People's Daily - October 18, 2026

“With lofty goals, and even greater patience and resolve”

By: 新华社记者 张晓松 朱基钗 本报记者 杜尚泽 胡泽曦

On the frontier beyond the Great Wall, autumn is at its height: the landscape is covered in colorful foliage, the vegetation is a riot of color, and the earth offers boundless vistas.

On October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Ulanqab City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region for inspection and research. This is the fourth time General Secretary Xi has visited Inner Mongolia for inspection since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.

This year marks the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, and next year the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region will celebrate its 80th anniversary. Within the magnificent picture of Chinese modernization slowly unfolding across the land of China, "this scenic line along the northern border of the motherland" is now even more beautiful.

During the inspection three years ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping provided clear strategic guidance for Inner Mongolia's development, the foremost being to "firmly grasp the Party Central Committee's strategic positioning for Inner Mongolia" and to demonstrate new achievements in building the "two barriers," "two bases," and "one bridgehead."

At the first stop of this inspection, what General Secretary Xi Jinping focused on was one of the "two barriers"—the "important ecological security barrier for northern China."

On the morning of the 16th, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the shores of Huangqihai Lake in Qahar Right Front Banner.

This is an inland closed lake formed by the convergence of 11 rivers. After the 1970s and 1980s, the climate became dry with little rainfall, and Huangqihai Lake was once on the verge of drying up. After years of comprehensive treatment, the water area has gradually recovered and expanded.

On the display board, a set of comparison photos—the dry, exposed lakebed of 20 years ago and today's vast expanse of clear blue—and a set of bar charts—showing changes in the lake's surface area from the 1940s to the present—show changes that are especially striking.

The local official in charge reported to General Secretary Xi Jinping that through comprehensive measures such as adjusting and delineating protected areas, dredging the water systems entering the lake, treating aquaculture and agricultural non-point source pollution within the protected areas, and restoring grassland, planting trees, and supplementing greenery, the treatment of Huangqihai Lake has achieved phased results, with the lake's surface area exceeding 85 square kilometers at the end of last month. "In particular, last May, we monitored the reappearance of fish schools, indicating that Huangqihai Lake's water self-purification capacity and aquatic ecological circulation system functions are gradually recovering."

"Now, around this lake, are there still human production activities?" General Secretary Xi Jinping asked.

"The core area is under full control, reducing human interference."

To nurture the life of all things by the way of nature—this is the dialectic of harmonious coexistence between humanity and nature. General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "The value of wetland protection lies in preserving the original ecology. We must adhere to respecting nature, conforming to nature, and protecting nature" and "for degraded wetland ecosystems, we must adhere to natural recovery as the primary approach and human intervention as supplementary, carrying out scientific and reasonable restoration."

In General Secretary Xi Jinping's mind, this ecological security barrier along the northern border of the motherland is an indivisible system.

In 2021, when participating in the deliberation of the Inner Mongolia delegation at the Fourth Session of the 13th National People's Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping said, "Coordinate the systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts—here we must add the character 'desert'"—outlining the systemic dimension of ecological governance.

In the summer three years ago, at the foot of the Yinshan Mountains and on the Hetao Plain, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted an inspection in Bayannur, viewing Wuliangsuhai Lake and high-standard farmland, entering forest farms and treading on sandy land, viewing water and canals in the Hetao Irrigation District, taking in all of "mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts," and subsequently presided over a symposium on strengthening comprehensive desertification control and advancing key ecological projects such as the "Three-North" Shelterbelt Program, issuing the call to strive to fight a "Three-North" project battle within about 10 years.

Three years have passed—what results have been achieved?

On another display board, comparison images of the treatment of Inner Mongolia's "one lake and two seas" that General Secretary Xi Jinping cares deeply about, as well as comparison images of the treatment of key "Three-North" project areas such as the Kubuqi Desert, Horqin Sandy Land, Badain Jaran Desert, and Mu Us Sandy Land, were displayed one by one.

The official in charge of the autonomous region cited intuitive data: since 2023, a cumulative total of 130 million mu of ecological construction has been completed, equivalent to 85 percent of the amount completed in the first five phases of the "Three-North" project over more than 40 years; there are 428 lakes in the region with a perennial water surface area greater than 1 square kilometer, the number of bird species in lake areas has increased by 94 compared to 2021, and native fish species that had disappeared for years have reappeared in lakes such as Daihai and Huangqihai.

"An important aspect of Inner Mongolia's efforts to build a solid ecological security barrier is to strengthen the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts. Over the years, you have attached great importance to this work in overall planning and have persisted in doing it unremittingly—there have been results." General Secretary Xi Jinping said.

A fine rain began to fall from the sky. General Secretary Xi Jinping, holding an umbrella, walked to the lakeshore. Pausing to gaze into the distance, he saw the vast lake surface, the lush vegetation on the shore, and flocks of birds soaring. Through binoculars, the General Secretary observed the birds roosting on the mudflats: "Quite a lot of birds—the aquatic ecological recovery here is going well."

"I have put forward requirements for the treatment of several important lakes in Inner Mongolia. It is rare for Inner Mongolia to have these lakes; you must truly treat them as precious resources and protect them well."

From water management, the discussion turned to the governance of the entire ecosystem. General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out: "For desertification control, your task is relatively heavy. You must make sustained, long-term effort and strive to achieve the advance of greenery and the halt of desertification. For grassland protection, in developing animal husbandry here, you must solve the problem of overgrazing."

Viewed from the dialectical unity of development and protection, a change in mindset opens up vast new horizons. "Green development is an integral part of high-quality development. We must coordinate high-quality development with high-level protection" and "unswervingly follow the path of giving priority to ecology and pursuing green development."

Grasped from the perspective of the part and the whole, only those who grasp the greater can also encompass the lesser. "In short, we must view the construction of Inner Mongolia's ecological security barrier from the perspective of the overall situation. This is a national strategy; if done well, it benefits the entire country and also benefits you."

The tide of the digital and intelligent era surges forward, and the vast grasslands are nurturing a profound transformation. The abundant and concentrated "wind" and "light" here are being converted into a steady stream of green electricity, becoming the "green engine" driving computing power.

During this inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to the Ulanqab Qahar High-tech Development Zone. "In developing new quality productive forces, China is already running alongside or even leading in some fields, and the computing power industry is one of them."

Entering the exhibition hall, General Secretary Xi Jinping first watched a video introducing the development of Inner Mongolia's green computing power industry.

As one of the country's eight major computing power hubs and ten major data center clusters, Inner Mongolia has seized the opportunity presented by the national "East Data, West Computing" project and the construction of a national integrated computing power network, converting its advantages in wind and solar power into computing power advantages, and is striving to build a green computing power guarantee base serving the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and radiating across the country.

As the city in Inner Mongolia closest to Beijing, Ulanqab has nearly 10 months of natural cold source each year. With abundant green electricity, a cool climate, a close location, stable geology, low latency for direct fiber-optic connections to Beijing, and industry-leading power usage effectiveness for data centers... the combination of these advantages has made this small grassland city famous both at home and abroad in a short time.

Keeping pace with the trends of the times and seizing development opportunities demonstrates strategic foresight in assessing the situation.

In April last year, when presiding over a group study session of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to coordinate the advancement of computing power infrastructure construction. At the Political Bureau meeting in April this year, the strengthening of the planning and construction of the "six networks" was proposed.

As the 15th Five-Year Plan gets underway, the construction of the "six networks," including the "computing power network," has been incorporated into the overall framework of modern infrastructure system construction. Not long ago, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces," which clearly deploys the advancement of building a national integrated computing power network and strengthens the efficient supply of computing power, algorithms, and data.

The sand table model in the exhibition hall visually displayed the layout of Ulanqab's computing power industry. Computing power center projects are rising one after another, data machine rooms present an impressive sight, and an industrial layout initially dominated by the computing power industry, equipment manufacturing, and services has taken shape.

"The pace of development is very fast, and there is great potential for the future." General Secretary Xi Jinping affirmed Inner Mongolia's and Ulanqab's green computing power industry, emphasizing that "we must actively extend the industrial chain, promote the deep integration of the digital economy and the real economy, and continuously transform computing power advantages into development advantages."

Energy conservation and water conservation are key priorities. General Secretary Xi Jinping examined one by one the layout plans of computing power center projects, source-grid-load-storage models, integrated cooling station models, and intelligent power system models, showing great concern for the power usage effectiveness and water resource utilization efficiency of computing power centers, and frequently asking about relevant details.

Different regions across the country have different resource endowments. Only by acting in light of local conditions and leveraging strengths while avoiding weaknesses can sustainable focal points for high-quality development be found. Among these, what is tested is the development philosophy, and also the performance evaluation philosophy.

General Secretary Xi Jinping said earnestly: "What I worry most about now regarding the development of new quality productive forces, including the several leading industries at present, is disorderly development—everyone rushing in at once and then scattering in the end, which would be even more damaging to enthusiasm. There is also the problem of 'involution'—blind competition and development without regard for one's own conditions."

In industrial development, talent is the primary resource. In promoting the agglomeration and development of the green computing power industry, Ulanqab has adopted an approach in which academic education and social training complement each other, gradually forming a talent cultivation system that matches the employment needs of enterprises.

In the exhibition hall, there were faces full of youthful vigor. Among them were project leaders of computing power centers, technical personnel, staff of the high-tech zone, and people born in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s. They come from all corners of the country, jointly devoting themselves to a flourishing and prosperous undertaking.

General Secretary Xi Jinping had a cordial exchange with them: "Have lofty goals, and even more so, have patience and resolve. Just like the Long March of the Red Army, we are now on a new Long March. You are a contingent of the high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. I congratulate you on your contributions, and I also look forward to your making new and even greater contributions!"

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From Asia-Pacific Partnership to an Asia-Pacific Community

By: 本报记者 王 远 韩 硕 屈 佩

The vast Pacific Ocean, with its surging waves, stirs up the most dynamic engine of the global economy — the Asia-Pacific region.

Openness and cooperation connect vast markets, innovation and development unleash growth momentum, and exchange and mutual learning bring together diverse civilizations.

As the highest-level, broadest-scope, and most influential economic cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region, APEC was born as a new round of economic globalization was gradually rising, grew within the historical tide of openness and integration, and has led the Asia-Pacific region to the forefront of global open development, becoming the locomotive of economic globalization.

At present, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating with breakthroughs, global AI technology innovation has entered an unprecedented period of activity, and various intelligent technologies are compounding to release enormous energy, bringing tremendous opportunities for the development of human society. At the same time, unilateralism and protectionism are moving against the current, economic globalization is being obstructed, and it faces the severe test that making progress is essential as stagnation leads to decline (逆水行舟, ni shui xing zhou - "reverse the water, sail the boat").

Where is the Asia-Pacific economy headed? How can the Asia-Pacific continue to lead the way?

In 2026, China will host APEC for the third time. In another month, the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will open in Shenzhen, Guangdong. By building concrete outcomes around trade, connectivity, innovation, and development, establishing a cooperation framework for collective action by APEC members, and promoting the building of an Asia-Pacific community — the new future of Asia-Pacific cooperation is about to be jointly written by all Asia-Pacific parties in China.

The power of thought —

Using Chinese solutions to set the course and steer the Asia-Pacific's development

Today's Asia-Pacific accounts for one-third of the world's population, more than 60 percent of the global economy, and nearly half of global trade. Since APEC's founding more than 30 years ago, regional per capita income has more than quadrupled, and 1 billion people have been lifted out of poverty. The Asia-Pacific region has achieved major development, major prosperity, and major connectivity, greatly enhancing the interests and well-being of billions of people in the region.

The fundamental reason the Asia-Pacific region has been able to maintain long-term peace and stability and create the world-renowned "Asia-Pacific miracle" lies in the guidance of thought.

Since 2013, President Xi Jinping has attended or presided over every APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and delivered important speeches. With the grand strategic vision of a leader of a major party and major country, he has contributed new ideas and new solutions at every critical juncture, setting the course and steering the great ship of the Asia-Pacific.

In 2013, in Bali, Indonesia, President Xi Jinping proposed firmly establishing a sense of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, advocating that the Asia-Pacific region should pursue common development, adhere to open development, promote innovative development, and seek interconnected development — boosting the world's confidence in the Asia-Pacific as an engine of global growth.

In 2014, APEC welcomed "Beijing time." By Yanqi Lake in Beijing, the Asia-Pacific dream took flight like a formation of wild geese — the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific process was launched, the APEC Connectivity Blueprint was laid out, and an Asia-Pacific partnership of mutual trust, inclusiveness, cooperation, and win-win outcomes gathered broad consensus. All parties generally believed that, for jointly building a future-oriented Asia-Pacific partnership, the solutions China proposed had vision, goals, and concrete measures, and were key to advancing Asia-Pacific cooperation.

"Those who share the same ambitions and goals (志同道合, zhi tong dao he - "will, same, path, together") are partners. Those who seek common ground while reserving differences (求同存异, qiu tong cun yi - "seek same, keep different") are also partners." President Xi Jinping's important assertion provided intellectual inspiration for how Asia-Pacific economies with different national conditions, different development stages, and diverse interests can get along. International opinion praised China for shouldering the responsibility of a major country, demonstrating the commitment of the times, and going all out to convey confidence and inject positive energy into realizing the Asia-Pacific dream.

In 2020, the Putrajaya Vision established the grand goal of building an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040. President Xi Jinping stressed "opening a new stage of Asia-Pacific cooperation and jointly building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future that is open, inclusive, innovation-driven, interconnected, and win-win," providing important guidance for Asia-Pacific cooperation to embark on a new journey and jointly create and share a bright future of Asia-Pacific peace and prosperity.

In 2021, President Xi Jinping further put forward four priority areas for building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future and a series of policy proposals for deepening regional cooperation, broadly consolidating consensus across all sectors, promoting practical action, and receiving positive responses from all Asia-Pacific parties and the international community.

In 2023, in San Francisco, the United States, on how to forge the next "golden 30 years" of the Asia-Pacific, President Xi Jinping upheld the original aspiration of Asia-Pacific cooperation and proposed adhering to innovation-driven development, adhering to an open orientation, adhering to green development, and adhering to inclusive and shared benefits, so as to promote the building of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future through high-quality growth.

In 2025, in Gyeongju, South Korea, with the composure of "the more violent the wind and waves, the more we must work together through hardships" (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same boat, together, cross, help"), President Xi Jinping, with a broad, strategic perspective (高屋建瓴, gao wu jian ling - "high house, build, pour, command"), put forward five recommendations: jointly upholding the multilateral trading system, jointly fostering an open regional economic environment, jointly maintaining the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, jointly advancing the digital and green transformation of trade, and jointly promoting inclusive and beneficial development, stressing that "building an Asia-Pacific community is the only way to achieve the long-term development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region." Media inside and outside the venue reported in real time: "Chinese President Xi Jinping became the focus at the trans-Pacific meeting" and "China is deserving of a title or reputation without shame (当之无愧, dang zhi wu kui - "be, that, no, shame") as the leader."

From Bali to Beijing, from San Francisco to Gyeongju... President Xi Jinping has profoundly grasped the laws of history, deeply cared about the well-being of the people, planned the future of the Asia-Pacific with a long-term vision, and worked hand in hand with all members toward an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community. International observers believe that China is the power source and propeller of Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, and that Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom promote Asia-Pacific development and prosperity, contributing important strength to continuing to write the "Asia-Pacific miracle."

The fruit of win-win outcomes —

Gathering Asia-Pacific development momentum through openness, innovation, and cooperation

On November 1, 2025, in Gyeongju, South Korea, President Xi Jinping solemnly announced, "China will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, in November next year."

Amid warm applause from the entire venue, APEC once again entered "China time." President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae-myung said: "Under President Xi's leadership, APEC is about to embark on a new voyage."

China has set this year's meeting theme as "Building an Asia-Pacific Community for Shared Prosperity," with "openness, innovation, and cooperation" as the three priority areas, committed to linking the past with the future (承前启后, cheng qian qi hou - "inherit, before; open, after") and carrying on traditions and opening new paths (继往开来, ji wang kai lai - "follow, past; open, future"), to bring Asia-Pacific cooperation to a new level.

Broadening the landscape of Asia-Pacific cooperation through openness and connectivity —

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the proposal of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific vision. President Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that APEC was founded in response to the wave of economic globalization, with the purpose and goal of promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and supporting economic growth and prosperity. All parties should revisit their original aspirations and make outstanding contributions to the world through more dynamic and resilient Asia-Pacific cooperation.

During the last APEC "China year," the Beijing Roadmap for APEC and the Connectivity Blueprint became core pillars of the relevant discussion process. Now, in another APEC "China year," the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has been fully implemented, with more than 90 percent of trade in goods within the region ultimately achieving zero tariffs; high-standard international economic and trade rules represented by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement are being steadily aligned; the Protocol to Upgrade the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (3.0 Version) has been signed; and the regional free trade network is becoming ever denser.

Precisely because of the institutional safeguards of openness and cooperation, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway is operating smoothly, the freight categories on the China-Laos Railway continue to expand, and Peru's Chancay Port has opened a new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America... "Asia's resilience is rooted in openness, connectivity, and practical cooperation. While the current global economic recovery is weak, the Asian economy has maintained sustained growth, thanks to the close linkages of intra-regional trade, investment, infrastructure, and production networks," said Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Cultivating Asia-Pacific growth momentum through digital innovation —

Where lies the driving force for breaking through the bottlenecks of Asia-Pacific growth and tapping new cooperation increments? President Xi Jinping diagnosed the situation and prescribed the remedy, pointing out that efforts should be made to promote the coordinated digital and green transformation and development, shaping new drivers and new advantages for Asia-Pacific development.

Panda robots are endearingly cute, smart glasses "see" translated text in real time, and "cyber courier brothers" weave through the crowds... In July this year, the APEC Digital and Artificial Intelligence Ministerial Meeting and related "Digital Week" activities were held in Chengdu, Sichuan, vividly showcasing the vibrant picture of China's high-quality development.

From the APEC Bangkok Goals on Bio-Circular-Green Economy to the Global Initiative on Cross-Border Data Flow Cooperation, from digitalization of trade documents and green supply chain capacity building to initiatives such as AI exchange and dialogue and digitalization of the food industry... the beautiful vision of innovative cooperation is constantly becoming reality.

In Thailand, Chinese enterprises are helping build a highland for the clustering of ASEAN's new energy vehicle industry; in Chile, green technologies are empowering the transformation of urban electric transportation; in Fiji, a demonstration center for juncao technology is driving steady income increases for thousands of farming households... With the world's largest renewable energy system and the largest and most complete new energy industry chain, China is actively carrying out cooperation on green energy projects and promoting the creation of a new paradigm for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific.

Consolidating the foundation of the Asia-Pacific community through diversified cooperation —

President Xi Jinping stressed the need to adhere to a people-centered approach, fully implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, deepen the alignment of development strategies, increase support for developing economies, better bridge the development gap, continuously improve people's well-being, and promote common prosperity for all people of the Asia-Pacific.

China upholds the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, listens to the demands of developing economies, continuously enhances the representation and voice of developing members, and enables more people to benefit from the fruits of economic integration; shares experience with developing economies and supports all parties in taking modernization paths suited to their own endowments; adheres to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation; promotes the continued warming of youth exchanges and cultural and tourism exchanges, and close interaction among SMEs of member economies, strengthening the bonds of people-to-people and cultural exchange...

Since the start of the "China year" process, all parties have actively participated in relevant sectoral ministerial meetings and successive Senior Officials' Meetings. More than 10 Chinese cities have hosted over 300 meetings and events in succession, further consolidating consensus on building an Asia-Pacific community and initially forming the essential framework or backbone of something (四梁八柱, si liang ba zhu - "four beams, eight pillars") of the Asia-Pacific community. Upholding the original purpose of promoting economic growth and improving people's well-being, Asia-Pacific economies will move forward with determination along the direction of openness and connectivity, green innovation, and inclusive benefits.

The road ahead —

Creating a bright future for the Asia-Pacific through responsibility and commitment

In 2001, on the eve of China's accession to the World Trade Organization, the APEC Shanghai meeting was successfully held, symbolizing the re-departure of Asia-Pacific cooperation in the new century.

In 2014, China in the new era successfully hosted the APEC Beijing meeting, with all parties committing to build a future-oriented Asia-Pacific partnership, drawing a new vision for the region's long-term development and shared prosperity.

In 2026, the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, China will once again host the APEC meeting. On the new journey, how will China, which is continuously modernizing, push APEC to set out anew and re-embark toward the goal of building an Asia-Pacific community?

Shenzhen, linked by the azure Pacific Ocean, connects APEC's 21 members. As an important window of China's reform and opening up and the innovation frontier of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it has developed from a backward fishing village into a modern international metropolis over the past few decades. Known as China's "Silicon Valley" and "Southern Science and Technology Center," it concentrates many of the advanced industries highlighted as key priorities in China's 15th Five-Year Plan outline and is a symbol of the achievements of Chinese modernization.

Shenzhen's successful experience encapsulates China's development philosophy — adhering to the principle that development is the absolute truth, daring to break through and experiment, daring to be a pioneer or leader (敢为人先, gan wei ren xian - "dare, for, person, first"), and leading reform breakthroughs with ideological breakthroughs; adhering to all-round opening up to the outside world, continuously improving the attractiveness of "bringing in" and the competitiveness of "going global"; adhering to the principle that innovation is the primary driving force, winning the initiative in the global technological revolution and industrial transformation; adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, so that the fruits of reform and development benefit the people more extensively and more equitably...

From the transformation of a city to the development of a country, from "for the people" and "for the nation" to "for humanity" and "for the world," the world will once again perceive on this important APEC platform that China has always placed its own development within the broader framework of Asia-Pacific cooperation, closely linked its own destiny with the destiny of the world, transformed its own successful practices into public goods that benefit the world, and injected positive energy into world peace and development while managing its own affairs well.

President Xi Jinping profoundly summarized: "The success of the Asia-Pacific stems from our constant commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability, from our constant adherence to true multilateralism and open regionalism, and from our constant compliance with the general trend of economic globalization and adherence to mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, and mutual achievement."

Guided by the building of an Asia-Pacific community and based on true multilateralism and open regionalism, China has always advocated peaceful development and opposed the logic that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony; advocated win-win cooperation and opposed the winner-takes-all approach; advocated mutual learning among civilizations and opposed clashes of civilizations; advocated fairness and justice and opposed power politics.

It is necessary to maintain regional peace and stability. Historically, the Asia-Pacific region suffered greatly from conflicts and wars, and it was precisely because it escaped the shadow of the Cold War that the Asia-Pacific region, especially small and medium-sized economies, was able to enter the fast track toward modernization, and the "Asia-Pacific miracle" came into being. China advocates that regional countries follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, adhere to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, jointly oppose Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, build an Asia-Pacific security architecture, and create conditions for Asia-Pacific economic development and lasting peace and stability.

