to jointly build the Southeast Branch Center of the National Research Center for the Protection of Ancient Murals and Earthen Sites, accelerating the construction of academician and expert workstations and pooling domestic and international research forces for coordinated tackling of key problems. "Research on the Protection, Inheritance, and Utilization of Liangzhu Culture" has been approved as a special project of the National Social Science Fund, and academic monographs such as "The Archaeological History of Liangzhu Culture," "The Photo Collection of Su Bingqi," and "The Series on Early Chinese Civilization" have been published one after another. Research results on earthen site protection have been published in international journals such as the European Physical Journal, and multiple papers have been included in SCI (Science Citation Index) and Peking University core journals. The "Together: Searching for the Light of Civilization" heritage education project has been rated as a global case of innovation in world heritage education and a UNESCO case of innovative practice. The codes of civilization buried deep underground are becoming historical knowledge that can be perceived and recognized, consolidating the physical foundation of cultural confidence.
Revitalization: Letting an Ancient Civilization Radiate New Splendor for the Times
The protection of large sites is not about sealing off and isolating the ruins, but about letting dormant cultural relic resources re-enter contemporary life.
The display system of the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins has formed a complete pattern of "one museum and three parks" — the Liangzhu Museum, the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park, the Yaoshan Ruins Park, and the Laohuling Ruins Park — linking the Liangzhu Museum with the three ruins parks of Liangzhu Ancient City, Yaoshan, and Laohuling, transforming archaeological sites into cultural spaces where the public can touch history. On September 12, the "Cong Spectrum — Special Exhibition for the 90th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Liangzhu Site" opened at the Liangzhu Museum, bringing together 124 pieces (sets) of cong and cong-style artifacts from 39 cultural and museum institutions at home and abroad, stringing together the developmental thread of the jade cong from its origin in Liangzhu, its cross-regional spread, to its later interpretations, allowing audiences to understand the history of the blending and transmission of Chinese civilization through dialogue with the artifacts.
Yuhang uses digital technology to innovate the way the site is displayed. Based on archaeological research conclusions, 5,000 drones performed "sky archaeology" above the Mojiaoshan palace site, recreating the magnificent scene of the ancestors building the city and palaces 5,000 years ago; digital applications such as VR immersive experiences, AI smart guide glasses, and AR interactive projects also open a window for the public to trace the origins of 5,000 years of civilization.
The vitality of civilization also lies in its integration into daily life. Relying on the "Liangzhu MEI" life aesthetics project, ancient symbols such as the jade cong and the divine-human-animal face pattern have stepped out of the exhibition halls and been transformed into cultural products close to contemporary life. From daily utensils to creative ornaments, more than 700 cultural and creative products have been launched one after another, and many have been selected for the "Gifts of China" program. The Liangzhu Cultural Corridor links surrounding villages and industrial spaces, driving steady growth of the collective economy of villages in the site area, cultivating a number of provincial-level future villages, and exploring a path of mutual benefit and win-win outcomes for heritage protection, livelihood improvement, and industrial development.
Mutual Learning: Using Heritage as a Bridge for Dialogue with the World
As a sacred site substantiating China's 5,000-year history of civilization, the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins are also an important window for the world to understand Chinese civilization.
In 2023, the Liangzhu Forum was designated as an important platform for deepening civilization dialogue under the Belt and Road Initiative. To date, the forum has been successfully held three times, with more than 1,300 guests from 115 countries and regions engaging in exchange and dialogue here, and "continuing to run the Liangzhu Forum well" has been written into the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan. Using archaeological heritage as the vehicle for dialogue, the Liangzhu Forum conducts exchanges on common topics such as heritage protection, the origins of civilization, and sustainable development, putting into practice the Global Civilization Initiative.
Since the launch of the "Liangzhu and the World" series of dialogues, the Liangzhu Ancient City has successively conducted dialogues with world heritage sites such as Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, the Acropolis of Athens in Greece, the historic city of Toledo in Spain, the ancient city of Rome in Italy, and the ancient city of Samarkand in Uzbekistan. Overseas touring exhibitions such as "What Is Civilization · Encountering Liangzhu" and "Hello · Liangzhu" have traveled to the United Nations headquarters, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, and other countries and regions. Since the successful World Heritage inscription, Yuhang, centering on polishing the golden name card of "To See 5,000 Years of China, Look at Liangzhu," has carried out cultural exchanges with 136 countries and regions, using cultural relics as the medium and civilization dialogue as the bridge, presenting a true and three-dimensional ancient China and modern China to the world.
Ninety years have passed. From a field site to a cultural treasure renowned worldwide, what Yuhang guards is not only the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins themselves, but also the roots of 5,000 years of civilization. Standing at a new historical starting point, Yuhang will continue to develop through protection and innovate through inheritance, letting the ancient civilization continue to radiate vitality for the times, and contributing more Chinese wisdom to the protection of large sites around the world.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Yuhang District Committee, Hangzhou; Management Committee of the Hangzhou Liangzhu Site Administrative Area
Return to TopBy: 徐 馨 刘仲华
The first time I met Marc Hermann was at a forum in the Chinese exhibition area of the Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany. In the eyes of many, he is the most important German translator of contemporary Chinese literature. Many contemporary writers such as Alai, Bi Feiyu, Su Tong, Liu Cixin, and Chen Qiufan, along with their works, have become known to the German-speaking world through his translation and introduction. With light gray hair and gray-blue eyes, just like the character "Mo" (silent) in his Chinese name, Marc Hermann spoke little throughout the event. His core viewpoint was that Germany should publish more works by young Chinese writers with an international vision, to break down stereotypical perceptions (刻板印象, kè bǎn yìn xiàng - "carve, board, impression") among overseas readers about China.
The first time I visited Marc Hermann was at his home in Bonn. It is a quiet, youthful residence, with floor-length gauze curtains keeping out the summer heat. Our conversation unfolded slowly on a summer afternoon.
Diving into the hidden corners of the text and illuminating them
"I am very shy and do not like to talk much." Even though he was in his own home, Marc Hermann was still a bit nervous facing the interview. "But I have a very rich imagination. Books are magic doors; passing through them, I can enter countless universes and countless worlds. When I was a child, the world in books was more real and more lively than the real world. There is a new word in German called 'wanderer of the mind,' which emphasizes that an introverted person likes to roam the inner world through imagination and sensibility. For me, reading is a kind of roaming, and also the most important self-education, helping me comprehend truth and understand myself."
Among the many German-language writers, the one whose works Marc Hermann rereads the most is Kafka. "I used to think his novels were too verbose, so I only read his short stories. In recent years, reading his The Trial and The Castle, I find them very meaningful." Beyond serious literature, Marc Hermann also enjoys popular literature, especially works that combine adventurous fantasy with philosophical reflection, such as Leo Perutz, a contemporary of Kafka, and the works of Daniel Kehlmann, a contemporary German writer with multiple Chinese translations.
Marc Hermann's connection with the Chinese language began with a romance with a Chinese girl in his youth. His path to translating Chinese literature, however, was set by the German translator and scholar Wolfgang Kubin, a recipient of the Chinese Government Friendship Award. "It was Kubin who made me discover my affinity with translation." Saying this, Marc Hermann smiled. While pursuing his doctorate in the Department of Sinology at the University of Bonn, Kubin made him realize that translation is a highly creative intellectual endeavor. "Translation is far from simply replacing words; it is also literary research: almost no one—sometimes even including the author—can dive into the most hidden corners of a text and illuminate them as well as an excellent translator can." Marc Hermann said. In 2002, when Kubin needed a German translation of Yu Dafu's Sinking for his History of Chinese Literature, this short story became the first Chinese literary work Marc Hermann translated. Four years later, with Kubin's recommendation, Marc Hermann officially published his first translation, Bi Feiyu's The Moon Opera.
Beyond the literary world, the master and apprentice were also friends across generations. "Professor Kubin often says that by eating raw ginger and raw garlic every day, he is sure to live to 100." Marc Hermann said with a smile. At the celebration of Kubin's eightieth birthday held by the Department of Sinology at the University of Bonn, Marc Hermann said in his address, "Dear Wolfgang, dear old Gu and Kubin: I wish that your tremendous creativity, nourished by raw garlic, raw ginger, and family, may be preserved for a long time." The address was six pages long, restrained yet witty in its wording.
However, the master and apprentice are completely different in taste or interest (趣味迥然, qù wèi jiǒng rán - "interest, vastly, different") when it comes to translating works. Kubin translates Chinese poetry, while Marc Hermann chooses contemporary Chinese novels and comics. "Professor Kubin believes that storytelling novels are outdated today. But I happen to think that storytelling is human nature; in any era, people understand the world and themselves through stories." Marc Hermann explained at length, "I am not an 'elitist'; sometimes I simply enjoy a light, simple story—reading comics is like that, taking me back to childhood and satisfying my childlike heart. Now, my five-year-old daughter is also interested in the Chinese comics I translate, which is encouraging me to 'keep going'!"
"When I begin translating, I often already have an 'image' of the whole book in my mind, and this 'image' is independent of language." Marc Hermann told us about his translation philosophy. "I am against literal fidelity; if one is obsessed with being faithful to individual words, it becomes difficult to be faithful to the spirit of the original. The translator Svetlana Geier once said, 'Lift your nose to see the whole sentence, the whole paragraph, the whole work.'" In Marc Hermann's view, a good translation does not present every word of the original, but rather translates through the imagination evoked by the original, allowing readers to obtain the thoughts, emotions, and aesthetic beauty the author intends to convey.
Of course, translation also requires "splitting hairs over wording," which is closely related to the reader's reading experience. "For example, 'money' has more than twenty expressions in German; the words a robber, a professor, and a farmer use when talking about 'money' are certainly different. At such times, the translator is like an actor—when the role changes, the words and expressions must change accordingly." Speaking of translation, Marc Hermann always has examples at his fingertips. "The syntactic differences between Chinese and German are also great. For example, 'I love you' has multiple sentence patterns in German; if I always translate according to the Chinese subject-verb-object structure, German readers will find it tedious."
Only when "I" encounters "you," in genuine "dialogue," can one better understand and construct oneself
Regarding German readers' understanding of Chinese literature, Marc Hermann believes that the number of interested people is steadily increasing, mainly because contemporary Chinese literature, especially light novels, is increasingly going abroad. "Now the readership of serious literature is declining; younger readers prefer light novels and comics. Comics can also convey traditional Chinese culture and enhance China's soft power." Marc Hermann himself is very fond of comics. He has already translated more than thirty Chinese comic works, such as Song of the Stargazers, Tiptoe Gazing, and Whisper of the Hidden Mountain.
Marc Hermann has loved reading the British science fiction novel The Time Machine since childhood, and he has translated quite a few Chinese science fiction literary works, such as some works by Liu Cixin and Chen Qiufan. "Liu Cixin's German readers do not regard his books as a mirror of society; science fiction literature is world literature, reflecting the common destiny of humanity." Marc Hermann said. "When translating, I feel that Liu Cixin is sometimes not interested in the details of the story; he is philosophical and better at creating a world different from reality."
Besides serious literature, science fiction, and comics, Marc Hermann also enjoys reading Jin Yong. "Jin Yong's novels let me feel the charm of traditional Chinese culture. In my view, traditional culture and contemporary popular culture are both rich mines of China's cultural soft power. The German publishing market originally leaves very little space for foreign translated works; the stronger a country's cultural soft power, the more literary readers it has. We have always hoped that China will produce more and more 'friend-style' writers, such as Hesse—readers will feel that such writers are warm friends, and can see their own loves and pains in their books."
