Summary: The article discusses the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, held from October 26 to 29, which studied issues concerning persisting in doing something continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. It highlights General Secretary Xi Jinping's assertion that full and rigorous self-governance is the only way for the Party to maintain vigor and vitality, and reviews the Party's achievements in anti-corruption and Party building since the 18th Party Congress. The piece emphasizes that the more effective Party governance is, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development, and stresses the importance of the Two Establishments and the Two Upholds. It concludes that persisting in full and rigorous self-governance will help Chinese Communists deliver a better answer sheet on the new road of the examination.
Summary: President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with King Philippe of Belgium on October 25 to mark the 55th anniversary of China-Belgium diplomatic relations. Xi noted that the two countries have adhered to mutual respect, equal treatment, and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, with bilateral relations developing steadily and exchanges yielding fruitful results. He expressed willingness to work with King Philippe to elevate the comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership and contribute to the sound and stable development of China-EU relations. Philippe recalled President Xi's successful state visit to Belgium in 2014 and affirmed the two sides' commitment to open dialogue, practical cooperation, and mutual understanding. He stated Belgium's readiness to develop a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship with China to address global challenges and promote peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Summary: The seventh round of inspections by the 20th CPC Central Committee has completed its feedback, delivered through centralized and "one-on-one" sessions to 36 central Party and state organs. Liu Jinguo, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the Central Leading Group for Inspection Work, attended the centralized feedback meeting and delivered a speech. The feedback stressed that inspected Party organizations should study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important remarks, raise their political positioning, and carry out rectification with firm attitude and responsible spirit. It emphasized that "top leaders" should take responsibility, leadership teams should implement "dual responsibilities for one post," and rectification should be used to build model organs and practice the Two Upholds. Leads on problems involving some leading officials were transferred to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, the National Supervisory Commission, and the Organization Department for handling.
Summary: China's shipbuilding industry saw all-round growth in its three major indicators during the first three quarters, according to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. Completion volume reached 58.05 million deadweight tons, up 50.7% year-on-year, accounting for 63.6% of the world total. New orders received totaled 175.29 million deadweight tons, up 163.2%, representing 81.8% of the global share, while orders on hand hit 399.13 million deadweight tons by end-September, up 64.8%, with a 72.4% world share. The country's international market share remained in the lead across all three metrics.
Summary: The article marks the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, emphasizing the need to advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance. It highlights Xi Jinping's thought on Party building as fundamental guidance, citing the Long March and Zunyi Conference to underscore the decisive role of Party leadership and core leadership. The piece details achievements in Party governance, including anti-corruption efforts, the Two Establishments, and the Party's enhanced political, ideological, organizational, and social influence. It also discusses China's global influence, referencing an American scholar's view that China's rise is due to the Party's strict self-governance and public trust. The article concludes by calling for unity around the Party Central Committee to continue the new Long March toward national rejuvenation.
Summary: The article, titled "Scientifically Understanding the Great Achievements and Important Revelations of Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party in the New Era," is a theoretical piece in its ninth edition. It focuses on comprehending the significant accomplishments and key insights derived from the Party's comprehensive and strict self-governance during the new era. The text emphasizes the importance of understanding these achievements to further the Party's development and discipline.
Summary: The National Data Group, a new central state-owned enterprise focused on data resource development and utilization, was established in Xiong'an New Area on October 20, with shareholders including the State Council, Xiong'an's administrative committee, telecom operators, and two power grids. Experts say the enterprise aims to enlarge data value and reduce circulation costs by connecting high-quality data from shareholders like telecoms and grids, forming a complete chain from data to computing power to energy. The site selection in Xiong'an is attributed to its "native intelligent city" genes and mature data infrastructure, which provide an open testing ground for data factor reform. Looking ahead, the group is expected to serve as a "national team" to make public data "usable, easy to use, and reassuring to use," while also supplying high-quality datasets to help artificial intelligence development speed up and improve quality.
Summary: The article reports that China's investment in intellectual property products grew 9.3 percent year on year in the first three quarters. It profiles Chengdu-based HaiChuang Pharmaceutical, where General Manager Chen Yuanwei discussed prioritizing resources for core pipelines and advancing clinical trials for a prostate cancer drug. Chief Medical Officer Li Ximing detailed how funds are concentrated on validated product pipelines and technology platforms. The company has filed over 300 Patent Cooperation Treaty and Chinese invention patent applications, with Chen stating that "intellectual property is the confidence to keep investing in R&D." The piece highlights the company's patent extension strategy, its professional IP team, and a broader trend of biomedical firms in Chengdu treating intellectual property as a key asset.
Summary: The article argues that intellectual property investment in pharmaceuticals should focus on the full chain from research to market, not just patent acquisition, to address China's gap in high-quality transformation. It notes that while China's pharmaceutical innovation is active, problems include late patent layout, weak claims protection, and neglect of long-term investment in clinical validation and industrialization. The author advocates for investing early, small, and in hard technology, while integrating professional expertise from research, clinical, industry, legal, and financial fields. Universities should adopt a transformation mindset at the R&D stage, coordinating patent quality, application scenarios, and industrial pathways. The piece concludes that aligning innovation, industrial, and capital chains will turn pharmaceutical intellectual property from "paper assets" into real productive forces for public health.
Summary: The article discusses the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, held from October 26 to 29, which studied issues concerning persisting in doing something continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. It highlights General Secretary Xi Jinping's assertion that full and rigorous self-governance is the only way for the Party to maintain vigor and vitality, and reviews the Party's achievements in anti-corruption and Party building since the 18th Party Congress. The piece emphasizes that the more effective Party governance is, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development, and stresses the importance of the Two Establishments and the Two Upholds. It concludes that persisting in full and rigorous self-governance will help Chinese Communists deliver a better answer sheet on the new road of the examination.
Summary: Zhao Chenxin has been appointed acting governor of Hebei Province, following the decision made on October 25 by the 24th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th Hebei Provincial People's Congress. The session accepted Wang Zhengpu's resignation as governor and appointed Zhao Chenxin to the role.
Summary: On October 24, in Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, Henan, a science magic show event attracted many children to participate. The photo shows staff members conducting a spinning water cup experiment. Photo by Zhang Tao (Image China).
Summary: The 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiong'an), hosted by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs, was held in the Xiong'an New Area from October 23 to 25, bringing together nearly 400 representatives from over 90 countries and international organizations to discuss reforming global governance. Speakers including former Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari, former Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbaev, and UN Under-Secretary-General Guy Ryder endorsed the Global Governance Initiative, emphasizing multilateralism, Global South representation, and a just and equitable governance system. The forum released multiple outcomes, including a position paper on outer space governance and a progress report on AI capacity-building, while participants praised China's initiatives such as the International Organization for Mediation and the World Organization for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation. Visiting the Xiong'an New Area, attendees lauded its smart infrastructure, green development, and underground utility tunnels as a model for "City of the Future" construction. The article highlights China's role in advancing global governance reform and showcasing its urban governance modernization through the Xiong'an New Area.
Summary: China's National Bureau of Statistics released economic data for the first three quarters, with GDP exceeding 107 trillion yuan, up 4.6 percent year on year, a growth rate ranking among the forefront of major global economies. The article highlights that China's economic growth remains within a reasonable range, with new drivers such as high-end manufacturing and the digital economy contributing over 40 percent to growth, and the value added of digital product manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing growing 13.6 percent and 14.3 percent year on year respectively. High-level opening up is advancing, with total goods trade imports and exports approaching 40 trillion yuan, up 18.8 percent year on year, and trade scale growth achieved with more than 180 countries and regions. The article cites Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, stating that China's breakthroughs in industrialization, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence provide useful reference for developing countries. It concludes that China's commitment to innovation-driven development will not waver, and its steps to expand high-level opening up will not halt, injecting lasting momentum into world economic recovery.
Summary: The Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland writes that China and Switzerland are advancing the signing of the protocol on upgrading their free trade agreement, a move that signals their joint support for free trade amid prevailing protectionism. He highlights that Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China and has consistently adhered to the One-China policy, with bilateral relations entering rapid development after President Xi Jinping's 2017 state visit. The ambassador notes that since establishing their innovative strategic partnership in 2016, the two countries have seen complementary innovation cooperation, including Swiss enterprises using Chinese open-source models and joint funding for projects in aerospace and life sciences. He emphasizes that Switzerland was the first European country to sign a free trade agreement with China and that over 1,000 Swiss enterprises operate in the Chinese market, with the upgraded agreement set to exceed 99 percent zero-tariff goods imports. The ambassador concludes that both countries, as supporters of multilateralism and economic globalization, should jointly oppose unilateralism and bloc confrontation to inject positive energy into global stability.
Summary: Since the beginning of this year, Qinzhou City in Guangxi has vigorously developed the new energy equipment industry, with foreign trade orders for wind power equipment continuing to flow in and exports growing steadily. The photo shows wind turbine blades being loaded onto a ship at the Dalamping operation area of the Qinzhou Port Zone in Beibu Gulf Port recently, ready to be shipped abroad. Photo by Long Tao (Image China).
Summary: On the 76th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers' entry into the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, China and the DPRK held a completion ceremony for the renovation of the Chinese People's Volunteers Martyrs' Cemetery in Sinphyong County, North Hwanghae Province. Qi Han, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the DPRK, Hong Zongming, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of China, and Kang Chol-ho, Vice Minister of the DPRK Ministry of Urban Management, attended and delivered speeches. Chinese representatives from various sectors in the DPRK, a delegation from China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs, and DPRK officials, construction workers, and local residents participated. From April to October 2026, the two sides jointly completed renovations at five martyrs' cemeteries, including the one in Sinphyong County, which covers about 600 square meters and holds 343 martyrs in a joint burial tomb. The renovation added a memorial archway, a memorial square, and a wall bearing the names of the martyrs.
Summary: The 2026 Bund Summit, themed "Technology, Geopolitics, and the Global Economy," was held in Shanghai, co-hosted by the China Finance 40 Forum and Tsinghua University, featuring 19 roundtable sessions and 12 closed-door meetings with over 100 leaders from more than 20 countries. The summit coincided with China's release of third-quarter economic data, showing GDP growth of 4.6 percent year on year, and featured the China Finance 40 Forum's annual report, with Guo Kai stating that China's economy is advancing toward innovation and quality, with high-quality development achieving new results. Sonali Jain-Chandra of the IMF praised the report, noting China is converting new economic growth into consumption momentum, while World Bank's Zhang Wencai advocated for developing countries to use lower-cost AI tools. Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin warned that AI's productivity gains could exacerbate income distribution imbalances if the technological dividend flows more to capital than workers. Guests including Adam Posen and Jeromin Zettelmeyer held that the United States, China, and Europe have enormous space for cooperation in AI safety regulation, climate change, and sustainable development, with sustained dialogue among the three sides being critically important.
Summary: The Chinese Mission to the EU held its fourth "China Lecture Hall" event in Strasbourg, featuring former Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs Xie Zhenhua, who spoke on "China's Green Development and China-EU Green Cooperation." The event was moderated by Cai Run, Head of the Chinese Mission, and attended by Consul General Pan Yumin, along with over 120 participants including European Parliament members and EU officials. Xie introduced global climate challenges, China's green transformation achievements, and governance practices, while outlining prospects for China-EU green cooperation. Cai Run stated that green is the distinctive hallmark of China-EU cooperation, expressing hope to move forward in the same direction with the European side to jointly address climate change and achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. Attendees praised China's green development achievements and called for strengthened exchange and learning, anticipating positive outcomes at the upcoming UN climate conference in Antalya.
Summary: The article describes rescue and disaster-relief efforts in Baqing County, Tibet, after an earthquake, highlighting three scenes: fluttering Party flags, the warmth of cold nights, and headlights on the road. Party members and assigned cadres provided care to residents, such as delivering supplies and retrieving buried items, while medical workers and vanguard teams worked tirelessly. Power and communications were restored by teams like State Grid and China Mobile, with workers repairing lines and deploying base stations. Truck drivers, including Cui Fangfang and Ma Fei, transported supplies from various regions, often without rest, demonstrating collective solidarity. The narrative emphasizes the paramount importance of life and the dedication of all involved in the relief efforts.
Summary: Rescue and relief operations following the earthquake in Baqing County are proceeding intensively, with some affected residents moving into prefabricated temporary housing on October 25. China Railway has launched construction of 500 emergency resettlement prefabricated housing units in Maru Township, with nearly 200 completed as of the 25th and full completion expected on the 27th, followed by centralized move-in on the 28th. Each unit covers 18 square meters and meets standards of being "warm, windproof, and habitable through winter," equipped with electricity, lighting, heating, and cooking facilities. State Grid Tibet Electric Power successfully connected the prefabricated housing at the resettlement site in Er Village to the power supply at 8:00 p.m. on the 25th.
Summary: The article highlights how Yunnan's border villages, including Simola Wa Village in Tengchong and Longli Village in Menghai, have improved livelihoods through poverty alleviation, tourism cooperatives, and infrastructure like the "Gratitude Bridge." It quotes local officials and villagers, such as Zhao Jiaqing and Yu Er'nan, on the role of Party-led initiatives in boosting incomes and consolidating industries. In Gusheng Village, Bai villager He Licheng describes adopting ecological farming to protect Erhai Lake, which has seen monthly "Erhai Lake Protection Day" cleanups since 2019. The piece concludes that ethnic groups in Yunnan are advancing together toward a better life, sharing development fruits.
Summary: The article marks the 105th anniversary of the Communist Party of China and the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, emphasizing the need to advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance. It highlights Xi Jinping's thought on Party building as fundamental guidance, citing the Long March and Zunyi Conference to underscore the decisive role of Party leadership and core leadership. The piece details achievements in Party governance, including anti-corruption efforts, the Two Establishments, and the Party's enhanced political, ideological, organizational, and social influence. It also discusses China's global influence, referencing an American scholar's view that China's rise is due to the Party's strict self-governance and public trust. The article concludes by calling for unity around the Party Central Committee to continue the new Long March toward national rejuvenation.
Summary: The article is a commentary tied to the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee, focusing on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. It argues that this governance has forged the Party's "extraordinary ability to realize its vision," using China's new energy industry's leap from "three ends abroad" to four "global firsts" as a sample. The ability is attributed to strategic judgment, organizational capability, and efficient execution under Xi Jinping's leadership. The piece cites General Secretary Xi Jinping on Party governance guaranteeing economic and social development, and quotes Kenyan expert Stephen Ndegwa marveling at the Party's vision. It concludes that continued Party self-governance will lead to new victories on the new journey.
Summary: The article argues that cultural confidence is a fundamental force enabling the Chinese people to remain composed and steadfast, rooted in profound historical and cultural accumulation. It highlights examples of individual confidence, such as a Temple of Heaven docent explaining civilizational concepts and a Xinjiang tour guide's remarks, which aggregate into a mature great-power mentality. The piece emphasizes that cultural confidence entails openness to diverse cultures, citing the dance-drama *Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting* as a "mixing experiment" of traditional and Western instruments. It further frames cultural confidence as a form of "autonomy," referencing General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis on cultural subjectivity and the Chinese Civilization Origins Tracing Project's challenge to Western "standards of civilization." The commentary concludes by noting the generational transmission of cultural confidence, exemplified by a seven-year-old Yingge dance enthusiast.
Summary: The article discusses integrated cultivation, a long-cycle training model linking secondary vocational schools with higher vocational colleges or undergraduate universities, which has gained attention after the 48th WorldSkills Competition in Shanghai. It highlights local models like Shanghai's "3+4" and Beijing's "5+2" secondary-to-bachelor's programs, emphasizing that integration involves holistic curriculum design rather than mere articulation. The piece argues that this model is not a "waste of scores" but offers students early skills exposure and employment certainty, driven by strong demand for highly skilled talent in industries like intelligent manufacturing and information technology. However, it cautions that integrated cultivation is not suitable for everyone, requiring genuine interest and hands-on ability, and stresses the need for quality assurance in transition assessments and training standards. The author, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Shaoyang Open University, concludes that such pathways align with the goal of enabling diverse students to succeed through coordinated vocational and general education.
Summary: Liao Yuanwen reported that in the first three quarters, China's total goods imports and exports grew 18.8 percent year on year, the fastest pace for the same period in the past five years, with growth accelerating quarter by quarter. Against a backdrop of rising uncertainty in the external environment, foreign trade has maintained double-digit growth for six consecutive months, demonstrating that the Chinese economy has new drivers of growth, an optimized structure, and good quality and efficiency. The report included a poem celebrating trade routes, trust, integrity, and win-win cooperation.
Summary: The article reports that localities including Hangzhou, Ma'anshan, and Sanming have issued regulations requiring public health considerations to precede government decision-making, with policies and projects undergoing advance "health check-ups." It notes that this "embedding at the source" shifts health impact assessment from a remedial step to a mandatory threshold, with Yichang's "Three Priorities, Four Integrations" mechanism making health a "hard constraint" on decisions. The piece stresses that assessment coverage must extend to daily life, citing Daqing's focus on occupational diseases and Sanming's inclusion of social mental health. It also highlights Hangzhou's "whoever drafts, whoever assesses" principle and Yichun's efforts to ensure assessment results reach key decision-makers, forming a closed loop from drafting to accountability. The article concludes that placing health at the front of decision-making puts "people" at the center, allowing a Healthy China to benefit the masses.
Summary: The article argues that delayed payment of accounts erodes the spirit of contract and can obstruct liquidity across the entire industrial chain, emphasizing the importance of ensuring every enterprise account is settled as agreed. It highlights the joint release by the Supreme People's Court and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce of the second batch of typical cases of diversified resolution of disputes in the private economy sector, which provide reference approaches for resolving arrears. The piece advocates for a "court + chamber of commerce" diversified dispute resolution mechanism, citing a mediation case where "unfreezing first + installment payment" facilitated settlement within 15 days, reducing penalty payments by more than 520,000 yuan. It notes that enterprises in dominant market positions can shift capital occupation costs onto small and medium-sized enterprises, and cites the Anti-Unfair Competition Law and the revised Regulations on Ensuring Payment of Sums to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises as legal tools to correct unreasonable risk allocation. The article concludes that clearing arrears must move toward treating both symptoms and root causes, with governments and state-owned enterprises leading by example, as seen in Beijing and Hunan incorporating arrears clearance into performance assessments.
Summary: The article recounts the history of the Zunyi Conference, a pivotal turning point in the Party's history, through the story of a wooden wall clock preserved at the Zunyi Conference Site in Guizhou. It describes how the meeting established Comrade Mao Zedong's leading position and saved the Party, the Red Army, and the Chinese revolution at a critical moment. The wall clock, later recovered and collected by the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall, is now a "treasure of the hall," with officials like deputy director Zhou Yunzhu exploring ways to integrate it into ideological and political education. In 2025, the memorial hall upgraded its digital exhibition, using VR technology to let visitors "personally experience" the conference and other Long March moments. The article also highlights cultural and creative products, such as wall clock-themed refrigerator magnets, as a lighter way to carry forward red culture and the Long March spirit.
Summary: The article is an expert commentary on how red cultural relics, such as the wall clock in the Zunyi Conference meeting room, serve as testimony to historical turning points and are being creatively transformed through innovative exhibits and souvenirs. It argues that making red culture perceivable, understandable, tangible, and approachable shifts red education from one-way output to interactive experience, evoking emotional resonance. The piece concludes that the Long March spirit carried by the clock continues to engage in dialogue with the present, representing the best commemoration of history. The author is an associate professor at the School of Marxism, Guizhou University, with the piece compiled by People's Daily reporter Chen Junyi.
Summary: A symposium marking the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's Retrocession was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, attended by about 200 people including descendants of Taiwanese compatriots who fought against Japan, youth from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, and experts and scholars. Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stated that the Memorial Day for the Retrocession of Taiwan demonstrates firm confidence in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and called on compatriots on both sides to oppose "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and interference by external forces. Zhao Long, secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee, emphasized deepening cross-strait integrated development and building a high-quality demonstration zone for cross-strait integrated development. Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairman of the Kuomintang, stressed that the future of Taiwan is tied to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and opposed the "de-Sinicization" efforts of "Taiwan independence" forces. The Eighth Symposium on the History of the Chinese Nation's War of Resistance Against Japan and the Inheritance of the Spirit of the War of Resistance was also held in Fuzhou on the same day.
Summary: On October 25, people from all walks of life in Taiwan gathered before the Monument to the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Retrocession of Taiwan in Taipei to commemorate the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession. Speakers including Wu Rongyuan, chairman of the Taiwan Labor Party, and Ji Xin, publisher of Taiwan's *Observation* magazine, stressed that Taiwan's retrocession was achieved through the sacrifice of more than 35 million compatriots and called for carrying forward the patriotic spirit of Taiwan's forebears. They criticized the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities for promoting "Taiwan independence" separatism and "de-Sinicization," with Xiong Yi of the Taiwan Unity Alliance Party and Sun Zhiquan of the Chinese Youth Development Association of Taiwan warning that DPP policies undermine cross-strait peace and drain Taiwan's livelihood. The event, initiated by the Taiwan Unity Alliance Party, the Taiwan Labor Party, and the Taiwan Regional Political Victims Mutual Aid Association, issued a joint statement opposing Japanese militarism and "Taiwan independence" while advocating peaceful reunification and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Summary: The 2027 open selection and open transfer of civil servants to central government organs will begin online registration from October 28 to November 6, with the written examination held nationwide on November 28. A total of 42 central government departments plan to select 213 people, including 197 for open selection posts and 16 for open transfer posts. The work adheres to Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and implements the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Party, upholding standards for good cadres and highlighting political criteria in registration, examination, and inspection stages. The examination will not publish or designate preparation books or hold training classes, and candidates are advised to be vigilant against fraudulent training offers.
Summary: The National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources released the *China Marine Economy Development Report 2026*, summarizing achievements during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, with the gross marine product exceeding 11 trillion yuan in 2025, accounting for 7.9 percent of GDP. The report highlights accelerated development of a modern marine industrial system, with grid-connected offshore wind power capacity and seawater desalination daily production capacity leading globally, and independently developed marine pharmaceuticals comprising 28 percent of the world total. Marine science and technology innovation advanced, including the "Jiaolong" and "Fendouzhe" manned submersibles completing China's first manned deep dive in Arctic ice-covered waters, and the "Mazu" series of marine forecasting models entering operational use. Marine resource use became more economical, with the national mainland natural coastline retention rate stable at over 35 percent, and 33 harmonious and beautiful islands created. Marine ecological civilization construction strengthened, with a 151,000-square-kilometer ecological protection red line, 352 marine-related nature reserves, and the first national marine disaster risk survey completed, while foreign cooperation expanded through agreements with over 50 countries and international organizations, including constructive participation in the BBNJ agreement.
Summary: The article reports on scams targeting elderly consumers through false advertising of water purifiers, claiming treated water can cure the "three highs" and "fight cancer." Complaints about water purifiers in the first seven months of 2026 have already exceeded the total for 2024, with tactics including false experiments, "lucky draw" events, and "going to the countryside and entering communities." Victims often purchase "three-no" products at inflated prices, and face difficulties in rights protection due to mobile sales operations, counterfeit brands, and lack of evidence. Experts Liu Junhai and Chen Yinjiang suggest regular inspections, qualification penalties, credit sanctions, and improved consumer education to address the problem.
Summary: The article reports on Zhengzhou City's response to a "Reader Letters" complaint about construction fencing left in place after roadwork was completed. An investigation found five problem fencing sites, prompting the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau to lead a one-month rectification campaign. Completed projects had fencing removed and traffic restored, while unfinished projects had fencing reduced and adjusted to minimize disruption. The city also established a task force for fencing governance, implementing closed-loop management and integrating the rectification into broader urban quality improvement efforts.
Summary: Fishermen from Laobian District, Yingkou City, Liaoning Province, reported that an illegally constructed dock at the mouth of the Minxing River in Sandaogou, initially with one berth, has expanded to eight and shifted from private to commercial use. They noted the river is only about 30 meters wide, and the dock's year-round moored vessels compress navigable space, affecting waterway safety. The district government's official website issued a notice in February determining the dock had not lawfully obtained the right to use the sea area, yet it remains in normal operation. The fishermen requested that relevant departments handle the matter in accordance with laws and regulations, shut down the illegal dock, and restore safe, unimpeded passage.
Summary: The article suggests that village group WeChat groups should be better managed and used, citing an example where a scammer posed as a village cadre to collect fees. It notes that some groups are poorly managed, becoming "zombie groups," flooded with promotions, or lacking proper membership vetting. The author recommends formulating management conventions, designating dedicated "group administrators," enforcing real-name management, and having village cadres actively collect public opinion. The piece also includes a separate suggestion on investigating and demonstrating before building farmers' markets, based on an example where three new markets remained quiet due to poor location and lack of consultation.
Summary: The article reports consumer complaints about travel agencies forcing tourists to buy travel insurance or charging premiums far exceeding the actual amounts paid, with examples including an 80 yuan charge per person versus a 16.1 yuan total premium for seven people. Experts quoted include Luo Hao, associate professor at Sun Yat-sen University, who cites the Tourism Law and Insurance Law to argue that mandatory insurance purchase is non-compliant, and Wei Yanan, lawyer at Beijing Yuandong Law Firm, who says such practices constitute consumer fraud. Sun Yi, secretary-general of the CYTS Research Institute, attributes the behavior to profit-seeking that damages industry credibility and market order. The article suggests regulatory measures, including clearer contract explanations, tiered insurance options, and penalties for offending agencies. Consumers are advised to review contracts carefully, refuse forced insurance, retain evidence, and file complaints via the 12345 hotline or judicial channels.
Summary: The article reports on Yuzhong District, Chongqing's efforts to refresh its cultural tourism offerings as a pilot zone for the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor. During the National Day holiday, the district received 12.555 million tourist visits, with inbound overnight tourists growing 53% year-on-year. The district is transforming "old spaces" into new scenarios by protecting and utilizing cultural relics, and shifting from "selling landscapes" to "selling content" by cultivating digital cultural industries like games, animation, and short dramas. To enhance inbound tourism, Yuzhong has issued a "Ten Major Actions" plan focusing on payment, language, and transportation, including deploying nearly 7,000 foreign card POS machines. Looking ahead, the district plans to pursue "five transformations" to upgrade its cultural and tourism industry, aiming for over 100 million annual tourist visits and 1.6 million inbound overnight tourists by 2030.
Summary: The article argues that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era, a strategic deployment by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to answer the era-specific question of building a long-term governing Marxist party. It highlights achievements including the formation of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building, revolutionary tempering of the Party, improvement of the intra-Party regulations system, and promotion of clean culture, citing survey data on public affirmation of the Central Eight-Point Regulation. The piece draws lessons such as upholding the Party's leadership in all respects, adhering to theoretical innovation, maintaining a strict tone, and using systematic thinking to improve the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. The author is identified as a special researcher of the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Summary: The article argues that grassroots work requires dialectically grasping both the "large" strategic overall situation and the "small" livelihood matters of the masses, citing Xi Jinping's *Zhijiang Xinyu* that "for ordinary people, every trivial matter around them is a truly major matter." It emphasizes that neglecting small matters severs the internal connection between the "large" and the "small," and that seemingly minor issues like village roads and street lamps are touchstones for testing governance quality. The piece stresses that keeping the overall situation in mind means avoiding narrow self-interest, while solidly handling small matters—exemplified by Xi's work in Zhengding—accumulates into national stability. It concludes that as China enters the 15th Five-Year Plan, grassroots work as the "last kilometer" of policy implementation must combine long-term vision with down-to-earth execution to drive Chinese modernization forward.
Summary: The article discusses the high-quality development of historical classic industries, such as silk, tea, porcelain, and traditional Chinese medicine, as a key path for cultural inheritance and economic growth. It cites General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis on the link between cultural development and economic advancement, and notes the recent national policy document issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and five other departments. The piece outlines strategies including upholding fundamental principles while innovating, deepening digital-intelligent empowerment, fostering a sound ecosystem, and promoting coordinated development. It highlights the need to address problems like insufficient cultural narrative expression and weak business entities, while leveraging cultural resources and modern design to drive consumption upgrading. The author is identified as a researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Planning Research Institute base of the Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Summary: The article reports on the conservation and revitalization of Jieyang's ancient city in Guangdong, which has become a cultural tourism landmark after receiving 1.7176 million tourist visits during the National Day holiday, a year-on-year increase of 149.21 percent. Officials and residents describe efforts to restore old buildings without large-scale demolition, using one-household-one-policy approaches and traditional craftsmanship, while also managing waterways and utility lines. The revitalization includes repurposing landmarks like the Jieyang Department Store, differentiating four historical districts, and introducing social forces to operate cultural and creative businesses. The article highlights the restoration of overseas Chinese cultural heritage, including the Wei Qifeng Remittance House and the Chaoqiao Fang project, which will open on October 28. It concludes with plans to continue safeguarding the ancient city and promoting mutual progress among cultural relics protection, urban renewal, and cultural tourism development.
Summary: The Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative District in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, transformed from the state-owned Yuzhou Porcelain Factory in 2016, now hosts about 35,000 makers, including nearly 15,000 non-ceramic artisans, and attracted over 12 million visits in 2025. He Yi, a post-2000s sculpture student from a three-generation stone carving family, sells stoneware at a stall, earning around 3,000 yuan monthly by blending traditional craftsmanship with trendy daily objects. District chairman Gang Hao said the site built an artisan-centered ecosystem rather than using traditional leasing, preserving industrial memory that appeals to tourists. The district supports makers through public resources like kilns and youth apartments, plus a growth pathway from creative market to incubation base to independent studio, with one maker reporting monthly revenue exceeding 20,000 yuan. The article notes policy backing from the State Council's "15th Five-Year Plan for Urban Renewal" and recent guiding opinions promoting functional conversion of old factory districts to implant new industries and stimulate innovation.
Summary: The 33rd China Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Achievements Fair and the 2026 SCO Agricultural Expo opened simultaneously on October 25 in the Yangling Demonstration Zone of Shaanxi Province, with the former themed "New Quality Productive Forces · New Future of Agriculture" and running for five days. The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region serves as the theme province and Yulin City of Shaanxi as the theme city, with a total exhibition area of 140,000 square meters across four sections and nine special exhibition zones. Key events such as the Seed Industry Innovation Forum and the Agricultural Science and Technology Forum will be held, alongside the release of the "2026 China Dryland Agricultural Technology Development Report" and the "2026 China Agricultural Industry Investment Report." The concurrently held SCO Agricultural Expo, themed "Deepening Practical Cooperation · Working together to map out a development plan," features Egypt as the theme country and includes an independent pavilion for the first time, with all 27 SCO member states participating. It hosts special exhibitions and nine events, including the SCO Modern Agricultural Development Roundtable and the Agricultural Cooperation and Development Conference, to enhance practical cooperation.
Summary: The 2026 Yuelu Conference opened on September 24 at the "Cloud Brain" in World Computing·Changsha Smart Valley, spotlighting AI integration with robotics, advanced manufacturing, and brain-computer interfaces. Hunan Xiangjiang New Area is embedding AI and embodied intelligence into its "2+4+N" modern industrial system, exemplified by Zoomlion's humanoid robots undergoing validation in nearly 20 scenarios. The New Area has gathered over 1,600 AI enterprises with grid-connected computing power exceeding 10,000P, and AI industry chain revenue reached 44 billion yuan by end of 2025. Companies like CiDi Smart Driving and Anker Innovations illustrate how industries within the system mutually empower each other through algorithms, chips, and application scenarios. The New Area aims to systematically cultivate emerging and future industries, building a new industrial growth pole for Changsha and Hunan Province.
Summary: The Chinese sports delegation topped both the gold and overall medal tables at the Fifth Asian Para Games in Nagoya, Japan, winning 435 medals, including 207 golds, and setting 11 world and 18 Asian records. Athletes excelled in swimming, track and field, and collective events, with the blind football team defending its title by defeating Japan 1:0. Officials and athletes highlighted patriotism and the Paralympic spirit, with wheelchair fencer Zhang Jie saying "winning glory for the country is the purest aspiration of us athletes." The article credits the results to China's improved social security and rehabilitation services, citing 7.959 million persons with disabilities receiving basic rehabilitation services in 2025. Chang Zheng, Vice Chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation, said the results tested training and laid a foundation for preparing for the Los Angeles Paralympic Games.
Summary: China's first five-year plan for cultural heritage protection, the *Plan for the Protection and Transmission of Cultural Heritage during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period*, was issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council, fully implementing Xi Jinping's cultural thought. The Plan addresses long-standing structural problems by taking systematic protection and unified supervision as its two pillars, targeting shortcomings in the protection system, mechanisms, and institutions. It proposes strengthening overall protection of ancient cities and living settlement-type heritage, establishing protection mechanisms with residents as main agents, and setting an institutional framework for unified supervision under the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission. The Plan also introduces inspection, audit, and procuratorial public interest litigation systems to enhance cultural heritage governance. It comprehensively answers why, what, and how to protect cultural heritage, marking a new height in China's cultural heritage protection concepts and system construction.
Summary: Zhang Xue, founder of "Zhang Xue Motorcycles," drove a modified motorcycle across 40.74 kilometers of the Jinjiang River waters in Mayang, Hunan, on October 25, successfully breaking the Guinness World Record for the "longest distance traveled on open water by a modified motorcycle." The photo was taken by Zhou Guoqiang (People's Visual).
Summary: Chongqing is advancing integrated urban-rural development and comprehensive rural revitalization, guided by the "Urban-Rural Integration and Rural Revitalization Demonstration Zone" and the experience of the Thousand-Village Demonstration and Ten-Thousand-Village Improvement Project. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the urbanization rate rose from 69.46% to 73.02%, the urban-rural income ratio narrowed from 2.45:1 to 2.21:1, and the 2026 summer grain harvest achieved a "sixth consecutive bumper harvest." Reform efforts focus on activating land, talent, and capital flows, including pilots for extending rural land contracts and mechanisms for citizenization of agricultural transfer population. Industrial coordination emphasizes mountainous characteristics through the "36316" modern agricultural industry cluster system, alongside integrated agriculture-culture-tourism development and innovation platforms. Rural transformation is improving infrastructure, public services, and living environments, with 6,001 beautiful Bayu villages built and a "2-hour Chongqing" transportation circle under construction.
Summary: The article reports that Shenyang, as one of the first national pilot cities for urban renewal, is advancing systematic renewal across the entire region with a people-centered approach, coordinating improvements in livelihoods, industrial revitalization, cultural heritage, and ecology. It details how the city has renovated 1,823 old residential communities during the 14th Five-Year Plan period, transformed industrial heritage sites like the Hongmei Cultural and Creative Park into new cultural venues, and protected historical districts such as the Fangcheng area around the Shenyang Imperial Palace. The piece highlights specific mechanisms, including a "six-step" work process, a "1+N" policy system, and a four-tier urban physical examination system, with multiple practices selected for national replicable experience lists. Looking ahead to the 15th Five-Year Plan, Shenyang plans to advance 38 key renewal areas with a total investment of 121.6 billion yuan, including a landmark historical and cultural city project with a total investment of approximately 50 billion yuan. The article concludes that this old industrial city is contributing to the comprehensive revitalization of Northeast China through quality, systematic renewal.
Summary: The article highlights the Three Gorges Project as a model for national water network construction, emphasizing its role in flood control, water supply, green electricity generation, and navigation. It details ongoing projects like the Three Gorges Waterway New Channel and the Yangtze-to-Han River Water Diversion Project, which connect the Yangtze with broader water infrastructure. The piece notes improvements in water quality in the Yangtze Economic Belt, rising from 67% to 96.5% over a decade, and a doubling of regional GDP. It also discusses the expansion of joint dispatch to 135 water projects, enhancing flood control and ecological benefits, including fish reproduction. The article concludes by underscoring the integration of water, power, and computing networks, with officials pledging continued focus on unified planning and management of Yangtze resources.
Summary: At the Gezhouba Dam in Yichang, Hubei, workers are demolishing and relocating a steel tower to make way for the Gezhouba navigation capacity expansion project, which will replace the No. 3 ship lock with two new 10,000-ton-class locks and raise total annual two-way throughput capacity to 360 million tons. Wang Tao, the person in charge of the power line relocation, explained the tower move, while Sun Zhifeng, senior professional engineer of the Three Gorges New Channel Company of China Three Gorges Corporation, noted that the cofferdam is the controlling project and that construction must seize the dry-season window period. Li Yunfeng, deputy manager of the upstream cofferdam construction unit's project department, stressed the tight schedule, and construction worker Jing Xiaojun described surveying underwater terrain for the 830-meter cofferdam requiring over 1 million cubic meters of fill. During construction, the No. 2 ship lock remains operational to minimize navigation impact, with Yu Wenfei, chief engineer of the project department, planning vessel movements and the Changjiang Three Gorges Navigation Administration deploying a "smart brain" large model to coordinate traffic. Lan Yufeng, deputy director of the Navigation Safety Division, said manpower-based and technology-based prevention ensure safe, efficient transport of key materials along the "golden waterway."
Summary: The article reports on the launch of the online-themed publicity campaign "What Makes China: Astonishing the World" at Lighthouse Square in Yichang, featuring performances and narratives celebrating the Yangtze River's cultural heritage and major national projects like the Three Gorges Dam. It highlights tributes to builders, including a portrayal of Lin Yishan, first director of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission, and a reunion between flood survivor Jiang Shan and rescuer Wang Minghua, with Jiang Shan noting the dam's protection against floods. The event also showcased introductions by Niu Xinqiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Liu Weiping, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of China Three Gorges Corporation, on the ship lock and national achievements, alongside four chief engineers discussing ongoing projects. Ecological transformation stories were shared by Li Guozhang of Xingfa Group and Olympic champion Sun Jiajun, and cultural lineage was traced by Fang Qin, president of the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology. The article concludes that the answer to "What Makes China" lies in the Yangtze's waves, the dam's bearing, the Jing-Chu cultural lineage, and the hard work of generations.
Summary: The article argues that UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, marking the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's lawful seat in the United Nations, has established the one-China principle as a rigid rule of international relations, and that recent fallacies such as the "theory of Taiwan's undetermined status" must be refuted. It traces the resolution's historical legitimacy to the rise of developing countries and China's independent foreign policy, and its legal closure to the theory of government succession, which holds that Taiwan remains an inalienable part of China. The piece emphasizes the procedural fairness of the 1971 vote, asserting that its final, exclusive, and irrevocable effect is sealed by state practice and UN institutional implementation. It warns that Western forces, clinging to Cold War hegemonic logic, are attempting to dilute the resolution and support "Taiwan independence" separatists, challenging the post-war international order. The authors conclude that upholding the resolution's authority is both China's sovereign necessity and a shared international responsibility, with any such provocations doomed to failure.
Summary: The article analyzes France's economic predicament of low growth and high debt, citing rising unemployment, public debt at 119 percent of GDP, and government bond yields at multi-decade highs. It traces the roots of the problem to the post-1973 expansion of the welfare state, which led to a cycle of "high welfare, high taxes, high debt, high unemployment, and low growth." Reforms since 2017 yielded some gains but relied on cheap energy and ultra-low interest rates, and since 2022, high inflation and high interest rates have squeezed the economy, with growth forecast to remain below the euro area average. Political deadlock after the 2022 and 2024 elections has obstructed fiscal reforms, while forceful consolidation risks protests. The author, a research fellow at the Institute of Finance and Banking of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, argues France needs a credible fiscal consolidation plan and long-term structural reforms to break the cycle.
Summary: The 2026 Senegal Chinese Film Festival opened on October 23 in Dakar, with about 100 guests from both countries attending the opening ceremony and watching the opening film *Catch Wind, Chase Shadow*. Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang said in his speech that film is a bridge that crosses borders and connects hearts, and he hoped Senegalese audiences could more directly experience China's historical depth, contemporary character, and social life through the window of film. Hadji Tanor Niang, an official of Senegal's Ministry of Culture, Handicrafts and Tourism, said the festival provides a rare opportunity for Senegalese audiences to understand the richness, diversity, and modern face of Chinese cinema.
Summary: China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch held its third "Jianyang'an" elderly care financial product and service launch event ahead of the Double Ninth Festival, aiming to improve its elderly care financial service system during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. The branch has built an online medical voucher settlement channel and deployed offline POS machines to facilitate cross-border medical treatment for Hong Kong seniors in Zhuhai. It supported institutional elderly care by approving 520 million yuan in credit for a county-level elderly care upgrading project in Luoding City and launched the first "Anxin Elderly Care Community Smart Canteen" in Jiangmen. For industrial elderly care, the branch provided 91 million yuan in technology credit to an intelligent elderly care equipment enterprise and signed an exclusive industrial financial service agreement with the Jiangmen Silver Economy Industrial Park. The branch also released Guangdong's first special implementation plan for overseas Chinese elderly care finance in Jiangmen, building a "finance + elderly care" service ecosystem across the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
Summary: The article reports on the 2026 "Hangzhou West Lake Day," which featured an "AI West Lake" gathering instead of a celebration, unveiling the nation's first "AI + cultural tourism" urban narrative space with a humanoid robot dressed as "Su Dongpo" and naked-eye 3D presentations of scenic spots. Xu Fei, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of the West Lake Scenic Area, said that world heritage has entered the AI era, with traditional protection models being replaced by a digital-intelligent system, while Chen Yunfei, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the West Lake World Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Management Center, detailed 502 monitoring indicators and full life-cycle heritage impact assessments. The article highlights West Lake's ecological efforts, including an underwater forest of 317,000 square meters and water quality meeting Class III standards, alongside biodiversity gains such as the appearance of the globally endangered Chinese merganser. It also discusses the "returning the lake to the people" commitment, free park access since 2003, and services like the "West Lake Volunteer Service Smile Pavilion" and free herbal tea. The piece concludes by describing the new "AI West Lake" cultural tourism intelligent agent, which offers one-click smart guided tours, route planning, and ticket booking, making the thousand-year-old lake more approachable.
Summary: The author, director of the National Art Museum of China, argues that cultural heritage should serve as a living source for contemporary fine arts rather than remain confined to specialized fields like archaeology. The museum has collaborated with over 20 museums nationwide on the "Ink Rhyme and Cultural Lineage" exhibition series, creating a "museum + art museum" brand that has attracted large audiences and boosted visits to local museums. The "Valuing the Spirit" exhibition brought together nearly 600 works, including Su Dongpo's authentic "Xiaoxiang Bamboo and Stone," to display a continuous Chinese spirit through dialogue between ancient and contemporary art. The author highlights the success of exhibitions such as the Italian Renaissance masterpieces show, which drew 300,000 visitors in four months, and calls for strengthening academic research, interdisciplinary dialogue, and aesthetic education to empower contemporary artistic creation.
Summary: The article reports on the dough sculpture industry in Lan County, Shanxi, focusing on Yuan Jianhua, a national-level representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, and her workshop on the dough sculpture street. Yuan, a seventh-generation artisan, describes the craft's history, techniques, and natural coloring methods, noting that dough sculpture accompanies major life milestones and was added to the national intangible cultural heritage list in 2014. Her daughter, Liu Lili, a provincial-level inheritor, designs innovative works that blend tradition with contemporary aesthetics, expanding market appeal. The county built an intangible cultural heritage industrial cluster in 2020, and by 2023 the craft became part of Shanxi's skills improvement project, driving local income growth. The industry now has an annual output value of nearly 10 million yuan, with products sold nationwide, and Yuan emphasizes preserving tradition while making the craft accessible to modern audiences.
Summary: The article reviews the revised Chinese edition of *The Journey of Science*, a classic popular science history by American writers Ray Spangenburg and Diane Moser, now republished by Peking University Press in five volumes. It highlights the book's three-dimensional approach—physical science, life science, and science and society—and its emphasis on the human stories behind discoveries, such as Kepler, Darwin, and Faraday. The summary notes the book's accolades, including the Wenjin Book Award and inclusion on recommended reading lists, and the author, a former director of the China Science and Technology Museum, expresses confidence in its appeal to young readers. The piece underscores that science advances through questioning, verification, and correction, and that revisiting its history helps illuminate the present and future.
Summary: This travel essay reflects on the historical and cultural significance of Lake Lucerne, describing it as a cradle of Swiss federal civilization and a vital central European transport hub. The author highlights various landmarks, including the Chapel Bridge, the Musegg City Wall, and the Church of St. Leodegar, noting how these structures reflect the city's evolution from a fishing village to a Renaissance-era trading town. The piece also features the Lion Monument, a sculpture commemorating Swiss mercenaries, and mentions the city's role as a spiritual habitat for artists such as Richard Wagner and Alexandre Dumas. Ultimately, the author characterizes Lake Lucerne as a place where natural scenery and human history are seamlessly integrated.
Summary: The article reflects on corn's central role in Mexican civilization, tracing its domestication from teosinte about 9,000 years ago and the development of the "milpa" agricultural system and nixtamalization process. It highlights corn's integration into Maya and Aztec beliefs, including the Popol Vuh creation epic and customs recorded in the General History of the Things of New Spain. The piece notes challenges from agricultural globalization and industrialization, prompting Mexican government measures like "National Corn Day" and legal protections for native varieties. It also describes modern efforts, including community seed banks, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center's germplasm bank, and ventures like "Maizajo" that revive traditional processing. The article concludes that as long as native corn endures, Mexican civilization will continue its unending cycle of inheritance and development.
Summary: The article describes a visit to Butchart Gardens in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada, highlighting its transformation from a barren limestone quarry into a world-famous floral attraction. It details the garden's various sections, including the Sunken Garden and Italian Garden, and notes the intricate landscaping and sculptures. The narrative recounts how Mrs. Jennie Butchart, after her husband Robert's cement plant exhausted the quarry, personally oversaw the pit's conversion into a garden, completed in 1921. The garden remained under Butchart family management, with later generations expanding it into a 22-hectare site with over 700 species, listed as a Canadian National Historic Site in 2004. The piece concludes by reflecting on the garden's legacy as a testament to human care and family perseverance.
Summary: The article discusses Ulanqab's green computing power development as a case study in acting in light of local conditions, following General Secretary Xi Jinping's October 16 inspection of the city, where he stressed that regions should promote high-quality development based on their own resource endowments. Ulanqab has leveraged its green electricity, climate, and location advantages to sign contracts for over 100 data center projects, with operational computing power reaching 172,000 P and intelligent computing accounting for over 95 percent. The city has focused on coordinating computing and electricity, opening up the "source-grid-load-storage" chain, and building a dedicated optical cable to Beijing, while also extending benefits to traditional industries like ferroalloys and new energy sectors. The article notes that the "East Data, West Computing" project has deployed eight national computing power hub nodes and 10 national data center clusters, with regions like Guizhou, Gansu, and Ningxia carving out distinct paths. It concludes that proceeding in light of local conditions is essentially seeking truth from facts, and all regions should leverage their comparative advantages to blaze high-quality development paths in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan.
Summary: During an inspection tour in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized the need to implement requirements for efficiency, green development, and safety, focusing on "coordination between computing power and electricity" and "coordination between computing power and water" to promote the green computing power industry. The article details how Ulanqab, once known as the "Potato Capital of China," has transformed into a computing power hub, with the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone signing 65 data center projects and completing 45 billion yuan in investment. Local practitioners like Gao Yandong, who returned home to work in computing power, and Zhao Weixi, who transitioned from tourism, illustrate the industry's growth and talent attraction. The piece highlights innovations such as "source-grid-load-storage integration" and "incremental distribution network + direct green electricity supply" to lower electricity costs and ensure green energy use, while addressing water resource concerns through reclaimed water and water-saving technologies. The industry's benefits extend to local businesses, with restaurants and guesthouses thriving from the influx of workers.
Summary: The article argues that strengthening rural grassroots Party organizations is key to advancing comprehensive rural revitalization, as they serve as the "nerve endings" of the Party and the cornerstone of governance and prosperity. It highlights practices such as recruiting skilled wealth-creators and returning youth into village "two committees," and promoting models like "Party branch + cooperative + farming household" to link scattered farmers with markets and extend industrial chains. Village-level Party organizations are credited with coordinating resources, training farmers, and building platforms to boost incomes and local employment. On governance, the piece stresses that it must be a "chorus" of the masses, using deliberation councils and village rules to resolve disputes and improve customs. The article concludes that converting organizational advantages into tangible gains is now widespread, and future efforts should refine governance and expand new industries.
Summary: Four post-00s village Party branch secretaries describe their experiences leading rural revitalization. Gan Ziming of Xiying Village in Hebei promotes local products via livestreaming, growing the village's bag factories from two to five. Hou Zhengyuan of Shangdandong Village in Qinghai launched a night market that drew 15,000 visitors and drove over 200,000 yuan in consumption. Wang Hao of Tenghuayu Village in Shandong used e-commerce to raise village collective income to 286,000 yuan and organized cultural activities. Lin Jia of Longxing Village in Zhejiang overcame dialect barriers and typhoon emergencies, and is now focused on infrastructure projects to boost the village economy.
Summary: The article reflects on the artistic legacies of recently deceased artists Guo Lanying, You Benchang, and Liu Huan, emphasizing that their enduring fame rests on resilient character, hard work, and deep devotion to their craft. It highlights Guo Lanying's arduous apprenticeship and innovative vocal style, You Benchang's patient dedication to supporting roles and later breakthroughs, and Liu Huan's prolific songwriting and support for original Chinese-language music. The piece argues that true artists combine high moral character with artistic talent, maintaining reverence for the stage and affection for audiences. It concludes that artistic success requires perseverance, self-discipline, and a refusal to seek quick gains, while continuing to innovate and serve the people.
Summary: The article is a reflection by a Xinmin Evening News editorial board member on Wang Meng's call for literary supplements to provide "warm and mature guidance in public opinion." It discusses the "Night Luminous Cup" supplement's 80-year history, emphasizing its warmth through ties to the people, urban civilization, and the shared stage of famous and ordinary writers. Maturity is framed as truth-seeking, broad knowledge, and courage to explore media convergence, with Wang Meng praising the supplement and suggesting new topics like artificial intelligence and international issues. The piece highlights the supplement's role in nurturing Shanghai's urban civilization and its offline activities to build a shared spiritual home. The author concludes that a literary supplement rooted in the people can remain forever young.
Summary: The article reflects on the phrase "Stay kind, stay diligent" displayed at the Primary School Attached to Jinhua Normal University, attributed to Party General Branch Secretary Yu Zhengqiang, a national model teacher who advocates that "children's moral education begins with action." The author recounts three anecdotes illustrating kindness and diligence: a noodle shop owner offering free noodles to an elderly couple, a rural teacher "Lu Manman" helping a slow-learning child succeed, and the teacher's own commitment to not giving up on any student. The piece concludes that kindness and diligence are the inner cores of beautiful growth and the true essence of teaching and educating people, serving as a subtle and silent influence on all who pass by.
Summary: The poem commemorates the 90th anniversary of the Long March, depicting a parent and child waiting at dawn in a square for a flag-raising ceremony. It evokes the sacrifices of the marchers—straw sandals, empty stomachs, and those lost in the mire—whose spirit is felt as a heartbeat in the present. The wind from the Gan River carries their legacy through modern infrastructure to the county town. The child runs ahead, straightens a red scarf, and as the flag reaches the top, the crowd looks up together. The poem concludes with the fire of 90 years ago burning from beneath the snowy mountains into the child's heart.
Summary: The article is a photo report featuring the Chinese painting *High Autumn Scenery* by Li Kuchan, which is collected by the Beijing Fine Art Academy.
Summary: The article describes a visit to a camellia oil workshop in Youxi, Fujian, where the author's second maternal uncle explains the traditional steaming and pressing process. It details how tea seeds are processed into oil cakes and pressed in a wooden trough, producing translucent oil with a honeyed fragrance. The craft is now an intangible cultural heritage, with modern production and cooperatives ensuring farmers' sales. The uncle also recounts the seven-hour preparation of Youxi smoked rabbit, which relies on camellia oil throughout, and the author recalls its use as a medicinal remedy from childhood. The piece concludes with the author taking a freshly pressed bottle of oil, suffused with autumn's ginkgo yellow.
Summary: The article describes the everyday charm of Weishan Ancient City in Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, highlighting its preserved Ming and Qing architectural styles and local daily life. It notes that despite receiving 5.88 million tourist visits in 2025, local consumption prices have not risen except for lodging. The piece discusses four stages of domestic tourism, with Weishan attracting nearly 5,000 sojourners and over 100 travel-entrepreneurs. A "new Weishan native," Wanting, a former Beijing ICU nurse, explains she found her ideal life through sojourning and entrepreneurship there. The article concludes that life's authenticity and simplicity, as seen in Weishan's familiar, warm community atmosphere, reflect ordinary people's everyday hopes.
By: 本报记者 张 洋 孟祥夫
The key to running China's affairs well lies in the Party, and the key lies in the Party exercising strict self-governance in all respects and practicing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
As the 15th Five-Year Plan gets off to a start, the basic realization of socialist modernization has entered a crucial stage of consolidating the foundation and exerting full effort.