It is necessary to make the cake of common development bigger. The development gaps among Asia-Pacific economies are large, and institutional barriers, shortcomings in land-sea connectivity, and uneven distribution of resources for digital and green development constrain overall prosperity. China advocates fully leveraging the prominent diversity of Asia-Pacific economies, promoting complementary advantages, jointly making the cake of Asia-Pacific cooperation bigger, forming a cooperation pattern in which all parties achieve mutual success and common development, and continuously improving people's well-being.

It is necessary to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. The Asia-Pacific region brings together ancient civilizations and emerging forces, creating a long history and splendid culture. China advocates a view of civilizations based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, promotes the common values of all humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, transcends estrangement between civilizations through exchanges, transcends clashes between civilizations through mutual learning, and transcends superiority of civilizations through coexistence, providing assistance for world civilizations to develop in a balanced, positive, and benevolent direction.

China has put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, promoting prosperity through development, ensuring stability through security, enhancing mutual trust through civilization, and seeking fairness through governance. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commented that China is promoting global peace, stability, development, and prosperity through concepts and actions such as the four major global initiatives and building a community with a shared future for mankind, and he looks forward to China continuing to contribute Chinese wisdom to the sustainable development of human society.

The Asia-Pacific tide surges, and we set sail together in the same boat. From Yanqi Lake to Dapeng Bay, from the Asia-Pacific partnership to the Asia-Pacific community, China has always been rooted in the Asia-Pacific, benefited the Asia-Pacific, demonstrated its role in responding to challenges, and enhanced cooperation in responding to the expectations of the people. Anchored on the goal of building an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community, China will further deepen reform comprehensively, continue to expand high-standard opening up, continuously provide new opportunities for all parties with new achievements in Chinese modernization, and work together with all economies to create an even brighter future for the Asia-Pacific region.

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Uphold Ecological Priorities and Promote High-Quality Development in Light of Local Conditions

By: 本报记者

On October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Ulanqab City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and delivered an important speech. The General Secretary's important speech is inspiring and motivating, encouraging cadres and the masses to be enterprising and making progress (锐意进取, ruiyi jinqu - "sharp, resolute, advance") and to strive with all their might. Everyone expressed that they must unswervingly follow the path of prioritizing ecological protection and green development, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and promote high-quality development in light of local conditions.

Strengthen ecological protection and governance, and advance the building of a Beautiful China

At Huangqihai Lake in Chahar Right Front Banner, Ulanqab City, flocks of birds gather. A few kilometers away, on the large screen of the Ecological Protection Smart Supervision Center of the Huangqihai Nature Reserve, various ecological monitoring data are immediately obvious (一目了然, yimu liaoran - "one, eye, understand, understand").

Affected by climate and other factors, Huangqihai Lake was once on the verge of drying up. In recent years, the reserve has followed the principle of "reducing human interference and promoting natural restoration," advancing enclosure management, grazing bans, river dredging, and vegetation restoration. The water surface area has continued to steadily increase, and animal and plant populations have also continued to grow in richness.

"The smart monitoring system was put into operation in 2024, monitoring the species and numbers of migratory birds and other wild animals, and can provide timely warnings of cross-boundary behavior by people and large animals," said Wang Shaojun, director of the Service Center of the Huangqihai Nature Reserve. "General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that 'the value of wetland protection lies in preserving the original ecology.' We must put protection in the first place, continue to reduce human interference, make good use of monitoring and patrol measures, and make sustained, long-term effort to manage and protect Huangqihai Lake well."

"Adhere to the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts" and "unswervingly follow the path of prioritizing ecological protection and green development"... Strengthening ecological protection and governance and advancing the building of a Beautiful China are matters that General Secretary Xi Jinping always keeps in mind.

In Zhanjiang, Guangdong, tens of thousands of mu of mangroves spread out in layers, with egrets, plovers, and sandpipers fluttering up and down, and fish and shrimp darting through the intertidal zone.

"We must earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, implement the Wetland Protection Law, take the implementation of the ecological environment code as an opportunity, rely on scientific and technological means such as smart patrols and dynamic monitoring, strictly guard the ecological red line, and precisely carry out ecological restoration, biological conservation, and other work to promote high-quality development of wetland protection," said Zhang Wei, director of the Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve Administration Bureau.

On the tidal flats of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in Shandong, Zhang Hongshan, an employee of the Dawenliu Management Station, is inspecting a plot of smooth cordgrass that has just been treated. In recent years, the reserve has cumulatively treated 131,000 mu of smooth cordgrass, degraded wetlands have gradually recovered, and bird species at the Yellow River Estuary have increased from 187 at the time of the reserve's establishment to 407.

"The General Secretary emphasized that 'for degraded wetland ecosystems, we must adhere to natural restoration as the primary approach and artificial intervention as supplementary.' We must follow the concept of scientific restoration, continue to do solid work in patrol and monitoring, and let this wetland continue to radiate vitality," Zhang Hongshan said.

Fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy and promote the development of the green computing power industry

In the Chahar High-tech Development Zone in Ulanqab, inside one computing power center after another, massive amounts of data are processed at high speed and computed in real time, connecting directly to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region through low-latency optical cables spanning hundreds of kilometers.

More than 100 data center projects have been signed, with intelligent computing accounting for over 90%... Relying on abundant wind and solar resources and a sound ecological environment, Ulanqab has vigorously developed green computing power in recent years.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has further pointed out the direction for the development of the computing power industry. We must optimize various public services and factor guarantees, and create a sound environment for enterprises and talents of all kinds to start businesses and achieve success," said Liu Junping, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of the Chahar High-tech Development Zone. "We must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, scientifically plan and orderly lay out subsequent computing power projects, firmly hold the bottom line of resource constraints, and blaze a path of sustainable, high-quality development in light of local conditions."

Entering the Huawei Cloud Gui'an Data Center in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou, an artificial waterfall comes cascading down with great force (飞流直下, feiliu zhixia - "fly, flow, direct, down") — wind, waterfalls, and lake water have all become natural cooling sources for the data center. The data center has built a green technology system of "computing-power-electricity coordination." At full load operation, it can save 1.01 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and reduce carbon emissions by more than 810,000 tons.

To promote the green transformation of the computing power industry, Gui'an New Area has laid out more than 50 clean energy power plants within a 200-kilometer radius of the data center. "Earnestly implementing the spirit of the General Secretary's important speech, Gui'an New Area will continue to promote the coordinated development of computing power and electricity, plan and build the power grid and computing power facilities simultaneously, increase the proportion of green electricity consumption, and promote the development of the green computing power industry," said Wu Hongchun, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of Gui'an New Area.

In Xingtai, Hebei, in the workshop of Delong Steel Co., Ltd., an artificial intelligence large model for strip steel surface inspection relies on computing power to achieve precise identification of 23 types of defects, with detection accuracy reaching 90%; at Sinosteel Xingtai Machinery & Mill Roll, a digital twin large model connects 482 key pieces of equipment and more than 28,000 operating parameters to the cloud, increasing production efficiency by 22%...

"General Secretary Xi Jinping required us to 'continuously transform computing power advantages into development advantages,' which has pointed out the direction for our progress." Li Fengqiang, director of the Xingtai Municipal Data Bureau, was greatly inspired. "Xingtai will continue to extend the digital industry chain, rely on the provincial-level data annotation base, deeply cultivate data resources of characteristic industries, and promote the flow of high-quality computing power resources down to the real economy."

Establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, and blaze a path of high-quality development that suits each locality's actual conditions

At the "Original Flavor Ulanqab" store in the Ulanqab Building in Beijing, specialty agricultural and livestock products attract customers to stop and browse.

"The General Secretary encouraged us to strengthen the connection between production and sales and promote income growth and prosperity for farmers and herders," said Zhang Shijie, head of the Market and Foreign Cooperation Division of the Ulanqab Municipal Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau. "We will continuously improve the order-based agriculture and animal husbandry and benefit linkage mechanisms, broaden the channels for agricultural and livestock products to leave villages and enter cities, and continue to consolidate the foundation for increasing farmers' and herders' incomes and prosperity."

On the ridges and gullies of the loess plateau in Yan'an, Shaanxi, apple trees grow in stretches, with bright red fruit hanging from the branches; at the four-season low-temperature testing ground in Heihe, Heilongjiang, continuous low-temperature endurance tests of new energy vehicle batteries are underway... Across the east, west, south, north, and center of the country, resource endowments differ markedly, and each locality, based on its own conditions and leveraging its comparative advantages, promotes high-quality development in light of local conditions.

"When selecting varieties, one must base the choice on one's own conditions. This is 'Qinxia,' which is very suitable for the loess soil..." At the Yan'an Apple Research Institute, Deputy Director Zhang Junqi is introducing apple varieties to fruit farmers. In 2025, the output value of fresh apples in Yan'an reached 29.24 billion yuan, and the comprehensive output value of the entire industry chain reached 61.99 billion yuan. "To implement the spirit of the General Secretary's important speech, the Apple Research Institute must firmly establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, do solid work in providing technical support for base quality improvement, integration of the three industries, and brand upgrading, and let the 'small apple' truly become a 'major industry' that enriches the people and strengthens the city," Zhang Junqi said.

Heihe has an ice period of about 200 days per year — this is a climatic shortcoming, but also a unique advantage for developing the cold-region testing industry. "The testing ground can complete 70% of the winter testing items for new energy vehicles," introduced Deng Yongjun, technical director of the Heihe Honghegu Four-Season Low-Temperature Testing Ground. From "testing in one season" to "operating year-round without rest," Heihe is breaking the shackles of the seasons.

"The General Secretary emphasized 'keeping up with the trends of the times and seizing development opportunities.'" Wang Yulong, director of the Heihe Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau, said that Heihe will take earnest and practical action, concentrate efforts on building a high-cold testing industry cluster, and strive to blaze a path of high-quality development that suits its local actual conditions.

(People's Daily reporters Feng Chunmei, Wu Yong, Zhang Cheng, Zhu Dawei, Zhang Danhua, Jiang Xiaodan, Li Rui, Cheng Huan, Zhang Tengyang)

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Li Qiang Meets with Uzbek President Mirziyoyev

(People's Daily, Tashkent, October 17) (Reporter Wang Zhou) On October 17, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang met with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev in Tashkent.

Li Qiang stated that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Mirziyoyev, the building of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future has continuously achieved new results. Facing a complex situation of changing and chaotic circumstances (变乱交织, bian luan jiao zhi - "change, chaos, interweave") in the international landscape, China and Uzbekistan should unite and coordinate more closely and firmly march forward hand in hand. China is willing to strengthen strategic communication with Uzbekistan, continue to firmly support each other's core interests, expand mutually beneficial cooperation, and bring more benefits to the peoples of both countries.

Li Qiang pointed out that China is willing to work with Uzbekistan to promote the expansion of trade scale and optimization of structure between the two countries, strengthen cooperation in areas such as energy, minerals, finance, and connectivity, ensure the high-quality implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway, deepen scientific and technological innovation cooperation in artificial intelligence, green economy, aerospace, and other fields, and jointly seize future development opportunities. China supports more capable Chinese enterprises in investing and doing business in Uzbekistan, and hopes that Uzbekistan will continue to provide a favorable business environment for enterprises. The two sides should promote people-to-people connectivity (民心相通, min xin xiang tong - "people's heart, mutually connect"), and promote the early implementation of mutual establishment of cultural centers. China is willing to strengthen coordination of positions with Uzbekistan on major issues, closely coordinate within multilateral platforms such as the China-Central Asia mechanism and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, safeguard the common interests of both countries, and contribute to peace and development in the region and even the world.

Mirziyoyev congratulated the Communist Party of China on the 105th anniversary of its founding, stating that under the wise leadership of President Xi Jinping, China is marching forward with large strides (阔步前行, kuo bu qian xing - "wide step, move forward") toward the realization of national rejuvenation. At present, Uzbekistan-China relations have ushered in a "golden age." I successfully met with President Xi Jinping during the SCO Bishkek summit, which pointed out the direction for advancing bilateral cooperation. The Uzbek side firmly adheres to the one-China principle, firmly supports China in safeguarding its own core interests, and will continue to jointly combat the "three forces" (terrorism, extremism, and separatism). The Uzbek side welcomes more Chinese enterprises to invest and do business, and is willing to accelerate the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and cooperation and exchanges in various fields with China. The Uzbek side supports the four major global initiatives proposed by President Xi Jinping, and is willing to strengthen communication and coordination with China in multilateral fields, and promote the continuous new development of the Uzbekistan-China new era all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership.

Wu Zhenglong attended the meeting.

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Stay united and focused on advancing Chinese modernization, and do solid work on ethnic and religious affairs in the new era

(Xinhua News Agency, Chengdu, October 17) (Reporter Ding Xiaoxi) Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, conducted research in Chengdu, Deyang, and the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province from October 13 to 16. He stated that it is necessary to take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, thoroughly implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, focus on uniting people's efforts and strength (凝心聚力, ning xin ju li - "congeal heart, gather strength") for the development of the 15th Five-Year Plan period and the advancement of Chinese modernization, solidly carry out the work of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the building of the Chinese nation as a community, solidly carry out the work of systematically advancing the Sinicization of religions in China and strengthening the rule-of-law-based governance of religious affairs, and consolidate and develop the sound situation of ethnic unity, religious harmony, and social concord.

Wang Huning went deep into universities and secondary schools, street communities, cultural and museum venues, and other places to research the study of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation, the creation of ethnic unity and progress, educational assistance and cooperation in ethnic regions, and the protection and utilization of cultural relics. He stated that it is necessary to uphold the main line of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and the lifeline of ethnic unity, and implement the task requirements of building a shared spiritual home, promoting interaction, communication, and integration, and promoting common prosperity and development into all aspects such as the economy, education, employment, community building, cultural development, and the creation of ethnic unity and progress, integrate them into grassroots Party building, and continuously enhance the "five identifications" of people of all ethnic groups. It is necessary to promote the implementation of the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, adhere to using rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law methods to govern ethnic affairs, and safeguard and guarantee ethnic unity in accordance with the law. It is necessary to deepen research on major foundational issues concerning the Chinese nation as a community, strengthen the protection and utilization of history and culture, and demonstrate the pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization. It is necessary to support and promote the economic and social development of ethnic regions, so that people of all ethnic groups can live better lives.

Wang Huning visited religious activity venues to learn about the situation of advancing the Sinicization of religions in China. He stated that it is necessary to uphold the direction of Sinicization of religions in China, adhere to the guidance of core socialist values, and guide religions in China to integrate with the fine traditional Chinese culture and adapt to socialist society. It is necessary to raise the level of rule-of-law-based governance of religious affairs and maintain harmony and stability in the religious field.

Wang Huning went to the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPPCC and the Sêrtar County Committee of the CPPCC to research CPPCC work and visit CPPCC members and representatives of CPPCC cadres. He stated that it is necessary to uphold the Party's overall leadership over the CPPCC, give play to the role of the CPPCC as a specialized consultative body, focus on the "four cohesions," and solidly carry out the work of political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs.

During the research period, Wang Huning also went to Tianfu New Area and relevant scientific research institutions and Taiwan-invested enterprises for research.

Li Ganjie participated in the research together.

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From Ulanqab's transformation, grasping the way of "coordinated regional development" (First Glance)

By: 本报记者 韩 鑫

From Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia to the capital Beijing, what is the fastest time possible?

By high-speed rail, about 100 minutes, but if via a high-capacity optical cable, the one-way latency is only 2.1 milliseconds. In the blink of an eye (一眨眼, yī zhǎ yǎn - "one, blink"), data has already traversed more than 240 kilometers.

Riding the "wind" and borrowing the "cool," Ulanqab has rapidly grown into a computing-power hotspot. As of August this year, the locality had signed 109 computing-power projects, with signed standard racks exceeding 7 million units, and the scale of computing power in operation reaching 190,000 PFLOPS (quadrillions of floating-point operations per second). International investment bank Goldman Sachs gave an assessment in its report: one of the largest and fastest-growing artificial intelligence computing-power hubs in the Asia-Pacific region.

From a small city with limited industrial options in the past to a development trendsetter attracting national and even global attention today, how did Ulanqab achieve its transformation and rise to prominence?

On October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping came to Ulanqab City for inspection and research, and a few words contained the code for the locality's development breakthrough: "Keep pace with the trends of the times, seize development opportunities, base ourselves on our own conditions, give play to comparative advantages, and promote high-quality development in light of local conditions."

Observing one region reveals the whole picture. This small city near Beijing, running at "millisecond speed" in its transformation practice, embodies the dialectics of coordinated regional development and contains the deep logic of upholding the principle of a unified national chessboard.

It is worth developing our thinking from two sets of relationships.

Grasp the relationship between one region and the whole, and "identify one's strategic positioning in the overall national development framework."

The Party Central Committee always views problems from the big picture. Our country has a vast territory and a large population, and the differences in natural resource endowments among regions are rarely seen anywhere in the world; "coordinating regional development has always been a major issue."

Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses (尺有所短、寸有所长, chǐ yǒu suǒ duǎn, cùn yǒu suǒ cháng - "ruler, has, some, short; inch, has, some, long"). How to achieve making up for weaknesses by utilizing strengths (取长补短, qǔ cháng bǔ duǎn - "take, long, supplement, short") and play to strengths while avoiding weaknesses? "We must uphold the thinking of a unified national chessboard and clarify our own development positioning within the overall national development framework."

Returning to Ulanqab, behind the "2.1 millisecond" connection speed lies a long-term layout of integrating into the regional pattern and the overall development framework — more than a decade of deep cultivation in network construction has enabled computing-power resources to reach Beijing directly and radiate to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region; seizing the strategic opportunity of the "East Data, West Computing" project, it has become an important component of national computing-power hub nodes, transforming itself in one move into the "capital of tokens"... This proactive effort of "continuously converting computing-power advantages into development advantages" is precisely a success story of identifying one's positioning and actively advancing.

Looking across the country, one "major move" after another in "coordinating regional development" is unfolding across the vast land: closely following the two key words of "integration" and "high quality," the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, the three major engines of growth, have strong momentum; adhering to the principle of great protection and no great development, the green development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt has become more substantial; all regions, based on their own conditions, adhere to "taking the path of rational division of labor and optimized development"...

By clarifying one's own positioning in the overall development framework, consciously integrating into the unified national chessboard, and continuously improving the ability to "plan for one region," the advantages and potential of all regions are being released in competition, converging into a powerful momentum for high-quality development.

Base ourselves on the present and the future, and "develop new quality productive forces in light of local conditions."

On the grassland cloud valley, electric power surges and computing power flows, with intelligent computing centers everywhere witnessing the growth and advancement of the green computing-power industry.

"The computing-power industry is in an accelerated development stage with broad prospects." General Secretary Xi Jinping, with a long-term perspective, expressed the hope to "actively promote the development of the green computing-power industry and make greater contributions to advancing the construction of Digital China and promoting the development of new quality productive forces."

The computing-power network is one of the "six networks" planned for national construction. Its gradual formation and increasingly dense weaving make it crucial for all regions to develop in light of local conditions and build their respective advantages.

Guizhou focuses on data storage, Gansu undertakes offline tasks, and Inner Mongolia anchors low-latency computing-power services with targeted alignment to the industrial needs of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region... The eight hubs of the "East Data, West Computing" project each have distinct positioning, with differentiated development within clusters. Behind the improvement of the overall competitiveness of national computing power, the wisdom of a unified chessboard is fully displayed.

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. Accelerating the development of new quality productive forces concerns the overall situation and concerns the future.

"We must adhere to developing in light of local conditions, base ourselves on reality to promote the deep integration of scientific and technological innovation and industrial innovation," and "base ourselves on objective conditions, give play to comparative advantages, adhere to seeking progress while maintaining stability (稳中求进, wěn zhōng qiú jìn - "stable, in the middle, seek, progress") and gradient cultivation, and promote continuous new breakthroughs in the development of our country's future industries"... Since the beginning of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made deployments on multiple occasions, and the methodology of developing new quality productive forces in light of local conditions has been consistent from beginning to end (一以贯之, yī yǐ guàn zhī - "one, by, through, connect").

Yiwu, Zhejiang — another small city, with a different story but a similar rhyme.

Neither bordering the sea nor the border, relying on a business tradition of daring to venture and create, and the tenacity and grit of trading small goods for essentials to build business (鸡毛换糖, jī máo huàn táng - "chicken, feathers, exchange, sugar"), over several decades Yiwu has continuously "grown taller and stronger," evolving into a world supermarket that "buys globally and sells globally."

"Yiwu's small commodities have broken into a big market and grown into a major industry, forming the 'Yiwu development experience.' This is a successful practice of developing county-level economies in light of local conditions."

Based on its own resource endowments to develop new quality productive forces, the people of Yiwu are launching new explorations: promoting the manufacturing industry to move from "shop in front, factory behind" to the dual-wheel drive of "digital trade + digital intelligent manufacturing," with emerging industries and future industry projects such as new-type energy storage and embodied intelligence landing one after another...

Recently, the "Opinions of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council on Developing New Quality Productive Forces" was publicly released, with a very clear orientation of "developing in light of local conditions and establishing new systems before dismantling old ones" (先立后破, xiān lì hòu pò - "first, establish, later, break").

Based on endowments and each playing to its strengths, all regions are developing new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, and "coordinating regional development" now has more solid industrial support —

Making full use of sunlight endowments, Yan'an in Shaanxi vigorously develops the apple planting industry, transforming characteristic resources into modern agriculture and paving the way to prosperity;

Activating ice and snow resources, Heilongjiang is expanding and strengthening its ice and snow specialty industry, turning the ice and snow economy into a new growth point, powerfully interpreting the saying "ice and snow are also mountains of gold and silver";

Building on salt lakes, Qinghai is constructing a green, low-carbon, and circular industry, with the world-class salt lake industry base accelerating its construction;

"Adding luster to one region and adding color to the whole," precisely laying out advantageous tracks, advancing toward the new with steady and sure steps.

Looking back, why is the "Ulanqab transformation story" so remarkable?

People see the consciousness of "serving and integrating into the overall national development framework," see the sobriety of "basing oneself on one's own resource endowments," see the determination of "continuously transforming and upgrading, improving quality and replacing generations," and even more, see the magnificent picture of high-quality development momentum converging and vitality flourishing.

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Make New Contributions to Building a Strong Education Nation and Advancing Chinese Modernization

By: 本报记者 丁雅诵 申智林

On October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory letter to Hunan University on the occasion of its 100th anniversary, extending congratulations to all faculty, staff, students, and alumni, and encouraging everyone to make new contributions to building a strong education nation and advancing Chinese modernization.

The earnest instructions and heartfelt expectations have greatly inspired educators and young students alike. They expressed that they will resolutely implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's requirements, carry forward the glorious revolutionary tradition, improve the quality and standards of education, and strive to cultivate more outstanding talents who are being practical and useful for society (经世致用, jing shi zhi yong - "manage the world, apply to practical use").