Beyond literature, philosophy is Marc Hermann's second specialty. The Tao Te Ching is the book that has influenced him most in his life, and "Dao" (the Way) is also his favorite Chinese character. When asked what he most wants to translate next, Marc Hermann said that besides Ge Fei's Jiangnan Trilogy, it is the Zhuangzi. "The Tao Te Ching already has more than 150 German translations; the Zhuangzi has far fewer translations and is also more difficult to translate. I am a bit afraid." He smiled sheepishly.
The day after visiting Marc Hermann, we went to the Department of Sinology at the University of Bonn. On the corridor walls hung photographs of scholars from the 1930s, telling of the academic heritage here. Not far away, in a conspicuous glass bookcase were displayed German works translated by Chinese scholar Cui Peiling and several Chinese novels translated by Marc Hermann, colorful and vibrant.
Translation is a dialogue; only when "I" encounters "you," in genuine "dialogue," can one better understand and construct oneself. In Marc Hermann's heart, this "you" is China, and also countless worlds within books, bestowing just the right amount of happiness upon this wanderer of the mind.
Return to TopBy: 谢亚宏
A faint sketch captures the moment when a young artist first showed early signs of his brilliance. Around 1500 A.D., the 17-year-old Raphael drew Portrait of a Boy (presumed to be a self-portrait) in gray-black chalk. This spring and summer, it appeared in the exhibition "Raphael: The Poetry of Beauty" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. At almost the same time, the National Art Museum of China exhibited the oil painting Portrait of a Young Man Holding an Apple, in which a richly dressed young man holds a golden apple while seated upright before rolling hills. Many scholars believe the figure in the painting is Francesco Maria I della Rovere, who later inherited the dukedom of Urbino. These two young faces draw people's gaze toward Urbino, a small city at the edge of the Apennine Mountains in Italy and Raphael's birthplace.
During the ancient Roman period, Urbino already appeared in historical records. It was not until the Montefeltro family took control in the 13th century that the small city finally entered a critical period of development. In the mid-to-late 15th century, Federico da Montefeltro governed Urbino, achieving outstanding military exploits and accumulating great wealth. As a military commander, Federico possessed both a fierce spirit and a delicate sensibility (心有猛虎却细嗅蔷薇, xin you meng hu que xi xi qiang wei - "heart, have, fierce, tiger, yet, carefully, smell, rose"); he painstakingly fostered a rich scholarly and artistic atmosphere, making the small city a resplendent pearl of the Renaissance. This precious legacy still shines brightly (熠熠生辉, yi yi sheng hui - "shining, shining, produce, light") today—Urbino was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1998.
Strolling amid the rolling hills of the Marche region, the old city of Urbino gradually comes into view. Here, city walls wind along the terrain, and red-tiled roofs and yellow walls glow with a warm luster under the sunlight. Walking on the stone-paved streets of the old city, one feels the urban landscape is much as it was several hundred years ago. The Ducal Palace of Urbino, located at the center of the old city, is the very soul of the entire city. In 1474, Federico expanded the palace after being made Duke; the expanded palace blends humanistic refinement with military defense. Whether it is the Courtyard of Honor with its Renaissance-style arcades or the study renowned for its exquisite intarsia woodwork, all display his pursuit of beauty.
Raphael's former residence sits on a hillside not far from the Ducal Palace. In 1483, Raphael was born here. His father, Giovanni, was the Duke's court painter and poet. As a young child, Raphael was influenced by what he saw and heard (耳濡目染, er ru mu ran - "ear, moisten, eye, dye") in his father's studio, and his brushwork absorbed the humanistic atmosphere of the early Renaissance. A fresco of the Madonna on the second floor of the former residence is believed by researchers to have been painted by Raphael at age 15. Though the composition is still somewhat immature, it already faintly reveals the soft brushwork, harmonious light and shadow, and humanistic warmth that would become the artist's signature qualities.
The 16th-century Italian artist and art historian Vasari said that Raphael possessed not only "the rarest talent" but also "a singular gentleness and grace," which was inseparable from his upbringing. Because of his father's profession, Raphael frequently visited the Ducal Palace, drawing nourishment from a vast as a sea of mist (浩如烟海, hao ru yan hai - "vast, like, smoke, sea") collection of masterpieces, and acquiring in every movement or gesture (举手投足, ju shou tou zu - "lift, hand, throw, foot") the elegant bearing of court culture.
Carrying the aesthetic taste and social grace learned in his hometown, Raphael successively went to Perugia, Florence, and Rome, making many artist friends and continuously absorbing artistic experience. In Rome, his art reached maturity. Completed in 1511, The School of Athens is a representative work of the High Renaissance: Plato and Aristotle walk side by side, one pointing a finger to the sky, the other extending a palm forward; Pythagoras concentrates on his calculations, Diogenes reclines on the steps, Euclid bends over to teach geometry to his disciples... The philosophers, each in a distinct pose, are arranged by the painter within a spacious, orderly architectural setting, and the complex group of figures appears calm, composed, and orderly (从容有序, cong rong you xu - "calm, relaxed, have, order").
In 1520, a high fever claimed the young artist's life. Raphael was buried in the famous Pantheon in Rome. The epitaph written for him has been widely recited by later generations: "Here lies that famous Raphael, by whom Nature feared to be conquered while he lived, and when he was dying, feared herself to die."
Raphael ranks among the three great masters of the High Renaissance, left a rich body of surviving works, and exerted an extremely profound influence on later generations. His students and followers inherited and developed Raphael's artistic style and contributed to the formation of the Mannerist style in 16th-century Italy. This school influenced European art for centuries, to the extent that in the mid-19th century a group of English artists founded the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, seeking to break free from the formulaic tendencies in academic art that had developed since Raphael. This not only reflects Raphael's lofty status as an artistic model but also proves that the "ideal beauty" he represented has become deeply embedded in the very blood of Western art.
Having left Urbino at age 17, Raphael embarked on a ceaselessly itinerant artistic journey, yet he never forgot his hometown. In many letters and important works, he left his signature—"Raphael of Urbino"—expressing his deep affection for and longing for his native land. Today, people have erected a statue of Raphael on a hilltop square outside the old city walls (see photo, taken by Xie Yahong), where the young artist holds a palette in his left hand and a paintbrush in his right, his gaze gentle, gazing long at his hometown.
Standing beneath the statue of Raphael and gazing at the distant hills, I cannot help but think: without the light of the Urbino court, perhaps there would have been no graceful and harmonious Raphael; without Raphael's astonishing talent, Urbino might have faded into obscurity among the many cities of Italy. The artist and the city illuminate each other, shining together in the night sky of the Renaissance with eternal radiance.
Return to TopBy: 罗 松
In early September, the small-theater Wuxi opera Liaozhai · Purple Tail (《聊斋·紫尾》) by the Wuxi Opera Troupe of Jiangsu Province traveled to Egypt to participate in the 33rd Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre. The production stood out from a large group (脱颖而出, tuo ying er chu - "shed, peak, emerge") of 324 submitted works from around the world to be selected for the official main performance unit, which comprises only 15 productions. As the only Chinese production selected for this year's festival, Liaozhai · Purple Tail was performed at Cairo's Salam Theatre, where it won unanimous acclaim from local audiences.
Since its founding in 1988, the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre has traversed a journey of more than 30 years. Its unbroken artistic exploration reflects the unique spiritual path of Egyptian theatre. This land preserves the ancient remains of humanity's early ritual theatre; Egyptian ancestors, through mythological performance, questioned life and death, good and evil, and the order of the world, accumulating a profound tradition of humanistic narrative. The continuously held Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre is precisely Egypt's artistic practice oriented toward the present: generation after generation of local creators look back to the heritage of their national civilization, interpret the ancient cultural lineage through avant-garde theatrical language, and sustain an ongoing dialogue between a millennia-old civilizational tradition and modern theatre.
This creative proposition of being rooted in tradition while facing the contemporary echoes or corresponding from a distance (遥相呼应, yao xiang hu ying - "distant, mutually, echo, respond") with the innovative explorations of Chinese opera. In the memory of ancient Egyptian civilization, there circulates the myth of weighing the heart with the feather of the goddess Maat — using a single feather to weigh the human heart, judging the good and evil and conscience of the soul. Liaozhai · Purple Tail originates from or developing out of (脱胎于, tuo tai yu - "shed, embryo, from") the literary soil of Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio (《聊斋志异》), using tales of the strange and absurd to observe human nature and distinguish good from evil, taking the fox maiden's purple tail as a symbolic vehicle for probing the human heart. On one side is the feather of justice on the scales of the underworld; on the other, the spiritual purple tail of Eastern tales of the strange. These two ancient civilizations, through utterly different cultural symbols, jointly point toward an eternal reflection on good and evil in human nature. Liaozhai · Purple Tail, written by Yu Sihan and directed by Zhang Lei, preserves the gentle and exquisite singing and performance qualities of Wuxi opera while absorbing the experimental techniques of small-theater theatre, completing a modern expression of classical subject matter through a minimalist, impressionistic stage and rich, varied body language — resonating in harmony with the same rhythm (同频共振, tong pin gong zhen - "same, frequency, together, resonate") as the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre's artistic pursuit of innovation.
Humanistic reflection rooted deep in civilization can break through the barriers of language. Although Egyptian audiences could not understand the soft Wu dialect, they could grasp the core of the story from the performers' bearing, expressions, and emotional flow. When the performance ended, many local audience members lingered before the stage to converse — what they empathized with was precisely the moving proposition about desire and conscience embedded in the work.
This performance was an equal and candid dialogue between industries. The art troupe of the China Theatre Association participated in multiple exchange activities, including international symposiums, urban flash mobs, and opera promotions, engaging in discussion and exploration with Egyptian theatre practitioners. Egyptian theatre draws nourishment from pharaonic mythology and folk performance to develop its local experimental theatre; Chinese opera, grounded in classical literary resources, explores the contemporary transformation of traditional art. Theatre and opera practitioners of both countries are all contemplating how to restore vibrant vitality to ancient civilizational traditions in the contemporary theatre.
River waters flow eternally, and civilization is endlessly regenerating or continuing without end (生生不息, sheng sheng bu xi - "birth, birth, not, cease"). The Nile's stretching waters nourish the thousand-year depth of Egypt's pharaonic civilization; the Yangtze's surging waves nurture the elegant charm of China's Jiangnan cultural lineage. This year's quest at the Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre met with the innovation of Chinese small-theater opera in Cairo, with theatre as the bond: the theatrical and operatic traditions of China and Egypt beheld one another on the contemporary stage, leaving behind a warm and lingering humanistic resonance.
(The author is the editor-in-chief of Chinese Theatre (《中国戏剧》).)
Return to TopBy: 龚 茜
Puebla is situated in a volcanic valley on the Mexican Plateau. This ancient city was founded in 1531, and the walls of its buildings are mostly warm yellow in color. Blue-and-white Puebla talavera pottery can be seen everywhere, making the entire city bright and tranquil. These seemingly ordinary talavera pieces record a cultural exchange that spanned the Pacific Ocean.
In the mid-16th century, Spain opened a transoceanic route connecting Manila in the Philippines with the Mexican port city of Acapulco. Merchant ships laden with Chinese silk, porcelain, lacquerware, and cotton cloth entered New Spain via Manila—this was an important colonial viceroyalty established by Spain in the Americas, centered on present-day Mexico. Acapulco thus became a major port for Asian goods entering the Americas, while Puebla, located on an inland transportation artery, played a key role in consumption, distribution, and re-creation. Some scholars believe that during the era of the galleons, goods exported from China's southeastern coast were transshipped via Manila to Acapulco, then moved through the transportation and trade networks of New Spain into the Mexican hinterland. In this way, a trans-Pacific trade chain gradually took shape, linking China's southeastern coast, the Philippines, Mexico's Pacific coast, and inland cities. For New Spanish society at the time, Chinese blue-and-white porcelain arriving via the galleon route was both a highly sought-after trade commodity and a quiet influence on the aesthetic tastes of the people of Puebla.