How can a century-old major party continue to lead the modernization journey?
From October 26 to 29, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing to study several major issues concerning persisting in doing something continuously (持之以恒, chizhiyiheng - "hold on, persist") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
This is a far-reaching plan for governing and strengthening the Party in the new era, and a solemn declaration by the Communist Party of China to face the future and bravely shoulder its mission.
"Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the only way for the Party to maintain its vigor and vitality forever and to take the new road of the examination." This important assertion by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the report to the 20th Party Congress profoundly demonstrates the strategic sobriety, strategic confidence, and strategic initiative of Chinese Communists.
On the new journey, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, our Party unites and leads the people in firm confidence and continuous struggle, and the broad road of building a strong country and national rejuvenation is growing ever wider.
One fine trait:
"Focusing on strengthening itself, always full of vigor and vitality"
This July 1 marked the 105th birthday of the Party.
Through wind and rain, tempered into steel. At the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly summarized the Party's six fine traits, one of which is "focusing on strengthening itself, always full of vigor and vitality." This fine trait vividly embodies the Party's profound grasp of the laws of long-term governance and has found the genetic code for the Party to strengthen its own construction and remain full of vigor and vitality under conditions of long-term governance. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is precisely the distinctive feature of our Party's "strengthening itself" on the new journey of the new era.
In December 2014, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Jiangsu and came to Zhenjiang, veteran Party member Cui Ronghai tightly held the General Secretary's hand and said excitedly: "General Secretary, hello! You are the nemesis of corrupt elements and the blessing of the people of the whole country!"
During this inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping first proposed "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party."
The Party must govern itself and exercise strict self-governance. Adding the word "full" before "strict self-governance," and now "persisting in doing something continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party," confirms the sobriety and firmness of Chinese Communists.
This is deeply rooted in the fundamental characteristics of a Marxist party.
In October 2022, when General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation at the 20th Party Congress, he recalled the words of a writer who was well-versed in history: "Even the Twenty-Four Histories cannot find an anti-corruption campaign of this intensity!"
The General Secretary emphasized: "I have said many times that the reason our Party is great lies not in never making mistakes, but in never concealing its illnesses and avoiding treatment."
The selfless are fearless. Our Party has no special interests of its own whatsoever; this is the source of courage and the foundation of confidence for our Party to dare to turn the blade inward, and it is the notable hallmark that distinguishes our Party from other political parties in the world.
"Though thousands oppose me, I go forth." Our Party never relaxes for a moment in solving its own problems, always keeping pace with the requirements of the times, practice, and the people, becoming "a Marxist party that cannot be knocked down or crushed."
This is deeply tied to the original aspiration and true character that has always been upheld.
Guoluozang Gongma Village, located in Gangcha County, Qinghai Province, is a village at an average altitude of 3,300 meters. With the help of the local Party committee and government, herders were relocated and settled here from distant pastures.
In June 2021, on the occasion of the Party's centenary, General Secretary Xi Jinping walked into the home of herder Suonan Cairang and sat together with the family chatting about daily life and calculating income and expenses. "The herders' good life is all thanks to the Party's good policies. We sincerely thank the Party and sincerely thank the General Secretary." These simple words expressed heartfelt feelings.
The General Secretary said with emotion: "Why do the people wholeheartedly support the Communist Party of China? Because our Party has always served the people wholeheartedly and sought happiness for all ethnic groups."
Public support is the greatest politics. The future and destiny of a political party and a political power ultimately depend on the will of the people. In the face of unhealthy tendencies and deep-rooted maladies, "offending a thousand or ten thousand people, yet not failing 1.4 billion" — this is a political account and an account of the will of the people that could not be clearer.
This is deeply derived from the mission and responsibility of national rejuvenation.
"Let us step onto the new journey and set out toward new goals of struggle!" In October 2022, less than a week after the conclusion of the 20th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping led the newly elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee on a special trip from Beijing to Yan'an, Shaanxi, to pay homage to the Yan'an revolutionary memorial sites, proclaiming the firm conviction of the new central leadership collective to carry forward the red lineage, perpetuate the spirit of struggle, and deliver a new outstanding answer sheet to history and the people on the new road of the examination.
The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. All our undertakings are rooted in this most essential feature and greatest strength.
The more glorious the mission, the more arduous the task, the more the Party itself must be strong. At present, strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. To respond to and overcome all difficulties and obstacles, "we must concentrate on Party building with full attention, making our Party increasingly mature, increasingly pure, increasingly strong, and increasingly capable of fighting."
Clear historical consciousness, firm historical initiative.
Since the beginning of the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has incorporated full and rigorous self-governance of the Party into the strategic layout of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面), and has continuously advanced theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in Party building.
As the chapter on Party building in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinping's thought on Party building clearly puts forward the Fourteen Commitments (十四个坚持), comprehensively and profoundly elucidating the highest principles, strategic guidelines, value pursuits, work layout, and methodological paths of Party building in the new era, and providing a resounding and profound answer to "what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party."
A series of major decisions have been advanced in succession: the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee made special studies on issues of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party; the 19th Party Congress established "upholding full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" as one of the basic strategies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era; the resolution of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee listed "clarifying the strategic policy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" as an important part of the "Ten Clarifications" of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; the 20th Party Congress systematically deployed "unswervingly advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and deepening the great new project of Party building in the new era"...
A party that aspires to a great cause for the ages is full of vigor and vitality.
A profound transformation:
"Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a distinctive feature of the Party's governance in the new era"
Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the way. This is not a "passing gust of wind," nor can one "rest and take a breather," but rather an action of sustained, long-term effort.
On September 22, 2026, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission published the summary of nationwide investigations into problems of violating the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation in August. This was the 156th consecutive month of publishing monthly report data. Immediately after, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission again publicly notified six typical problems of violating the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation.
Seriously investigating and punishing problems, notifying typical cases, and issuing integrity reminders are like repeated alarm bells, alerting Party members and cadres to pass the test of work style and integrity.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a distinctive feature of the Party's governance in the new era, achieving historic and pioneering accomplishments and producing comprehensive and profound influence."
The Eight-Point Regulation, the move that broke the ground on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party —
The General Secretary leads by example (以身作则, yishizuoze - "use self, act as rule") and sets the pace. Scene after scene strikes a chord: during an inspection in Fuping County, Hebei, he ate simple home-style meals, strictly following "four dishes and one soup," with special instructions not to serve alcohol; in the earthquake-stricken area of Lushan, Sichuan, he presided over a meeting late into the night and stayed overnight in a temporary prefab house; on the eve of the Spring Festival in 2018, when General Secretary Xi Jinping walked to a cloth shoe display stand in Zhanqi Village, Chengdu, Sichuan, a villager warmly picked up a pair of cloth shoes to give to the General Secretary, who smiled and said, "I'll buy a pair with my own money!"...
Over more than 10 years, from keeping a close eye on "holiday diseases" such as improper eating and drinking and the giving and receiving of gifts and money, to curbing "waste at the tip of the tongue," putting a stop to "corruption on the wheels," and rectifying "unhealthy practices in clubs," to continuously rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots, Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline have been addressed together, and misconduct and corruption have been investigated and treated simultaneously. A transformation in work style has swept across the land of China, and the people have sincerely praised that "the Eight-Point Regulation changed China."
A series of deployments, advancing step by step, doing well and achieving results —
Placing political construction first, continuously improving the institutional mechanisms that guarantee the Two Upholds (两个维护), strictly regulating political life within the Party, purifying the political ecosystem within the Party, and enhancing the political capabilities of organizations at all levels and of all types and of Party members and cadres;
Treating ideological construction as the foundational construction of the Party, continuously carrying out centralized education within the Party, and promoting the entire Party to consciously become firm believers and faithful practitioners of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era;
Clearly putting forward the Party's organizational line for the new era, promoting Party organizations at all levels to make comprehensive progress and become comprehensively strong, and striving to cultivate a high-caliber cadre contingent that is loyal, clean, and responsible;
Persevering unremittingly (锲而不舍, qie'erbushe - "carve, not, stop") in implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation and advancing the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style construction;
Incorporating discipline construction into the overall layout of Party building, revising the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Actions three times, and regulating Party members' and cadres' performance of duties and exercise of power with strict discipline;
Running institutional construction through all aspects of Party building, forming a relatively complete system of intra-Party regulations and institutions, and confining power to the cage of institutions;
Carrying out an unprecedented anti-corruption struggle, "hunting tigers," "swatting flies," and "chasing foxes," advancing in an integrated manner the goals of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, and successfully blazing a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics;
Daring to manage and managing strictly, truly managing and truly being strict, managing for the long term and being strict for the long term. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has insisted on turning the blade inward and using severe measures to address chaos, delivering a combined set of measures for governing and managing the Party. Many Party members and cadres have gone from being unaccustomed to being accustomed, from not believing to believing, from passive to active, calibrating the compass of their thinking and adjusting the rudder of their behavior.
Improving the system, placing greater emphasis on applying the concepts of governance, the perspective of systems, and dialectical thinking —
The 20th Party Congress first proposed "improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party"; at the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party should be a dynamic system with rich connotations, complete functions, scientific standards, and efficient operation"; at the 15th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping further explicitly proposed improving the systems in five aspects: organization, education, supervision, institutions, and responsibility...
Adhering to a systems perspective and improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is an effective path for continuously advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era.
The Muli mining area in Qinghai, where illegal coal mining once left this plateau grassland in ruins.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important instructions and directives on multiple occasions regarding the ecological damage and environmental remediation issues in the Muli mining area.
Keeping in mind the "greatest concerns of the nation" and restoring lucid waters and lush mountains, multiple departments have carried out in-depth comprehensive remediation. While restoring the natural ecology, a governance of the political ecosystem has also been underway: using case investigation as the breakthrough, investigating and punishing violations of discipline and law by Party members and cadres; digging deeper, carrying out political supervision to "safeguard the construction of an ecological civilization highland"; improving institutions, giving ecological and environmental protection more "hard constraints"...
Today, Muli has been reborn. As far as the eye can see, water and grass are lush and birds and beasts have returned. Local Party members and cadres have said that the rectification and remediation was a profound ideological and political lesson, and that everyone has deeply studied and understood Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and consciously serves as guardians of the "Chinese Water Tower."
Only by understanding its principles can one grasp its methods; only by grasping its methods can one govern well.
Through unremitting efforts, full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has achieved historic and pioneering accomplishments and produced comprehensive and profound influence. Our Party has curbed unhealthy tendencies that had not been curbed for many years, resolved many deep-rooted maladies that had long gone unresolved, eliminated serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military, fundamentally reversed the lax and soft situation in Party governance and management, and the Party has become stronger and more capable through revolutionary tempering.
Looking at the whole world, no political party can treat its own construction as seriously and rigorously as the Communist Party of China. This is our Party's notable advantage and the key to leading the times.
A highly united and strong Communist Party of China:
"The more effective Party governance and management are, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development"
This year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. On January 12, 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, emphasizing that "we must uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with higher standards and more concrete measures" and "provide a strong guarantee for achieving the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan period." On January 20, at the "first lesson of the new year," General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "whether formulating plans or deploying implementation, a correct view of political achievements is needed."
Study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements has been carried out throughout the Party. The broad masses of Party members and cadres have kept in mind the general requirements of "building the Party for the public, benefiting the people, making scientific decisions, and doing solid work," advancing study, examination, and rectification in an integrated manner, and more consciously performing their duties and starting undertakings with a correct view of political achievements.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "The more effective Party governance and management are, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development." "Without the revolutionary tempering of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, there would not be such a highly united and strong Communist Party of China today, there would not be a Party-mass relationship that unites as one (万众一心, wanzhongyixin - "ten thousand, people, one, heart") and forms an impregnable fortress of unity of purpose (众志成城, zhongzhichengcheng - "people, will, become, city") in the face of difficulties, and it would be impossible to win historical initiative amid international vicissitudes."
Chinese modernization is a socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. Across the land of China today, a clean and upright atmosphere prevails, the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal are continuously strengthened, and the entire Party and society have coalesced a mighty force for advancing Chinese modernization.
Firmly upholding the Two Establishments (两个确立) and resolutely achieving the Two Upholds, advancing in unison —
Walking into the Party-mass service center of Jiangjiaping Village, Laoxian Town, Pingli County, Ankang, Shaanxi, the first secretary stationed in the village, Zhang Hanzhao, was busy organizing monitoring ledgers.
Here, a photo of "five secretaries in the same frame" records the vivid scene of "each level leading the next level in doing the work." From the battle against poverty, to the five-year transition period, to normalized and precise assistance, what has been consistent throughout is demonstration and leadership from higher levels and layer-by-layer implementation at all levels.
Today, Ankang City has built a responsibility system that runs through from the municipal Party committee to village-level Party organizations, interconnected and linked from top to bottom, integrating 1,300 first secretaries stationed in villages, implementing "group service," and uniting assistance forces into a single rope. "When the Party Central Committee issues a call, we act. Wherever higher levels deploy, we follow up, delivering policies that benefit the people to the doorsteps of the masses." Zhang Hanzhao said.
The core of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is strengthening the Party's leadership; the foundation lies in comprehensiveness, the key lies in strictness, and the crux lies in governance. Over more than 10 years, the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee have been strongly guaranteed, the system of Party leadership institutions has been continuously improved, and the entire Party has continuously enhanced its political judgment, political understanding, and political execution.
Wherever the Party flag points is where the direction lies. In the battle against poverty, on the front lines of flood prevention and disaster relief, and in test after test of responding to changing situations and resolving crises, the broad masses of Party members and cadres have thought with one mind and exerted strength in one direction, uniting into "a piece of hard steel," invincible and victorious wherever they go.
Daring to take on responsibilities in starting undertakings, the Party's political and organizational advantages are continuously transformed into advantages for victory —
In Chaoyang Village, Anshi Town, Dongliao County, Liaoyuan, Jilin, rural industries are blossoming in multiple areas: a specialty amusement park, a gourmet food street, blueberry production and sales... Han Li, secretary of the village Party general branch, said with emotion: "In the past, most of my energy was spent filling out various reports and forms. Now with the 'one-table system,' basic information is entered once and no longer needs to be filled in repeatedly."
Where did the change come from? It came from the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core continuously rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots. Mountains of documents and seas of meetings have decreased, and receptions and farewells have decreased, giving grassroots cadres more time to focus on implementation and development. Now, Han Li devotes all her attention to industry. "This kind of busyness is a busyness that feels solid and energetic!"
This is but one microcosm of the myriad phenomena of the new era. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is by no means binding the hands and feet of those who start undertakings, but rather, by clarifying direction, establishing rules, rectifying conduct, and strengthening immunity, it creates a positive, healthy political ecosystem and favorable environment for starting undertakings. The broad masses of Party members and cadres temper their Party spirit, hone their original aspirations, and improve their work style, doing clean work and boldly starting undertakings within the premise of observing rules and discipline, and devoting themselves with full enthusiasm to the grand cause of Chinese modernization.
Look at major projects such as the Pinglu Canal and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, look at scientific and technological innovation efforts such as artificial intelligence and biomanufacturing, look at the frontiers of reform and development such as pilot free trade zones and the construction of the unified national market, look at the front lines of serving the people such as "immediate response to complaints" and "going down to the grassroots at four levels" — everywhere the figures of Party members and cadres striving and dedicating themselves are active.
Those who want to do things have a stage, those who can do things have confidence, and those who accomplish things have glory. The "three oxen" spirit, the spirit of scientists, the spirit of entrepreneurs, the spirit of lunar exploration, the spirit of BeiDou in the new era, the spirit of the Silk Road... all are inherited in one continuous line, carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party. The "July 1 Medal" and the "Two Excellences and One Advanced" commendations reflect the moving demeanor of Chinese Communists in the new era.
Party and people's hearts are more united, working together with one heart to walk the new Long March —
Speaking of the past, Zhu Guoli, a retired resident of Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict, Huangpu District, Shanghai, could hardly hide her sadness: "Those days were really hard to get through."
The Communist Party exists to serve the people. Shanghai has advanced old housing renovation for decades, passing the baton from one generation to the next, and historically solved the problem of "carrying chamber pots." After the renovation, Zhu Guoli's home now has an independent kitchen and bathroom, bright and clean, warm and comfortable. She said: "Today's good life is all because of the Communist Party."
The closer you are to the masses, the closer the masses are to you. Maintaining close Party-mass and cadre-mass relations and preserving the flesh-and-blood ties with the people has always been the foundation of our Party's invincibility.
Look at Zhuji, Zhejiang, where "Red Maple Volunteers" are active in the streets and alleys, resolving conflicts at the budding stage and delivering services to people's doorsteps; look at Shenzhen, Guangdong, where at "Warm Bee Stations" delivery workers and food delivery riders rest and recharge, while also becoming community "mobile sentinels" and transforming into "governance participants"...
"We know very well that each person's strength is limited, but as long as we unite as one and form an impregnable fortress of unity of purpose, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome." On the new journey of the new era, the spirit, the strength, the desire, and the enthusiasm that our Party has demonstrated inspire the broad masses of the people to more firmly and consciously listen to the Party, feel gratitude toward the Party, and follow the Party, continuously unleashing their enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity in starting undertakings.
Toiling hard to pioneer a cause (筚路蓝缕, bilulanlü - "rough, path, blue, dust"), and jade is formed through polishing.
In the 2026 New Year message, General Secretary Xi Jinping's words were firm: "We must hone our original aspiration and founding mission, persist in doing something continuously with sustained, long-term effort, and continue to answer well the 'cave-dwelling question' of Yan'an."
How to break out of the historical cycle of rise and fall? The answer lies in our Party's continuous self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement, and in the fine trait of "being good at examining oneself in light of the requirements of the times, alerting oneself with a strong sense of urgency, and perfecting oneself with the spirit of self-revolution."
"Advancing Party building as a great project, and always adhering to the principles and policies of the Party governing itself and exercising strict self-governance, is a great pioneering undertaking of our Party and a great magic weapon for building the Party and the country and for strengthening the Party and the country."
Looking back on the road traveled, we have abolished the old and established the new, continuously opening up new realms of China's governance through the governance of the Communist Party of China. Looking ahead, persevering unremittingly, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, persisting in doing something continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and deepening the great new project of Party building in the new era, Chinese Communists of the new era will surely deliver an even better answer sheet on the new road of the examination.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 25) On October 25, President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with King Philippe of Belgium to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
Xi Jinping pointed out that over the 55 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, China and Belgium have adhered to mutual respect, equal treatment, and mutually beneficial and win-win (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual benefit, win-win") cooperation, and bilateral relations have developed steadily. Exchanges and cooperation between the two sides in various fields have presented a series of highlights or outstanding achievements (亮点纷呈, liang dian fen cheng - "bright spots, appear in profusion") and yielded fruitful results or achievements (成果丰硕, cheng guo feng shuo - "fruit, abundant"), and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries have become increasingly close. I attach great importance to the development of China-Belgium relations, and I am willing to work with King Philippe to take the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to lead the comprehensive friendly cooperative partnership between China and Belgium to continuously reach new heights and make new contributions to promoting the sound and stable development of China-EU relations.
Philippe stated that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, Belgium and China have established broad and diversified cooperative relations. President Xi Jinping's successful state visit to Belgium in 2014 left me with beautiful memories. I firmly believe that the two sides will, on the basis of the past 55 years, continue to advance open dialogue, expand practical cooperation, and enhance mutual understanding. The Belgian side is willing to develop a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship with the Chinese side, address common global challenges, and promote peace, stability, and sustainable development.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 25) (Reporter Shi Yiqi) In accordance with the arrangements of the Party Central Committee, the feedback work for the seventh round of inspections by the 20th CPC Central Committee was recently completed. The inspection feedback was delivered through a combination of centralized feedback and "one-on-one" feedback from the inspection teams.
At the centralized feedback meeting, participants studied and conveyed the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important remarks when he heard the report on the seventh round of central inspections, were briefed on the problems discovered during the inspections, and made arrangements for ensuring solid rectification. Liu Jinguo, member of the Secretariat of the CPC Central Committee and deputy head of the Central Leading Group for Inspection Work, attended the meeting and delivered a speech. The 15 central inspection teams delivered "one-on-one" feedback on the inspection findings to the 36 central Party and state organs covered by this round of inspections.
The feedback stressed that all inspected Party organizations should conscientiously study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important remarks, closely integrate this with the study and implementation of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, consciously proceed from a political and overall perspective, and carry out inspection rectification with the firmest attitude and an extremely responsible spirit. They should raise their political positioning. Central Party and state organs occupy a particularly important position in improving the Party and state governance system and advancing Chinese modernization, and all aspects of their work should take the lead and set an example, and they should also serve as benchmarks in implementing rectification. They should firmly shoulder the responsibility for rectification. Carrying out rectification is a direct test of the political achievement outlook of leading officials. "Top leaders" should take responsibility and fulfill their duties, keeping rectification firmly in hand and personally taking the lead on key and difficult issues; members of leadership teams should strictly implement the "dual responsibilities for one post" and make solid efforts to complete rectification tasks in the areas under their purview. They should always keep the people in mind, working closely with the grassroots (俯下身子, fu xia shen zi - "bend, down, body"), go down to the front line, gain a clear understanding of the situation at the grassroots level, identify the crux of the problems, and put forward practical and forceful solutions. They should be courageous in overcoming difficult challenges (攻坚克难, gong jian ke nan - "attack, tough, overcome, difficulty"), take rectification as an opportunity to strengthen and improve their work, strive to build model organs, and take the lead in the first echelon in practicing the Two Upholds (两个维护). They should strengthen oversight of rectification, and seriously pursue accountability and hold to account those who deal with it perfunctorily or engage in false rectification.
It is understood that the central inspection teams also received leads on problems involving some leading officials, which have been transferred as per regulations to the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission, the Organization Department of the CPC Central Committee, and other relevant parties for handling.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 25) (Reporters Liu Zhiqiang, Wang Zheng) The reporter learned from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology: In the first three quarters of this year, China's shipbuilding completion volume reached 58.05 million deadweight tons, a year-on-year increase of 50.7%, accounting for 63.6% of the world total; new orders received reached 175.29 million deadweight tons, a year-on-year increase of 163.2%, accounting for 81.8% of the world total; as of the end of September, orders on hand reached 399.13 million deadweight tons, a year-on-year increase of 64.8%, accounting for 72.4% of the world total. China's three major shipbuilding indicators all grew comprehensively, and its international market share remained in the lead.
Return to TopBy: 任仲平
(1)
"To build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts, the key lies in the Party."
"To strengthen confidence and continue the struggle, we must advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance."
At the important juncture of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, in the critical period of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party studied several major issues concerning advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance, which is of great significance for consolidating the Party's governing position and fulfilling the Party's missions and tasks.
Nurtured in the great practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, always adhering to the Two Integrations, Xi Jinping's thought on Party building provides the fundamental guidance for strengthening Party building in the new era and has major practical significance and long-term guiding significance for strengthening the Party and the country.
From "a scene of decline and decay" to "a scene of flourishing and prosperity," the Communist Party of China, having traversed a glorious 105-year journey, has led the people in writing the most magnificent epic in the several-thousand-year history of the Chinese nation.
Why is the Communist Party of China capable? Its excellent qualities—such as unswervingly pursuing truth, deeply rooting itself in the people, bravely shouldering historical missions, following the trend of development, daring to struggle and being good at struggle, and focusing on strengthening itself—are precisely the key code.
From a small red boat to a mighty giant ship, the Party has become stronger and more powerful through revolutionary tempering, and has developed into the world's largest governing party, always possessing strong creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness.
When speaking of the Party's history, one cannot fail to mention the Long March.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.
When speaking of the Long March, people will inevitably mention the Zunyi Conference: it was a turning point of vital importance or life-and-death significance in the Party's history.
During the Long March, without this turning point, the fate of the Party and the Red Army, and the fate of the Chinese revolution, could not have been saved.
The Zunyi Conference "began to establish the leading position in the Party Central Committee of the correct Marxist line with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative, and began to form the Party's first generation of central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core."
"The great victorious road of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the Party's correct leadership." At the commemoration conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the winning way contained in the victory of the Long March for the Party and the people's army to advance with vigor, pointing out that "the Party's correct leadership and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position had decisive significance for the victory of the Red Army's Long March."
Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the new era. The greatest political achievement of the new era is the establishment of Comrade Xi Jinping's core position in the Party Central Committee and the whole Party, and the establishment of the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Advancing Party building as a great project, and always adhering to the principles and policies of the Party governing itself with strict discipline, is a major magic weapon for establishing the Party and the country and strengthening the Party and the country.
Since the new era, "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has achieved great accomplishments, opened up a new realm of self-revolution for a century-old major party, promoted historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the state, and the Party and the people have won the historical initiative of strengthening the Party and the country."
"Committed to seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, committed to seeking progress for humanity and great harmony for the world."
For the Party to accomplish the historical mission it bears, "the most important thing is to build the Party to be stronger and more powerful."
Facing the long-standing "four major tests" and "four dangers," full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the road.
"We must advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance," demonstrating the sobriety, perseverance, and tenacity of Chinese Communists. It is both a profound summary of the experience of governing the Party since the new era and an inevitable requirement for the Party to forever maintain its vigor and vitality and to walk well the new road of the examination.
Only by "adhering to and applying the valuable experience of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era with higher standards and more concrete measures, rectifying and solving the prominent problems facing Party building well, and consolidating and developing the good political situation formed by governing the Party with strict discipline" can we continuously create a new situation of governing the Party, revitalizing the Party, and strengthening the Party in the new era.
Today, the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal have been significantly enhanced, and its global influence has been significantly improved. From this, deeply grasping the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, one can more deeply understand why the Communist Party of China was able to succeed in the past and how it can continue to succeed in the future.
(2)
The governance of a major party presents a new atmosphere. The Party possesses strong political leadership and has won the historical initiative of ensuring that the Party does not change its nature, its color, or its character.
The Chinese nation has ushered in a great leap from standing up, to becoming prosperous, to becoming strong. "This great leap is a great cause of transforming society, and at the same time a great project of transforming itself."
To govern the country, one must first govern the Party; to govern the Party, one must be strict.
In November 2012, when meeting with Chinese and foreign journalists after the conclusion of the 18th National Congress of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping's words carried immense weight: "Under the new circumstances, our Party faces many severe challenges, and there are many problems within the Party that urgently need to be solved."
In October 2022, at the 20th National Congress of the Party, the General Secretary highly summarized the historic changes in the Party's appearance: "The ability to self-purify, self-improve, self-reform, and self-enhance has been significantly strengthened, the lax, weak, and soft situation in governing the Party has been fundamentally reversed, and a clean and upright political atmosphere within the Party has been continuously formed and developed."
Making full and rigorous self-governance of the Party the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era and an important component of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy is precisely the key stroke in writing history.
In response to the problem that the implementation of the Party's leadership had been weakened, hollowed out, and diluted for a period of time, strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the Party was made the common political responsibility of the whole Party, and the system of the Party's leadership was continuously improved;
In response to corruption, the greatest threat facing the Party, an unprecedented anti-corruption struggle was advanced with the mission and responsibility of "offending thousands of people rather than failing 1.4 billion";
Today, the whole Party is united into "a piece of hard steel," advancing in unison under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee.
The victory of the Long March was a victory of direction and path.
The General Secretary pointed out: "In the Party's leadership of the people in governing the country, the most important thing is to adhere to the correct political direction, always maintain our Party's political character, and always advance along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics."
Affairs are in all directions, but the key lies in the center.
"Adhering to the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee" is an important content of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building and the highest principle of the Party's leadership.
"Adhering to the Party's political construction as the guide," the primary task is to "ensure that the whole Party obeys the Central Committee, and uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership."
Since the new era, the Party has effectively resolved the prominent contradictions and problems affecting the Party's long-term governance, the country's long-term stability and peace, and the people's well-being, eliminated serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military, and ensured that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has unstoppable momentum. The most fundamental reason lies in the Two Establishments.
History, after the sedimentation of time, often becomes clearer to see.
2020 was an extremely unusual year in the history of New China, in the history of the Chinese nation, and also in the history of mankind.
The century-old pandemic struck suddenly, floods and disasters occurred in many places, economic development was severely impacted, and the external environment was fraught with high winds and rough waves...
At the critical moment when the sky seemed to be falling, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core showed great foresight, assessed the situation, and led the giant ship of China through rapids and shoals, creating extraordinary brilliance in this extremely unusual year.
"At major historical junctures and in the face of major tests, leadership is the most critical condition, and the judgment, decision-making, and action capabilities of the Party Central Committee play a decisive role."
Today, looking again at the major decision made by the General Secretary in 2020 to build the new development pattern, one can more deeply understand that this is the Party Central Committee's "strategic layout and first move to grasp the initiative in future development."
Since the beginning of this year, regional situations have become more turbulent, and the global energy market has fluctuated violently.
As of the end of July, China's photovoltaic installed capacity for the first time surpassed coal power, becoming the largest power source category in terms of installed capacity.
From the limitless "wind and solar" to the "water" that naturally flows into place, China has built the world's largest and fastest-developing renewable energy system, with accelerated green energy transformation and continuously improved supply capacity.
The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes: "Deeply implement the new energy security strategy, accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system, and build a strong energy country."
"Enhance our country's viability, competitiveness, development capacity, and sustainability amid all foreseeable and unforeseeable storms and rough seas."
A foreign political figure said: "The Communist Party of China has an unswerving and indomitable spirit, outstanding political wisdom, and the ability to make major decisions concerning the future of the country and the people in different historical periods."
Resolutely achieving the Two Upholds and firmly grasping the leadership and initiative in the development of the cause, our Party opens new prospects amid changes, stabilizes the overall situation amid crises, and secures victory amid chaos.
(3)
The light of truth illuminates the journey. The Party possesses strong ideological guidance, and contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism demonstrate a more powerful and more convincing force of truth.
Possessing the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is the fundamental reason our Party has won historical initiative.
"The great victorious road of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on independence, self-reliance, and seeking truth from facts."
"Why the Communist Party of China works, why socialism with Chinese characteristics works—ultimately it is because Marxism works, and because Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works."
Over the past 105 years, the Party has adhered to the Two Integrations, continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, formed theoretical achievements that keep pace with the times, and at the same time always attached importance to building the Party ideologically and strengthening the Party theoretically, so that the whole Party always maintains unified thinking, firm will, coordinated action, and strong combat effectiveness.
"Persisting in using the Party's innovative theories to unite hearts and forge souls" is the fundamental task of the Party's ideological construction and an important content of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building.
Focusing on solving the problems of China in the new era and answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era fully demonstrates the power of truth and the mighty force of practice.
The leap of theory, in the final analysis, "is embodied in answering practical questions and leading practical development."
Scientifically judging that China's economy was in the period of "overlapping of three phases," creatively proposing the new development philosophy, and leading and promoting quality changes, efficiency changes, and momentum changes;
In the face of "problems after development" such as frequent environmental pollution and the unsustainability of extensive development, profoundly elaborating on the construction of ecological civilization in the process of modernization;
With the heavy tasks of reform, development, and stability, the numerous contradictions, risks, and challenges, and the unprecedented tests of governance, creatively proposing to advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity on the track of the rule of law;
As the latest major achievement of scientific socialism, the theory of Chinese modernization points out a wide and smooth path for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Guiding new practice with new theory, "using practice to realize truth and test truth."
On September 16 this year, the Pinglu Canal officially opened to navigation. As the first grand canal built since the founding of New China to connect rivers with the sea, it turned into reality the vision of Dr. Sun Yat-sen in "The International Development of China" more than 100 years ago.
"Only we Chinese Communists have realized it."
As a backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the Pinglu Canal has opened up the shortest, most economical, and most convenient sea passage for China's southwestern region.
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Party proposed the major task of accelerating the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Vigorously advance the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, promote the development and opening up of areas along the route, and deeply integrate into the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative."
This new corridor reshapes the economic and geographical landscape of China-ASEAN, and is of great significance for promoting the formation of an opening-up pattern of "linkage between land and sea, both at home and abroad, and mutual reinforcement between the east and the west."
From being impoverished and uncultured to ranking first in the world in high-speed railway operating mileage and occupying 8 of the top 10 ports in global cargo throughput, Chinese modernization is magnificent in all its variety, far exceeding the imagination of predecessors.
Adhering to the combination of theoretical arming and practical application, "only when theory is strong can the direction be clear, hearts be united, and confidence be sufficient."
Marx pointed out that once theory grasps the masses, it also becomes a material force. All the Party's centralized education campaigns have been led by ideological education.
The Yangtze River Delta is one of the important engines leading China's high-quality development. The General Secretary presided over two symposiums, promoting the integration of the Yangtze River Delta with rapid but steady progress.
Clenching fingers into a fist, jointly extending the long boards. The 105 joint research projects of the three provinces and one municipality cover key fields such as integrated circuits and artificial intelligence, jointly building world-class industrial clusters.
Studying and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on the regional coordinated development strategy and major regional strategies, focusing on the two keys of integration and high quality, the Yangtze River Delta is moving from the stage of "laying foundations and building platforms" to a new stage of "functional leap."
Focusing on studying the Party's innovative theories, better "transforming them into a powerful material force for understanding and transforming the world," winning the initiative and winning the future.
(4)
The governance of China is built on solid foundations. The Party possesses strong mass organization and has won the historical initiative of uniting and leading all the people to strive together for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The more effective the governance of the Party, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development."
Promoting high-quality development with high-quality Party building, today's China sees dreams realized one after another and vitality bursting forth.
The economic aggregate has climbed to a new level of 140 trillion yuan, lucid waters and lush mountains spread the background color of happiness, the cultural and museum boom continues the thousand-year cultural lineage, and the door of high-level opening up is opening wider and wider...
"The governance of China" is releasing an increasingly strong "magnetic attraction," forming a sharp contrast with "the chaos of the West."
From the Fengqiao model in the new era promoting the resolution of contradictions at the grassroots level and eliminating them in the bud, to the "Six-Foot Lane working method" moistening neighborhoods with the wisdom of harmony of "yielding three feet"...
"Safety" is a notable symbol of "the governance of China." Promoting joint construction, joint governance, and shared benefits with grassroots Party building, upholding this tangible and perceptible "Chinese-style sense of security," and making "Safe China" a shining "national business card."
"The reason China has been able to maintain a strong national identity and development resilience in the waves of modernization and globalization is that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the key." An international observer said.
"China's biggest national condition is the leadership of the Communist Party of China. What are Chinese characteristics? This is Chinese characteristics."
Xi Jinping's thought on Party building clearly proposes the Fourteen Commitments, with "adhering to the leadership of the Party is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics" placed first.
During the Long March, the Red Army soldiers always firmly believed that "as long as we follow the Party, we will surely win"; in the face of the decision to go north, Comrade Zhu De firmly stated: "I am a Communist Party member, and my duty is to carry out the Party's decisions."
Over the past 105 years, the Party has led the people through untold hardships, explored and formed a system and governance system with strong vitality and great superiority, created the "two miracles," and firmly grasped the fate of the country's development and progress in its own hands.
Supporting "the governance of China" with "the system of China."
The greatest advantage of the Party's leadership is reflected, in a very important aspect, in the Party's ability to command all directions and organize all parties, possessing strong organizational and executive capabilities.
Looking from the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources.
The General Secretary pointed out: "The ability of our socialist system to concentrate resources to accomplish major tasks is an important magic weapon for us to achieve our cause. Many of our major scientific and technological achievements were made by relying on this magic weapon, and we must never lose it!"
In May this year, China's fourth-generation independently developed superconducting quantum computer "Origin Wukong-180" was officially launched. The continuous breaking of records in the scale of China's independently developed quantum computing services is inseparable from the exertion of the advantages of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources.
Looking from the five-year plans.
The combination of good planning and executive power makes the five-year plan, for China, an institutional force that turns blueprints into reality.
In March this year, the National Development Planning Law was officially implemented. Safeguarding the authority of planning with the rigidity of the rule of law, promoting implementation and effectiveness with institutional efficiency, and ensuring that "one blueprint is drawn to the end."
"The extraordinary governing ability of the Communist Party of China and the strong executive power of Chinese governments at all levels in implementing policies are admirable." A foreign scholar exclaimed.
In full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, organizational construction is an important content.
On the battlefield of the battle against poverty, "five-level secretaries grasping poverty alleviation" connected the upper and lower levels, 255,000 village-based work teams took root in the countryside, and would not withdraw until complete victory;
In building Xiong'an New Area, the first batch of pioneers "obeyed the needs of the Party and acted at the sound of the order," promoting the city of the future to grow and rise;
Serving new employment groups, promoting full coverage of Party organizations and Party work, so that "mobile people" can find a "warm home";
"Adhering to and improving the organizational system that connects the upper and lower levels and is effective in execution" ensures the smooth flow of orders from the Party Central Committee and the prohibition of disobedience, and the Party's organizational advantages and organizational strength are fully demonstrated.
On the new journey, fully giving play to the leading and guaranteeing role of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, transforming the Party's political and organizational advantages into development advantages and governance efficiency, and comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization with high-quality development will surely ride the wind and waves and achieve steady and long-term progress.
(5)
The well-being of the people is evident to all. The Party possesses strong social appeal, gathering the mighty force to advance Chinese modernization.
A survey shows that more than 92% of Chinese respondents identify with their sense of gain, happiness, and security.
Today, the great unity of all ethnic groups, the great unity of the people of the whole country, and the great unity of all Chinese sons and daughters are continuously consolidated and developed, and hundreds of millions of people have greatly enhanced their ambition, backbone, and confidence, and are confidently creating new historical achievements on the new journey.
Looking back at history, from fragmentation and a heap of loose sand to a high degree of unity and ethnic solidarity, why is it that only the Communist Party of China can effectively organize, mobilize, and unite hundreds of millions of people?
When the Red Army passed through Shazhou Yao Village in Rucheng County, Hunan Province during the Long March, it left behind the story of "half a quilt," which "let the masses understand the Communist Party and regard the Party as their own."
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "As long as we are deeply rooted in the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be invincible."
"Adhering to staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission" is the eternal subject of strengthening Party building and the lifelong subject of all Party members and cadres, and is an important content of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building.
Winning the trust of the people with the actual results of benefiting the people is a distinctive feature of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
Every meal concerns the warmth and cold of people's livelihood and relates to the support or opposition of the people.
From "not taking a single needle or thread from the masses" to "not eating the people's apples," it reflects the political character of Chinese Communists.
In the past, "hundreds of documents could not control one mouth"; now, from rectifying the problem of illegal eating and drinking, to seriously investigating and dealing with "problems of pleasure-seeking and extravagance hidden behind high-end liquor, 'sky-high tea,' 'sky-high cigarettes,' and high-priced mooncakes"...
Small cuts promote major changes, "the Eight-Point Regulation changed China." Some members of the public said bluntly: "The good work style of the Communist Party is back!"
From "being able to fill one's stomach" to "eating 'clean grains,'" and then to "eating fine grains whenever one wants and being able to eat meat regularly," the wishes of the common people on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi have always been kept in mind by the General Secretary.
Implementing the strictest farmland protection system, implementing the Party and government joint responsibility for food security, achieving "twenty-two consecutive bumper harvests"; developing agricultural new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, and seeking production capacity, output, and quality from science and technology...
From managing one dining table, to firmly holding the rice bowl of more than 1.4 billion people, to promoting common prosperity for all the people to make solid progress, "the people's apples" must not only not be eaten, but must also become the people's "apples of happiness."
"Whatever the masses oppose and hate, we must resolutely prevent and correct."
Adhering to grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline together, and linking the rectification of conduct, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, continuously rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots level, promoting cadres to boldly do their work on the premise of abiding by rules and discipline and being honest and upright, and focusing their minds and energy on enhancing the well-being of the people.
Targeting unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses, carrying out a three-year concentrated rectification, so that the masses can truly feel the increased intensity of rectifying conduct and fighting corruption and the presence of clean and upright atmosphere around them.
Why can our Party unite all forces that can be united and mobilize all positive factors that can be mobilized? The key lies in "having no special interests of its own."
In July this year, the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress was implemented, an important milestone in the Party's united front and ethnic work.
The formation and development of the Chinese national community is the aspiration of the people, the general trend, and a historical necessity, and is a powerful confirmation of the subjectivity of Chinese culture.
"Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, every advancement of China's major development strategies has opened a new window for overseas Chinese who have returned to China to start businesses." An overseas Chinese entrepreneur said with such emotion.
An American scholar once wrote in analysis that China, under the leadership of the Communist Party, is increasingly moving toward the center of the world stage, "which is largely due to the Party's strict self-governance and self-innovation, and the public trust thus gained."
Firmly standing with the people, thinking together with the people, and working together with the people, our Party has a solid foundation that no storm can shake. Fully giving play to the creative power of hundreds of millions of people and promoting Chinese modernization with the great unity of the Chinese nation will surely continue to open up new horizons and create new miracles.
(6)
The anchor of the world, the focus of global attention. The Communist Party of China has significant global influence and provides Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength for solving major problems of mankind.
In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, China has welcomed a "wave of visits," with head-of-state diplomacy reaching one climax after another, becoming "the new center of gravity of global diplomacy," and the world increasingly welcomes China's "diplomacy of certainty."
"In a world torn apart by geopolitical turmoil and trade fragmentation, China is playing the role of a global stabilizer and becoming an anchor of certainty in an ocean of uncertainty." The website of the American Foreign Policy Focus research program stated.
Bearing the world in mind, establishing oneself and helping others.
With the future of mankind in mind and the well-being of the people at heart, the Communist Party of China is an "empowering party" and China is an "empowering major country."
Building a community with a shared future for mankind has become "a glorious banner leading the progress of the times," the four major global initiatives have become strategic guidance for building global consensus, and the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has become a practical platform benefiting all countries in the world...
The propositions and actions of the Communist Party of China have become the major narrative with the most directionality and strength in the accelerating evolution of the century-old changes.
Today, as we once again study and understand the keynote speech "Walking Hand in Hand on the Path of Modernization" delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping in March 2023 at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, we can more deeply understand why the world "looks east" and seeks hope and the future from China.
The world has come to a new crossroads, and a series of "questions of modernization" are scientifically answered—
From five aspects—the people-centeredness of the direction of modernization, the diversity of modernization paths, the sustainability of the modernization process, the inclusiveness of modernization achievements, and the firmness of modernization leadership—China's propositions are deeply elaborated;
From three aspects—committing to promoting high-quality development and promoting global development and prosperity, safeguarding international fairness and justice and promoting world peace and stability, and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and advancing the progress of human civilization—the firm convictions of the Communist Party of China are solemnly declared.
This is a full demonstration of the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists.
We might look at the Communist Party of China's international influence, appeal, and shaping power from the perspective of "enhancing the inclusiveness of modernization achievements."
Benefiting the world with one's own development.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's cumulative imports exceeded 90 trillion yuan, and the exported wind power and photovoltaic products cumulatively reduced carbon emissions for other countries by about 4.1 billion tons.
Accelerating the construction of the new development pattern, the Chinese market, which combines "bigness" and "newness," has forged "China Opportunity 2.0" and become a "hardcore gym" facing the world.
With a contribution rate of about 30% for many years, it has continuously been the largest contributor to world economic growth and the strongest "stabilizing anchor."
Contributing to the world with a global vision.
"The Chinese people not only hope to live well themselves, but also hope that the people of all countries live well."
The meteorological intelligent early warning solution "Mazu" contributes Chinese wisdom to the global response to climate change, and China's initiative on global artificial intelligence governance has been called by the international community "a systematic solution worthy of being recorded in the history of scientific and technological development."
One crop feeds the world—China's hybrid rice has been promoted and planted in more than 70 countries around the world. From getting rid of poverty to consolidating the achievements, the poverty reduction governance practice in the new era gives the world reference and confidence: "China can succeed, and other developing countries can also succeed."
Empowering the world with ideological value.
After visiting China, the Iraqi leader promoted the establishment of the country's highest anti-corruption committee upon returning home; Bolivia's Movement Toward Socialism party refined disciplinary punishment provisions when amending its party constitution...
Keith Bennett, co-founder of the British website "Friends of Socialist China," said that the Communist Party of China is willing to share its own construction experience with other political parties, but does not impose its views on others, nor does it insist on complete agreement, always emphasizing seeking common ground while reserving differences.
Xi Jinping's thought on Party building not only provides guidance for the "world's largest party" to move toward becoming the "world's strongest political party," but also contributes Chinese wisdom to the development and progress of world political civilization.
"Always closely linking one's own destiny with the destiny of the people of all countries, and striving to provide new opportunities for world development with new achievements of Chinese modernization."
Walking the great road of the world together, jointly creating a better future.
(7)
Cherishing the lofty ideal of communism, determined to achieve the great cause of the Chinese nation for thousands of years.
Through 105 years of unremitting struggle, our Party has always adhered to its original aspiration and founding mission, led the people to achieve the great cause of creating heaven and earth, transforming heaven and earth, overturning heaven and earth, and shaking heaven and earth, and is irreversibly moving toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In this year's important speech on July 1, the General Secretary solemnly declared: "By the middle of this century, we must comprehensively build a great modern socialist country and realize the Second Centenary Goal. Time waits for no one! History waits for no one!"
"The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams, a new Long March of the Party and the people." The General Secretary emphasized: "To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must adhere to the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building."
Advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance on the new journey means "ensuring that the Party always remains a vibrant Marxist governing party that stands at the forefront of the times, is sincerely supported by the people, and can withstand all kinds of storms and tests, and always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics."
Struggle has no end, and the examination has no end.
Today, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation shows unprecedented bright prospects, but a wide and smooth path does not mean a flat and smooth road; we must be prepared to make more arduous and more difficult efforts. On the new Long March road, there are still many "Loushan Passes" and "Lazikou" waiting for us to conquer.
Coming from the depths of history, advancing toward the summit of the future.
Without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China, no happy life for the Chinese people, and no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This is the proof of history.
History will continue to prove that the Communist Party of China is worthy of being a great, glorious, and correct party, worthy of being the mainstay in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and worthy of being the most reliable backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
Every generation must walk its own Long March road.
On the new journey, the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country are advancing with vigor and spirit, unremittingly striving to comprehensively advance the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation with Chinese modernization.
Uniting more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, comprehensively implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply understanding the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, enhancing the Four Consciousnesses, strengthening the Four Confidences, achieving the Two Upholds, advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance, vigorously carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party, firmly shouldering the heavy responsibilities entrusted by history and the people, and forever maintaining the sobriety and firmness of the examination—
"As long as we adhere to our unchanging path and unchanging will, persist consistently and strive with one heart, we will surely be able to overcome all difficulties and obstacles on the way forward and continuously move toward the other shore of success!"
"All Party comrades must stay true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, must remain modest, prudent, and hardworking, must dare to struggle and be good at struggle, closely rely on and unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to forge ahead on the new journey, make contributions in the new era, and strive to create new historical brilliance!"
Return to TopTheory
Scientifically Understanding the Great Achievements and Important Revelations of Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party in the New Era
Ninth Edition
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云杉 邵玉姿
On October 20, a new central state-owned enterprise with data resource development and utilization as its primary responsibility and main business — the National Data Group — was established in Xiong'an New Area, Hebei Province.
Data, as a new type of production factor, is a foundational strategic resource of the state. People interviewed said that the establishment of the National Data Group is happening at a very opportune moment (恰逢其时, qia feng qi shi - "just in time, meet the occasion") and has profound significance (意义深远, yi yi shen yuan - "meaning, deep, far-reaching"), reflecting the development trend of Digital China construction advancing from top-level design (顶层设计, ding ceng she ji - "top, layer, design") toward deeper implementation.
New Central State-Owned Enterprise Established
Enlarging Data Value, Reducing Circulation Costs
What is the significance of establishing the National Data Group?
"The responsibilities and mission of the enterprise can be understood from the name 'National Data Group.'" A relevant person in charge of the National Data Group explained that "National" means the starting point and ultimate goal of the work must revolve around what the country requires (国之所需, guo zhi suo xu - "country, particle, what, needs") and what the people long for (民之所盼, min zhi suo pan - "people, particle, what, hope for"); "Data" reflects the primary responsibility and main business, requiring a focus on the duty of data resource development and utilization without veering off course.
It is understood that the National Data Group is a wholly state-owned company, jointly funded and established by the State Council, the Administrative Committee of Xiong'an New Area, Hebei Province, China Telecom, China Unicom, China Mobile, State Grid, and China Southern Power Grid.
"Observing the shareholders of the National Data Group, several major enterprises have accumulated scarce and high-quality data resources — for example, telecom operators have amassed massive data such as communications records of over a billion users, and the two power grids cover real-time operational data of the nation's electricity production, transmission, distribution, and consumption." Sun Yi, professor at the School of Economics and Management of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that these data are large in volume and highly structured, constituting a rare "rich mine" among data factors. The establishment of the National Data Group is conducive to connecting, governing, and revitalizing these high-quality data at the national level.
From a more three-dimensional perspective, telecom operators possess nationwide networks, cloud computing, and computing power network resources, while the power grids can provide stable and reliable electricity energy guarantees for computing power facilities. Such a combination constitutes a complete chain from data, to computing power, and then to energy. Sun Yi believes this helps the National Data Group systematically advance the construction of a nationally integrated data infrastructure, lower the threshold for data circulation and utilization, and enable data to truly be "supplied, circulated, and well used."
"As one of the participating parties in the National Data Group, China Southern Power Grid will proactively serve the national strategy and fully support the construction and operation of the National Data Group." Yu Yun, head of the Digitalization Department of China Southern Power Grid, said that the company will use the Southern Energy Industry Trusted Data Space as the foundation for data factor circulation, actively connect with the National Data Group's national-level operating platform, work together to improve the data circulation governance system, create benchmark scenarios featuring the synergy of computing power and electricity, activate the value of energy data factors, and jointly prosper the nationally integrated data market.
"In the future, we expect to work with the several shareholders to enlarge data value and reduce data circulation costs." A relevant person in charge of the National Data Group said.
Site Selection in Xiong'an
Highly Compatible Genes of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Why did the National Data Group choose to establish itself in Xiong'an New Area?
"Xiong'an is a natively intelligent city of the artificial intelligence era, a city of the future where the digital city and the physical city are planned and constructed simultaneously, and its genes of innovation and entrepreneurship are highly compatible with the National Data Group." A relevant person in charge of the National Data Group said.
More answers lie hidden in Xiong'an's unique urban genes.
Xiong'an is a city that "grows" on data. To date, the Xiong'an Urban Computing Center, hailed as the "Eye of Xiong'an," has aggregated over 40 billion pieces of data of various types, with over one million sensing terminals across the entire region, more than 500 kilometers of digital roads, and a data foundation that has already taken shape.
"Xiong'an has built a city in the cloud from scratch." Liang Zhihao, deputy director of the Industry, Information Technology, and Data Bureau of Xiong'an New Area, said that Xiong'an's digitalization began with the high-quality aggregation of data across the entire region, building a digital foundation on unified standards, and solving the problem of data silos from the source and through institutional mechanisms. "Massive data covers digital scenarios such as urban planning, construction, governance, and people's livelihoods, providing an open 'super testing ground' for data factor reform and data governance exploration."
After the National Data Group confirmed its establishment in Xiong'an, the Xiong'an New Area promptly set up a dedicated working team, establishing six special working groups to closely coordinate with the National Data Group's relocation work needs, providing all-round service guarantees in areas such as enterprise registration, office site selection, employee support, and policy backing.
Landing is not the end point, but the starting point of collaboration. "We have established a weekly coordination mechanism with the National Data Group and have already carried out cooperation in scenarios such as 'Internet + government services' and digital identity." Liang Zhihao said that in the future, the two sides will jointly explore and innovate in areas such as computing power, data trading, data security, and intelligent agent services.
At present, the Xiong'an New Area has preliminarily built a region-wide, integrated, shared, secure, and trustworthy data foundation. Pilot construction of the three major trusted data spaces — city, industry, and enterprise — is starting to yield results (初见成效, chu jian cheng xiao - "initially, see, achieve, effect"), and conditions for data authorized operation and circulation trading are basically mature.
"Guided by the existing industrial foundation, we will focus on the strategic positioning and development needs of the National Data Group, actively explore data circulation and trading models, strengthen the construction of innovation platforms, further strengthen the foundation (夯实基础, hang shi ji chu - "solidify, foundation") for the development of the data industry, cultivate and expand the data industry ecosystem, and build a highland for data innovation." Liang Zhihao said that at the same time, the leading and driving role of the National Data Group will be fully leveraged to integrate factor resources in all dimensions, take the lead in achieving resource integration and aggregation in advantageous fields such as aerospace information, energy, minerals, electric power, and healthcare, and form demonstration models of data-enabled empowerment.
"We firmly believe that taking root in Xiong'an will enable us to better serve the whole country and help the nation's data undertaking flourish." A relevant person in charge of the National Data Group said.