In the golden autumn of October, Hunan University is full of youthful vigor (青春洋溢, qing chun yang yi - "youth, overflow") and filled with the sound of rhythmic reading (书声琅琅, shu sheng lang lang - "book, sound, loud and clear"). Hunan University was founded in 1926, continuing the academic lineage of a thousand-year-old academy. Over the past 100 years, the university has upheld inheritance and innovation, cultivating a large number of outstanding talents for the country.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping fully affirmed the university's long-standing educational tradition and pointed the direction and provided the fundamental guidance for the university to accelerate its construction into a world-class university with Chinese characteristics that is rich in historical and cultural heritage," said Deng Wei, Secretary of the Party Committee of Hunan University. "We must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, carry forward the thousand-year academic lineage of Yuelu Academy, promote the spirit of 'seeking truth from facts and daring to be a pioneer' (敢为人先, gan wei ren xian - "dare, be, person, first"), and strive to cultivate more new-generation talents capable of shouldering the great task of national rejuvenation."

At the foot of Yuelu Mountain, the continuous tradition of learning (弦歌相继, xian ge xiang ji - "string, song, successively") endures, and the thousand-year-old academy keeps passing the torch from one generation to another (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, flame, pass on"). From an ancient academy to a modern university, Hunan University has continuously nurtured students' feelings for the country and family, and their sense of social responsibility.

"Six years ago, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Yuelu Academy and encouraged everyone to 'live up to the trust of the times and not waste the prime of youth.' Now, in his congratulatory letter, he has asked us to 'carry forward the glorious revolutionary tradition and continue the thousand-year academic lineage of the academy.' I am deeply inspired," said Qin Fazhi, a doctoral student at the School of Environmental Science and Engineering at Hunan University. He said he will cherish the time to study hard, acquire knowledge and skills, devote himself to water environment governance, integrate his personal scientific research ideals into national needs, and contribute his youthful strength to comprehensively advancing the construction of a Beautiful China.

"Creative transformation and innovative development allow the ancient cultural lineage to grow and thrive through upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground." Huang Xiaolu, a graduate student majoring in Chinese history at Yuelu Academy of Hunan University, said, "In my daily studies, I will strengthen my foundation in historical studies, draw wisdom and nourishment from traditional classics, conduct research rooted in the fertile soil of Chinese culture, and grow into an inheritor and promoter of China's excellent traditional culture."

"During my time at the university, my alma mater not only imparted solid theoretical knowledge but also cultivated my spirit of independent thinking and exploring the unknown," said Chen Tongxiang, an alumnus of Hunan University and a researcher at the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. "In the future, I will continue to devote myself to scientific research, contribute to the country's aerospace endeavors, and repay my alma mater and serve the motherland with outstanding achievements."

"Promote the spirit of 'seeking truth from facts and daring to be a pioneer'" and "continuously improve the quality and standards of education"... The requirements in General Secretary Xi Jinping's congratulatory letter guide educators to unswervingly implement the fundamental task of fostering virtue and cultivating people (立德树人, li de shu ren - "establish, virtue, cultivate, person") and make positive contributions to building a strong education nation, a strong science and technology nation, and a strong talent nation.

"Aligning research directions with the needs of economic and social development is an inherent part of 'seeking truth from facts and daring to be a pioneer.'" Lu Bing'an, a professor at the School of Physics and Microelectronics Science at Hunan University, said that it is essential to firmly grasp the requirements for high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, focus on solving key technical problems in scientific research, spare no effort in forging a young scientific research force in the field of energy storage, and support high-quality development with high-level original scientific research achievements.

"Seeking truth from facts is the essence of Marxism and also the starting point for our scholarship and research," said Chen Wei, Deputy Dean of the School of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development at Renmin University of China. He said that one must step onto the ridges of fields, approach farmers, confront the real issues of food security, green transformation, and comprehensive rural revitalization, and write papers on the land of the motherland.

"Whether the needs of economic and social development can be met is an important criterion for measuring the effectiveness of talent cultivation." Hu Jiabing, Dean of the School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Huazhong University of Science and Technology, integrates rich scientific research achievements into teaching practice, transforms high-quality scientific research resources into educational resources, and leads students in conducting research on the construction of new power systems. He said, "We will continue to promote the resonating at the same frequency (同频共振, tong pin gong zhen - "same, frequency, together, vibrate") and mutual reinforcement of teaching and research, and continuously cultivate innovative talents needed for the development of the Party and the country's cause."

Wu Zhijun, Vice President of Shanghai Institute of Technology, said that the university will firmly maintain its distinctive positioning of application orientation and technological innovation, firmly establish the concept of cultivating talents for industry, build a cross-disciplinary talent cultivation model of "major + micro-major," jointly build special classes and pilot classes with enterprises, introduce real industrial problems and real scenarios into the teaching process, and rapidly respond to the talent needs of key and urgently needed industrial fields in the era of artificial intelligence.

On the new journey of the new era, the stage for young students to display their talents is incomparably broad, and the prospects for realizing their dreams are incomparably bright.

"My practice of going to the grassroots to deliver theoretical lectures has made me realize that explaining the Party's innovative theories thoroughly and vividly is a vivid practice of 'being practical and useful for society.'" Du Wanyi, head of the Doctoral Theory Lecture Group of Hunan University and a doctoral student at the School of Marxism, said that guided by the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important congratulatory letter, she will devote herself to academic research, continue to deliver down-to-earth and warm theoretical lectures, and strive to write a youthful chapter of shouldering responsibility for Chinese modernization.

"Since the beginning of this year, General Secretary Xi Jinping has replied to letters and sent congratulatory letters to several universities, which has made me deeply feel the General Secretary's high regard for education and his earnest expectations for the growth and success of the younger generation," said Wen Ke, a student of the Jiang Jie Class at the Law School of Sichuan University. "As a member of the Jiang Jie Class, I will root the red gene and revolutionary tradition deep in my heart and integrate them into daily life, unswervingly pursuing a goal (矢志不渝, shi zhi bu yu - "aim, will, not, change") of excellence and scaling new heights in academics, striving to let my youthful dreams take flight in the vivid practice of realizing the Chinese Dream of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."

(People's Daily reporters Wu Dan, Wu Yue, and Yan Yiqiao contributed to this article)

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Shanghai Grand Opera House inaugurated

(People's Daily, Shanghai, October 17) (Reporter Cao Lingjuan) The Shanghai Grand Opera House was inaugurated on the banks of the Huangpu River on the 17th. That evening, the opening concert of the 25th China Shanghai International Arts Festival, "The Shanghai Grand Opera House and Her Friends," was held here. The arts festival will feature nearly 400 events comprising 1,100 performances and exhibitions, attracting nearly 20,000 artists, institutional representatives, and industry experts from over 80 countries and regions to gather in Shanghai. On the same day, the "Three-Year Action Plan for the Revitalization of Shanghai Theater (2026–2028)" was released, and the founding ceremony of the Shanghai Performing Arts Group was held.

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Uphold Ecological Priorities and Promote High-Quality Development in Light of Local Conditions

By: 本报记者

On October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Ulanqab City in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and delivered an important speech. The General Secretary's important speech is inspiring and motivating, encouraging cadres and the masses to be enterprising and making progress (锐意进取, ruiyi jinqu - "sharp, resolute, advance") and to strive with all their might. Everyone expressed that they must unswervingly follow the path of prioritizing ecological protection and green development, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, and promote high-quality development in light of local conditions.

Strengthen ecological protection and governance, and advance the building of a Beautiful China

At Huangqihai Lake in Chahar Right Front Banner, Ulanqab City, flocks of birds gather. A few kilometers away, on the large screen of the Ecological Protection Smart Supervision Center of the Huangqihai Nature Reserve, various ecological monitoring data are immediately obvious (一目了然, yimu liaoran - "one, eye, understand, understand").

Affected by climate and other factors, Huangqihai Lake was once on the verge of drying up. In recent years, the reserve has followed the principle of "reducing human interference and promoting natural restoration," advancing enclosure management, grazing bans, river dredging, and vegetation restoration. The water surface area has continued to steadily increase, and animal and plant populations have also continued to grow in richness.

"The smart monitoring system was put into operation in 2024, monitoring the species and numbers of migratory birds and other wild animals, and can provide timely warnings of cross-boundary behavior by people and large animals," said Wang Shaojun, director of the Service Center of the Huangqihai Nature Reserve. "General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that 'the value of wetland protection lies in preserving the original ecology.' We must put protection in the first place, continue to reduce human interference, make good use of monitoring and patrol measures, and make sustained, long-term effort to manage and protect Huangqihai Lake well."

"Adhere to the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts" and "unswervingly follow the path of prioritizing ecological protection and green development"... Strengthening ecological protection and governance and advancing the building of a Beautiful China are matters that General Secretary Xi Jinping always keeps in mind.

In Zhanjiang, Guangdong, tens of thousands of mu of mangroves spread out in layers, with egrets, plovers, and sandpipers fluttering up and down, and fish and shrimp darting through the intertidal zone.

"We must earnestly study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, implement the Wetland Protection Law, take the implementation of the ecological environment code as an opportunity, rely on scientific and technological means such as smart patrols and dynamic monitoring, strictly guard the ecological red line, and precisely carry out ecological restoration, biological conservation, and other work to promote high-quality development of wetland protection," said Zhang Wei, director of the Zhanjiang Mangrove National Nature Reserve Administration Bureau.

On the tidal flats of the Yellow River Delta National Nature Reserve in Shandong, Zhang Hongshan, an employee of the Dawenliu Management Station, is inspecting a plot of smooth cordgrass that has just been treated. In recent years, the reserve has cumulatively treated 131,000 mu of smooth cordgrass, degraded wetlands have gradually recovered, and bird species at the Yellow River Estuary have increased from 187 at the time of the reserve's establishment to 407.

"The General Secretary emphasized that 'for degraded wetland ecosystems, we must adhere to natural restoration as the primary approach and artificial intervention as supplementary.' We must follow the concept of scientific restoration, continue to do solid work in patrol and monitoring, and let this wetland continue to radiate vitality," Zhang Hongshan said.

Fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy and promote the development of the green computing power industry

In the Chahar High-tech Development Zone in Ulanqab, inside one computing power center after another, massive amounts of data are processed at high speed and computed in real time, connecting directly to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region through low-latency optical cables spanning hundreds of kilometers.

More than 100 data center projects have been signed, with intelligent computing accounting for over 90%... Relying on abundant wind and solar resources and a sound ecological environment, Ulanqab has vigorously developed green computing power in recent years.

"General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech has further pointed out the direction for the development of the computing power industry. We must optimize various public services and factor guarantees, and create a sound environment for enterprises and talents of all kinds to start businesses and achieve success," said Liu Junping, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of the Chahar High-tech Development Zone. "We must fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, scientifically plan and orderly lay out subsequent computing power projects, firmly hold the bottom line of resource constraints, and blaze a path of sustainable, high-quality development in light of local conditions."

Entering the Huawei Cloud Gui'an Data Center in Gui'an New Area, Guizhou, an artificial waterfall comes cascading down with great force (飞流直下, feiliu zhixia - "fly, flow, direct, down") — wind, waterfalls, and lake water have all become natural cooling sources for the data center. The data center has built a green technology system of "computing-power-electricity coordination." At full load operation, it can save 1.01 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity per year and reduce carbon emissions by more than 810,000 tons.

To promote the green transformation of the computing power industry, Gui'an New Area has laid out more than 50 clean energy power plants within a 200-kilometer radius of the data center. "Earnestly implementing the spirit of the General Secretary's important speech, Gui'an New Area will continue to promote the coordinated development of computing power and electricity, plan and build the power grid and computing power facilities simultaneously, increase the proportion of green electricity consumption, and promote the development of the green computing power industry," said Wu Hongchun, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of Gui'an New Area.

In Xingtai, Hebei, in the workshop of Delong Steel Co., Ltd., an artificial intelligence large model for strip steel surface inspection relies on computing power to achieve precise identification of 23 types of defects, with detection accuracy reaching 90%; at Sinosteel Xingtai Machinery & Mill Roll, a digital twin large model connects 482 key pieces of equipment and more than 28,000 operating parameters to the cloud, increasing production efficiency by 22%...

"General Secretary Xi Jinping required us to 'continuously transform computing power advantages into development advantages,' which has pointed out the direction for our progress." Li Fengqiang, director of the Xingtai Municipal Data Bureau, was greatly inspired. "Xingtai will continue to extend the digital industry chain, rely on the provincial-level data annotation base, deeply cultivate data resources of characteristic industries, and promote the flow of high-quality computing power resources down to the real economy."

Establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, and blaze a path of high-quality development that suits each locality's actual conditions

At the "Original Flavor Ulanqab" store in the Ulanqab Building in Beijing, specialty agricultural and livestock products attract customers to stop and browse.

"The General Secretary encouraged us to strengthen the connection between production and sales and promote income growth and prosperity for farmers and herders," said Zhang Shijie, head of the Market and Foreign Cooperation Division of the Ulanqab Municipal Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Bureau. "We will continuously improve the order-based agriculture and animal husbandry and benefit linkage mechanisms, broaden the channels for agricultural and livestock products to leave villages and enter cities, and continue to consolidate the foundation for increasing farmers' and herders' incomes and prosperity."

On the ridges and gullies of the loess plateau in Yan'an, Shaanxi, apple trees grow in stretches, with bright red fruit hanging from the branches; at the four-season low-temperature testing ground in Heihe, Heilongjiang, continuous low-temperature endurance tests of new energy vehicle batteries are underway... Across the east, west, south, north, and center of the country, resource endowments differ markedly, and each locality, based on its own conditions and leveraging its comparative advantages, promotes high-quality development in light of local conditions.

"When selecting varieties, one must base the choice on one's own conditions. This is 'Qinxia,' which is very suitable for the loess soil..." At the Yan'an Apple Research Institute, Deputy Director Zhang Junqi is introducing apple varieties to fruit farmers. In 2025, the output value of fresh apples in Yan'an reached 29.24 billion yuan, and the comprehensive output value of the entire industry chain reached 61.99 billion yuan. "To implement the spirit of the General Secretary's important speech, the Apple Research Institute must firmly establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, do solid work in providing technical support for base quality improvement, integration of the three industries, and brand upgrading, and let the 'small apple' truly become a 'major industry' that enriches the people and strengthens the city," Zhang Junqi said.

Heihe has an ice period of about 200 days per year — this is a climatic shortcoming, but also a unique advantage for developing the cold-region testing industry. "The testing ground can complete 70% of the winter testing items for new energy vehicles," introduced Deng Yongjun, technical director of the Heihe Honghegu Four-Season Low-Temperature Testing Ground. From "testing in one season" to "operating year-round without rest," Heihe is breaking the shackles of the seasons.

"The General Secretary emphasized 'keeping up with the trends of the times and seizing development opportunities.'" Wang Yulong, director of the Heihe Municipal Industry and Information Technology Bureau, said that Heihe will take earnest and practical action, concentrate efforts on building a high-cold testing industry cluster, and strive to blaze a path of high-quality development that suits its local actual conditions.

(People's Daily reporters Feng Chunmei, Wu Yong, Zhang Cheng, Zhu Dawei, Zhang Danhua, Jiang Xiaodan, Li Rui, Cheng Huan, Zhang Tengyang)

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From Asia-Pacific Partnership to an Asia-Pacific Community

By: 本报记者 王 远 韩 硕 屈 佩

The vast Pacific Ocean, with its surging waves, stirs up the most dynamic engine of the global economy — the Asia-Pacific region.

Openness and cooperation connect vast markets, innovation and development unleash growth momentum, and exchange and mutual learning bring together diverse civilizations.

As the highest-level, broadest-scope, and most influential economic cooperation mechanism in the Asia-Pacific region, APEC was born as a new round of economic globalization was gradually rising, grew within the historical tide of openness and integration, and has led the Asia-Pacific region to the forefront of global open development, becoming the locomotive of economic globalization.

At present, a new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation is accelerating with breakthroughs, global AI technology innovation has entered an unprecedented period of activity, and various intelligent technologies are compounding to release enormous energy, bringing tremendous opportunities for the development of human society. At the same time, unilateralism and protectionism are moving against the current, economic globalization is being obstructed, and it faces the severe test that making progress is essential as stagnation leads to decline (逆水行舟, ni shui xing zhou - "reverse the water, sail the boat").

Where is the Asia-Pacific economy headed? How can the Asia-Pacific continue to lead the way?

In 2026, China will host APEC for the third time. In another month, the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will open in Shenzhen, Guangdong. By building concrete outcomes around trade, connectivity, innovation, and development, establishing a cooperation framework for collective action by APEC members, and promoting the building of an Asia-Pacific community — the new future of Asia-Pacific cooperation is about to be jointly written by all Asia-Pacific parties in China.

The power of thought —

Using Chinese solutions to set the course and steer the Asia-Pacific's development

Today's Asia-Pacific accounts for one-third of the world's population, more than 60 percent of the global economy, and nearly half of global trade. Since APEC's founding more than 30 years ago, regional per capita income has more than quadrupled, and 1 billion people have been lifted out of poverty. The Asia-Pacific region has achieved major development, major prosperity, and major connectivity, greatly enhancing the interests and well-being of billions of people in the region.

The fundamental reason the Asia-Pacific region has been able to maintain long-term peace and stability and create the world-renowned "Asia-Pacific miracle" lies in the guidance of thought.

Since 2013, President Xi Jinping has attended or presided over every APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and delivered important speeches. With the grand strategic vision of a leader of a major party and major country, he has contributed new ideas and new solutions at every critical juncture, setting the course and steering the great ship of the Asia-Pacific.

In 2013, in Bali, Indonesia, President Xi Jinping proposed firmly establishing a sense of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future, advocating that the Asia-Pacific region should pursue common development, adhere to open development, promote innovative development, and seek interconnected development — boosting the world's confidence in the Asia-Pacific as an engine of global growth.

In 2014, APEC welcomed "Beijing time." By Yanqi Lake in Beijing, the Asia-Pacific dream took flight like a formation of wild geese — the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific process was launched, the APEC Connectivity Blueprint was laid out, and an Asia-Pacific partnership of mutual trust, inclusiveness, cooperation, and win-win outcomes gathered broad consensus. All parties generally believed that, for jointly building a future-oriented Asia-Pacific partnership, the solutions China proposed had vision, goals, and concrete measures, and were key to advancing Asia-Pacific cooperation.

"Those who share the same ambitions and goals (志同道合, zhi tong dao he - "will, same, path, together") are partners. Those who seek common ground while reserving differences (求同存异, qiu tong cun yi - "seek same, keep different") are also partners." President Xi Jinping's important assertion provided intellectual inspiration for how Asia-Pacific economies with different national conditions, different development stages, and diverse interests can get along. International opinion praised China for shouldering the responsibility of a major country, demonstrating the commitment of the times, and going all out to convey confidence and inject positive energy into realizing the Asia-Pacific dream.

In 2020, the Putrajaya Vision established the grand goal of building an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community by 2040. President Xi Jinping stressed "opening a new stage of Asia-Pacific cooperation and jointly building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future that is open, inclusive, innovation-driven, interconnected, and win-win," providing important guidance for Asia-Pacific cooperation to embark on a new journey and jointly create and share a bright future of Asia-Pacific peace and prosperity.

In 2021, President Xi Jinping further put forward four priority areas for building an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future and a series of policy proposals for deepening regional cooperation, broadly consolidating consensus across all sectors, promoting practical action, and receiving positive responses from all Asia-Pacific parties and the international community.

In 2023, in San Francisco, the United States, on how to forge the next "golden 30 years" of the Asia-Pacific, President Xi Jinping upheld the original aspiration of Asia-Pacific cooperation and proposed adhering to innovation-driven development, adhering to an open orientation, adhering to green development, and adhering to inclusive and shared benefits, so as to promote the building of an Asia-Pacific community with a shared future through high-quality growth.

In 2025, in Gyeongju, South Korea, with the composure of "the more violent the wind and waves, the more we must work together through hardships" (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same boat, together, cross, help"), President Xi Jinping, with a broad, strategic perspective (高屋建瓴, gao wu jian ling - "high house, build, pour, command"), put forward five recommendations: jointly upholding the multilateral trading system, jointly fostering an open regional economic environment, jointly maintaining the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, jointly advancing the digital and green transformation of trade, and jointly promoting inclusive and beneficial development, stressing that "building an Asia-Pacific community is the only way to achieve the long-term development and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region." Media inside and outside the venue reported in real time: "Chinese President Xi Jinping became the focus at the trans-Pacific meeting" and "China is deserving of a title or reputation without shame (当之无愧, dang zhi wu kui - "be, that, no, shame") as the leader."

From Bali to Beijing, from San Francisco to Gyeongju... President Xi Jinping has profoundly grasped the laws of history, deeply cared about the well-being of the people, planned the future of the Asia-Pacific with a long-term vision, and worked hand in hand with all members toward an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community. International observers believe that China is the power source and propeller of Asia-Pacific regional cooperation, and that Chinese solutions and Chinese wisdom promote Asia-Pacific development and prosperity, contributing important strength to continuing to write the "Asia-Pacific miracle."

The fruit of win-win outcomes —

Gathering Asia-Pacific development momentum through openness, innovation, and cooperation

On November 1, 2025, in Gyeongju, South Korea, President Xi Jinping solemnly announced, "China will host the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, in November next year."

Amid warm applause from the entire venue, APEC once again entered "China time." President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae-myung said: "Under President Xi's leadership, APEC is about to embark on a new voyage."

China has set this year's meeting theme as "Building an Asia-Pacific Community for Shared Prosperity," with "openness, innovation, and cooperation" as the three priority areas, committed to linking the past with the future (承前启后, cheng qian qi hou - "inherit, before; open, after") and carrying on traditions and opening new paths (继往开来, ji wang kai lai - "follow, past; open, future"), to bring Asia-Pacific cooperation to a new level.

Broadening the landscape of Asia-Pacific cooperation through openness and connectivity —

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the proposal of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific vision. President Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out that APEC was founded in response to the wave of economic globalization, with the purpose and goal of promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and supporting economic growth and prosperity. All parties should revisit their original aspirations and make outstanding contributions to the world through more dynamic and resilient Asia-Pacific cooperation.

During the last APEC "China year," the Beijing Roadmap for APEC and the Connectivity Blueprint became core pillars of the relevant discussion process. Now, in another APEC "China year," the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has been fully implemented, with more than 90 percent of trade in goods within the region ultimately achieving zero tariffs; high-standard international economic and trade rules represented by the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Digital Economy Partnership Agreement are being steadily aligned; the Protocol to Upgrade the China-ASEAN Free Trade Area (3.0 Version) has been signed; and the regional free trade network is becoming ever denser.

Precisely because of the institutional safeguards of openness and cooperation, the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway is operating smoothly, the freight categories on the China-Laos Railway continue to expand, and Peru's Chancay Port has opened a new land-sea corridor between China and Latin America... "Asia's resilience is rooted in openness, connectivity, and practical cooperation. While the current global economic recovery is weak, the Asian economy has maintained sustained growth, thanks to the close linkages of intra-regional trade, investment, infrastructure, and production networks," said Arsjad Rasjid, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Cultivating Asia-Pacific growth momentum through digital innovation —

Where lies the driving force for breaking through the bottlenecks of Asia-Pacific growth and tapping new cooperation increments? President Xi Jinping diagnosed the situation and prescribed the remedy, pointing out that efforts should be made to promote the coordinated digital and green transformation and development, shaping new drivers and new advantages for Asia-Pacific development.