From the 17th to the 18th century, the kilns in Puebla's pottery workshops burned day and night without cease. In 1653, the Puebla potters' guild stipulated that "fine pottery must be painted in the style of Chinese porcelain, with a deep blue color and decorated with raised blue-and-white patterns." In 1682, the guild added further clauses, specifying "the technique of blue-and-white wash shading" as the standard process for fine pottery. By that time, the guild already required workshops to "strive to imitate Chinese porcelain." Local potters, building on the Iberian tin-glazed earthenware technique, repeatedly experimented with formulas, incorporating the color aesthetics, decorative patterns, and certain production methods of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain into their own practice, gradually developing a localized artistic language of "Chinese style" by the 18th century.
Unlike the blue-and-white color system of Chinese blue-and-white porcelain, Puebla talavera later developed a variety of glaze colors, including blue, white, yellow, red, and green. Among these, cobalt blue is the most recognizable primary color, while warm hues such as bright yellow and vermilion add a vivid and exuberant visual effect. The colors and patterns of Chinese blue-and-white thus merged with Iberian, Arab-Moorish, and indigenous American decorative traditions, producing a talavera style that possesses both Eastern charm and distinctly Mexican local character.
The Art Institute of Chicago in the United States holds a chocolate jar with an iron lockable lid made by Puebla artisans, dating back to the mid-18th century. The body of the jar is predominantly blue and white, decorated with patterns of tasseled drapery and long-tailed birds—motifs quite similar to the drapery, floral, and bird decorations popular on contemporaneous Chinese export porcelain. The chocolate jar is a highly representative everyday vessel among Puebla talavera, and the Eastern elements in its decoration are a vivid example of how Chinese porcelain influenced local pottery styles.
Stepping into the Ceramics Museum in downtown Puebla, one finds fine ceramics from several centuries gathering together in one place (汇聚一堂, hui ju yi tang - "gather, together, one, hall"). The blue-and-white tones of cobalt ore carry on the elegance and stability of blue-and-white porcelain; Chinese-style patterns recur across the surfaces of the pottery, while American elements such as corn and the feathered serpent god, European tales of knights, and Arab-Moorish geometric patterns are also woven in. Decorative motifs from different cultures intermingle to form the distinctive artistic style of Puebla talavera—at once refined and orderly, yet exuberant and bright. The blue-and-white palette lends the compositions a sense of calm, while yellow, red, green, and other colors add a lively quality. Flowers, birds and beasts, human figures, and geometric patterns are paired with one another in compositions of balanced density, producing a distinctive visual effect.
As the pottery-making craft matured, Puebla talavera also moved from the everyday dining table into broader public spaces. Today, walking through the old city of Puebla, one often encounters Puebla talavera by chance. The small house-number plaques hanging by the doors of residences have well-proportioned compositions, with white grounds and blue floral motifs, symmetrical layouts, and clearly discernible scrollwork and lotus-petal patterns. These decorative languages from the East, over the course of several centuries, have become part of the streetscape of Puebla and a visual memory by which people recognize the city.
More importantly, the refined, balanced, and highly standardized craftsmanship embodied in Chinese porcelain has subtly shaped Puebla potters' understanding of "fine and meticulous workmanship." In the workshops of the old city, the brushwork of artisans painting talavera decorations is not only bold and free but also absorbs the sense of order found in blue-and-white porcelain—its symmetry and meticulous patterns—giving Puebla talavera an aesthetic character in which exuberance and restraint coexist.
Puebla talavera preserves the imprint of early global trade and bears witness to exchanges and interactions between different civilizations across the oceans. Asia and the Americas, far apart from each other, crossed geographical and cultural barriers through the circulation of goods, the transmission of skills, and the sharing of knowledge, leaving behind genuine and enduring cultural echoes. To this day, the kilns, streets, and buildings of Puebla still silently tell the story of this encounter and fusion: civilization has never been an island; it is through interaction across time and space that it can absorbing new things while discarding the old (吐故纳新, tu gu na xin - "spit out, old, take in, new"); and cultural encounter is not a one-way transplantation of paradigms, but a creative reconstruction in which multiple actors participate.
(The author is a professor at the School of Western Languages, Zhejiang Yuexiu University of Foreign Languages)
Return to TopBy: 王 浩
Go to the countryside to visit the market!
At the foot of the Changbai Mountains, at the autumn rural market in Liangjiang Town, Antu County, Jilin Province, hazelnuts and mushrooms from the mountain forests are a feast for the eyes (琳琅满目, lin lang man mu - "gem, bright, full, eyes"), the cries of vendors are rising and falling in succession (此起彼伏, ci qi bi fu - "this, rise; that, fall"), and customers come and go in a continuous stream of people or things (络绎不绝, luo yi bu jue - "continuous, thread, not, exhausted"). One market connects the harvest in the fields with the dining tables of residents.
The camera pans to the Yellow River Delta. At the Xindian Market in Dongying District, Dongying City, Shandong Province, the figures of young people are more numerous. The Xindian Market, which already has a history of more than 600 years, is now full of an artistic atmosphere. Handmade ornaments, cultural and creative ornaments, and freshly ground coffee are very popular. Visitors can both hunt for goods and enjoy themselves.
Rural folk customs that have evolved from the long farming culture, and folk markets full of the flavor of life, have now become new carriers for the integration of agriculture, culture, and tourism, and new windows for observing rural consumption. The "small but beautiful" rural cultural tourism business format, represented by rural markets, is developing vigorously. In 2025, the operating revenue of leisure agriculture reached 950 billion yuan.
Why can visiting the market become popular? The traditional market is popular for its experience. From carrying baskets to buy vegetables and hawking goods with baskets in hand, to checking in and interacting, strolling while playing, rural markets have broken through the traditional market form and become an "interface" connecting rural e-commerce, product exhibitions, and so on. For example, at the Caowa Market in Linshu County, Shandong Province, stall owners wearing traditional Hanfu livestream to sell goods, and many netizens "plant grass" online and check in offline. New experiences continuously stimulate new business formats. From the past, when goods were gathered and people dispersed, to the present, which integrates intangible cultural heritage performances, farming experiences, homestay catering, and other business formats, rural markets attract visitors and can even keep them overnight, having become an organic component of "county-bound travel" and rural tourism. In Lantian County, Shaanxi Province, strolling through the Jiaodai Market, known for "on the third, sixth, and ninth days, go to Jiaodai," and tasting a cup of village coffee in the tranquil countryside, more traffic is turned into "retention." In Fuyang District, Hangzhou, the "Fuchun Mountain Dwelling Life Season" activity, themed on the four seasons of spring, summer, autumn, and winter, enters the ancient town of Xindeng in autumn. With offline stall displays and sales and online real-time livestreaming, it jointly promotes quality agricultural specialty products such as fresh pears, rice wine, and handmade rice crackers. Integrating beautiful landscapes and local products with wonderful song and dance performances, it has become a brand-new attempt to bring cultural and creative markets into the countryside. The new consumption scenarios and new cultural tourism business formats emerging from the vast fields once again confirm: rural values are rich and diverse, and the development potential of rural industries is enormous.
The popularity of rural markets originates from conforming to the new trend of experiential consumption starting to accelerate. From becoming popular to remaining popular over the long term, it is still necessary to work meticulously and make a sustained, long-term effort, consolidate the foundation of industrial development, and promote the upgrading and efficiency improvement of new rural industries and new business formats. For example, local flavor and rural charm are the distinctive features of "county-bound travel" and rural tourism. Rural scenic areas must step out of the misunderstanding of all looking exactly the same (千人一面, qian ren yi mian - "thousand, people, one, face"), fully tap their characteristics, find their differences, turn new ideas into creativity, and let "micro-landscapes" such as fields, farmhouses, and markets release enormous value. At the same time, it is also necessary to improve infrastructure such as parking lots and tourist toilets. Only when antiquity and modernity complement each other to enhance both qualities (相得益彰, xiang de yi zhang - "mutual, benefit, increase, brightness") can the beauty of the local countryside precisely meet consumer demand, turning visitors' nostalgia into a good experience of "wanting to come again."
The purpose of developing industry is to enrich the people. The vitality of new rural industries and new business formats lies in driving farmers. In practice, various localities are continuously exploring interest linkage methods such as "company + village collective + farmers," improving the mechanism for linking and driving agriculture, leaving more employment positions in the countryside, and leaving more value-added income from the industrial chain to farmers. For example, at the Guangxi Supply and Marketing Market, high-quality local agricultural products are showcased collectively, broadening sales channels and helping the fine local products of Guangxi leave the mountains. When villagers fully share the dividends of new industry development, such rural industries can develop more steadily and more sustainably.
Industrial revitalization is the top priority of rural revitalization. The rural market, which connects rural development on one end and urban consumption on the other, will surely provide a steady stream of new momentum for the revitalization of rural industries.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 顾 春
Xiaolongbao (soup dumplings), rice cakes, zha noodles... The people of Shengzhou, Zhejiang, are skilled with their hands, producing a wide variety of authentic local snacks.
Yet Shengzhou snacks also face an awkward predicament: the brand is not well-known, and the scale cannot be expanded. For example, the most distinctive Shengzhou xiaolongbao has deep cultural roots and a unique flavor, made with old-dough fermentation, 18 pleats, and a shape resembling a carp's mouth. But over the past few decades, even though the dumplings were clearly made by Shengzhou people, they have long been unable to establish the "Shengzhou xiaolongbao" label. The vast majority of the more than 30,000 stores have remained "anonymous." From business owners to the government, all feel unwilling to accept this: "After so many years, why can't we build name recognition, and why have we only been able to operate in a 'loose, scattered' manner? How can we make a big name for ourselves?"
The rise of Shengzhou xiaolongbao is precisely the fruit of developing the county economy in light of local conditions.
Breaking the deadlock—
Reconstructing the industry logic with an industrialization mindset
In 2019, a local enterprise tried selling "Shengzhou old-dough xiaolongbao" through online livestreaming. Unexpectedly, the results were producing instant results (立竿见影, li gan jian ying - "stand, up, see, immediate"): in one livestream, 700,000 yuan worth of xiaolongbao was sold within a few minutes!
The local government was very keen, immediately assessed the opportunity, and a series of policies were quickly introduced: a "Snack Food Office" was established, with a special annual subsidy of 25 million yuan, dynamically adjusted according to the industry's pain points, from factory rental subsidies and equipment grants to exhibition support and scale cultivation, always keeping pace with the actual needs of enterprises.
Outsiders may not understand. These measures were originally used for cultivating and supporting industrial industries; this was the first time they were applied to xiaolongbao.
"That's right, the xiaolongbao industry was able to rise rapidly precisely because it took the right path of industrialization!" said Shen Lu, deputy mayor of Shengzhou City, bluntly.
The Shengzhou municipal government had long been planning for the snack food industry. With more than 30,000 snack shops spread across the country, starting in 2016, Shengzhou established a snack food industry association, with branches set up in various provinces, so that Shengzhou snack shop owners working elsewhere finally had a "home base" to turn to. Through visits and research, the advantages, pain points, and market demand of the snack food industry were thoroughly understood, revealing that the key contradiction was the lack of large enterprises and the difficulty of unifying a large industry.
In 2024, Shengzhou City tailored a set of organizational safeguards for xiaolongbao: the "Snack Food Office" was upgraded from a commercial department to one directly under the municipal government. Every link involved, from recruitment and training, quality supervision, and brand building, is coordinated across the entire chain by the deputy mayor in charge, integrating the functions of the human resources and social security, market supervision, and commerce departments to form an efficient governance pattern of "one line managing everything."
Industrial enterprise leaders with keen senses saw the industrial opportunity and began to switch industries.