Planning for the Future
Prospering the Digital Economy and Cultivating New Quality Productive Forces
As the 15th Five-Year Plan gets off to a start, how can the value of data factors be released more quickly?
Taking a longer view, since the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China has made successive arrangements in the field of data factors: in October 2023, the National Data Administration was officially inaugurated, responsible for coordinating and advancing the construction of foundational data systems and coordinating the integration, sharing, development, and utilization of data resources; in October this year, the National Data Group was established to advance the development and utilization of data resources... The substantive support for data resource development and utilization has been continuously strengthened, providing strong support for prospering the digital economy and cultivating new quality productive forces.
Looking inward, developing and utilizing public data resources well.
Zheng Lei, director of the Laboratory for Digital and Mobile Governance at Fudan University, believes that China's development and utilization of public data resources has entered a critical stage where institutional implementation and practical exploration proceed in parallel, and there remain many challenges — for example, data is opened but not easy to use, invocation rules are imperfect, and quality does not meet standards — making it difficult to fully satisfy the diverse needs of various social entities in accessing and utilizing public data.
"The National Data Group is expected to play the role of the 'national team' serving data factors, exerting its functions of organizational connection, technical support, and scenario transformation, and promoting public data from being merely 'visible' to further being 'usable, easy to use, and reassuring to use,' so that more social entities can share in the data dividend." Zheng Lei said.
Looking outward, helping artificial intelligence development speed up development and improve quality (提速提质, ti su ti zhi - "increase, speed, increase, quality").
The capability ceiling of artificial intelligence large models and intelligent agents increasingly depends on the scale and quality of datasets. China has outstanding data resource endowments, having built over 120,000 high-quality datasets. At the same time, problems such as insufficient supply of high-quality data, high costs of collection and annotation, and inconsistent standards have become prominent shortcomings constraining the high-quality development of artificial intelligence, especially the training of large models.
Sun Yi believes that the National Data Group can leverage the advantages of a central state-owned enterprise with "high positioning and broad vision," take the initiative in promoting unified data standards and building unified platforms, intensively carry out data collection, procurement, and governance, supply high-quality data for domestic models and embodied intelligence, reduce the cost of model training for the whole society, and help artificial intelligence development speed up and improve quality.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 游 仪
9.3%
In the first three quarters, investment in intellectual property products nationwide grew 9.3 percent year on year, and its share of total investment rose 2.4 percentage points from the same period of the previous year.
In Chengdu, Sichuan, a seminar was underway in the third-floor meeting room of HaiChuang Pharmaceutical, and it was not going smoothly.
General Manager Chen Yuanwei had more than one problem to solve — the company's innovative drug for treating prostate cancer had been on the market for just over a year, and sales were still climbing; advancing the Phase III clinical trial for high-risk biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer was an even more pressing priority.
"Resources are only so much; we have to dare to make trade-offs." Chen Yuanwei spoke with firm resolve, but the decision was not an easy one.
In the first half of this year, the company organized scientists and clinical experts to conduct scientific evaluations of candidate projects one by one and optimize resource allocation. "The aim is to tilt manpower and funding toward the core pipeline, with priority support for the clinical advancement of new indications for the innovative drug and the follow-up development of another flagship product," Chen Yuanwei said.
"Developing innovative drugs cannot be done without substantial financial investment (真金白银, zhen jin bai yin - "true gold, white silver")." Li Ximing, the company's chief medical officer, detailed the company's finances: funds are concentrated on product pipelines whose potential has been validated, with continuous upgrades to the four major technology platforms; the computer-aided drug design, molecular screening, and in vitro and in vivo efficacy evaluation systems are being steadily improved; and R&D centers and international innovation cooperation platforms are being built.
In the final analysis, competition in innovative drugs is competition for talent.
HaiChuang's R&D team of more than 100 people has formed an echelon running from scientists and project leaders to young research backbone. An internal mentorship system pairs senior scientists with young researchers, training them in full-process new drug development capabilities through hands-on practice, and more and more young figures are standing out from the crowd (脱颖而出, tuo ying er chu - "shed the prominence, emerge"). "Beyond salary, project bonuses and equity incentives tie clinical progress and patent output to team returns, encouraging researchers to dare to try and err and to keep innovating." In Chen Yuanwei's view, R&D personnel need incentives — "when results are seen, everyone is more motivated to keep going."
What the company invests in most generously is intellectual property.
Wherever R&D goes, patent layout follows. To date, the company has filed more than 300 Patent Cooperation Treaty applications and Chinese invention patent applications in total, with more than 130 already granted. Behind these figures are steadily rising annual R&D spending and years of sustained outlays — patent database usage fees, patent application fees, and patent maintenance fees. But Chen Yuanwei thinks it is worth it: "Intellectual property is the confidence to keep investing in R&D."
The time dividend from patent extension is critical.
The compound patent for the innovative drug launched last year is valid until 2032 and, under the relevant regulations, can be extended by up to five years. "With this 'stabilizing pillar,' we have begun to march toward more indications," Li Ximing said. From being usable by late-stage patients to being usable by early-stage patients with high-risk biochemical recurrence, the patent extension allows the company to dare to channel clinical resources into the early-stage market.
Behind the many patents is a professional intellectual property team. The company has patent agents and intellectual property legal staff deeply embedded in the R&D pipeline. Before each new project is initiated, a comprehensive freedom-to-operate patent search is conducted to screen existing patents worldwide and avoid infringement risks; before new drug clinical data are released, the content to be disclosed is assessed to prevent leakage of key technologies; and competitor patents in the industry are monitored on a regular basis, with timely oppositions filed to safeguard the stability of the company's own patents.
In Chengdu, a growing number of biomedical companies are treating intellectual property as a key asset to invest in. From "intellectual property" to "asset," patient investment, waiting patiently for success to manifest (静待花开, jing dai hua kai - "quietly wait, flower bloom").
This issue coordinated by: Qi Jiarun
Return to TopBy: 邵振华
In intellectual property investment in the pharmaceutical field, the key is not "buying patents" but investing in a complete chain that runs from scientific research discoveries to clinical application and the market, clearing the bottlenecks in transformation from basic research to industrial implementation.
At present, China's pharmaceutical innovation is active and the number of patents is growing rapidly, but high-quality transformation remains a shortcoming. Some projects have problems such as late patent layout, insufficiently systematic claims protection, and being disconnected from (脱节, tuo jie - "disconnection, gap") product development; capital market investment is clearly differentiated, with widespread neglect of the long-term sustained investment required for intermediate key links such as clinical validation, regulatory registration, and pilot-scale industrialization. Particularly in the biomedical field, whether a technology can generate genuine value depends not only on papers, patents, or financing amounts, but also on whether it can solve patient problems, form replicable products, and sustain market recognition.
Intellectual property investment should place greater emphasis on investing early, investing small, investing for the long term, and investing in hard technology, while also bringing in professional forces from multiple fields including scientific research, clinical practice, industry, law, and finance. Universities and research institutions should also establish a transformation mindset earlier, giving simultaneous consideration to patent quality, application scenarios, and industrial pathways at the R&D stage. When the innovation chain, industrial chain, and capital chain are truly coordinated, pharmaceutical intellectual property can better grow from "paper assets" into real productive forces serving the health of the people.
(The author is deputy director of the State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy at West China Hospital of Sichuan University; compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter You Yi)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 洋 孟祥夫
The key to running China's affairs well lies in the Party, and the key lies in the Party exercising strict self-governance in all respects and practicing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
As the 15th Five-Year Plan gets off to a start, the basic realization of socialist modernization has entered a crucial stage of consolidating the foundation and exerting full effort.
How can a century-old major party continue to lead the modernization journey?
From October 26 to 29, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee was held in Beijing to study several major issues concerning persisting in doing something continuously (持之以恒, chizhiyiheng - "hold on, persist") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
This is a far-reaching plan for governing and strengthening the Party in the new era, and a solemn declaration by the Communist Party of China to face the future and bravely shoulder its mission.
"Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the only way for the Party to maintain its vigor and vitality forever and to take the new road of the examination." This important assertion by General Secretary Xi Jinping in the report to the 20th Party Congress profoundly demonstrates the strategic sobriety, strategic confidence, and strategic initiative of Chinese Communists.
On the new journey, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, our Party unites and leads the people in firm confidence and continuous struggle, and the broad road of building a strong country and national rejuvenation is growing ever wider.
One fine trait:
"Focusing on strengthening itself, always full of vigor and vitality"
This July 1 marked the 105th birthday of the Party.
Through wind and rain, tempered into steel. At the celebration of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly summarized the Party's six fine traits, one of which is "focusing on strengthening itself, always full of vigor and vitality." This fine trait vividly embodies the Party's profound grasp of the laws of long-term governance and has found the genetic code for the Party to strengthen its own construction and remain full of vigor and vitality under conditions of long-term governance. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is precisely the distinctive feature of our Party's "strengthening itself" on the new journey of the new era.
In December 2014, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Jiangsu and came to Zhenjiang, veteran Party member Cui Ronghai tightly held the General Secretary's hand and said excitedly: "General Secretary, hello! You are the nemesis of corrupt elements and the blessing of the people of the whole country!"
During this inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping first proposed "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party."
The Party must govern itself and exercise strict self-governance. Adding the word "full" before "strict self-governance," and now "persisting in doing something continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party," confirms the sobriety and firmness of Chinese Communists.
This is deeply rooted in the fundamental characteristics of a Marxist party.
In October 2022, when General Secretary Xi Jinping participated in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation at the 20th Party Congress, he recalled the words of a writer who was well-versed in history: "Even the Twenty-Four Histories cannot find an anti-corruption campaign of this intensity!"
The General Secretary emphasized: "I have said many times that the reason our Party is great lies not in never making mistakes, but in never concealing its illnesses and avoiding treatment."
The selfless are fearless. Our Party has no special interests of its own whatsoever; this is the source of courage and the foundation of confidence for our Party to dare to turn the blade inward, and it is the notable hallmark that distinguishes our Party from other political parties in the world.
"Though thousands oppose me, I go forth." Our Party never relaxes for a moment in solving its own problems, always keeping pace with the requirements of the times, practice, and the people, becoming "a Marxist party that cannot be knocked down or crushed."
This is deeply tied to the original aspiration and true character that has always been upheld.
Guoluozang Gongma Village, located in Gangcha County, Qinghai Province, is a village at an average altitude of 3,300 meters. With the help of the local Party committee and government, herders were relocated and settled here from distant pastures.
In June 2021, on the occasion of the Party's centenary, General Secretary Xi Jinping walked into the home of herder Suonan Cairang and sat together with the family chatting about daily life and calculating income and expenses. "The herders' good life is all thanks to the Party's good policies. We sincerely thank the Party and sincerely thank the General Secretary." These simple words expressed heartfelt feelings.
The General Secretary said with emotion: "Why do the people wholeheartedly support the Communist Party of China? Because our Party has always served the people wholeheartedly and sought happiness for all ethnic groups."
Public support is the greatest politics. The future and destiny of a political party and a political power ultimately depend on the will of the people. In the face of unhealthy tendencies and deep-rooted maladies, "offending a thousand or ten thousand people, yet not failing 1.4 billion" — this is a political account and an account of the will of the people that could not be clearer.
This is deeply derived from the mission and responsibility of national rejuvenation.
"Let us step onto the new journey and set out toward new goals of struggle!" In October 2022, less than a week after the conclusion of the 20th Party Congress, General Secretary Xi Jinping led the newly elected members of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee on a special trip from Beijing to Yan'an, Shaanxi, to pay homage to the Yan'an revolutionary memorial sites, proclaiming the firm conviction of the new central leadership collective to carry forward the red lineage, perpetuate the spirit of struggle, and deliver a new outstanding answer sheet to history and the people on the new road of the examination.
The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. All our undertakings are rooted in this most essential feature and greatest strength.
The more glorious the mission, the more arduous the task, the more the Party itself must be strong. At present, strategic opportunities and risks and challenges coexist, and uncertain and unpredictable factors are increasing. To respond to and overcome all difficulties and obstacles, "we must concentrate on Party building with full attention, making our Party increasingly mature, increasingly pure, increasingly strong, and increasingly capable of fighting."
Clear historical consciousness, firm historical initiative.
Since the beginning of the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has incorporated full and rigorous self-governance of the Party into the strategic layout of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面), and has continuously advanced theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in Party building.
As the chapter on Party building in Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Xi Jinping's thought on Party building clearly puts forward the Fourteen Commitments (十四个坚持), comprehensively and profoundly elucidating the highest principles, strategic guidelines, value pursuits, work layout, and methodological paths of Party building in the new era, and providing a resounding and profound answer to "what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party."
A series of major decisions have been advanced in succession: the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee made special studies on issues of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party; the 19th Party Congress established "upholding full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" as one of the basic strategies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era; the resolution of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee listed "clarifying the strategic policy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" as an important part of the "Ten Clarifications" of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era; the 20th Party Congress systematically deployed "unswervingly advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and deepening the great new project of Party building in the new era"...
A party that aspires to a great cause for the ages is full of vigor and vitality.
A profound transformation:
"Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a distinctive feature of the Party's governance in the new era"
Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the way. This is not a "passing gust of wind," nor can one "rest and take a breather," but rather an action of sustained, long-term effort.
On September 22, 2026, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission published the summary of nationwide investigations into problems of violating the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation in August. This was the 156th consecutive month of publishing monthly report data. Immediately after, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission again publicly notified six typical problems of violating the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation.
Seriously investigating and punishing problems, notifying typical cases, and issuing integrity reminders are like repeated alarm bells, alerting Party members and cadres to pass the test of work style and integrity.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a distinctive feature of the Party's governance in the new era, achieving historic and pioneering accomplishments and producing comprehensive and profound influence."
The Eight-Point Regulation, the move that broke the ground on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party —
The General Secretary leads by example (以身作则, yishizuoze - "use self, act as rule") and sets the pace. Scene after scene strikes a chord: during an inspection in Fuping County, Hebei, he ate simple home-style meals, strictly following "four dishes and one soup," with special instructions not to serve alcohol; in the earthquake-stricken area of Lushan, Sichuan, he presided over a meeting late into the night and stayed overnight in a temporary prefab house; on the eve of the Spring Festival in 2018, when General Secretary Xi Jinping walked to a cloth shoe display stand in Zhanqi Village, Chengdu, Sichuan, a villager warmly picked up a pair of cloth shoes to give to the General Secretary, who smiled and said, "I'll buy a pair with my own money!"...
Over more than 10 years, from keeping a close eye on "holiday diseases" such as improper eating and drinking and the giving and receiving of gifts and money, to curbing "waste at the tip of the tongue," putting a stop to "corruption on the wheels," and rectifying "unhealthy practices in clubs," to continuously rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots, Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline have been addressed together, and misconduct and corruption have been investigated and treated simultaneously. A transformation in work style has swept across the land of China, and the people have sincerely praised that "the Eight-Point Regulation changed China."
A series of deployments, advancing step by step, doing well and achieving results —
Placing political construction first, continuously improving the institutional mechanisms that guarantee the Two Upholds (两个维护), strictly regulating political life within the Party, purifying the political ecosystem within the Party, and enhancing the political capabilities of organizations at all levels and of all types and of Party members and cadres;
Treating ideological construction as the foundational construction of the Party, continuously carrying out centralized education within the Party, and promoting the entire Party to consciously become firm believers and faithful practitioners of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era;
Clearly putting forward the Party's organizational line for the new era, promoting Party organizations at all levels to make comprehensive progress and become comprehensively strong, and striving to cultivate a high-caliber cadre contingent that is loyal, clean, and responsible;
Persevering unremittingly (锲而不舍, qie'erbushe - "carve, not, stop") in implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation and advancing the normalization and long-term effectiveness of work style construction;
Incorporating discipline construction into the overall layout of Party building, revising the Regulations of the Communist Party of China on Disciplinary Actions three times, and regulating Party members' and cadres' performance of duties and exercise of power with strict discipline;
Running institutional construction through all aspects of Party building, forming a relatively complete system of intra-Party regulations and institutions, and confining power to the cage of institutions;
Carrying out an unprecedented anti-corruption struggle, "hunting tigers," "swatting flies," and "chasing foxes," advancing in an integrated manner the goals of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, and successfully blazing a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics;
Daring to manage and managing strictly, truly managing and truly being strict, managing for the long term and being strict for the long term. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has insisted on turning the blade inward and using severe measures to address chaos, delivering a combined set of measures for governing and managing the Party. Many Party members and cadres have gone from being unaccustomed to being accustomed, from not believing to believing, from passive to active, calibrating the compass of their thinking and adjusting the rudder of their behavior.
Improving the system, placing greater emphasis on applying the concepts of governance, the perspective of systems, and dialectical thinking —
The 20th Party Congress first proposed "improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party"; at the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party should be a dynamic system with rich connotations, complete functions, scientific standards, and efficient operation"; at the 15th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th CPC Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping further explicitly proposed improving the systems in five aspects: organization, education, supervision, institutions, and responsibility...
Adhering to a systems perspective and improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is an effective path for continuously advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era.
The Muli mining area in Qinghai, where illegal coal mining once left this plateau grassland in ruins.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has made important instructions and directives on multiple occasions regarding the ecological damage and environmental remediation issues in the Muli mining area.
Keeping in mind the "greatest concerns of the nation" and restoring lucid waters and lush mountains, multiple departments have carried out in-depth comprehensive remediation. While restoring the natural ecology, a governance of the political ecosystem has also been underway: using case investigation as the breakthrough, investigating and punishing violations of discipline and law by Party members and cadres; digging deeper, carrying out political supervision to "safeguard the construction of an ecological civilization highland"; improving institutions, giving ecological and environmental protection more "hard constraints"...
Today, Muli has been reborn. As far as the eye can see, water and grass are lush and birds and beasts have returned. Local Party members and cadres have said that the rectification and remediation was a profound ideological and political lesson, and that everyone has deeply studied and understood Xi Jinping Thought on Ecological Civilization and consciously serves as guardians of the "Chinese Water Tower."
Only by understanding its principles can one grasp its methods; only by grasping its methods can one govern well.
Through unremitting efforts, full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has achieved historic and pioneering accomplishments and produced comprehensive and profound influence. Our Party has curbed unhealthy tendencies that had not been curbed for many years, resolved many deep-rooted maladies that had long gone unresolved, eliminated serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military, fundamentally reversed the lax and soft situation in Party governance and management, and the Party has become stronger and more capable through revolutionary tempering.
Looking at the whole world, no political party can treat its own construction as seriously and rigorously as the Communist Party of China. This is our Party's notable advantage and the key to leading the times.
A highly united and strong Communist Party of China:
"The more effective Party governance and management are, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development"
This year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. On January 12, 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping delivered an important speech at the Fifth Plenary Session of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, emphasizing that "we must uphold and strengthen the Party's overall leadership, advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with higher standards and more concrete measures" and "provide a strong guarantee for achieving the goals and tasks of the 15th Five-Year Plan period." On January 20, at the "first lesson of the new year," General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that "whether formulating plans or deploying implementation, a correct view of political achievements is needed."
Study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements has been carried out throughout the Party. The broad masses of Party members and cadres have kept in mind the general requirements of "building the Party for the public, benefiting the people, making scientific decisions, and doing solid work," advancing study, examination, and rectification in an integrated manner, and more consciously performing their duties and starting undertakings with a correct view of political achievements.
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "The more effective Party governance and management are, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development." "Without the revolutionary tempering of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, there would not be such a highly united and strong Communist Party of China today, there would not be a Party-mass relationship that unites as one (万众一心, wanzhongyixin - "ten thousand, people, one, heart") and forms an impregnable fortress of unity of purpose (众志成城, zhongzhichengcheng - "people, will, become, city") in the face of difficulties, and it would be impossible to win historical initiative amid international vicissitudes."
Chinese modernization is a socialist modernization led by the Communist Party of China. Across the land of China today, a clean and upright atmosphere prevails, the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal are continuously strengthened, and the entire Party and society have coalesced a mighty force for advancing Chinese modernization.
Firmly upholding the Two Establishments (两个确立) and resolutely achieving the Two Upholds, advancing in unison —
Walking into the Party-mass service center of Jiangjiaping Village, Laoxian Town, Pingli County, Ankang, Shaanxi, the first secretary stationed in the village, Zhang Hanzhao, was busy organizing monitoring ledgers.
Here, a photo of "five secretaries in the same frame" records the vivid scene of "each level leading the next level in doing the work." From the battle against poverty, to the five-year transition period, to normalized and precise assistance, what has been consistent throughout is demonstration and leadership from higher levels and layer-by-layer implementation at all levels.
Today, Ankang City has built a responsibility system that runs through from the municipal Party committee to village-level Party organizations, interconnected and linked from top to bottom, integrating 1,300 first secretaries stationed in villages, implementing "group service," and uniting assistance forces into a single rope. "When the Party Central Committee issues a call, we act. Wherever higher levels deploy, we follow up, delivering policies that benefit the people to the doorsteps of the masses." Zhang Hanzhao said.
The core of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is strengthening the Party's leadership; the foundation lies in comprehensiveness, the key lies in strictness, and the crux lies in governance. Over more than 10 years, the authority and centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee have been strongly guaranteed, the system of Party leadership institutions has been continuously improved, and the entire Party has continuously enhanced its political judgment, political understanding, and political execution.
Wherever the Party flag points is where the direction lies. In the battle against poverty, on the front lines of flood prevention and disaster relief, and in test after test of responding to changing situations and resolving crises, the broad masses of Party members and cadres have thought with one mind and exerted strength in one direction, uniting into "a piece of hard steel," invincible and victorious wherever they go.
Daring to take on responsibilities in starting undertakings, the Party's political and organizational advantages are continuously transformed into advantages for victory —
In Chaoyang Village, Anshi Town, Dongliao County, Liaoyuan, Jilin, rural industries are blossoming in multiple areas: a specialty amusement park, a gourmet food street, blueberry production and sales... Han Li, secretary of the village Party general branch, said with emotion: "In the past, most of my energy was spent filling out various reports and forms. Now with the 'one-table system,' basic information is entered once and no longer needs to be filled in repeatedly."
Where did the change come from? It came from the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core continuously rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots. Mountains of documents and seas of meetings have decreased, and receptions and farewells have decreased, giving grassroots cadres more time to focus on implementation and development. Now, Han Li devotes all her attention to industry. "This kind of busyness is a busyness that feels solid and energetic!"
This is but one microcosm of the myriad phenomena of the new era. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is by no means binding the hands and feet of those who start undertakings, but rather, by clarifying direction, establishing rules, rectifying conduct, and strengthening immunity, it creates a positive, healthy political ecosystem and favorable environment for starting undertakings. The broad masses of Party members and cadres temper their Party spirit, hone their original aspirations, and improve their work style, doing clean work and boldly starting undertakings within the premise of observing rules and discipline, and devoting themselves with full enthusiasm to the grand cause of Chinese modernization.
Look at major projects such as the Pinglu Canal and the Shenzhen-Zhongshan Corridor, look at scientific and technological innovation efforts such as artificial intelligence and biomanufacturing, look at the frontiers of reform and development such as pilot free trade zones and the construction of the unified national market, look at the front lines of serving the people such as "immediate response to complaints" and "going down to the grassroots at four levels" — everywhere the figures of Party members and cadres striving and dedicating themselves are active.
Those who want to do things have a stage, those who can do things have confidence, and those who accomplish things have glory. The "three oxen" spirit, the spirit of scientists, the spirit of entrepreneurs, the spirit of lunar exploration, the spirit of BeiDou in the new era, the spirit of the Silk Road... all are inherited in one continuous line, carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party. The "July 1 Medal" and the "Two Excellences and One Advanced" commendations reflect the moving demeanor of Chinese Communists in the new era.
Party and people's hearts are more united, working together with one heart to walk the new Long March —
Speaking of the past, Zhu Guoli, a retired resident of Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict, Huangpu District, Shanghai, could hardly hide her sadness: "Those days were really hard to get through."
The Communist Party exists to serve the people. Shanghai has advanced old housing renovation for decades, passing the baton from one generation to the next, and historically solved the problem of "carrying chamber pots." After the renovation, Zhu Guoli's home now has an independent kitchen and bathroom, bright and clean, warm and comfortable. She said: "Today's good life is all because of the Communist Party."
The closer you are to the masses, the closer the masses are to you. Maintaining close Party-mass and cadre-mass relations and preserving the flesh-and-blood ties with the people has always been the foundation of our Party's invincibility.
Look at Zhuji, Zhejiang, where "Red Maple Volunteers" are active in the streets and alleys, resolving conflicts at the budding stage and delivering services to people's doorsteps; look at Shenzhen, Guangdong, where at "Warm Bee Stations" delivery workers and food delivery riders rest and recharge, while also becoming community "mobile sentinels" and transforming into "governance participants"...
"We know very well that each person's strength is limited, but as long as we unite as one and form an impregnable fortress of unity of purpose, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome." On the new journey of the new era, the spirit, the strength, the desire, and the enthusiasm that our Party has demonstrated inspire the broad masses of the people to more firmly and consciously listen to the Party, feel gratitude toward the Party, and follow the Party, continuously unleashing their enthusiasm, initiative, and creativity in starting undertakings.
Toiling hard to pioneer a cause (筚路蓝缕, bilulanlü - "rough, path, blue, dust"), and jade is formed through polishing.
In the 2026 New Year message, General Secretary Xi Jinping's words were firm: "We must hone our original aspiration and founding mission, persist in doing something continuously with sustained, long-term effort, and continue to answer well the 'cave-dwelling question' of Yan'an."
How to break out of the historical cycle of rise and fall? The answer lies in our Party's continuous self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement, and in the fine trait of "being good at examining oneself in light of the requirements of the times, alerting oneself with a strong sense of urgency, and perfecting oneself with the spirit of self-revolution."
"Advancing Party building as a great project, and always adhering to the principles and policies of the Party governing itself and exercising strict self-governance, is a great pioneering undertaking of our Party and a great magic weapon for building the Party and the country and for strengthening the Party and the country."
Looking back on the road traveled, we have abolished the old and established the new, continuously opening up new realms of China's governance through the governance of the Communist Party of China. Looking ahead, persevering unremittingly, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, persisting in doing something continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and deepening the great new project of Party building in the new era, Chinese Communists of the new era will surely deliver an even better answer sheet on the new road of the examination.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Shijiazhuang, October 25) The 24th session of the Standing Committee of the 14th Hebei Provincial People's Congress decided on October 25: to accept Wang Zhengpu's request to resign from the post of Governor of the Hebei Provincial People's Government, and Zhao Chenxin to act as Governor of the Hebei Provincial People's Government.
Return to TopOn October 24, in Jinshui District, Zhengzhou, Henan, a science magic show event attracted many children to participate. The photo shows staff members conducting a spinning water cup experiment.
Photo by Zhang Tao (Image China)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陈尚文 曲 颂 邵玉姿 宋亦然
In the golden autumn season, a modern new city bearing a millennium-spanning vision welcomes distinguished guests from all directions.
From October 23 to 25, the 2026 Global Governance Forum (Xiong'an), themed "Rebuilding Confidence and Cooperation: Transformations of a Century and the Reform and Improvement of Global Governance," was held in the Xiong'an New Area, Hebei Province. The forum was hosted by the Chinese People's Institute of Foreign Affairs. Nearly 400 representatives from political, strategic, academic, business, media, and youth leadership circles from over 90 countries and international and regional organizations such as the United Nations gathered together in one place (齐聚一堂, qi ju yi tang - "together, gather, one hall"), exchanging ideas, building consensus, and jointly discussing plans for reforming and improving global governance, and promoting the building of a more just and equitable global governance system.
"Helping to Build a Peaceful, Just, and Sustainable Future"
"Practicing multilateralism," "advocating win-win cooperation," "upholding equality and mutual benefit," "responding to the changes of the times," "promoting exchanges among civilizations"... The forum focused on issues of concern to the international community in the field of global governance, using the opening ceremony, 22 seminars across 5 thematic sub-forums, and multiple supporting events as platforms to promote dialogue and exchange.
"Global challenges cannot be solved by the strength of a single country; they require dialogue and enhanced cooperation among all parties." Former Nepalese President Bidya Devi Bhandari stated that the Global Governance Initiative emphasizes upholding sovereign equality, abiding by international rule of law, practicing multilateralism, advocating a people-centered approach, and focusing on action orientation, pointing the way for reforming and improving the global governance system and strengthening international cooperation.
"Reforming and improving global governance does not mean overturning the existing international order, nor does it mean starting something new from scratch (另起炉灶, ling qi lu zao - "another, start, stove, hearth") outside the current international system." Former Kyrgyzstan Prime Minister Djoomart Otorbaev said that Global South countries support the Global Governance Initiative. "We need a world of continuous growth, not a world of hegemony; we need cooperation, not interference; we need progress, not hegemony."
"The Global Governance Initiative attaches great importance to enhancing the representation and voice of the Global South, which will help implement the UN Sustainable Development Goals." UN Under-Secretary-General for Policy Guy Ryder stated that this forum aims to make multilateralism more effective and amplify the voice of the Global South, "helping to build a peaceful, just, and sustainable future."
Releasing the "China's Position on Strengthening Outer Space Governance" to bring rules on outer space governance in line with exploration; releasing the "Progress Report on the Global Initiative on Artificial Intelligence Capacity-Building for Good" to deepen and solidify international cooperation on artificial intelligence; releasing the "Forum Vision Document" to expand the international consensus and public support base for reforming and improving global governance... The forum released multiple outcomes, demonstrating China's commitment to building a more just and equitable global governance system and better benefiting all of humanity.
"Artificial intelligence needs both new rules and new technologies, but it must never be placed above the law." In the view of Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum, the forum's inclusion of artificial intelligence in discussions means all parties should seize the opportunity to promote practical cooperation and strengthen governance of technologies related to the intelligent era.
"The repeated collisions of ideas at the forum have deeply inspired me and given me a deeper understanding of promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind." Katarina Zakić, Director of the Center for China Studies at the Institute of International Politics and Economics in Serbia, said that starting from Xiong'an, more practical dialogue and cooperation will eventually be recorded in the annals of history.
"Transcending the Limitations of Unilateralism and Seeking the Common Well-being of Mankind"
Participants generally agreed that over the past year or more, the contemporary value of the Global Governance Initiative has become more prominent, China's contribution to improving global governance has become more outstanding, and international expectations for China to play a greater role have become more fervent.
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's lawful seat in the United Nations. Munir Akram, former Permanent Representative of Pakistan to the United Nations, said that China has always actively upheld the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, supported UN peacekeeping operations, and supported the development and progress of the Global South.
"Enhancing the representation of the Global South must be implemented through reform of international institutions." John Mongella, former Deputy Secretary-General of the Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in Tanzania, said that China supports Africa's legitimate demands in the reform of international institutions and pools strength for promoting the development of the global governance system in a more just and equitable direction. "For African countries, a more just and equitable global governance system is an important condition for obtaining affordable financing and enhancing the capacity for independent development."
Since the International Organization for Mediation was established a year ago, it has received broad support and positive response from the international community. Its founding member states have increased to 48, and it has successfully mediated international commercial disputes... Sévérine Fiocca, Director of the Center for Chinese Studies at the National University of La Plata in Argentina, said that China's initiation of the International Organization for Mediation responds to the practical needs of the international community to ease contradictions and reduce conflicts, and "is of great significance for improving the international dispute settlement mechanism, achieving the goals of peace and development, and promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind."
In July this year, the World Organization for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation emerged in response to the times (应运而生, ying yun er sheng - "respond, luck/opportunity, and, arise"). Nicolas Miailhe, co-founder and co-CEO of the "AI Security Connectivity" association, believes that the World Organization for Artificial Intelligence Cooperation can help other countries improve their capacity to use and govern AI technology, and bring together the strength of the scientific communities of various countries to jointly address risks that a single country finds difficult to manage. He said: "The wave of intelligence is rising rapidly and with great force (风起云涌, feng qi yun yong - "wind, rise, cloud, surge"), and risks transcend national borders. The way to respond lies in global coordination. China actively promotes global governance of artificial intelligence and plays an important role in it."
"China's development practices, its approach to foreign engagement, and its practical actions to promote the improvement of global governance are all deeply impressive." Levente Horváth, Director of the Eurasian Center at John von Neumann University in Hungary, said that China has put forward the Global Governance Initiative and other proposals, always emphasizing peace, dialogue, and development, insisting on working for the common bright vision of mankind, and bringing confidence to global development through its own development achievements.
Malta's Permanent Representative to the World Trade Organization and former Foreign Minister Evarist Bartolo believes that global governance concerns every country and, even more so, the well-being of the people of all countries. "In-depth discussions among all parties on the connotation of global governance will help all parties work together to transcend the limitations of unilateralism and seek the common well-being of mankind."
"Providing the World with a Model for Building a 'City of the Future'"
The Xiong'an New Area, a city bearing a millennium-spanning vision, is a vivid practice of China's advancement of the modernization of urban governance. During the forum, participants from various countries visited this "City of the Future" and experienced its vibrant vitality and developmental energy firsthand.
The Xiong'an New Area Smart City Science and Technology Innovation Center was inaugurated and put into operation in August this year. Centered on the construction concept of "three cities" — "a city above ground, a city underground, and a city in the cloud" — it showcases the digital construction achievements of the Xiong'an New Area in digital infrastructure, intelligent applications, industrial innovation, and ecological governance. "Amazing, beautiful, and smart!" praised Ibrahima Niang, a professor at Cheikh Anta Diop University in Dakar, Senegal.
"The fact that such a forward-thinking and grand new city could be built shows the determination with which China is promoting its development transformation." Ilan Askola, head of the project department of the ASEAN Foundation, said that taking this forum as an opportunity, people from various countries can experience Xiong'an's development firsthand, draw inspiration and encouragement from it, and absorb the concepts and experience needed for their own countries' development.
Zafar Uddin Mahmood, Chairman of the Pakistan "Understanding China" Forum, visited the Xiong'an New Area for the first time, and the underground integrated utility tunnel in the Rongdong area left a deep impression on him. "The underground integrated utility tunnel is very 'smart.' Robots patrol inside it, and if any anomaly appears in facility data, the system immediately responds and alerts automatically." Zafar learned that the city's "main arteries" such as pipelines are housed in the underground utility tunnel, which not only makes the cityscape more beautiful but also makes the city safer. "This provides the world with a model for building a 'City of the Future.'"
Green is the distinctive foundation of this "City of the Future." After the establishment of the Xiong'an New Area in 2017, Baiyangdian Lake underwent the largest-scale ecological governance in its history. The "Millennium Forest" project was promoted simultaneously, and urban construction and industrial introduction have also been carried out in an orderly manner under green planning. Selçuk Çolakoğlu, founding director of the Turkish Center for Asia-Pacific Studies, believes that the construction of the Xiong'an New Area tells people that development can achieve a win-win outcome on the basis of respecting the environment. This experience is of great significance to the vast Global South countries.
Clean, low-carbon green energy networks, green buildings, green transportation... The integration of technological development and ecological protection in the Xiong'an New Area deeply impressed Fei Rong, Dean of the School of Education at the University of the Commonwealth Caribbean in Jamaica. He said: "The value of Xiong'an's exploration in the modernization of urban governance goes beyond technological development and infrastructure construction; the concept of sustainable development is well reflected here."
(People's Daily reporter Wang Hailin participated in the reporting)
Return to TopNo matter how the international situation changes, China's commitment to innovation-driven development will not waver, and its steps to expand high-level opening up will not halt.
Recently, China's National Bureau of Statistics released economic data for the first three quarters, with gross domestic product exceeding 107 trillion yuan, up 4.6 percent year on year, a growth rate ranking among the forefront of major global economies. "Growth better than expected," "demonstrating strong resilience" — international opinion generally gave objective and positive assessments of this "third-quarter report." Withstanding pressure while maintaining an overall stable and steady development trend, China's hard-won achievements in development not only highlight the strong resilience of the Chinese economy, but also inject valuable stabilizing force into a world economy fraught with uncertainty.
At present, global economic recovery is facing great difficulties, geopolitical conflicts are intertwined and overlapping, and unilateralism and protectionism are rising and spreading.Against this backdrop, China's economic growth remains within a reasonable range, showing distinctive features of stable operation, new drivers of growth, optimized structure, and improved quality and efficiency. The economic increment in the first three quarters reached 5.7 trillion yuan, the highest for the same period in nearly five years. Manufacturing is accelerating its climb toward the mid-to-high end, the service sector's contribution rate to economic growth reached 66.3 percent, and indicators such as prices, employment, and the balance of payments remained stable. The steady and sound operation of the Chinese economy is not only a solid foundation for high-quality development, but has also become an important ballast stone for the world economy during a period of turbulence and transformation.
New drivers of growth are accelerating their accumulation, not only injecting surging momentum into China's high-quality development, but also opening broad space for global industrial transformation and green transition. In the first three quarters, new industries and new business forms such as high-end manufacturing, the digital economy, and modern services maintained a contribution rate of over 40 percent to economic growth. The value added of digital product manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing grew 13.6 percent and 14.3 percent year on year respectively, and the foundation of innovation-driven development has become increasingly solid. Emerging industries on new tracks such as artificial intelligence and new materials are developing vigorously, and the import and export scale of products such as industrial robots and electronic components continues to expand, continuously enriching global industrial application scenarios. Facing multiple external shocks, China's complete industrial system and strong supply chain advantages have been fully demonstrated, effectively ensuring the smooth and unimpeded operation of global industrial and supply chains. Gerd Müller, Director General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, stated that China's large-scale breakthroughs in industrialization, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence provide useful reference for developing countries to explore paths of sustainable industrialization.
High-level opening up is advancing in depth, and China's development opportunities continue to be shared with countries around the world. The advantages of the super-large market continue to be unleashed. China is both the anchor of stability for global industrial and supply chains and an important engine driving world trade growth. In the first three quarters, China's total import and export of goods trade approached 40 trillion yuan, up 18.8 percent year on year, with trade scale growth achieved with more than 180 countries and regions. During the same period, the growth rate of goods trade imports was 5.9 percentage points faster than that of exports, and the potential of the super-large market of over 1.4 billion people continues to be unleashed. Imports and exports with free trade partners grew 30 percent, contributing over 70 percent of the increase in foreign trade; imports and exports with countries jointly building the "Belt and Road" grew 17.1 percent, and trade with emerging markets such as ASEAN and Africa achieved rapid growth, injecting new momentum into the balanced development of the global trade pattern; in the first three quarters, exports of foreign-funded enterprises grew 17.2 percent, and more than 150 foreign-funded enterprises with import and export scale exceeding 10 billion yuan have been deeply cultivating the Chinese market... More and more countries regard the Chinese market as an important opportunity for their own economic recovery. China's economic and trade linkages with the world are increasingly close, and the development pattern of achieving mutual benefits and win-win results (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual, benefit, together, win") is becoming increasingly clear. A commentary on Kenya's Capital FM website pointed out that the scale advantages of China's manufacturing industry have lowered the cost for developing countries to access technology and products, bringing tangible development opportunities to emerging economies.
High-quality development is a long-term process requiring sustained, long-term effort, and there will inevitably be wind and rain along the way forward. No matter how the international situation changes, China's commitment to innovation-driven development will not waver, and its steps to expand high-level opening up will not halt. A China that continues to move toward innovation, optimization, and improvement, in the process of realizing its own high-quality development, continuously injects lasting momentum into world economic recovery and joins hands with all countries to create a bright future of mutual benefits and win-win results.
Return to TopBy: 钱敏坚
In August this year, China and Switzerland announced the conclusion of negotiations on upgrading their free trade agreement. Under the care and impetus of the leaders of both countries, the two sides are each going through their internal procedures and actively promoting the signing of the protocol on upgrading the free trade agreement. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the China-Switzerland innovative strategic partnership. Against the backdrop of prevailing protectionism (甚嚣尘上, shen xiao chen shang - "very noisy, dust rising"), this strategic choice by China and Switzerland sends a positive signal of the two countries joining hands to support free trade, and fully demonstrates the distinctive qualities of the bilateral relationship in taking the initiative to lead others (敢为人先, gan wei ren xian - "dare to be first") and pursuing innovation.
Switzerland was one of the first Western countries to recognize the People's Republic of China. Over the 76 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have jointly cultivated the China-Switzerland spirit of cooperation characterized by "equality, innovation, and win-win outcomes," becoming a model of friendly cooperation between countries with different social systems and at different stages of development. Following President Xi Jinping's state visit to Switzerland in 2017, bilateral relations entered a new phase of rapid development, with close high-level exchanges between the two sides and smooth operation of institutionalized dialogues in such fields as diplomacy, economy and trade, finance, national defense, and science and education. Switzerland has consistently adhered to the One-China policy, and mutual political trust between the two sides has been continuously consolidated.
In 2016, China and Switzerland established an innovative strategic partnership, the first time China established a strategic partnership with a foreign country marked by innovation. Over the past 10 years, the two countries' innovation resources and endowments have complemented each other's strengths, and innovation cooperation has formed a positive trend of two-way integration. Switzerland possesses advanced technology and mature experience in fields such as biomedicine, high-end manufacturing, and the green economy. In recent years, with the development of China's cutting-edge technology, many Swiss enterprises have relied on China's open-source large models to achieve localized and autonomous artificial intelligence deployment, and places such as Zurich have introduced Chinese technology to successfully advance the implementation of intelligent and automated transportation solutions. The China-Switzerland science and technology cooperation program has carried out three rounds of joint funding, supporting approximately 30 projects in fields such as aerospace, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. Innovation and industrial cooperation between the two countries is flourishing and showing great promise (方兴未艾, fang xing wei ai - "just beginning to flourish, not yet dying down") with broad prospects.
As the first country on the European continent to sign a free trade agreement with China, Switzerland has long been at the forefront of Western countries in economic and trade cooperation with China. Switzerland was the first European country to recognize China's full market economy status and was also among the first Western European countries to become a prospective founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. Today, more than 1,000 Swiss enterprises are deeply engaged in the Chinese market, with cumulative investment projects in China exceeding 2,600 and actual investment exceeding US$12 billion. China has remained Switzerland's third-largest trading partner for 12 consecutive years, and bilateral trade volume in the first half of 2026 reached approximately US$65.14 billion, achieving substantial growth. Once the upgraded free trade agreement between the two countries officially takes effect, the share of zero-tariff goods imports on both sides will exceed 99 percent, and a higher level of two-way opening will be achieved in trade in services and investment, serving the two countries' enterprises in better creating value and benefiting society, marking a milestone in the development of bilateral economic and trade relations.
The fundamental reason why China-Switzerland relations have been able to achieve high-level development lies in the two sides' respect for each other's core interests and major concerns, and their commitment to enhancing mutual understanding, building consensus on cooperation, and achieving mutual benefit and win-win outcomes through exchange and dialogue. This not only genuinely benefits the two countries and their peoples but also continuously enriches the connotation of the innovative strategic partnership, creating broader space for China-Switzerland cooperation. Facing the current volatile and intertwined international situation, China and Switzerland are both supporters of multilateralism and economic globalization. Further strengthening the alignment of concepts, policy communication, connectivity in cooperation, and people-to-people bonds, and jointly opposing unilateralism and bloc confrontation, will not only benefit the better development of both sides but also inject more positive energy into global peace, stability, and prosperity.
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Switzerland)
Return to TopSince the beginning of this year, Qinzhou City in Guangxi has vigorously developed the new energy equipment industry, with foreign trade orders for wind power equipment continuing to flow in and exports growing steadily. The photo shows wind turbine blades being loaded onto a ship at the Dalamping operation area of the Qinzhou Port Zone in Beibu Gulf Port recently, ready to be shipped abroad.
Photo by Long Tao (Image China)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Pyongyang, October 25) (Reporter Liu Rong) On the occasion of the 76th anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteers' entry into the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, Chinese and DPRK sides held a completion ceremony on the 24th for the renovation project of the Chinese People's Volunteers Martyrs' Cemetery in Sinphyong County, North Hwanghae Province, the DPRK. Qi Han, Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the Chinese Embassy in the DPRK, Hong Zongming, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs of China, and Kang Chol-ho, Vice Minister of the DPRK Ministry of Urban Management, attended the completion ceremony and delivered speeches.
Representatives of the Chinese side from various sectors in the DPRK, the delegation of China's Ministry of Veterans Affairs currently visiting the DPRK, as well as DPRK officials, construction workers, and representatives of local residents participated in the event.
From April to October 2026, relevant departments of China and the DPRK jointly completed renovation projects for the Volunteers' martyrs' cemeteries in Sinphyong County, Wonsan City, Munchon City, Chonnae County, and Sepho County. The Chinese People's Volunteers Martyrs' Cemetery in Sinphyong County covers an area of approximately 600 square meters and currently contains one joint burial tomb for martyrs, with a total of 343 martyrs interred. This renovation newly added a memorial archway, a memorial square, and a wall bearing the names of the martyrs, among other features.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 崔 寅
The 2026 Bund Summit, themed "Technology, Geopolitics, and the Global Economy," was recently held in Shanghai. Co-hosted by the China Finance 40 Forum and Tsinghua University, this year's summit adhered to an internationalized, professional orientation, featuring a total of 19 Bund roundtable sessions and 12 closed-door meetings. More than one hundred financial and political leaders, institutional executives, and experts and scholars from over 20 countries and regions focused on topics including global fiscal policy, trade and investment, artificial intelligence, and the world economy, building consensus through high-density exchanges of ideas to address global challenges and stabilize global economic growth.
Asia remains the main engine of global economic growth, continuing to demonstrate strong resilience amid a complex external environment. The summit coincided with the release of China's economic data for the first three quarters of the year: gross domestic product grew 4.6 percent year on year, total goods trade grew 18.8 percent year on year, and foreign investment in high-tech sectors maintained relatively rapid growth.
At the summit, the China Finance 40 Forum released its annual research report, "China's New Economic Paradigm: Drivers, Trends, and Policy Implications." Guo Kai, president of the Research Institute of the China Finance 40 Forum, stated: "China's economy is advancing toward innovation and quality, and high-quality development has achieved new results. Artificial intelligence technology is expanding the space for productivity growth, with related investment growing rapidly; the energy revolution is lowering electricity costs and expanding the supply of green power, forming synergies with advanced manufacturing and artificial intelligence."
Sonali Jain-Chandra, deputy director of the Asia and Pacific Department of the International Monetary Fund, said the research report on China's economy is highly persuasive. China is cultivating a development environment for the services sector and raising residents' disposable income, converting new economic growth into consumption momentum.
At the summit, artificial intelligence was a hot topic of discussion. Zhang Wencai, managing director and chief administrative officer of the World Bank, said: "The World Bank advocates enabling developing countries to use lower-cost, smaller-scale AI tools, so that no country or region is left behind. Developing countries should proactively shape AI development, make good use of local data and language adaptation, act quickly, and build trust."
Robert Rubin, former U.S. Treasury Secretary and honorary co-chair of the Council on Foreign Relations, said: "Artificial intelligence brings productivity gains, but the complexity of the labor force transition is not to be underestimated (不容低估, bu rong di gu - "not, allow, underestimate"). If the technological dividend flows more to capital than to workers, it will exacerbate income distribution imbalances and strain the existing fiscal and tax structure."
In recent years, barriers to trade and cross-border investment have increased, yet the dividends of globalization still exist, and the global economy has shown strong resilience. Many guests noted that at a time of geopolitical friction and insufficient trust, open dialogue is the foundation for maintaining consensus and consolidating the basis for policy coordination. Amid transformation, communication and dialogue are bridges that span estrangement and dissolve differences, and are also an indispensable constructive force for advancing global governance reform.
Within the framework of the summit, a series of international think tank exchange activities were held concurrently. Guests including Adam Posen, president of the Peterson Institute for International Economics in the United States, and Jeromin Zettelmeyer, director of the Bruegel think tank in Europe, held that as major global economies, the United States, China, and Europe have enormous space for cooperation in areas such as AI safety regulation, climate change, and sustainable development, and that sustained communication and dialogue among the three sides is of critical importance.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Paris, October 25) (Reporter Shang Kaiyuan) The Chinese Mission to the European Union recently held the fourth lecture in its "China Lecture Hall" series in Strasbourg, France, inviting Xie Zhenhua, former Special Envoy for Climate Change Affairs of China, to deliver a special lecture on "China's Green Development and China-EU Green Cooperation."
The event was moderated by Cai Run, Head of the Chinese Mission to the European Union, and was attended by Pan Yumin, Chinese Consul General in Strasbourg. More than 120 people participated, including members of the European Parliament, officials from relevant EU institutions, diplomats from various countries accredited to the EU and to France, local government officials, and representatives from educational institutions, enterprises, media, and think tanks.
Xie Zhenhua systematically introduced the climate change and environmental challenges currently facing the world, provided in-depth interpretation of China's achievements in green transformation and its governance practices in areas such as climate and energy, outlined the broad prospects for China-EU green cooperation, and answered questions from the attendees on site.
Cai Run stated that green is the distinctive hallmark of China-EU cooperation. China hopes to move forward in the same direction (相向而行, xiang xiang er xing - "facing each other, walk") with the European side, uphold the positioning of partnership, uphold the main tone of cooperation, jointly address global challenges such as climate change, achieve complementing each other's strengths (优势互补, you shi hu bu - "advantage, mutually, complement") and achieving mutual benefits and win-win results (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual, benefit, together, win") at a higher level, and inject more momentum into the development of China-EU relations.
The lecture venue had a warm atmosphere and lively interaction. The guests positively evaluated the lecture, appreciated China's achievements in the field of green development, and expressed their expectation that the EU and China will strengthen exchanging and learning from each other (交流互鉴, jiao liu hu jian - "exchange, mutually, learn from"), continue to deepen the green partnership, and work together to promote positive outcomes at the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, to be held in Antalya, Turkey, from November 9 to 20.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 卞民德 琼达卓嘎 徐驭尧 人民网记者 李海霞
After the earthquake struck Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet, rescue and disaster-relief efforts proceeded working day and night without rest (不舍昼夜, bu she zhou ye - "not, part with, day, night"), and supplies were dispatched in an unbroken stream. During the reporting process, three scenes stood out — the fluttering Party flag, the warmth of the cold night, and the headlights of vehicles on the road — bearing witness to the tense yet orderly rescue and resettlement work.
The Fluttering Party Flag
In the quake-hit area, the Party flags fluttering in the cold wind were a striking sight.
At the resettlement site in Village 2 of Maru Township, rows of tents stood neatly arranged. Handwritten information cards were pasted on the tents, making the names of the residents and the contact details of the corresponding assigned cadres immediately obvious to the eye (一目了然, yi mu le ran - "one, eye, understand, clear").
At noon on October 25, 86-year-old Yangbeng sat resting inside a tent. His household included a newborn baby just 10 days old and an elderly person with a broken leg. The assigned cadre came by several times a day, and medical staff also made regular home visits. "They take very good care of us," said the elderly Yangbeng.
In the neighboring tent was Cering Yangda, a mother of five children. In recent days, the assigned cadre had delivered urgently needed items such as diapers and milk powder. But Cering Yangda was still worried about the butter and beef buried under the rubble at her home. On a whim, she called the contact number posted on the tent. Before long, the assigned cadre took her husband to her home. Soon after, a team of firefighters arrived and helped retrieve the buried supplies one by one.
Zhao Hui, a medical worker at Nierong County People's Hospital with 16 years of Party membership, received the assignment on the night of the earthquake and set off by vehicle without the slightest hesitation. "At a time of crisis like this, we must charge to the front," she said.
A Party member vanguard team made up of Baqing County government cadres was busy distributing meals to the public. "Whatever the people need, we will do our utmost to provide," said one team member.
In every village group and every resettlement site, Party members were selflessly dedicating themselves. Beneath the azure sky, beside the white snow-capped mountains, the red Party flags grew ever more vivid.
The Warmth of the Cold Night
On October 25, at the resettlement site in Village 1 of Gangqie Township, Gasang Dawa, deputy supervisor of the Production and Marketing Division of the State Grid Baqing County Power Supply Company, stepped into a tent. Inside, an electric heater had dispelled the chill. Seeing a visitor arrive, the elderly man in the tent rose to greet him.
Gasang Dawa quickly stepped forward to support him. "Bola (Tibetan, meaning grandpa), is it warm enough in here?"
The old man nodded repeatedly. The night before, while inspecting the tent's electrical wiring, Gasang Dawa had noticed the old man sitting to one side clutching his legs. It turned out the old man suffered from joint disease, and his legs would ache when temperatures dropped.
Gasang Dawa and his colleague immediately decided to run a separate line and find an electric heater. That night, Gasang Dawa knelt on the ground to get the wiring done.
After the earthquake, power was cut off in some areas, and 628 base stations went out of service.
At 2:00 a.m. on October 23, repair vehicles were already bumping their way into the disaster area. Gasang Dawa and his colleagues patrolled and repaired the lines, walking section by section along the routes with flashlights. By 8:00 a.m., the full inspection of the two main power grid lines was complete, and the fault points had been eliminated one by one.