Panda robots are endearingly cute, smart glasses "see" translated text in real time, and "cyber courier brothers" weave through the crowds... In July this year, the APEC Digital and Artificial Intelligence Ministerial Meeting and related "Digital Week" activities were held in Chengdu, Sichuan, vividly showcasing the vibrant picture of China's high-quality development.

From the APEC Bangkok Goals on Bio-Circular-Green Economy to the Global Initiative on Cross-Border Data Flow Cooperation, from digitalization of trade documents and green supply chain capacity building to initiatives such as AI exchange and dialogue and digitalization of the food industry... the beautiful vision of innovative cooperation is constantly becoming reality.

In Thailand, Chinese enterprises are helping build a highland for the clustering of ASEAN's new energy vehicle industry; in Chile, green technologies are empowering the transformation of urban electric transportation; in Fiji, a demonstration center for juncao technology is driving steady income increases for thousands of farming households... With the world's largest renewable energy system and the largest and most complete new energy industry chain, China is actively carrying out cooperation on green energy projects and promoting the creation of a new paradigm for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific.

Consolidating the foundation of the Asia-Pacific community through diversified cooperation —

President Xi Jinping stressed the need to adhere to a people-centered approach, fully implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, deepen the alignment of development strategies, increase support for developing economies, better bridge the development gap, continuously improve people's well-being, and promote common prosperity for all people of the Asia-Pacific.

China upholds the concept of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits, listens to the demands of developing economies, continuously enhances the representation and voice of developing members, and enables more people to benefit from the fruits of economic integration; shares experience with developing economies and supports all parties in taking modernization paths suited to their own endowments; adheres to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, resolving differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation; promotes the continued warming of youth exchanges and cultural and tourism exchanges, and close interaction among SMEs of member economies, strengthening the bonds of people-to-people and cultural exchange...

Since the start of the "China year" process, all parties have actively participated in relevant sectoral ministerial meetings and successive Senior Officials' Meetings. More than 10 Chinese cities have hosted over 300 meetings and events in succession, further consolidating consensus on building an Asia-Pacific community and initially forming the essential framework or backbone of something (四梁八柱, si liang ba zhu - "four beams, eight pillars") of the Asia-Pacific community. Upholding the original purpose of promoting economic growth and improving people's well-being, Asia-Pacific economies will move forward with determination along the direction of openness and connectivity, green innovation, and inclusive benefits.

The road ahead —

Creating a bright future for the Asia-Pacific through responsibility and commitment

In 2001, on the eve of China's accession to the World Trade Organization, the APEC Shanghai meeting was successfully held, symbolizing the re-departure of Asia-Pacific cooperation in the new century.

In 2014, China in the new era successfully hosted the APEC Beijing meeting, with all parties committing to build a future-oriented Asia-Pacific partnership, drawing a new vision for the region's long-term development and shared prosperity.

In 2026, the first year of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, China will once again host the APEC meeting. On the new journey, how will China, which is continuously modernizing, push APEC to set out anew and re-embark toward the goal of building an Asia-Pacific community?

Shenzhen, linked by the azure Pacific Ocean, connects APEC's 21 members. As an important window of China's reform and opening up and the innovation frontier of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, it has developed from a backward fishing village into a modern international metropolis over the past few decades. Known as China's "Silicon Valley" and "Southern Science and Technology Center," it concentrates many of the advanced industries highlighted as key priorities in China's 15th Five-Year Plan outline and is a symbol of the achievements of Chinese modernization.

Shenzhen's successful experience encapsulates China's development philosophy — adhering to the principle that development is the absolute truth, daring to break through and experiment, daring to be a pioneer or leader (敢为人先, gan wei ren xian - "dare, for, person, first"), and leading reform breakthroughs with ideological breakthroughs; adhering to all-round opening up to the outside world, continuously improving the attractiveness of "bringing in" and the competitiveness of "going global"; adhering to the principle that innovation is the primary driving force, winning the initiative in the global technological revolution and industrial transformation; adhering to the people-centered development philosophy, so that the fruits of reform and development benefit the people more extensively and more equitably...

From the transformation of a city to the development of a country, from "for the people" and "for the nation" to "for humanity" and "for the world," the world will once again perceive on this important APEC platform that China has always placed its own development within the broader framework of Asia-Pacific cooperation, closely linked its own destiny with the destiny of the world, transformed its own successful practices into public goods that benefit the world, and injected positive energy into world peace and development while managing its own affairs well.

President Xi Jinping profoundly summarized: "The success of the Asia-Pacific stems from our constant commitment to maintaining regional peace and stability, from our constant adherence to true multilateralism and open regionalism, and from our constant compliance with the general trend of economic globalization and adherence to mutual benefit, win-win outcomes, and mutual achievement."

Guided by the building of an Asia-Pacific community and based on true multilateralism and open regionalism, China has always advocated peaceful development and opposed the logic that a strong country is bound to seek hegemony; advocated win-win cooperation and opposed the winner-takes-all approach; advocated mutual learning among civilizations and opposed clashes of civilizations; advocated fairness and justice and opposed power politics.

It is necessary to maintain regional peace and stability. Historically, the Asia-Pacific region suffered greatly from conflicts and wars, and it was precisely because it escaped the shadow of the Cold War that the Asia-Pacific region, especially small and medium-sized economies, was able to enter the fast track toward modernization, and the "Asia-Pacific miracle" came into being. China advocates that regional countries follow the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, adhere to the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, jointly oppose Cold War mentality and bloc confrontation, build an Asia-Pacific security architecture, and create conditions for Asia-Pacific economic development and lasting peace and stability.

It is necessary to make the cake of common development bigger. The development gaps among Asia-Pacific economies are large, and institutional barriers, shortcomings in land-sea connectivity, and uneven distribution of resources for digital and green development constrain overall prosperity. China advocates fully leveraging the prominent diversity of Asia-Pacific economies, promoting complementary advantages, jointly making the cake of Asia-Pacific cooperation bigger, forming a cooperation pattern in which all parties achieve mutual success and common development, and continuously improving people's well-being.

It is necessary to promote exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations. The Asia-Pacific region brings together ancient civilizations and emerging forces, creating a long history and splendid culture. China advocates a view of civilizations based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue, and inclusiveness, promotes the common values of all humanity of peace, development, fairness, justice, democracy, and freedom, transcends estrangement between civilizations through exchanges, transcends clashes between civilizations through mutual learning, and transcends superiority of civilizations through coexistence, providing assistance for world civilizations to develop in a balanced, positive, and benevolent direction.

China has put forward the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, promoting prosperity through development, ensuring stability through security, enhancing mutual trust through civilization, and seeking fairness through governance. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon commented that China is promoting global peace, stability, development, and prosperity through concepts and actions such as the four major global initiatives and building a community with a shared future for mankind, and he looks forward to China continuing to contribute Chinese wisdom to the sustainable development of human society.

The Asia-Pacific tide surges, and we set sail together in the same boat. From Yanqi Lake to Dapeng Bay, from the Asia-Pacific partnership to the Asia-Pacific community, China has always been rooted in the Asia-Pacific, benefited the Asia-Pacific, demonstrated its role in responding to challenges, and enhanced cooperation in responding to the expectations of the people. Anchored on the goal of building an open, dynamic, resilient, and peaceful Asia-Pacific community, China will further deepen reform comprehensively, continue to expand high-standard opening up, continuously provide new opportunities for all parties with new achievements in Chinese modernization, and work together with all economies to create an even brighter future for the Asia-Pacific region.

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Li Qiang Attends and Addresses Opening Ceremony of 2026 World Conference on Traditional Medicine

(People's Daily, Beijing, October 17) On the morning of October 17, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang attended and addressed the opening ceremony of the 2026 World Conference on Traditional Medicine in Beijing.

Li Qiang stated that, as President Xi Jinping pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the 2024 World Conference on Traditional Medicine, traditional medicine is an achievement of human civilization that must be safeguarded from generation to generation, with its essence preserved, and must also keep pace with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with, time, follow, advance") while upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. In today's era, how should traditional medicine better play its role? Drawing on the development practices of Chinese traditional medicine, I would like to share some reflections and thoughts with you all.

First, traditional medicine is a unique force in safeguarding human health and advancing the progress of civilization. Traditional medicine originates from thousands of years of productive and daily life practice, and is the crystallization of wisdom accumulated through humanity's struggle against disease and coexistence with nature. Through long-term development, the connotation of traditional medicine has continued to enrich, and the functions and missions it carries have increasingly expanded. It has become an important treasure for protecting life and health, an important vehicle for inheriting diverse civilizations, and an important bond for enhancing friendship among nations.

Second, China's traditional medicine has charted a distinctive path of development through long-term practice. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to the development of traditional Chinese medicine. We uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, both preserving the "root" and "soul" of traditional Chinese medicine and applying modern science and technology to advance its creative transformation and innovative application. We have strengthened policy support and actively promoted the wide application of traditional Chinese medicine in medical institutions at all levels and across various diagnostic and treatment scenarios. We place emphasis on absorbing diverse elements and integrating them (兼收并蓄, jian shou bing xu - "simultaneously, receive, and, absorb"), learning from and drawing on the advanced concepts and techniques of excellent traditional medicine from various countries. These valuable experiences also provide useful reference for the development of traditional medicine worldwide.

Third, in light of the challenges of the times, we should jointly promote the renewed development of traditional medicine. The international community should strengthen collaboration, integrate and make good use of the world's traditional medicine resources, and jointly address the challenges facing human health. We should strengthen the empowerment of science and technology and accelerate the innovative development of traditional medicine. China will promote the digital and intelligent transformation of traditional Chinese medicine and encourage and support Chinese and foreign research institutions and enterprises to actively participate. We should deepen exchanges and cooperation and pool the joint forces for the development of traditional medicine. China will continue to expand pilot opening-up in medical services and is willing to work with all parties to advance the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative medicinal resources conservation center. We should promote inclusive and shared benefits and better advance global health equity. China will fulfill its responsibilities within its capacity and contribute to bridging the global health divide.

Li Qiang pointed out that the Chinese people often speak of the benevolent heart of a physician (医者仁心, yi zhe ren xin - "doctor, person, benevolent, heart") and practicing medicine to help the world (悬壶济世, xuan hu ji shi - "hang, gourd, aid, world"). When a person falls ill, they need recuperation; when world development encounters problems and faces difficulties, governance is also needed. The Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is precisely a good prescription for addressing the various disorders of today's world. Traditional Chinese medicine in treating illness emphasizes a holistic view and a view of harmony, stressing systematic treatment and strengthening the foundation and nourishing vital energy (固本培元, gu ben pei yuan - "solidify, root, cultivate, origin"). Economic governance is the same. All countries in the world form an organic whole; no country can mind only its own interests (独善其身, du shan qi shen - "alone, perfect, its, body"), and no model can serve as a panacea that cures all ills (包治百病, bao zhi bai bing - "all, treat, hundred, illness"). There should be more wisdom of inclusiveness and reconciliation, less obsession with zero-sum games; more responsibility of working together through difficulties (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "together, boat, jointly, cross"), and less shortsightedness of harming neighbors for one's own benefit (以邻为壑, yi lin wei he - "take, neighbor, as, ravine"), so as to jointly safeguard the prosperity of the world.

Saia Ma'u Piukala, Regional Director for the Western Pacific of the World Health Organization, delivered a speech. Approximately 1,200 people, including government officials from various countries, diplomatic envoys to China, experts and scholars, practitioners of traditional medicine, and heads of relevant international organizations, attended the opening ceremony.

Yin Li, Liu Guozhong, and Wu Zhenglong participated in the event.

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Li Qiang Holds Talks with Uzbek Prime Minister Aripov

(People's Daily, Tashkent, October 17) (Reporter Wang Zhou) On the afternoon of October 17, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council held talks with Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov in Tashkent.

Li Qiang stated that President Xi Jinping and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting in August this year, further charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. Next year will mark the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Uzbekistan. China is willing to take this as an opportunity to carry forward the traditional friendship, deepen political mutual trust, strengthen practical cooperation, and continuously advance the building of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future, so as to better benefit the peoples of both countries.

Li Qiang pointed out that China is willing to strengthen development strategy alignment with Uzbekistan, further leverage the complementary economic advantages of the two sides, deepen cooperation in such fields as energy and resources, artificial intelligence, and modern agriculture, continue to advance connectivity in infrastructure, finance, and other areas, build the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway with high quality, and strive to achieve more results. China is willing to import more high-quality and distinctive goods from Uzbekistan and welcomes Uzbekistan to make good use of platforms such as the China International Import Expo to actively explore the Chinese market. The two sides should continue to make good use of the mutual visa exemption policy, expand two-way people-to-people exchanges, strengthen exchanges and cooperation in culture, tourism, education, youth, and sub-national fields, and continuously enhance mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of the two countries. China is willing to work closely with Uzbekistan within multilateral mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, China-Central Asia, and the United Nations, and to promote all parties to jointly implement the four major global initiatives, advance an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.

Aripov stated that Uzbekistan admires the tremendous achievements China has made in its development and sincerely thanks China for its strong support for Uzbekistan's reform and development cause. Under the joint guidance of the two heads of state, Uzbekistan-China relations have been reaching a new level of development (迈上新台阶, mai shang xin tai jie - "step on, new, platform, level"). Uzbekistan is willing to work with China to go all out to advance the construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and other Belt and Road Initiative projects, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in such fields as economy, trade, investment, agriculture, energy and minerals, customs, finance, digital technology, artificial intelligence, and ecological protection, strengthen exchanges in tourism, education, and sub-national fields, and intensify multilateral coordination, so as to continuously achieve new development in the Uzbekistan-China comprehensive strategic partnership for a new era of all-weather cooperation.

Before the talks, the two premiers jointly watched a video on practical cooperation between China and Uzbekistan in various fields.

After the talks, the two sides jointly witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents in such fields as economy and trade, education, customs, health, and poverty reduction. During the visit, the two sides also signed cooperation documents in the fields of e-commerce, climate, and media.

On the afternoon of the same day, Li Qiang laid a wreath at the Monument of Independence of Uzbekistan.

Wu Zhenglong attended the above activities.

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Speech at the Opening Ceremony of the 2026 World Conference on Traditional Medicine

By: 中华人民共和国国务院总理 李 强

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen, friends,

It gives me great pleasure to join you in Beijing for the 2026 World Conference on Traditional Medicine. On behalf of the Chinese government, I extend warm congratulations on the opening of the conference and a sincere welcome to all our friends present here.

In five days, we will mark the annual "World Traditional Medicine Day." As President Xi Jinping pointed out in his congratulatory letter to the 2024 World Conference on Traditional Medicine, traditional medicine is a creation of human civilization that must be safeguarded from generation to generation, with its essence preserved, and must also be advanced keeping pace with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with, time, follow, progress") while upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground. In today's world, how should time-honored traditional medicine adapt to new circumstances and better fulfill its role? Taking this opportunity, I would like to share some observations and reflections based on China's experience in developing traditional medicine.

I. Traditional Medicine Is a Unique Force for Safeguarding Human Health and Advancing Civilizational Progress

Traditional medicine originates from millennia of productive and daily life practice, and is the crystallization of wisdom accumulated through humanity's struggle against disease and coexistence with nature. Through long-term development, the substance of traditional medicine has continued to enrich, and the functions and missions it carries have steadily expanded.

First, traditional medicine is an important asset for safeguarding life and health. Throughout history, different traditional medicine systems, in light of local conditions and each leveraging its own strengths, have effectively helped humanity alleviate illness and suffering, writing a splendid chapter in the course of global health endeavors. To this day, traditional medicine, with its distinctive diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, continues to complement and learn from modern medicine, jointly caring for human health and well-being.

Second, traditional medicine is an important vehicle for carrying forward diverse civilizations. Every traditional medicine system embodies the humanistic spirit and cultural genes of a people. Through the multitude of medical classics, prescriptions, and diagnostic and therapeutic techniques, we perceive the distinctive understandings and reflections of different civilizations on life, nature, and the relationship between humanity and society. These precious spiritual legacies, passed down from generation to generation, together paint a splendid and colorful picture of civilization.

Third, traditional medicine is an important bond for enhancing friendship among nations. Exchanges and cooperation in traditional medicine are not only a contest of skills but also a convergence of ideas. From the medicinal materials trade along the ancient Silk Road, to the Arab translation movement's preservation and integration of ancient medicine, to the joint scientific research among traditional medicine communities in various countries in recent years, these exchanges and cooperation have both elevated medical standards and deepened mutual understanding, fostering people-to-people bonds.

II. China's Traditional Medicine Has Charted a Distinctive Development Path Through Long-Term Practice

China's traditional medicine is commonly referred to as traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). TCM is a treasure of Chinese civilization and an outstanding representative of the world's traditional medicine. The Chinese government has always attached great importance to TCM development, adhering to the principle of placing equal emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine and promoting their integration. China has built the world's largest traditional medicine system and established a complete framework for the coordinated development of inheritance, scientific research, industry, and talent. The valuable experience accumulated in TCM development offers useful reference for the development of traditional medicine worldwide.

First, we uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, exploring and making good use of the TCM treasure trove. Over its long course of development, TCM has produced a large number of medical classics, including the Compendium of Materia Medica, whose theories and ideas are extensive and profound (博大精深, bo da jing shen - "broad, big, profound, deep"). We both carry forward classical medical principles, formulas, and techniques, preserving the "roots" and "soul" of TCM, and apply modern science and technology to advance the creative transformation and innovative application of TCM. China has established a multi-tiered framework for TCM scientific and technological innovation, continuously producing high-quality research outcomes and achieving notable results in treating difficult and complex diseases and responding to major epidemics. Ancient TCM is now radiating new vitality.

Second, we strengthen policy support, consolidating and highlighting TCM's distinctive strengths. We fully leverage TCM's comprehensive advantages in maintaining health, particularly in preventive treatment of disease, syndrome differentiation and treatment, and holistic regulation, and place emphasis on making good use of TCM's distinctive feature of being simple, convenient, effective, and inexpensive (简便验廉, jian bian yan lian - "simple, convenient,验, cheap"). We have made institutional arrangements in legal and administrative terms, increased resource guarantees and policy support, and actively promoted the widespread application of TCM in medical institutions at all levels and across various diagnostic and therapeutic scenarios. At present, TCM medical institutions account for approximately one-tenth of the total number of medical institutions in China, and nearly all medical institutions are able to provide TCM services. TCM has played a unique role in safeguarding the people's health.

Third, we emphasize absorbing and integrating diverse elements (兼收并蓄, jian shou bing xu - "simultaneously, receive, and, absorb"), promoting mutual learning in TCM. We develop TCM with an open mind and broad vision, place greater emphasis on learning from many people's strengths (博采众长, bo cai zhong chang - "broadly, collect, various, strengths"), study and draw on the advanced concepts and diagnostic and therapeutic techniques of excellent traditional medicine from other countries, and implement the "New Era Shennong Tasting a Hundred Herbs" initiative to continuously enrich our own theoretical and practical systems. At the same time, we have increased the opening of the TCM market, welcoming foreign enterprises to invest and cooperate in China, thereby driving TCM technological innovation and industrial upgrading. Today's TCM is a more open and practical diagnostic and therapeutic system, spread to 196 countries and regions, and continues to benefit people around the world.

III. Addressing the Challenges of the Times to Jointly Promote the Renewed Development of Traditional Medicine

At present, global population aging is intensifying, pressure from chronic disease prevention and control is rising, and risks of emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases persist. The unique value of traditional medicine is becoming increasingly evident. The international community should strengthen coordination, further integrate and make good use of the world's traditional medicine resources, and jointly address the challenges facing human health.

First, we should strengthen the empowering role of science and technology and accelerate the innovative development of traditional medicine. Scientific and technological progress has opened new space for the development of traditional medicine. We should promote the deep integration of artificial intelligence, modern biomedicine, and other technologies with traditional medicine, use new technologies to unlock the value of ancient formulas and optimize diagnostic and therapeutic protocols, enabling traditional medicine to move from "the learning of experience" to "the learning of science," and from "ancient heritage" to "modern remedies." Not long ago, China issued the 15th Five-Year Plan for the Revitalization and Development of Traditional Chinese Medicine, making the digital and intelligent transformation of TCM an important task. We encourage and support Chinese and foreign research institutions and enterprises to actively participate and jointly build an open and collaborative international TCM scientific and technological innovation system.

Second, we should deepen exchanges and cooperation, pooling the strength for traditional medicine development. Only by enabling various traditional medicine systems to move from their local origins to the world stage and progress together through exchange and mutual learning can we aggregate greater utility and create greater value. We should build more open platforms for dialogue and cooperation in traditional medicine, promote policy connectivity, market interconnection, and mutual recognition of qualifications among countries, improve the international industrial chain, and provide a sound environment for the global development of traditional medicine. China will continue to expand pilot programs for opening up medical services, and stands ready to work with all parties to advance the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative medicinal resources conservation center, and, on the basis of strengthening protection of intellectual property rights, deepen mutual learning of traditional medicine knowledge and experience, continuously strengthening the forces for addressing common challenges.

Third, we should promote inclusive and shared benefits, better advancing global health equity. Only by adhering to the direction of inclusiveness and strengthening the safeguard of rules can traditional medicine development achieve making steady progress to achieve long-term success (行稳致远, xing wen zhi yuan - "walk, steady, reach, far"). We should jointly build a community of common health for mankind, promote the implementation of the WHO Global Traditional Medicine Strategy 2025–2034, facilitate the integration of traditional medicine into the health systems of various countries in light of local conditions, and strengthen support and assistance to developing countries. China will continue to fulfill its responsibilities within its capacity and contribute to bridging the global health divide.

Ladies and gentlemen, friends, most of the guests present today work in healthcare. The Chinese people often speak of the benevolence of physicians, and in ancient China there was even the saying of devoting oneself to medical practice to help the world (悬壶济世, xuan hu ji shi - "hang, gourd, aid, world"). A person who safeguards health and life must be one with profound feelings, cherishing the family and the country, and even embracing the whole world. I believe many friends here care not only about health endeavors but also about the common development of the world. When a person falls ill, he needs treatment; when world development encounters problems and difficulties, governance is also needed. The Global Governance Initiative proposed by President Xi Jinping is precisely a good prescription for addressing the various disorders of today's world. From the perspective of the global economy, problems such as weak growth, widening divergence, and increasing barriers all require diagnosis of the pulse and treatment tailored to the symptoms. While we should not expect to find perfect solutions to current problems from history and tradition, we should undoubtedly draw wisdom and inspiration from them. In treating disease, TCM emphasizes a holistic view and a concept of harmony, stressing systematic treatment and strengthening the root and consolidating the foundation. Is economic governance not the same? The countries of the world form an organic whole; no country can mind only its own interests (独善其身, du shan qi shen - "alone, be good, one's, body"), and no single model can cure all ills. Therefore, we should have more wisdom of tolerance and reconciliation and less obsession with zero-sum games, more responsibility of crossing the river in the same boat through mutual assistance (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same, boat, together, cross") and less shortsightedness of making others suffer for one's own benefit (以邻为壑, yi lin wei he - "take, neighbor, as, ravine"). Only in this way can the world economy regain health and vitality, and human society become more peaceful and beautiful.