Lou Xiaoming, chairman of Zhejiang Fengxi Food Co., Ltd., is a representative example. He was originally in the tie industry and invested 60 million yuan in 2023 to build a dumpling factory. "At the time, I was widely questioned; people thought that a business owner turning to selling dumplings was a bit 'beneath one's dignity.'" But he was confident in the market opportunity: Shengzhou xiaolongbao could not be seen in any supermarket channels nationwide because the husband-and-wife shop business model could only "play small," and without upgrading to a large enterprise, they could not meet supermarket factory inspection standards. As an entrepreneur, he quickly clarified his thinking: only industrialization could break the boundaries.
Lou Xiaoming built a pharmaceutical-grade GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) workshop. The entire factory covers 15,000 square meters, with two dumpling-making workshops containing 23 handmade production lines, producing 1.2 million handmade xiaolongbao per day.
He renovated the factory and developed production lines according to enterprise operational logic: the front end—chopping and mixing, fermentation, and dough portioning—is mechanized, while the back end features precision temperature-controlled steaming tunnels, with X-ray machines and metal detectors conducting "physical examinations" on every dumpling.
There is considerable "know-how" in this process. Old-dough proofing is delicate: if the time is too short, the result is waste; if too long, the dumpling skin turns yellow. During the wrapping process, if the pleats are pinched too tightly, the dough becomes dense and heavy; if too loose, the dumpling falls apart when steamed. After steaming, the skin must be plump and the meat filling 70% cooked, to ensure that when customers re-steam the dumplings, the skin does not stick to the teeth and the filling retains its juicy, delicious texture. Finally, the dough is fermented using four different temperature settings depending on the season, and the R&D investment for the steaming tunnel alone exceeded 40 million yuan. "Multiple rounds of iteration are all for stable quality," Lou Xiaoming said.
Soon, more cross-industry entrepreneurs entered the xiaolongbao industry. When these business owners, originally from the tie and machinery industries, switched to making dumplings, their experience in marketing, assembly line management, quality control systems, and cost accounting transferred almost seamlessly.
Can a local snack take the path of industrialization and remain authentic and delicious? Will industrialization erase traditional flavors?
At the wrapping line, reporters saw workers wrapping dumplings at lightning speed, completely following the traditional craft.
"Industrialization has not replaced the core skills," Lou Xiaoming explained. Because old dough has high moisture content, mechanical arms cannot handle it, so all xiaolongbao are wrapped by hand. This preserves the key to Shengzhou xiaolongbao's taste: the essence of the intangible cultural heritage technique of natural old-dough fermentation and handmade wrapping. Currently, the city has a total of 3,240 handmade wrapping positions. Every new employee must undergo 15 days of specialized training, and workers' monthly income generally ranges from 7,000–8,000 yuan, with some even exceeding 10,000 yuan, driving "employment at the doorstep."
Empowerment—
Standardization and digitalization build a solid quality foundation
To let xiaolongbao travel far, one must not only know how to "produce" but also how to "manage." In the past, the skin-to-filling ratio and old-dough fermentation time of xiaolongbao all depended entirely on the master's experience and feel, so flavors inevitably varied, making large-scale production and chain operation difficult. Shengzhou came up with a clever solution: use standards to set the rules and use digitalization to manage the entire process.
In April 2026, the Zhejiang Provincial Administration for Market Regulation officially issued to Shengzhou City the "Notice on Several Measures to Support the High-Quality Development of the Shengzhou Snack Food Industry," launching 16 substantive measures across four major areas: standards system, brand protection, digital empowerment, and market expansion. This was the first time Shengzhou snacks received a "policy package" tailored by the province, fundamentally resolving the difficulties of industrial development.
At the same time, the Shengzhou City Xiaolongbao Industry Quality Infrastructure One-Stop Service Platform was completed and put into operation, integrating 12 core services from registration and approval to standardization construction and quality management, paving the way for controlling quality at the source and breaking new ground in industrial development.
Seven Shengzhou snack food association standards were released, providing detailed regulations on product classification, raw and auxiliary materials, production processes, steaming and storage, sensory qualities, and other details: explicitly requiring the preservation of distinctive techniques such as "no baking powder, old-dough fermentation, handmade wrapping" for xiaolongbao; the skin-to-filling ratio of leavened xiaolongbao is approximately 6:4; steaming time is 8 to 10 minutes after the water boils; and even the requirement that a xiaolongbao's "carp mouth" must have 16 to 22 pleats is written out clearly.
From then on, Shengzhou xiaolongbao, carrying the "standard answer," tastes right no matter where it goes.
The strictest checkpoint is set in digital supervision.
At the Digital Operation and Maintenance Center of the Shengzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration, the screen of the "Xiaolong Code Digital Intelligence Cockpit" is constantly updating. Inside enterprise workshops, high-definition cameras livestream the pleating movements in real time, and temperature and humidity sensors immediately transmit steaming basket data. The system is connected to the provincial "Zhejiang Food Chain" platform. The government has installed independent cameras in the workshops of all 48 enterprises in the city, preventing enterprises from "going offline at critical moments." Supervisors use an artificial intelligence early warning system to strike with precision, having so far identified more than 700 instances of violations and abnormal conditions and pushed 28 early warnings.
"Under the strict supervision of the 'Xiaolong Code' digital system, every dumpling that leaves Shengzhou has a 'digital ID card.' Consumers can scan the code to view ingredient testing reports, workshop surveillance footage, employee health certificates, batch test results, price warnings, and other scenario information," introduced Qian Donghai, a member of the Party Committee of the Shengzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration.
Whether supervision is effective depends on the intensity of enforcement. The Shengzhou Municipal Market Supervision Administration has a nearly stringent emergency circuit-breaker mechanism: two testing vehicles and six inspectors conduct random inspections at enterprises every day. Once excessive pesticide residues are found in ingredients, the system immediately triggers a circuit break, and all finished products from the same batch are destroyed. Once, because 35 kilograms of scallions had excessive pesticide residues, 13,600 finished dumplings were centrally destroyed. The business owner disagreed, secretly keeping some dumplings for self-testing, and found that each dumpling contained only 2 grams of scallions and that the finished products did not test positive for excessive residues, so he came to question the decision. The market supervision department responded unequivocally: "Excessive pesticide residues in ingredients are a violation. We will not allow any flaw to affect the reputation of Shengzhou xiaolongbao."
Beyond testing, the "Xiaolong Code" also automatically assigns scores and ratings based on enterprise behavior, forming a "red, yellow, green, gray" four-color dynamic supervision code. Green-code five-star enterprises are inspected only once a year, yellow-code enterprises face monthly inspections, and red-code enterprises are ordered to suspend production. When consumers scan the product code, a red-code warning immediately appears. Under strict management, compliant enterprises have developed rapidly, with the first batch of green-code five-star enterprises seeing product repurchase rates increase by 25% and complaint volumes drop by 55%.
Expanding the chain—
From "borrowing a name to make one's way" to brand going global
Once goods are sold, they must also be delivered quickly and economically. The Ganlin Cold Chain Logistics Collection and Distribution Center was put into operation, establishing cooperation with local xiaolongbao production enterprises. By integrating resources, full-truckload and less-than-truckload logistics costs are reduced by approximately 9% compared to enterprises shipping on their own. Enterprises remarked: "The threshold for cold chain is high; in the past, who would come to a county town to pick up one or two orders? Now the service is good, costs are down, and e-commerce sales are unimpeded."
After establishing a firm foothold domestically, Shengzhou began to go global. In 2024, the "Shan Food Voyage" initiative was launched. The market supervision department broke down 130 international certification rules into task lists for enterprises, customs opened direct cold-chain container access to the dock, and the public security department set up a green channel. To date, Shengzhou snacks have been exported to 12 countries and regions, and 12 snack food enterprises have achieved formal exports. From January to August this year, more than 2 million yuan worth of xiaolongbao were sold overseas.
Brand building is also accelerating. In response to the pain point of "borrowing a name to make one's way" for a long time because the character "Sheng" is uncommon, the provincial 16 measures explicitly guide and promote the registration of the "Shengzhou Xiaolongbao" collective trademark, supported by the "Sheng Xiaozhi" intellectual property intelligent service system, transforming the snack from "no brand" to a brand asset that can command a premium and be legally protected.At the same time, the "Great Sheng Returns" national unified branding project was carried out. After the brand transformation of more than 6,200 stores nationwide, average turnover increased by more than 20%.
In 2025, Shengzhou achieved the dual "hundred-billion" goals of 10 billion yuan in total profits from snack food stores outside the city and 10 billion yuan in output value from the snack food industry within the city. Snacks, mainly xiaolongbao, have become a new force in the county economy comparable to industrial industry clusters.
From street-side husband-and-wife shops to a ten-billion-yuan industrial cluster, Shengzhou xiaolongbao has used an industrialization mindset to reconstruct the complete industrial chain from field to table. A single small dumpling—with forward-looking top-level design, cross-industry talent injecting modern management, a standards system building a solid quality baseline, digital supervision ensuring full-process control, and domestic and international dual circulation opening up growth space—this is precisely the foundation of confidence that has allowed Shengzhou xiaolongbao to start from small workshops and ultimately spread across the country and sell far overseas.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李茂颖
Arriving at Jianshan Village, Bailang Yi and Blang Ethnic Township, Shidian County, Baoshan City, Yunnan Province, the aroma of coffee wafting through the village could be smelled from afar.
During this period, the first question villagers often ask when they meet is: "Have you been to the coffee class in the fields yet?"
Not long ago, the first coffee farmer field school in Shidian County was inaugurated in Jianshan Village. The inauguration did not involve a big stage; the classroom was simply set up in the 700-mu standardized coffee planting base of Baoshan Fuqiu Coffee Manor.
In the planting base, a group of coffee farmers were gathered in a circle, crouching beside a coffee seedling. The lecturer was Sun Xinquan, head of Baoshan Fuqiu Coffee Manor and also a teacher at this coffee farmer field school.
Just two or three months ago, when this school first opened, the villagers were still full of doubt. "Such a simple thing, how could we not know it?" Some villagers felt that having farmed all their lives, why would they need others to teach them?
Hearing these comments, Sun Xinquan did not rush to argue. In class, holding a coffee seedling in a nursery bag in his hand, he gently brushed away the soil, pointed at the root system, and said: "Everyone look, this taproot is bent. If we don't deal with it now, after the fruiting period ends in two years, the tree will gradually decline."
In the fields, a villager muttered quietly: "Bent root? Won't it all grow the same once planted?"
"It's not the same." Sun Xinquan looked up. "When you used to plant corn and beans, you took the seedlings and planted them directly, added some water and fertilizer, and they survived. Coffee is different. The root system is fragile. The planting hole must be dug 60 centimeters deep, the plant spacing must be kept at 1.8 to 2 meters, and the bent root must be cut off above the bend, without damaging the fine roots."
Villager Dai Zhifu crouched at the very front and listened most attentively. "In the past, we relied on old methods for everything we planted. Only now do I realize that with coffee, if the details are off by even a little, everything later is wasted." He had originally also thought planting coffee was simple — one dig with a hoe and it was done. Sun Xinquan led them through repeated explanations and repeated trials in the fields, and Dai Zhifu discovered that the soil surface layer was severely compacted; without loosening the soil, the root system simply could not penetrate downward.
"To master an agricultural technique, it is not enough to just explain it in the classroom; you have to practice hands-on." Sun Xinquan said.
Coffee farmer Yang Zizhou was exactly someone taught "hands-on." Two years ago, he heard that the coffee industry had prospects and followed suit by trial-planting more than 3 mu. As a result, the trees did not grow, with yellow leaves, leaf drop, and rust disease. The seedlings looked fine when bought, but not long after planting, problems began to appear.
"What worried me most was that I couldn't find a way to solve it." Yang Zizhou said. "I didn't know who to ask, and I didn't know where to learn."