The communications network had also been restored. Gama Jiumei, manager of the China Mobile Baqing County branch, led a team to Maru Township and eliminated equipment faults at 4:00 a.m. on October 23, restoring the communications signal.
At 1:00 p.m. on October 24, China Mobile urgently deployed an integrated cloud-linked base station to support the front line, rapidly filling coverage gaps and strengthening signals in remote pastoral areas.
The Headlights on the Road
Under the night sky, on the mountain road leading to the epicenter, large trucks loaded with disaster-relief supplies were pressing onward, beams of headlights flashing past without pause.
Upon learning of the earthquake in Baqing County, truck driver Cui Fangfang immediately signed up online to transport supplies. She drove a 17.5-meter-long semi-trailer carrying two excavators, setting out from Lhasa.
"I've just unloaded one; there's another one to deliver further ahead," said Cui Fangfang. "I barely rested along the way — I just wanted to get there as soon as possible."
Wang Lijun, the excavator driver traveling with her, chimed in: "We previously took part in transporting supplies for the Dingri earthquake and the Gyirong mudslide disaster relief efforts, so we have experience."
There were many similar stories on this road. Truck driver Ma Fei, loaded with 30 sets of collapsible panel houses, set out from Golmud in Qinghai on the afternoon of the 23rd and arrived at his destination at around 5:00 p.m. on the 25th. By the time he finished unloading, he had gone a full day without eating, drinking only two bottles of water.
Truck drivers Mu Shengjun and Zhong Yanding, who set out from Lanzhou, Gansu, had 500 disaster-relief family kits on board. The two took turns driving, rushing on without a moment's pause. "Many drivers saw the disaster-relief markings on our truck and voluntarily gave way. At that moment, I truly felt that everyone was of one mind," said Zhong Yanding.
Even now, many large trucks loaded with all kinds of disaster-relief supplies are still on the road, hurrying toward the disaster area.
Beam after beam of headlights carried the concern of countless people, manifesting the great love of humanity.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Nagqu, October 25) (Reporter Xu Youyao) Rescue and relief operations following the earthquake in Baqing County are proceeding intensively. On October 25, some affected residents moved into prefabricated temporary housing, and follow-up resettlement is being accelerated. A reporter learned from China Railway that the company has launched construction of a total of 500 sets of emergency resettlement prefabricated housing units in Maru Township, Baqing County, for which it is responsible. As of the 25th, nearly 200 sets had been completed, with full completion expected on the 27th and centralized move-in of affected residents on the 28th. Each single unit covers 18 square meters and is built to the standards of "warm, windproof, and habitable through winter," equipped with electricity, lighting, heating, and cooking facilities. Thanks to the sustained efforts of State Grid Tibet Electric Power, the prefabricated housing at the resettlement site in Er Village, Maru Township, was successfully connected to the power supply at 8:00 p.m. on the 25th.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 杨 昊 张 驰
In the autumn, inside Simola Wa Village, Zhongzhai, Sanjia Village, Qingshui Town, Tengchong City, Yunnan Province, the sound of wooden drums accompanied singing and dancing, as visitors came and went.
"Simola" means "a place of happiness" in the Wa language. But in the past, villagers could barely make ends meet on their fragmented fields. During the battle against poverty, infrastructure in Simola Village continuously improved, and in 2017 the village was lifted out of poverty.
In 2020, General Secretary Xi Jinping visited Simola Village and expressed the hope to "make the happy Wa village even happier." "Party members and cadres made up their minds to lead the villagers in making a good living from the 'tourism meal' and to consolidate the foundation of the industry," said Zhao Jiaqing, deputy mayor of Qingshui Town and former Party branch secretary of Sanjia Village.
In June 2020, led by the Party branch of Sanjia Village, the Tengchong Qingshui Simola Happy Wa Township Tourism Professional Cooperative was established, exploring a model of "Party organization + company + cooperative + farmers." All villagers of Simola Village hold shares in the cooperative, with unified dividends distributed at the end of each year. Idle land and houses were uniformly transferred for use, creating a diverse range of business formats. As projects were implemented one after another, some villagers became employees, while others opened their own small shops.
On the street of specialty agricultural products, Wa villager Zhao Jiafang smiled as she invited passing tourists to taste snacks: "With more and more tourists coming, our lives are getting better and better."
By early 2026, the Simola Village cooperative had distributed dividends to villagers six consecutive times, totaling 1.383 million yuan.
With the solid implementation of policies such as revitalizing border areas and enriching the people, the deep affection of the Chinese people as one family has been integrated into the beautiful life along Yunnan's border areas.
In the afternoon, at the small border market of Longli Village, Daluo Town, Menghai County, Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture, a Dai grandmother arranged freshly picked dragon fruit and passion fruit into bamboo baskets, neatly placing them on the stall.
"In the past, the river blocked the way, transportation was inconvenient, and people's lives were tight," said Yu Er'nan, Party branch secretary of the Longli Village group. In 2020, a 112-meter-long "Gratitude Bridge" opened up the "last kilometer" into the village. With the road open, villagers found it easier to travel, and fruit sales also expanded. Tourism enterprises seized the opportunity to invest, linking border tours, fruit picking, and dining and homestays into a complete business chain. In 2025, the per capita income of Longli Village villagers reached 28,000 yuan.
In Gusheng Village, Wanqiao Town, Dali City, golden rice paddies stretched out in continuous swaths, as Bai villager He Licheng busily organized villagers for the harvest. This year he contracted to plant more than 500 mu of ecological rice paddies, with the highest yield reaching about 820 kilograms per mu. "Farming with ecological concepts and scientific methods both protects Erhai Lake and brings good returns!" He Licheng said.
He Licheng grew up by the shores of Erhai Lake, working as a fisherman, running a fish pond, and operating a guesthouse. In 1996, when Erhai Lake experienced its first large-scale outbreak of blue-green algae, his family was among the first to cancel their motorized fishing boats, and later also gave up their self-built fish pond; in 2018, when the "three lines" demarcation was implemented for Erhai Lake, part of his family's house fell within the red line, and He Licheng again closed his guesthouse... "Everyone gradually came to understand that the beautiful scenery of Erhai Lake is not only the foundation for tourism, but the clear lake water is also the 'rice bowl' of the next generation," He Licheng said.
Since August 2019, the Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture has designated the first Saturday of each month as "Erhai Lake Protection Day," during which Party members, cadres, and the public jointly carry out the "three cleanups" activities of cleaning homes, cleaning water sources, and cleaning fields. "When Erhai Lake is clear, Dali prospers" is becoming a shared concept and daily practice among the people by the Cangshan Mountains and Erhai Lake.
"The Chinese nation is one big family, and every member of the family should live a good life." On the new journey, the sons and daughters of all ethnic groups in Yunnan are walking hand in hand, sharing a common bond and purpose (心连心, xin lian xin - "heart, connect, heart"), sharing the fruits of development and heading together toward a better life.
Return to TopBy: 任仲平
(1)
"To build a modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts, the key lies in the Party."
"To strengthen confidence and continue the struggle, we must advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance."
At the important juncture of the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, in the critical period of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and in the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party studied several major issues concerning advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance, which is of great significance for consolidating the Party's governing position and fulfilling the Party's missions and tasks.
Nurtured in the great practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, always adhering to the Two Integrations, Xi Jinping's thought on Party building provides the fundamental guidance for strengthening Party building in the new era and has major practical significance and long-term guiding significance for strengthening the Party and the country.
From "a scene of decline and decay" to "a scene of flourishing and prosperity," the Communist Party of China, having traversed a glorious 105-year journey, has led the people in writing the most magnificent epic in the several-thousand-year history of the Chinese nation.
Why is the Communist Party of China capable? Its excellent qualities—such as unswervingly pursuing truth, deeply rooting itself in the people, bravely shouldering historical missions, following the trend of development, daring to struggle and being good at struggle, and focusing on strengthening itself—are precisely the key code.
From a small red boat to a mighty giant ship, the Party has become stronger and more powerful through revolutionary tempering, and has developed into the world's largest governing party, always possessing strong creativity, cohesion, and combat effectiveness.
When speaking of the Party's history, one cannot fail to mention the Long March.
This year marks the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.
When speaking of the Long March, people will inevitably mention the Zunyi Conference: it was a turning point of vital importance or life-and-death significance in the Party's history.
During the Long March, without this turning point, the fate of the Party and the Red Army, and the fate of the Chinese revolution, could not have been saved.
The Zunyi Conference "began to establish the leading position in the Party Central Committee of the correct Marxist line with Comrade Mao Zedong as the main representative, and began to form the Party's first generation of central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core."
"The great victorious road of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on the Party's correct leadership." At the commemoration conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly revealed the winning way contained in the victory of the Long March for the Party and the people's army to advance with vigor, pointing out that "the Party's correct leadership and the establishment of Comrade Mao Zedong's core position had decisive significance for the victory of the Red Army's Long March."
Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, socialism with Chinese characteristics has entered the new era. The greatest political achievement of the new era is the establishment of Comrade Xi Jinping's core position in the Party Central Committee and the whole Party, and the establishment of the guiding position of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Advancing Party building as a great project, and always adhering to the principles and policies of the Party governing itself with strict discipline, is a major magic weapon for establishing the Party and the country and strengthening the Party and the country.
Since the new era, "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has achieved great accomplishments, opened up a new realm of self-revolution for a century-old major party, promoted historic achievements and historic changes in the cause of the Party and the state, and the Party and the people have won the historical initiative of strengthening the Party and the country."
"Committed to seeking happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, committed to seeking progress for humanity and great harmony for the world."
For the Party to accomplish the historical mission it bears, "the most important thing is to build the Party to be stronger and more powerful."
Facing the long-standing "four major tests" and "four dangers," full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the road.
"We must advance full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance," demonstrating the sobriety, perseverance, and tenacity of Chinese Communists. It is both a profound summary of the experience of governing the Party since the new era and an inevitable requirement for the Party to forever maintain its vigor and vitality and to walk well the new road of the examination.
Only by "adhering to and applying the valuable experience of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era with higher standards and more concrete measures, rectifying and solving the prominent problems facing Party building well, and consolidating and developing the good political situation formed by governing the Party with strict discipline" can we continuously create a new situation of governing the Party, revitalizing the Party, and strengthening the Party in the new era.
Today, the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal have been significantly enhanced, and its global influence has been significantly improved. From this, deeply grasping the historical logic, theoretical logic, and practical logic of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, one can more deeply understand why the Communist Party of China was able to succeed in the past and how it can continue to succeed in the future.
(2)
The governance of a major party presents a new atmosphere. The Party possesses strong political leadership and has won the historical initiative of ensuring that the Party does not change its nature, its color, or its character.
The Chinese nation has ushered in a great leap from standing up, to becoming prosperous, to becoming strong. "This great leap is a great cause of transforming society, and at the same time a great project of transforming itself."
To govern the country, one must first govern the Party; to govern the Party, one must be strict.
In November 2012, when meeting with Chinese and foreign journalists after the conclusion of the 18th National Congress of the Party, General Secretary Xi Jinping's words carried immense weight: "Under the new circumstances, our Party faces many severe challenges, and there are many problems within the Party that urgently need to be solved."
In October 2022, at the 20th National Congress of the Party, the General Secretary highly summarized the historic changes in the Party's appearance: "The ability to self-purify, self-improve, self-reform, and self-enhance has been significantly strengthened, the lax, weak, and soft situation in governing the Party has been fundamentally reversed, and a clean and upright political atmosphere within the Party has been continuously formed and developed."
Making full and rigorous self-governance of the Party the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era and an important component of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy is precisely the key stroke in writing history.
In response to the problem that the implementation of the Party's leadership had been weakened, hollowed out, and diluted for a period of time, strengthening the centralized, unified leadership of the Party was made the common political responsibility of the whole Party, and the system of the Party's leadership was continuously improved;
In response to corruption, the greatest threat facing the Party, an unprecedented anti-corruption struggle was advanced with the mission and responsibility of "offending thousands of people rather than failing 1.4 billion";
Today, the whole Party is united into "a piece of hard steel," advancing in unison under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee.
The victory of the Long March was a victory of direction and path.
The General Secretary pointed out: "In the Party's leadership of the people in governing the country, the most important thing is to adhere to the correct political direction, always maintain our Party's political character, and always advance along the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics."
Affairs are in all directions, but the key lies in the center.
"Adhering to the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee" is an important content of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building and the highest principle of the Party's leadership.
"Adhering to the Party's political construction as the guide," the primary task is to "ensure that the whole Party obeys the Central Committee, and uphold the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership."
Since the new era, the Party has effectively resolved the prominent contradictions and problems affecting the Party's long-term governance, the country's long-term stability and peace, and the people's well-being, eliminated serious hidden dangers within the Party, the state, and the military, and ensured that the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation has unstoppable momentum. The most fundamental reason lies in the Two Establishments.
History, after the sedimentation of time, often becomes clearer to see.
2020 was an extremely unusual year in the history of New China, in the history of the Chinese nation, and also in the history of mankind.
The century-old pandemic struck suddenly, floods and disasters occurred in many places, economic development was severely impacted, and the external environment was fraught with high winds and rough waves...
At the critical moment when the sky seemed to be falling, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core showed great foresight, assessed the situation, and led the giant ship of China through rapids and shoals, creating extraordinary brilliance in this extremely unusual year.
"At major historical junctures and in the face of major tests, leadership is the most critical condition, and the judgment, decision-making, and action capabilities of the Party Central Committee play a decisive role."
Today, looking again at the major decision made by the General Secretary in 2020 to build the new development pattern, one can more deeply understand that this is the Party Central Committee's "strategic layout and first move to grasp the initiative in future development."
Since the beginning of this year, regional situations have become more turbulent, and the global energy market has fluctuated violently.
As of the end of July, China's photovoltaic installed capacity for the first time surpassed coal power, becoming the largest power source category in terms of installed capacity.
From the limitless "wind and solar" to the "water" that naturally flows into place, China has built the world's largest and fastest-developing renewable energy system, with accelerated green energy transformation and continuously improved supply capacity.
The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes: "Deeply implement the new energy security strategy, accelerate the construction of a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient new energy system, and build a strong energy country."
"Enhance our country's viability, competitiveness, development capacity, and sustainability amid all foreseeable and unforeseeable storms and rough seas."
A foreign political figure said: "The Communist Party of China has an unswerving and indomitable spirit, outstanding political wisdom, and the ability to make major decisions concerning the future of the country and the people in different historical periods."
Resolutely achieving the Two Upholds and firmly grasping the leadership and initiative in the development of the cause, our Party opens new prospects amid changes, stabilizes the overall situation amid crises, and secures victory amid chaos.
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The light of truth illuminates the journey. The Party possesses strong ideological guidance, and contemporary Chinese Marxism and 21st-century Marxism demonstrate a more powerful and more convincing force of truth.
Possessing the guidance of Marxist scientific theory is the fundamental reason our Party has won historical initiative.
"The great victorious road of the Red Army's Long March was walked out by relying on independence, self-reliance, and seeking truth from facts."
"Why the Communist Party of China works, why socialism with Chinese characteristics works—ultimately it is because Marxism works, and because Marxism adapted to the Chinese context and the needs of the times works."
Over the past 105 years, the Party has adhered to the Two Integrations, continuously advanced the Sinicization and modernization of Marxism, formed theoretical achievements that keep pace with the times, and at the same time always attached importance to building the Party ideologically and strengthening the Party theoretically, so that the whole Party always maintains unified thinking, firm will, coordinated action, and strong combat effectiveness.
"Persisting in using the Party's innovative theories to unite hearts and forge souls" is the fundamental task of the Party's ideological construction and an important content of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building.
Focusing on solving the problems of China in the new era and answering the questions of China, the world, the people, and the times, Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era fully demonstrates the power of truth and the mighty force of practice.
The leap of theory, in the final analysis, "is embodied in answering practical questions and leading practical development."
Scientifically judging that China's economy was in the period of "overlapping of three phases," creatively proposing the new development philosophy, and leading and promoting quality changes, efficiency changes, and momentum changes;
In the face of "problems after development" such as frequent environmental pollution and the unsustainability of extensive development, profoundly elaborating on the construction of ecological civilization in the process of modernization;
With the heavy tasks of reform, development, and stability, the numerous contradictions, risks, and challenges, and the unprecedented tests of governance, creatively proposing to advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity on the track of the rule of law;
As the latest major achievement of scientific socialism, the theory of Chinese modernization points out a wide and smooth path for comprehensively building a great modern socialist country and realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Guiding new practice with new theory, "using practice to realize truth and test truth."
On September 16 this year, the Pinglu Canal officially opened to navigation. As the first grand canal built since the founding of New China to connect rivers with the sea, it turned into reality the vision of Dr. Sun Yat-sen in "The International Development of China" more than 100 years ago.
"Only we Chinese Communists have realized it."
As a backbone project of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, the Pinglu Canal has opened up the shortest, most economical, and most convenient sea passage for China's southwestern region.
The report of the 20th National Congress of the Party proposed the major task of accelerating the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Vigorously advance the construction of the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor, promote the development and opening up of areas along the route, and deeply integrate into the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative."
This new corridor reshapes the economic and geographical landscape of China-ASEAN, and is of great significance for promoting the formation of an opening-up pattern of "linkage between land and sea, both at home and abroad, and mutual reinforcement between the east and the west."
From being impoverished and uncultured to ranking first in the world in high-speed railway operating mileage and occupying 8 of the top 10 ports in global cargo throughput, Chinese modernization is magnificent in all its variety, far exceeding the imagination of predecessors.
Adhering to the combination of theoretical arming and practical application, "only when theory is strong can the direction be clear, hearts be united, and confidence be sufficient."
Marx pointed out that once theory grasps the masses, it also becomes a material force. All the Party's centralized education campaigns have been led by ideological education.
The Yangtze River Delta is one of the important engines leading China's high-quality development. The General Secretary presided over two symposiums, promoting the integration of the Yangtze River Delta with rapid but steady progress.
Clenching fingers into a fist, jointly extending the long boards. The 105 joint research projects of the three provinces and one municipality cover key fields such as integrated circuits and artificial intelligence, jointly building world-class industrial clusters.
Studying and implementing General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on the regional coordinated development strategy and major regional strategies, focusing on the two keys of integration and high quality, the Yangtze River Delta is moving from the stage of "laying foundations and building platforms" to a new stage of "functional leap."
Focusing on studying the Party's innovative theories, better "transforming them into a powerful material force for understanding and transforming the world," winning the initiative and winning the future.
(4)
The governance of China is built on solid foundations. The Party possesses strong mass organization and has won the historical initiative of uniting and leading all the people to strive together for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "The more effective the governance of the Party, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development."
Promoting high-quality development with high-quality Party building, today's China sees dreams realized one after another and vitality bursting forth.
The economic aggregate has climbed to a new level of 140 trillion yuan, lucid waters and lush mountains spread the background color of happiness, the cultural and museum boom continues the thousand-year cultural lineage, and the door of high-level opening up is opening wider and wider...
"The governance of China" is releasing an increasingly strong "magnetic attraction," forming a sharp contrast with "the chaos of the West."
From the Fengqiao model in the new era promoting the resolution of contradictions at the grassroots level and eliminating them in the bud, to the "Six-Foot Lane working method" moistening neighborhoods with the wisdom of harmony of "yielding three feet"...
"Safety" is a notable symbol of "the governance of China." Promoting joint construction, joint governance, and shared benefits with grassroots Party building, upholding this tangible and perceptible "Chinese-style sense of security," and making "Safe China" a shining "national business card."
"The reason China has been able to maintain a strong national identity and development resilience in the waves of modernization and globalization is that the leadership of the Communist Party of China is the key." An international observer said.
"China's biggest national condition is the leadership of the Communist Party of China. What are Chinese characteristics? This is Chinese characteristics."
Xi Jinping's thought on Party building clearly proposes the Fourteen Commitments, with "adhering to the leadership of the Party is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics" placed first.
During the Long March, the Red Army soldiers always firmly believed that "as long as we follow the Party, we will surely win"; in the face of the decision to go north, Comrade Zhu De firmly stated: "I am a Communist Party member, and my duty is to carry out the Party's decisions."
Over the past 105 years, the Party has led the people through untold hardships, explored and formed a system and governance system with strong vitality and great superiority, created the "two miracles," and firmly grasped the fate of the country's development and progress in its own hands.
Supporting "the governance of China" with "the system of China."
The greatest advantage of the Party's leadership is reflected, in a very important aspect, in the Party's ability to command all directions and organize all parties, possessing strong organizational and executive capabilities.
Looking from the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources.
The General Secretary pointed out: "The ability of our socialist system to concentrate resources to accomplish major tasks is an important magic weapon for us to achieve our cause. Many of our major scientific and technological achievements were made by relying on this magic weapon, and we must never lose it!"
In May this year, China's fourth-generation independently developed superconducting quantum computer "Origin Wukong-180" was officially launched. The continuous breaking of records in the scale of China's independently developed quantum computing services is inseparable from the exertion of the advantages of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources.
Looking from the five-year plans.
The combination of good planning and executive power makes the five-year plan, for China, an institutional force that turns blueprints into reality.
In March this year, the National Development Planning Law was officially implemented. Safeguarding the authority of planning with the rigidity of the rule of law, promoting implementation and effectiveness with institutional efficiency, and ensuring that "one blueprint is drawn to the end."
"The extraordinary governing ability of the Communist Party of China and the strong executive power of Chinese governments at all levels in implementing policies are admirable." A foreign scholar exclaimed.
In full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, organizational construction is an important content.
On the battlefield of the battle against poverty, "five-level secretaries grasping poverty alleviation" connected the upper and lower levels, 255,000 village-based work teams took root in the countryside, and would not withdraw until complete victory;
In building Xiong'an New Area, the first batch of pioneers "obeyed the needs of the Party and acted at the sound of the order," promoting the city of the future to grow and rise;
Serving new employment groups, promoting full coverage of Party organizations and Party work, so that "mobile people" can find a "warm home";
"Adhering to and improving the organizational system that connects the upper and lower levels and is effective in execution" ensures the smooth flow of orders from the Party Central Committee and the prohibition of disobedience, and the Party's organizational advantages and organizational strength are fully demonstrated.
On the new journey, fully giving play to the leading and guaranteeing role of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, transforming the Party's political and organizational advantages into development advantages and governance efficiency, and comprehensively advancing Chinese modernization with high-quality development will surely ride the wind and waves and achieve steady and long-term progress.
(5)
The well-being of the people is evident to all. The Party possesses strong social appeal, gathering the mighty force to advance Chinese modernization.
A survey shows that more than 92% of Chinese respondents identify with their sense of gain, happiness, and security.
Today, the great unity of all ethnic groups, the great unity of the people of the whole country, and the great unity of all Chinese sons and daughters are continuously consolidated and developed, and hundreds of millions of people have greatly enhanced their ambition, backbone, and confidence, and are confidently creating new historical achievements on the new journey.
Looking back at history, from fragmentation and a heap of loose sand to a high degree of unity and ethnic solidarity, why is it that only the Communist Party of China can effectively organize, mobilize, and unite hundreds of millions of people?
When the Red Army passed through Shazhou Yao Village in Rucheng County, Hunan Province during the Long March, it left behind the story of "half a quilt," which "let the masses understand the Communist Party and regard the Party as their own."
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "As long as we are deeply rooted in the people and always maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the masses, the Party's cause will be invincible."
"Adhering to staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission" is the eternal subject of strengthening Party building and the lifelong subject of all Party members and cadres, and is an important content of Xi Jinping's thought on Party building.
Winning the trust of the people with the actual results of benefiting the people is a distinctive feature of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
Every meal concerns the warmth and cold of people's livelihood and relates to the support or opposition of the people.
From "not taking a single needle or thread from the masses" to "not eating the people's apples," it reflects the political character of Chinese Communists.
In the past, "hundreds of documents could not control one mouth"; now, from rectifying the problem of illegal eating and drinking, to seriously investigating and dealing with "problems of pleasure-seeking and extravagance hidden behind high-end liquor, 'sky-high tea,' 'sky-high cigarettes,' and high-priced mooncakes"...
Small cuts promote major changes, "the Eight-Point Regulation changed China." Some members of the public said bluntly: "The good work style of the Communist Party is back!"
From "being able to fill one's stomach" to "eating 'clean grains,'" and then to "eating fine grains whenever one wants and being able to eat meat regularly," the wishes of the common people on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi have always been kept in mind by the General Secretary.
Implementing the strictest farmland protection system, implementing the Party and government joint responsibility for food security, achieving "twenty-two consecutive bumper harvests"; developing agricultural new quality productive forces in light of local conditions, and seeking production capacity, output, and quality from science and technology...
From managing one dining table, to firmly holding the rice bowl of more than 1.4 billion people, to promoting common prosperity for all the people to make solid progress, "the people's apples" must not only not be eaten, but must also become the people's "apples of happiness."
"Whatever the masses oppose and hate, we must resolutely prevent and correct."
Adhering to grasping Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline together, and linking the rectification of conduct, the enforcement of discipline, and the fight against corruption, continuously rectifying formalism to reduce burdens at the grassroots level, promoting cadres to boldly do their work on the premise of abiding by rules and discipline and being honest and upright, and focusing their minds and energy on enhancing the well-being of the people.
Targeting unhealthy tendencies and corruption problems around the masses, carrying out a three-year concentrated rectification, so that the masses can truly feel the increased intensity of rectifying conduct and fighting corruption and the presence of clean and upright atmosphere around them.
Why can our Party unite all forces that can be united and mobilize all positive factors that can be mobilized? The key lies in "having no special interests of its own."
In July this year, the Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress was implemented, an important milestone in the Party's united front and ethnic work.
The formation and development of the Chinese national community is the aspiration of the people, the general trend, and a historical necessity, and is a powerful confirmation of the subjectivity of Chinese culture.
"Under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, every advancement of China's major development strategies has opened a new window for overseas Chinese who have returned to China to start businesses." An overseas Chinese entrepreneur said with such emotion.
An American scholar once wrote in analysis that China, under the leadership of the Communist Party, is increasingly moving toward the center of the world stage, "which is largely due to the Party's strict self-governance and self-innovation, and the public trust thus gained."
Firmly standing with the people, thinking together with the people, and working together with the people, our Party has a solid foundation that no storm can shake. Fully giving play to the creative power of hundreds of millions of people and promoting Chinese modernization with the great unity of the Chinese nation will surely continue to open up new horizons and create new miracles.
(6)
The anchor of the world, the focus of global attention. The Communist Party of China has significant global influence and provides Chinese wisdom, Chinese solutions, and Chinese strength for solving major problems of mankind.
In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, China has welcomed a "wave of visits," with head-of-state diplomacy reaching one climax after another, becoming "the new center of gravity of global diplomacy," and the world increasingly welcomes China's "diplomacy of certainty."
"In a world torn apart by geopolitical turmoil and trade fragmentation, China is playing the role of a global stabilizer and becoming an anchor of certainty in an ocean of uncertainty." The website of the American Foreign Policy Focus research program stated.
Bearing the world in mind, establishing oneself and helping others.
With the future of mankind in mind and the well-being of the people at heart, the Communist Party of China is an "empowering party" and China is an "empowering major country."
Building a community with a shared future for mankind has become "a glorious banner leading the progress of the times," the four major global initiatives have become strategic guidance for building global consensus, and the high-quality joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative has become a practical platform benefiting all countries in the world...
The propositions and actions of the Communist Party of China have become the major narrative with the most directionality and strength in the accelerating evolution of the century-old changes.
Today, as we once again study and understand the keynote speech "Walking Hand in Hand on the Path of Modernization" delivered by General Secretary Xi Jinping in March 2023 at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, we can more deeply understand why the world "looks east" and seeks hope and the future from China.
The world has come to a new crossroads, and a series of "questions of modernization" are scientifically answered—
From five aspects—the people-centeredness of the direction of modernization, the diversity of modernization paths, the sustainability of the modernization process, the inclusiveness of modernization achievements, and the firmness of modernization leadership—China's propositions are deeply elaborated;
From three aspects—committing to promoting high-quality development and promoting global development and prosperity, safeguarding international fairness and justice and promoting world peace and stability, and promoting exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations and advancing the progress of human civilization—the firm convictions of the Communist Party of China are solemnly declared.
This is a full demonstration of the original aspiration and founding mission of Chinese Communists.
We might look at the Communist Party of China's international influence, appeal, and shaping power from the perspective of "enhancing the inclusiveness of modernization achievements."
Benefiting the world with one's own development.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China's cumulative imports exceeded 90 trillion yuan, and the exported wind power and photovoltaic products cumulatively reduced carbon emissions for other countries by about 4.1 billion tons.
Accelerating the construction of the new development pattern, the Chinese market, which combines "bigness" and "newness," has forged "China Opportunity 2.0" and become a "hardcore gym" facing the world.
With a contribution rate of about 30% for many years, it has continuously been the largest contributor to world economic growth and the strongest "stabilizing anchor."
Contributing to the world with a global vision.
"The Chinese people not only hope to live well themselves, but also hope that the people of all countries live well."
The meteorological intelligent early warning solution "Mazu" contributes Chinese wisdom to the global response to climate change, and China's initiative on global artificial intelligence governance has been called by the international community "a systematic solution worthy of being recorded in the history of scientific and technological development."
One crop feeds the world—China's hybrid rice has been promoted and planted in more than 70 countries around the world. From getting rid of poverty to consolidating the achievements, the poverty reduction governance practice in the new era gives the world reference and confidence: "China can succeed, and other developing countries can also succeed."
Empowering the world with ideological value.
After visiting China, the Iraqi leader promoted the establishment of the country's highest anti-corruption committee upon returning home; Bolivia's Movement Toward Socialism party refined disciplinary punishment provisions when amending its party constitution...
Keith Bennett, co-founder of the British website "Friends of Socialist China," said that the Communist Party of China is willing to share its own construction experience with other political parties, but does not impose its views on others, nor does it insist on complete agreement, always emphasizing seeking common ground while reserving differences.
Xi Jinping's thought on Party building not only provides guidance for the "world's largest party" to move toward becoming the "world's strongest political party," but also contributes Chinese wisdom to the development and progress of world political civilization.
"Always closely linking one's own destiny with the destiny of the people of all countries, and striving to provide new opportunities for world development with new achievements of Chinese modernization."
Walking the great road of the world together, jointly creating a better future.
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Cherishing the lofty ideal of communism, determined to achieve the great cause of the Chinese nation for thousands of years.
Through 105 years of unremitting struggle, our Party has always adhered to its original aspiration and founding mission, led the people to achieve the great cause of creating heaven and earth, transforming heaven and earth, overturning heaven and earth, and shaking heaven and earth, and is irreversibly moving toward the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on the path of socialism with Chinese characteristics.
In this year's important speech on July 1, the General Secretary solemnly declared: "By the middle of this century, we must comprehensively build a great modern socialist country and realize the Second Centenary Goal. Time waits for no one! History waits for no one!"
"The new journey is an expedition full of glory and dreams, a new Long March of the Party and the people." The General Secretary emphasized: "To carry forward the great Long March spirit and walk well the new Long March road, we must adhere to the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building."
Advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance on the new journey means "ensuring that the Party always remains a vibrant Marxist governing party that stands at the forefront of the times, is sincerely supported by the people, and can withstand all kinds of storms and tests, and always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics."
Struggle has no end, and the examination has no end.
Today, the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation shows unprecedented bright prospects, but a wide and smooth path does not mean a flat and smooth road; we must be prepared to make more arduous and more difficult efforts. On the new Long March road, there are still many "Loushan Passes" and "Lazikou" waiting for us to conquer.
Coming from the depths of history, advancing toward the summit of the future.
Without the Communist Party of China, there would be no New China, no happy life for the Chinese people, and no great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. This is the proof of history.
History will continue to prove that the Communist Party of China is worthy of being a great, glorious, and correct party, worthy of being the mainstay in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and worthy of being the most reliable backbone of the Chinese people and the Chinese nation.
Every generation must walk its own Long March road.
On the new journey, the whole Party and the people of all ethnic groups across the country are advancing with vigor and spirit, unremittingly striving to comprehensively advance the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation with Chinese modernization.
Uniting more closely around the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, comprehensively implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, deeply understanding the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, enhancing the Four Consciousnesses, strengthening the Four Confidences, achieving the Two Upholds, advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance, vigorously carrying forward the great founding spirit of the Party, firmly shouldering the heavy responsibilities entrusted by history and the people, and forever maintaining the sobriety and firmness of the examination—
"As long as we adhere to our unchanging path and unchanging will, persist consistently and strive with one heart, we will surely be able to overcome all difficulties and obstacles on the way forward and continuously move toward the other shore of success!"
"All Party comrades must stay true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, must remain modest, prudent, and hardworking, must dare to struggle and be good at struggle, closely rely on and unite and lead the people of all ethnic groups across the country to forge ahead on the new journey, make contributions in the new era, and strive to create new historical brilliance!"
Return to TopBy: 张 凡
From October 26 to 29, the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held in Beijing, studying major issues concerning the unremitting advancement of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Starting today, this section launches a series of commentaries focusing on the theory and practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, joining everyone in deeply studying Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and enhancing the ideological consciousness and action consciousness of unremittingly advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
—Editor
Traveling during the holiday, new scenery along the way: driving through the mountains, large stretches of photovoltaic panels on the slopes come into view; visiting the car market, new energy brand models present a feast for the eyes or a wide variety of things (琳琅满目, lin lang man mu - "luxuriant, full, eye, dazzled")... Each and every one reflects a country's energy transformation. Today, China's new energy industry has won four "global firsts" in scale, utilization, industrial chain, and cost competitiveness.
Turn the clock back more than 10 years, and all this was hard to imagine. At that time, China's new energy industry had its technology, equipment, and market "all three ends abroad," constrained by others at every turn. From "three ends abroad" to "four firsts," what enabled this reversal?
"The Communist Party of China possesses extraordinary ability to realize its vision." Kenyan international affairs expert Stephen Ndegwa marveled.
How was this "extraordinary ability to realize its vision" forged? The answer lies in the practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era.
In running China's affairs well, the Party is the key. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The more effective Party governance and self-governance are, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development."
Since the beginning of the new era, with unremitting advancement of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, the Party's political leadership, ideological guidance, mass organization, and social appeal have been significantly enhanced. The leap forward of China's new energy industry is precisely a vivid sample for observing this "extraordinary ability."
The "extraordinary ability" is first reflected in the strategic judgment capability of "setting the direction, planning the overall situation, and making decisions."
"We took the lead in developing wind power and photovoltaics, and the path we took now appears forward-looking." Behind this forward-looking layout is "assessing the situation and trends to act accordingly (审时度势, shen shi du shi - "examine, time, consider, trend"), and leveraging the momentum to act."
Creatively proposing the new energy security strategy of "four revolutions and one cooperation"; making the strategic judgment that "developing new energy vehicles is the necessary path for China to transform from a major automobile country into a powerful automobile country"; emphasizing "accelerating the construction of a new energy system, promoting new electricity demand to be mainly met by new energy power generation"...
Following the direction charted by General Secretary Xi Jinping, we have deepened the energy revolution, drawing one blueprint to the end and advancing step by step. Today, China taking the lead or being in the vanguard (一马当先, yi ma dang xian - "one, horse, lead, first") on the new energy track stems precisely from the strong judgment and decision-making capability demonstrated by the Party Central Committee at critical junctures and important moments.
The "extraordinary ability" is reflected in the Party's strong organizational capability of "taking overall control of the whole situation (总揽全局, zong lan quan ju - "overall, grasp, whole, situation") and coordinating all parties."
On the vast Gobi, photovoltaic panels spread out like a blue ocean; transmission lines stretch for thousands of miles, surging with green energy. Behind this magnificent scene is a highly complex system operating efficiently.
The construction of a unified national electricity market requires breaking through deep-seated interest barriers; tackling key core technologies such as UHV and energy storage requires the coordinated efforts of the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources; the construction of large-scale wind and photovoltaic power bases in the Gobi and other desert areas requires cross-regional and cross-departmental coordinated scheduling... In accelerating the construction of a new energy system, "China's system" demonstrates its significant advantages.
From strengthening the Party's overall leadership over energy work, to establishing and improving mechanisms for coordinated advancement of major cross-departmental and cross-regional projects; from improving the new nationwide system for mobilizing resources, to deepening reforms in key areas and critical links of the energy sector... The Party fully exerts its leadership core role of "taking overall control of the whole situation and coordinating all parties," pooling resources and gathering strength from all sides, and our institutional advantages are being rapidly transformed into developmental advantages.
The "extraordinary ability" is also reflected in the efficient execution capability of "once you see it clearly, seize the moment and act."
From improving mechanisms for implementing major decisions of the Party Central Committee, strengthening political supervision, "ensuring strict obedience to orders (令行禁止, ling xing jin zhi - "command, execute, prohibit, forbid")"; to deepening the rectification of corruption in key areas and removing the "midway obstructions" hindering the implementation of strategies; to continuously rectifying formalism and bureaucratism, promoting Party members and cadres to implement tasks with the spirit of driving in nails...
Through full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, our Party has tempered an execution capability that is pragmatic, responsible, and capable of both planning and executing well (善作善成, shan zuo shan cheng - "good, do, good, accomplish"). From the implementation of one five-year plan after another, to the fruition of one deployment after another, with grand designs in mind and working with great perseverance and leaving a lasting impact (踏石留印, ta shi liu yin - "tread, stone, leave, mark"), the Party has led the people to turn the grand blueprint into a beautiful reality step by step, writing a splendid answer sheet for green transformation.
Through more than 10 years of rigorous tempering, full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has not only been about rectifying conduct and discipline and clearing away corruption and promoting integrity (激浊扬清, ji zhuo yang qing - "stir, turbid, raise, clear"), but has also reshaped the Party's spirit and forged strong leadership. This leadership has supported us in achieving a decisive victory in the battle against poverty, breaking through encirclement in scientific and technological research, forging new paths in the deep waters of reform, and stabilizing the overall situation when storms struck, accomplishing many major matters that we previously wanted to accomplish but could not, and the Party and the people have won the historical initiative of strengthening the Party and the country.
On the new journey, unremittingly advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and building the Party to be even stronger and more capable, more than 1.4 billion people united under the Party's banner as "one piece of hard steel," will surely continue to win new and greater victories.
Return to TopBy: 彭 飞
Confidence is a kind of temperament. At the level of the individual, one can glimpse the spiritual outlook of the group.
Before the Hall of Prayer for Good Harvests, explaining the concept of "unity of heaven and humanity," and under the ancient cypress trees, discussing "harmonious coexistence," Zhang Huawei, a docent at the Temple of Heaven Park, sincerely hopes that what visitors see is not only the scenery and objects, but also the civilizational concepts behind them.
Passing by the Tianshan Shengli Tunnel while leading a tour group, Xinjiang tour guide Dilnur Tursunjan blurted out: "It's not that piercing through the Tianshan Mountains is easy, but that there are people on the other side of the Tianshan."
Such remarks reflect a profound cultural confidence and reveal an extraordinary spirit and bearing. Today's Chinese people have long since transcended pride in cultural symbols, and have instead delved into the level of cultural identity, which in turn transforms into a naturally expressed cultivation and temperament.
"Cultural confidence is a more fundamental, broader, and deeper confidence, and a more basic, deeper, and more enduring force";
"Only a nation with cultural confidence can stand firm, stand steady, and go far";
"To build a modern socialist country in all respects, we must adhere to the path of socialist cultural development with Chinese characteristics and enhance cultural confidence"...
Through in-depth study of Volume I and Volume II of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Culture, one comes to appreciate even more that cultural confidence is a force that enables people to remain composed and steadfast.
The confidence of today's Chinese youth is evident in their every gesture and in their spiritual self-strengthening.
Studying overseas, wearing hanfu and performing ancient rituals at graduation ceremonies, confident and poised; communicating cultural differences with foreign tourists visiting China, sincere and candid; responding to remarks that distort or even smear China, maintaining a dignified and poised attitude (不卑不亢, bu bei bu kang - "not humble, not arrogant"), rational and resolute...
Individual confidence is amplified and aggregated into a mature great-power mentality.
In the face of wins and losses on the international competitive stage, they are more tolerant and more open-minded, paying attention to results while also enjoying the process; in the face of blockades, supply cutoffs, and suppression, they are unafraid, unflustered, and unperturbed, instead becoming all the more tenacious and becoming more courageous after every setback (愈挫愈勇, yu cuo yu yong - "more defeated, more courageous")...
"When were there ever no difficulties? We overcome them one by one, year after year, and each year we improve — this is how the Chinese nation has carried on for over 5,000 years." The source of confidence lies in our profound historical and cultural accumulation, which enables us to face everything with composure and handle everything properly.
Cultural confidence does not mean self-worship or being conservative and refusing to adopt new ideas (故步自封, gu bu zi feng - "old steps, self seal"), but rather embracing diverse cultures and colorful civilizations with an open mind and an inclusive attitude.
The wildly popular dance-drama Poetic Dance: The Journey of a Legendary Landscape Painting conducted a "mixing experiment" in its music: using piano as the foundation, orchestral music as the backdrop, ethnic instruments as interludes, and even incorporating rock rhythms. Traditional instruments and Western instruments shine brilliantly in coordination with one another (交相辉映, jiao xiang hui ying - "interchange, mutual, shine, reflect"), and the elegant charm of the Song Dynasty and modern rhythms complement and merge with each other, displaying a unique artistic appeal.
"Only through exchange and mutual learning with other civilizations, and by learning from others' strengths to make up for one's own weaknesses (取长补短, qu chang bu duan - "take long, supplement short"), can one maintain vigorous vitality." Today's China, with cultural confidence as vast as the sea and as towering as the mountains, demonstrates the bearing and breadth of mind of "the more confident, the more open; the more open, the more confident."
Looking at it from a deeper level, cultural confidence is also a form of "autonomy."
General Secretary Xi Jinping has emphasized that "for any culture to stand firm and go far, and to have leading power, cohesive power, shaping power, and radiating power, it must have its own subjectivity," and pointed out that "with cultural subjectivity, there is a firm self in the cultural sense, and cultural confidence has its fundamental support."
In modern times, the nation was humiliated, the people suffered, and civilization was tarnished. The subjectivity of Chinese culture suffered a severe blow, and "inferior in everything" and "always citing Greece" became the portrayal of some people's spiritual distress and cultural inferiority.
Today, more than a hundred years later, the country is flourishing and developing rapidly (蒸蒸日上, zheng zheng ri shang - "steam, steam, sun, up"), the nation is moving toward rejuvenation, and cultural subjectivity is being continuously consolidated, enabling us to "look at the world on an equal footing."
The discussion on "standards of civilization" is a vivid example.
The three elements of "writing, metallurgy, and cities" were long upheld as the authoritative criteria for determining the formation of civilization. But since they were generalized from the civilizations of Mesopotamia and ancient Egypt, how could they be "universally applicable"? Based on actual conditions and taking into account the characteristics of other ancient civilizations, the Chinese Civilization Origins Tracing Project put forward Chinese solutions for the criteria of entering civilized society, taking the emergence of the state as the most important marker of entering civilized society, which has gained broad recognition.
By basing ourselves on our own reality while drawing on all quarters, we are able to hold the yardstick of value in our own hands, achieve spiritual and cultural independence and autonomy, and possess the strong confidence and foundation to walk our own path.
Zhuang Enqi, a seven-year-old girl from Guangdong, was named a nominated news figure for the 2025 China Intangible Cultural Heritage Annual Awards. Her vigorous and powerful dance moves and her love for Yingge dance have repeatedly gone viral online, reflecting the endless and continuous vitality (生生不息, sheng sheng bu xi - "birth, birth, not, cease") of the Chinese cultural lineage and the passing down of the torch of civilization from generation to generation.
When cultural confidence is deeply rooted in the hearts of the next generation, sowing living seeds, then as long as they are nourished by sunshine and rain, they will surely grow more luxuriant leaves, bloom more splendid flowers, and bear more abundant fruit.
(This series of commentaries concludes here.)
Return to TopBy: 刘淑芳
[Phenomenon] In September this year, the 48th WorldSkills Competition was held in Shanghai, raising public attention to vocational education. During the 2026 secondary school entrance examination enrollment season, a number of high-scoring students entered the secondary-vocational-to-bachelor's integrated program, making integrated cultivation a hot topic of discussion.
[Commentary]
Integrated cultivation refers to an integrated long-cycle training model between secondary vocational schools and higher vocational colleges or undergraduate universities, and between higher vocational colleges and undergraduate universities, including models such as secondary-to-higher vocational, secondary-to-bachelor's, and higher-vocational-to-bachelor's. In practice, various localities have formed distinctive plans in light of their specific circumstances.
Shanghai launched its secondary-to-bachelor's integrated pilot program in 2014, adopting a "3+4" model: students spend the first 3 years at a secondary vocational school consolidating their skills foundation, and after passing the transition assessment, advance to a partner undergraduate university to complete 4 years of study and obtain a full-time bachelor's degree diploma. Beijing, by contrast, adopts a "5+2" model: students study at a vocational college for the first 5 years and enter an undergraduate university for the final 2 years.
Regardless of the model, the underlying philosophy is the same: breaking down the barriers of the established school system so that skilled talent has a pathway for growth and room for advancement.
Is it a "waste of scores" for high-scoring examinees to choose the secondary-to-bachelor's integrated program? This bears on how we understand integrated cultivation.
Integrated cultivation avoids an examination-oriented approach and can liberate students from entrance examinations, but its significance goes beyond sparing secondary vocational students the "college entrance examination"; it lies more in "integration." "Integration" is not a simple articulation between secondary vocational and bachelor's programs, but rather, starting from the training cycle as a whole, an overall design of the curriculum system, practical components, and evaluation methods. This design conforms to the laws of talent development and is more conducive to students growing into high-quality talent with professional skills.
In practice, this model enables students to come into contact with professional skills and production scenarios earlier, conveniently obtain targeted internship opportunities at enterprises, and adapt to job requirements more quickly after graduation. The "certainty" brought by a clear training pathway and an explicit employment orientation has become an important consideration for students and parents when making their choices.
The growing favor for the integrated cultivation model is also related to the sustained strong demand for highly skilled talent driven by industrial transformation and upgrading. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, vocational education supplied over 70 percent of the newly added high-quality, highly skilled talent for modern industry, and popular majors such as intelligent manufacturing, information technology, and modern logistics have shown a situation of demand exceeding supply (供不应求, gong bu ying qiu - "supply, not, meet, demand").
It should also be noted that integrated cultivation is not a shortcut to further education and employment that can be achieved overnight or in one single step (一蹴而就, yi cu er jiu - "one, kick, then, achieve"), nor is it suitable for everyone. Once admitted to the secondary-to-bachelor's integrated program, students have relatively limited room to change majors; after entering the undergraduate stage, they likewise need to surmount the difficulties of theoretical coursework. If one follows the "trend" without genuine interest in the major, then the long road of study and practice will mean greater challenges.
This model is more suitable for students with outstanding hands-on ability, a clear interest in a particular major, and a willingness to "learn by doing." It requires students to have a sober understanding of their own interests and strengths and to make medium- and long-term plans for their future career development.
The "15th Five-Year Plan" for Education Development proposes "promoting the articulated cultivation of secondary vocational, higher vocational, and vocational undergraduate education." Viewed from a more macroscopic perspective, the significance of integrated cultivation also lies in further rooting the concept that vocational education and general education are equally important and develop in coordination, and in further broadening the pathways for the growth of skilled talent.
Of course, secondary vocational schools and undergraduate universities each have their own training logic. How to articulate them effectively, how to ensure the transition assessment is scientific and fair, and how to ensure that training standards at the undergraduate stage are not lowered all require continuous exploration and summarization in practice. Only by ensuring quality can the goal of nurturing talent and cultivating people not be deviated from. Experience from various localities shows that the deep involvement of partner institutions, the integrated design of the curriculum system, and the substantive participation of enterprise resources are all indispensable.
Education exists to enable different children to grow and succeed on a track suited to them. Respecting the differences and developmental interests of every child, running different types of education well, and smoothing multiple pathways for talent development so that every road leads to a brilliant life are precisely the inherent requirements of "running education that satisfies the people."
(The author is Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and President of Shaoyang Open University)
Return to TopIn the first three quarters, China's total goods imports and exports grew 18.8 percent year on year, the fastest pace for the same period in the past five years, and the growth rate accelerated quarter by quarter across all three quarters. Against a backdrop of rising uncertainty in the external environment, foreign trade has maintained double-digit growth for six consecutive months, demonstrating that the Chinese economy has new drivers of growth, an optimized structure, and good quality and efficiency.
Here is a poem:
Trade routes span east and west,
Setting sail with a favorable wind.
In exchanges, trust and integrity endure,
Win-win cooperation, hearts united as one.
Liao Yuanwen
Return to TopBy: 张 帆
Since the beginning of this year, places such as Hangzhou in Zhejiang, Ma'anshan in Anhui, and Sanming in Fujian have issued and implemented local regulations, assessment measures, and the like, requiring that public health considerations be placed before government decision-making procedures, and that public policies and engineering projects undergo a "health check-up" in advance.
Making the people's health a front-placed yardstick for public decision-making is both a transformation of governance philosophy and a reshaping of development logic. In this round of legislation in multiple localities, "embedding at the source" is the common orientation. It moves health impact assessment from a "remedial" step after policies are implemented to a mandatory "threshold" before they are issued.
For this front-placing not to be a mere formality (流于形式, liu yu xing shi - "flow into, form, shape"), the rigidity of implementation is of critical importance. Yichang in Hubei pioneered the "Three Priorities, Four Integrations" working mechanism, embedding health concepts into the entire process of public decision-making, and explicitly stipulating that items that have not been assessed or have not passed assessment may not be submitted for deliberation or implementation. This means that health considerations are no longer a "soft advocacy" but a "hard constraint" on decision-making.
The coverage of assessments is equally crucial. One must not only focus on major projects and major initiatives, but must also cover areas directly related to the daily lives of the people. Daqing in Heilongjiang has specifically carried out assessments targeting occupational diseases in the petroleum and petrochemical industries and accidental injuries from ice and snow weather, while Sanming in Fujian has incorporated social mental health into the scope of assessment... The closer the assessment is to daily life, the more solid the health defense line becomes, and the more perceptible the goodwill of the system becomes.
If the assessment remains merely a report, the yardstick will find it difficult to measure out real problems. Hangzhou has taken the lead nationwide in establishing the principle of "whoever drafts, whoever assesses," clarifying the implementing entity for health impact assessment and consolidating primary responsibility. Yichun in Jiangxi has made efforts to ensure that assessment results are "truly useful," with final assessment recommendation reports reported directly to key decision-making departments. For health assessment to truly produce practical results, it is necessary to form a closed loop from drafting to accountability, and from assessment to application.
Placing health considerations at the front is, in essence, putting "people" at the very center of decision-making. When the "health yardstick" is embedded at the source of various policies, a Healthy China can better permeate daily life and benefit the masses.
(Excerpted and adapted from the Chengdu Daily, original title: "Let the 'Health Yardstick' Stand Before Decision-Making")
Return to TopBy: 侯晨亮
Delayed payment of accounts, on the surface, appears to be a "time lag" in the flow of funds, but in reality it is a chronic erosion of the spirit of contract. In the industrial chain, if any link experiences a cash-flow blockage, it may lead to liquidity obstruction across the entire chain. Ensuring that every enterprise account is settled as agreed is of great significance.
Not long ago, focusing on resolving the problem of delayed payments owed to enterprises, the Supreme People's Court and the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce jointly released the second batch of typical cases of diversified resolution of disputes in the private economy sector. From upstream arrears being transmitted layer by layer, to disputes arising over payment conditions, to obstacles encountered in pursuing creditor's rights, the 10 cases provide reference approaches for resolution.
When honoring contracts is encouraged and breaching contracts is punished, parties to a transaction will be more motivated to perform their obligations voluntarily. In reality, the repeated delay of payment performance stipulated in contracts often has rather complex causes. If the common obstructions cannot be removed, the predicament of "winning the lawsuit but failing to get the money" is likely to arise. Therefore, in governing arrears, one cannot stop at the technical operation of "pursuing payment," but must also confront a more fundamental proposition: how to coordinate source prevention with resolution of existing stock, so that the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises are effectively safeguarded.
The diversified dispute resolution mechanism of "court + chamber of commerce" offers a pragmatic answer. In a mediation case involving a sales contract dispute between a certain concrete company and a certain design engineering company, the court did not simply "freeze everything" over the enterprise's arrears, but instead adopted the approach of "unfreezing first + installment payment," facilitating a settlement between the two parties within 15 days—leaving breathing room for the enterprise in difficulty while using strict breach-of-contract clauses to compel honest performance. With penalty payments reduced by more than 520,000 yuan, temporary concession of profit was exchanged for restoration of performance. Judicial organs delineate a reasonable risk boundary, and chamber of commerce organizations quickly clarify the causes of debt and the proportions of responsibility, providing a realistic basis for mediation and promoting the genuine realization of enterprises' lawful claims.