Medicines may be ancient or modern, but the Way is one and the same. The greater the changes in the world, the more we must hold fast to the right path. We call on all to view the world with the benevolence of physicians, to pursue development through the principle of symbiosis, and to work together to safeguard human health and the prosperity of the world.

Thank you all.

(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 17)

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Li Qiang arrives in Tashkent for official visit to Uzbekistan

(People's Daily report, Tashkent, October 17) (Reporter Wang Zhou) On the morning of October 17, at the invitation of Uzbek Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov, Premier of the State Council Li Qiang departed Beijing by special plane for an official visit to Uzbekistan. State Councilor and Secretary-General of the State Council Wu Zhenglong and other accompanying personnel departed Beijing on the same plane.

On the afternoon of October 17 local time, Li Qiang arrived at Tashkent's Humo Airport by special plane. Aripov led senior government officials to greet him at the airport and held a welcome ceremony for Li Qiang. Accompanied by Aripov, Li Qiang reviewed the honor guard. Chinese Ambassador to Uzbekistan Yu Jun was also at the airport to greet him.

Li Qiang stated that the traditional friendship between China and Uzbekistan has a long and continuous history. China and Uzbekistan are good friends, good partners, and good brothers. Over the 34 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, no matter how the international situation has changed, the two countries have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, with bilateral relations and cooperation continuing to move forward and constantly gaining new vitality and vigor. Especially in recent years, through the joint efforts of both sides, China-Uzbekistan political mutual trust has become more solid, the friendship between generations has deeply touched people's hearts, and practical cooperation has achieved fruitful results, truly benefiting the peoples of both countries.

Li Qiang pointed out that not long ago, President Xi Jinping and President Shavkat Mirziyoyev held a meeting in Bishkek and reached important consensus on further deepening China-Uzbekistan relations. China is willing to work with Uzbekistan to translate the consensus of the two heads of state into more tangible results and continuously deepen and solidify the building of a China-Uzbekistan community with a shared future.

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Stay united and focused on advancing Chinese modernization, and do solid work on ethnic and religious affairs in the new era

(Xinhua News Agency, Chengdu, October 17) (Reporter Ding Xiaoxi) Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the CPPCC National Committee, conducted research in Chengdu, Deyang, and the Garzê Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture in Sichuan Province from October 13 to 16. He stated that it is necessary to take Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era as the guide, thoroughly implement the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, focus on uniting people's efforts and strength (凝心聚力, ning xin ju li - "congeal heart, gather strength") for the development of the 15th Five-Year Plan period and the advancement of Chinese modernization, solidly carry out the work of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and advancing the building of the Chinese nation as a community, solidly carry out the work of systematically advancing the Sinicization of religions in China and strengthening the rule-of-law-based governance of religious affairs, and consolidate and develop the sound situation of ethnic unity, religious harmony, and social concord.

Wang Huning went deep into universities and secondary schools, street communities, cultural and museum venues, and other places to research the study of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation, the creation of ethnic unity and progress, educational assistance and cooperation in ethnic regions, and the protection and utilization of cultural relics. He stated that it is necessary to uphold the main line of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation and the lifeline of ethnic unity, and implement the task requirements of building a shared spiritual home, promoting interaction, communication, and integration, and promoting common prosperity and development into all aspects such as the economy, education, employment, community building, cultural development, and the creation of ethnic unity and progress, integrate them into grassroots Party building, and continuously enhance the "five identifications" of people of all ethnic groups. It is necessary to promote the implementation of the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, adhere to using rule-of-law thinking and rule-of-law methods to govern ethnic affairs, and safeguard and guarantee ethnic unity in accordance with the law. It is necessary to deepen research on major foundational issues concerning the Chinese nation as a community, strengthen the protection and utilization of history and culture, and demonstrate the pluralistic and integrated pattern of Chinese civilization. It is necessary to support and promote the economic and social development of ethnic regions, so that people of all ethnic groups can live better lives.

Wang Huning visited religious activity venues to learn about the situation of advancing the Sinicization of religions in China. He stated that it is necessary to uphold the direction of Sinicization of religions in China, adhere to the guidance of core socialist values, and guide religions in China to integrate with the fine traditional Chinese culture and adapt to socialist society. It is necessary to raise the level of rule-of-law-based governance of religious affairs and maintain harmony and stability in the religious field.

Wang Huning went to the Sichuan Provincial Committee of the CPPCC and the Sêrtar County Committee of the CPPCC to research CPPCC work and visit CPPCC members and representatives of CPPCC cadres. He stated that it is necessary to uphold the Party's overall leadership over the CPPCC, give play to the role of the CPPCC as a specialized consultative body, focus on the "four cohesions," and solidly carry out the work of political consultation, democratic supervision, and participation in the deliberation and administration of state affairs.

During the research period, Wang Huning also went to Tianfu New Area and relevant scientific research institutions and Taiwan-invested enterprises for research.

Li Ganjie participated in the research together.

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The Road to Poverty Reduction: Only by Walking Together Can We Go Far (He Yin)

China will continue to walk hand in hand with the international community, share its poverty reduction experience, help more countries explore poverty reduction and sustainable development paths suited to their own national conditions, and jointly build a better world free from poverty and marked by shared prosperity.

Eliminating poverty has been, since ancient times, an ideal for which humanity has been striving tirelessly for a goal (孜孜以求, zi zi yi qiu - "diligent, diligent, seek, seek"), and it is also a global challenge bearing on human development. Summarizing practical experience in poverty reduction, consolidating consensus within the international community, deepening multilateral and practical cooperation, and continuously advancing the global poverty reduction cause in depth and in substance constitute the shared mission and responsibility of the international community.

As the world's largest developing country, China was long plagued by poverty. To crack this worldwide challenge, China organized and implemented the battle against poverty that was unprecedented in scale (规模空前, gui mo kong qian - "scale, empty, before"), of the greatest intensity, and benefiting the largest number of people in human history, writing a great miracle in the annals of human development. After eight years of sustained effort, nearly 100 million rural poor people were lifted out of absolute poverty, achieving the poverty reduction target of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development ten years ahead of schedule. Over more than 40 years of reform and opening up, China has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty, accounting for over 70 percent of global poverty reduction during the same period. After the comprehensive victory in the battle against poverty, through five years of solid progress in the transition period, all tasks of consolidating and expanding the achievements of the battle against poverty and effectively linking them with rural revitalization were successfully completed, firmly holding the bottom line of preventing large-scale relapse into poverty.

President Xi Jinping pointed out that China can succeed, and other developing countries can succeed as well. This is the global significance of China's successful victory in the battle against poverty. The historic achievements of China's poverty reduction cause have contributed Chinese wisdom and provided Chinese solutions to the global poverty reduction cause. Through long-term practical exploration, China has blazed a path of poverty reduction with Chinese characteristics and formed a theory of anti-poverty with Chinese characteristics, making important original contributions to enriching and developing humanity's anti-poverty theory. Important works by President Xi Jinping, such as Up and Out of Poverty, have been translated into multiple languages and become desk-side reading for many statesmen and scholars. China's scientific poverty reduction concepts, effective institutional design, and targeted poverty alleviation practices provide concepts and pathways that can be referenced, replicated, and promoted for people around the world still living in poverty in their pursuit of prosperity and well-being. UN Secretary-General António Guterres stated that China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy is an important pathway to achieving the poverty reduction goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and that China's experience can provide useful reference for developing countries.

China has always been a firm doer and practitioner in the global cause of poverty reduction and development. The poverty reduction issue is, in the final analysis, a development issue. Over the years, China has provided development assistance to more than 160 countries, initiated the establishment of the Global Alliance for Poverty Reduction and Development, announced eight actions in support of global development, placed poverty reduction at the top of the eight key cooperation areas of the Global Development Initiative, and written "promoting global poverty reduction cooperation" into the outline of China's 15th Five-Year Plan. On the path to modernization, no one should be left behind, and no country should be left behind. In Cambodia, the China-Cambodia friendship poverty alleviation demonstration village project has effectively improved the quality of life of local villagers; in Madagascar, Chinese agricultural experts have taught planting techniques hand in hand, and hybrid rice yields have increased substantially; Juncao technology has taken root in over a hundred countries and regions, becoming the "grass of happiness" benefiting countless households... China persists in transforming its own development experience into shareable international public goods, deepening South-South cooperation through practical cooperation, continuously advancing the global poverty governance process, and helping all countries achieve common development.

At present, achieving the poverty reduction goals of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development has entered the critical sprint stage. Affected by the superposition of multiple factors such as weak world economic growth, frequent geopolitical conflicts, and the politicization of development issues, the global poverty reduction process has encountered obstacles, and deep-seated contradictions such as the imbalance in development between the North and the South and the development deficit have become increasingly prominent.The latest report jointly released by the United Nations Development Programme and the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at the University of Oxford shows that 1.2 billion people worldwide still live in severe multidimensional poverty. Facing this grave situation, only by working together through adversity (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same, boat, together, aid"), sharing the mission, learning from each other's development experience, and deepening practical cooperation can the international community promote the formation of a more inclusive, more beneficial, and more resilient global development pattern.

The great path is not lonely; many traveling together go far. China will continue to walk hand in hand with the international community, share its poverty reduction experience, help more countries explore poverty reduction and sustainable development paths suited to their own national conditions, and jointly build a better world free from poverty and marked by shared prosperity.

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Croatian President Milanović Meets with Wang Yi

(Xinhua News Agency, Zagreb, October 16) (Reporter Guo Xiaoyu) Croatian President Milanović met with Wang Yi, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs, in Zagreb on the 16th.

Milanović asked Wang Yi to convey his sincere regards to President Xi Jinping, saying that over the past few decades China has undergone unprecedented and tremendous changes (翻天覆地, fan tian fu di - "turn, heaven; overturn, earth"), and its economic and social development has achieved attracting worldwide attention (举世瞩目, ju shi zhu mu - "raise, world; gaze, eye") accomplishments. Croatia and China share traditional friendship, and cooperation between the two sides in various fields has yielded notable results. The Croatian side attaches great importance to relations with China and is willing to strengthen exchanges at all levels with the Chinese side and advance mutually beneficial cooperation. The Croatian side firmly adheres to the One-China policy and regards Taiwan as an inalienable part of China.

Wang Yi conveyed President Xi Jinping's cordial greetings to Milanović, and appreciated the President's rational, pragmatic, and friendly view of China's development and rejuvenation, his active pursuit of mutual understanding with China, and his long-term commitment to friendly exchanges with China. Wang Yi stated that President Xi Jinping has put forward the lofty goal of building a community with a shared future for mankind, holding that all countries should be working together in times of difficulty (同舟共济, tong zhou gong ji - "same, boat; together, cross") and share a common destiny, jointly caring for and building the only planet humanity inhabits. The Chinese side advocates building an equal and orderly multipolar world, where all countries, large and small, are equal, and all countries jointly abide by the basic norms of international relations based on the UN Charter. The Chinese side is willing to view its relations with Croatia from a strategic and long-term perspective, and is willing to explore further elevating the positioning of bilateral relations on the basis of the comprehensive cooperative partnership.

The two sides also exchanged views on China-Europe relations.

After the meeting, Wang Yi presented Milanović with a Croatian-language edition of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China.

During his visit, Wang Yi also met with Croatian Prime Minister Plenković and held talks with Croatian Foreign Minister Radman.

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Chinese Wisdom in the Canals

By: 本报记者 原韬雄 祝佳祺 张云河

The highest good is like water. Human survival cannot be separated from water, and so too is the continuation of civilization.

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "In a certain sense, governing water is governing the country; the way of water governance is an important way of state governance." The Chinese nation has always been skilled at governing water to secure the nation and developing water conservancy to benefit the people.

On the water network pattern of the Chinese land, where "a hundred rivers flow eastward to the sea," the ancestors carved out vigorous canals and channels:

The Lingqu Canal connects the Xiang and Li rivers and is one of the oldest canals in the world; the Sui-Tang Grand Canal and the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal run north-south, extensively promoting economic and cultural exchange...

On October 16, the Pinglu Canal marked its first full month of navigation. This first major canal built since the founding of New China to connect rivers with the sea is full of vitality.

Canals connect rivers and seas; cultural lineage links past and present. Every waterway reflects the wisdom of respecting nature, reveals the strategy of overall coordination, inherits superb craftsmanship (巧夺天工, qiao duo tian gong - "skillful, seize, heaven, work"), and displays an open and inclusive mindset.

Following the Way of Water

"This is a perfect photo spot!" Standing at his doorstep, Sun Guoqi, a villager from Pingtang Village, Hengzhou City, Nanning, Guangxi, said proudly.

Before his eyes, green rice paddies spread out, and cargo ships nearly six stories high sail slowly by.

This is the starting point of the Pinglu Canal. Where small boats once plied the waterway, large ships now shuttle back and forth.

To understand the canal, one must first understand water.

"When Yu dredged the rivers, he took water as his teacher."

The 134.2-kilometer Pinglu Canal includes 6.5 kilometers of newly excavated channel; most of its navigation section relies on natural river channels, with bends cut off, widened, and dredged to meet navigation needs.

"Where to dig and where to avoid — nature has already given the answer," said Pan Jian, deputy general manager and chief engineer of Guangxi Pinglu Canal Construction Co., Ltd.

By conforming to the contours of mountains and rivers and grasping the temperament of water flow, the canal's alignment embodies the wisdom of guiding according to circumstances.

The Lingqu Canal, known as the "Pearl of Ancient World Water Conservancy Architecture," uses its headwork plow-shaped splitter to divide the Xiang River's flow in two, "three parts into the Li, seven parts back to the Xiang." Guo Moruo once marveled: "It truly stands in north-south echo with the Great Wall, both being wonders of the world."

Conforming to nature also means protecting living creatures:

At the Pinglu Canal's estuary, oysters were relocated — more than 20,000 oyster broodstock were collected and moved, with the survival rate of wild oyster broodstock in temporary rearing maintained above 85%;

At the Pinglu Canal's watershed section, a bridge was built for wild animals — the bridge deck is not paved with asphalt but covered with fertile soil and planted with native greenery, leaving a passage for wildlife;

Beside the Qingnian (Youth) Junction of the Pinglu Canal, a "road home" was built for fish — along the approximately 480-meter fishway, more than 10 fish species have been observed successfully migrating upstream.

In the new canal town of Shaping Town, Lingshan County, Qinzhou, children play beneath an ancient tree.

"We all grew up watched over by 'Grandpa Tree.'" Taking a sip of tea, villager Ling Changhe murmured, "Seeing the old tree in the new neighborhood warms my heart."

All 36 ancient and notable trees along the canal route have been properly transplanted and protected. Beyond establishing "ecological archives," a five-year program of follow-up monitoring and careful maintenance will also be carried out.

Respecting the bond between people and trees, nostalgia takes root and grows in new places.

Upholding the Method of Overall Coordination

The difficulty of water governance lies in the fact that a single small change can affect the entire situation (牵一发而动全身, qian yi fa er dong quan shen - "pull, one, hair, then, move, whole, body").

A single canal reveals the wisdom of water governance.

The Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was dry for over a century. How was it managed?

"Conserve, control, divert, replenish, manage" — a coordinated set of measures working in tandem.

The four provinces and municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei, and Shandong coordinated multiple water sources, allocating water resources across river basins; strictly controlling groundwater extraction, strictly controlling the development of high-water-consumption industries, and putting water conservation into practice...

The thousand-year-old Grand Canal has now achieved continuous water flow along its entire route for five consecutive years.

Water governance as "one chess game," development as "one grand chessboard."

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out, "The protection of the Grand Canal's cultural heritage must be unified with the enhancement of ecological environmental protection, the protection and restoration of famous cities and towns along the route, the integrated development of cultural tourism, and the transformation and upgrading of canal shipping."

In Liangshan County, Jining, Shandong, the inland river port Liangshan Port is bustling with activity.

Wang Qinghua, a resident of Shouzhangji Town, used to work away from home; now he works as a driver at the port, earning more than 6,000 yuan a month. "Relying on the canal, I can earn money and take care of my family at the same time. Many fellow villagers who used to work away from home have come back."

A single canal reveals the way of state governance.

At Xiandao Park in Qinzhou Port, a bronze statue of Sun Yat-sen stands facing south.

More than 100 years ago, Dr. Sun Yat-sen envisioned building Qinzhou into the "second largest port in the South."

Guangxi's dream of reaching the sea is a practical necessity —

In the past, much of the Southwest's cargo had to travel along the Xijiang River and detour through Guangzhou to reach the sea. With the Pinglu Canal open, the inland waterway distance to the sea can be shortened by about 560 kilometers, reducing logistics costs accordingly.

"In the past, Guangxi was like a shop at the end of the street in the logistics landscape, with few customers," said Jiang Yi, head of the Investment Development Department of Pinglu Canal Group, using an analogy. "The Pinglu Canal has moved us from the periphery to the hub, making us a key node and traffic gateway for imports and exports with ASEAN."

"Connecting rivers to the sea, with river-sea intermodal transport, this is where Guangxi's future development potential lies." General Secretary Xi Jinping's earnest instructions have now become a scene of many ships sailing vigorously at once (千帆竞发, qian fan jing fa - "thousand, sails, compete, set out").

Broadening the perspective further. By 2035, China will have basically built a national high-grade waterway network of approximately 25,000 kilometers featuring "four vertical, four horizontal, and two networks," providing the hardware foundation for building a modern industrial system, advancing high-level opening up, and serving the construction of the new development pattern.

Mastering the Art of River Management

Water governance is like a game of chess — it requires both overall strategy and brilliant moves.

The brilliant moves of China's canals lie hidden in the ingenuity of a thousand years of water engineering.

Daicun Dam, located in Dongping County, Tai'an, Shandong, is hailed as the "Heart of the Canal." Thanks to it, the waters of the Dawen River are divided in two, with one portion entering the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, ensuring smooth grain transport.

At the northern end of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Beijing's Tonghui River shimmers with rippling waves like a strip of silk (碧波如练, bi bo ru lian - "green, waves, like, silk"). With high terrain and scarce water sources, how did the ancients solve this problem? Guo Shoujing, a water conservancy expert of the Yuan Dynasty, located Baifu Spring, diverted its water westward, then circuitously southward, connecting it to the Tonghui River, so that merchant ships gathered and sails stretched in continuous lines.

The marvels of the canal have been created through the relay of generations, turning one impossibility after another into possibility.

The Pinglu Canal, a project of the century, presents multiple century-level challenges.

The total water level drop along the canal reaches 65 meters, equivalent to the height of a building more than 20 stories tall. How can 5,000-ton-class vessels pass safely?

"Staircases" were built on the waterway — from upstream to downstream, three cascade junctions were arranged in sequence: Madao, Qishi, and Qingnian; "elevators" were installed in the junctions — by opening and closing valves to raise or lower water levels, water lifts or lowers vessels vertically, moving them level by level to the next water surface.

The highest vertical height of the channel slopes reaches 188 meters, with complex rock layers and varying dip angles, increasing construction difficulty.

The construction team conducted repeated demonstrations and developed a "top-down construction" method for high slopes, "excavating slopes the way tunnels are excavated."

"The three major junctions use digital twin technology to 'rehearse' excavation procedures in a virtual world," said Cheng Yaofei, chairman of Guangxi Pinglu Canal Construction Co., Ltd.

Utilizing nature, transforming nature, while also cherishing the precious resources nature provides.

The Pinglu Canal construction and management team pioneered a three-stage stacked water-saving basin — with a water-saving rate of up to 60%, it can save approximately 1 billion cubic meters of water across the entire canal each year.

"We conducted tens of thousands of tests," said He Junhui, head of the Engineering Management Department of Pinglu Canal Group, noting that water conservation was considered alongside the navigation efficiency of the ship locks.

The team pioneered "labyrinth-type buffer sleeve" hydraulic hoisting technology, enabling the opening and closing speed of water conveyance corridor valves to reach 2 to 4 times that of similar valves in conventional ship locks.

Even more remarkable, delivered and put into operation simultaneously is the Pinglu Canal's digital twin — the full-lifecycle smart canal system. This "digital brain" of the canal, a national first, connects more than 20,000 sensing devices along the route.

"These devices give the canal 'eyes' and 'nerves.' Massive amounts of data flow into the digital twin platform, with dozens of categories of information updating in real time," said Yan Qiang, head of the Science and Technology Information Department of Pinglu Canal Group.

The digital canal and the physical canal echo each other, with digital means helping contemporary water governance reach new heights.

Creating an Open Momentum

The joining of river with river is soul-stirring and deeply moving (荡气回肠, dang qi hui chang - "shake, qi, return, intestines"); the embrace of river and sea is magnificent and varied in appearance (气象万千, qi xiang wan qian - "atmosphere, ten thousand, diverse").

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Opening up is an important driving force for the progress of human civilization and the only path to world prosperity and development."

Canals are born of "connectivity" and thrive on "linkage."

The most sensitive to this are the markets.

In Beihai, Guangxi, Beigang New Materials took the lead in riding the canal's momentum, expanding markets and extending supply chains. A batch of 500 tons of stainless steel plates was shipped from Tieshan Port to Hengzhou for use in manufacturing canal transport vessels.

With the Pinglu Canal open to navigation, the logistics landscape is being reshaped. "Relying on the coordinated development of the Beibu Gulf port cluster, raw materials come in by sea, and products are shipped inland. Port-adjacent industries have opened up greater development space," said Li Yang, deputy director of the Administrative Committee of Beihai Tieshan Port (Coastal) Industrial Zone, full of hope for the future.

Physical connectivity cannot do without soft support.

Guangxi's integrated smart dispatching platform for river, sea, and inland water transport integrates data on waterways, ship locks, ports, and weather. Since its full launch on August 25 this year, it has registered 21,900 users and completed 37,000 ship lock transit dispatches.

The maritime authorities have improved regulatory systems and established a river-sea direct navigation management system adapted to the Pinglu Canal.

"Benchmarked against the national pilot program for building a strong transportation country, we are striving to build a first-class smart canal within 2 to 3 years," said Wang Ribin, deputy director of the Guangxi Maritime Safety Administration.

River vessels entering the sea and sea vessels entering rivers connect seamlessly, without the need for mid-route transshipment.

Where waterways connect, civilizations also exchange.

The Eastern Zhejiang Canal connects directly to Ningbo Port and was an important starting point of the Maritime Silk Road in ancient times. Celadon, silk, and tea set sail from here to the sea.

Marco Polo, along the banks of the Grand Canal, witnessed the prosperity along the way; Korean official Choe Bu traveled north along the Grand Canal and wrote the Drifting on the Sea (Piaohailu)... How many stories have swayed along the Grand Canal.

"Efforts must be made in protection, inheritance, and utilization, so that the ancient Grand Canal radiates a new look for the times."

China's Grand Canal is also the world's Grand Canal. Using the canal as a medium, China engages in dialogue with the world.