When the village set up the coffee farmer field school, expert teachers came to the fields to give lessons. He hesitated at first, but seeing that the first batch of more than 20 people went and said the results were quite good, he followed and signed up for the second session. This time, the number of people attending doubled, considerably more than the first batch.
"When planting on sloping land, how you place the seedling and how you plant it matters — the seedling has to be tilted for it to survive." Yang Zizhou said. "Before, we knew nothing about this; it was all new."
Watching the coffee trees at home gradually recover, Yang Zizhou felt reassured. "I plan to expand to six or seven mu. I'll manage these 3 mu well first, expanding while planting."
In Jianshan Village, villagers like Yang Zizhou who have gone from watching on the sidelines to wanting to plant are gradually increasing in number. Someone asked: "How do we handle the seedling money?" Sun Xinquan said: "You don't have to pay in the early stage. The new fruit will offset the seedling cost. We will purchase the fresh fruit at a guaranteed minimum price."
The coffee industry in Jianshan Village is now forming a chain that links farmers and benefits farmers. First, exchanging fruit for seedlings resolves the villagers' concern of "no money to plant"; then, contract-based management and guaranteed minimum-price purchasing resolve the worry of "who to sell to after planting"; and the field school delivering technology to the fields resolves the problem of "not knowing how to plant and not planting well." In this way, villagers can both earn wages by working at the manor and bring the techniques they have learned back to their own fields, gaining an additional source of industrial income.
Sun Xinquan said the school will continue to carry out hands-on training around scientific field management of coffee, green prevention and control of pests and diseases, primary processing of fresh fruit, and quality improvement, enhancing farmers' standardized production capacity.
The expectation for this field school goes beyond just a few mu of coffee fields. "We want to build a high-quality coffee-growing production area and also do our best to help fellow villagers increase their income." Sun Xinquan said. "On this coffee path, we will walk together with the villagers of our village, advancing steadily and cautiously (一步一个脚印, yibu yige jiaoyin - "one step, one footprint")."
Return to TopBy: 孙秀艳
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out at the National Conference on Health and Wellness that the protection of the people's health must be integrated into all policies and reflected in all aspects of work, with planning and formulation, policy design, project appraisal, and project construction all giving priority consideration to the impact on the people's health. This has charted the course for the development of China's health and wellness undertakings and highlighted the most distinctive and most profound people-centered character of the building of a Healthy China.
"Without universal health, there can be no comprehensive moderate prosperity." In December 2014, when General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted an inspection tour in Jiangsu, his words were extremely important and weighty (重有千钧, zhong you qian jun - "heavy, has, thousand, weight"). Thereafter, "Healthy China" was written into the national strategy, and over more than a decade, one livelihood measure after another has been implemented, and a picture of universal health has been gradually unfolding.
Going to a community extended-hours clinic after work for acupuncture treatment, elderly family members receiving free influenza vaccinations after autumn begins, children learning in school about preventing scoliosis and protecting eyesight... The increasingly complete and convenient health services in daily life come from the fruitful achievements of the building of a Healthy China.
The underlying character of the building of a Healthy China has always been "people first." Adhering to a people-centered approach and placing the people's health in a strategic position of priority development is both the starting point of the strategy and the ultimate goal of our endeavors. The people's health is the expectation of hundreds of millions of families for security and stability, and it is also an important hallmark of comprehensively building a great modern socialist country, determining the long-term future of the nation.
The people-centered character of a Healthy China is reflected in the continuously improving national health indicators. Over more than a decade, the health level of our residents has achieved a historic leap, with average life expectancy at birth rising to 79.25 years in 2025; the mortality rate of children under five has fallen to 5.4 per thousand, and the maternal mortality rate has dropped to 13.4 per 100,000, with major health indicators steadily entering the forefront among large countries with middle-to-high income populations. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the average height of male and female adolescents aged 6 to 17 increased by 2.1 centimeters and 2.2 centimeters respectively. The premature mortality rate from major chronic diseases has fallen below 14 percent, and residents' health literacy has been steadily improving — behind this set of data are the increasingly upright postures of children, the higher-quality later years of the elderly, and the more stable daily lives of one family after another.
The people-centered character of a Healthy China is rooted in the medical network spread across cities and rural areas. China has built the world's largest medical and health service system, with the total number of medical and health institutions exceeding 1.1 million. Hierarchical diagnosis and treatment has been continuously advanced, medical consortia and county-level medical communities have been continuously extended downward, village clinics and community health huts are widely distributed in many places (星罗棋布, xing luo qi bu - "star, scattered, chess, cloth"), and more than 90 percent of the public can reach a nearby medical point within 15 minutes. From follow-up visits for chronic diseases in urban communities to mobile clinics in remote villages, medical and health services are no longer a resource exclusive to cities, and universal health coverage is being gradually realized across the country.
The people-centered character of a Healthy China is reflected in the reform measures taken to solve the problem of "difficulty in affording medical treatment." Institutional and mechanism barriers have been broken down, allowing medical care to return to its public welfare nature and allowing medicines to return to their fundamental purpose of treating illness. Centralized procurement of medicines and consumables has continued to expand, national negotiations on drug prices have continued to exert force, and many patients have bid farewell to sighing in despair due to lack of medicine (望药兴叹, wang yao xing tan - "gaze, medicine, sigh, lament"). The drug nusinersen sodium, used to treat spinal muscular atrophy, once cost as much as 700,000 yuan per injection; after being included in medical insurance, the cost per injection has fallen to tens of thousands of yuan. Measures such as payment reform and price regulation have systematically advanced the structural adjustment and quality improvement of medical expenses, effectively reducing the burden of medical treatment on the public.
The people-centered character of a Healthy China is realized in the vivid practice of continuously improving the people's health level. Vaccination for infants and young children, myopia prevention and control for adolescents, chronic disease screening for middle-aged and young people, integrated medical and elderly care for the elderly, and health protection for key groups such as women and children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities have all been continuously improved in quality. National fitness has become a widespread and healthy trend (蔚然成风, wei ran cheng feng - "grand, become, formation, wind"), healthful diet science popularization has been widely disseminated, and dietary nutrition monitoring has continued to cover urban and rural areas. From treating existing illness to preventing illness before it occurs, from single medical treatment to systematic protection extending to lifestyles, the ecological environment, and food safety, health is being integrated into all policies, covering the entire life cycle, etched into everyone's daily life, and safeguarding the comprehensive development of the individual.
The health of one person is the foundation of one's standing in society, and the health of the people is the foundation of the nation. Chinese modernization must necessarily be a modernization in which the people's health is fully guaranteed. On the new journey, we face many challenges such as the acceleration of population aging, the increasing burden of chronic diseases, and the increasingly diverse health needs of the public, and the building of a Healthy China still has a heavy responsibility and a long way to go (任重道远, ren zhong dao yuan - "task, heavy, road, far"). By upholding the people-centered character of a Healthy China, continuously improving health management capacity, disease prevention and control capacity, medical service capacity, medical insurance support capacity, pharmaceutical innovation capacity, and talent cultivation capacity, continuously narrowing the health gap between urban and rural areas and between regions, and promoting more solid medical security, a stronger public health defense line, and a widespread and healthy trend of healthy living, hundreds of millions of people will surely enjoy a higher level of health and well-being, laying the most solid health foundation for national rejuvenation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 杨文明
Wantang Primary School in Pingbian Miao Autonomous County, Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan Province, has long been known far and wide for its myopia rate trending toward "zero" growth, and schools with "zero myopia" have also emerged in Nanhua County, Chuxiong Yi Autonomous Prefecture, and Menglian Dai, Lahu and Va Autonomous County, Pu'er City. From being the only one that stands out or excels (一枝独秀, yi zhi du xiu - "one, branch, alone, outstanding") to flourishing everywhere, schools in Yunnan Province have used "zero myopia" to leverage the implementation of the "health first" philosophy.
At present, Yunnan has established 8 "zero myopia" schools. "'Zero myopia' is less a result than a routine piece of daily work," explained Long Wei, director of the Physical Health and Arts Education Division of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education. "'Zero myopia' does not require that no students be myopic, but rather that schools effectively reduce or control the number of newly myopic students through scientific measures, achieving a trend of the overall student myopia rate trending toward 'zero' growth within one academic year." Reporter investigations found that there is in fact no shortcut to "myopia prevention," but there is a path; the difference lies not in measures but in implementation—meticulous prevention, precise screening, and fine-grained intervention, and by doing each small matter solidly, one can certainly accomplish the major task of "myopia prevention."
Meticulous prevention: "As long as you are outdoors, you are nourishing your eyes"
"Our school has maintained 'zero myopia' for 5 consecutive years." When Yang Yongpei, principal of Shihe Primary School in Dazhuang Township, Malong District, Qujing City, said this, he was not without pride.
When reporters asked Yang Yongpei what the secret to "zero myopia" was, he explained that Shihe Primary School did not have much expensive equipment, but it had the great mountains as an "eye chart," with children's eyes switching back and forth between green seedlings and distant mountains. "Even on the way to and from school, because parents almost all pick up and drop off their children on foot, the children are bathed in sunlight rather than looking through car windows," Yang Yongpei said.
"City children may look up and see buildings, but village children have mountains in their eyes. As long as you are outdoors, you are nourishing your eyes," said He Qiuli, chief education inspector of the Malong District Education and Sports Bureau.
Eye-use habits are especially important. As soon as they enter school, children first memorize the mnemonic: "Chest one fist from the desk, pen tip one inch from the fingers, eyes one foot from the book." Shihe Primary School has small class sizes, and because there are few children, teachers can keep a close watch on every child's eye-use habits.
Gao Jialin, principal of Dazhuang Township Central School, summarized: "Persisting unremittingly over the long term in maintaining good eye-use habits is the foundation of 'zero myopia.'"
Even more critical is the family side. Many children in the village are left-behind children, but teachers and villagers are all familiar with each other. When teachers say "don't let the children play with phones," parents genuinely comply. When reporters visited first-grade student Xu Xinyi, her mother frankly stated that she had plenty of farm work to do, did not scroll on her phone much herself, and certainly would not let her child play with a phone. Occasionally she was allowed to watch TV, but often before long, Xu Xinyi would be called by her playmates to play in the village square.
He Qiuli said: "Compared with urban parents, village parents and grandparents scroll on their phones less, especially not playing with them in front of the children, so children addicted to phones are correspondingly fewer." Reporter investigations found that schools without "little glasses" tend to have small class sizes, are mostly rural schools, and when students walk out of the classroom, what they see are distant mountains dark against the sky, rather than reinforced concrete.
Xizhuang Complete Primary School in Midu County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, once had a myopia rate as high as 27.4% in the spring semester of 2022; now the myopia rate has dropped to 4.1%, and the principal's deepest insight is that "outdoor activity is the best eye-protection medicine." Xinwo Primary School in Heqing County, Dali Prefecture, turns off the lights at 9 p.m., guaranteeing 10.5 hours of sleep per day and at least 3 hours of outdoor activity per day. Gedi Primary School in Menglian County has completed eye-protection lighting renovation, set up "cartoon distant-viewing points," and implemented "15-minute sunshine mini-games during recess," with the whole school continuously maintaining "zero myopia." These schools differ in their approaches, but the logic is the same: meticulously prevent myopia and do the work in advance.
"Myopia can be prevented and controlled; the key is implementing the work," He Qiuli said. The Yunnan Provincial Department of Education has issued the Yunnan Province Primary and Secondary School Myopia Prevention and Control Standards and Guidelines: one standard logarithmic visual acuity chart per class, eye exercises twice daily (once in the morning and once in the afternoon), one monthly class visual acuity self-test, one quarterly myopia prevention and control education session, one special deployment per semester, and two annual professional institution on-campus examinations. At the same time, it is clarified that schools (excluding the current year's new student grade) with an annual new myopia rate not exceeding 5%, and classes not exceeding 2%, may be established as "zero myopia" schools and "zero myopia" classes, guiding schools and classes to effectively reduce the new myopia rate.