It should also be noted that enterprises in a dominant market position often have greater room for negotiation and can shift the cost of capital occupation onto their counterparties in transactions by extending payment deadlines, attaching conditions for payment collection, and other means. Small and medium-sized enterprises, in order to win orders and maintain cooperation, may accept payment arrangements that are not entirely reasonable, yet their own financing capacity is hardly able to bear the burden of long-term advance funding.
The key to clearing arrears at the source lies in enhancing the bargaining power and rights-protection capacity of the weaker party. The Anti-Unfair Competition Law clearly stipulates: "Large enterprises and other business operators shall not abuse their advantageous position in funds, technology, transaction channels, industry influence, and other aspects to require small and medium-sized enterprises to accept obviously unreasonable transaction conditions such as payment deadlines, methods, and breach-of-contract liability, or to delay payment of accounts for goods, projects, services, and other items owed to small and medium-sized enterprises." The revised Regulations on Ensuring Payment of Sums to Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises sets out specific provisions on the deadlines, methods, and liability for overdue payment by state organs, public institutions, and large enterprises when paying sums to small and medium-sized enterprises. Correcting unreasonable risk allocation through clear rights and obligations, and elevating the protection of claims into a rigid rule-of-law norm, will help fundamentally regulate payment behavior.
Clearing arrears cannot be merely a concentrated campaign; it must also move toward treating both the symptoms and the root cause (标本兼治, biao ben jian zhi - "mark, sample, treat, treat"). For example, improving financing services can alleviate difficulties in capital turnover, regulating industry management and strengthening credit constraints are conducive to correcting unreasonable payment cycles, and smoothing dispute resolution channels can promote the lawful settlement of existing arrears. At present, Beijing, Hunan, and other localities have already incorporated the effectiveness of arrears clearance into the performance assessments of heads of state-owned enterprises. Governments at all levels and state-owned enterprises should take the lead and set an example in clearing arrears, helping to build a sound business environment.
Clearing arrears after the fact is "stopping the bleeding," while honoring contracts at the source is "consolidating the foundation." Guided by the rule of law and driven by comprehensive governance, continuously resolving the problem of delayed payment of accounts is beneficial for improving circulation and removing blockages (活血化瘀, huo xue hua yu - "activate, blood, transform,瘀 (stasis)") in the economic cycle, and will also strengthen the confidence of small and medium-sized enterprises in embracing the future.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 陈隽逸
A wooden wall clock hangs quietly in the meeting room on the second floor of the Zunyi Conference Site in Guizhou. Inside its glass cover, the clock's hour hand, minute hand, and pendulum are gone, leaving only a yellowed dial. This wall clock once witnessed the days and nights during the Zunyi Conference when revolutionary forebears sat around a long table deciding the fate of the Chinese revolution, and over the decades it has also seen off countless visitors who once stopped here to ponder.
The time returns to the end of 1934.
After the Battle of the Xiang River, the Central Red Army was sharply reduced from more than 86,000 men at the time of departure to just over 30,000. The errors of the "Left" line caused enormous losses to the Party and the Red Army. On January 7, 1935, the Red Army captured Zunyi, the key city in northern Guizhou. From January 15 to 17, the Party Central Committee convened an enlarged meeting of the Political Bureau in Zunyi — this was the Zunyi Conference that would be forever recorded in history (永载史册, yong zai shi ce - "forever, record, history, book").
The Zunyi Conference was a turning point of vital importance to life and death (生死攸关, sheng si you guan - "life, death, exist, relate") in the Party's history. Convened at the historic juncture of the Red Army's failure in the fifth counter-"encirclement and suppression" campaign and the severe setbacks in the early stage of the Long March, this meeting in fact established Comrade Mao Zedong's leading position in the Party Central Committee and the Red Army, began to establish the leading position of the correct Marxist line with Comrade Mao Zedong as its principal representative in the Party Central Committee, began to form the Party's first generation of central leadership collective with Comrade Mao Zedong at its core, opened a new stage in which the Party independently solved the practical problems of the Chinese revolution, and at the most critical moment saved the Party, saved the Red Army, and saved the Chinese revolution.
In 1954, the Zunyi Conference Site received preliminary confirmation. After the site was preliminarily confirmed, the relevant departments in Zunyi organized personnel to investigate and learn about the relevant circumstances. According to the recollections of relevant personnel, after the Red Army left, the wall clock, the rectangular wooden table, and other items all remained in their original positions untouched. Later, the wall clock was moved to a primary school for use; after this primary school was closed in the early years of the founding of New China, the wall clock was again transferred to another local primary school for use.
In 1955, the wall clock was allocated to the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall for collection, and this revolutionary relic finally returned to the wall where it had first witnessed history. "The wall clock in the Zunyi Conference meeting room is one of our 'treasures of the hall,'" said Zhou Yunzhu (周芸竹), deputy director of the Planning and Development Department of the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall. "We are thinking about and exploring how to integrate this relic into ideological and political courses and turn it into a living teaching material."
In 2025, taking the opportunity of commemorating the 90th anniversary of the Zunyi Conference, the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall completed an upgrade of its digital exhibition, with a focus on the renovation of its projection system, presenting key scenes of the Long March in a panoramic manner through a combination of virtual and real elements.
Stepping into the newly added "Turning Point · Crossing from the Summit" exhibition hall, visitors can put on equipment and "travel back" to 1935 to "personally experience" major historical moments such as the Zunyi Conference. In the Zunyi Conference meeting room restored using VR (virtual reality) technology, the familiar wall clock on the wall is strikingly visible before one's eyes (赫然在目, he ran zai mu - "startlingly, exist, at, eye"), and audiences seem to stand at the door of the meeting room, holding their breath as they gaze at that important discussion that decided the future of the Chinese revolution.
As an important landmark of Zunyi's red cultural tourism, the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall is a must-visit site. On the first and second floors of the hall, cultural and creative product zones have been set up, and the peripheral products developed around the Zunyi Conference are a feast for the eyes (琳琅满目, lin lang man mu - "exquisite, jade, full, eyes"). Among them, refrigerator magnets designed with the wall clock in the Zunyi Conference meeting room as their prototype are quite popular with visitors. The replicated miniature clock body and the dial engraved with Roman numerals condense this weighty red memory into a souvenir that can be taken away, also allowing the relic to enter the daily lives of ordinary people in a lighter way.
"Although this wall clock has stopped, our steps to carry forward red culture and promote the Long March spirit will not stop," said Zhou Yunzhu.
Return to TopBy: 韦红霞
The wall clock in the meeting room of the Zunyi Conference is an important physical testimony to the great turning point of the Zunyi Conference. The series of explorations by the Zunyi Conference Memorial Hall serve as a window into observing the creative transformation and innovative development of red culture.
"Traveling back" to the scenes of major historical junctures, allowing audiences to touch history and feel the spirit through innovative means; developing souvenirs based on cultural relics as prototypes, turning stories in books into "history in daily life"... When red culture becomes perceivable and understandable (可感可知, ke gan ke zhi - "can feel, can know"), tangible, accessible, and approachable, red education shifts from one-way output to interactive experience, evoking more emotional resonance.
Though the clock has stopped, the great Long March spirit it carries continues to engage in dialogue with the present — this is the best commemoration of history.
(The author is an associate professor at the School of Marxism, Guizhou University; compiled and organized by People's Daily reporter Chen Junyi)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Fuzhou, October 25) (Reporter Shi Yu) On the occasion of the 81st anniversary of the Retrocession of Taiwan and the first anniversary of the establishment of the Memorial Day for the Retrocession of Taiwan, on the morning of October 25, a symposium commemorating the 81st anniversary of the Retrocession of Taiwan was held in Fuzhou, Fujian Province. Approximately 200 people attended, including descendants of Taiwanese compatriots who fought against Japan, descendants of revolutionary martyrs who sacrificed their lives in Taiwan, youth from both sides of the Taiwan Strait, representatives from Hong Kong, Macao, and overseas, as well as experts and scholars.
Song Tao, director of the Taiwan Work Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council, stated that General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that the Chinese nation, throughout its journey, has written a history of the inseparability of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, engraved with the historical facts of the blood ties between compatriots on both sides. The Party and the state established the Memorial Day for the Retrocession of Taiwan, demonstrating our firm confidence in safeguarding national sovereignty and territorial integrity and consolidating the international community's adherence to the One-China principle. Compatriots on both sides of the Strait should jointly inherit the great spirit of the War of Resistance and the great national spirit, and resolutely oppose "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and interference by external forces. We must promote Chinese culture and enhance the ambition, backbone, and confidence of being Chinese. This year, we have advanced the implementation of ten policy measures to promote cross-strait exchanges and cooperation, deepening the integrated development of the two sides. We firmly support the patriotic and reunification forces on the island, firmly advance the reunification of the motherland, and work together for the great cause of national rejuvenation.
Zhao Long, secretary of the Fujian Provincial Party Committee, stated that Fujian and Taiwan are close in geography, blood, hearts, and commerce. For a long time, generations of Fujian and Taiwan compatriots have been working together in solidarity (并肩同行, bing jian tong xing - "side by side, walk together") and striving together to achieve the reunification of the motherland, national prosperity, and national rejuvenation, vividly interpreting the concept of "the two sides of the Strait are one family, and Fujian and Taiwan are kin among kin." On the new journey, we will thoroughly implement General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on work related to Taiwan and the overall strategy of the Party for resolving the Taiwan question in the new era, adhere to promoting integration through connectivity, promoting integration through benefits, and promoting integration through sentiment, strive to build a common home for both sides of the Strait, build a common market across the Strait, promote a common culture across the Strait, and build a high-quality demonstration zone for cross-strait integrated development, making new contributions to advancing the great cause of national reunification.
Hung Hsiu-chu, former chairman of the Kuomintang and chairman of the Chung-Hua Youth and Peace Education Foundation, stated that without the bloody struggle of all Chinese people, there would have been no Retrocession of Taiwan. The future of Taiwan is tied to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. We must resolutely oppose the "de-Sinicization" efforts of "Taiwan independence" forces, and hope that compatriots on both sides of the Strait will jointly inherit the spirit of the anti-Japanese martyrs who defended the national territory, firmly strive toward the direction of peaceful reunification, and work hard to achieve the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.
Representatives of the guests who spoke expressed that compatriots on both sides of the Strait should remember history, work together with one heart, defend the achievements of the Retrocession of Taiwan, oppose "Taiwan independence" separatist activities and external interference, jointly shoulder the historical responsibility for national reunification, and jointly create a bright future for both sides of the Strait and the long-term well-being of the Chinese nation.
On the 25th, the Eighth Symposium on the History of the Chinese Nation's War of Resistance Against Japan and the Inheritance of the Spirit of the War of Resistance was held in Fuzhou.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 烁
On the morning of October 25, in front of the Monument to the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Retrocession of Taiwan in the square before Zhongshan Hall in Taipei, people from all walks of life in Taiwan gathered one after another holding flags, banners, and flowers, jointly commemorating the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession.
In the drizzling rain, the former Taipei Public Hall (now Zhongshan Hall) stood tall and imposing. On October 25, 1945, the ceremony for the acceptance of Japan's surrender in Taiwan Province of the China Theater was held here, where the Chinese government proclaimed "the resumption of the exercise of sovereignty over Taiwan," and from that moment, our Taiwanese compatriots threw off the shackles of colonial rule and warmly celebrated their return to the embrace of the motherland.
The activities of people from all walks of life in Taiwan commemorating the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession began with a song. "Decorating with lanterns and colorful streamers (张灯结彩, zhang deng jie cai - "hang lanterns, tie decorations"), joyfully, let us all sing the song of victory. Sing it through cities and villages, the retrocession of Taiwan must not be forgotten..." The "Song in Commemoration of the Retrocession of Taiwan," composed in 1946, resounded once again, with Taiwanese participants in the chorus dressed in red tops, singing with deep emotion and resounding voices.
"Taiwan is China's Taiwan. It was only through the blood, tears, and sacrifice of more than 35 million compatriots that Taiwan's retrocession was achieved. Every inch of our rivers and mountains cost every inch of blood — can we ever forget this?" Wu Rongyuan, chairman of the Taiwan Labor Party, said with forceful conviction, "The great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is the common aspiration of several generations of Chinese people on both sides of the strait. If we persevere to the end, it will surely be realized!"
History will forever remember the profound suffering inflicted on Taiwanese compatriots under Japanese colonial rule. "Japan colonized Taiwan for 50 years, carrying out massacres, plunder, the 'Kominka' movement, forced labor, and the forced conscription of comfort women — a long list of crimes..." During the commemorative activities, as the tragic history of blood and tears of Taiwanese compatriots during the Japanese occupation period was reviewed, the people present felt deep resonance.
History will forever remember the patriotic chapter written by Taiwanese compatriots with their blood and lives. "From the moment the Japanese invaded China and set foot on Taiwan, the Taiwanese people never once ceased their resistance. During the War of Resistance, more than 50,000 Taiwanese patriots crossed the strait to return to the mainland of the motherland and fought side by side with their mainland compatriots. Why? Because only when you are Chinese can you stand with your spine straight and hold your head high." Xu Mengxiang, deputy secretary-general of the Taiwan Labor Party, said.
"Under Japanese colonial rule, Taiwanese people were bullied, humiliated, and suppressed. With Taiwan's retrocession, from then on we could act in an open and honorable manner (堂堂正正, tang tang zheng zheng - "upright, dignified") as Chinese people, restore the worship of our ancestors, and restore our own surnames. The anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession is a very glorious day worthy of commemoration." Chen Fu, chair professor at Fo Guang University, said.
"Taiwan's retrocession was a major achievement of the victory in the War of Resistance won through the fighting extremely bravely in the heat of battle (浴血奋战, yu xue fen zhan - "bathe in blood, fight bravely") of all Chinese military and civilians, including our Taiwanese compatriots. Although the Japan-flattering Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities have changed 'Japanese occupation' to 'Japanese administration' and replaced 'retrocession' with 'end of war,' deliberately downplaying the historical significance of Taiwan's retrocession, those of us who recognize the historical facts still gather here every year on this day to remember the martyrs, and we also call on everyone to carry forward the patriotic tradition of Taiwan's forebears and martyrs." Ji Xin, publisher of Taiwan's Observation magazine, said.
In October 2025, the NPC Standing Committee deliberated and approved the designation of October 25 each year as the Day of Commemoration of Taiwan's Retrocession. "Today marks the first full anniversary of the establishment of the Day of Commemoration of Taiwan's Retrocession. I feel especially gratified to see compatriots on both sides of the strait jointly commemorating Taiwan's retrocession." Ji Xin said.
Among the crowd commemorating the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession were elderly people who, though trembling, still insisted on raising their phones to take photos, and there were also high-spirited and full of vigor (意气风发, yi qi feng fa - "spirit, energy, rise") young people. Taking this opportunity, many people expressed their feelings toward the motherland.
"China is the reunion dinner at Chinese New Year, the zongzi at the Dragon Boat Festival, the mooncakes at the Mid-Autumn Festival; it is the warmth a wanderer in a foreign land feels upon hearing their native dialect. This feeling has been in my body since the moment I was born. My ancestors came from the banks of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers; our blood ties have never been broken, and every bit of me bears the imprint left by my ancestors." Li Daoxiang, a young Taiwanese, spoke from the heart.
Since the DPP authorities came to power, they have vigorously peddled the fallacies of "Taiwan independence" separatism, calculating and plotting deliberately (处心积虑, chu xin ji lü - "set heart, accumulate schemes") to manipulate "de-Sinicization," attempting to create confusion in historical memory and distortion of national identity. Their actions have aroused indignation among the people present.
"History tells us that war brings disaster, and only peace can allow the people to live and work in contentment. In order to seek their own political interests, the DPP keeps hyping up 'resisting China and protecting Taiwan,' undermining peace across the strait, and obstructing exchanges and interactions between the two sides." Xiong Yi, head of the propaganda department of the Taiwan Unity Alliance Party, said.
"'Taiwan independence' elements collude with external forces to hollow out Taiwan. The huge annual military purchases squeeze our people's livelihood, draining Taiwan dry bit by bit. When Taiwan is no longer of use and becomes a 'discarded pawn,' the most pitiable ones are us ordinary people at the bottom of Taiwanese society." Sun Zhiquan, chairman of the Chinese Youth Development Association of Taiwan, said.
In front of the Monument to the Victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the Retrocession of Taiwan, a wreath bearing the words "People from all walks of life in Taiwan celebrate the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession" was placed with solemnity. Taiwanese people holding flowers lined up in turn to lay flowers, remembering the martyrs and bearing history in mind.
The activities of people from all walks of life in Taiwan commemorating the 81st anniversary of Taiwan's retrocession were initiated by the Taiwan Unity Alliance Party, the Taiwan Labor Party, and the Taiwan Regional Political Victims Mutual Aid Association, and jointly hosted by more than 20 organizations. "Looking back to those days, Taiwan's forebears and martyrs held fast to national integrity even in the most difficult years. Today, we should all the more carry forward the spirit of our predecessors!" Wang Yong, chairman of the Taiwan Unity Alliance Party, said.
"Bear history in mind and oppose Japanese militarism! Safeguard peace and oppose 'Taiwan independence' separatism! Peaceful reunification and the realization of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation!" During the event, the "Joint Statement of People from All Walks of Life in Taiwan Commemorating the 81st Anniversary of Taiwan's Retrocession" was issued, and everyone shouted slogans in unison, with cheers and applause ringing out continuously.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 25) (Reporter Zhang Yang) Online registration for the 2027 open selection and open transfer of civil servants to central government organs is about to begin. Candidates may log on to the "2027 Special Website for Open Selection and Open Transfer of Civil Servants to Central Government Organs" (http://subb.scs.gov.cn/lx2027) between 8:00 on October 28 and 18:00 on November 6 to register online. The written examination will be held simultaneously on November 28 in all municipalities directly under the central government, provincial capitals, and capitals of autonomous regions nationwide.
A total of 42 departments of central government organs are participating in this open selection and open transfer, with a planned selection of 213 people. Among them, the open selection positions include deputy division director posts and ranks of first-level researcher and below, with a planned selection of 197 people; the open transfer positions are at the ranks of first-level through fourth-level researcher, with a planned selection of 16 people.
This open selection and open transfer work adheres to the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, implements the guiding principles of the 20th National Congress of the Party and the plenary sessions of the 20th Central Committee, earnestly implements the arrangements of the Fourth Plenary Session, implements the relevant requirements of the "National Plan Outline for the Building of the Civil Servant Contingent (2024–2028)," upholds the standards for good cadres in the new era, establishes the correct orientation for selecting and appointing personnel, and strives to select civil servants who are politically sound, daring to take responsibility, making bold and determined reforms (锐意改革, rui yi gai ge - "sharp, resolute, reform"), outstanding in practical performance, and being honest and incorruptible (清正廉洁, qing zheng lian jie - "pure, upright, clean, honest"). Political standards are highlighted: in the registration and recommendation stage, organizational gatekeeping responsibility is consolidated; in the examination stage, the focus is on testing the ability to use the Party's innovative theory to guide analysis and solve problems; in the inspection stage, strict checks are conducted on candidates' political integrity, moral character, competence, work style, and incorruptibility.
According to reports, this examination will not publish or designate any examination preparation books, and will not hold or entrust any institution or individual to hold examination preparation training classes. As for civil servant examination training, websites, or publications in society, candidates are asked to remain vigilant and treat them rationally, to avoid being cheated or deceived (上当受骗, shang dang shou pian - "climb, error, receive, deceive"), and to prevent damage to their rights and interests.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 25) (Reporter Liu Zhiqiang) Recently, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources released the China Marine Economy Development Report 2026, systematically summarizing the achievements of China's marine economy development during the 14th Five-Year Plan period. The report shows that in 2025, China's gross marine product exceeded 11 trillion yuan, accounting for 7.9 percent of GDP. The marine economy has become an important growth pole of the national economy, and the foundation for building a maritime power is stronger and more substantial than ever.
The development of a modern marine industrial system has accelerated. The international competitiveness of marine industries such as ship and marine engineering equipment, marine transportation, and marine fisheries has continued to strengthen. The momentum of emerging marine industries continues to accumulate. The installed capacity of grid-connected offshore wind power and newly added installed capacity remain the world's largest. The daily production capacity of seawater desalination projects has exceeded 3 million tons. Independently developed marine pharmaceuticals account for 28 percent of the global total. High-end shipping service industries such as maritime interim arbitration and international ship registration have achieved tangible results.
Innovation and development in marine science and technology have accelerated. The tiered layout of marine laboratories, including national laboratories, national key laboratories, and provincial and ministerial key laboratories, has been continuously optimized. The construction of national marine comprehensive test sites in Weihai, Zhoushan, Zhuhai, and Sanya is progressing in an orderly manner. The "Jiaolong" and "Fendouzhe" manned submersibles worked together to complete a task (协同完成, xie tong wan cheng - "coordinate, complete") of China's first manned deep dive in Arctic ice-covered waters. The independently developed "Mazu" series of marine early warning and forecasting models has been put into operational application. The development of marine disciplines and the cultivation of marine talent have been continuously strengthened.
The economical and intensive use of marine resources has been steadily advanced. The system for the development and protection of marine resources has been continuously improved. The retention rate of the national mainland natural coastline has remained stable at over 35 percent. The management of island development and protection has been continuously improved, with 33 harmonious and beautiful islands demonstrating ecological beauty, living beauty, and production beauty having been created. Strict control over sea reclamation has been maintained. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the area approved for sea and island use nationwide reached 13,200 square kilometers.
The construction of marine ecological civilization has been continuously strengthened. The quality of the marine environment has improved significantly, and marine ecological protection has continued to improve. A marine ecological protection red line of 151,000 square kilometers has been delineated. A total of 352 marine-related nature reserves have been established. The Huangyan Island National Nature Reserve has been newly established and its management measures have been issued. Ecological survey reports on coral reefs of islands and reefs including Tiexian Reef, Niue Jiao, and Huangyan Island have been released. The expansion of the Migratory Bird Sanctuaries along the Coast of Yellow Sea-Bohai Gulf of China (Phase I) as a World Natural Heritage site has been promoted. The first national marine disaster risk survey has been completed.
Foreign cooperation in the marine field has continued to expand. Cooperation agreements in the marine field have been signed with more than 50 countries and international organizations. China has constructively participated in the negotiation process of the Agreement under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity of Areas beyond National Jurisdiction, promoted its signing and ratification, and became one of the first parties to the agreement. China has actively participated in the United Nations "Ocean Decade" initiative and established the "Ocean Decade" China Committee.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 向子丰
Many families purchase water purifiers to improve their drinking water quality. However, some unscrupulous merchants falsely advertise the efficacy of water purifiers, claiming that the treated water can cure the "three highs" (high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and high blood lipids) and even "fight cancer," deceiving consumers.
Such scams are nothing new. A reader wrote in to say that recently, unscrupulous merchants have been targeting elderly consumers through methods such as "going to the countryside and entering communities," using false advertising and high-pressure sales tactics — an old scam with new twists.
According to statistics from the China Consumers Association's Smart 315 platform, in the first seven months of 2026, the number of complaints about water purifiers has already exceeded the total for the entire year of 2024. In July alone, the number of complaints increased by 40.17% compared to January, with the annual trend rising month by month. What tricks lie behind the water purifier "scamming the elderly" scam? Why has the number of complaints grown so quickly? A reporter conducted an investigation.
Targeting the elderly:
False experiments create drinking water anxiety; going to the countryside and entering communities to hold lucky draw events
The water purifier "scamming the elderly" scam has many tricks. The most common is to use the guise of "health" to create drinking water anxiety through false experiments, while others use bait such as "winning a prize in a lucky draw" or "free gifts" to lure elderly consumers in.
Mr. Zhang from Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, reported that in July this year, an elderly family member received a product promotional card at the entrance of their residential community, which read "Free water purifier, can prevent the 'three highs.'" The elderly person was attracted and went to listen to a lecture. At the event, staff inserted an electrolysis rod into clear tap water, and the transparent liquid instantly churned up rust-colored foam. "Look! How dirty your tap water is!" Then, through exaggerated demonstrations such as showing the purifier "filtering out dirty things," they claimed that the water filtered by this purifier had miraculous effects and was beneficial to health when drunk. The elderly person was tempted, and that very afternoon, staff came to install the water purifier at their home. The purifier advertised as "free," plus the mandatory purchase of filter cartridges and other accessories, ultimately cost 5,400 yuan.
Mr. Li from Liangping District, Chongqing, also reported that salespeople from a certain electrical appliance company organized promotional exhibition activities on the street. In addition to claiming that the filtered water could treat the "three highs" and "fight cancer," they also used false experiments to tell the audience that "drinking tap water makes you sick easily." To attract elderly consumers, they held "lucky draw" activities during the lectures. Besides giving away small gifts such as eggs and cups, the salespeople would "surprisingly" announce that an elderly person had won the "first prize of a high-end water purifier." Of course, the filter cartridges and other supporting equipment during installation cost several thousand yuan.
Some unscrupulous merchants go to rural villages and enter communities, precisely targeting elderly consumers. Ms. Li from Hepu County, Guangxi, reported that in June this year, salespeople from a certain electrical appliance store organized offline presentations in her village. Under the guise of giving gifts, providing free door-to-door transportation, and health science popularization, they used false experiments to create drinking water anxiety and targeted left-behind elderly people in rural areas for sales.
Shortly after use, many people discovered that the water purifiers they purchased not only had no health functions but might also be "problem machines" of substandard quality. Mr. Zhang from Inner Mongolia found upon checking that the water purifier he bought only had ordinary PP cotton and activated carbon filtration, and the health functions were simply nonsense — it was also a "three-no" product (no production factory, no hygiene approval, no CCC certification). Mr. Li from Chongqing, after installing a water purifier in June this year, found that a single machine body had three labels of different models pasted on it, with confusing markings that left people feeling bewildered or confused (摸不着头脑, mo bu zhe tou nao - "touch, not, reach, head"). At the same time, none of the labels indicated the rated total net water volume, water efficiency grade, wastewater ratio, filter cartridge service life, and other information required to be marked by the mandatory national standard "Water Purifier Water Efficiency Limit Values and Water Efficiency Grades."
After reviewing multiple online complaints, the reporter found that among these high-priced water purifiers, some had excessive bacterial colony counts in the effluent and were advertised as "direct drinking" but failed to meet the standard; some had filter cartridges that were easily damaged and needed frequent replacement; and more were "three-no" products with no production factory, no hygiene approval, and no CCC certification, or had problems such as brand counterfeiting, confusing model markings, and misappropriated approval documents.
"Three-no" water purifiers with substandard materials and shoddy filter cartridges may lead to heavy metal leaching or bacterial growth. The Anhui Provincial Consumer Protection Committee found upon receiving complaints that some elderly people couldn't even filter out limescale after using the purchased water purifiers. If elderly people rely on these water purifiers and neglect proper medical treatment, not only will they fail to treat the "three highs" or prevent "cancer," but they may also delay their illness.
Therefore, in response to the water purifier "scamming the elderly" scam, the China Consumers Association recently reminded consumers: the core function of a water purifier is to improve drinking water quality, and it does not have any disease-treating efficacy. Any claims that it can "cure diseases" or "improve chronic conditions" are false advertising. When faced with promotions such as "free" or "gifts," consumers must remain rational and not easily believe them.
Difficulty in consumer rights protection:
Water purifiers with inflated pricing, brand counterfeiting sales, and highly mobile sales operations
After elderly consumers fall victim to such scams, even with family assistance, protecting their rights remains difficult.
Ms. Li mentioned above said that an elderly family member purchased a water purifier for 2,980 yuan through an offline presentation organized by a merchant in the village. However, a search revealed that the public price of this model on mainstream e-commerce platforms was only 500-600 yuan, about one-fifth of the price they paid. When Ms. Li approached the merchant, the other party insisted there was no problem with the price, saying "you can check on JD.com." Through a link provided by the merchant, Ms. Li found that this model did have a listing priced at 4,980 yuan at a certain store on the JD.com platform, but the review section was filled with consumer comments such as "fake orders," "inflated pricing," and "marketing scam"... The so-called "checkable on JD.com" link was also one of the merchant's tricks.
Ms. Li subsequently filed a complaint with the Hepu County Market Supervision Administration. After on-site verification, the market supervision department concluded that because the product had CCC certification, inspection reports, a brand authorization letter, and water-contact hygiene approval documents, and was clearly priced with consumer signature confirmation, the pricing did not violate fair trading regulations. In the end, after coordination by the relevant departments, the merchant agreed to a refund, but still deducted 300 yuan for "depreciation fees" and "installation fees."
Many water purifiers are also sold under counterfeit brands, with no manufacturer identifiable on the product, making after-sales rights protection a "vacuum zone." In September this year, the father of Ms. Chen from Leshan City, Sichuan, purchased a "××mai" brand water purifier from a certain company. After installation, Ms. Chen discovered that the product had no CCC certification, the so-called "××mai" was the brand of the filter cartridge, and the company was a wholesale business. As for the brand of the water purifier itself, it was nowhere to be found. Moreover, the water purifier did not indicate the mandatory national standard, and the indicated enterprise standard, code Q/JMT, did not match the "××mai" brand either.
"It is highly likely that the label is forged or misappropriated from another enterprise's standard, indicating that not only is the label information on the water purifier false, but the product's origin and quality are also questionable," Ms. Chen said. Ms. Chen filed a complaint about this, and the relevant department responded that specific information about the merchant was needed. However, since Ms. Chen's father purchased the product while attending an event, he could not provide the dealer's specific address and identity information. With no entity to pursue for rights protection, the matter ultimately had to be dropped.
The reporter's interviews found that the unscrupulous merchants in these scams mostly have no fixed storefronts and no legitimate qualifications. They move between multiple provinces, rent venues for short periods, conduct concentrated sales pitches, and then quickly withdraw, making rights protection even more difficult.
At the same time, many elderly people lack awareness of rights protection and are induced by merchants to film videos agreeing to purchase, further increasing the difficulty of rights protection. Reader Mr. Xu from Guanyun County, Jiangsu, reported that staff from a certain household appliance business took his parents to the store to receive free eggs and listen to a lecture, and sold them a water purifier for 2,880 yuan. "But our home doesn't even have running water." He later approached the merchant for a refund, but the merchant would only refund 1,500 yuan, claiming the remaining 1,380 yuan was for installation and depreciation fees.
Mr. Xu disagreed and reported the matter through the People's Daily Online "Leadership Message Board." However, the Guanyun County Market Supervision Administration replied that the company had provided the county market supervision bureau staff with a video of the complainant's mother voluntarily purchasing the water purifier, and the complainant could not provide evidence of the respondent's alleged illegal activities. The county market supervision bureau had received multiple complaints and reports about the company, but during on-site inspections of the company's business premises, no false advertising content was found, and the water purifier sample on display had a price tag and inspection reports. In the end, due to insufficient evidence, the case was not filed.
Regarding allegations of false advertising, consumers often find it difficult to produce corresponding evidence. A reader from Gongzhuling City, Jilin, reported that a vendor came to the village to sell water purifiers. The salesperson advertised that the water purifier machine was free, and consumers only needed to pay for filter cartridges. Misled by this, the elderly person paid a total of 2,100 yuan for filter cartridges. When the reader applied for a refund, the merchant refused to refund the full amount on the grounds that the goods had been opened.
The reader complained to the People's Daily Online "Leadership Message Board," and the relevant department replied that the merchant's advertised "free machine" actually meant: after purchasing 6 sets of filter cartridge equipment at 400 yuan per set, the water purifier machine itself would be free of charge with free installation. The reader had also purchased the filter cartridge equipment based on this plan, and there was no other evidence on site indicating false advertising. "The merchant claimed to have a physical store, but when we went to the location, we found no physical storefront. This is clearly mobile door-to-door sales to deceive the elderly," the reader said helplessly.
How to solve the problem:
Regular inspections of community promotions and rural exhibition sales; qualification penalties and credit sanctions must follow
In reality, difficulty in obtaining evidence, difficulty in communication, difficulty in refunds, and difficulty in cross-domain rights protection are the main reasons for the frequent occurrence of water purifier "scamming the elderly" scams. Experts believe that elderly consumers are easily targeted by such scams for reasons similar to those behind "miracle drug" scams: certain operators exploit elderly consumers' health needs, emotional trust, and lack of professional knowledge to carry out precise inducement.
"Scientific experiments should reveal the truth, not become marketing props that conceal the truth and mislead consumers. The essence of the 'water purifier scam' is that unscrupulous operators exploit the information asymmetry between consumers and operators to infringe on elderly consumers' right to know, right to choose, right to fair trade, and right to safety and security," said Liu Junhai, a professor at the Renmin University of China Law School. He believes that whether water quality is safe should be determined by national standards and scientific test results, and consumers should not make misjudgments based on visually striking experiments.
At the same time, some merchants adopt models such as temporarily renting venues, mobile sales, brand counterfeiting sales, and commissioned sales. Sales personnel are responsible for selling, affiliated companies for collecting payments, production companies for supplying goods, and another company for after-sales service. Once a consumer dispute arises, the parties shift blame onto each other, and sometimes sales personnel go missing or business premises close down. In response, Liu Junhai stated that in some cases, even when regulatory authorities intervene in mediation and merchants issue refunds, accountability for the illegal acts often falls through.
The water purifier "scamming the elderly" scam often ends with "insufficient evidence," and the root cause is that these illegal acts are designed to be difficult to prove: sales pitches are delivered orally, transactions are made through personal transfers, after-sales phone numbers are disconnected, and there are no physical sales stores... Therefore, Liu Junhai suggests innovating regulatory methods, clarifying the chain of responsibility from production, brand counterfeiting, and sales to installation and after-sales service, establishing a cross-departmental consumer risk early warning and coordinated supervision mechanism, and promoting a shift in governance model from passively accepting complaints to actively identifying risks. At the same time, the judicial relief system should be improved — for example, when the party in control of evidence refuses to provide it, they should bear the consequences of adverse inference.
Given the frequent and recurring nature of such problems, Chen Yinjiang, executive director of the China Law Society's Consumer Rights Protection Law Research Association, suggested that relevant regulatory authorities conduct regular inspections of community promotions and rural exhibition sales, strictly investigate and punish various illegal marketing activities such as false demonstrations and exaggerated advertising, and resolutely investigate and punish the illegal sale of substandard products. Consumer association organizations, as well as grassroots communities and village committees, should strengthen consumer education and publicity, popularizing consumer traps in ways that the public enjoys, and create a good consumption environment. At the same time, grassroots frontline cadres should pay attention to such illegal marketing activities and promptly report them to relevant departments to prevent more people from being deceived.
Liu Junhai also suggested that the discretion in administrative penalties should not only look at the "illegal gains" already identified, but also ascertain the scale of victims and the circumstances of harm, taking into account the number of victims and the special nature of the victim group. In addition, qualification penalties and credit sanctions must follow. For "scamming the elderly" conference marketing, priority should be given to revoking business licenses and imposing industry bans of a certain duration on directly responsible personnel, rather than "fining a few thousand yuan and having the boss change the company name and open another one." For those that meet the standards, they should also be prosecuted for fraud. "Furthermore, digital technology should be used to strengthen traceability of product quality and after-sales responsibility. A QR code traceability mechanism for water purifiers could be explored, bringing production enterprises, sales entities, product models, hygiene approval information that should be legally obtained, applicable inspection reports, filter cartridge maintenance, and after-sales service into a queryable scope," Liu Junhai said.
Chen Yinjiang particularly reminded consumers, especially elderly consumers: if you need to purchase products such as water purifiers, you should buy through formal channels (reputable online merchants and legitimate offline merchants). Understand the filter cartridge prices and after-sales terms clearly, and keep evidence such as promotional materials, transfer records, invoices and receipts, and communication records. "If you encounter damage to your rights and interests, promptly file a complaint with the consumer association organization or the relevant administrative department," Chen Yinjiang said.
(Zhang Xinyuan participated in the reporting and writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 方 敏
On September 14, our newspaper's "Reader Letters" page published an article titled "After Construction Is Completed, Remove the Fencing as Soon as Possible," which reported the problem that in some sections of Zhengzhou City, Henan Province, fencing around road construction sites had not been removed in a timely manner after construction was completed, affecting the travel of the public. After the report was published, Zhengzhou City responded quickly and conducted on-site investigations into the problems reported.
The investigation found that there were 5 problem fencing sites in total. To improve the level of refined management of construction fencing, the Zhengzhou Municipal Urban Management Bureau took the lead in carrying out a one-month centralized rectification effort, conducting comprehensive inspections to promptly identify problems and rectify them. For projects where construction had been completed and fencing was no longer needed, the fencing was immediately removed, redundant materials were cleared away, and traffic was restored; for projects that had been completed and entered the acceptance inspection stage, the fencing was removed first and the road restored, after which the acceptance inspection was advanced according to procedure; for projects that were not yet completed and still needed to occupy the road for construction but were affecting traffic, the scope of the fencing was reduced and dynamically adjusted to achieve the maximum "slimming down."
At the same time, Zhengzhou City established a municipal construction fencing governance work task force, implementing closed-loop management of "discovery—assignment—rectification—re-inspection—case closure—follow-up review," incorporating fencing rectification into the city's overall urban quality improvement efforts, with regular assessments and reminders.
Return to TopWe are fishermen from Laobian District, Yingkou City, Liaoning Province. In 2011, someone, without obtaining a usage permit, illegally constructed a dock at the mouth of the Minxing River in Sandaogou where it enters the sea. Initially there was only one berth, which was gradually expanded to eight, and its use changed from private to commercial. This stretch of the river is only a little over 30 meters wide, and vessels usually pass along the deep-water channel in the middle of the river. The dock has multiple vessels moored at it year-round (see photo), compressing the navigable space and affecting the safety of the waterway. We have reported this to the relevant departments. In February of this year, the district government's official website issued a notice determining that this dock had not lawfully obtained the right to use the sea area. Yet to this day the dock remains in normal operation. We are concerned that if it is not dealt with in a timely manner, the dock will expand further. We earnestly request that the relevant departments handle this in accordance with laws and regulations, shut down the illegally constructed dock, and restore the safety and unimpeded passage of the waterway.
Netizen on the "Message Board for Leaders" of People's Daily Online
Return to TopManage and Use Village Group WeChat Groups Well
A while ago, when I returned to my hometown, I heard from a neighbor that a scammer had slipped into the village WeChat group a few days earlier, posing as a village cadre and posting a notice titled "Pay the Medical Insurance Subsidy Handling Fee," along with a payment collection QR code. Fortunately, a young person spotted the suspicious activity and reminded everyone in time, so no villagers fell for the scam.
Many villages and groups have established WeChat groups to publicize policies, issue notices, and serve villagers, which has also brought cadres and the masses closer. However, some village group WeChat groups are poorly managed in actual operation. Some are "silent" for long periods except for the occasional notice, becoming neglected "zombie groups"; some are flooded with product promotions, vote solicitation, and likes, drowning out important notices; some have become casual chat groups with content of varying quality, and village cadres have not provided timely guidance. More worthy of vigilance is that some groups do not strictly vet new members, giving scammers an opportunity to take advantage of a situation.
The purpose of establishing a group is to facilitate the people, and the key to managing a group lies in fulfilling responsibility. It is suggested that villages and groups formulate management conventions for WeChat groups, designate dedicated personnel to serve as good "group administrators," and promptly stop advertising spam and irrelevant chatter; strictly enforce membership review, implement real-name management, and keep suspicious individuals out; village cadres should take the initiative, not only issuing notices but also using WeChat groups to collect public opinion and answer questions, making the WeChat group a bridge connecting cadres and the masses.
Xi'an, Shaanxi Province Huo Yan
Investigate and Demonstrate Before Building a Farmers' Market
When I went to a certain county for research a while ago, I learned that three new farmers' markets had been built locally, covering more than 20 mu of land, with nearly 600 stalls, and also equipped with parking spaces, public toilets, garbage transfer rooms, etc., intended to channel away street markets and make it convenient for residents to buy vegetables. Unexpectedly, as they began trial operations one after another from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, all three markets have remained quiet. In one of the markets, only nearly ten elderly people were tending their vegetable stalls, and no customers could be seen for half a day. Some stall owners initially moved in to operate, but later left one after another due to lack of business. They said the relevant departments had good intentions, but in the past, when they set up stalls by the roadside, they could basically sell out their vegetables by noon or evening; now, in the market, few people come even after waiting all day.
For projects that benefit the people, the key is to give the masses a tangible sense of gain. It is suggested that before planning and building similar projects, the authorities first ascertain residents' vegetable-buying habits and stall owners' operating needs, and solicit opinions through door-to-door visits, forums, questionnaires, and other means. The market location should be convenient and along residents' routes, consistent with their daily travel patterns. In terms of operation, stall fees could first be reduced or waived and operating hours extended to attract stall owners in. By combining guidance and regulation, and giving existing roadside vendors a reasonable transition period, it will be possible to gradually draw foot traffic from the roadside into the market.
Gucheng County, Hubei Province Wei Ming
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 赵 兵
When joining a group tour, many travel agencies will have tourists purchase travel insurance to provide protection against risks such as accidents, medical treatment, and itinerary delays that may occur during the trip. Insurance sales should be open, transparent, and voluntarily selected. However, some readers and netizens have reported that when travel agencies help them purchase insurance on their behalf, there is engaging in shady or deceptive practices (藏了猫腻, cang le mao ni - "hide, the, cat's, mischief"), which affects the travel experience.
Ms. Li from Guangzhou, Guangdong, recently reported on People's Daily Online's "People's Complaints" platform that she signed up with a travel agency in Beijing. The contract stated that accident insurance was voluntary, but after forming a group in Beijing, it became mandatory, with each person required to pay 80 yuan. Netizen Mr. Song also reported the same problem. After signing up for a 3-day, 4-night tour package and arriving at the tourist destination, he was forced by the travel agency to pay an additional 180 yuan in insurance fees.
Is the mandatory purchase of travel insurance compliant and legal? "According to the relevant provisions of the Tourism Law, when organizing tourism activities, travel agencies have the obligation to remind tourists to purchase personal accident insurance. This provision aims to enhance tourists' risk awareness so that they can choose appropriate insurance products according to their own needs," said Luo Hao, associate professor at the School of Business of Sun Yat-sen University. "The Insurance Law of the People's Republic of China, as the basic law of the insurance industry, regulates all types of insurance activities including travel insurance, emphasizes the principles of fairness, voluntariness, and acting in good faith and with integrity (诚实信用, cheng shi xin yong - "honest, trust, credit") in insurance contracts, and clarifies insurance liability and claims procedures."
"That is to say, in ordinary tourism in domestic cities, consumers' wishes should be respected, and insurance should not be forced upon them. Especially when it is not specified in the contract and insurance is forcibly purchased only after arriving at the tourist destination, this is clearly non-compliant," Luo Hao said.
Some consumers also reported that the insurance premiums collected by travel agencies differed greatly from the premiums actually paid. Mr. Yang from Ningbo, Zhejiang, signed up with a travel agency from another province. The travel agency required each person to purchase 80 yuan of accident insurance, and Mr. Yang's group of 7 people spent a total of 560 yuan. "When we checked through the policy inquiry, we found that the travel agency actually paid only 16.1 yuan in premiums for the 7 people, yet charged us 560 yuan — a serious deception of consumers," Mr. Yang said with considerable indignation.
Similarly, a netizen reported that he and his companion traveled from Chongqing to Gansu on June 5 and contacted a travel agency customer service online to join a group. After arriving at the destination, the travel agency staff required the purchase of 7-day accident insurance at 150 yuan per person. However, when he later checked through the policy inquiry, he found that the actual premium paid per person was only 1.8 yuan. The netizen contacted the travel agency to request an invoice and a refund of the price difference, but both were refused.
In response, Wei Yanan, lawyer at Beijing Yuandong Law Firm, stated, "When a travel agency collects high insurance premiums from tourists but actually pays only extremely low premiums and withholds the price difference, concealing the true insurance coverage situation, this infringes on consumers' right to know and right to fair dealing, and constitutes consumer fraud. According to the relevant provisions of the Consumer Rights Protection Law, tourists have the right to claim a refund of the insurance premium difference and to claim punitive damages. Forced insurance purchase, collecting premiums without providing policy documents, and similar acts are also illegal and harm consumers' rights and interests," Wei Yanan said.
In addition, some netizens left comments stating that the travel agency they signed up with engaged in false advertising regarding insurance. A netizen said that a travel agency in Chengdu, Sichuan, advertised in its 5-day, 4-night "plateau itinerary" promotion that it would gift "travel insurance and accident insurance with a maximum coverage of 800,000 yuan," yet in the electronic contract the travel agency sent, the "personal accident insurance" column was checked by the travel agency as "waive purchase."
Some readers also reported that after purchasing insurance through a travel agency, they did not receive the corresponding policy. Ms. Sun from Huainan, Anhui, left a comment saying that her group of 6 signed up for a 5-day, 4-night tour project. After arriving at the tourist destination, the travel agency staff collected 480 yuan in insurance fees, but when she requested the policy, they never gave it to her.
In the view of industry insiders, the non-compliant behavior of travel agencies in travel insurance sales ultimately stems from the pursuit of profit, crossing the bottom line of the industry. "Tourists purchasing insurance is a voluntary act, and travel agencies should fulfill their duty to remind. Travel agencies can provide insurance options for tourists, collect fees uniformly and pay them to the insurance company, and the insurance company pays channel fees or agency commissions through legal and compliant channels. Only this way is consistent with commercial logic," said Sun Yi, secretary-general of the CYTS Research Institute. "But if consumers pay 80 yuan or even 150 yuan, and the travel agency actually pays only a few yuan in premiums for the consumers, this is clearly deceiving consumers. Such behavior damages the credibility of travel agencies, disrupts market order, and is not conducive to the healthy development of the tourism market."
How should travel agency insurance purchasing on behalf of tourists be regulated? Luo Hao suggested that, on the one hand, travel agencies should clearly explain the matters of accident insurance purchase when sending the electronic contract to consumers, including whether it needs to be purchased, how much premium is to be paid, and how much coverage is provided, and must not force the purchase of accident insurance. On the other hand, travel agencies can list several tiers of prices corresponding to different coverage amounts for different premiums, for consumers to choose from.
"In advertising coverage amounts, travel agencies should seek truth from facts and must not exaggerate arbitrarily, causing consumers to misunderstand. After consumers purchase accident insurance, the travel agency should also promptly hand over policy documents and other receipts to consumers so that they can clearly see the insurance they have purchased," Sun Yi said.
In addition, experts suggest that relevant functional departments should pay focused attention to travel agencies against which consumers have reported relatively concentrated problems, conduct investigations and handle them in a timely manner, impose penalties on travel agencies that infringe on consumer interests in travel insurance sales, respond to consumer demands, and regulate market order.
"Before signing a travel contract, consumers must carefully review the insurance-related clauses. When encountering situations of forced bundling of insurance, they should refuse in accordance with the law. In the face of problems such as opaque information on premiums and coverage amounts, consumers should properly retain relevant evidentiary materials such as payment receipts, communication records, contracts, and policy documents, and may file complaints and reports through the 12345 government service hotline or cultural and tourism administrative departments, and if necessary, safeguard their legitimate rights and interests through judicial channels in accordance with the law," Wei Yanan said.
Return to TopThe construction of the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor continues to advance steadily, and cultural and tourism resources between Chengdu and Chongqing are accelerating their flow. As the central urban district of Chongqing, Yuzhong District is focusing on building itself into a pilot zone for the construction of the Bashu Cultural Tourism Corridor, delivering a new answer sheet for the cultural and tourism market.
During this year's National Day holiday, the district received 12.555 million tourist visits, with tourism spending up 7.3% year-on-year; total online transaction volume for cultural and tourism consumption ranked first in Chongqing; inbound overnight tourists grew 53% year-on-year, and the total cultural and tourism consumption of inbound tourists accounted for 40.8% of Chongqing's payment share.
Chaotianmen·Chengli opened its doors to visitors at the end of April this year, with daily peak foot traffic exceeding 60,000. The Sichuan opera face-changing performances and long-spout teapot tea art performances at Chongqing Daqi Teahouse are highly popular. At Kuixinglou, the Yixin Stage of the Chongqing Peking Opera Theater has taken up residence; after touring Hongya Cave, visitors can turn around and stop to listen to a scene of opera.
Projects are advancing in tandem. In April this year, Yuzhong District signed 40 key projects for optimizing the business environment, with a total amount of 15.9 billion yuan. In the cultural and tourism sector, centering on Yuzhong District's "19618" new modern service industry system, continuous breakthroughs have been made in tracks such as cultural creativity and cultural tourism events.
The data reflects consumption heat, the scenarios showcase supply innovation, and the projects reveal development momentum. Three answers point to one question: how can a central urban district of 23 square kilometers, with land development nearing saturation, constantly refreshing or providing new results (常答常新, chang da chang xin - "often, answer, often, new") on its cultural and tourism answer sheet?
From "Old Spaces" to "New Scenarios"
—Protection first, rational utilization, putting cultural relic resources "to use"
"One step, one cultural relic; every step is history." Yuzhong District is not short of cultural relic resources. The district has 147 cultural relic sites across 179 locations, with nationally protected units accounting for 35% of the city's total and an overall activation rate of 94%.
But abundant resources do not equal strong products. Yuzhong's solution is simple: first resolutely protect, then consider rational utilization.
Datianwan Stadium is the first first-class stadium of New China and was once abandoned. After renovation, the first home match of the Yuzhong team in the 2026 season of the "Yuchao" (Chongqing Super League) was held here; the Yuzhong team defeated the Qianjiang team 3:0, securing an "opening victory."
The former site of the Sino-British Liaison Office on Wusi Road near the People's Liberation Monument has adopted another approach to utilization: Hong Kong's New China Group invested in functional upgrades, introduced formats such as the first Southwest China store of the French pastry brand Angelina, and created a new cultural exchange center.
In terms of mechanisms, Yuzhong has established "three major mechanisms": joint review and joint approval for cultural relic projects, joint evaluation for opening and utilization, and publication of an open opportunity list. The "Red Three Cliffs" was selected as one of the top ten national cases, the Huguang Guild Hall was included in the first batch of the National Cultural Heritage Administration's "Case Guide for the Opening and Utilization of Heritage Buildings," the Old Drum Tower Yamen Site was placed on the "Preliminary List of China's World Cultural Heritage," and the former site of the Meifeng Bank has been transformed into a financial history museum integrated into the city's tourism route.
From "Selling Landscapes" to "Selling Content"
—Technology empowerment, scenario innovation, cultivating the digital cultural industry
Opening the "ledger" of Yuzhong District's cultural and tourism industry: in 2025, the value added of the cultural industry and the tourism industry reached 11.53 billion yuan and 15.63 billion yuan respectively, with the share of cultural and tourism industry value added in regional GDP ranking among the highest in the city. In the first half of 2026, the revenue of digital culture enterprises grew more than 30% year-on-year, further demonstrating development momentum.
Yuzhong District is working on two fronts: on one hand, cultivating the digital cultural industry composed of games, animation, short dramas, and artificial intelligence; on the other hand, developing the traditional cultural industry carried by theaters and stages, together supporting the foundation for the high-quality development of the cultural industry.
On screens, a new wave of content creation is emerging—the "Time Series" game IP developed by a leading local game enterprise covers more than 170 countries and regions; the animation enterprise Colored Pencil has produced well-known animations such as Blades of the Guardians and The King's Avatar; Jingchen Animation has participated in the animation design of Ne Zha 2 and A Record of a Mortal's Journey to Immortality; the short drama enterprise Touch Culture has long ranked among the top of the short drama industry. Batch after batch of "Yuzhong creations" are crossing mountains and seas to reach the global stage.
In the parks, agglomeration effects are rapidly emerging
——
Yuzhong District has established a district-level animation and game industry association, strengthened platforms such as the Animation and Game Industry Park, the Hualongqiao International Audiovisual Industry Park, and the Tiaohuachang Digital Cultural and Creative Industry Park, and promoted the concentration and clustering of enterprises and the formation of complete industry chains and clusters. National key cultural export enterprises such as Chongqing Pathea Games are concentrated here, achieving full coverage of the three tracks of online games, online dramas, and online literature. At the same time, Yuzhong District is empowering traditional cultural tourism with digital technology, laying out the new track of "AI + cultural tourism" to revitalize traditional industries.
In the theaters, a new tune of cultural heritage continuation is being sung—relying on the Guotai Arts Center, the Cultural Palace Grand Theater, the Kangjiantang Theater, and others, Yuzhong District has built 19 new municipal-level performance spaces. Eight municipal-level professional troupes, including the Chongqing Drama Theater, perform year-round, while private institutions such as Cheguan'er, Yuanqi Comedy, and Mahua FunAge compete to take the stage. The deep integration of performance and tourism has made theaters a stop on tourists' itineraries and made cultural consumption an important part of young people's nighttime consumption.