In Yangzhou, Jiangsu, a "world business card" has been issued — the World Canal Historical and Cultural Cities Cooperation Organization, whose total membership now exceeds 200, spanning five continents, with its "circle of friends" continuously expanding; along the Grand Canal, canal-themed museums have opened one after another... The Grand Canal is now a readable book.

In Guilin, Guangxi, the World Canal Conference showcased to the world the ancient wisdom of the thousand-year-old Lingqu Canal and the modern technology of the Pinglu Canal.

The canal flows on, day and night without cease. From it, one can read the wisdom and character of a nation, and also hear the surging tide of Chinese modernization.

(People's Daily reporter Li Rui contributed to this report)

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"Red Army Stockade" Surges with Entrepreneurial Spirit (Carrying Forward the Spirit of the Long March, Striving on the New Journey of Rejuvenation · Reporters Retrace the Long March Road)

By: 本报记者 焦思雨

In the iron pot of the vermicelli workshop, hot water churns and rolls. At the "Red Army Stockade" in Maojiagou Village, Jiangtaibao Town, Xiji County, Ningxia, visitors gather around the stove and learn from villagers how to make vermicelli.

"This is a craft the Red Army taught the villagers back then," said Xie Hongyi, head of the "Red Army Stockade." In 1935, the Red Army passed through Xiji during the Long March. The soldiers saw that the area abounded in potatoes, but the villagers only knew how to steam or boil them, and the potatoes were not easy to preserve, so they taught the villagers step by step (手把手, shou ba shou - "hand, grasp, hand") how to make vermicelli from potatoes. In memory of this kindness, the locals call the vermicelli "Red Army vermicelli."

In 1936, the Red Army passed through Maojiagou Village. In order not to disturb the villagers, the soldiers dug 23 cave dwellings on the hillside with shovels and picks, and stayed there for more than 30 days. On the day the Red Army left, the villagers came out to see them off; some helped carry luggage, while others stuffed steamed buns and boiled potatoes into the soldiers' hands.

Xie Hongyi is born and bred (土生土长, tu sheng tu zhang - "earth, born, earth, grow") in Maojiagou Village and grew up hearing these red stories. After working away from home, he chose to return to the mountains with his savings in 2015: "I want to make fuller use of the red resources of my hometown, so that the villagers' lives can get better and better."

When he first returned to his hometown, conditions in the village still needed improvement in many respects. As a capable entrepreneur, Xie Hongyi contributed both money and effort, prompting a series of changes in the village: building roads, planting trees, restoring the cave dwelling ruins, building a red academy, and putting up a folk-custom building... "Compared with the revolutionary forebears, these difficulties in starting a business are nothing," Xie Hongyi said.

Thanks to the joint efforts of local officials and the masses, the "Red Army Stockade" today has opened functional areas including cave-dwelling hotels, a restaurant, an agricultural picking garden, a cultural experience zone, and a handicraft workshop zone. Visitors can also put on Red Army uniforms and retrace the route of the Long March. The hugely popular "Red Army Stockade" receives more than 30,000 visitors a year and generates revenue of over 3.5 million yuan.

The "Red Army Stockade" has become a hit, and the appearance of Maojiagou Village has also taken on a completely new look (焕然一新, huan ran yi xin - "glow, change, one, new"). More and more young people are choosing to return to their hometowns to start businesses; some work as docents at the "Red Army Stockade," some run homestays, and some grow tartary buckwheat and sell local specialties. In 2020, Maojiagou Village was selected as a national key village for rural tourism. The per capita annual income of Maojiagou Village has grown from just over 4,000 yuan when it first emerged from poverty to more than 10,000 yuan today.

This year, Xiji County has linked the Jiangtaibao Red Army Long March Rendezvous Memorial Park, the "Red Army Stockade," and the Shanji Set Revolutionary Site into a study tour route, attracting more visitors. "Safeguard the red resources well, tell the red stories well, pass on the red spirit, and walk today's Long March road well," Xie Hongyi said.

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From “Bleak Grassland” to “Hub of Intelligent Computing”: Lessons Learned (People’s Forum)

By: 张 凡

On October 16, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted an inspection tour in Ulanqab City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region.

From the Huangqihai Nature Reserve to the Chahar High-Tech Development Zone, the General Secretary inspected ecological and environmental protection efforts, learned about the development of the green computing power industry, and stressed the need to "coordinate high-quality development with high-level protection" and to "unswervingly follow the path of prioritizing ecological conservation and pursuing green development."

From a "bleak grassland" transformed into a "hub of intelligent computing," Ulanqab serves as a vivid sample for observing high-quality development.

Through strengthened ecological governance, Huangqihai has regained its former splendor; through the layout of the computing power industry, green computing power has grown rapidly; through the renewal of traditional industries, the once "high-pollution, high-energy-consumption" ferroalloy industry has "shed its black image and turned green"...

By deeply integrating ecological protection with people's livelihoods and industrial transformation, Ulanqab has made a stunning turnaround, demonstrating the surging power of "ecological priority and green development," and serving as a vivid practice of the principle that "lucid waters and lush mountains are invaluable assets."

General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that "green development is an integral part of high-quality development."

From a governance perspective, green and low-carbon development is the fundamental solution to addressing ecological and environmental problems.

Only by coordinately advancing carbon reduction, pollution reduction, green expansion, and economic growth, and by reducing ecological damage at the source, can we build a solid ecological security barrier and achieve sustainable development.

From a development perspective, green is not only the ecological foundation but also a highlight of development.

Shangrao in Jiangxi Province has leveraged its sound ecological environment to foster a "migratory bird economy"; Yibin in Sichuan Province has targeted "green electricity" to transform from the "capital of liquor" to the "capital of lithium"; Luopu in Xinjiang has adopted a "photovoltaic + agriculture" model that achieves both greening and wealth creation. These vividly illustrate that "new quality productive forces are themselves green productive forces," and that increasing the "green content" of industries is also a way to forge the "innovation content" and "value content" of development.

From the perspective of people's livelihood needs, a sound ecological environment is the most inclusive form of public welfare.

At the recently concluded National Conference on Health and Wellness, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to "create a sound ecological environment and a sound production and living environment." Safeguarding lucid waters and lush mountains is to safeguard the health of the people and the foundation of a happy life.

Green development is not an "optional question" but a "mandatory question" for development.

The Ecological Environment Code, which took effect on August 15 this year, includes a dedicated part on green and low-carbon development, precisely aiming to use legal means to promote a comprehensive green transformation of economic and social development, to safeguard high-quality development, and to protect the modernization characterized by harmony between humanity and nature.

In developing new quality productive forces, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly stressed the need to act in light of local conditions (因地制宜). Through the lens of Ulanqab, one can better understand this methodology.

Natural conditions such as a cold climate were once a shortcoming for Ulanqab's development.

But from another perspective, these "inherent deficiencies" are precisely the possessing extraordinary natural advantages (得天独厚, de tian du hou - "obtain, heaven, excessively, thick") for the computing power industry. Abundant wind and solar power provide ample "green electricity"; an average annual temperature of 4.3 degrees Celsius supports natural cooling for data centers; and proximity to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region ensures low network latency, making computing power a having a convenient or advantageous position (近水楼台, jin shui lou tai - "near, water, building, platform")...

Leveraging the national "East Data, West Computing" strategic opportunity and fully capitalizing on comparative advantages in green electricity, climate, and location, the "Grassland Cloud Valley" and the "Capital of Tokens" have become striking new business cards.

China has a vast territory with significant differences in resource endowments across the east, west, south, north, and center. The key to developing new quality productive forces is to base ourselves on reality, act in light of local conditions, and identify the right track for leaping toward high-quality development.

Mohe in Heilongjiang Province leverages its extreme cold environment to vigorously develop cold-region testing industries, transforming "cold resources" into "hot industries";

Zhongwei in Ningxia, with abundant green electricity and vast Gobi expanses, is focusing on building itself into the "Capital of Green Computing Power," as this small desert city rides the "cloud" and harnesses "data" to rise with the momentum...

"Keeping pace with the trends of the times, seizing development opportunities, basing ourselves on our own conditions, leveraging comparative advantages, and promoting high-quality development in light of local conditions" — this is a profound summary of development practice and an important guide for winning the future.

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2026 "Belt and Road" Journalists Organization Forum Focuses on "Convergence and Connectivity · Advancing Anew · Media Transformation amid a Changing World"

(People's Daily, Nanjing, October 17) (Reporters Yin Xiaoyu, Zhang Zhiwen) The 2026 "Belt and Road" Journalists Organization Forum was held on October 17 in Nanjing, Jiangsu. Centering on the theme of "Convergence and Connectivity · Advancing Anew · Media Transformation amid a Changing World," nearly one hundred heads of journalists' organizations and media representatives from more than 50 countries and regions conducted in-depth discussions and exchanges.

The forum was co-hosted by the All-China Journalists Association, the Publicity Department of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee, and the Nanjing Municipal People's Government. Mo Gaoyi, Deputy Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Central Committee and Director of the State Council Information Office, attended and delivered a speech.

He Ping, President of the All-China Journalists Association, stated in his keynote speech that, in the face of rising unilateralism and protectionism, we need all the more to carry forward the Silk Road spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, learning from each other (互学互鉴, hu xue hu jian - "each learn, each refer to"), and mutual benefit and win-win results (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual benefit, together win"); in the face of "decoupling and severing supply chains" and "small yards with high fences," we need all the more to tell well the Silk Road story of "extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits." Let us use our pens and lenses to weave bonds of convergence and connectivity, build bridges of mutual learning among civilizations (文明互鉴, wen ming hu jian - "civilization, each refer to"), consolidate the foundation of people-to-people connectivity (民心相通, min xin xiang tong - "people's heart, mutually connect"), jointly sing the powerful melody of the times for peaceful development and win-win cooperation, provide stability to the world, and inject positive energy.

Buy Sok, the new rotating chair of the forum's presidium and President of the Club of Cambodian Journalists, stated that the significance of connectivity lies not only in the linkage of infrastructure, economy, and technology, but even more in the linkage between people and people, between ideas and ideas, and between trust and trust. He called on journalists from all countries to strengthen collaboration and promote the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.

Participating guests held that the journalism communities of all countries, through objective and truthful reporting, tell well the story of jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative — showcasing both the progress and results of major landmark projects and focusing on the heartwarming details of "small yet beautiful" livelihood projects, singing the melody of the times for peaceful development and win-win cooperation.

The forum launched a training program for journalists from Global South countries; issued "International Journalists' Home" cooperation certificates to journalists' organizations of 10 countries; conferred plaques for the "Belt and Road" Journalists Jiangsu Station; organized 8 "media envoys" to share their experiences in international reporting; and invited participating guests from 5 countries to share and exchange views on the theme of "Global Governance Transformation in the Eyes of the Media." On the eve of the forum, foreign media representatives attending the event traveled in 5 groups to various places in Jiangsu to carry out a themed reporting activity titled "Journalists from Global South Countries View China."

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2026 "Forging a Strong Sense of Community, All Chinese as One Family" Themed Publicity Campaign Yunnan Centralized Interview Tour Launched

(People's Daily, Kunming, October 17) (Reporter Yang Hao) The 2026 "Forging a Strong Sense of Community, All Chinese as One Family" themed publicity campaign's Yunnan centralized interview tour was launched in Kunming on October 17.

This event will closely follow the main thread of forging a sense of community for the Chinese nation, and conduct in-depth publicity on Yunnan's study and implementation of the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress, and its vivid practices of building a shared spiritual home, promoting interaction, exchange, and integration, and advancing common prosperity and development. The interview team will visit communities and villages, fields and farmlands, and ethnic museums, recording the moving stories of people of all ethnic groups helping each other in times of need (守望相助, shou wang xiang zhu - "guard, watch, mutually, help") and living together in harmony (和谐共处, he xie gong chu - "harmonious, together, live"), and showcasing the achievements made by people of all ethnic groups in Yunnan in uniting as one with the Party, striving together, and advancing the economic and social development of border areas.

This event is organized by the Central Publicity Department in conjunction with the United Front Work Department of the CPC Central Committee and the National Ethnic Affairs Commission, and organizes central major news media, industry media, and media within Yunnan Province to conduct research and interviews in Kunming, Dehong, Pu'er, and other places. The event runs through October 23.

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2026 Northeast Asia (Shenyang) Talent Exchange Conference Held in Shenyang

(People's Daily, Shenyang, October 17) (Reporter Liu Jiahua) The 2026 Northeast Asia (Shenyang) Talent Exchange Conference and Artificial Intelligence Empowering Industry Development Conference opened on October 17 in Shenyang, Liaoning.

Wang Xinwei, Deputy Secretary of the Liaoning Provincial Party Committee and Governor of the Province, and others attended the conference and delivered speeches. At the conference, People's Daily Online and the Organization Department of the Shenyang Municipal Party Committee jointly launched the "Digital Intelligence Revitalization" Artificial Intelligence Talent Cultivation Co-Building Plan, under which the two sides will jointly build course resources and practical training scenarios oriented toward cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies, and explore practical pathways for artificial intelligence to empower industrial development. During the conference, multiple academic exchange, project matchmaking, and sci-tech innovation roadshow activities were also held.

The Northeast Asia (Shenyang) Talent Exchange Conference has been held for four consecutive years. In the series of recruitment activities at this conference, 2,627 employers released 56,000 quality job positions, and foreign-funded enterprises from countries including Germany, the Netherlands, and France, as well as enterprises funded by Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan investors, participated for the first time.

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Senior Learning Centers Bring Enrichment to Doorsteps (Striving Toward the 15th Five-Year Plan: Reports from the Frontline)

By: 本报记者 施 钰

Expand the supply of educational resources for older adults.

— Excerpted from the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan

In Wuling Village, Huyang Township, Yongchun County, Quanzhou City, Fujian Province, the senior learning center is filled with a fragrant atmosphere of ink and writing (墨香氤氲, mo xiang yin yun - "ink, fragrance, dense, misty"). Zheng Qing, an 80-year-old villager of Wuling Village, suspends his wrist and grips the brush, pressing, lifting, pausing, and turning with rhythm, writing several pieces of calligraphy in a single morning.

"In recent years, the village has invited teachers to teach calligraphy, and I wanted to follow along and learn, to recognize more characters," Zheng Qing said. "The reading area of the senior learning center also has books on growing vegetables. Whenever I have time, I flip through them and have learned quite a few techniques."

Wu Yingdong, director of the villagers' committee of Wuling Village, introduced that older adults account for 70 percent of the village's permanent residents. To better serve the villagers, the village raised funds from multiple sources in 2019 to establish a senior canteen, which now serves dozens of older adults daily. "There must be not only material sustenance but also spiritual sustenance," Wu Yingdong said. Building on the popularity gathered by the senior canteen, the village took the opportunity to open a senior learning center on the same premises.

With the support and coordination of the county civil affairs department and the township government, the village invited retired local teachers, volunteer trainees from the Yongchun County Senior University, and veteran folk artists to offer courses such as calligraphy and chess, and to hold lectures on health, fraud prevention, and other topics from time to time.

In addition to bringing in teaching staff, Wuling Village also mobilizes local older adults to participate in volunteer services, achieving mutual assistance among neighbors and shared learning. Wu Zaiqin, a 71-year-old villager, has participated in the management of the senior canteen and learning center for many years, responsible for liaising with the older adults. "When everyone gets out and about more, and neighbors help each other, the smiles on their faces increase," Wu Zaiqin said.

In 2022, the Fujian Provincial Association for the Advancement of Senior Services and other departments jointly issued a notice to carry out pilot construction of rural (community) "Ginkgo Joyful Learning Centers" in accordance with the standards of "having teaching premises, having facilities and equipment, having course offerings, having a teaching staff, and having management systems," and Yongchun County became one of the pilot counties (districts). With policy support, Wuling Village received subsidy funds and gradually upgraded the learning center's hardware facilities and improved its course arrangements. Today, in addition to dining and attending classes at the learning center, the older adults can also do square dancing, play table tennis, and engage in other activities.

In some urban-rural fringe areas, the silver-haired population can also enjoy the various activities of senior learning centers.

At the senior learning center of Huashi Community, Taocheng Town, Yongchun County, accompanied by an electronic keyboard, members of the choir are practicing the song "Nanniwan"; Liu Lu, a social worker from the Yongchun County Nuanxin Social Work Service Center, explains common smartphone operation methods to the older adults. Zheng Guihua, a 64-year-old resident, said: "After just a few classes, I can use my phone fairly well."

Zheng Dade, secretary of the Party general branch and director of the neighborhood committee of Huashi Community, introduced that the community actively guides older adults to help one another, while also widely connecting urban volunteers and social work teams to participate in teaching. "At least two classes are arranged each week, covering handicraft making, health knowledge, life skills, and other content."

As of now, Yongchun County has 273 senior schools, including 236 village-level senior schools, achieving full coverage of administrative villages with senior schools. The county, township, and village three-tier senior schools have nearly 37,000 enrolled students, accounting for 32.6 percent of the county's total older adult population. "We will continue to in light of local conditions coordinate senior education resources, leverage local talent advantages, and enable older adults to find joy in learning and fulfillment in applying what they learn," said Shen Yiyong, deputy director of the Yongchun County Civil Affairs Bureau.

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Page 1 editors: Xu Nuo, Zhang Shuaizhen, Zhang Yujie; Page 2 editors: Jiang Xuejie, Zhang Anyu, Chen Zhen; Page 3 editors: Han Xiaoming, Jiang Bo, Guan Haoyu; Page 4 editors: Liu Nian, Han Chunyao, Cui Bin

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Listen, the Echoes of a Five-Thousand-Year-Old Civilization (Cultural China Tour · Humanistic Observations · After the World Heritage Inscription ③)

By: 本报记者 王 珏

Standing atop Mojiaoshan in the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park and looking out, the palace foundations carrying an air of antiquity lie quietly amid the waves of rice paddies. The scenes of the ancestors five thousand years ago building cities, managing water, crafting jade, and farming seem to appear before one's eyes.

The year 2026 marks the 7th anniversary of the successful inscription of the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins on the World Heritage List, and also the 90th anniversary of the discovery of the Liangzhu ruins. On October 18, the Fourth Liangzhu Forum was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, under the theme "Civilization Continuity and Renewal: Safeguarding Cultural Heritage, Illuminating the Light of the Times," closely focusing on mutual learning among civilizations and heritage protection, continuously polishing the golden name card of "To see five thousand years of China, look at Liangzhu."

From being not widely known or common knowledge (鲜为人知, xian wei ren zhi - "not, fresh, person, small, know") in the past, to being renowned throughout the world (享誉世界, xiang yu shi jie - "enjoy, praise, world") today as an archaeological holy site that substantiates more than 5,000 years of Chinese civilization history, the development course of the Liangzhu ruins is a vivid portrayal of the protection, inheritance, and utilization of cultural heritage in the new era.

Recently, reporters from this newspaper visited the Liangzhu Ancient City ruins to explore the moving new developments of this sacred site of civilization since its successful World Heritage inscription.

Substantiation

New Archaeological Discoveries Enrich the "Civilization Puzzle"

General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The Liangzhu ruins are the substantiation of China's 5,000-year history of civilization." The continuous emergence of new archaeological discoveries, like pieces of a "civilization puzzle," constantly confirms this assertion and enriches the cultural landscape of the ancient Liangzhu state.

Beneath the archaeological exploration trench at the Luojiashan water dam site, the stone bedding and piled earth from five thousand years ago are revealed layer by layer. This year, the excavation and research of the Luojiashan water dam site were made public for the first time. This dam, together with other Liangzhu dams, constitutes a complete water conservancy system, dating back approximately 5,000 years, with a total water storage capacity equivalent to three West Lakes in Hangzhou. It is one of the earliest and largest water conservancy projects known in the world to date, predating the legendary Yu the Great's flood control by about 1,000 years.

In recent years, relying on remote sensing, geographic information systems, and artificial intelligence technology, archaeologists have, on the basis of previously confirming 11 dams in the Liangzhu outer water conservancy system, "identified" more than 20 additional dam remains from deep within the earth. "This basically reveals the complete structure of the Liangzhu water conservancy system," introduced Wang Ningyuan, director of the Science and Technology Archaeology Office of the Zhejiang Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. This super water conservancy project, dating back about 5,000 years, would have required mobilizing enormous human and material resources to complete planning, construction, and operation and maintenance, directly confirming that Liangzhu had formed mature social organization and strong social mobilization capacity, serving as key material evidence of an early state form.

Echoing the water conservancy system from afar is the increasingly clear large-scale courtyard remains near Fanshan Royal Cemetery. Enclosed on four sides, covering an area of 25,000 square meters, experts infer that this was once a ceremonial space for the ruling class of the ancient Liangzhu state, possibly related to China's earliest mausoleum system, opening a new window for understanding the power structure of the early state.

Even more surprising is that the social hierarchy system is also being further completed. In June this year, an academic salon titled "Liangzhu Culture Archaeological Achievements Substantiate the Outstanding Characteristics of Chinese Civilization" was held at the China Archaeological Museum, where 15 high-grade jade (stone) artifacts unearthed from the Jiangjiashan site in Yuhang, Zhejiang, were unveiled. These ritual objects, including jade cong, jade bi, stone yue axes, sets of jade awl-shaped objects, and jade crown-shaped objects, fully present the mature "cong-bi-yue" ritual system, centrally reflecting the high degree of unity of theocratic, royal, and military power in Liangzhu society.

Wang Ningyuan said that relying on this site, the complete four-level hierarchical system of the Fanshan and Yaoshan royal clan cemeteries, the Jiangjiashan high-grade noble cemetery, the Wenjiashan low-grade noble cemetery, and the Bianjiashan commoner cemetery has been fully established, clearly reflecting the top-down approach (自上而下, zi shang er xia - "self, up, and, down") transmission and adaptation characteristics of the Liangzhu ritual system.

The division of labor in handicrafts, meanwhile, reveals the different logics of "state control" and "grassroots spontaneity." In recent years, multiple jade-working workshops have been newly discovered within the Liangzhu ruins cluster — the workshop at the Deqing Zhongchuming site in a suburban settlement focused on low-end jade objects such as awl-shaped objects, the Zhongjiagang site in the Liangzhu ancient city mainly produced tubular jade ornaments and jade beads, the Wenjiashan site specialized in stone yue axe production, and the Tangshan site undertook the production of jade cong and tubular jade ornaments. This phenomenon of re-division of labor by artifact type fully reflects the internal differentiation of the jade production system, indicating that Liangzhu had established a handicraft industry system at different levels, operated by the state system and grassroots settlements.

The "Major Results of Research on the Model of Civilization in the Lower Yangtze River Region under Archaeological China," released in 2026, revised the dating of the Liangzhu culture to between 5,350 and 4,500 years ago through systematic dating. Wang Ningyuan said this further calibrates the temporal coordinates of Liangzhu civilization, providing more solid chronological support for China's 5,000-year civilization.

Liu Guoxiang, vice president of the Chinese Academy of History, pointed out that Liangzhu is the holy site substantiating China's 5,000-year history of civilization, and that the ritual system, social structure, and spiritual beliefs carried by Liangzhu culture centrally manifest the outstanding characteristics of Chinese civilization.