Precise screening: "Screening is not simply filling in forms; it is pulling children back from the edge of 'becoming myopic'"
Beicheng Primary School in Nanhua County town has more than 1,200 students in 26 classes, with an average class size of over 40. Principal Zhou Guochen has done the math: the province has clarified that the new myopia rate should not exceed 5%, which, spread across classes, means each class can add no more than 3 "little glasses" per year. "Developing good eye-use habits, getting sufficient sleep, and spending more time outdoors—the difficulty in preventing myopia is not which measures to take, but truly making the measures take effect," Zhou Guochen said.
The homeroom teachers at Beicheng Primary School each hold "two key lists"—one is the list of students with rapidly declining vision, and the other is the list of students with poor eye-use habits. Teacher Zhu Xiaohui leads Class 2, Grade 5; she cannot keep watch over the vision of all 40 children, but she can concentrate her monitoring efforts on the children on the "two key lists."
The rapidly declining vision list in Zhu Xiaohui's hands comes from the vice principal for health. The school cooperates with the Nanhua County Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, bringing in professional institutions for on-campus screening. Who has how much hyperopic reserve remaining, whose axial length is growing quickly, and which class does not get enough outdoor time—all of this is put on the table. Beicheng Primary School has thus formed a system of "professional medical support + teaching and education implementation + home-school coordinated cooperation."
In addition to regular screening, daily early warning is also very important. "If any child is yawning continuously from early morning, we will call the family to find out whether the child's sleep is sufficient," Zhu Xiaohui said. Beicheng Primary School stipulates that children must be in bed by 9 p.m. each night, and the school requires teachers to participate in home visits 100% and to cover 100% of all student families, ensuring children's sleep as much as possible.
Beicheng Primary School now controls its overall myopia rate at 18.66%, down 5.3 percentage points from before the school-hospital cooperation, far below the national average of about 35% at the primary school stage. The lower grades show the most obvious improvement, dropping from 8.2% to 4.1%. In the 2025–2026 academic year, the school-wide new myopia rate was 3.1%, below the provincial standard of 5%; the pilot class new myopia rate was 1.2%, meeting the "zero myopia" class requirement. Zhu Xiaohui said: "Screening is not simply filling in forms; it is pulling children back from the edge of 'becoming myopic.'"
The guidelines of the Yunnan Provincial Department of Education are written in great detail: individual longitudinal tracking should be conducted—comparing each student's vision changes between this year and last year, with students whose vision decline is greater than or equal to 0.2 listed as key early-warning targets; for grades 1 and 2 of primary school, the focus is on the rate of consumption of "hyperopic reserve," and if the reserve is consumed too early, the causes of vision decline should be analyzed. In Class 4, Grade 1 of Xiangyun County Experimental Primary School in Dali Prefecture, in each semester's on-campus examination, all 43 students in the class had binocular vision meeting the standard of 5.0 or above. In Class 2, Grade 2 of Luyi Primary School in Huoshui Township, Luliang County, Qujing City, the "clear the classroom for 15 minutes during recess" system is implemented, and in the autumn 2025 general screening, none of the 34 students in the class were myopic. Among the 49 students in Class 3, Grade 1 of Jinlong Mingde Primary School in Dayao County, Chuxiong Prefecture, all had uncorrected vision of 5.0 or above. Behind these figures are screenings that identify problems one after another and interventions carried out in advance.
Fine-grained intervention: "Zero myopia" is not only a result, but also work that needs to be continuously and firmly grasped
Wantang Primary School in Pingbian County is the most typical example of "dynamic guardianship." In 2022, the vision of all 500-plus students in the school was above 5.0, showing people the hope of "zero myopia." However, the school still faces new challenges: some children's use of electronic products during holidays is difficult to control, and some transfer students already wear glasses.
Some children are naturally prone to myopia. "Zero myopia" is not only a result, but also work that needs to be continuously and firmly grasped. Whether eye exercises are standardized, whether recess is delayed by teachers running over time, and whether classroom lighting meets standards—teachers register these weekly and summarize them monthly. "The key is to keep an eye on these small matters one by one," said Cai Ligang, principal of the school.
This year, three devices were added next to the Wantang Primary School library: two eye-protection instruments to relieve eye fatigue and one interactive knowledge device, around which students gather during recess to self-test their vision and learn eye-protection knowledge. The curriculum has also been rearranged: eye-protection classes are offered by grade level, with Grade 1 covering correct pen grip and Grade 6 focusing on high-risk factors for adolescent myopia.
The "main course" of the outdoors has not been neglected either. Tie-dye and batik have been moved from indoors to under the shade of trees, where children look up to see distant mountains; physical education classes, recess, and eye exercises ensure a fixed 3 hours of outdoor activity per day. Student Li Yunjie of Class 2, Grade 2 was found to have relatively weak vision during screening; the school doctor provided a plan, teachers paid more attention to his sitting posture in class, classmates pulled him to play ball during recess, and at home his parents managed his phone use. With joint efforts from all sides, his vision gradually recovered. Now, of the school's 567 students, 565 children maintain vision above 5.0.
Wantang Primary School's experience has not stayed within its walls. The Pingbian County Education and Sports Bureau has compiled the "Pingbian County Children and Adolescents Myopia Prevention and Control Operational Guide," and Wantang Primary School has paired up with Yuping Primary School, exchanging teachers for on-the-job training; by the end of 2025, the myopia rate among children and adolescents in Pingbian County had dropped to 34.81%, down 0.84 percentage points year-on-year, with 5 "zero myopia" schools emerging across the county.
Lafu Primary School in Menglian County has incorporated ethnic dances into recess, carries out weekly labor practice, and coordinates home-school management of electronic products, achieving "zero myopia." Yifu Primary School in Weixin County, Zhaotong City, implements the "no-homework Wednesday" system and strictly controls electronic whiteboards, creating two "zero myopia" demonstration classes. Xiangyun County Experimental Primary School unifies family prevention and control standards through parent meetings, controls the duration of electronic product use, and prohibits reading books and looking at screens for half an hour before bedtime. These approaches each have their own emphasis, but all point in the same direction: competing with electronic products for children's eyes, both by strictly managing to prevent children from using electronic products without restraint, and by guiding children to participate in outdoor sports to relax their eyes.
Get a little more sunshine, run a little more on mountain paths, sleep half an hour more. Many schools in Yunnan promptly issue early warnings to parents of students with abnormal vision or borderline myopia, include them in key intervention targets, and promote means such as "strong schools leading weak schools," establishing vice principals for health, and combining medicine with education, extending intervention from within the school walls to families and hospitals.
"'Zero myopia' is not competing over numbers; it is about ensuring that every child, when they grow up, can still clearly see the distant mountains, the blackboard, and the spring," He Qiuli said.
"When 'little glasses' are reduced, 'little chubby ones,' 'little bean sprouts,' and 'little anxious ones' often decline as well." In Long Wei's view, when more people pay attention to the "zero myopia" phenomenon, more people will participate in safeguarding children's physical and mental health.
Return to TopBy: 陈文建
As the Double Ninth Festival approaches and temperatures gradually drop, the number of people experiencing joint soreness and discomfort increases, and health foods containing glucosamine (hereinafter referred to as "amino sugar") enter their peak sales season. On e-commerce platforms, many glucosamine-related product promotions tout effects such as "repairing cartilage" and "treating arthritis," and in buyer review sections, many consumers—especially middle-aged and elderly consumers—regard them as a "cartilage miracle drug" for joint maintenance. In fact, health foods cannot replace medication.
The full name of amino sugar is D-glucosamine, also known as glucosamine. It is an important precursor in the biochemical synthesis of glycosylated proteins and lipids, widely present in the exoskeletons of crustaceans and other arthropods. It is an important nutrient for the formation of human cartilage cells and a natural tissue component of healthy articular cartilage. A healthy joint mainly comprises bones, cartilage, synovium, the joint capsule, and synovial fluid—no part can be missing. Cartilage acts like a "cushion" for the joint, covering the ends of bones to prevent direct direct, forceful confrontation (硬碰硬, ying peng ying - "hard, hit, hard") friction between bones, and it can also absorb the impact of walking and running like a spring.
The health of articular cartilage requires sustained nutritional supply. The human body can synthesize amino sugar from glucose and glutamine, but as age increases, the synthesis capacity declines. A large body of medical research in the United States, Europe, and Japan shows that amino sugar can help repair and maintain cartilage and can stimulate the growth of cartilage cells. In China, amino sugar is both a pharmaceutical raw material and an important health food raw material, existing mainly in the form of sulfate or hydrochloride salts.
Glucosamine chondroitin is a dietary nutritional supplement composed of glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate, and the medical community holds divergent views on its therapeutic value. The Chinese Medical Association's Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Osteoarthritis (2024) lists glucosamine chondroitin as a treatment option for early- and mid-stage osteoarthritis, but emphasizes its adjunctive status—it serves only as a supplementary measure for prevention and treatment, is not a first-line medication, cannot achieve results in treating all types of osteoarthropathy, and still less possesses the function of reversing the disease.
The following groups may consider amino sugar supplementation under a doctor's guidance: young people who sit or stand for long periods and experience occasional joint soreness or swelling, for whom it may prevent early cartilage wear; those over 50 years of age whose imaging shows degenerative joint changes but who do not yet meet the diagnostic criteria for osteoarthritis, for whom it may serve as an early intervention measure; and high-frequency exercisers such as runners and hikers, for whom it may serve as an auxiliary measure for joint protection.
The following groups are not recommended to use it or should use it with caution: those with liver or kidney dysfunction should avoid it as much as possible; those allergic to crustaceans should not use it; diabetic patients and those in the prediabetic stage should not use it; patients taking anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin should avoid it; asthma patients may experience worsening of asthma symptoms after taking amino sugar and should also use it with caution; and patients with severe joint disease are not recommended to use it on their own.
Whether taking amino sugar produces results depends on the course of treatment and dosage. Generally, continuous use for 4 to 12 weeks is needed before subjective symptom relief may be felt, and the effective observation point for evidence-based evaluation is 6 months. The recommended daily intake is 1,500 milligrams of glucosamine, paired with 800–1,200 milligrams of chondroitin sulfate, taken in divided doses with meals to reduce gastrointestinal irritation.
If weight control and muscle exercise are neglected, merely hoping that "taking some amino sugar" will truly solve the problem is unrealistic. Research shows that for every 1 percent reduction in body weight among knee osteoarthritis patients, knee pain, function, and stiffness scores can improve by approximately 2 percent, and weight loss of more than 7 percent can significantly relieve pain and improve function. Aerobic exercises such as walking, cycling, and swimming are recommended as first-line interventions for knee osteoarthritis.
When purchasing joint health products, first distinguish between health foods and drugs. When buying health foods, look for the "blue hat" logo, and you may log on to the official website of the State Administration for Market Regulation to verify product registration information. For online purchases, choose reputable e-commerce platforms and do not readily believe exaggerated promotions in WeChat Moments or WeChat groups; for offline purchases, go to regular pharmacies or supermarkets and keep your purchase receipts.
Consumers should be reminded that health foods cannot replace medication and that they should not blindly follow claims of "miraculous effects." When symptoms such as persistent joint pain or limited mobility occur, one should seek medical attention at a healthcare institution as soon as possible and have a professional physician formulate an individualized treatment plan.
(The author is a deputy chief physician in the Department of Orthopedics at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University; compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Lin Lique.)