Yuzhong District continues to weave a dense "15-minute high-quality cultural life circle," launching the "Cultural Partner Plan" and bringing together more than 5,000 cultural business entities.
From "Inbound Tourism Heat" to "International Flair"
—Solidifying hardware, optimizing software, creating high-quality inbound tourism services
Inbound tourism is a window that reveals a city's openness and its international image.
Yuzhong District has issued a "Ten Major Actions" plan for enhancing inbound tourism, focusing on the needs of inbound tourists in payment, language, and transportation, and has rolled out a package of policy measures. It has created the Meet Yuzhong international communication brand, and the international promotional film Encounter Yuzhong has achieved 135 million global exposures, attracting a doubling in the number of inbound overnight tourists.
In 2025, Yuzhong District received 747,000 inbound overnight tourists, up 107% year-on-year; since the beginning of this year, the district's share of inbound overnight tourists in the city has exceeded 40%.
Yuzhong District has achieved these figures through a complete "combined punch": it has built the city's first payment facilitation demonstration zone, deployed nearly 7,000 foreign card POS machines in the core area, achieving full coverage of star-rated hotels, graded scenic areas, and key commercial districts; the Raffles City urban airport terminal has introduced the first overseas flight self-service check-in kiosk in Southwest China; 119 foreign currency exchange outlets have been established, and all ATMs support foreign card cash withdrawals; three "buy now, refund now" centralized tax refund points for departure tax rebates have been set up, and the number of departure tax refund stores ranks first in Chongqing.
With smooth transportation, convenient payment, and accessible language, the inbound tourism experience is getting better and better. Yuzhong District continues to optimize the tourism space of "2 ten-million-level core scenic areas + 10 multi-format characteristic streets + 10 small and beautiful mountain city back alleys," build a consumption space system of "3 landmark commercial districts + 20 shopping centers + 75 characteristic scenarios," and iterate the global cuisine system of "8 national cuisines + 4 Michelin brands + 50 international restaurants," transforming inbound consumption from "leaving with photos" to "staying with spending."
The internationalization of inbound tourism services is not just about the convenience of payment, language, and transportation, but also about aligning urban governance with international service standards. During holidays, the Qiansimen Bridge is "closed to traffic to give way to the scenery," and popular scenic areas have set up multilingual international volunteer service points, so that when tourists encounter problems, someone responds. Inbound tourists can find their way after getting off the plane, pay, understand the signage, and receive timely help when they encounter problems. Yuzhong District implements its internationalization goals in every detail, solidifies services, turns traffic into reputation, and promotes the city's image to the international market.
From "Report Card" to "New Chapter"
—Breaking new ground with the "five transformations," expanding the space for leapfrog development
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Yuzhong District's cultural and tourism report card was impressive: it ranked among the top 5 districts nationwide in the comprehensive strength of urban districts in tourism for two consecutive years, was selected as a national demonstration city for cultural and tourism consumption, created 3 national-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption clusters, 2 national-level tourism and leisure streets, and 2 national-level cultural industry demonstration bases; the value added of the cultural and tourism industry accounted for more than 10% of GDP, ranking first in Chongqing.
Striving forward in the 15th Five-Year Plan, Yuzhong District takes the "five transformations" as the direction for upgrading its cultural and tourism industry: from "scenic spot economy" to "all-industry economy," from "flash check-in" to "immersive experience," from "resource display" to "heritage manifestation," from "factor-driven" to "innovation-driven," and from "regional market" to "global market."
Yuzhong District plans that by 2030, the average annual number of tourist visits will exceed 100 million, total tourist spending will exceed 148 billion yuan, inbound overnight tourists will exceed 1.6 million, new breakthroughs will be made in building the "City of Museums," the operating revenue of new business formats such as digital culture will account for more than 42% of the operating revenue of cultural enterprises above designated size, public cultural and sports services will achieve full coverage, and digital and intelligent governance of cultural tourism will lead the city.
In the future, Yuzhong District will adhere to shaping tourism with culture, highlighting culture through tourism, and invigorating the city with sports, emphasizing whole-region, all-time, all-scenery, and all-industry development, advancing the integrated and innovative development of culture, commerce, tourism, sports, and the city, and building itself into a strong district of cultural tourism in the new era with more Bashu charm, mountain city flavor, and international flair.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Yuzhong District Committee, Chongqing
Return to TopBy: 王 峰
To govern the country, one must first govern the Party; only when the Party thrives can the country be strong. The Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee held a meeting on October 23, emphasizing: "Strictly implement the political responsibility for governing the Party and managing Party affairs, grasp all work of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with higher standards and more concrete measures, maintain the high-pressure posture against corruption, and carry the strict tone through to the end." Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a major strategic deployment made by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, based on a profound grasp of the new changes in the world situation, national conditions, and Party conditions in the new era. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, our Party has advanced the great new project of Party building in the new era with the strategic policy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, promoting historic achievements in the innovation of Party building theory and the deepening of practice in governing the Party and managing Party affairs, which is of milestone significance in the history of the development of Marxist Party building theory and in the history of Party building of the Communist Party of China. Standing at a new historical starting point, we must scientifically understand the great achievements of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, deeply summarize successful experiences, strengthen historical confidence, grasp historical initiative, and continuing to persist in something (持之以恒, chizhi yihang - "hold on, persevere") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, providing a strong political guarantee for comprehensively advancing the building of a strong country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization.
Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era
Problems are the voice of the times and the starting point of practice. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the new era, to better uphold and develop the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics on the new journey, we must profoundly answer the major era-specific question of "what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party," ensuring that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics. Making full and rigorous self-governance of the Party the distinctive theme of Party building in the new era and unswervingly advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in depth is the systematic and scientific answer given by the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core to this major era-specific question.
Proceeding from the overall situation of the development of the cause of the Party and the country, clarify the strategic position of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. The leadership of the Communist Party of China is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics and the greatest strength of the system of socialism with Chinese characteristics. To manifest the most essential feature and give play to the greatest strength, it is necessary to uphold and strengthen the Party's leadership in all respects. As socialism with Chinese characteristics enters the new era, Party building faces new situations and tasks. On the one hand, the strategic overall situation of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation and changes unseen in a century are converging historically, and the tasks of reform, development, and stability are heavier and the contradictions, risks, and challenges are more numerous than ever before; on the other hand, the "four major tests" and "four dangers" will exist for a long time, and the situation of the anti-corruption struggle remains severe and complex. To overcome risks and challenges and accomplish the historical mission, it is necessary to advance the great new project of Party building in the new era. Based on the new historical orientation, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core incorporated full and rigorous self-governance of the Party into the strategic layout of the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面). From the 19th National Congress of the Party writing "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" into the Party Constitution and making it one of the basic policies for upholding and developing socialism with Chinese characteristics in the new era, to the resolution of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee listing "clarifying the strategic policy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" as an important part of the "Ten Clarifications" of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, to the report of the 20th National Congress of the Party further proposing "improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party," and to General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasizing at the meeting celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China that "we must continue to persist in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party," the strategic position of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the overall situation of the development of the cause of the Party and the country is increasingly clear and continuously consolidated.
Break through from key areas to drive comprehensive rigor in Party building. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party does not mean exerting equal effort everywhere or attacking on all fronts, but rather promoting overall change through major contradictions and driving comprehensive rigor through key links. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has started from formulating and implementing the Central Eight-Point Regulation, solving the problem of "the tiger wanting to eat the sky but not knowing where to start," focusing on the "Four Malfeasances" issues that the masses strongly reflect on, curbing "waste at the tip of the tongue," stopping "corruption on the wheels," and rectifying "the unhealthy trends in clubs," using "small cuts" to promote "big changes." The results of a 2025 survey by the National Bureau of Statistics show that 95.5% of surveyed masses affirmed the effectiveness of implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, and 92.2% were satisfied with the effect of the transformation of Party conduct and government conduct driving the improvement of social atmosphere. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party highlights the fundamental construction of the Party's political construction, runs political standards and political requirements through all aspects of Party building, implements the requirement of taking political construction as the guide into concrete work practice, and fundamentally reverses the situation of weakened implementation of the Party's leadership and indifferent Party consciousness. Corruption is the greatest threat facing the Party, and anti-corruption is the strategic breakthrough point of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Our Party adheres to "hunting tigers," "swatting flies," and "chasing foxes," advancing in an integrated manner the goal of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, insisting on simultaneous investigation and governance of malfeasance and corruption, clearing the greatest obstacles and winning the greatest initiative for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. This method of advancement of "grasping key points, attacking difficulties, and driving the overall situation" has enabled the governance of the Party and management of Party affairs to achieve a profound transformation from "loose, soft, and lax" to "strict, firm, and tight."
Improve the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and promote the deepening and solidification of the governance of the Party and management of Party affairs. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a systematic project; the deeper it advances, the more it requires the use of systematic thinking to grasp the complexity and interrelatedness of problems and fully give play to the synergistic effectiveness of construction in all aspects. The practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era proves that after supervision discovers problems, it is necessary not only to promote rectification but also to identify weak links in education management and system implementation, and enhancing the effectiveness of system implementation cannot be separated from strict supervision, discipline enforcement, and accountability. Improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party means strengthening the connection and coordination of these tasks, combining problem rectification with source governance, consolidating governance achievements while solving prominent problems, and preventing the recurrence of problems. In June 2024, when presiding over the 15th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping further made important deployments in five aspects: improving the organizational system, the education system, the supervision system, the institutional system, and the responsibility system. The five systems are organically connected, linking organizational advantages, educational guidance, management supervision, institutional constraints, and responsibility implementation, promoting full and rigorous self-governance of the Party to continuously deepen and solidify in systematic integration and coordinated efficiency.
The great achievements of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era
"Governance values constancy; governance requires regularity." Since the new era, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has adhered to a problem-oriented approach, directly confronting prominent problems such as the "loose, soft, and lax" governance of the Party and management of Party affairs, and has been consistent from beginning to end (一以贯之, yiyi guanzhi - "one, through, connect") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, promoting historic and pioneering achievements in Party building, and making the Party stronger and more powerful through revolutionary tempering.
Forming Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building. The times are the mother of thought, and practice is the source of theory. A distinct main line of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era is promoting the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist Party building theory. Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has profoundly summarized the historical experience of Party building, closely focused on the practical problems faced by full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and continuously deepened the understanding of the laws of "what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party" in the practice of governing the Party and managing Party affairs. The National Party Building Work Symposium held in June 2026 made work deployments for studying and implementing Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building, systematically elaborating the scientific connotation, theoretical character, and practical power of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building. From the goal dimension, the political goal of upholding and strengthening the Party's leadership in all respects and consolidating the Party's long-term governing position is the logical main line running through the scientific system of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building; from the content dimension, Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building constitutes an internally related, clearly layered organic whole with the Fourteen Commitments, centrally reflecting the systematicness and scientificity of theoretical innovation in Party building in the new era; from the practical dimension, Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building clarifies the substance and applies it, integrating substance and application, being both the theoretical summary of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party and the action guide for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building is a major theoretical achievement formed in the great practice of advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, opening up a new realm of the Sinicization and modernization of Marxist Party building theory.
Promoting the revolutionary tempering of the entire Party. Since the new era, under the strong leadership of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core, our Party has focused on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, highlighted the political responsibility for governing the Party and managing Party affairs, and made efforts to solve prominent problems such as the weakening of the Party's leadership by some Party organizations and Party leading cadres, the deficiency of Party building, the inadequacy of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, indifferent Party consciousness, organizational laxity, slack discipline, and failure to take responsibility, opening up a new situation for the great new project of Party building in the new era. Through political construction, the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership have been effectively safeguarded; through ideological construction, adherence to using the Party's innovative theory to unite hearts and forge souls has made the entire Party highly unified in thought and firm in belief; through organizational construction, the Party's political and organizational advantages have been transformed into strong execution and combat effectiveness; through work style construction, the trust and support of the people have been won with a new atmosphere; through discipline construction, Party members and cadres have personally felt the Party's strict management and deep care; through institutional construction, the successful experience of governing the Party and managing Party affairs has been transformed into rigid institutions and solidified into long-term mechanisms, continuously raising the level of scientific, institutionalized, and standardized governance of the Party and management of Party affairs; through the anti-corruption struggle, a path of anti-corruption with Chinese characteristics has been successfully forged. The great practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era has made our Party stronger and more powerful in the conscious action of strengthening itself.
Improving and perfecting the system of intra-Party regulations and institutions. Adhering to governing the Party with institutions and governing the Party with regulations is the long-term and fundamental strategy for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "We must adhere to law-based governance and governing the Party with regulations, and uphold and establish discipline and rules" and "we must connect discipline enforcement with law enforcement." Since the new era, our Party has established a system of intra-Party regulations with the Party Constitution as the foundation, democratic centralism as the core, and guidelines and regulations as the main body, promoting the adaptation of institutional construction to the needs of governing the Party and managing Party affairs and its coordination with all aspects of Party building, so that the governance of the Party and management of Party affairs have regulations to follow and rules to abide by. By strengthening the publicity and education of regulations and institutions, guiding Party members and cadres to learn and understand regulations and revere rules, the iron regulations and prohibitions are internalized in the heart; by adhering to the principles that regulations must be followed, enforcement must be strict, and violations must be investigated, the institutional advantages of intra-Party regulations are transformed into governance effectiveness; by improving the whole-chain mechanism of supervision of institutional implementation, assessment and evaluation, and accountability and inquiry, the authority and seriousness of the system of intra-Party regulations and institutions are further strengthened; by adhering to the organic unity of law-based governance and governing the Party with regulations, carrying out work with the concepts, systems, and procedures of the rule of law, and promoting the institutionalization, standardization, and proceduralization of law-based governance; by adhering to regulating Party organizations and Party building activities with intra-Party regulations, continuously enhancing the Party's governing capacity and leadership level.
Promoting the formation of a widespread trend of clean culture. The occurrence of corruption has both external causes of institutional cages not being tight enough and constraints being inadequate, and internal causes of weak ideological defense lines and loss of values. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "'Not wanting' is fundamental, and it depends on strengthening education in ideals and convictions, improving Party spirit awareness, and cultivating clean culture, consolidating the ideological foundation of staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission." Since the 18th National Congress of the Party, our Party has attached great importance to the construction of clean culture, making it a key link in full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, integrating it into the entire process of Party building, the daily education and management of Party members and cadres, and all levels of social governance. Through the regular development of Party spirit education, warning education, and integrity education, guiding the broad masses of Party members and cadres to establish correct views of power, status, and interests, making serving the people, being pragmatic, and being clean the value pursuit and conscious action of Party members and cadres in the new era; through building clean education positions, creating clean cultural works, carrying out clean theme activities, and promoting the construction of family traditions and family education, promoting clean culture into communities, schools, and families, and building a pattern of clean culture construction with coordinated efforts from units, families, and society; through adhering to simultaneous investigation and governance of malfeasance and corruption, building a governance pattern in which Party spirit, Party conduct, and Party discipline are advanced in an integrated manner and the rectification of conduct, discipline, and anti-corruption are deeply connected.
Important inspirations from full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era
The great practice and achievements of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era profoundly reveal the historical laws of advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era through full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, scientifically answer the era-specific question of "what kind of long-term governing Marxist party to build and how to build a long-term governing Marxist party," and provide practical experience and theoretical guidance for continuing to persist in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
We must uphold and strengthen the Party's leadership in all respects and implement the Party's leadership in all fields, aspects, and links of governing the Party and managing Party affairs and governing the country. The key to adhering to full and rigorous self-governance of the Party lies in strengthening the Party's leadership. Only by upholding and strengthening the Party's leadership in all respects can the decisions and deployments for governing the Party, managing Party affairs, revitalizing the Party, and strengthening the country be implemented, and the Party's political character and unique advantages be transformed into the actual effectiveness of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. We must more clearly understand the important position of the Party's political construction, firmly grasp the fundamental requirement of clearly speaking politics, deeply understand the decisive significance of the Two Establishments, resolutely achieve the Two Upholds, and enhance the consciousness and firmness of advancing the Party's political construction. Implementing the Party's leadership in all fields, aspects, and links requires not only implementation in explicit levels such as organizational structure, policy formulation, and selection and appointment of personnel, but also integration into deeper levels such as cultural concepts, governance ideas, and ideals and convictions, fully giving play to the political guidance and political guarantee role of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
We must adhere to theoretical innovation and unremittingly arm the entire Party with the Party's innovative theory. Practice is the source of theoretical innovation, and the fundamental purpose of theoretical innovation is to lead the development of practice. Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building was nurtured in the great practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, embodies the valuable experience and understanding of laws in governing the Party and managing Party affairs in the new era, and is the fundamental guideline for continuing to persist in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. We must adhere to reading original works, learning original texts, and comprehending principles, fully grasp the scientific system and core essence of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building, deeply understand the theoretical character of Xi Jinping's Thought on Party Building, and effectively transform the results of learning into concrete actions for advancing the great new project of Party building in the new era. Strengthen the construction of clean culture, guide Party members and cadres to rectify their minds and understand the way, cherish virtue and self-respect, and build a solid ideological dam against corruption and degeneration with firm ideals and convictions; cultivate a clean and upright political ecology, promote the formation of clear and pure comradely relations, proper superior-subordinate relations, and a new type of pro-clean and unified government-business relations; promote the integration of clean culture into daily life, making the advocacy of integrity and the admiration of cleanliness a universal consensus and code of conduct for the whole society.
We must adhere unwaveringly to the strict tone and run the strict requirements through the entire process and all aspects of governing the Party and managing Party affairs. Only by truly managing strictly, daring to manage strictly, and managing strictly for a long time can the prominent problems of impure ideology, impure politics, impure organization, and impure work style within the Party be fundamentally solved, ensuring that the Party never changes its nature, never changes its color, and never changes its flavor. We must resolutely eliminate all factors that damage the Party's advanced nature and purity, lay the foundation of the strict tone with strict measures, form a strict atmosphere, and shape a good intra-Party political ecology. Implement the strict requirements in institutional formulation, discipline enforcement, and supervision and accountability, enhance the foresight of work, the scientificity of institutions, and the seriousness of discipline, and with the sobriety of "when the boat reaches the middle of the river, the waves are more urgent; when people reach the middle of the mountain, the road is steeper," truly achieve strict discipline enforcement, investigation of all violations, and precise accountability. Adhere to the combination of strict management and deep care, and the equal emphasis on incentives and constraints, forge a contingent of cadres with both integrity and ability in the dialectical unity of strict management and positive incentives, stimulate the enthusiasm and confidence for undertaking work, and create a strong atmosphere of taking responsibility and making contributions.
We must adhere to the use of systematic thinking and continuously improve the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a systematic project. From the horizontal perspective, Party building involves political, ideological, organizational, work style, discipline, institutional, and other aspects, requiring coordinated advancement of all work; from the vertical perspective, Party building covers a series of elements such as decision-making and deployment, implementation, and supervision and guarantee, constituting a complete logical chain for realizing the Party's leadership. We must continuously improve the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, adhere to taking the Party's political construction as the guide, advance in an integrated manner the goal of not daring to be corrupt, not being able to be corrupt, and not wanting to be corrupt, and promote the formation of a system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with connected organizations, education that reaches the heart, strong supervision, strict institutions, and clear responsibilities. In particular, we must grasp the "ox nose" of the responsibility system, adhere to the principle of "where there is power, there is responsibility, and power and responsibility must be equal," and through the whole-chain mechanism of clarifying responsibilities, knowing responsibilities, fulfilling responsibilities, and holding accountable, achieve the layer-by-layer transmission of pressure and the interlocking of responsibilities, and with the institutional effectiveness of systematic integration, promote the formation of a vivid situation in which the entire Party works together to manage things.
(The author is a special researcher of the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)
Return to TopBy: 范鸿飞
The grassroots level is the "nerve endings" of the national governance system, bearing on one end the strategic overall situation of the Party and the state, and on the other end the livelihood matters of countless households. Comrade Xi Jinping wrote in Zhijiang Xinyu: "For ordinary people, every trivial matter around them is a truly major matter." This important exposition profoundly reveals the dialectical unity of the "large" and the "small" in grassroots work. Skillfully using dialectical thinking to grasp the "large" and the "small" in grassroots work is a required course for grassroots cadres in the new era to improve their performance capabilities, and is also an important requirement for activating the endogenous driving force of grassroots governance and consolidating the grassroots foundation.
One of the most intuitive features of grassroots work is that it is permeated with the "small." Neighborhood dispute mediation, improvement of the human living environment, and implementation of policies benefiting the people — every single matter or instance (桩桩件件, zhuang zhuang jian jian - "case, case; matter, matter") is closely tied to the daily lives of the masses, and the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security is precisely hidden in these concrete small matters. The reason some Party members and cadres achieve poor work results and low public recognition lies precisely in their neglect of the small matters around the masses, always thinking of grasping major matters and producing conspicuous achievements, thereby severing the internal connection between the "large" and the "small." In reality, whether village roads are easy to walk on, whether street lamps in front of doors are bright, and whether water channels and ditches are dredged in a timely manner — these seemingly scattered and fragmentary "small problems" are precisely the direct windows through which the masses feel the warmth of serving the people, and are also the touchstones for testing the quality of governance.
Small grassroots matters are connected to major governance matters. Grassroots work appears ordinary and minute, yet it carries the weighty original aspiration and founding mission. Every livelihood matter is a concrete carrier for the implementation and execution of the decisions and deployments of the Party Central Committee, and the degree of refinement in the landing points of work directly affects the actual effectiveness of policies and measures. Whether it is the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas, livelihood security, or ecological governance and the construction of a Safe China, these overall tasks concerning the long-term development and lasting peace and stability of society must all rely on grassroots cadres and the masses to advance them day after day with consistent and continuous effort from beginning to end (一以贯之, yi yi guan zhi - "one, continuously, through, connect"). Only in this way can they be transformed into tangible and perceptible scenes of a better life. It can be seen that although the affairs handled at the grassroots level are small, the responsibility is extremely heavy (千钧重, qian jun zhong - "thousand, weight unit, heavy"), guarding the bottom line of people's livelihoods and upholding the heavy task of regional development and social stability.
Keeping the overall situation in mind is the prerequisite for doing grassroots work well. A broad vision requires observing the general trend and planning the overall situation, breaking free from the thinking limitation of a narrow, limited area of interest or concern (一亩三分地, yi mu san fen di - "one, mu, three, fen, land"), correctly handling the interest relationships between the part and the whole, the individual and the collective, and the present and the long term, doing more big calculations and settling big accounts, striving for glory for one's own region while also adding luster to the overall situation. Proactively enhance foresight, see the overall situation through one region, plan for the long term based on one's own duties, be adept at distinguishing between what is primary and what is secondary (分清主次, fen qing zhu ci - "divide, clear, main, secondary") amid complex affairs, seize the key points, capture budding and tendency problems from minute details, resolve contradictions and hidden dangers in their infancy, and promote the stability and development of the country through the stability and vitality of the grassroots level.
Only by grasping the small matters solidly can tangible and practical results be achieved. Quantitative change gives rise to qualitative change. The landing and rooting of the grand blueprint cannot be separated from bit-by-bit practical work, and the stability of the national governance and development overall situation is precisely accumulated through the proper handling of countless grassroots small matters through sustained, long-term effort. During his work in Zhengding, Hebei, Comrade Xi Jinping always insisted on starting from the details and exerting effort in practical matters. By promoting the repair and renovation of school buildings, improving school conditions, piloting the renovation of connected latrine pits, and rectifying the urban and rural environment, and through other livelihood matters one by one, he continuously consolidated the foundation of county development, improved the quality of life of the masses, accumulated sufficient momentum for the long-term development of Zhengding, and established a vivid model for grasping the "large" and the "small" in grassroots work. To do grassroots work well, one must not only have a vision and pattern that looks to the long term, but also possess the execution capability of reaching for the broad while attending to the minute details (致广大而尽精微, zhi guang da er jin jing wei - "reach, vast, great, and, exhaust, precise, minute"), ascertaining real demands and identifying governance difficulties in face-to-face communication with the masses, neither slacking off because matters are small nor shirking because work is complex, and continuously resolving livelihood difficulties through concrete, perceptible, practical, and feasible measures one by one, so that the masses can truly feel the warmth of governance and the quality and efficiency of development.
Striving forward into the 15th Five-Year Plan, grassroots work is the "last kilometer" for ensuring the implementation of policies. Using dialectical thinking to grasp the "large" and the "small" in grassroots work, achieving both ascending high to plan far ahead and grasp the development trend, and also being down-to-earth and practical (脚踏实地, jiao ta shi di - "foot, step, solid, earth") in deeply cultivating livelihood small matters, and promoting the implementation and effectiveness of various deployments through solid grassroots work, will surely provide an inexhaustible driving force for Chinese modernization to move steadily to achieve long-term success (行稳致远, xing wen zhi yuan - "walk, steady, reach, far").
Return to TopBy: 兰建平
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In places where culture is highly developed, the economy likewise advances at the forefront. One may study the humanistic economics contained therein." This important exposition points the way for coordinating cultural inheritance with economic development and for promoting the creative transformation and innovative development of fine traditional Chinese culture. Not long ago, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and five other departments jointly issued the Opinions on Promoting the High-Quality Development of Historical Classic Industries. This is the first industrial policy document formulated at the national level specifically for historical classic industries. As an important carrier of the humanistic economy at the level of industrial innovation, the high-quality development of historical classic industries is not only an important path for connotative economic growth and the transformation and upgrading of consumption, but also an important measure for stimulating the cultural innovation and creativity of the whole nation, prospering socialist culture with Chinese characteristics in the new era, and enhancing the country's cultural soft power.
Historical classic industries refer to traditional Chinese specialty industries with profound cultural heritage, such as silk, tea, porcelain, traditional Chinese medicine, brewing, arts and crafts, and the "four treasures of the study" (writing brush, ink stick, paper, and inkstone). These specialty industries are the crystallization of the wisdom of Chinese civilization and also the key carriers for inheriting the Chinese cultural lineage. To achieve the revitalization of history and promote the transformation of classics is to integrate traditional craftsmanship, traditional aesthetics, and cultural narratives into the entire chain of product design and manufacturing, and to rely on carriers such as products, services, and scenarios to realize the organic unity of cultural inheritance and innovation.
In recent years, the state has continuously promoted the expansion and upgrading of the consumer market, and the consumption demands of the people are accelerating toward a new stage that places greater emphasis on quality, experience, and emotional value. Consumers are no longer satisfied with the functional value of consumer goods; they increasingly pursue spiritual values such as the cultural heritage, unique aesthetics, and emotional resonance contained therein. New supply promotes new consumption: specialty products and services rooted in fine traditional Chinese culture and integrated with modern innovative design and value connotations are becoming an important new growth pole leading consumption upgrading. Relying on their profound cultural accumulation and reputation for quality, historical classic industries fit the trend of consumption upgrading and can play an important driving role in expanding domestic demand.
Based on the new stage and new requirements, promoting the high-quality development of historical classic industries requires focused efforts to solve prominent problems such as insufficient expression of cultural narratives, an insufficient number of breakout hit products, and insufficient strength of business entities, and to continuously excavate value from culture, draw momentum from innovation, and expand business opportunities from the market, exploring new paths for high-quality development.
Uphold fundamental principles and break new ground. Inheritance divorced from innovation tends toward rigidity, while innovation that loses its cultural foundation will become hollow. To promote the high-quality development of historical classic industries, it is necessary to uphold the dialectical unity of cultural inheritance and innovation. On the basis of preserving the cultural roots and spiritual core, we should be adept at transforming historical and cultural symbols into high-quality IP that suits the development of the humanistic economy. We should systematically excavate characteristic cultural resources such as intangible cultural heritage and folk customs in various regions, transform the historical and cultural connotations contained therein into visual styles, maps, and the like, and through modern design, narrative transformation, and brand building, create a number of cultural brands that possess both emotional resonance, cultural tourism value, and market appeal.
Deepen digital-intelligent empowerment. The Outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes: "Promote digital-intelligent empowerment and informatization transformation of cultural development." It is necessary to promote the deep embedding of digital-intelligent technology into all links of the industrial chain of historical classic industries, making the creation of cultural value more innovative and technologically sophisticated, activating cultural value with technological strength, and giving rise to new products, new services, and new business forms that deeply integrate tradition and modernity. Promote the adaptation of traditional craft techniques and product design to contemporary aesthetics and market trends, realizing the modern transformation of traditional industrial forms and the leap in overall value levels. Based on the cultural resource endowments of historical classic industries themselves, systematically sort out the historical and cultural lineage and the existing industrial foundation, coordinate the strength of various business entities, plan and build distinctive cultural trusted data spaces, transform cultural resources into tradable, value-appreciating data assets and gradually realize industrial implementation, forming an industrial matrix with sustained endogenous momentum that highlights the characteristics of historical classics, and accelerating the deep integration of historical classic industries in the digital world and the physical world.
Foster a sound ecosystem. The development of historical classic industries not only follows the common laws of general industrial development but also possesses the distinctive trait of being led by cultural value. This requires providing more systematic and complete policy support on the premise of fully respecting market laws, and focusing on building a three-in-one support system of "cultural excavation—brand building—talent cultivation." In terms of cultural excavation, systematically advance the decoding of regional cultural genes, make good use of key cultural symbols, open cultural application scenarios to enterprises, and promote the living transformation of fine traditional Chinese culture. In terms of brand building, characteristic industrial towns, creative districts, digital experience spaces, and the like may be built in light of local conditions; new communication media such as livestream e-commerce and short videos should be skillfully used, highlighting content value and social attributes, opening up rich scenarios for the cultural dissemination and product sales of historical classic industries, expanding the influence of historical classic industries, and broadening the supply boundary of quality cultural consumer goods. In terms of talent cultivation, improve the industrial talent cultivation system, focus on cultivating a group of new-era craftsmen and industry practitioners who inherit the cultural lineage, are adept at management, and are courageous in pioneering, providing intellectual support for the high-quality development of historical classic industries.
Promote coordinated development. Upholding the concept of integrated symbiosis to develop historical classic industries and promoting the coordinated growth of core industries and related industries is an important path for integrating traditional advantageous resources into the modern industrial system and realizing the two-way enhancement of cultural value and economic value. Support leading enterprises in historical classic industries to grow stronger and bigger, optimize distinctive segmented tracks, cultivate chain-leading enterprises, fully leverage their role in resource integration and radiation-driven development, and drive a large number of specialized, refined, distinctive, and innovative enterprises and high-quality small and medium-sized enterprises that are "small but beautiful" to grow in coordination, forming a sound industrial ecosystem with leading enterprises taking the lead, supporting enterprises linked up, and echelons advancing progressively. Promote the scaled development of related industries, deeply excavate the extended value of the connotations of historical classic industries, promote the extension of traditional industries into derivative tracks, and realize the upgrade from the raw material supply end to the brand consumption end. Promote the two-way interaction between industrial upgrading and consumption format innovation, continuously promote the cross-border integration of fine traditional Chinese culture with film and television, catering, apparel, and other fields, create a number of benchmark products that possess both cultural heritage and market competitiveness, and promote the quality improvement and upgrading of historical classic industries through integration and iteration.
(The author is a researcher at the Zhejiang Provincial Development and Planning Research Institute base of the Zhejiang Provincial Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王云娜
At dawn, in Rongcheng District, Jieyang, Guangdong, the ancient city awakens. Tourists walk through the old streets and alleys, and a high school student from Zhangzhou, Fujian, sets up a small stool to sketch the century-old arcade buildings (qilou). Old neighborhood residents and new merchants alike welcome visitors from all directions.
Jieyang has a history of more than 2,200 years. Within the 1.25-square-kilometer core area of the ancient city, cultural heritage sites are widely distributed or scattered like stars in the sky (星罗棋布, xing luo qi bu - "stars, scattered, chess, pieces"), including 4 national key cultural relics protection units and 11 provincial-level cultural relics protection units, embodying the rich cultural lineage of the Chaoshan region.
In previous years, old houses were dilapidated, streets and alleys were cluttered, utility lines crisscrossed, and waterways were silted and blocked. In recent years, Jieyang has comprehensively accelerated the conservation and revitalization of the ancient city. Without large-scale demolition and construction, and by replacing reconstruction with restoration, the thousand-year-old city has leapt to become a new cultural tourism landmark of Chaoshan. During the National Day holiday, the Jieyang ancient city received 1.7176 million tourist visits, a year-on-year increase of 149.21 percent.
What is being preserved? And what is newly growing? The reporter walked along the bluestone-paved roads, seeking the answer to why the Jieyang ancient city has become a hit.
"No large-scale demolition and construction; instead, we give each old house a physical examination one by one"
On Sixian Road in the Jieyang ancient city, an arcade building that has weathered more than 120 years of wind and rain is filled with the bustle of daily life — this is the Old Uncle Chicken Wing Shop run by neighborhood resident Xia Jiongsheng. Chicken wings marinated in galangal are finely fried in the pot, and the aroma spreads across the streets and alleys.
"This arcade building was built by my grandfather with his own hands and carries our family's memories. With the restoration of the ancient city, we have also welcomed new opportunities." Xia Jiongsheng, 61, is a native of the ancient city. His ancestors ran a paint business here, and later he opened a hardware store.
More than a year ago, the ancient city presented a different scene — many arcade buildings had dilapidated facades, streets and alleys were potholed, and overhead utility lines crisscrossed like spider webs. "The government is protecting the ancient city and carrying out conservation and revitalization, and we wholeheartedly endorse that," Xia Jiongsheng said.
"Restoring the old as it was is the key to conservation. We do not engage in large-scale demolition and construction; instead, we give each old house a physical examination one by one and implement a one-household-one-policy approach," introduced Lin Xiaodong, chairman of the Jieyang Ancient City Construction Investment and Development Co., Ltd. For old buildings with structural safety hazards, the construction team installs load-bearing columns free of charge, and then uniformly carries out facade renovation for all arcade buildings.
Many arcade building facades are restored using gray plaster (huisu) techniques, while details such as patterns must be traced back through old photographs to find historical basis. The facade restoration of a single arcade building often takes seven to eight days. Traditional craftsmanship combined with modern conservation technology has restored hundreds of old buildings to their former appearance.
The space outside the arcade buildings is also being reshaped. The local government has introduced central state-owned enterprises to participate in the renewal, carried out a "clearing the sky" campaign to sort out cluttered utility lines and restore a clear skyline to the ancient city, and promoted "removing enclosures" — demolishing illegal enclosing walls, laying footpaths, planting greenery, and building a 1.2-kilometer ring-shaped park around the ancient city.
The Jieyang ancient city is surrounded by waterways, so water management is also a key link. The local government has carried out dredging and sewage interception on Yujiao Creek and Mashanjiao Creek, and transformed 6 dangerous bridges into retro arched bridges. Old canals are being used for drainage and sewage, while simultaneously being beautified with landscaping, and pumping stations and sluice gates are being added to regulate water levels. The ancient city's water culture restoration project is being carried out step by step.
The environment has changed, and so have people's ideas. Seeing the ancient city developing cultural tourism, Xia Jiongsheng seized the opportunity to open a chicken wing shop, letting more tourists taste his cooking. "Being able to accompany the old houses in finding a new life gives me peace of mind."
Lin Shaowei, Party secretary of the Dianma Community under Jinxianmen Subdistrict, has worked here for 29 years. In his view, the conservation and revitalization of the ancient city is also a matter of people's livelihood. "The living and travel environment has genuinely improved, and everyone has a sense of gain."
"We hope to spread Jieyang's culture and brands to farther places"
South of the Jieyang ancient city, the old landmark Jieyang Department Store is a scene of bustling activity and loud noise (人声鼎沸, ren sheng ding fei - "people, voices, tripod, boiling").
The Jieyang Department Store was first built in the 1970s. In the past, during festivals and holidays, it was a large crowd of people moving about (人头攒动, ren tou cuan dong - "people, heads, crowd, move"). As the city's commerce evolved, the building gradually fell silent.
With the revitalization of the ancient city, landmarks come first. Relying on the Dongguan–Jieyang paired assistance and cooperation mechanism, the department store has been included in the key assistance project of the "Hundred Counties, Thousand Towns, and Ten-Thousand Villages High-Quality Development Project." The project team has completely preserved the original building structure while injecting modern commercial and cultural tourism functions.
Liu Jingmin, general manager of Guangdong Dongguan–Jieyang Park Operation and Management Co., Ltd., introduced that the building's space planning is clear and achieves complementary business formats. The first floor is the Dongguan–Jieyang Premium Products Exhibition and Sales Hall, bringing together quality goods from both places, and the second floor is an intangible cultural heritage venue. To accommodate nighttime visits, business hours extend until 11 p.m.
To avoid falling into the trap of the phenomenon of many cities looking identical (千城一面, qian cheng yi mian - "thousand, cities, one, face"), Jieyang has differentiated the positioning of the four major historical districts within the ancient city: Zhongshan Road focuses on intangible cultural heritage inheritance, Sixian Road gathers food and cultural creativity, Yujiao Creek deepens folk custom night tours, and Xima Road builds a food culture district.
"Come to Jieyang to buy soy sauce" — on Sixian Road, a signboard is particularly eye-catching. Huang Guisheng, the representative inheritor of the provincial-level intangible cultural heritage Jieyang soy sauce brewing technique, has opened a specialty exhibition shop. His family has run the Jinsheng soy sauce brand for generations, insisting on natural fermentation to brew a uniquely fresh and fragrant flavor. The shop recreates the old scene of buying soy sauce, and many tourists come specifically to experience it.
"We hope to spread Jieyang's culture and brands to farther places," Huang Guisheng said.
Various districts of Jieyang have also introduced social forces to participate in operations. At the Rongcheng District Intangible Cultural Heritage and Cultural Creativity Experience Hall, the person in charge, Wei Xiaowei, showed the reporter more than ten types of newly developed cultural and creative products, including dragon boat models, Yingge dance dolls, Golden Lion Lord figurines, and wood carvings. He has long run a cultural company, and after settling in the ancient city, the products he develops, oriented toward the ancient city's development direction and characteristics, are gradually moving toward the mid-to-high end. During the holiday period, the hall's second floor also hosted Yingge dance and Chaoshan opera performances, and research and study activities will be expanded in the future.
The Jieyang ancient city has signed lease agreements with 140 merchants and revitalized 280 public properties. The local government has designated directions for the business formats of public properties, including food, jade, tea, and calligraphy and painting, preserving the authentic Chaoshan flavor and also preserving Jieyang's urban cultural lineage. The government sets the stage, the market performs, and diverse forces jointly support the ancient city's renewal.
"Being able to retain this nostalgia is deeply moving"
Xima Road in the Jieyang ancient city is the filming location for the Siam Inn and Chinatown scenes in the film "A Love Letter to Grandma." From morning to night, tourists keep coming to take photos and check in.
"A Love Letter to Grandma" made the Jieyang ancient city a hit. The Jieyang ancient city faithfully recreated the film's scenes, building "Siam Street" and opening "Grandma's Canteen," which serves specialty foods such as wumei guo (steamed rice cakes), allowing sentiment to take root through conservation and revitalization. Lan Hongchun, director of "A Love Letter to Grandma," returned to Jieyang with his core creative team and said excitedly: "The Jieyang ancient city can retain this nostalgia, which is deeply moving."
In Chaoshan culture, overseas Chinese culture carries great weight. Letter after letter of qiaopi (overseas remittance letters) tells of the homesickness of overseas wanderers. Excavating overseas Chinese culture and telling overseas Chinese stories well are important contents of the conservation and revitalization of the Jieyang ancient city.
On Sixian Road, the former site of the Wei Qifeng Remittance House stands quietly. This remittance house, with 109 years of history, connected correspondence between Chaoshan and Southeast Asia. Currently, Jieyang is restoring this former site and will lay out a nearly 400-square-meter exhibition space for qiaopi culture.
South of the Jieyang ancient city, the Chaoqiao Fang (Overseas Chinese Quarter) project is being accelerated. The first phase of the project covers 73 mu (about 4.87 hectares) with a total investment of 636 million yuan, integrating functions such as overseas Chinese history exhibition, cultural exchange, and cultural tourism experiences, and will be completed and opened on October 28.
The reporter learned that many overseas Chinese community leaders are actively participating in the project's joint construction. In their hearts, Chaoqiao Fang is not just a cluster of buildings, but a spiritual home for Chaoshan compatriots worldwide, and an important vehicle for overseas descendants to remember their nostalgia and look back at their homeland.
Seeing the people, seeing the objects, seeing life — the Jieyang ancient city turns abstract nostalgia into tangible daily life. During the National Day holiday, the ancient city held more than 220 cultural activities. Jinxianmen storytelling, Chaoshan opera flash mobs at Jincheng Park, iron-wire puppet shows, and Qinglion intangible cultural heritage performances were staged in succession, carefully cooking up a cultural feast with distinctive flavor.
The local government has also issued the "Jieyang Ancient City Protection Regulations," establishing rules for the maintenance of the city's appearance, moving protection from experience to standardization.
In the future, Jieyang will continue to safeguard the ancient city, carry forward the historical cultural lineage, activate the city's vitality, achieve mutual promotion and common progress among cultural relics protection, urban renewal, and cultural tourism development, and let the thousand-year-old city radiate the brilliance of the times.
Return to TopBy: 人民网记者 王仁宏
A single stone found its stage in Jingdezhen, Jiangxi, the "millennium porcelain capital"; a group of young people found their starting point amid the hustle and bustle of industrial heritage.
In the golden autumn of October, beneath the red brick walls, the Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative District market drew a large number of visitors. He Yi, a current student, patiently introduced the displayed stone carvings to tourists at his stall. This post-2000s young man comes from a family where three generations have been engaged in the stone carving trade. He Yi, who studies sculpture, sets up his stall here at a fixed time every week, mainly selling stone carving products.
"In people's impression, stoneware is naturally relatively heavy and solid. I want to integrate the texture of stone carving into daily life, using traditional craftsmanship to make practical yet trendy objects." In He Yi's view, old craftsmanship can equally keep pace with market changes. After more than two years of exploration, his monthly income from the stall has stabilized at around 3,000 yuan, "so I no longer need to ask my family for living expenses."
The跨界 (crossover) mix of stone and ceramics is uncommon, yet at Taoxichuan it happens naturally or as a matter of course (顺理成章, shun li cheng zhang - "follow, logic, become, chapter"). In 2016, the state-owned Yuzhou Porcelain Factory completed its "restore the old as it was" renovation and was transformed into the Taoxichuan Cultural and Creative District. Ten years on, this old porcelain factory has radiated new vitality, gathering approximately 35,000 makers, of whom nearly 15,000 are non-ceramic artisans.
Gang Hao, chairman of Jingdezhen Taoyi Cultural Development Co., Ltd., introduced that after the renovation of the district, the traditional leasing model was not adopted. Instead, an ecosystem was built around artisans, creating an industrial base covering handicraft practitioners of all categories. The mottled texture of the factory buildings preserves a unique industrial memory and urban culture, which is highly favored by tourists. In 2025, the district attracted over 12 million visits. "No one can leave Jingdezhen empty-handed" has become a popular phrase young people share on social media about their shopping experiences.
"This place is like a 'club' for artisans. People chat and stroll around, and perhaps an idea can take shape and become a new work," said He Yi.
Beyond popularity, "retaining people" is even more the focus of Taoxichuan. On the one hand, the district opens up public resources such as kilns, youth apartments, and copyright services to lower the cost of entrepreneurship for makers; on the other hand, it builds a step-by-step growth pathway of "creative market—Yi Space incubation base—independent studio" to accompany artisans in their gradual development. Maker Ms. Yin told reporters that since moving into the incubation base in July this year, her shop's operating conditions have improved markedly, and monthly revenue has exceeded 20,000 yuan.
The entrepreneurial stories of Taoxichuan reflect the effectiveness of policy implementation. In May this year, the State Council issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Urban Renewal," explicitly proposing to "advance the renovation and upgrading of old neighborhoods and factory districts" and "strengthen the protection and utilization of industrial heritage." Recently, the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development and five other departments jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on Advancing the Renovation and Upgrading of Old Neighborhoods and Factory Districts," clarifying the priorities for various types of renovation and upgrading, with special emphasis on "promoting the functional conversion of old factory districts" and "implanting new industries, new business forms, and new scenarios such as scientific and technological R&D, commercial finance, cultural creativity, and sports and leisure, to stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship vitality."
From "restoring the old as it was" to "activation and utilization," Taoxichuan has traversed ten years, and the road ahead is increasingly clear. The renovation and upgrading of old neighborhoods and factory districts has transformed the space, retained the industry, and continued the cultural lineage—industrial heritage is no longer merely a sleeping memory, but has become a fertile ground for entrepreneurship and a new scenic vista.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Xi'an, October 25) (Reporter Jia Fengfeng) On October 25, the 33rd China Yangling Agricultural High-Tech Achievements Fair and the 2026 SCO Agricultural Expo opened simultaneously in the Yangling Demonstration Zone of Shaanxi Province. This year's Agricultural High-Tech Fair, themed "New Quality Productive Forces · New Future of Agriculture," runs for five days, with the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region serving as the theme province and Yulin City of Shaanxi serving as the theme city.
In terms of exhibitions and displays, this year's Agricultural High-Tech Fair sets up four sections — indoor exhibition, field exhibition, cloud exhibition, and overseas exhibition — with a total exhibition area of 140,000 square meters, and features nine special exhibition zones including the Agricultural High-Tech Achievements Exhibition. During this year's Agricultural High-Tech Fair, key events such as the Seed Industry Innovation Forum and the Agricultural Science and Technology Forum will be held, and the "2026 China Dryland Agricultural Technology Development Report" and the "2026 China Agricultural Industry Investment Report" will be released.
The concurrently held 2026 SCO Agricultural Expo, themed "Deepening Practical Cooperation · Working together to map out a development plan (共绘发展蓝图, gong hui fa zhan lan tu - "together, draw, development, blueprint")," features Egypt as the theme country, sets up an independent pavilion for the first time, with all 27 SCO member states participating in the exhibition. It includes special exhibitions such as the SCO Member States Agricultural Exhibition, the Agricultural High-Tech Achievements Exhibition, and the Cross-Border Commodity Consumption Experience Exhibition, and hosts nine events including the SCO Modern Agricultural Development Roundtable and the Agricultural Cooperation and Development Conference, comprehensively enhancing the quality and effectiveness of practical cooperation.
Return to TopOn September 24, the 2026 Yuelu Conference opened at the "Cloud Brain," the landmark building of the third zone of World Computing·Changsha Smart Valley. "AI + Robotics," "AI + Advanced Manufacturing," "AI + Brain-Computer Interface," and "AI + New Quality Future" became major agenda items of the conference, and the integration of cutting-edge technology with industrial development also became a focus of attention at the conference.
Looking through the window of the 2026 Yuelu Conference at Hunan Xiangjiang New Area, a clearer industrial picture is emerging: new technologies such as artificial intelligence and embodied intelligence are being embedded into the New Area's "2+4+N" modern industrial system, accelerating their integration with advanced manufacturing, technological innovation, and application scenarios.
Viewing the "2+4+N" system's capabilities through one robot
At Zoomlion Smart Industrial City, dozens of humanoid robots have entered real production environments and are undergoing real-machine validation in nearly 20 scenarios. Zoomlion Heavy Industry has developed 8 models of embodied intelligent robot prototypes across 4 major categories, achieved full-stack self-development of core components, built an embodied intelligence training ground equipped with 120 workstations, and accumulated 180,000 data entries. The humanoid robot factory is planned to be completed and put into operation by the end of this year, with plans to deploy 1,000 to 2,000 embodied intelligent robots in existing parks within the next five years.
The rapid development of the robotics industry is grounded in a hardcore manufacturing foundation. Zoomlion Smart Industrial City possesses a vast intelligent manufacturing system, with the number of industrial robots exceeding 2,000. For embodied intelligence, these production lines are not only production equipment but also real-world scenarios for robot training, validation, and iteration. The processes, equipment, data, and scenarios accumulated by traditional manufacturing are being transformed into new capabilities for future industrial development.
Behind the robot's "brain," there is also solid support from enterprises in the New Area. Meituo Intelligence provides the data foundation for humanoid robots around motion capture, data annotation, and scenario training; after THOTH AI's China base headquarters settled in Hunan Xiangjiang New Area, it has further introduced capabilities such as data collection, data annotation, and large model training into the New Area, strengthening the data training segment of the AI industry chain; Ruitu Intelligence is making arrangements around the "Turing Embodied Intelligence Spatiotemporal Foundation," researching capabilities such as visual perception, spatial understanding, and motion control, while serving university research scenarios.
In terms of vision, chips, motion control, and application scenarios, Vibot Robotics uses industrial vision to solve the problem of machines "seeing," Jingjia Micro is laying out edge-side AI chips, Maisi Drive extends into wire-controlled chassis and complex environment motion control, Frankdo applies embodied intelligent robots to smart logistics, and Shentuo Intelligence embeds robots into manufacturing warehousing processes.
One robot embodies the capability of an entire industrial system. These capabilities are dispersed across different enterprises, yet through multi-party collaboration, they constitute the essential framework or pillars of an industry or system (四梁八柱, si liang ba zhu - "four, beams, eight, pillars") for the growth of future industries.
Viewing the industrial depth of "2+4+N" through one track
Centered on the "2+4+N" modern industrial system, Hunan Xiangjiang New Area is promoting the coordinated development of advantageous industries, emerging industries, and future industries. Relying on the existing industrial foundation, it is embedding technological variables such as artificial intelligence, new materials, and high-end equipment into industry chains including advanced manufacturing, intelligent connected vehicles, the low-altitude economy, and commercial aerospace, forming new growth points.
The value of this system lies in the ability of industries to deeply interconnect and support one another.
The advanced manufacturing industry provides production lines and application scenarios, artificial intelligence technology provides algorithms, computing power, and data capabilities, the electronic information industry provides chips and key components, research platforms provide the source of technology, and industry chain enterprises then transform these technologies into concrete products. A technological breakthrough in one industry can become a production tool for another industry; a scenario formed by one industry can also become a validation platform for another industry.
CiDi Smart Driving embeds autonomous driving algorithms into the intelligent connected vehicle track. As of June 30, 2026, CiDi Smart Driving's cumulative shipments of unmanned mining trucks exceeded 1,900 units, covering nearly 40 mines; in the first half of this year, CiDi Smart Driving's unmanned mining truck shipments grew 213.57% year-on-year, with 7 mines achieving routine operation of over 100 unmanned mining trucks, and the largest routine fleet at a single mine reaching over 220 units, with business continuously leaping from rigid-demand scenarios in mining areas into the heavy-duty embodied intelligence field. Anker Innovations uses the Thus™ storage-computing integrated AI audio chip as a technological variable, deeply embedding itself into the intelligent hardware industry chain, with its AI peak computing power improved by up to 150 times compared to the previous generation of flagship headphone chips. The two enterprises respectively follow the paths of "algorithms + heavy equipment" and "AI chips + intelligent terminals," forming quantifiable new growth points in the intelligent connected vehicle and intelligent hardware industry chains.
The embodied intelligence industry is a vivid microcosm of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area's layout of future industries.
At present, Hunan Xiangjiang New Area has gathered over 1,600 AI and related application enterprises, with grid-connected computing power exceeding 10,000P, forming a complete industrial ecosystem covering the foundation layer, model layer, and application layer. As of the end of 2025, the operating revenue of enterprises above designated size in the AI industry chain reached 44 billion yuan.
From "building one robot" to equipping the data, chips, vision, control, and scenarios that support the development of the robotics industry, and from one emerging track to the mutual empowerment among the industries of the "2+4+N" modern industrial system, Hunan Xiangjiang New Area is exploring new ways to systematically cultivate emerging industries and future industries.
As more and more new technologies are applied to industrial scenarios, and more and more new industries benefit from the manufacturing foundation, Hunan Xiangjiang New Area is accelerating the formation of a new industrial highland facing the future, making every effort to build a new industrial growth pole for Changsha City and even Hunan Province.
Data source: Publicity and Work Department of the Administrative Committee of Hunan Xiangjiang New Area
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 季 芳 王 亮
On October 24, the Fifth Asian Para Games concluded in Nagoya, Japan. The Chinese sports delegation won 207 gold medals, 117 silver medals, and 111 bronze medals, for a total of 435 medals, ranking first on both the gold medal table and the overall medal table for the fifth consecutive Asian Para Games, achieving its best result at an overseas competition and writing a new chapter in China's sports cause for persons with disabilities.
At these Asian Para Games, 312 athletes of the Chinese sports delegation competed in 17 major events and 335 minor events. Starting with weightlifter Cui Zhe winning the first gold medal for the Chinese sports delegation at this Games, the delegation's athletes maintained a strong competitive form throughout, setting 11 world records and 18 Asian records.