"We believe that with the continuous advancement of archaeological work, the civilization puzzle will become increasingly complete," said Wang Shu, secretary of the Party Working Committee and director of the Management Committee of the Liangzhu Ruins Management Area.

Safeguarding

Seeking a "Liangzhu Answer" to a Worldwide Challenge

On July 13, 2016, General Secretary Xi Jinping made an important instruction on a letter from four veteran experts in the cultural and museum field — Su Bai, Xie Chensheng, Huang Jinglue, and Zhang Zhongpei — regarding suggestions for the Liangzhu World Heritage application: "The application work for world cultural heritage should be arranged in an overall manner; application projects should be conducive to highlighting the historical and cultural value of Chinese civilization, conducive to reflecting the spiritual pursuits of the Chinese nation, and conducive to showing the world a comprehensive and authentic ancient China and modern China."

Entering the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins World Heritage Monitoring and Management Center, a huge electronic screen displays densely packed data — a protection area of 162 square kilometers, more than 1,000 cameras, 5 drone stations, and over a hundred peripheral monitoring equipment sensors, all connected to the "Liangzhu Ruins 5000+" digital-intelligence application platform. Staff member Mo Lei lightly clicks the mouse, and a digital twin of the Liangzhu ancient city appears before his eyes.

"Once an anomaly is detected, for example heavy rain on the South City Wall, the system automatically issues a warning. After receiving the warning information, patrol and security personnel are immediately mobilized to the South City Wall area to carry out site protection and drainage operations," Mo Lei told reporters. The platform's monitoring covers 19 major categories and 176 sub-items, and has so far received a cumulative total of 6,863 anomaly events, involving multiple dimensions such as damage to the site itself, changes in the surrounding environment, and intrusion alarms.

Staff use the platform to simulate meteorological disasters and formulate disposal plans in advance, achieving a transformation from emergency repairs after an incident occurs (事后抢修, shi hou qiang xiu - "matter, after, urgent, repair") to "preventive protection in advance." Related achievements were included in the "World Internet Conference Digitalization Cases of Cultural Heritage (2025)," and international experts evaluated it as "a representative practice in the field of global cultural heritage digitalization."

Digital monitoring is only one line of defense in the Liangzhu protection system. The Liangzhu ruins are typical earthen sites in a humid southern environment, long facing world-class protection challenges caused by the humid environment, including structural damage to the earth body, moss and microbial diseases, and water seepage and undercutting.

As the country's first "site-specific hospital" for humid southern environments, the Earthen Site Protection Laboratory is divided into 7 sub-laboratories, including earthen site construction techniques, restoration, biology, and chemistry, equipped with advanced instruments such as Fourier transform infrared absorption spectrometers and confocal micro-Raman spectrometers. In the biology laboratory, researchers are using plant essential oils as raw materials to develop a "specific medicine" to inhibit moss diseases; in the construction techniques laboratory, accelerated deterioration experiments on grass-wrapped-clay models are mapping out the laws of site aging.

"This is like a 'clinic,' where every 'department' is diagnosing and treating the site," introduced Ma Yanni, a staff member of the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins World Heritage Monitoring and Management Center. Since the laboratory was put into use two years ago, it has completed research on two provincial-level cultural relic protection projects, with related research results published in international journals such as the European Physical Journal.

Wang Shu summarized this path as a combination of "learning from masters" and "taking root": jointly carrying out technical research with institutions such as the Dunhuang Academy, Zhejiang University, and Hohai University, building the Earthen Site Protection Laboratory, adopting low-intervention protection plans, and using natural methods such as plant essential oils for protection to avoid irreversible damage caused by chemical components. "Our goal is to hand Liangzhu over to the next 5,000 years."

On June 1 this year, the "Hangzhou Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins World Cultural Heritage Protection and Management Regulations" officially came into effect. Wang Shu introduced that these regulations mark the achievement of "overall protection" of the protection scope in the legal protection of the Liangzhu ruins, comprehensive alignment with international convention standards, the establishment of special chapters on "coordinated development" and "interpretation and utilization," and the clarification of the rigid requirement of "archaeology first." "The regulations make archaeological survey and exploration a precondition for land transfer and project construction, making 'archaeology first, land transfer second' an insurmountable procedural red line," Wang Shu said.

From the scientific research of the Earthen Site Protection Laboratory for humid environments, to the comprehensive safeguarding of the "Liangzhu Ruins 5000+" digital-intelligence application, to the institutional innovation of the "cultural relic special zone" model of "dedicated institutions + laws and regulations + policies and systems + digital empowerment," Liangzhu is using technology, digitalization, and the rule of law, through systematic protection, to seek a "Liangzhu answer" to the worldwide challenge of protecting earthen sites in humid environments.

Inheritance

Bringing Five Thousand Years of Civilization into Everyday Life

An autumn breeze sweeps by, and large expanses of orchid grass and Pennisetum in the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park sway in the wind. At Zhongjiagang, traditional handicraft experience stalls for ancient jade working, pottery, and lacquer painting are arrayed along the forest path. At the ancient jade working stall, archaeological staff member Xu Youxiu holds replica tools, demonstrating techniques such as string cutting and drilling to the gathered tourists.

"I came to Liangzhu to play and happened to catch the event. Being able to personally experience jade polishing feels especially meaningful," said a tourist, Ms. Zhu, at the handicraft experience stall.

Wang Shu said that the Liangzhu ruins have gone through the protection stage, the World Heritage application stage, and the post-inscription stage. "In the post-inscription stage, we must return to cultural daily life, and on the basis of doing well in protection, research, and inheritance, do well in the re-creation of cultural lineage continuation, so that five thousand years of civilization step out of history books and into life."

Display methods are constantly being innovated. Entering the temporary exhibition hall of the Liangzhu Museum, under soft lighting, more than a hundred jade cong stand quietly in display cases. This is the scene of the "Cong Spectrum — Special Exhibition for the 90th Anniversary of the Discovery of the Liangzhu Ruins." "The exhibition displays 124 cong and cong-style objects from 39 institutions, including collections from 14 domestic provinces and overseas collection institutions," introduced Ma Lisha, an education specialist at the Liangzhu Museum, to the tourists.

In the exhibition hall, four jade cong from the British Museum attracted the attention of many visitors. They traversed thousands of kilometers of geographical distance and thousands of years of time span, quietly "returning" to the place where they were first created.

On the eve of this year's National Day, an "archaeology of the sky" was staged at the Liangzhu Ancient City Ruins Park. With 5,000 drones using the night sky as paper and points of light as brushes, starting from the shape of a giant wooden component 17.2 meters long, the entire process of the Liangzhu ancestors felling timber, erecting pillars and beams, and building the city and state was completely "constructed." The seven palace complexes on Mojiaoshan were illuminated one by one in the night sky, and the divine figure and beast face pattern finally emerged 10 meters above the site foundations. This "digital restoration" did not disturb an inch of the earthen site, allowing the Liangzhu ancient city to be "seen again" in a light and graceful way.

World heritage should not only be in exhibition halls and at sites, but must also enter everyday life. Liangzhu has implemented the "Liangzhu MEI" life aesthetics project, jointly with the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology systematically extracting 8 classic colors and core patterns from Liangzhu artifacts. From jade cong, the divine figure and beast face pattern, to palace outlines, the Liangzhu cultural IP has developed more than 700 cultural and creative products, covering 11 major categories. Through innovative authorization mechanisms and market-oriented cooperation models, the Liangzhu Ruins Management Committee has built a "basic authorization + revenue sharing" mechanism, integrating Liangzhu cultural elements into various consumer scenarios.

The Liangzhu Cultural Corridor provides an even broader practical sample — this "cultural-ecological corridor" organically links the more than 5,000-year-old Liangzhu culture, the more than 2,000-year-old canal culture, and the more than 1,000-year-old Jingshan culture, exploring a new path of symbiosis and shared prosperity between heritage protection and regional development. Wang Shu introduced that in the corridor's business layout, the core protection area focuses mainly on lifestyle-oriented businesses, while the peripheral areas focus mainly on productive cultural industries.

In Liangzhu Warm Village, Xiaoyu, a post-80s young man, runs a black pottery studio. He hand-shapes and hand-paints Liangzhu's distinctive black, gray, and red pottery, creating everyday objects that blend elements extracted from cultural relics with modern practical transformations. "I hope to deeply deconstruct the cultural connotations and carry out a second artistic reconstruction combined with modern aesthetics."

In the first half of 2026, the Liangzhu Cultural Corridor added 50 new cultural enterprises above designated size, with revenue of above-designated-size cultural enterprises exceeding 89.1 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 37%.

At present, the construction of the Liangzhu Cultural Corridor has advanced three rounds of "Ten Major Projects," among which the project for relocating and settling farmers has attracted much attention. Wang Shu introduced that the logic of advancing this work is to unify "protecting cultural relics, improving people's livelihoods, and promoting common prosperity." This project was awarded the UNESCO "World Heritage Contributions to Sustainable Development Goals" excellent case.

Ninety years ago, Shi Xingeng, the discoverer of the Liangzhu culture, asked a profound question in his archaeological report: "Our ancient ancestors tenaciously opened up this vast land and created a culture shining brightly through the ages (彪炳千秋, biao bing qian qiu - "brilliant, shining, thousand, autumns"). As we look back on the past today, how should we diligently and conscientiously continue the life of our nation and its glorious culture?"

From Shi Xingeng's discovery of two "black, lustrous pottery shards" in 1936, to the successful inscription of the Liangzhu Ancient City on the World Heritage List in 2019, to the formation of today's "cultural relic special zone" model for the protection and management of major sites, the Liangzhu ruins have completed a leap from archaeological discovery to substantiation of civilization, and from site protection to global narrative.

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Historical and Cultural Heritage Makes Cities More Beautiful (Cultural Salon)

By: 张 贺

Autumn may be the most beautiful season in Beijing. Under the autumn blue sky, the upturned eaves and soaring corners of the Forbidden City corner towers display a distinctive charm; the White Pagoda by the rippling waters of Beihai is both majestic and radiant; under the night sky, Houhai combines antiquity with romance, stirring the imagination; not to mention the lively atmosphere of everyday life gathered around the Drum Tower and Nanluoguxiang, enough to ignite the passion of life. We love Beijing not only because she is the capital of our great motherland, but also because of the profound accumulation of history and culture here.

Beijing has countless cultural relics and historic sites, and endless historic districts to explore. Every hutong alley, every pagoda, altar, pavilion, and terrace, every classical garden seems to hold allusions and legends waiting to be unearthed and told.

Walking through the ancient capital, delving into the texture and veins of the city, one comes to understand more deeply that culture is the soul of a city. A city with deep cultural accumulation is like an aged wine brewed by the years—mellow and intoxicating, with endless flavor. But if a city lacks cultural heritage, no matter how beautiful its appearance, it is like plain boiled water—bland, tasteless, mediocre, and dull. People all hope their cities are beautiful and distinctive, and historical and cultural heritage is precisely the precious resource that endows a city with rich content and unique charm.

Historical and cultural heritage enables cities to break free from the mold of lacking distinct characteristics among many similar cities (千城一面, qian cheng yi mian - "thousand, city, one, face") and highlight their own unique features. West Lake, as a World Heritage site, is beauty that remains lovely in any style (淡妆浓抹总相宜, dan zhuang nong mo zong xiang yi - "light, makeup, heavy, smear, always, suitable"), fully displaying Hangzhou's gentle elegance as a Jiangnan water town; Xi'an's ancient city wall, Terracotta Warriors, and Giant Wild Goose Pagoda are simple and profound, embodying the classical charm of ancient Chinese dynasties (秦风汉韵, qin feng han yun - "Qin, wind, Han, rhyme"); Quanzhou's echoes of the Silk Road and Jingdezhen's porcelain charm, Dunhuang's breathtaking treasure house of art and Dujiangyan's extraordinary water conservancy project—all have become celebrated "golden business cards" of their cities, renowned at home and abroad, attracting tourists from around the world.

Historical and cultural heritage makes urban life more wonderful. Modern cities are crowded and noisy, tense and busy. Cultural heritage is like a patch of pure land, providing a space to slow down, relax, and enjoy tranquility. Here, one can stroll at leisure, evoke nostalgic reflections on the past, and broaden one's horizons, increase knowledge, and enhance one's cultivation. With antiquity and modernity complementing each other, and stillness and motion in harmony, historical and cultural heritage adds color to urban life.

Historical and cultural heritage cultivates cultural identity and strengthens urban cohesion. People take pride in their city's long history and splendid culture, and residents of ancient capitals and famous cities always speak with a sense of pride when introducing their city to visitors. Each place nurtures its own people, and historical and cultural heritage also subtly shapes the spiritual temperament of citizens. The open-mindedness and magnanimity of Beijingers, the refinement and delicacy of Shanghainese, the forthrightness and warmth of northeasterners, and the simplicity and vigor of northwesterners are all inseparable from the characteristics of their history and culture.

Precisely because historical and cultural heritage is so important, in recent years, various localities have placed special emphasis on protecting historical and cultural heritage in urban renewal and renovation, striving to use "embroidery-like precision" and "restore the old as it was" to ensure that historic features and cultural threads are completely preserved.

This stands in sharp contrast to the short-sighted phenomenon of earlier years of "demolishing genuine historic sites and building fake antiques." "Demolishing the real to build the fake" and "large-scale demolition and construction" destroy not only tangible cultural heritage, but also historical memory and cultural nostalgia. The incisive statement that "the old city can no longer be demolished" is like a sudden, sharp warning or wake-up call (当头棒喝, dang tou bang he - "hit, head, stick, shout"), jolting people into alertness.

A city is an organic living entity that continuously grows and changes with the times, but the "new" grows out of the foundation of the "old." To completely abandon the "old" would also deprive the "new" of its roots. Historical development is continuous; a country and a nation can only forge ahead by perpetuating the bloodline of its culture.

More than 70 years ago, Mr. Shen Congwen pointed out: "The city of Beijing itself is a large architectural museum." He believed that although new buildings changing rapidly with each passing day (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new, month, change") would continue to emerge with the development of the times, "these ancient buildings of Beijing will by no means lose their inherent brilliance; they will only make people find them even more lovable, and thus they will be protected even more carefully." Mr. Shen's prophecy has today become reality. The systematic protection of historical and cultural heritage has made Beijing's ancient capital features shine brilliantly. In 2024, the Beijing Central Axis was inscribed on the World Heritage List in recognition by UNESCO of its "integrity, authenticity, and state of conservation and management." Beijing, this ancient capital possessing numerous cultural heritages, increasingly displays an oriental charm where antiquity and modernity blend, becoming a cultural capital admired by people at home and abroad.

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Folk Songs Winding Through the Qinling Mountains (Inheritance)

By: 本报记者 张丹华

An afternoon downpour added to the autumn chill in the hinterland of the Qinba Mountains, and clear, bright children's voices drifted from the classrooms of Jingyang Town Central Primary School in Zhenba County, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province. "Put some spirit into it, open your mouths wide, and control your breath." Tian Hongtao, a provincial-level representative inheritor of the intangible cultural heritage of Zhenba folk songs, was half-bent over, teaching the children to sing.

Southern Shaanxi folk songs originate from improvisation and oral transmission by working people. Represented by Zhenba folk songs in Hanzhong, Ziyang and Xunyang folk songs in Ankang, and Shangluo folk songs, some have been designated as national- and provincial-level intangible cultural heritage items.

In 2025, the "Regulations of Ankang City on the Protection, Inheritance, and Development of Southern Shaanxi Folk Songs," the "Regulations of Hanzhong City on the Protection, Inheritance, and Development of Southern Shaanxi Folk Songs," and the "Regulations of Shangluo City on the Protection, Inheritance, and Development of Southern Shaanxi Folk Songs" officially took effect.

"Promote the campaign to bring Southern Shaanxi folk songs into schools" and "encourage representative inheritors of Southern Shaanxi folk songs to establish transmission studios (workshops) to carry out inheritance and dissemination activities"... Today, a relay of inheritance—from the folk to the classroom, from the deep mountains to the cloud, from singing to legislation—is being rolled out across the Qinba Mountains.

In her livestream room, Peng Guangqin, president of the Hanzhong Qinba Southern Shaanxi Folk Song Research Institute, is gaining more and more "cloud audiences." Over the past year, she has hosted 268 livestreams, using new media platforms to help more people fall in love with folk songs. "The audience comes from all corners of the world (天南海北, tian nan hai bei - "sky, south, sea, north"), and the folk songs reach every household (千家万户, qian jia wan hu - "thousand, families, ten thousand, households")." Peng Guangqin said with a smile.

In recent years, Hanzhong has solicited nearly 300 original music works rich in local elements from the public; Ankang has created the regional intangible cultural heritage IP "Echoes of Southern Shaanxi," integrating folk songs with modern musical language and immersive sound field technology; Shangluo's "Everyone Sings Shangnan Folk Songs" has held 12 consecutive events and was selected for Shaanxi Province's "Four Seasons Village Songs" demonstration activities... These vibrant practices are a vivid microcosm of Shaanxi's efforts to promote the living transmission and innovative development of folk songs.

In Liba Town, Hanzhong, a live-action "village gala" "performed" farming scenes through folk songs, with over a hundred villagers transforming into "landscape performers" and improvising duets with the audience amid seas of flowers. During the slack farming season, 54-year-old villager Tian Peiyong also stays busy—tidying guest rooms, cleaning the courtyard, preparing meals, and getting ready for performances, extremely joyful or busy (不亦乐乎, bu yi le hu - "not, also, joy, extremely"). "In the past two years, more and more tourists have come to enjoy the flowers, watch performances, and stay overnight. My agritourism business earned over 100,000 yuan last year." A simple smile spread across Tian Peiyong's sun-darkened face as he held up two fingers and waved them.

According to statistics, each live-action performance draws over 5,000 spectators, cumulatively driving sales of about 325,000 yuan in catering, accommodation, handicrafts, and other business sectors, increasing villagers' income by about 162,000 yuan and boosting village collective income by over 100,000 yuan.

(Bai Ge, a reporter from People's Daily Online, contributed to this report)

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Page editors: Wang Jue

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Moutai's Double Ninth Sorghum Input: Time and Heritage in Traditional Brewing

The Double Ninth Festival has come around again. By the banks of the Chishui River, a new liquor-making cycle begins. For Moutai, the ninth day of the ninth lunar month is both a traditional festival and an important node for following the seasonal calendar in starting raw-material input for production. A single grain of sorghum enters the steaming vat, and a year of brewing begins. The Double Ninth Festival has always been an important node for Moutai in advancing the inheritance of traditional craftsmanship and cultural heritage.

Brewing in Accord with the Seasons, Inheriting Traditional Craftsmanship

The "sand" in "laying down the sand" (xia sha) is the name given to Hongyingzi waxy sorghum, the main raw material for Moutai liquor, after it has been appropriately crushed. Laying down the sand at the Double Ninth Festival is the first input of raw material in a production cycle. According to the traditional process, part of the sorghum undergoes grain moistening, high-temperature steaming, cooling and spreading, mixing with starter culture, and pile fermentation before being placed in the pit for fermentation; about a month later, it is mixed with another portion of sorghum to carry out "sand making" (zao sha). In one production cycle, there are 2 raw-material inputs, 9 steamings, 8 fermentations, and 7 extractions of liquor, and from the start of raw-material input to the finished product leaving the factory takes at least 5 years.

Moutai liquor production proceeds in accordance with the seasons, benefiting from the accumulated experience of generations of liquor makers. Around the Dragon Boat Festival, as temperatures rise, microorganisms multiply and grow in large numbers, creating conditions of unique and exceptional advantage (得天独厚, de tian du hou - "obtain, heaven, uniquely, thick") for starter-culture making; in the ninth lunar month, the Chishui River has abundant water flow and pure water quality, marking the season for laying down the sand in liquor making. The seasonal arrangements formed through long-term production practice are an important feature of Moutai's traditional brewing craftsmanship. In 2006, the "Moutai liquor brewing craftsmanship" was included in the first batch of the national intangible cultural heritage list.

The continuation of traditional craftsmanship ultimately must be carried out by people. Moutai has incorporated the "master-apprentice" model into its talent cultivation and craftsmanship inheritance mechanism, with the scope of inheritance covering liquor making, starter-culture making, storage and blending, and tasting and evaluation. Through the master's instruction and the apprentice's practice, empirical operational skills are sustained on the front line of production. Relevant management measures also make institutional arrangements for the qualifications of masters and apprentices, training content, and assessment standards, transforming the traditional model of passing on knowledge through oral instruction and personal demonstration (口传心授, kou chuan xin shou - "mouth, transmit, heart, impart") into a more stable inheritance mechanism.

Preserving tradition does not mean clinging to experience or making no progress or staying stagnant (止步不前, zhi bu bu qian - "stop, step, not, forward"). In recent years, modern technologies such as microbiome science and flavor chemistry have been applied to studying the mechanisms of brewing, and digital means have also been applied to data analysis in some production links. Traditional experience has thereby gained more systematic understanding and documentation, and has also provided new technical support for the stable inheritance of craftsmanship.

Carrying Culture Through Ritual, Continuing Cultural Memory

For Moutai, the Double Ninth Festival connects on one side the production calendar and on the other side cultural tradition. Through the year after year (年复一年, nian fu yi nian - "year, repeat, one, year") laying down of the sand at the Double Ninth Festival, this production node has gradually crystallized a cultural connotation of revering nature, respecting labor, and inheriting craftsmanship. Moutai holds a Double Ninth Festival liquor-sacrifice ritual every year, adding, beyond production activities, a cultural expression of looking back at tradition, paying tribute to predecessors, and inheriting craftsmanship.

This cultural inheritance is not only reflected in the annual ritual. For Moutai's traditional brewing craftsmanship, true inheritance takes place in the day-to-day production practice: masters lead apprentices, passing down operational experience; different production links adhere to the process norms formed over the long term, putting their understanding of seasons, raw materials, and craftsmanship into practice in every production cycle. The Double Ninth Festival is merely a node of concentrated presentation; behind it lies an entire set of long-running production and inheritance mechanisms.

From this perspective, laying down the sand at the Double Ninth Festival demonstrates Moutai's concrete practice of arranging production in accordance with natural conditions, cherishing the experience accumulated by predecessors, and continuing the craft through master-apprentice instruction. It is the inheritance and continuation of traditional culture within the production of a modern enterprise. The Double Ninth Festival arrives on schedule, Moutai's liquor-making cycle goes in a continuous cycle (周而复始, zhou er fu shi - "cycle, and, return, begin"), and tradition is continuously renewed through such repetition and practice.

Advancing with the Times, Expanding Brand Expression

Traditional brewing craftsmanship exists not only in the production workshop but is also approaching consumers through more cultural spaces and experiential methods. In 2026, Moutai cultural experience halls continue to be established in multiple locations. The Xi'an, Shaanxi Moutai Cultural Experience Hall presents Moutai's history and culture, production environment, and brewing craftsmanship through realistic scene-building and digital multimedia displays; the Quanzhou, Fujian Moutai Cultural Experience Hall, by contrast, integrates local ancient dwellings and regional culture, exploring a fused expression of brand culture and urban culture.