Return to TopBy: 魏 平
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army's Long March. Looking back on this extraordinary and magnificent (波澜壮阔, bo lan zhuang kuo - "wave, swell, magnificent, vast") revolutionary journey is extremely meaningful. The Long March was walked out step by step by the Red Army officers and soldiers, like a bright and dazzling red ribbon, engraved with faith and loyalty, unity and tenacity, courage and responsibility, forever illuminating the road ahead for later generations.
My father, Wei Wei, often said: the Long March is the poem in his heart. From the day he joined this army, he had always admired it and yearned for it. At the age of 17, my father went to the Counter-Japanese Military and Political University (Kangda). After graduation, he was assigned to the Jin-Cha-Ji Anti-Japanese Base Area. The old First Regiment he belonged to was the Red Army unit from the Jinggangshan period, with having a distinguished reputation (赫赫有名, he he you ming - "grand, grand, have, fame") for its military exploits; the Seventeen Warriors who forcibly crossed the Dadu River came from this unit. There were also many veteran Red Army soldiers in the unit who had experienced the Long March, with firm revolutionary will and high military and political quality. Their spirit deeply influenced the young father. Later, my father wrote the long poem "Wandering Through Jinggangshan," in which the line "Red Army brother, oh Red Army brother, without you coming, how could there be me" expressed his deep feelings for the Red Army and his reverence for the history of the Long March.
In 1982, my father's novel The East won the first Mao Dun Literature Prize. Old comrades-in-arms and old superiors sent their congratulations one after another. When General Yang Chengwu offered his congratulations, he said: Wei Wei, you should write about the Long March! This deeply touched my father. He decided to seize the time and begin writing, devoting his full efforts to creating a novel depicting the Long March, as a repayment to the Party that nurtured him, the army that nurtured him, and the people.
My father, then over sixty years old, twice retraced the Long March route. In the early 1980s, road conditions were very poor, mountain roads were rugged, and mudslides were frequent along the way. He encountered many difficulties on the road, but also many moving incidents. In 1983, in Tianquan, Sichuan, in order to inspect a piece of terrain on the spot, my father walked on a slippery ridge between paddy fields. His right foot slipped into a mud pit, he fell backward, and his ankle twisted in the reverse direction, leaving him unable to move. A local villager, Yang Zongqing, carried my father out. Director Hu of the local People's Armed Forces Department found an old traditional Chinese medicine doctor to set my father's bones. After returning to Beijing, my father also wrote a letter and sent a book specifically to thank this physician, Dr. Chen Huaijiong.
In 1984, my father inspected the former site of the Battle of the Xiang River. Breaking through the Xiang River was the most heroic and also the most tragic battle in the Central Red Army's Long March. Tens of thousands of Red Army soldiers stained the Xiang River with their blood, paying enormous sacrifices before breaking through the four blockade lines of the Kuomintang army. Nearly 50 years later, one could still see the remains of Red Army martyrs, washed by rain, scattered across the hills and fields for dozens of li. Witnessing this scene, my father was deeply grieved. He stood in silent mourning and repeatedly said to the accompanying personnel: Our revolutionary victory was bought with the blood of the martyrs. How many comrades were sacrificed, no one can ever count. We must never forget them. Along the way, when meeting leaders at various levels of the military sub-districts, my father earnestly requested that they properly bury the remains of the martyrs and care for the lives of the Red Army soldiers who had been left behind. After returning to Beijing, he also made detailed reports to Marshal Nie Rongzhen and Director Yu Qiuli, proposing that tombstones and a cemetery be built for the martyrs. The proposal received great attention from the Central Military Commission and the State Council. Later, the three counties involved in the Battle of the Xiang River — Quanzhou, Xing'an, and Guanyang — successively established Red Army memorial halls. In the core areas such as Jieshou and Jiaoshanpu, many Red Army martyr cemeteries were successively built, markers for Long March sites were successively established and improved, and preferential treatment for the Red Army soldiers left behind was resolved to varying degrees.
The novel was finally finalized, but the new problem was that the title had not yet been settled. There had been several names one after another, and my father turned them over and over in his mind, pondering and deliberating. One day, my father, who was accustomed to taking a walk on the small path after dinner, finally had an inspiration. Decided! After he spoke the name out loud, everyone in the family said it was excellent. This name was "The Red Ribbon of the Earth." In my father's mind, viewed from the heavens overlooking the earth, the great feat of the Red Army's footprints crossing thousands of mountains and rivers and fighting across 25,000 li was like a blazing, bright red ribbon hanging across this planet. It was also the red arrows on the map that he often looked at while conceiving and writing, breaking through layers of blockades and mists, advancing fearlessly without looking back (一往无前, yi wang wu qian - "one, go, no, front") toward the light. This name, full of reverence and romantic poetry, received unanimous approval from everyone.
The Red Ribbon of the Earth was published in May 1988. This book condensed my father's understanding of and feelings for the Long March. In the preface he wrote: "This soul-stirring or breathtaking (惊心动魄, jing xin dong po - "startle, heart, move, soul") struggle unfolded before the dawn of China — how profoundly was it connected to the fate of our nation and our people!"
Not long after the novel was published, Jiang Weipu, editor-in-chief of the China Comic Books Publishing House, and Wang Su, script editor, came to our home to discuss adapting the novel into a comic book series, as a key project of the publishing house to pay tribute to the 40th anniversary of the founding of New China. My father was greatly in favor and authorized its use free of charge, so that the story of the Long March could be passed down from generation to generation in a more accessible way. The painting work was entrusted to the artist Shen Yaoyi. Later, this comic book series won awards many times.
The name "The Red Ribbon of the Earth" has become increasingly popular and is widely used in various commemorative exhibitions and thematic report meetings. Recently, a large-scale symphony on the theme of the Long March, jointly created by four literary and art troupes including the National Ballet of China, also used this name. We feel deeply gratified.
My father once said that what the Long March left to later generations is priceless spiritual wealth. Our descendants, our cause of national construction, and the people striving for progress and liberation for all mankind will all draw inexhaustible or endless (取之不尽, qu zhi bu jin - "take, it, not, end") inspiring strength from it. The martyrs who have already lain to rest along the Long March route and the heroes of the Long March — their spirit and great achievements will be remembered forever!
Return to TopBy: 余甘氏
Recently, while reading Mr. Wang Meng's article "Running a Supplement with Lively Charm" (办气韵生动的副刊) published in the People's Daily's "Dadi" (大地) supplement, my gaze lingered for a long time on the four characters "lively charm".The expression "rhythmic vitality" originates from traditional Chinese painting theory:"qi" refers to the breath of life, "rhyme" refers to spiritual bearing and flavor, and "vivid" refers to vigorous vitality and appeal.Today, using these four characters to evaluate a supplement with good content is quite apt. If we compare news to bones, which support the form and appearance of a newspaper, then the supplement is the blood and qi, which nourishes the newspaper's spirit and bearing. The flowing breath, the rhythm of respiration, the irrepressible sense of life—these are inherently what a supplement should embody.
The examples Mr. Wang Meng cited are highly representative. When the editor commissioned him to write about swimming, he stepped beyond personal experience, elevating individual memory into a reflection on the era's pursuit of Chinese modernization across several generations; when the editor commissioned him to write about his experience of joining the Party, he did not dwell on the solemn occasion of taking the oath, but instead recorded the scene of walking home past Shichahai as a youth, singing songs. The former is an elevation of thought, the latter is the grounding of detail—both are distinctive ways of handling material in supplement articles. In fact, this tradition of writing has a long and continuous history (源远流长, yuan yuan liu chang - "source, far, flow, long"). In the Analects, when Confucius asked his disciples about their aspirations, Zeng Dian said, "In late spring, when the spring clothes are ready, I would bathe in the Yi River, enjoy the breeze among the rain altars, and return home singing." Confucius sighed and said, "I am with Dian." This touched upon very solemn political ideals, yet expressed them in relaxed, joyful, and highly life-like language. What a supplement needs is precisely this style of writing that turns solemnity into ease and brings the grand down to the everyday. It is evident that lively charm is both a requirement for the supplement and its special strength—being adept at shifting perspectives of observation, adept at embedding meaning within details, thereby conveying a real and tangible breath of life and winning readers' heartfelt empathy.
For a supplement to have lively charm, the root lies in authentic life experience. Vivid charm is often not "written" but "nurtured." Because technique can be polished and experience can be replicated, but charm can only be cultivated day by day. Therefore, a supplement needs to "nurture qi": nurture the editor's composure, nurture the author's individuality, and nurture the page's vivid and lively atmosphere.
For a supplement to have lively charm, it must also make efforts to discover people who sincerely write about life. In whose hands does the most authentic life experience lie? In the vegetable markets, on construction sites, in hospital wards, beside the sorting tables at express delivery stations... If a supplement is long occupied by a small number of professional writers, the writing may be fluent, but it easily falls into the quagmire of formulaic patterns. Therefore, supplement editors should go to the front lines, make friends with ordinary people, discover those who may be a bit unpracticed with the pen but carry stories in their hearts, and invite them onto the pages. Though their writing may still be somewhat rough, it can bring precious earthy flavor and the breath of everyday life to the supplement, and can greatly activate its aura.
For a supplement to have lively charm, it is also reflected in a distinctive pursuit of language and expression. Among supplement articles, there are roughly two tones that most damage charm. One is the "materials tone," where sentences are neat but the meaning spins in place; the other is the "literary tone," where diction is ornate but the emotion is hollow. Good supplement language must be cordial, plain, individual, and thoughtful—like an interesting and knowledgeable person sitting across from you chatting. The words may not be comprehensive in every respect, and may even carry personal tastes, but they will make the supplement all the more full of vitality and colorful.
A good supplement is like a living organism, allowing people to feel smooth flow of qi and abundant vitality. Long pieces and short pieces, narrative and argumentation, are reasonably arranged; new and old authors, people from all walks of life, gather together; even the white space, the title illustrations, the column names, and the editor's notes all participate together in this "breath of life." Colleagues at the newspaper once summarized the supplement's "three qi": staying grounded, possessing literary refinement, and carrying sharpness. Staying grounded means taking root in reality, staying close to the times, and writing deeply about life; possessing literary refinement means continuing the cultural lineage, constantly striving for perfection (精益求精, jing yi qiu jing - "strive for, excellence, seek, refinement") in writing, and refusing to produce low-quality work in a careless manner (粗制滥造, cu zhi lan zao - "crude, manufacture, careless, create"); carrying sharpness means facing real problems directly, expressing the article's individuality, and upholding the media's responsibility. With all three qi present, the supplement will naturally flow with vitality, and readers will naturally treat it with special favor (青眼有加, qing yan you jia - "blue, eye, have, add").
Behind the supplement, there always stands a "person." "Lively charm" is both an apt portrayal of the supplement's style and a sincere expectation of the supplement's editors: only with vibrant, deeply cultivated editors can there be a steaming, lively supplement. Especially in the present age of information explosion and scarce attention, the supplement should all the more safeguard this spiritual home of lively charm, allowing readers to feel the truth of emotion, the beauty of culture, the depth of thought, and the richness and beauty of life itself. When the supplement is full of lively charm, the newspaper will gain added vitality and greater life force, and the era will gain one more amiable and tangible expression.
Return to TopBy: 苏 涛
If there is one place on Earth that can concentrate within itself the vast landscapes ranging from tropical rainforest to glacier, it can only be the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. But how did this come to be? What did the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau look like in the past? The book In Search of the Ancient Shangri-La: Tracing the Scientific Expeditions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (hereinafter referred to as In Search of the Ancient Shangri-La) tells, from the perspective of a firsthand participant, the story of scientific expeditions searching for plant fossils on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, using fossils to restore the picture of life on the plateau millions of years ago.