Results in advantageous events were gratifying. The swimming team won 64 gold medals across 79 minor events, showing strong momentum. The track and field team won 54 gold medals in total, with four athletes setting four world records. The badminton team, table tennis team, wheelchair fencing team, and cycling team were outstanding in defeating powerful opponents (力克强手, li ke qiang shou - "overcome, strong, opponents"). The wheelchair tennis team won gold in both women's singles and doubles, creating the best result in team history.
Collective events presented a wide variety of highlights (亮点纷呈, liang dian fen cheng - "bright, spots, diverse, present"). The Chinese women's blind goalball team and women's sitting volleyball team won championships through outstanding performances. In the women's wheelchair basketball gold medal match, the Chinese team defeated Japan 75:25 to secure the gold medal firmly. The Chinese blind football team successfully defended its title by defeating Japan 1:0 in the gold medal match on the 23rd. Head coach Wang Guishun said the players have been changed greatly by football. "They started from learning to run and dribble, mastering skills bit by bit, standing on the international stage, and realizing their dreams," Wang Guishun said.
At the Asian Para Games, Chinese athletes were striving to be the first through brave efforts (奋勇争先, fen yong zheng xian - "bravely, strive, first") and working together in unity and progress (团结奋进, tuan jie fen jin - "unite, bravely, advance"), vividly embodying the spirit of patriotism, the Chinese sports spirit, and the Paralympic spirit, freezing one striving figure after another on the field of play.
Taekwondo athlete Li Yujie, who missed out on a gold medal by one point at the Hangzhou Asian Para Games, reversed course to win the title at this Games, achieving a breakthrough with her tenacity of "fall down 100 times, and stand up 101 times"; track and field athlete Deng Peicheng competed with an injury and, in the men's 100m T36 final, broke a world record through sheer willpower... The athletes used their actions to interpret their love for sport.
On the field of play, patriotic sentiment burned hot and fierce. After winning the gold medal, wheelchair fencer Zhang Jie could hardly contain his excitement when speaking of the flag-raising moment: "Winning glory for the country is the purest aspiration of us athletes." Sun Chuanzhen broke the Asian record and won the gold medal in the men's 400m freestyle S11 final; after the race he said excitedly: "To win a gold medal on the international stage, I am immensely proud."
Behind the glory lies the brave struggle and continuous effort of generation after generation of athletes with disabilities, and it is inseparable from the silent dedication of countless sports workers serving persons with disabilities. Track and field athlete Liu Cuiqing, after winning the gold medal in the women's 100m T11, said that her guide runner Chen Shengming is her "eyes." Through day after day (日复一日, ri fu yi ri - "day, repeats, one, day") of hard training, they trust each other and together fulfill each other's dreams.
The outstanding results on the field reflect the development and progress of China's sports cause for persons with disabilities. The "2025 Statistical Bulletin on the Development of the Cause of Persons with Disabilities" released by the China Disabled Persons' Federation shows that in 2025, a total of 42,000 mass sports and fitness activities at the county level and above were held throughout the year, with total participation reaching 1.736 million person-times. Underpinning this participation is also the continuously improved social security and care services. In 2025, China continued to carry out the action of precision rehabilitation services for persons with disabilities, with 7.959 million persons with disabilities receiving basic rehabilitation services and 1.487 million persons with disabilities receiving basic assistive device fitting services. Equal participation and integrated sharing now have a more solid foundation.
"The events contested at these Asian Para Games are closely related to the Los Angeles Paralympic Games. The Chinese sports delegation has maintained its leading position in Asia, which has tested the results of training and also laid a foundation for preparing for the Paralympic Games," said Chang Zheng, Vice Chairman of the China Disabled Persons' Federation and Deputy Head and Secretary-General of the Chinese sports delegation. "The delegation's outstanding results will further promote the better integration of persons with disabilities into society through sport and enhance their capacity for development, and will also create a favorable atmosphere and environment for the development of the cause of persons with disabilities."
Return to TopBy: 王 军
China's first five-year plan formulated in the field of cultural heritage protection — the Plan for the Protection and Transmission of Cultural Heritage during the 15th Five-Year Plan Period (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan") — was recently issued by the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council. The full text runs to more than 5,000 characters, comprising 12 items and 33 clauses. The Plan fully implements Xi Jinping's cultural thought, especially General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on cultural heritage protection and transmission. It adheres to a problem-oriented approach, takes the systematic protection and unified supervision of cultural heritage as its two major pillars, and is committed to breaking down long-standing conceptual and institutional barriers in the protection system, protection mechanisms, and protection institutions, thereby clarifying strategic goals, setting a strategic framework, and deploying strategic tasks for the healthy development of cultural heritage protection.
For a long time, the problems and challenges faced by the work of cultural heritage protection and transmission have been concentrated in the following three aspects:
First, the protection system urgently needs improvement. This problem is prominently reflected in the classification and definition of cultural heritage. At present, living settlement-type heritage such as historic towns, historic districts, and historic villages, as well as cultural landscapes that are unique to Chinese culture and feature a high degree of integration of humanity and nature, have not yet been included as heritage types in the catalog of material remains under state protection as stipulated by relevant laws. The protection of famous historic and cultural cities, towns, and villages implements a declaration system rather than a general survey system. Measures for the protection of historic and cultural districts have not yet been promulgated. Relevant planning standards find it difficult to meet the requirement of protecting everything that should be protected, and the contradiction between piecemeal protection and overall protection is prominent.
Second, protection mechanisms urgently need to be established. Relevant regulations on the protection of famous historic and cultural cities, towns, and villages mostly remain at the level of material protection, lacking provisions on protection mechanisms. The precious value of historically formed cultural ecology and social structure is neglected. Large-scale demolition of real structures and construction of fakes through expropriation of houses and land and relocation of residents under the guise of protection is difficult to eradicate. The main agents of cultural transmission — local residents — are excluded, and local cultural lineages are severed.
Third, the protection institutions urgently need to be improved. At present, China has initially formed two major protection systems, namely the protection of tangible cultural heritage and the protection of intangible cultural heritage. The relevant administrative powers are shared by multiple departments, and the contradiction of decentralized management is prominent. Relevant laws and regulations show a tendency toward departmentalization, making coordinated protection difficult to achieve. The problems thus caused are most fully exposed in the protection of living settlement-type heritage. This type of heritage is a typical complete type combining "tangible + intangible" elements, yet in the identification and protection of such heritage, there has long existed a situation of focusing on physical objects while ignoring the people involved (见物不见人, jian wu bu jian ren - "see things, not see people"), emphasizing entities over spatial patterns. The texture of streets and alleys is not treated as a heritage type, and bulldozers can easily level entire old cities and old streets in one sweep, unconstrained by cultural heritage protection policies.
The above problems are structural problems that the work of cultural heritage protection and transmission has long faced and must be solved systematically and institutionally. In response, the Plan gives a strong response. Based on a deep understanding of the concept of cultural heritage protection and a summary of experience in protection practice, it elevates cultural heritage protection to the height of a national strategy, takes systematic protection and unified supervision as the focal points, proposes innovative solutions, and presents a grand blueprint for cultural heritage protection in the new era.
— In terms of the protection system, the Plan takes building a grand pattern of cultural heritage protection as its main goal, and proposes strengthening the overall and systematic protection of ancient cities such as historical capitals, prefectural seats, subprefectural seats, and county seats; implementing in urban and rural construction the pre-conditions for cultural relic protection of "investigate first, then build" and "conduct archaeology first, then transfer land"; adhering to the principles of protection first, rational utilization, and minimal intervention; dynamically supplementing historic and cultural districts and underground cultural relic burial areas; strengthening the legal safeguards for the protection of historic and cultural districts; on the basis of the results of the national cultural relic general survey and special surveys of old urban areas and their historic districts, strengthening the verification and public announcement of famous historic and cultural cities, districts, villages, and towns; strengthening the investigation and protection of old districts, old villages, and old towns not yet included in the protection list; protecting as a whole the traditional layout, spatial texture, historical features, street and alley system, architectural remains, cultural ecology, and landscape environment; improving the standards for compiling protection plans for immovable cultural relics and famous historic and cultural cities; coordinating the delineation of cultural heritage protection lines and incorporating them into the "one map" of territorial spatial planning; promoting the coordinated protection of cultural heritage and natural heritage, and strengthening the protection of cultural landscapes and ancient and famous trees.
The above task arrangements promptly repair the shortcomings and gaps in the protection system. Living settlement-type heritage such as historic towns, districts, and villages, as well as cultural landscapes, are listed as important protection objects. The traditional layout, spatial texture, street and alley system, and cultural ecology that have long been neglected are brought within the scope of protection. The protection of historic towns, districts, and villages is no longer passive protection of the declaration type, but proactive overall and systematic protection. Measures for the protection of historic and cultural districts may be expected to be promulgated, and large-scale demolition and construction activities will be constrained by law and policy.
— In terms of protection mechanisms, the Plan clearly proposes strengthening the effective protection and living transmission of famous historic and cultural cities, districts, villages, and towns; adopting micro-renovation methods, carrying out small-scale, gradual repairs, and establishing protection implementation mechanisms with residents as the main agents; strengthening innovation in protection and utilization mechanisms and exploration of experience, and promoting the rational utilization of heritage buildings and historic buildings in historic and cultural districts; advancing the construction of special protection areas for traditional villages, giving play to the role of village rules and civil agreements, and promoting revitalization and utilization in light of local conditions; strictly prohibiting the practice of faking under the guise of protection; preventing the emphasis on use over protection, the emphasis on tourism over culture, and excessive commercial development; promoting the combination of cultural relic restoration with intangible cultural heritage skills; and promoting the coordinated protection of tangible and intangible cultural heritage.
The Plan vividly and elaborately describes (浓墨重彩, nong mo zhong cai - "heavy ink, heavy color") a people-centered cultural heritage protection mechanism, clearly requiring that in the protection of famous historic and cultural cities, districts, villages, and towns, and traditional villages, protection implementation mechanisms be established with residents as the main agents and giving play to the role of village rules and civil agreements. This institutionally excludes renovation activities that involve large-scale relocation of residents. The Plan's formulation on coordinated protection embodies the important concept of cultural heritage protection and transmission that coordinates the protection of tangible cultural heritage with the protection of intangible cultural heritage. The combination with intangible cultural heritage skills will provide theoretical guidance and practical pathways for protection work, helping the protection and transmission of fine traditional Chinese culture.
— In terms of the protection institutions, the Plan sets an institutional framework for unified supervision at the level of national strategy, clarifying that the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission undertakes the overall responsibility for overall coordination, holistic advancement, and supervision of implementation, and that the Office of the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission undertakes the executive responsibility for specific promotion and organization of implementation, strengthening the work pattern for cultural heritage protection of unified leadership by Party committees, overall coordination by propaganda departments, and performance of duties by relevant departments. The Office of the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission organizes and implements evaluations around the Plan's goals and tasks and the progress of major projects, and evaluation reports are submitted to the Central Cultural Heritage Protection Commission. Major matters are reported to the Party Central Committee and the State Council for instructions in accordance with procedures in a timely manner. The above top-level institutional design is a major measure in the field of cultural heritage protection to uphold the Party's overall leadership and advance the modernization of the national governance system and governance capacity, and the departmentalized, compartmentalized, and decentralized management model will be forcefully integrated.
To enhance the capacity and level of cultural heritage governance, the Plan proposes implementing protection and supervision responsibilities; establishing a cultural heritage protection inspection system; strengthening audit supervision over the performance of economic responsibility by leading cadres in cultural heritage protection work; carrying out procuratorial public interest litigation for cultural heritage protection in accordance with law; seriously pursuing accountability for units and individuals that illegally cause serious damage to or loss of cultural relics; and supporting the media in carrying out supervision by public opinion. This means that the work of governments at all levels and officials in cultural heritage protection will pass the test of supervision by public opinion, the audit test, and the inspection test. Cultural heritage protection and transmission will no longer be an optional item in performance assessment. Acts that damage cultural heritage will be precisely targeted and punished by Party discipline and national law.
The Plan also proposes specific tasks for archaeological work and research on civilization history, the protection of movable cultural relics and museum management, the protection and transmission of intangible cultural heritage, the construction and protection of national cultural parks, the support of education, science and technology, and talent for cultural heritage protection, and international exchange and cooperation on cultural heritage. It comprehensively, systematically, and deeply answers the questions of why cultural heritage should be protected, what should be protected, and how it should be protected, marking that China's cultural heritage protection concepts and system construction have ascended to a new height, and that the perpetual continuation of the Chinese cultural lineage will receive stronger policy and institutional guarantees.
(The author is a research fellow of the Palace Museum and Vice President of the China Society of the Forbidden City)
Return to TopOn October 25, Zhang Xue, founder of "Zhang Xue Motorcycles," drove a modified motorcycle across 40.74 kilometers of the Jinjiang River waters in Mayang, Hunan, successfully breaking the Guinness World Record for the "longest distance traveled on open water by a modified motorcycle."
Photo by Zhou Guoqiang (People's Visual)
Return to TopAt the pickle industry production base in Fuling District of Chongqing Municipality, trucks loaded with pickle products are emerging one after another in succession (鱼贯而出, yu guan er chu - "fish, array, emerge"); along the Fairy Mountain corridor in Wulong District, agricultural-culture-tourism integration projects are linking various elements into a cohesive whole (串珠成链, chuan zhu cheng lian - "string, pearls, become, chain"), with scenic areas, homestays, and pastoral fields complementing each other to create a charming scene (相映成趣, xiang ying cheng qu - "mutually, reflect, become, interest"), and tourists arriving in large numbers and quick succession (纷至沓来, fen zhi ta lai - "confused, arrive, arrive in crowds"); in Tongliang District's "Bayue Farm" pilot villages, lights are gradually coming on, and villagers sit together carefully calculating land rents, wages from employment, and collective dividends... In Chongqing, a comprehensive rural revitalization picture of integrated urban-rural development and symbiosis is unfolding gradually and steadily (徐徐铺展, xu xu pu zhan - "slowly, slowly, spread, unfold").
In recent years, Chongqing has deeply studied and applied the experience of the Thousand-Village Demonstration and Ten-Thousand-Village Improvement Project (千万工程), taken the construction of the "Urban-Rural Integration and Rural Revitalization Demonstration Zone" as the guide, taken the dismantling of the urban-rural dual structure as the orientation, planned the large rural areas, large mountainous areas, and large reservoir areas as extended sectors of the urban functional system as a whole, and taken the central urban area as the polar core to lead and radiate the coordinated development of the Western Chongqing region, the Eastern Chongqing New City, the Three Gorges Reservoir Area of Northeast Chongqing, and the Wuling Mountain Area of Southeast Chongqing.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Chongqing's urbanization rate of the permanent resident population rose from 69.46% to 73.02%; the per capita disposable income of rural residents grew from 16,300 yuan to 23,400 yuan; the urban-rural resident income ratio narrowed from 2.45:1 to 2.21:1; and the contribution rate of agricultural scientific and technological progress rose from 60.2% to 64%, ranking among the forefront of the western region. At the same time, Chongqing has firmly held the bottom line of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers (三农), with the 2026 summer grain harvest achieving a "sixth consecutive bumper harvest" and summer grain yield per unit area reaching a record high; dynamic monitoring and early warning for preventing a return to poverty has achieved full coverage of the city's rural population, and the employment scale of the population lifted out of poverty has remained stable at more than 800,000 people.
Reform Breaks New Ground, Activating the Flow of Factors
The key to urban-rural integration lies in "integration," and the core lies in "connectivity." Chongqing has advanced market-oriented reform of factors in depth, building a multi-dimensional two-way flow pattern between urban and rural areas covering land, talent, capital, and other factors.
Land is "activated." From solidly carrying out the pilot of extending rural land contracts for a second round for another 30 years upon expiration, to being approved to carry out a city-wide pilot of a price formation mechanism for the transfer of contracted land management rights, to regulating the construction of rural property rights transfer and transaction markets, Chongqing has deployed a "combination of measures" to transform "dormant assets" into development capital that can be operated and appreciate in value.
Talent "flows." On the one hand, Chongqing guides farmers to move into cities in an orderly manner, completing the reform of the mechanism for citizenization of agricultural transfer population, comprehensively relaxing conditions for settling in cities and towns, and adding a cumulative total of 1.06 million new agricultural transfer population; on the other hand, it promotes the return of talent to villages and towns, deeply implementing the "Four Entries and Three Returns" action of planning, science and technology, management, and capital entering villages and capable people, youth, and migrant workers returning to villages, cultivating and introducing more than 200,000 talents of various types including science and technology commissioners and rural craftsmen.
Capital "sinks down." Chongqing has implemented the linked reform of "small counties with big cities, strong towns leading villages, and strong villages enriching the people," taking the construction of agricultural cooperative unions as the starting point to accelerate the building of a new-type service system for agriculture; standardizing the establishment of strong-village companies to invigorate the collective economy; deepening the integrated comprehensive reform of production, supply and marketing, and credit; and accelerating the construction of a large rural property rights transaction market radiating to the western region, so that urban capital finds an entry point to the countryside and rural assets obtain channels for monetization. As of now, the average collective economic income per village in Chongqing has reached 630,000 yuan.
Industrial Coordination, Highlighting Mountainous Characteristics
With factors flowing, industry must also take root in the fertile fields. Chongqing is mountainous, with hilly and mountainous terrain accounting for more than 90% of its area; "palm-sized fields" and "chicken-nest plots" were once inherent constraints on agricultural development.
In response, Chongqing, based on its mountainous resource endowments, has comprehensively laid out the "36316" modern agricultural industry cluster system: expanding the three 100-billion-yuan-level pillar industry clusters of high-quality grain and oil, mountainous fruits and vegetables, and ecological animal husbandry; upgrading the six 50-billion-yuan-level advantageous industry clusters including hotpot ingredients and Three Gorges citrus; optimizing the three "golden business card" industry clusters of Fuling pickles, Fengjie navel oranges, and Wushan crisp plums; and cultivating 16 growth-oriented specialty industry clusters including Rongchang pigs and Tongnan lemons, blazing a path of differentiated agricultural modernization.
With industry taking root, new business forms have grown up alongside it. Chongqing has promoted the integrated development of agriculture, culture, and tourism, with new business forms and models such as leisure agriculture and rural e-commerce continuing to emerge. At the same time, Chongqing adheres to innovation-led development, cultivates new quality productive forces in agriculture, advances the construction of "industry brain + future farm," and creates "AI + integrated scenarios"; the National Pig Technology Innovation Center and the Chongqing Rapeseed Experimental Base of Yazhou Bay National Laboratory have been successively established; and high-energy-level platforms such as the Southwest Research Center of the China National Rice Research Institute have been completed and put into operation.
Rural Transformation, Raising the Level of Livability
Focusing on improving the completeness of rural infrastructure, the convenience of public services, and the comfort of the living environment, Chongqing is building livable, workable, and beautiful villages with the flavor of "Bayu style, mountain city charm, and nostalgia for hometown," so that the broad masses of farmers can share in the fruits of reform and development.
Infrastructure and public services continue to extend. Chongqing uses transportation as a link to narrow the spatial and temporal distance between urban and rural areas, building a "2-hour Chongqing" transportation circle; steadily advancing the construction of the "five networks" of rural roads, water, electricity, communications, and logistics infrastructure, with the density of the rural road network raised to 204 kilometers per 100 square kilometers as of now; deploying platforms such as online education and telemedicine to promote the sinking and extension of high-quality urban public service resources to villages; and carrying out pilots of integrated county-township-village public services to achieve full coverage of a three-tier elderly care service network.
The living environment has improved markedly. Chongqing has carried out routine village cleaning actions and fine-scale renovation and upgrading of villages, continuously deepened the "three revolutions" of toilets, garbage, and sewage, and achieved dynamic elimination of black and odorous water bodies in rural areas across the board. As of now, Chongqing has cumulatively built 6,001 beautiful Bayu villages, initially forming a development pattern of "hundreds of towns leading, thousands of villages taking the lead, and ten thousands of courtyards harmonious and beautiful."
Data sources: Chongqing Municipal Agriculture and Rural Committee, Chongqing Municipal Development and Reform Commission
Return to TopUrban renewal connects people's livelihoods and well-being on one end and urban development on the other. In July 2025, the Central Urban Work Conference clearly stated that the goal is "to build modern people's cities that are innovative, livable, beautiful, resilient, civilized, and smart" and "to take the advancement of urban renewal as an important lever." As one of the first batch of national pilot cities for urban renewal, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, based on the reality of the transformation of an old industrial base, has promoted systematic urban renewal across the entire region with "meticulous craftsmanship," coordinating improvements in people's livelihoods, industrial revitalization, continuation of cultural heritage, and ecological quality enhancement, striving to blaze a new path of stock renewal and connotative development for an old industrial city.
In autumn in Shenyang, visible changes are everywhere: in the Hongmei Cultural and Creative Park, the fermentation workshop has been transformed into an art center; in the Mudan Community, elderly residents lightly tap their smart wristbands and hot meals for seniors are quickly delivered to their doors; in the alleys within the old city walls, the aroma of coffee mingles with the sounds of intangible cultural heritage opera... A systematic renewal covering both the old city and the new city is being vigorously carried out in Shenyang.
Shenyang adheres to overall planning, plan-led development, and physical examination first: a leading group co-chaired by the principal leaders of the party committees and governments at both the municipal and district levels promotes work in an integrated manner; the "Shenyang Urban Renewal Special Overall Plan (2021–2035)" anchors the long-term direction; a four-tier urban physical examination system covering city–district–area–community ascertains the baseline; a "six-step" mechanism runs through the entire cycle; the "five major projects" of urban renewal are implemented; a "1+N" policy system is established; and more than 60 measures and guidelines have been issued. In September 2026, the "Shenyang Urban Renewal Replicable Experience and Typical Cases (First Batch)" was released, sorting out and forming 4 types of models and 11 typical cases, with multiple practices selected for the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development's list of replicable experiences and practices.
From "having a place to live" to "living in quality housing"
Grasping the needs of the masses, demonstrating the warmth of the city
People's livelihoods are the foundation of urban renewal. The Mudan Community, first built in the 1980s, has adopted the "look, listen, ask, and feel" community physical examination method since its renovation began in 2022 to thoroughly understand residents' demands—sorting out 721 problems in 5 major categories, building a communication bridge between professional design teams and the community and residents, and tailoring a demand list. Implementing the "one demolition, five renovations, three additions," it has renovated more than 2,000 meters of underground pipelines, laid 80,000 square meters of roof waterproofing, painted nearly 14,000 square meters of residential building exterior walls, revitalized idle boiler rooms, and built a comprehensive service complex of more than 1,400 square meters. After the renovation, elderly residents living alone have smart wristbands, and the home-based elderly care service center provides 12 door-to-door services including meal assistance and bathing assistance. The Mudan Community was selected for the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development's first batch of complete community construction cases.
In Shenyang, such cases exist everywhere in large numbers (比比皆是, bi bi jie shi - "compare, compare, all, are"). The Chang'an Community has converted an abandoned boiler room into a comprehensive service venue of about 2,900 square meters; the Duofu Community, guided by the "two neighbors" concept, has run the needs of the masses through the entire renovation process, built the Qianfu Square, and introduced a professional property management company to provide services. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Shenyang renovated a cumulative total of 1,823 old residential communities, upgraded 837 backstreets and alleys, renovated 5,381 kilometers of old pipelines, and added 3,198 pocket parks, exploring a long-term operation and maintenance path of "physical examination first before renovation, full participation during renovation, and equal emphasis on construction and management after renovation."
Old factory buildings give birth to new industries
Revitalizing industrial heritage, renewing the city's character
As an old industrial city, Shenyang has brought industrial heritage to life, put it to use, and made it popular. Walking into the Hongmei Cultural and Creative Park in Tiexi District, one finds the former site of the Hongmei MSG Factory. Following the principle of "preserve, repair, renovate, and expand," Shenyang has upheld the bottom line of cultural protection, introduced enterprises for overall operation, preserved the historical appearance of 13 industrial factory buildings, converted the raw material warehouse into a large show venue, and converted the fermentation workshop into the Fermentation Art Center. Today, the Hongmei Cultural and Creative Park has attracted cumulative social investment of more than 700 million yuan, housed more than 80 merchants, and provided more than 1,500 jobs. It has been rated a national-level tourism and leisure street and a national-level nighttime cultural and tourism consumption agglomeration area, and in 2025 it was successfully included in the national industrial heritage list.
The 1905 Cultural and Creative Park has explored the path of "private incubation with state capital support." Its original site was the No. 2 Metalworking Workshop of Shenyang Heavy Machinery Group; today it has formed a comprehensive cultural and creative park integrating small theaters, live music venues, and art spaces. Seven historic buildings and one dedicated railway line at Dongmaoku have been preserved in situ, with the warehouses converted into the Shidai Wencang City Study. Shenyang's Fourth Grain Depot has been converted into the Shenyang Granary Cultural and Creative Industrial Park, aiming to build the first grain-culture-themed cultural and creative landmark in Northeast China. At present, Shenyang has 4 sites selected for the national industrial heritage list, and the city has 1,541 immovable cultural relics and 62 industrial heritage sites, which are rapidly being transformed into "living heritage belts" and "industrial heritage belts."
The old city radiates new charm
Protecting history and culture, adding depth to the city
Shenyang is a city with "depth." As one of the second batch of national famous historical and cultural cities announced by the State Council in 1986, this year marks the 40th anniversary of Shenyang's famous city protection work. In July 2026, the "Shenyang Historical and Cultural Famous City Protection Plan (2021–2035)" was approved by the People's Government of Liaoning Province, delineating approximately 80 square kilometers of historical urban area, 3 provincial-level historical and cultural districts, and 16 historical areas, establishing a clearer roadmap for the protection and inheritance of history and culture.
Within the old city walls, where historical and cultural resources are concentrated, blue bricks and gray tiles, lanes and courtyards blend organically, and the red walls of the Shenyang Imperial Palace and the everyday hustle and bustle of the city complement each other beautifully (相映成趣, xiang ying cheng qu - "mutually, reflect, become, interest"). This 1.69-square-kilometer district, relying on the world cultural heritage site of the Shenyang Imperial Palace, has carried out micro-renovation of the four sides, five zones, multiple points, and forty-eight alleys, reshaping the spatial form of a "square city with a well-shaped street grid." Shenyang has invested funds to implement infrastructure upgrading projects such as street renewal, pipeline renovation, parking lot upgrades, square construction, and building facade renovation, systematically guiding the layout of diverse business formats including cultural exhibitions, digital museums, creative design, intangible cultural heritage experiences, and leisure consumption, using subsidies in lieu of rewards to stimulate social investment vitality and forming a virtuous cycle of "government building the platform, market operation." After the renovation, the number of businesses operating within the old city walls increased by 126%, annual sales increased by 50%, total tax revenue increased by 17%, and annual visitor traffic reached 169 million person-times, an increase of 225% compared with before the creation. Toutiao Hutong and Zhongyangli Cultural Street became filming locations for the Shenyang sub-venue of the 2024 Spring Festival Gala, and the Fangcheng Historical and Cultural District has become a popular tourist attraction nationwide and a representative city card and cultural landmark of Liaoning Province and even Northeast China. The Shenyang Fangcheng Historical and Cultural District upgrading project was successfully selected for the 2024 compilation of typical cases of urban renewal and existing building renovation in China.
As a landmark project of area renewal, the first phase of the Shenyang Historical and Cultural Famous City High-Quality Protection and Utilization Project started construction in September 2026, covering a total area of 3.65 square kilometers with a total investment of approximately 15.2 billion yuan, innovatively constructing a spatial pattern of "one core, one area, one belt": the "one core" is the Fangcheng Historical and Cultural District, with a planned area of 1.69 square kilometers, planning to complete the exhibition and restoration of 8 key cultural relic buildings and the restoration of 11 historic buildings, giving new vitality to the thousand-year-old ancient city; the "one area" is the Xiaonan Area, with a planned area of 0.55 square kilometers, preserving traces of Sino-Western fusion such as the former site of the Fengtian Provincial Assembly; the "one belt" is the South Canal, with a planned area of 1.41 square kilometers, linking universities such as Northeast University and Shenyang Conservatory of Music, upgrading 4.2 kilometers of waterfront navigation capacity to create a vibrant urban waterfront. The first phase of the project coordinates the construction of four major fields and more than 430 projects, adopting a "public welfare + operational" packaged construction strategy to promote the integrated implementation of protection and inheritance with stock renovation. At present, first-batch projects such as the Centennial Scenery Scenic Area, the Xihuali Intangible Cultural Heritage Creative Park, the former residence of Song Yaoshan and surrounding renovation and upgrading projects, and the South Canal navigation supporting projects are being accelerated.
In addition, the Zhongshan Road Historical and Cultural District, relying on digital protection maps, has achieved precise and routine control and protection of historic buildings, and its relevant practical experience was successfully selected for the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development's "List of Replicable Experiences and Practices for the Protection and Utilization of Historical and Cultural Districts" and promoted nationwide as a typical case. Fengtian Lane was originally identified as a D-level dangerous building; after being taken over by a social entity, it restored the architectural style of the Republic of China period. Bajing Coffee Alley originated from cafes spontaneously opened by citizens; Shenyang respects the laws of business format evolution and has cultivated it into a mature cultural consumption street through micro-renewal. The "Hundred Museums Project" is being solidly advanced, with 105 cultural and museum venues now open to the public across the city, making history and culture perceptible, tangible, and experienceable.
From "single-point renewal" to "area renewal"
Implementing coordinated advancement, achieving quality renewal
Urban renewal is a "marathon" without a finish line. Striving forward into the 15th Five-Year Plan, Shenyang takes area renewal as the main engine, planning to advance 38 key areas with a total investment of 121.6 billion yuan, building a coordinated advancement system according to the "14331" working method, ensuring that "every area completed is done well."
The Historical and Cultural Famous City Project has a total investment of approximately 50 billion yuan, covering approximately 80 square kilometers of historical urban area. Among them, the second and third phase projects plan to plan 15 renewal areas with a total area of approximately 24 square kilometers and a total investment of approximately 35 billion yuan. Urban renewal is not simply demolition and rebuilding; it is about making incremental improvements within existing stock space, placing greater emphasis on people's feelings, industrial vitality, and the continuation of cultural heritage.
Prosperous Shenyang, everything renewed. This industrial city bearing a heavy history is, in a people-centered manner, advancing steadily on the path of systematic renewal and quality renewal, contributing to the comprehensive revitalization and all-around revitalization of Northeast China in the new era.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Shenyang Municipal Committee
Shenyang Municipal Bureau of Housing and Urban-Rural Development
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 浩
The mighty Yangtze surges through the Three Gorges. Where the great river meets the great dam, the water network is woven ever denser, surging with vitality.
General Secretary Xi Jinping holds the Yangtze River dear to his heart, pointing out that "the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt must be considered from the long-term interests of the Chinese nation, taking the path of ecological priority and green development, so that lucid waters and lush mountains produce tremendous ecological, economic, and social benefits, and so that the mother river retains its vigor and vitality forever."
Viewing the Yangtze from the Three Gorges, the Three Gorges Project embraces vast expanses of emerald waves, safeguarding flood safety, ensuring water supply, generating green electricity, and clearing the navigation channel. A single dam rises in the river, harnessing the benefits of the great river.
Viewing the water network from the Yangtze, the Three Gorges Waterway New Channel Project is advancing at an accelerated pace, and the main tunnel boring of the Central Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project's Yangtze-to-Han River Water Diversion Project has exceeded 40 kilometers. The national water network, with the Yangtze as its artery, spans mountain ranges and links rivers.
Viewing the region from the river basin, over the past 10 years, the proportion of excellent-quality water in the Yangtze Economic Belt has risen from 67% to 96.5%, and the regional GDP has more than doubled.
A calm lake rises in the steep gorge, a marvel that astonishes the world. One river of clear water nourishes vast fertile fields, lights up countless households, and prospers hundreds of industries and thousands of cities.
From the Pivot to the Water Network
The Yangtze River Basin has basically completed a water resource allocation system centered on large and medium-sized backbone reservoirs and water diversion, lifting, and transfer projects
In the autumn Three Gorges, there is a rhythm of "stillness and motion."
On one side, the great river flows with a calm exterior masking profound depth (静水深流, jing shui shen liu - "quiet water, flows deep"), the dam stands majestic and towering, and the river water nourishes all things silently.
Before the Three Gorges ship lift, vessels slowly enter the ship chamber. Driven by rack-and-pinion traction, the ships ride the "super elevator" over the dam.
After 42 days and with the participation of about 500 personnel, the sixth planned navigation shutdown maintenance of the Three Gorges ship lift since its commissioning was completed on September 29. Having undergone a rigorous "physical examination," the Three Gorges ship lift now operates smoothly, ensuring the efficient passage of cargo and passengers over the dam.
On the other side, tunnels are being cut through the mountains, giant gates are rising from the earth, and new-energy heavy-duty trucks driven by BeiDou navigation shuttle back and forth. More than a hundred days since the start of construction on the Three Gorges Waterway New Channel Project, the pace of cutting through mountains and opening rivers has quickened.
As a component of the new channel, on September 30, all blasting and excavation operations in the priority excavation zone of the new channel of the Three Gorges hub were successfully completed.
In the approximately 935-meter-long construction area, the underground rock is hard, and the geological conditions are complex. "The priority excavation zone is a 'tough bone' and also a 'testing ground,'" said Gong Zhaoguang, assistant to the general manager of the Three Gorges New Channel Company of China Three Gorges Corporation and director of the Engineering Management Department of the Three Gorges Hub New Channel Project.
How can hard granite be cut piece by piece like tofu? Large blasts are broken down into a series of small blasts so that vibrations do not accumulate. How can a slope about 40 stories high say goodbye to "full scaffolding"? Advanced intelligent equipment such as integrated intelligent drilling-anchor-grouting machines and fully hydraulic anchoring drilling rigs excavate and support simultaneously. "The priority excavation zone clears a corridor for the relocation of power lines and tests new processes, new technologies, and new equipment," said Gong Zhaoguang.
The lens shifts to Longtan Creek on the left bank of the Three Gorges reservoir area. The Central Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project's Yangtze-to-Han River Water Diversion Project, which takes its intake from this location, will realize a "hand-in-hand" connection between the Three Gorges Project and the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.
Deep in the earth of western Hubei, nine full-face hard rock tunnel boring machines are making progress steadily and simultaneously (齐头并进, qi tou bing jin - "same head, advance together"). A relevant person in charge of the Jianghan Water Network Construction and Development Co., Ltd. of China South-to-North Water Diversion Group Corporation introduced that upon completion of the project, it can significantly enhance the water supply capacity and water supply guarantee rate of the first phase of the Central Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, greatly improve the water resource allocation capacity of the Han River basin and the region, and create conditions for the Han-to-Wei River Water Diversion Project to achieve its long-term water diversion scale.
With the Three Gorges Reservoir as the pivot, long canals stretch and extend, and a water network continuously connects, reinforces, and strengthens its chains.
Looking at the national water network, natural rivers and lakes are the foundation, water diversion, lifting, and drainage projects are the channels, and regulation and storage projects are the nodes. A relevant person in charge of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission introduced that the Yangtze River basin is the strategic water source for China's water resource allocation, with an annual water supply exceeding 200 billion cubic meters. With the Three Gorges Reservoir as the node and the Yangtze water artery as the foundation, the national water network can achieve optimized allocation of Yangtze water resources on a larger scale.
In the upper reaches, the Yuxi water resource allocation project in Chongqing realizes the interconnectedness and seamless connectivity (互联互通, hu lian hu tong - "mutual connect, mutual communicate") between the Yangtze River and the Jialing River, benefiting approximately 10 million residents and providing water security for the Chengdu-Chongqing economic circle.
In the middle reaches, the preliminary design of the water supply replenishment project along the Yangtze-to-Han River water diversion route was recently officially approved. After implementation, the project will further strengthen the water resource allocation capacity of the middle and lower reaches of the Han River.
In the lower reaches, the largest ship lock of the Yangtze-to-Huai River Water Diversion Project—the Shushan double-line ship lock—recently officially entered trial operation. The Yangtze-to-Huai River Water Diversion Project links the Yangtze River with the Huai River, achieving the intersection and integration of the water network and the shipping network.
At present, the Yangtze River basin has basically completed a water resource allocation system centered on large and medium-sized backbone reservoirs and water diversion, lifting, and transfer projects. One by one, "water arteries" and "water hubs," interconnected and complementary from multiple sources, make the strategic position of the Yangtze River basin in the overall layout of national water network construction increasingly prominent, further weaving a denser, safer, and more resilient modern water network.
From "One Reservoir" to "Multiple Reservoirs"
Water projects under joint dispatch in the Yangtze River basin increased to 135 (sites)
In the orchard by the river, golden oranges hang heavy from the branches.
Pruning branches and thinning fruit, fruit farmers are busy in Hanjiawan Village, Yiling District, Yichang City, Hubei Province. "Manage the fruit trees well, and hope for a good harvest next year," said Li Zhiqiang, a large-scale grower.
On the steep slopes, water is the lifeline of the orchard. "There was little rain this summer. Thanks to the water-fertilizer integration equipment, the fruit trees got their 'timely water,'" said Li Zhiqiang. The Yangtze River water is lifted to the reservoir on the mountain and then delivered precisely to the roots of the fruit trees through pipes.
The Yangtze River water sweetens the lives of the Three Gorges people. Du Peng, director of the Water Resource Utilization Service Center of the Yiling District Water Conservancy and Lake Bureau, introduced that the local area jointly dispatches water conservancy projects, coordinating water storage during the wet season and allocating water during the dry season, improving the agricultural irrigation water delivery and distribution system, and striving to achieve "water at the turn of a valve."
Since the beginning of this year, the overall water inflow in the Yangtze River basin has been slightly below normal. The unified joint dispatch of the reservoir group centered on the Three Gorges Reservoir has effectively guaranteed the urban and rural domestic water supply and crop irrigation needs in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River.
Evolving from "individual operations" to unified joint dispatch, the coordinated cooperation of the reservoir group allows the flood control and beneficial functions of the reservoirs to release a synergistic effect.
"The Yangtze River basin has more than 300 large reservoirs with a flood control storage capacity of about 80 billion cubic meters. Upstream and downstream, main streams and tributaries have different dispatch objectives, and regions and industries have different water use demands. Carrying out unified joint dispatch can achieve basin-wide coordination, regional synergy, and departmental linkage, and give full play to the scale benefits of water projects," introduced Zhang Hu, director of the Engineering Division of the Flood and Drought Disaster Defense Bureau of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission.
From the unified joint dispatch of 10 reservoirs in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in 2012 to the expansion of dispatch targets to 135 (sites) water projects this year, after more than 10 years of practice, unified joint dispatch has become more mature. The dispatch period has expanded from flood season flood control to full-year, full-cycle management including pre-flood drawdown, flood season flood control, post-flood impoundment, and dry season water supply, and the dispatch objectives have expanded from single flood control to multiple objectives including flood control, water supply, ecology, power generation, navigation, and emergency response.
From the upper reaches of the Yangtze to the lower reaches, six large hydropower stations—Wudongde, Baihetan, Xiluodu, Xiangjiaba, Three Gorges, and Gezhouba—constitute the world's largest clean energy corridor. The Yangtze River water passes through the six hydropower stations in sequence, converted into a continuous stream of clean electricity.
Ecological dispatch creates a comfortable home for fish.
The experimental assessment and summary work for the 2026 ecological dispatch to promote natural reproduction of fish that spawn drifting eggs in the Three Gorges Reservoir was recently completed. During the experimental response period, the egg drift volume of fish spawning drifting eggs in the Yidu and Shashi reaches of Hubei reached 66.9 billion and 60.4 billion eggs, respectively.
"The rising water during the Yangtze flood season is a key signal for fish reproductive activity. Through the joint dispatch of the reservoir group, simulating the rising water process, the Yangtze fish have an 'ecological spawning ground,'" Zhang Hu introduced.
Since 2011, ecological dispatch experiments to promote natural fish reproduction in the Yangtze River basin have been carried out continuously, with the dispatch scope expanding from a pilot in the single Three Gorges Reservoir to more than 30 cascade reservoirs in the Yangtze's main stream, tributaries, and the Lancang River. Ecological dispatch and the Yangtze River's ten-year fishing ban work in tandem. The scale of fish reproduction in the Jingjiang reach has recovered to the level of the 1980s, and rare fish species such as the Chinese sucker and the Ussuri cisco have reappeared.
From "One Network" to "Multiple Networks"
Building a modern infrastructure system through multi-network integration
Not long ago, the Three Gorges ship lift marked 10 years of trial navigation. The Yangtze's "super elevator," between the high gorge and the calm lake, carries ships up and down over the dam and back and forth in transit.
As one of the earliest technical personnel to participate in operation and commissioning, Yang Hua, a professional engineer at the director level of the Hub Management Department of the Basin Management Center of China Three Gorges Corporation, witnessed the growth of the ship lift. "At the time, many boat captains did not believe that a ship of several thousand tons could be 'lifted' over the dam in just over 40 minutes."
Over the past 10 years, the management team has tackled one technical challenge after another. From the first trial navigation to August this year, the Three Gorges ship lift has cumulatively handled over 21.8 million tons of cargo and transported more than 2.65 million passengers. The Three Gorges ship lift and the Three Gorges ship locks support each other and operate in coordination, forming a navigation pattern of "large ships climbing stairs, small ships taking the elevator."
The gold content of the Yangtze golden waterway is even higher. The water depth of the Chongqing-to-Yichang channel has increased from 2.9 meters to 3.5–4.5 meters, and the tonnage of navigating vessels has increased from the 1,000-ton class to the 3,000–5,000-ton class.
The "water highway" smooths the logistics network. Relying on the high-grade waterway system of the Three Gorges reservoir area, Chongqing has built the "Thousand-Mile Light Boat" brand. Yichang has optimized its port layout and systematically promoted the integrated development of ports, industries, and cities.
Electricity comes from the Three Gorges. Surging green electricity helps build a new type of power grid.
"Hydropower peak shaving is fast and flexible. The hydroelectric generating units of the Three Gorges Power Station can start up in as little as 3 minutes," said Yang Peng, director of the Operation Department and Party branch secretary of the Three Gorges Power Plant of Yangtze Power under China Three Gorges Corporation. The Three Gorges Power Station deeply participates in grid peak shaving, contributing to national energy security.
The integration of multiple networks—the water network, the new-type power grid, and the computing power network—promotes "computing-power-electricity synergy" and "computing-power-water synergy."
Not far from the Three Gorges Dam is the Three Gorges Dongyuemiao Data Center. This is the country's first large-scale green zero-carbon data center, directly supplied by Three Gorges green electricity, consolidating the energy foundation for computing power and making computing power as convenient to use as water and electricity.
The location adjacent to the Three Gorges and the abundant green electricity resources give Yichang a natural advantage in developing the computing power industry—nurturing computing power with electricity, nurturing data with computing power, and nurturing industry with data—achieving a shift from "sending electricity" to "sending computing power."
Looking to the future, as the "six networks" are woven ever denser, new quality productive forces continue to emerge, the Three Gorges Project continues to expand its new functions, and the abundant water resources of the Yangtze River will provide even more solid support for the development of the Yangtze Economic Belt. A relevant person in charge of the Ministry of Water Resources stated that in the next step, the focus will be on scientifically utilizing Yangtze water resources, carefully safeguarding the Yangtze water ecology, and highlighting basin-wide unified planning, unified governance, unified dispatch, and unified management, continuously advancing the realization of "the people protecting the Yangtze, and the Yangtze benefiting the people."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 强郁文
In Yichang, Hubei, at the head of the Gezhouba Dam. Workers climbed a steel tower more than 60 meters high, fixed the guide rope to the top of the tower, then descended to a point five or six meters below the top, and, holding cutting equipment, cut the tower body into sections. The crane roared, its tall boom carrying the guide rope moving slowly, stopping above the top of the tower. "Move right, hold steady!" On the ground, the command personnel issued instructions; in the air, the first tower section was lifted off.
"We are going to 'relocate' the steel tower to make room for the project construction," said Wang Tao, the person in charge of the power line relocation.
When it was completed and opened to navigation in 1981, the Gezhouba ship lock had an annual cargo throughput of less than 4 million tons; by 2025, the annual throughput had reached 178 million tons.
With the advancement of the new Three Gorges water transport channel project, at present, the Gezhouba navigation capacity expansion project has entered the main construction stage. This construction will demolish the No. 3 ship lock, and two new 10,000-ton-class ship locks will be built on the original site. At that time, the Gezhouba hub will form a pattern of four ship lock lines, with a total annual two-way throughput capacity of 360 million tons, matching the Three Gorges hub.
Fifty meters away from the steel tower demolition site, the sound of machinery rumbled. At the cofferdam construction site for the upstream and downstream of the expansion project, excavators were repairing temporary roads along the riverbank, and some construction vessels had already been launched into the water.
Constructing in the flowing continuously without interruption (奔流不息, bēn liú bù xī - "run, flow, not, stop") main stream of the Yangtze River, the difficulty can be imagined. The upstream and downstream cofferdams, like a "wall in the water," isolate the construction area of the No. 3 ship lock.
Sun Zhifeng, senior professional engineer of the Three Gorges New Channel Company of China Three Gorges Corporation and director of the management department of the Gezhouba navigation capacity expansion project, introduced that the cofferdam is the controlling project of the entire expansion project. "Once the cofferdam is completed, the water is pumped out, the riverbed is exposed, and it becomes a dry area, so construction personnel can carry out demolition and new construction operations just like on land," Sun Zhifeng said.
"We must seize the dry-season window period; the construction schedule is very tight," said Li Yunfeng, deputy manager of the project department of the upstream cofferdam construction unit. "At present, there is 1 survey vessel and 2 transport vessels here, and 9 more vessels are waiting at the anchorage, ready to sail to the operation area at any time."
On the bank, construction worker Jing Xiaojun remotely controlled an unmanned survey vessel to detect the underwater terrain of the upstream cofferdam construction area. Sound waves were sent down, water depth was calculated in reverse, and data was transmitted back to the screen in real time.
"The upstream cofferdam has a total length of more than 830 meters and requires filling with more than 1 million cubic meters of earth and rock, which is equivalent to moving a small mountain into the river," Jing Xiaojun said. "Surveying the underwater terrain well facilitates dredging the silt in the river channel and creates conditions for dumping earth and rock."
Standing on a high platform in the construction area and looking into the distance, a cargo ship slowly sailed out of the lock chamber of the No. 2 Gezhouba ship lock, waves churning behind its stern. During the construction period, the No. 2 ship lock remains in operation, minimizing the impact on navigation.
"By March and April next year, projects such as the cofferdam and channel widening will enter the peak period of multi-line simultaneous construction, and various large construction vessels, transport vessels, and navigation vessels passing through the locks will be operating in the same water area," Sun Zhifeng said.
Construction continues without stopping navigation, making the organization and dispatch of vessels crucial.
In the office of the upstream cofferdam construction unit, Yu Wenfei, chief engineer of the project department, was convening a meeting with colleagues, with various materials spread out on the table. "We must first simulate the entire construction process from the technical level," Yu Wenfei said. How the construction vessels will move, which routes they will take, and where they will enter, exit, and stop must all be planned in advance.
Not far away, at the on-site comprehensive management station set up by the Changjiang Three Gorges Navigation Administration, equipment such as drones and high-horsepower tugboats had already been deployed. On the computer, the "smart brain" was operating at high speed—the "Three Gorges navigation large model," which integrates dynamic data on ship locks, vessels, hydrology, and meteorology, accurately calculates lock passage times for navigating vessels, produces a "arrival timetable," and guides passing vessels to adjust their speed scientifically.
Lan Yufeng, deputy director of the Navigation Safety Division of the Changjiang Three Gorges Navigation Administration, introduced that during the construction period, they have set up 2 on-site management stations upstream and downstream of the Three Gorges and Gezhouba respectively, with each station having relevant departments such as maritime affairs, waterway, anchorage, and navigation emergency dispatch centers jointly stationed and dispatching in real time.
"During the construction period, the 'golden waterway' will carry more vessels. Through the combination of manpower-based prevention and technology-based prevention, we ensure the safe and efficient transport of various key materials in the provinces and cities along the river," Lan Yufeng said.
Return to TopBy: 人民网记者 刘 微
In October, the river gorge tides surge in Yichang.
At Lighthouse Square, the melody of "Song of the Yangtze River" rang out, and the online-themed publicity campaign "What Makes China: Astonishing the World" was unveiled. With the stage set by the river and the river as the backdrop, accompanied by light and shadow and narration, in the two chapters "High Gorges Emerge from Flat Lakes" and "Clear Waters Nourish a Thousand Autumns," the thousand-year cultural lineage of the river of civilization and the majestic power of major national projects shone brightly together.
The thematic chapter opened with a familiar line. "You may think of long flowing ribbons and pure white hada scarves. Yes! How beautiful! This is the Yangtze River!" Bao Xiaofeng, anchor of China Media Group, drew the thread of time, and 87-year-old recitation artist Chen Duo once again "spoke of the Yangtze River," awakening a generation's shared "Yangtze River memory": "The Yangtze River is even more beautiful now! Even more beautiful!"
The great river's calm waters rest on the relayed efforts of generation after generation.
In the situational performance "A Century-Old Dream Fulfilled," a carrying pole and a work chant instantly brought the audience back to the era of building dams with human shoulders and backs.
Actor Wang Lei portrayed Lin Yishan, the first director of the Changjiang Water Resources Commission, who took on the mission at a critical moment and worked for 16 years straight. When a malignant tumor was found in his right eye at a crucial juncture, he said: "Dig boldly. Even if I lose one eye, I can still build the Gezhouba Dam!"
"Site academician" Zheng Shouren spent many years rooted at the front line, yet did not live to see the day the Three Gorges Project passed its final acceptance inspection. Actor Tan Zhuo portrayed Gao Dai'an, his wife and also his comrade-in-arms, standing in for him by the riverbank: "Old Zheng, the day you never got to see, I have seen it for you."
There was also the female welding squad leader, played by actor Wang Zhen'er, who refused to leave her name. She said, "I am just one of the millions of Three Gorges builders. The Three Gorges Project is the nation's dream, and it is also our dream!"
Below the stage, applause surged like waves. The countless builders who devoted their youth to the mountains and rivers and forged great projects with solid work moved the audience to reddened eyes again and again.
Moving from history to the present, in "Great National Instruments," Niu Xinqiang, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and chief scientist of Changjiang Design Group, who has been rooted at the Three Gorges front line for over 40 years, introduced how the five-tier ship lock, this "water staircase," was independently developed through Chinese efforts and leads the world; Liu Weiping, Secretary of the Party Leadership Group and Chairman of China Three Gorges Corporation, told of how this great national instrument embodies China's vivid practice of concentrating resources to accomplish major undertakings.
And beyond that, in "Century Project," four chief engineers with graying temples appeared on stage together—Wu Peng, Yang Zongli, Xu Jianrong, and Li Heng—who are respectively the technical lead for the overall design of the Pinglu Canal, former director of the Wudongde Hydropower Station Construction Department of China Three Gorges Corporation, chief design engineer of the Baihetan Hydropower Station, and chief design engineer of the Yangtze-to-Hanjiang Water Diversion Project of the middle route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project. Major national projects advance one after another, and the answer sheet is still being written.
Actor Hou Jingjian led the recitation of "Prelude to Water Melody: Swimming," and the audience recited in unison: "The goddess should be safe and sound, and should marvel at the world's transformation."
What the dam protects are precisely these people by the river. On stage, there was also a reunion that moved the entire audience.
In the program "Sons and Daughters of the Gorge," actor Shi Ke, born in Yichang and raised by the river, recounted the flood-fighting story of Paizhou Bay in Jiayu, Hubei, in 1998: six-year-old Jiang Shan was pushed by her grandmother onto a poplar tree, held on alone in the floodwaters for nine hours, and was finally rescued by fire and rescue personnel Wang Minghua and his comrades. At the event, Jiang Shan and Wang Minghua were reunited—the child in the torrent of that time has now grown into a people's police officer guarding the safety of her community. Remembering those who passed away, Jiang Shan said softly: "The Three Gorges Dam is built now, and we no longer fear floods."
The dam protects the people, and the people in turn learn to protect the river. In the program "The True Colors of the Great River," Li Guozhang, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Xingfa Group, and Sun Jiajun, Olympic champion and China's ambassador for dolphin conservation, both from Yichang, told stories of their participation in and witness to the ecological transformation of the Yangtze River. Today's Yangtze River sees fish leaping and birds flying, finless porpoises chasing the waves, restored green riverbanks, and clearer waters—this is another green answer sheet written by the great protection of the Yangtze.
At the end of the event, as string music arose, an encounter unfolded by the river. Li Bai, played by actor Cao Lei, and Qu Yuan, played by actor Li Hongliang, met across time and space, jointly reciting the continuity of the cultural lineage and the eternal passing of the torch.