At the 15th China (Guizhou) International Alcoholic Beverages Expo in 2026, the Moutai exhibition area set up interactive craft devices, presenting the entire production process from raw materials to brewing and storage in a concrete visual form, allowing consumers to more intuitively understand the brewing process of a bottle of Moutai liquor. In addition, Moutai has carried out cultural experience activities targeting young consumer groups, incorporating tasting, intangible cultural heritage handicraft, and knowledge interaction into them, enriching the ways in which young consumers come into contact with and understand brand culture.

From the production front line to cultural spaces, from craft displays to interactive experiences, Moutai's long-accumulated brewing craftsmanship and cultural traditions are being transformed into more tangible and knowable forms of brand expression. Understanding the production process of Moutai liquor has also become a path for consumers to get to know Moutai and understand Moutai culture.

The Double Ninth Festival has come again, and the laying down of the sand has begun anew. The experience accumulated in processes, institutions, and daily practice continues to be passed on through round after round of brewing, and also gives the quality and culture behind a glass of liquor a clearer origin.

Data source: Guizhou Moutai

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With you, Chu Orange is complete

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The Land Sings Long: Imprints of the Spirit

The Long March of ten thousand li is a magnificent epic written across mountains and rivers. With rock-solid ideals and convictions and heroic valor that feared no sacrifice, the Red Army officers and soldiers forged an eternal monument in the history of the Chinese revolution. Generations of fine-arts workers have taken art as their torch, passing on the flame of the spirit. Oil painting, caricature, seal carving, design, public art... the media differ, but the emotions hidden deep within the works are shared, and the faith within them is utterly sincere.

On the occasion of the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, the literary and arts supplement launches the "Great Earth, Long Song" series of special pages. The first installment, "Spiritual Imprints," focuses on classic Long March-themed artworks and new contemporary creations, inviting experts and scholars to explore together how the great Long March spirit has become more and more new over time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "pass through time, increasingly new") in the aesthetic expressions of different eras, so as to gather strength of heart and mind for taking the new Long March road well.

—Editor

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In the blank spaces of images, a lifetime is spent painting an epic of the Long March

By: 沈尧伊

This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. In September, my exhibition of fine-art works on the Long March theme, "The Long March Road," opened at the National Museum of China, displaying 52 oil paintings and prints (in sets) and 189 serial pictures. The Art Museum of the National Centre for the Performing Arts also held the "Journey of the Red Ribbon" exhibition, mainly showing the sketch works I have created over the years while visiting sites along the Long March route. My fine-art works on the Long March theme have also been exhibited in important exhibitions such as "The Great Expedition" at the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution and "Magnificent Epic" and "Golden Sands Beat the Clouds and Cliffs Warm" at the National Art Museum of China. Together, these works form a pictorial history of the Long March. Standing in the exhibition hall, looking at the Long March I have been painting for half a century, my greatest feeling is this: this road, I have not yet finished walking it.

People often ask me, why do you have such a special liking for this subject (情有独钟, qing you du zhong - "feeling, have, uniquely, attached") for the Long March? My answer is: because I delight in great beauty.

That is easy to say, but doing it is a matter of a lifetime. The 25,000-li Long March was magnificent and stirring, yet almost no complete visual record of it was left behind. The historical photographs of the Long March I have gathered from many sources number only 15 — far too few for a great expedition that changed the destiny of China's future. If no one used the brush to record it, this period of history might become a blank that can neither be seen nor touched. Our generation should shoulder this responsibility — this is also my passion.

History is continuous, and viewing history requires a process. I often say that history is like a cube: only when you have seen all its faces can you perhaps understand the core within. It is the same when we view the history of the Long March. When I first came into contact with the Long March theme, my understanding was rather one-sided — I spoke only of revolutionary optimism, not of difficulties and setbacks. Slowly, after going to so many places and reading so much historical material, I gradually came to some understanding.

In this process, I read Wei Wei's novel The Red Ribbon of the Earth, and later received an invitation from the Serial Pictures Publishing House to create a serial-picture work of the same name. This seems accidental, but in fact it was inevitable. They understood me, they trusted me, and I was capable of doing this work. I created it alone for six years, producing more than 900 works in total. Wherever Wei Wei's novel went, I went.

Opera, dance drama, and film are all arts of time, but painting is an art of space — it is fixed there, and it has one thing more than a photograph: the artist's individuality. Just as no two snowflakes are identical, every person is different, the houses of every place are different, and the plants of every place are also different. Those of us engaged in the visual arts do research based on the comparative study of images. For a painter, both research ability and expressive ability are important. I believe I possess these abilities, and so I can create a pictorial history of the Long March.

In painting historical pictures, what is the hardest thing? It is finding that flavor.

What is flavor? It is a feeling, an atmosphere. If you have never been to that place, how can you know what it smells like there? When I was studying at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, my teacher often said: "A place you have never been to, you are not qualified to paint." I have remembered this sentence all my life. So I went to many places along the Long March route. I saw that houses next to mountains are of stone, houses next to plains are of rammed-earth thatched huts, and many old houses have watchtowers — why? To guard against the chaos of war. In addition, the uniforms of the Second Front Army of the Red Army were mostly hand-sewn and not standardized; the characteristic of the Fourth Front Army's uniforms was that the hats were large and the color slightly whiter. Within the same Red Army, the hats and clothes of the various front armies were all different. In creation, the characteristic features of the figures, the season, local characteristics, and so on — all must be comprehensively considered.

To paint the boats of the Dadu River, I specially convened a seminar and invited elderly people who understood the situation at the time to explain in detail what the boats were like. Only then did I learn that the bow of the boat had to tilt upward, because the current of the Dadu River is swift, and only such a shape conforms to the laws of nature. What is beauty? Beauty is what is derived from the laws of nature.

I walked the Long March road using both my "left foot" and "right foot" — the "left foot" is the serial picture, the "right foot" is oil painting. Serial pictures tell stories; they can make clear in which year and month, at what place, which figures were present, and what historical moment they experienced. Oil paintings speak of highlights, concentrating the most essential parts around important historical nodes, for people to look at and to feel.

The advantage of the serial picture is the combination of image and text. Fully exploiting this advantage, from 1988 to 2018 I completed the "Long March Trilogy," totaling more than 2,200 paintings, presenting the history of the Long March in full. Among them, the first part, The Red Ribbon of the Earth, mainly depicts the journey of the Central Red Army from the bloody battle at the Xiang River through hardships to its arrival at Hadapu in Gansu, with the text adapted from Wei Wei's novel of the same name. The second part, Long March · 1936, and the third part, Sparks of Fire on the March Road, were both written and drawn by myself — first the painting, then the text. Long March · 1936 is divided into three volumes: The Cornerstone Ceremony tells of the Central Red Army's arrival in northern Shaanxi, The Great Whirl tells of the Second Front Army's campaigns through Hunan, Guizhou, and Yunnan, and The Grand Joining of Forces tells of the victorious convergence of the First, Second, and Fourth Front Armies. In Sparks of Fire on the March Road, The Western Expedition and the Eastern Return depicts the Western Route Army's campaigns in the Hexi Corridor, Records of the Fire Seed depicts the three-year guerrilla war in the south, and The Place of Settlement depicts the founding of the Shaanxi-Gansu revolutionary base area.

Some people ask: the Western Route Army's expedition and the three-year guerrilla war in the south — some historians do not regard these as part of the Long March. Why do you paint them? I say: they are historical events of the same period, and their spirit is the same. Without them, the history of the Long March would not be three-dimensional. So I believe that in painting the Long March, first is truthfulness, second is comprehensiveness, and third is three-dimensionality.

I am a rather persistent person. In 1975, when I first retraced the Long March road, I walked alone for three months with a pack on my back. Later, to paint The Red Ribbon of the Earth, I went back and forth more than a dozen times. My oil painting The Zunyi Conference took three years to paint, and the leaders of the Central Committee and other eyewitnesses personally reviewed and checked it. When I was polishing The Red Ribbon of the Earth, Liu Ying, who had served as secretary-general of the Central Team during the Long March period, served as art consultant throughout, giving guidance frame by frame. The words "You have painted it very truthfully — this is exactly how we were then" are the best praise I have heard in my life.

Now conditions are better, and some places have combined retracing the Long March road with tourism. In this process, the bottom line of respecting history must be upheld. For example, when restoring the scenes of important Red Army meetings, the style of the seating, the layout of the furnishings, and so on must all conform to the original historical appearance. One must not "dismantle" history and show later generations fake things — doing so would be doing a disservice to history.

In the era of artificial intelligence, "plastic flowers" are everywhere. Plastic flowers are perfect — no watering needed, lifelike in shape. But fresh flowers have life; plastic flowers do not. Life is the most precious thing. Therefore today's artists must pay even more attention to visual sensitivity. I walk the same road every day, and every day I make new discoveries. To be a pure person, to do a pure thing, and to leave behind what is real — that is my pursuit. The paintings that can be left behind are chosen by history and chosen by the common people; it is not a matter of who trumpets them. Creating paintings that can be left behind is my highest pursuit in art. I believe that good works on the Long March theme will surely be able to remain.

More than ninety years have passed, and the red ribbon of the Long March has never faded. In recent years, I have created more than 20 oil paintings on the Long March theme. As long as I can still lift the brush, I will keep painting.

(The author is a professor at Renmin University of China; compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Xu Hongmei)

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Soot as Ink, Writing the Long March

By: 赵 昊

Among the visual historical materials that record the true picture of the Long March, Huang Zhen's Sketchbook of the Westward March occupies a unique and important position, and is regarded as the most direct and powerful pictorial evidence of the Long March and its earliest spiritual text.

More than 90 years ago, during the Long March, Huang Zhen, then head of the propaganda section of the political department of the Central Military Commission column, with keen eyes, seized moments between marches to sketch, producing four to five hundred works in total. As he recalled, "At the time, whatever left a deep impression and stirred my emotions, I would draw." Under extremely arduous conditions, he scraped soot from pots to use as ink and drew the entire way, and these works came together as a visual epic of the Long March. Regrettably, after the ravages of war, only 25 original works were preserved intact. In October 1938, to boost anti-Japanese morale, the Shanghai Wind and Rain Book House risked danger to publish this batch of works urgently, naming it Sketchbook of the Westward March (the reprint was retitled Collection of Long March Paintings).

Whether depicting scenes of the Red Army's marches and battles, or presenting the customs and conditions of the people along the Long March route, Huang Zhen's paintings always take firm ideals and convictions as their spiritual foundation. This ideal and conviction is externalized as a visual expression of the Red Army's continued optimism and confidence amid perilous marches. The orderly ranks striding across the Xiang River, the rapid climbing over snow-capped mountains, and the everyday scenes of carrying dry rations, grinding highland barley, and baking flatbreads are all vivid presentations of this spiritual tone. The depictions of a girl without clothes and a poor man carrying salt reveal the inner motivation behind the Red Army's firm ideals and convictions — saving the country and the people. Huang Zhen also depicts scenes of soldiers sleeping in the woods at night and marching through grasslands, showing the Red Army's spirit of unity and striving. The pictorial records of figures such as Yi guides and guerrilla fighters embody the bond of shared purpose between the army and the people. The entire work is like a symphony, in which the intensity of the battlefield, the undulations of the march, and the lightness of daily life interweave into a rich rhythm, with multiple connotations such as fearlessness of sacrifice, strict discipline, and emphasis on the mass line hidden within, giving the work a majestic power in which "a single worn-out brush surpasses swords and spears."

Although Sketchbook of the Westward March was drawn as casual sketches, it is full of emotional power. A magazine at the time commented that it "technically surpasses Western painting, while preserving the unique charm inherent in traditional Chinese painting." This charm is embodied in the combination of rich spiritual content with simple, lively brushwork. The work presents the lofty spirit of the Red Army soldiers directly through concise images, giving it a vitality that transcends time and space — deeply rooted in the historical process of the Long March, it continuously builds new dialogues, forming an endless and vigorous development (生生不息, sheng sheng bu xi - "birth, birth, not, cease") of the spiritual field. At the level of technique, Huang Zhen shapes forms with lines, depicting objects and environments with varied lines that are either concise and forceful or relaxed and fluid, capturing the movement and charm of figures, and relying on contrasts of light and shade, density and sparseness, and flatness and curvature to create spatial layers in the picture, making the works simple yet not empty, and leaving much for the viewer to savor.

Over the decades, this collection of paintings has been reprinted many times and published in foreign-language editions, continuously telling the story of the Long March to the world. "No matter what treacherous terrain and dangerous waters (险山恶水, xian shan e shui - "dangerous, mountain, wicked, water") you throw at us, we can certainly overcome them" — the bold declaration Huang Zhen wrote beside his paintings back then still strikes straight at the heart when read today. The fervent feelings and lofty spiritual realm of the revolutionary forebears will continue to inspire us to fear no obstacles and march forward with courage.

(The author is a professor at Anhui Normal University)

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Engraving History in Stone, Conveying Emotion with the Iron Brush

By: 沈慧兴

"Regarding the historical traces of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, works expressed through literature or painting and music have already appeared one after another. Whether such a great theme, when expressed through the seal-carving art with its special tradition, would be suitable, I am not yet certain." In 1960, carrying reverence for the great spirit of the Long March and prudent reflection on innovation in seal-carving art, the 53-year-old Qian Juntao decided to take the Long March as his theme and carve a set of seals.

Once the creative flame was ignited, Qian Juntao, based on the relevant content of Records of the Long March of the First Front Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, selected the names of 100 towns, passes, mountains, rivers, and streams along the route of the Red Army's Long March as the text for the seal faces, arranged in order of the time passed through, and over the course of several months completed the first draft of Seal Impressions of the Long March, which was published in 1962. Thereafter, Qian Juntao, upholding an attitude of striving for perfection (精益求精, jing yi qiu jing - "refine, seek, seek, excellence"), successively recarved 44 seal faces and 48 side inscriptions from the first edition, and Seal Impressions of the Long March was republished in 1979.

In this collection of seal impressions, polished over nearly 20 years, Qian Juntao applied every expressive form of seal-carving art to the utmost. Among the 100 seal faces, the seal styles of pre-Qin ancient seals, Han red-and-white characters, and Song-Yuan red characters, as well as the script styles of oracle bone script, large seal script, bird-and-insect script, bamboo-slip and silk script, clerical script, Wei stele script, and nine-fold seal script, were all employed by him, thereby achieving the artistic effect of a flourishing state of diverse artistic expression (百花齐放, bai hua qi fang - "hundred, flowers, all, bloom"). Qian Juntao also placed great emphasis on the expression of aesthetic conception in his works; for example, the grandeur of "Ruijin," the flowing beauty of "Qingshui River," and the lofty steepness of "Moutai" all realized the unity of content and artistic conception.

The seal-face texts of Seal Impressions of the Long March mostly consist of two or three characters, which presents great difficulty in formal variation, but Qian Juntao was thoroughly knowledgeable about (深谙, shen an - "deep, know") the various styles of Chinese seal-carving art. Besides varying the red-and-white characters and borders of square seals, he also designed styles such as round, wedge-shaped, double-linked, and triple-linked seals, achieving the effect of "a hundred seals with a hundred faces," providing a new paradigm for the creation of seal sets. The side inscriptions of the seals also demonstrate considerable calligraphic skill; besides the commonly used regular script, Qian Juntao also carved in styles such as cursive script, clerical script, Han bronze inscription script, and Wei stele script. The flowing and elegant cursive-script side inscription of "Loushan Pass," the lofty and vigorous clerical-script side inscription of "Liupan Mountain," and others all fully manifest the artistic conception of Mao Zedong's poetry.

Metal and stone inscribe history; the iron brush conveys feeling. As a red-themed seal collection published relatively early after the founding of New China, Seal Impressions of the Long March not only engraves the great spirit of the Long March through a unique artistic form but also accumulated useful experience for thematic seal-carving creation. It enlightens contemporary creators that only by integrating sincere inner emotion into the grand spirit of the times can the courage and level of artistic creation achieve a qualitative leap, and can works withstand the test of time.

(The author is a member of the Xiling Seal Art Society)

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Preserving Red Memories Across Mountains and Rivers

By: 段禹农

Over the past 90-plus years, the ways in which memories of the Long March have been restored and constructed have taken on a diversified trend. As an important art form for building the memory field and commemoration field of the Long March, public art combines text, image, and spatial narrative to make the great Long March spirit perceptible and knowable, achieving numerous unique cultural coordinates of the Long March.

Red-themed public art along the Long March route spans a long period of creation, covers a wide distribution area, and has been completed in large numbers. Especially since the 1980s, a batch of classic works have emerged one after another. The Monument to the Red Army's Forced Crossing of the Dadu River at Anshun Field, Shimian County, Sichuan Province, was completed jointly by Ye Zongtao, Xu Baozhong, and Gao Biao. The upper part of the front of the monument stele features a half-round sculpted head of a Red Army soldier, the figure looking straight ahead with a resolute expression, full of a sense of strength; the lower part depicts in relief the scene of seventeen warriors steering boats to force the crossing of the natural barrier. On the right side of the stele is an incised line carving of a giant hand tightly gripping a broadsword, symbolizing the Red Army's conviction of certain victory and its firm revolutionary will. The entire work is magnificent and grand in style (大气磅礴, da qi pang bo - "great, air, vast, majestic"), displaying the beauty of faith and the beauty of sublimity. Other classic public artworks created around important historical events during the Long March include the Monument to the Martyrs of the Red Army's Breakthrough of the Xiangjiang River, the Yihai Alliance Monument, and the Monument to the Red Army's Seizure of the Luding Bridge. These works are enormous in scale, diverse in form, and varied in material, leaving red memories amid mountains and rivers, and profoundly influencing subsequent related public art creation.

In recent years, with the continued advancement of the construction of the Long March National Cultural Park, the creation of red-themed public art along the Long March route has remained highly popular or active (热度不减, re du bu jian - "heat, not, decrease"). Works such as the "Soul of the Warriors" theme sculpture in Luding County, Sichuan Province, and the "Revolutionary Ideal Higher Than the Sky" theme sculpture in Xing'an County, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, both create a strong commemorative atmosphere and build a spiritual bond between Long March history and the daily life of the public. Some works, such as the Red Army Martyrs Monument within the Long March National Cultural Park (Xingwen Park) in Xingwen County, Yibin City, Sichuan Province, explore innovative forms of expression, using landscape patterns or foreground sculptures in the memorial square as visual guides to enrich the spatial artistic conception of the works.

From marking space and narrating space to creating space and activating space, red-themed public art along the Long March route, by virtue of its intuitive imagery and strong expressive power, plays an important role in restoring and constructing Long March memories, carrying forward the great Long March spirit, and advancing the integration of local culture and tourism. However, some works still suffer from problems such as homogenized narratives. To break through this predicament, creation cannot simply involve placing works upon the ruins of historical sites; rather, it must be based on the regional environment of the places where historical events occurred and the historical facts of the figures involved, carrying out a comprehensive artistic reshaping of Long March memories and vividly interpreting the contemporary connotation of the great Long March spirit. Only in this way can more people be attracted to become narrators and disseminators of the great Long March spirit.

At present, the development of science and technology is continuously lowering the threshold for creation, making it possible for red-themed public art to be co-created by the whole people. Guiding the public to shift from focusing on the results of creation to valuing the process of creation, establishing a database of red-themed public art along the Long March route, building more platforms for creative exchange... The great Long March spirit will maintain eternal vitality through continuous inheritance, dialogue, and artistic creation.

(The author is a professor at the College of Arts, Sichuan University)

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Seeing the Road Stretching into the Distance

By: 王志鸥

"The Red Army fears not the trials of a distant march; vast distances and rugged terrain (万水千山, wan shui qian shan - "ten thousand, water; thousand, mountain") are but idle ease." Every generation tells the story of the Long March in its own way, and I have chosen to cast my understanding of it into the design practice of the "Red Ribbon" (红飘带), the Guizhou Long March Culture Digital Art Museum.

It was in Gouba Village, Fengxiang Town, Zunyi, Guizhou, that I truly touched that vast stretch of history. My team and I retraced the "Mao Zedong Path," visited the site of the Gouba Conference, and my thoughts were pulled back to that deep night in 1935: Mao Zedong, carrying a kerosene lantern, walked along the path to Changwujian to find Zhou Enlai, persuading him to call off a risky military operation, sparing the Central Red Army from potentially major losses. A single lantern, its light faint, yet bearing firm conviction — it illuminated not only the path underfoot, but also the road ahead for the Chinese revolution.

This on-site investigation prompted deep reflection on my creative work. When artists are integrating technology into artistic creation and design on the theme of the Long March, they should recognize that technology cannot merely be a new tool of expression; it should become a means of helping us reorganize time, space, and perception, so that the spirit and culture sedimented in the years can still forge genuine connections with people today, enabling them to remember that great expedition while also seeing the road stretching into the distance. This conviction has run through my creative work from start to finish.

The design of the "Red Ribbon" does not stop at the restoration of historical scenes; rather, starting from the "continuous march" character of the Long March, it transforms "walking" into an all-domain immersive experience. The space unfolds with the story, and the audience advances with history. History shifts from being narrated linearly to becoming a continuous perceptual experience.

This translation is built upon deep excavation of the real historical sites. In the early stage of the project, the team visited the Memorial Hall of the Four Crossings of the Chishui River, the Loushan Pass Red Army Battle Site, and other locations to extensively collect historical materials, and invited Party history experts to participate in sorting out the project's content and reviewing details. In the prologue of the exhibition hall, a kerosene lantern and a red flag serve as visual threads running through the space: the lantern symbolizes the light of faith that pierces darkness, and the red flag becomes a spiritual guide connecting history with the present. A number of red cultural relics, reproduced through digital imagery, bring the grand Long March narrative back down to specific individuals, objects, and historical moments.

The "Crossing the Snowy Mountains" segment in the third chapter, "making great efforts on a difficult journey" (砥砺征途, di li zheng tu - "grind, whet; journey, path"), is likewise an exploration of the artistic translation of history. Wind and snow, sound fields, imagery, and mechanical installations together shape a dynamic snowy mountain, which is lifted up by the collective strength of the Red Army soldiers, with the figures of fallen fighters emerging among the ridges. The "lifted snowy mountain" in fact juxtaposes human spiritual will against harsh nature, signifying that however precipitous the peaks, the power of faith suffices to tread through hardship.

In the creation of the "Red Ribbon," a design methodology gradually came into focus: cut in from the cultural site, excavate cultural genes with vibrant vitality, and rely on digital technology to open a new path for the public to touch history and culture. The audience shifts from "scenery viewers" to "people within the scenery"; history and culture are no longer merely content to be viewed, but spaces that can be entered and that evoke imagination. The "Red Ribbon" has also become an important starting point for our exploration of building the "Tracing China" (寻迹中国) cultural IP matrix. We look forward to reinterpreting the cultural genes of city after city through technology and art, so that the long-standing tradition (源远流长, yuan yuan liu chang - "source, far; flow, long") of Chinese civilization may once again light a lantern in people's hearts.

(The author is the chief director and chief designer of the "Red Ribbon" project.)

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Page editors: Wu Yanli, Ma Suwei

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