While popularizing science, In Search of the Ancient Shangri-La also tells many little-known true stories. As a veteran member of the Qinghai-Tibet scientific expedition team, the author Zhou Zhekun participated in the Medog overwintering plant survey from 1992 to 1993. Medog County in Tibet is located in the border region of the lower reaches of the Yarlung Zangbo River. At that time there was no road access, and the scientific expedition team overcame numerous difficulties (重重困难, chong chong kun nan - "layer, layer; heavy; difficulty"), collecting approximately 30,000 plant specimens. In 2020, the author published the book Recollections of the Medog Plant Survey, leading readers to appreciate the wondrous and diverse plants of the Medog tropical rainforest, the deep and magnificent Yarlung Zangbo Grand Canyon, and the warmth and simplicity of the local people. In Search of the Ancient Shangri-La continues this style of writing, presenting the firsthand experiences of searching for plant fossils on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, writing both about objects and scientific knowledge, and about people and the stories of scientific expeditions.
From 2005 to 2011, I had the good fortune to study under Mr. Zhou Zhekun as a graduate student majoring in paleobotany. It was precisely by listening to Mr. Zhou's stories of field expeditions in Medog that I entered the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Collecting fossils in places with an average elevation of over 4,500 meters is no easy task; headaches and insomnia are commonplace. However, being able to reach this place, we are undoubtedly fortunate as well, for the unique and magnificent scenery of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is enough to alleviate all the physical discomfort.
What one looks forward to most during the scientific expedition is still the joy of discovering fossils. In the 1960s, an expedition team led by Liu Dongsheng and Shi Yafeng collected fossil leaves of alpine oak at the Yebokangjiale Glacier on Mount Shishapangma at an elevation of nearly 6,000 meters, pioneering Chinese research into the uplift history of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Sixty years later, we encountered alpine oak fossils once again at this place. The Lagokarpos fossils in Baingoin County made us jumping with joy (欢呼雀跃, huan hu que yue - "cheer, shout; sparrow, leap"); this fossil is not unique to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, as North America and Europe also have fossil records from the same period, which can be described as being located on different continents facing each other (隔洲相望, ge zhou xiang wang - "separate; continent; mutually; look"). On the last day of our field work in the Lunpola Basin, palm and catfish fossils were unearthed one after another, jointly bearing witness that the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau was once a paradise for tropical flora and fauna.
Mr. Zhou often said that every fossil on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is not easy to come by (来之不易, lai zhi bu yi - "come; arrive; not; easy"), and encouraged us not to turn "delicious delicacies" into "the taste of plain cabbage." As the scientific expedition activities on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau continue to advance, more and more plant fossil specimens have been discovered, gradually outlining the tortuous course of plant evolution and the magnificent and grand in scale (波澜壮阔, bo lan zhuang kuo - "wave, ripple; grand; magnificent; vast") uplift history of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. These "delicious delicacies" that are enough to delight everyone are all presented in detail in the book. The study of large palm leaf fossils from the Lunpola Basin in northern Tibet, which deeply combines paleobotanical evidence with model simulations, proves the existence of a "central valley" on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 39 million years ago; the rich species diversity of the Jianglang flora in Baingoin County reproduces the appearance of the subtropical forest in the central Qinghai-Tibet Plateau 47 million years ago; and the successive unearthing of a series of fossil groups such as Lagokarpos, Cedrelospermum, and Lemna-like leaves indicates that the plants of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau had close floristic exchanges with North America, Europe, and other places during geological periods, making it a "crossroads" for global plant dispersal.
There is a group of people who work year-round on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, using fossils to interpret the past and present lives of the Roof of the World. And this group of people hopes even more that readers will travel alongside them, together pursuing that former "Shangri-La," and develop reverence for the Earth and for life.
(The author is a professor at the Institute of Sedimentary Geology, Chengdu University of Technology)
Return to TopBy: 王燕平 张 超
As natural history increasingly draws attention, more and more people head into the mountains and wilds to identify the myriad things of the world. The Cloudspotter's Guide: New Expanded Edition (by Gavin Pretor-Pinney, translated by Wang Yanping and Zhang Chao; published by Yilin Press) offers a lighter option: no long journeys required, no specimens to collect — just look up, and natural-history observation can be woven into the fabric of daily life.
Clouds are something very common and ordinary (司空见惯, si kong jian guan - "commander, empty, see, common"), and yet they are also easy to ignore (视而不见, shi er bu jian - "look, but, not, see"). We often look up and see clouds, yet rarely truly read them. The Cloudspotter's Guide: New Expanded Edition is precisely the key that unlocks this pleasure. It not only enables ordinary people to understand the meteorological information clouds convey and to savor the delight and leisure of cloud-watching, but also reshapes readers' perspective on the sky, sharpens their perception of nature, fosters the habit of active observation, and adds to their knowledge of and respect for the world around them.
The book's positioning is neither a high-threshold professional work nor a mere meteorological atlas, but rather a set of cloud-watching guides aimed at the general public — accessible, easy to understand, and ready for direct practice. The whole book is richly illustrated with both text and pictures (图文并茂, tu wen bing mao - "picture, text, together, lush"), introducing various types of clouds and atmospheric optical phenomena. Under the standard classification of the World Meteorological Organization's International Cloud Atlas, the catalog of cloud categories is extremely extensive. The book does not reproduce the full set of entries wholesale, but instead gives priority to clouds and atmospheric optical phenomena more likely to be encountered in daily life and more distinctive in form, fitting the needs of everyday viewing, while also covering some rare categories, preserving room and pleasure for deeper exploration. As the International Cloud Atlas is continually updated, the new edition of this book also keeps pace with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with, time, together, advance"), incorporating some of the latest recognized typical categories to make its content more cutting-edge.
Among the newly added content, the asperitas cloud deserves particular mention. This cloud is highly distinctive in form, with a chaotic, disordered cloud base; looking up at it, one feels as if standing beneath the deep sea gazing up at surging waves. Many people have seen it, yet cannot name it. As early as 2008, the Cloud Appreciation Society founded by the book's author proposed designating asperitas as a new cloud type. Relying on a large body of observational evidence submitted by members worldwide, in 2017 asperitas was formally incorporated into the cloud classification system by the World Meteorological Organization and included in the International Cloud Atlas. This recognition is also the fruit of joint observation and concerted effort by enthusiasts around the globe.
The author translates complex meteorological principles into plain, accessible language, seasoned with just right (恰到好处, qia dao hao chu - "just, arrive, good, place") British humor that brings a knowing smile to the reader. When discussing the observation of halo phenomena, the author suggests that readers "use buildings, trees, or a nearby giraffe to block the direct sunlight" — the sudden appearance of a giraffe in a safety tip makes one unable to help bursting into laughter (忍俊不禁, ren jun bu jin - "endure, smile, not, restrain").
The most ingenious design in the book is undoubtedly its original cloud-collecting scoring system. Every type of cloud and every atmospheric optical phenomenon corresponds to a dedicated point value. As long as you recognize and record the sky scene before your eyes, you have completed one collection. Common clouds earn lower scores, while rare, vanishing in a flash (转瞬即逝, zhuan shun ji shi - "turn, instant, immediately, pass") clouds earn higher ones. A chance encounter with the distinctive-looking horseshoe vortex or fluctus cloud earns 50 points. Readers can use the "notes section" in the book to record at any time what they see and feel when encountering a particular cloud, and over time, this accumulates into a sky-watching diary uniquely their own.
As the four seasons turn, the sky and its clouds change without end. What we hope this little book brings to readers is not merely popular science knowledge for identifying clouds, but also a spiritual journey of getting close to nature, a way of natural-history observation suited to modern life. No need to rush to the countryside, no need to deliberately seek out special scenery — look up, and nature is right beside you, right above your head.
Return to TopBy: 何赛飞
I come from a background in Yue opera performance, and I also love singing Kunqu and Peking opera. On the path of learning the craft, I was fortunate to receive guidance from many renowned masters. Studying under a famous master is a process of first acquiring the technique, then comprehending the Way. For example, Teacher Zhang Yunxia's "Diao Chan · Worshipping the Moon" — I first heard this aria from a cassette tape, back in the early 1980s. I was deeply in love with this aria. At first I learned the technical aspects of the singing, then I added purer emotion, and later I brought in my own life insights. It was no longer merely the moon that Diao Chan knelt before, but also a bright moon in my own heart — an artistic and spiritual realm I aspired to reach.
Traditional opera is the crystallization of traditional Chinese culture. This resplendent crystal refracts many qualities of classical aesthetics: the beauty of form, the beauty of emotion, the beauty of artistic conception, the beauty of language, the beauty of melody... Opera is so beautiful, and I have the ability to present this beauty through my own performance — that in itself is a reward.
Even after I left the opera troupes, opera continued to favor me in various ways. Some of the important awards I received, even major awards in the film world, were for works related to opera. For example, Behind the Enemy Lines won me the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Supporting Actress — the character I played, Xiao Hongyun, was a performer of lantern-mouth drum storytelling with song. And Chasing the Moon, which brought me the Golden Rooster Award for Best Actress, goes without saying — the character I played, Teacher Qi, is a Yue opera actress, and Yue opera is my original profession.
I brought my experience in opera performance into stage drama, film, and television acting. The body-movement training of opera taught me physical agility; the vocal techniques of opera taught me how to mobilize resonance and find the right vocal placement. The combination of the real and the virtual in stage performance, the techniques of point, line, and plane, as well as related elements such as gongs and drums and musical rhythm — all of these are the foundation of how I grasp a character's movements and eye techniques.
For an actor, truly turning a technique into the state of a character requires putting one's whole heart and lungs into it, and sometimes it is even extremely painful or distressing (撕心裂肺, si xin lie fe - "tear, heart, tear, lungs, broken"). What the audience sees is your technique: they see you walking swiftly, stumbling, even see your pupils change... But how much must an actor's body and mind give before they can effectively mobilize themselves? Performance relies on your physical body to do the work, and the energy of your body and emotions will stir a larger energy field.
Over all these years, every time before leaving the theater, I would meet with the audience waiting at the backstage exit and sign autographs for them as a memento. Because theater performance is a live art, with a strong sense of form and ritual. The audience dresses up, comes from afar, enters the theater, and hands this period of time over to you — what they are waiting for is this real, face-to-face sense of presence between people.
While filming the TV drama The Grand Mansion Gate, there was a period when all my scenes were shot in my bedroom inside the great mansion — a single tiny room, and we filmed there for a full half month. I was in that bedroom every day, almost never leaving. After filming high-intensity emotional scenes for a while, I began to feel something was off. Every day when we wrapped, everyone left the set and took the bus back to the lodging. When I boarded that bus, I always felt an indescribable discomfort inside. I was in a daze, as if possessed: How did I end up here? How did I end up on this bus? ... At that moment I felt a kind of heavy pressure, as if all the information of the character Yang Jiuhong had been poured into my body, filling me up skin-to-skin, flesh-to-flesh.
Every time I film a movie or TV drama, I don't want to watch the playback. I am immersed in the character, possessed by the character. If I were to step out and stare at the playback on the monitor to see whether I acted well enough, I would switch back to He Saifei and disturb the original emotion. I only want to release energy to the fullest during the performance, and I only control what I can control: giving my complete effort.
In an era when film and television prevail, theater has not been replaced. In the future, no matter how advanced and sophisticated artificial intelligence technology becomes, replacing live human performance will probably not be so easy. As actors, we should have this confidence.
In my twenties I performed Worshipping the Moon, in my thirties Wind and Moon, and at sixty I performed Chasing the Moon. I use the bright moon to define the classical beauty of Eastern culture. All my efforts are in pursuit of this beauty, in presenting this beauty. I am grateful to the acting profession for giving me more opportunities to draw close to this beauty.
(The author is a first-class actor.)
(Spring River, Flower, Moon: Saifei's Random Notes: written by He Saifei; published by Huacheng Publishing House.)
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