The encounter on stage was moving, and the narration of Fang Qin, president of the Hubei Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, traced the cultural lineage of this great river even further back—the civilizational exchanges among Sanxingdui, Panlongcheng, and the Shijiahe site, the basin-wide integration witnessed by the Sword of Goujian, King of Yue, and the Marquis Yi of Zeng's bronze bell set, and how the great river nurtured the roots and soul of Chinese civilization were all decoded one by one.
Where is the answer to "What Makes China"? It flows in the rolling waves of the ten-thousand-li Yangtze, is engraved in the majestic bearing of the Three Gorges Dam, is carried forward in the ever-lasting cultural lineage of Jing and Chu, and is also contained in the practice of generation after generation of Chinese people bravely undertaking their mission and working hard with real effort. The clear waters of the river surge on without cease, continuing to write the new era answer sheet of "astonishing the world."
Return to TopBy: 钟 佳 宋丽珏 黄惠康
This year marks the 55th anniversary of the restoration of the People's Republic of China's lawful seat in the United Nations. The one-China principle, as confirmed and embodied in UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, has long become a basic norm of international relations and a universal consensus of the international community, and is a rigid rule universally recognized and uniformly followed in the global governance system. However, in recent years, "Taiwan independence" separatist forces and external interventionist forces have colluded with each other, deliberately hyping absurd fallacies such as the so-called "theory of Taiwan's undetermined status" and "supporting Taiwan's meaningful participation in international organizations," which must be resolutely refuted and set right at the source.
The historical thread——
A just choice in the process of reshaping the international landscape
UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is a historical inevitability in the iterative reshaping of the modern international order and the united rise of global forces for justice, by no means an accidental result of short-term diplomatic maneuvering. It profoundly reveals the objective law that international law follows the general trend of the times and upholds fairness and justice. After the Opium War of 1840, the Chinese nation endured the bitter suffering of invasion and bullying by the great powers. In 1949, the founding of the People's Republic of China achieved national independence and national liberation, laying a solid political foundation for the restoration of New China's lawful seat in the United Nations. Since then, China has completely bid farewell to the history of humiliating diplomacy and integrated into the international system and participated in global governance as a brand-new independent sovereign state.
China has always upheld an independent foreign policy of peace, firmly stood on the correct side of the progress of human civilization and international fairness and justice, and, with its upright and impartial diplomatic character and its mutually beneficial and win-win (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual benefit, win together") diplomatic practice, accumulated a profound moral foundation and broad international recognition. After World War II, emerging forces such as the "Group of 77 and China" rose vigorously, driving a structural transformation in the balance of international forces, breaking the hegemonic situation in which a few Western countries manipulated international rules and monopolized global affairs, and gathering a mighty force for justice for the smooth adoption of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758.
During the process of the UN General Assembly's vote to adopt Resolution 2758 in 1971, the vast number of developing countries stepped forward and became the backbone force defending the justice of international law. The vigorous development of New China and the profound adjustment of the Cold War geopolitical landscape broke the hegemonic barriers of the Western blockade and encirclement of China, and put an end to the chaos in which the Taiwan authorities, with the support of the United States and the West, had long illegally occupied the UN seat. The restoration of the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the United Nations — an event of great significance — is not only a major milestone in the development of China's diplomacy, but also a landmark achievement of the vast number of developing countries in uniting for self-strengthening and promoting the democratization of international relations.
The legal dimension——
The one-China principle under the UN Charter system
UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 constructs a logically rigorous and irrefutable legal closure, confirming the one-China principle in law. Its legitimacy, validity, and authority brook no challenge, and it provides authoritative grounds for the UN system and its agencies to properly handle the Taiwan issue.
The legal basis of the resolution is rooted in the core norms of the UN Charter and the fundamental principles of modern international law. According to the theory of government succession in international law, on October 1, 1949, the Central People's Government of the People's Republic of China was established, replacing the government of the Republic of China as the sole legal government representing all of China. This process constitutes a change of government under the same subject of international law; China's status as a subject of international law, its scope of sovereignty, and its inherent territorial boundaries (including Taiwan) have undergone no change whatsoever. China's membership in the United Nations and the rights and responsibilities of a permanent member of the Security Council have been lawfully and completely continued and naturally inherited in accordance with law, leaving no legal space whatsoever for a rupture of sovereignty, division of territory, or splitting of the seat. External forces and "Taiwan independence" separatist forces deliberately confuse the legal boundary between state succession and government succession, fabricating false narratives of the severance of sovereignty, which are completely untenable in law.
At present, all 183 countries in the world that have established diplomatic relations with China have solemnly confirmed the one-China principle in their bilateral legal documents, forming a unified state practice that covers the globe and is stable over the long term; the UN Secretariat and all UN specialized agencies have consistently defined Taiwan as a local administrative region of China, consolidating the established legal fact at the multilateral institutional level.
The spirit of the resolution is highly consistent with the basic principles of international law established by the UN Charter, such as sovereign equality, territorial integrity, and non-interference in the internal affairs of other states, constituting an insurmountable red line of the rule of law. The fallacies hyped by a few forces, such as "dual representation" and "Taiwan's substantive participation in international affairs," are in essence attempts to deconstruct the effect of the resolution through rhetorical packaging, openly violating the spirit of the Charter and undermining the international rule-of-law system, and are completely devoid of legitimacy.
Procedural fairness——
Compliant voting forging final effect
UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 not only precisely confirms China's sole legitimate representation at the substantive level and clarifies the legal status of Taiwan as its territory, but also, through a rigorous, standardized, open, transparent, and fully traceable voting procedure, forges a final, exclusive, and irrevocable legal effect.
During the Cold War, some Western countries, out of selfish geopolitical hegemonic interests, resorted to political speculative tactics such as deferring consideration, upgrading the agenda item, and putting forward the "dual representation" proposal, artificially creating legal confusion and obstructing the realization of international justice. Such hegemonic operations seriously deviated from the spirit of the UN Charter and were opposed by the international community.
The voting process for UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 was fully standardized and open, with complete procedures and verifiable archives, free of any procedural flaws or institutional loopholes, forming a solid and rigorous triple final-closure effect. First, the determination of member states' representation falls within the inherent jurisdiction of the UN General Assembly; second, in accordance with the principle of estoppel in international law, states' long-term state practice of adhering to the one-China principle has fixed their own legal positions, which may not be arbitrarily denied; third, more than half a century of sustained international practice, the institutionalized implementation by the UN system, and the dense confirmation by the global network of bilateral treaties have formed a closed-loop established legal fact, completely sealing off any legal path to distort, circumvent, or overturn the effect of the resolution.
Since the resolution was implemented, all UN specialized agencies have thoroughly eliminated the chaos over the seat, institutionalizing at the institutional level the facts that China's representation is sole and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, forming an irreversible and unshakable multilateral rule-of-law achievement.
The revelation of the times——
Upholding the right path of the rule of law amid the once-in-a-century transformation
Looking back at 55 years of international vicissitudes, UN General Assembly Resolution 2758, relying on the triple support of historical legitimacy, legal certainty, and procedural finality, has constructed a complete paradigm of the rule of law. Following the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, the resolution, through the triple legal support of the exclusivity of sovereign succession, the uniqueness of representation, and the absoluteness of territorial integrity, has consolidated the legal foundation of the one-China principle system.
At present, the once-in-a-century transformation is accelerating. Some Western forces, clinging to Cold War zero-sum thinking and hegemonic logic, attempt to dilute, hollow out, and distort the core connotation of the resolution, connive at and support "Taiwan independence" separatist forces in wanton provocation, and vainly attempt to overturn established legal facts, impact the post-war international order, and undermine peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Such acts openly challenge the victorious achievements of World War II and the post-war international order, and seriously deviate from the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.
Firmly upholding the absolute authority of UN General Assembly Resolution 2758 is both an inevitable requirement for China to defend its national sovereignty, security, and development interests, and a common responsibility of the international community to uphold multilateralism and safeguard international fairness and justice. The historical trend is vast and overwhelming in scale or momentum (浩浩荡荡, hao hao dang dang - "vast, grand, flowing"), and the justice of the rule of law remains unchanged for all time. Any provocative act that goes against the tide of history, challenges the authority of international law, or splits a sovereign state will ultimately meet with universal resistance from the international community and is doomed to complete failure.
(The authors are both observers of international affairs)
Return to TopBy: 胡 琨
The French economy is at a notable juncture. In the second quarter of this year, France's unemployment rate climbed to 8.3 percent, the highest level in nearly six years; the ratio of public debt to gross domestic product (GDP) rose to 119 percent, a high point since the end of World War II; and the yield on 10-year government bonds broke through 5 percent, a new high since 2002. As the second-largest economy in the euro area, France has in recent years been getting deeper and deeper into a predicament (越陷越深, yue xian yue shen - "more, sink, more, sink") of low growth and high debt, facing no small number of structural difficulties.
A country's economic and social reality is often the result of long-term accumulation and comprehensive evolution under historical conditions. Today's French economic model can be traced back to the stagflation period following the 1973 oil crisis. At that time, in response to economic decline and rising unemployment, France's social welfare system continued to expand. After the postwar "Glorious Thirty Years" came to an end, the traditional model of state intervention found it difficult to adapt to the environment of globalized competition, and the momentum of French economic growth gradually weakened. The funding source of the high-welfare system gradually shifted from retained tax revenue to high tax burdens and borrowing, and economic development entered an operating path of "high welfare, high taxes, high debt, high unemployment, and low growth."
On the one hand, by 2025, France's social security expenditure as a share of GDP had approached 33 percent, public expenditure as a share of GDP reached 57.2 percent, and the broad macro tax burden rate stood at 46.2 percent — all three indicators ranking among the highest in developed economies. On the other hand, since 1974, the French government has never again achieved an annual fiscal surplus. Economic growth has fallen from an average of 3 percent per year in the 1970s to around 1 percent in recent years; over the long cycle, the unemployment rate has hovered in the 9 to 11 percent range in most years, and although it fell somewhat in recent years, it has risen again since 2025, with employment pressure still prominent.
In response to the above difficulties, France has pursued reforms since 2017, with the direction of unleashing market vitality and attracting foreign investment. During the reform period, the unemployment rate once fell to a 15-year low, and France also became for several consecutive years one of the European countries attracting the most foreign direct investment. But the results achieved by the reforms relied to a large extent on the external environment of cheap energy and ultra-low interest rates, and some deep-seated contradictions were not fundamentally resolved.
Since 2022, under the influence of multiple factors such as geopolitical conflict, rising energy prices, and interest rate hikes by the European Central Bank, high inflation combined with high interest rates has exerted a dual squeeze on French corporate investment, industrial production, and household consumption. France's economic growth rate has fallen markedly from 2.6 percent in 2022 to about 0.9 percent in 2025. The latest forecast from the International Monetary Fund shows that France's economic growth rate will be about 0.4 percent in 2026 and about 0.7 percent in 2027, both figures below the euro area average. Weak growth has caused tax revenue to fall short of expectations, while the scale of public expenditure remains high and the burden of debt interest payments continues to increase, driving the continued accumulation of public debt.
When relatively low economic growth is unable to support a model of high expenditure and high debt, advancing structural reform becomes imperative. However, after the 2022 parliamentary election, the ruling party failed to secure an absolute majority of seats in parliament, and bills involving cutting public spending and enhancing economic competitiveness encountered considerable resistance at the voting stage; after the 2024 election, a situation of no majority in parliament was again formed, and major fiscal reforms were repeatedly obstructed. Political uncertainty erodes market confidence, pushes up financing costs, and also intensifies enterprises' wait-and-see mentality. At the same time, if forceful fiscal consolidation is implemented in a short period, it will weaken public service capacity and add to the burden on people's livelihoods — the protests that have broken out in multiple places across France in recent times are directly related to this.
Viewed from the perspective of the euro area as a whole, France, as a core economy, sees rising financing costs for its government bonds disturb market sentiment. But most in the economics community believe that for now the spillover risk is broadly manageable. France still has a relatively solid economic foundation and a fairly strong industrial base, debt financing costs are still within a controllable range, and the European Central Bank also possesses policy tools to prevent the spread of risk.
Looking ahead to the prospects for the French economy, in the short to medium term, it is necessary to introduce a credible and sustainable fiscal consolidation plan to stabilize market expectations; in the long term, the core of development lies in building social consensus, implementing structural reforms, and activating the momentum of economic growth. Only by breaking out of the cycle of "high welfare, high debt, and low growth" can the French economy possess stronger resilience against external shocks.
(The author is a research fellow at the Institute of Finance and Banking of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.)
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Dakar, October 24) (Reporter Chen Chen) The 2026 Senegal Chinese Film Festival opened on the 23rd in the capital Dakar, with about 100 guests from various sectors of both countries attending the opening ceremony and watching the opening film Catch Wind, Chase Shadow.
Chinese Ambassador to Senegal Li Zhigang said in his speech that film is a bridge that crosses borders and connects hearts, and he hoped that through the window of film, Senegalese audiences could more directly experience China's historical depth, contemporary character, and social life. Hadji Tanor Niang, an official of Senegal's Ministry of Culture, Handicrafts and Tourism, said that this film festival provides a rare opportunity for Senegalese audiences to understand the richness, diversity, and modern face of Chinese cinema.
Return to TopFrom Hong Kong seniors' cross-border medical treatment with a "one-voucher universal swipe" to the overall quality improvement of county-level elderly care institutions, the "finance + elderly care" service ecosystem of China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch is becoming deeply integrated into the livelihood landscape of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area.
On the eve of this year's Double Ninth Festival, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch held the third "Jianyang'an" elderly care financial product and service launch event, committed to continuously improving the construction of its elderly care financial product and service system during the "15th Five-Year Plan" period. In Guangdong, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch has conducted highly effective and productive (卓有成效, zhuo you cheng xiao - "extraordinarily, have, achieve, effect") practical exploration around multi-tiered elderly care financial services for individuals, institutions, and industries, with integrated comprehensive solutions designed to help more silver-haired groups enjoy a happy retirement.
Serving individual elderly care, making later life warm
As integration and development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area further deepen, residents' demand for cross-border medical treatment is surging, but they also face bottlenecks such as poor multi-currency settlement and incompatibility of overseas cards. China Construction Bank Zhuhai Branch has built an online medical voucher settlement channel to help hospitals collect payments on a monthly basis, and has deployed offline POS machines for overseas cards, age-friendly self-service machines, and dedicated medical voucher windows, which can both effectively alleviate hospitals' pressure of advancing funds and improve the medical treatment experience of cross-border seniors. Hong Kong seniors no longer need to travel back and forth between the two places and can enjoy Zhuhai's medical resources with their medical vouchers.
Cross-border elderly care is becoming a current hotspot in the Greater Bay Area. The Hong Kong Social Welfare Department has launched the Guangdong Residential Care Services Scheme for the Elderly. At present, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch's services cover more than 60 related institutions, extending from traditional credit support to non-financial services such as elderly care living. In addition, China Construction Bank's "Jianyang'an" service system provides a richer toolbox for financial assistance to the elderly. China Construction Bank Zhanjiang Branch designed a supplementary medical value-added service plan for a key enterprise within its jurisdiction, landing the first "Anyi Yiliao" (Peace of Mind Medical Care) business within the China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch system, covering more than 600 employees and their family members.
To help improve the quality and expand the coverage of individual elderly care, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch continuously enriches its online and offline service ecosystem. As of the end of September this year, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch's social security card issuance has exceeded 14 million cards, and the number of personal pension accounts has reached 4 million. In 2025, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch created 25 elderly care specialty outlets, equipped with age-friendly facilities such as love seats and large-print bulletin boards, and carried out nearly 40 elderly care activities for elderly customers, including free medical consultations, anti-fraud education, and door-to-door services.
Supporting institutional elderly care, making professional services more reassuring
In Luoding City, Yunfu City, located in western Guangdong, the elderly population aged 60 and above is approximately 220,000, accounting for 17.4% of the local total population. In the past, Luoding's public elderly care institutions were scattered in layout and outdated in facilities, and had long faced financing problems.
This spring, Guangdong Province's financial advisor county-linkage empowerment initiative organized expert teams to visit 21 towns and subdistricts in Luoding City for on-the-ground surveys. Based on the research findings, China Construction Bank Yunfu Branch promptly joined forces with Luoding Longnian Health Care Co., Ltd. to tailor an "overall credit + county-level elderly care" service plan for the city-wide elderly care infrastructure upgrading and renovation project, innovatively adopting a "bundled integration" unified credit approach. Through the three-way linkage of "government leadership + state-owned enterprise implementation + financial empowerment," it completed credit approval of 520 million yuan and the first disbursement of 369 million yuan. After the project is completed, the usable building area will total 75,197 square meters, and it is expected to provide 2,755 elderly care beds.
China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch continues to help clear the "last mile" of institutional elderly care. In June 2025, in Jiangmen City, it launched the first "Anxin Elderly Care Community Smart Canteen" within the CCB system in the Pearl River Delta region, integrating multiple payment channels such as cash, bank cards, social security cards, and elderly care subsidies. Seniors can "eat by face recognition and pay with one click," and smart elderly care has become integrated into the daily lives of community seniors. As of the end of September this year, the Jiangmen Senior Canteen project has cumulatively served more than 700 elderly people and completed more than 5,800 transactions.
Empowering industrial elderly care, giving the silver economy new vitality
Entering the Jiangmen Silver Economy Industrial Park, enterprises in intelligent elderly care equipment, health and wellness services, and other sectors are clustering and gaining momentum. As a science and technology innovation enterprise focused on the research and development of intelligent elderly care equipment, "Zuowei Technology" has a long R&D cycle and strong asset-light characteristics, making it difficult for traditional financing models to match its needs. China Construction Bank Jiangmen Branch stepped outside the traditional collateral model and matched it with 91 million yuan in technology credit, helping the enterprise tackle the iteration of intelligent elderly care hardware and promote the implementation of smart elderly care scenarios. Large-scale, stable, and efficient financial empowerment enables enterprises to dare to innovate and be willing to invest.
From credit for a single enterprise to empowerment of the entire park, China Construction Bank Jiangmen Branch has also signed an exclusive industrial financial service agreement with the park, providing full-chain support from four dimensions: platform infrastructure, talent support, supply chain circulation, and technology innovation cultivation, with overall credit of 350 million yuan, helping to build 613 talent apartments and construct a closed-loop ecosystem of "bank + park + industry + enterprise." In May this year, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch, together with the local government, released the province's first special implementation plan for overseas Chinese elderly care finance in Jiangmen, launching the construction of a Guangdong overseas Chinese elderly care financial service demonstration zone.
Doing a good job in the major task of elderly care finance is the responsibility of China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch. From the heartwarming detail of "eating by face recognition" to the institutional innovation of cross-border settlement, and then to the cluster cultivation of the industrial ecosystem, China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch is using the strength and warmth of finance to serve tens of millions of seniors in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in enjoying a happy and fulfilling later life.
Data source: China Construction Bank Guangdong Branch
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 顾 春
On the 2026 "Hangzhou West Lake Day," West Lake held no celebration; instead, through a gathering themed "AI West Lake," it gently placed the imagination of the artificial intelligence era among the lakes and hills.
West Lake unveiled the nation's first "AI + cultural tourism" urban narrative space: a humanoid robot dressed as "Su Dongpo" picked up a brush to write characters and distributed lotus flowers to children; the Broken Bridge with Remnant Snow and Three Pools Mirroring the Moon were presented in three dimensions on screens through naked-eye 3D technology.
This year marks the 15th anniversary of West Lake's successful inscription as a World Heritage site. On June 24, 2011, the "Hangzhou West Lake Cultural Landscape" was included in the World Heritage List.
A lake of clear water, ringed on three sides by cloud-wreathed hills. On this lake, old stories are still being told, and new stories have already begun.
Safeguarding the cultural lineage while continuously introducing cutting-edge technology
The line "I would liken West Lake to the beauty Xi Shi" has kept visitors lingering for a thousand years. The World Heritage Committee's assessment of West Lake reads: an outstanding example of a cultural landscape, extremely clearly presenting the aesthetic thought of Chinese landscape design.
"To live up to the four characters 'outstanding example,' relying solely on the beauty of the lake and hills is far from enough; it is even more reflected in the level of protection and governance." So said Xu Fei, Secretary of the Party Working Committee and Director of the Management Committee of the West Lake Scenic Area. Over the past 15 years, the protection of West Lake has continuously introduced cutting-edge technology. From 2012, when it took the lead in completing a two-dimensional system of ontology monitoring and protection-pressure monitoring, incorporating visitor numbers, transportation, and land use into the monitoring scope, to 2016, when it formulated rules for heritage monitoring work, integrating monitoring data into the four links of protection, management, inheritance, and utilization, and to today, when new technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, three-dimensional modeling, and digital twins have shouldered the heavy responsibility of protection.
In 2025, West Lake issued the "Implementation Opinions on Heritage Impact Assessment for Hangzhou West Lake World Heritage"; in early 2026, it released two provincial-level group standards, filling the institutional gap in the field of world cultural heritage impact assessment in China. The hills, streams, city-lake spaces, and historical and cultural sites of West Lake now have clear monitoring standards. "The detailed monitoring indicators for the West Lake heritage total 502 items; any construction project that might affect West Lake must pass the full life-cycle heritage impact assessment." So said Chen Yunfei, Secretary of the Party Committee and Director of the West Lake World Cultural Heritage Monitoring and Management Center.
Now, the entire ecosystem of mountains, water, forests, lakes, and grasslands within the West Lake heritage area, along with cultural relics and historical sites, has been incorporated into an integrated air-space-ground intelligent monitoring network. Water quality, air, and forestry resources are monitored in real time; cliff inscriptions, historical buildings, and ancient and famous trees are modeled in three dimensions; underwater cameras and acoustic fingerprint recognition monitor underwater forests and birds. When monitored objects show signs of settlement, displacement, or erosion, or even when a certain scenic spot becomes overly crowded with visitors, the system automatically issues warnings. In 2025 alone, AI warnings identified 18,000 issues, all of which were handled through closed-loop processing.
Some ask: why does a thousand-year-old West Lake need AI? Xu Fei believes: "Now world heritage has entered the AI era. The traditional protection model that relied on manual patrols, experience-based judgment, and post-hoc repair is gradually being replaced by a digital-intelligent system centered on big data, artificial intelligence, and spatial observation."
With more than 130 sensors installed and the use of "full-element digital twin + visualized management," the Six Harmonies Pagoda has achieved micro-deformation monitoring, where even a movement of 0.01 millimeters can be detected.
The Broken Bridge, with its constant flow of visitors, has long been watched by three pairs of "eyes." Manual patrols check structural safety, appearance, and greenery item by item every day; third-party institutions conduct special monitoring, regularly using total stations to measure whether the bridge body has settled and whether cracks have widened; AI cameras are responsible for visitor-carrying-capacity monitoring, tracking numbers in real time, grading them as comfortable, leisurely, or congested, with warnings and diversion measures following promptly.
How effective is this "technical prevention + human prevention" system? The intactness rate of cultural relic protection units has long remained above 95 percent.
"Scenic area management has also shifted from relying more on using overwhelming numbers of people to achieve a goal (人海战术, ren hai zhan shu - "people, sea, tactics") and experience-based judgment in the past to, today, through AI technology, using a smart network to shoulder the heavy responsibility of West Lake's digital management." So introduced Wang Xiaobin, Deputy Director of the Publicity and United Front Work Department of the West Lake Scenic Area Management Committee.
"West Lake has built the 'Digital-Intelligent West Lake' platform. When excessive crowds pour in during holidays, approaching the upper limit of West Lake's carrying capacity, the warning system immediately prompts, and measures for the subway, buses, and traffic control are immediately implemented to orderly disperse the crowds." Wang Xiaobin said.
"West Lake is not only a tourist scenic area that balances mountains, forests, water systems, animals, and plants, but also bears urban supporting functions. Mountains, waters, humanity, and the city are interwoven, making its form extremely complex. Now West Lake is exploring becoming the country's largest urban-type smart scenic area. The experimental application of AI here may well be the future scenario and defining standard for other scenic areas." Said Zhang Fan, a first-level principal staff member of the Comprehensive Administration Bureau of the West Lake Scenic Area Management Committee.
Ecology at the core, nurturing an underwater forest
During the key season for aquatic plant growth, Yu Yangyang, head of the aquatic plant maintenance squad at the West Lake Water Area Management Office, sets out at dawn, traveling by boat and on foot, carefully observing the growth of aquatic plants in the underwater forest. "Sometimes if you miss two or three days, the plants become unrecognizable to you." Yu Yangyang said.
Visitors are enchanted by the romantic scene of aquatic plants swaying and fish frolicking on the clear lake bottom, but in reality, the establishment of West Lake's underwater forest has been an arduous and lengthy exploration.
Starting in 2003, West Lake attempted to plant submerged, emergent, and floating-leaved plants, and found that some submerged plants did not grow well. Subsequently, the West Lake Water Area Management Office cooperated with the Institute of Hydrobiology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to screen suitable plant varieties and improve planting methods. "Only by prioritizing native aquatic plant species of West Lake, drawing on successful domestic cases, and after expert demonstration and repeated experiments, can planting proceed." Introduced Xiao Kunlun, a professor-level senior engineer in the Landscape and Gardening Section of the West Lake Water Area Management Office. For example, eelgrass has a good effect on fixing sediment and stays green all year round, while curly pondweed is a "pioneer species"—in areas where the water is deeper and murkier, curly pondweed is planted first; it grows quickly, can condition the substrate and improve transparency, and then eelgrass, coontail, and black algae are mixed in, allowing the overall environment to gradually improve.
The current more than 300,000 cubic meters of submerged plants in West Lake have gone from "sparse and hard to sustain" to "contiguous patches forming a forest," which was not achieved overnight or in one single step (一蹴而就, yi cu er jiu - "one step, achieve"). "The selection of planting sites, substrate improvement, variety matching, planting methods, and planting timing—each is critical, combined with daily refined maintenance to ensure the long-term stability of submerged plant communities." Xiao Kunlun said that to select a suitable planting site, the sunlight is often "measured" inch by inch.
West Lake is an enclosed shallow lake with limited capacity for self-purification. Su Causeway and Bai Causeway were built from the sediment dredged out of the lake in those years. West Lake implemented a comprehensive protection project that not only dredged sediment and planted aquatic plants, but also diverted water from the Qiantang River, settling to reduce nitrogen and biologically removing phosphorus, pouring clean water into West Lake and achieving a monthly exchange of the lake water. The clear incoming water also helped submerged plants gain a firm foothold.
What is the effect of this two-pronged "lung-clearing operation"? The data provides the answer: West Lake's underwater forest covers 317,000 square meters, equivalent to 44 standard football fields; water quality meets the Class III surface water standard, with transparency exceeding 80 centimeters.
In the most recent biodiversity survey, West Lake recorded 1,223 species of terrestrial higher plants, 238 species of terrestrial vertebrates, 250 species of aquatic organisms, 36 species of fish, and more than 70 species of waterbirds, including 1 species of national first-class key protected wild animal and 7 species of national second-class key protected wild animals.
The "votes" of the animals are the most convincing. In 2023, the globally endangered Chinese merganser appeared at West Lake; this waterbird has nearly stringent requirements for its living environment, especially water quality. The Eurasian coot, a waterbird that originally came to West Lake only in winter, not only stayed in 2023 but also brought its chicks to forage.
From building Bai Causeway and dredging West Lake a thousand years ago, to constructing the underwater forest and diverting water to clean West Lake today, the methods of safeguarding West Lake have changed, but the original intention of safeguarding has not.
Returning the lake to the people, offering heartfelt warmth with care
Dancing at Lakeside Park in the morning, singing opera with friends in the park pavilion during the day, and strolling at Orioles Singing in the Willows in the evening—citizen Ms. Wang feels her sense of happiness is "exploding." She said with a smile: "A West Lake I can approach at any time often makes me feel like I'm living in a paradise on earth!"
Among all the commitments made when West Lake was successfully inscribed as a World Heritage site, "returning the lake to the people" is the warmest one.
In 2002, Hangzhou launched the West Lake Comprehensive Protection Project, restoring and rebuilding more than 180 cultural attractions, with the water area restored to its scale from the Ming Dynasty. On October 1, 2003, all lakeside parks were opened to the public free of charge. After the successful inscription, the Hangzhou municipal government pledged "six no's": the goal of returning the lake to the people will not change, tickets will not rise in price, museums will not charge fees, land will not be transferred, cultural relics will not be damaged, and public resources will not be encroached upon.
More than 20 years have passed, and the account of free opening has a new calculation. High-end commercial venues by the lake have become public teahouses and cultural and creative spaces. The Hupanju Kaixin Teahouse, located in Quyuan Fenghe Park, charges 20 to 25 yuan for a cup of tea, and one seat can be occupied for an entire day. After environmental improvement, "villages within the scenic area" such as Longjing Village now feature white walls and dark-tiled roofs with lush tea bushes; villagers have no trouble selling their tea leaves, their lives are flourishing or making steady progress (蒸蒸日上, zheng zheng ri shang - "steam, steam, sun, up"), and they are all beautifying their homes and improving their qualities, with learning calligraphy and painting becoming a new fashion.
In Hangzhou, where the first lotus flower of the year blooms on West Lake and when the first batch of mandarin ducks returns are major events that citizens care about. In 2017, Hangzhou citizen Dong Si initiated the establishment of the "Mandarin Duck Guard Team" to protect West Lake's waterbirds. That year, West Lake bred 6 broods of 24 young mandarin ducks; this year, that number has increased to 37 broods and more than 280. He is very proud that, thanks to the friendly environment, mandarin ducks stay at West Lake every year to spend the winter. "Waterbirds are the spirits of West Lake. We love West Lake, so we have spontaneously become its guardians." The guard team now has more than 30 formal members, and citizens requesting to participate in guarding often reach one to two hundred people.
The commitment to "returning the lake to the people" is also hidden in extremely detailed and thorough (细致入微, xi zhi ru wei - "fine, detailed, enter, tiny") services. The "West Lake Volunteer Service Smile Pavilion" was launched in 2010, with fixed public service points set up at 8 locations, equipped with guide maps, wheelchairs, strollers, medicine boxes, nursing rooms, public umbrellas, and other facilities, providing 18 free services including transportation inquiries, medical emergency response, and free boiled water, open all year round without a break. The West Lake scenic area has also introduced free herbal tea during the summer vacation period, with cups of refreshing and sweet Longjing tea dispelling the summer heat for visitors coming from all directions (八方来客, ba fang lai ke - "eight, directions, come, guests").
On every "Hangzhou West Lake Day," the ticketed attractions within the West Lake scenic area are open free of charge to all citizens and visitors. This year, the immersive live-action musical "The Life of the Qian Family" premiered at King Qian's Temple, where audiences traveled through a thousand years amid the AI-generated falling snow, stepping into the story of King Qian of Wuyue, who "protected the realm and reassured the people, benefiting all under heaven."
Opening the newly launched "AI West Lake" cultural tourism intelligent agent, smart guided tours, scenic spot explanations, route planning, ticket booking, and convenience services are all one click away. "Visiting West Lake is truly convenient—there's no need to prepare a travel guide in advance. Planning routes, booking tickets, and getting explanations are all solved with one click on the intelligent agent!" During the just-passed National Day holiday, Xiaolu, a college student from Zhengzhou, Henan, was very satisfied after her experience. She said that AI has made the thousand-year-old West Lake more approachable and more fun.
Today, strolling by West Lake, one can both touch the historical pulse that spans time and space and feel the breath of the times coming straight at one. West Lake has held onto the old pattern of "cloud-wreathed hills on three sides, a city on one side," and has also supported the new imagination of "the first scenic spot for AI practice." From a "cultural lake" to an "ecological lake," from a "livelihood lake" to a "digital lake," West Lake's practice has allowed a thousand-year cultural lineage to be inherited through steadfastness, reborn through integration, and perpetuated amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Return to TopBy: 潘义奎
Across the land of China, the cultural lineage stretches on continuously. From grotto murals, brush-and-ink painting, to inscriptions on metal and stone, and folk creations, cultural heritage carries the aesthetic genes and spiritual codes of the Chinese nation, serving as the inexhaustible and endless supply (取之不尽、用之不竭, qu zhi bu jin, yong zhi bu jue - "take, not exhausted; use, not exhausted") of living source water for contemporary fine arts.
For a long period in the past, research on ancient artistic remains was largely confined to specialized fields such as archaeology and cultural relic preservation, and failed to be fully transformed into public resources for contemporary artistic creation. Cultural heritage is not a static specimen sealed within ancient texts and ruins, but rather a living civilization that integrates into contemporary life, nourishes artistic creation, and enlightens the public mind; contemporary fine arts are likewise not something that lacks a foundation or historical basis (无根之木, wu gen zhi mu - "no, root; of, wood"), and only by taking root in historical remains can they possess profound cultural depth, distinct Chinese style, and majestic momentum of the times.
From "collection storerooms" to "cultural living rooms," from "artistic sanctuaries" to "innovation engines," the National Art Museum of China has undertaken extensive exploration with high-quality exhibitions as its vehicle, continuously expanding the functions and boundaries of the art museum, activating cultural heritage resources, and empowering the dissemination of contemporary aesthetics and artistic creation.
In recent years, the National Art Museum of China has collaborated with more than 20 museums nationwide to launch 10 exhibitions in the "Ink Rhyme and Cultural Lineage" series, forming an exhibition brand of "museum + art museum" that allows audiences to immersively experience the continuity and innovativeness of Chinese civilization. The series of exhibitions has attracted a large number of visitors, and after some cultural relic exhibits were displayed, they also produced the positive effect of drawing visitors to local museums.
Practice has shown that museums are the gene banks of civilization, and art museums are the incubators of aesthetics. The joining of hands between the two promotes dialogue between history and the present, and the coexistence of inheritance and innovation, injecting powerful momentum into building a culturally strong nation.
The inheritance of cultural heritage lies in the continuation of its spirit. The National Art Museum of China launched the "Valuing the Spirit: A Tribute to the Classics — National Exhibition of Freehand Artworks," which goes beyond mere display of works, distilling the common freehand spirit from classic artworks of successive dynasties, and using this as its main thread, brings together nearly 600 outstanding works from ancient and modern times. The exhibits include ancient calligraphy and painting remains from the museum's collection, classics by modern and contemporary masters, and also incorporate new contemporary works, with categories covering Chinese painting, oil painting, printmaking, sculpture, new media art, and other forms. Su Dongpo's authentic work "Xiaoxiang Bamboo and Stone" was prominently exhibited in the museum, and the spiritual bearing carried by this handed-down treasure was displayed alongside the innovative works of contemporary artists, allowing a thousand-year cultural lineage to converse within the same exhibition hall.
Enabling the aesthetic genes buried deep within historical remains to be seen, understood, passed on, and recreated is precisely the proper meaning of activating cultural heritage. The exhibitions were widely popular, not only making the National Art Museum of China a popular check-in spot once again, but more importantly, the broad audience genuinely felt during the exhibitions how the Chinese spirit has been passed down in one continuous line, with endless growth and continuous development (生生不息, sheng sheng bu xi - "birth, birth; not, stop").
In the practice of activating and utilizing cultural heritage, it is necessary to always uphold fundamental principles and break new ground, break free from rigid thinking, and realize the empowerment of contemporary fine arts development from multiple dimensions.
The "Tribute to the Masters: From Leonardo da Vinci to Caravaggio — Exhibition of Italian Renaissance Masterpieces" attracted 300,000 visitors within four months, creating a new highlight of high-quality cultural consumption in the capital; the "National Exhibition of Innovative Art by Young and Middle-Aged Artists" is an innovative brand in which the national pavilion sets the stage and young people play the leading role, mobilizing national fine arts resources for joint participation and stimulating the momentum of young talent.
Realizing the mutual empowerment of cultural heritage and contemporary fine arts lies in grasping the pulse of the spirit while seeking roots, and igniting the passion for innovation while upholding fundamental principles. Going forward, it is necessary to prioritize academic research, systematically excavate the resources of Chinese aesthetics within historical remains, establish an interdisciplinary dialogue mechanism across archaeology, cultural relic preservation, and fine arts, and strengthen the theoretical foundation; to give play to the guiding role of exhibitions, build platforms for dialogue between ancient and modern, Chinese and foreign through distinctive major exhibitions, and form a coherent narrative; to actively drive creation, guide and promote artists to go deep into the sites of cultural heritage, complete the process from copying and research to independent creation, and form a positive drive from historical remains to contemporary painting; and to advance the downward extension of aesthetic education, relying on street communities, physical spaces, and digital platforms, activate heritage resources, expand service boundaries, and cultivate the cultural aesthetic consciousness of the whole society.
(The author is the director of the National Art Museum of China)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 郑洋洋
In early autumn, walking into the dough sculpture street along the north side of Yijuyuan in Lan County, Lüliang, Shanxi, 14 workshops are arrayed along the street, various dough sculpture works fill the display stands, and visitors and artisans move back and forth among them.
Stepping into the workshop of Yuan Jianhua, a national-level representative inheritor of intangible cultural heritage, a faint fragrance of wheat lingers at the nose. Inside the exhibition hall, one dough sculpture work after another is vivid and eye-catching: an ornate and grand phoenix ornament, a chubby and endearing folk-style plump baby, a lively and imposing dough tiger, and an exquisite and unique set of the twelve zodiac animals... all fully displaying the unique folk charm of Lan County dough sculpture.
On the workbench, semi-finished dough sculptures are neatly arranged, and tools such as scissors, wooden combs, and bamboo skewers are all available. Yuan Jianhua is bent over the workbench creating. Six years ago, she formally moved into the dough sculpture street, settling into her workshop to devote herself to honing her craft and passing on her skills.
Yuan Jianhua, 62 years old this year, is a national-level representative inheritor of Lan County dough sculpture and the seventh-generation dough sculpture artisan in her family. "I learned to make dough sculptures following my grandmother and maternal grandmother since I was a child, and I have dealt with this craft all my life." She kneads the dough with the strength of her palm, smoothing out wrinkles with her fingertips, her movements skilled and steady, smooth and effortless (行云流水, xing yun liu shui - "walk, clouds, flow, water").
"Lan County dough sculpture has a history of over a hundred years. Making jujube mountain flower buns for the New Year, shaping cold-swallow swallows at Qingming, and making dough figurines on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month were once traditions in every local household." Yuan Jianhua introduces as she works. Scissors trim the outline, a wooden comb presses the texture, and the detailing is extremely exquisite. "First mix and knead the dough, after two rounds of proofing, shape and trim, then steam. Large pieces take 20 minutes, small pieces take just over 10 minutes to take shape."
"Coloring must be done after steaming and drying." Yuan Jianhua picks up a small piece of colored dough. "Yellow comes from pumpkin, red uses dragon fruit and beetroot, green is squeezed spinach juice — many are naturally colored with fruits and vegetables." Yuan Jianhua explains that large works need to be split into parts, carved individually, and then assembled. "A fine masterpiece takes more than half a month to complete."
"From a child's full month, hundredth day, and marriage, to the end of life, dough sculpture runs through all the important milestones in the lives of us Lan County people." Yuan Jianhua says with emotion. In 2014, Lan County dough sculpture was successfully included in the national representative list of intangible cultural heritage projects.
Inside the workshop, there are also some dough sculpture works of considerable ingenuity: a dough flower basket with spreading petals and delicate stamens, rich in color layering; on a round colored dough sculpture ring, the character for fortune, lush flowers, and cute little horses are embellished — a creative substitute for the traditional birthday cake.
Many of these innovative works are designed by Yuan Jianhua's daughter, Liu Lili, a provincial-level representative inheritor. The mother and daughter often collaborate: Yuan Jianhua delves deep into ancient techniques, holds fast to the roots of folk customs, and reproduces works on traditional ritual themes; Liu Lili builds on tradition to break through with innovation, developing new products that fit contemporary aesthetics and the needs of the cultural tourism market. Old and new techniques blend and grow together, and a variety of cultural and creative and ceremonial dough sculptures are widely favored by the market, with sales channels continuously expanding.
To activate the vitality of intangible cultural heritage and support enriching the people in rural areas, in 2020 Lan County built an intangible cultural heritage industrial cluster integrating the dough sculpture street, a theme park, and a cultural exchange center. In 2023, Lan County dough sculpture was incorporated into Shanxi Province's comprehensive skills improvement project, and after being rated as a municipal-level labor service brand, the intangible cultural heritage craft became a core path for local people to increase their income nearby.
The locality regularly carries out public welfare skills training, providing free training to 600 people and skills practice to 150 people each year at the dough sculpture workshops, attracting a large number of apprentices from within and outside the province who come seeking knowledge because of a good reputation (慕名求学, mu ming qiu xue - "admire, name, seek, study"). To date, the dough sculpture street has cumulatively driven 656 households to increase their income, with popularization training exceeding 2,400 person-times.
Today, Lan County dough sculpture has formed four mature categories: folk customs, sacrificial offerings, weddings and birthdays, and cultural and creative seasonal items. The dough sculpture workshops are developing in an echeloned and differentiated manner. Leading workshops have annual revenues of 300,000 to 400,000 yuan, ordinary workshops earn about 100,000 yuan per year, and the county's dough sculpture industry has an annual output value of nearly 10 million yuan. Products sell well across the country, making it a highly recognizable regional cultural calling card.
"An old craft cannot just be displayed in a cabinet. We must both preserve the old traditions and let more modern people see and use it." Yuan Jianhua says frankly. From a folk craft on the kang of farmhouse homes to a distinctive industry empowering rural revitalization, the dough sculpture at the fingertips is radiating new vitality.
Return to TopBy: 王渝生
American popular science writers Ray Spangenburg and Diane Moser, a married couple, co-authored The Journey of Science (see photo, archival image), a classic work of popular science history acclaimed worldwide. It breaks away from the traditional mode of science history writing that merely lists achievements, telling the story of science from its birth to its present development, restoring the tortuous process of deliberation in scientific exploration, and bridging the boundary between science and the humanities. In the 33 years since its publication, The Journey of Science has been translated into multiple languages, and the complete Chinese translation has been available for 18 years, influencing generation after generation of readers.
This year, Peking University Press, after a large-scale revision, has released a multi-volume portable edition. The new edition is divided into five volumes — The Birth of Science, The Rise of Reason, The Age of Synthesis, Modern Science, and The Frontiers of Science — presenting, through 560,000 characters and hundreds of photographs and illustrations, the process of change in humanity's scientific conceptions and the historical panorama of intellectual development, a magnificent and impressive sight (蔚为大观, wei wei da guan - "be, become, great, view"). The new edition systematically polishes all translations, balancing accessibility with academic rigor, correcting problems in earlier editions such as overly colloquial language and inconsistent translation of names, and supplementing through extensive footnotes the progress of scientific development since the original edition was completed, bringing this classic work closer to the present day. Rereading The Journey of Science at this time, one again feels its many distinctive qualities in the writing of science history.
Looking Back at the History of Scientific Development from Three Dimensions
From pre-scientific exploration in ancient Greece to the Renaissance, to contemporary frontier exploration from the second half of the 20th century to the present covering genetics, aerospace, and particle physics, The Journey of Science examines scientific development in every historical period through three dimensions: "physical science," "life science," and "science and society."
In the book, physical science (i.e., the material sciences) includes physics, chemistry, astronomy, earth sciences, and the like, and together with life science it constitutes the natural sciences. When general works on the history of science discuss the modern scientific revolution, they often take the 1543 publication of Polish astronomer Copernicus's On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres as the marker of the astronomical revolution. This book, however, places the publication in the same year of Belgian anatomist Andreas Vesalius's On the Fabric of the Human Body alongside it, treating it as an important node in the revolution in physiology and medicine. Copernicus's proposal of heliocentrism broke the geocentric cosmology that had persisted for a thousand years; Vesalius, through actual dissection, corrected many errors of ancient medicine. From different fields, they jointly drove the formation of the modern scientific paradigm of empirical observation and experiment, and also lifted the curtain on Europe's intellectual emancipation. From Copernicus to Newton, from Vesalius to English physiologist William Harvey, the authors of this book unfold their narrative along the two major categories of physical science and life science, sketching the entire process from the modern scientific revolution of the 16th century to the establishment of the modern scientific system in the 17th century, reaching conclusions that are both respectful of history and logically sound.
In the "science and society" section, the book further turns its gaze to the historical background in which science emerged, the driving forces and obstacles to its development, and its role in society. In narrating the struggle between science and pseudoscience, the authors, with a gentle and engaging style, depict light and darkness, mainstream and countercurrent with vivid and penetrating description (入木三分, ru mu san fen - "enter, wood, three, parts").
For example, in the 18th century, "animal magnetism therapy" flourished in Paris, France, claiming the existence of an invisible "magnetic fluid" that could cure illness, and for a time attracted large numbers of people to embrace it. The French Academy of Sciences, through controlled experiments, confirmed that the alleged therapeutic effects came mainly from psychological suggestion, and that no mysterious "magnetic fluid" existed. In the 19th century, "spirit-table turning" was once prevalent in Europe — mediums claimed that by making tables turn they could summon the spirits of the dead, and this claim even deceived some intellectuals. The British scientist Faraday did not simply dismiss it as superstition, but designed ingenious experiments to prove that the table's turning was caused by unconscious force exerted by the participants' hands, exposing this popular pseudoscientific hoax through empirical methods. In the early 20th century, someone, in order to prove that humanity originated in England, forged fossils, piecing together the skull of a modern human with the jaw of an ape. This fabrication catered to the national pride of the British at the time, and many reputable British anthropologists were deceived; the hoax lasted nearly 40 years before being exposed by new testing techniques... The Journey of Science, through one concrete event after another, presents the process by which science advances continuously through questioning, verification, and correction of errors.
Telling the Stories Behind Scientific Discoveries
In narrating major scientific events, The Journey of Science always places "people" in an important position. This is because science is not merely a system of knowledge, but also the living social cognitive and practical activity of the community of scientists and the scientific community as a whole. The book places particular emphasis on the process of scientific discovery: right and wrong, success and failure are interwoven, and many important conclusions were not achieved in a single step (一蹴而就, yi cu er jiu - "one, step, and, achieve") but gradually formed through long exploration. Such narration also allows readers to see the hardship and greatness of scientific discovery: the spirit of dedication of scientists lies not in sacrificing their lives, but in devoting their entire life's energy and sufficient courage to pioneering and innovating; science requires being down-to-earth and practical (脚踏实地, jiao ta shi di - "foot, tread, solid, ground"), seeking truth and being pragmatic, and also requires ample imagination, curiosity, and thirst for knowledge — scientists are people retaining a childlike innocence and curiosity (童心未泯, tong xin wei min - "child, heart, not, extinguished"); in fact, retaining a childlike innocence means retaining an unextinguished human heart, means retaining an unextinguished humanity.
The German astronomer Kepler was a prime example. A lover of fantasy, he always believed that a beautiful and harmonious geometric order existed in the universe. In an era when observational data were still insufficient, he boldly conceived that planetary orbits could be described by geometric models. Even when his conjectures were repeatedly overturned by data, he did not give up his pursuit of the beauty of the cosmos, and ultimately broke through the entrenched notion that "celestial bodies must move in perfect circles," proposing the law that planets move in elliptical orbits. What sustained him was precisely the romantic imagination of a child gazing up at the starry sky.
The British biologist Darwin was much the same. From childhood he loved observing birds, beasts, plants, and trees, and always retained a childlike curiosity about biodiversity. During his voyage around the world, he did not merely record differences among species, but boldly imagined: perhaps living things in the world were not fixed and unchanging, and different species might share a common ancestor... These notions, quite daring for their time, enabled him to link together scattered evidence such as fossils, species distribution, and biological forms, and ultimately to construct the theory of biological evolution.
Faraday's experience, from another angle, illustrates the importance of curiosity and imagination for scientific exploration. He always maintained a keen interest in unknown phenomena, and was also skilled at raising new questions from existing discoveries. After the Danish physicist Oersted discovered that electric current could produce magnetic effects, Faraday boldly asked: can magnetism also produce electricity? He repeatedly conducted hands-on experiments, and after countless failures, finally discovered the phenomenon of electromagnetic induction and invented the disk dynamo. Scientific imagination is not groundless speculation; rather, it is bold conjecture driven by curiosity, and then verified through experiment.
As a work of science history combining academic rigor and readability, The Journey of Science was selected for the New York Public Library's "Best Books for Young Adults" shortly after its publication. After the Chinese edition was released in 2008, it not only received nominations for two top national publishing awards — the China Government Award for Publishing and the China Excellent Publication Award — but also won the 5th Wenjin Book Award in 2009 by a high margin of votes. I was then a judge for the Wenjin Book Award and director of the popular science book judging panel, and the scene of the judges unanimously praising the book remains vividly etched in my memory (历历在目, li li zai mu - "clear, clear, at, eye") to this day. In addition, the book also received the Wu Ta-You Science Popularization Book Award, was named a National Excellent Popular Science Work by the Ministry of Science and Technology and an Excellent Popular Science Work by the China Association for Science Communication, and for many consecutive years has been included on recommended reading lists for teachers and required extracurricular reading lists for young students.
Now this classic of science history, having traveled more than 30 years, has been revised and republished, and I believe it will receive a warm welcome from the broad readership, especially young friends. Readers will also feel more truly that what makes science moving is not only that it continuously expands humanity's understanding of the world, but also that this understanding is formed step by step through questioning, verification, and correction. Looking back on the long and tortuous journey of science is precisely for the purpose of better understanding the present, and of rushing toward a better future with reason, curiosity, and courage.
(The author is former director of the China Science and Technology Museum and a second-level professor)
Return to TopBy: 杨晓杰
Amid the layered blue-green mountain ranges north of the Alps, a stretch of clear, limpid water spreads out — this is Lake Lucerne (see photo, taken by Yang Xiaojie).
The world is mostly dazzled by its lake-and-mountain scenery, yet few know that this silent lake holds within it a thousand years of history. As the cradle of Swiss federal civilization and a millennium-old hub on the north-south transport route through central Europe, Lake Lucerne is also known as Lake of the Four Forest Cantons, named for the four ancient cantons surrounding it: Uri, Schwyz, Unterwalden (today the two half-cantons of Obwalden and Nidwalden), and Lucerne. In 1291, the Rütli Meadow, the place where the Swiss Confederation swore its oath, lies in a bay of the lake, making the lake the wellspring of the Swiss spirit of freedom and independence.
Staying a few days by the lakeshore, seeking neither ostentation nor clamor, I quietly face the mountains and waters, the ancient buildings, and the evening breeze.
At dawn, a gentle breeze softly awakens me. Lifting my gaze, I see the lake water passing through the old town, becoming the winding Reuss River. An ancient bridge spans the junction of lake and river, named the Chapel Bridge. This covered wooden bridge, first built in 1333, is one of the oldest surviving covered bridges in Europe. The more than 200-meter wooden bridge body curves along the water, and over a long period of time (经年累月, jing nian lei yue - "pass through, accumulate, accumulate, months") has been adorned with blooming flowers, hence its gentle nickname, the "Flower Bridge." Beneath the eaves of the corridor, more than a hundred 17th-century painted panels are arranged in neat rows, every stroke a record of time. The paintings include both the evolution and changes of the old city of Lucerne and images recording plague and famine, and people facing life and death directly.
In the morning, Lucerne has no shortage of visitors. The city's rudimentary form began in the 8th century AD. At that time, it was merely a small fishing village on the banks of the Reuss, where the ancestors lived by the water, fished and hunted on the lake, reclaimed wasteland beside the mountains, and passed their days in peace. In the early 13th century, the St. Gotthard Pass route was formally opened, and the trade route between the north and south of the Alps was fully connected. Lucerne, situated at the throat of the route, rose in one leap to become an important transshipment trading town in central Europe. During the Middle Ages, Lucerne was long plagued by war. To resist foreign enemies and protect trade, the local people built a water-and-land integrated defense system, of which the waterborne defense line included the Chapel Bridge.
Complementing the waterborne covered bridge is the land defense system — the Musegg City Wall. The old city wall is located on the high ground of the hills north of Lake Lucerne, standing in distant view with nine stone towers of varying forms and functions. In past years, the water-and-land complementary defense system guarded the peace of the lakeside city-state. Today, these ancient structures have shed their military function and been transformed into urban sightseeing walkways. In the afternoon, I climbed high to look into the distance, and the scenery of Lake Lucerne was taking in the whole view at a single glance (尽收眼底, jin shou yan di - "completely, receive, eye, bottom"). At that moment, the weight of history seemed directly tangible.
Strolling along the shore of Lake Lucerne, one encounters many buildings that crystallize the marks of civilization of their eras. The Church of St. Leodegar is a benchmark work of Swiss Renaissance architecture, called the "Hofkirche" by locals. As the main parish church of Lucerne, it was first built in the Middle Ages and to this day retains its medieval Gothic twin-spire structure, with towers 69 meters tall, while the interior presents Renaissance style. An organ built in 1640 inside the church, after restoration, still sounds today at the Lucerne Summer Music Festival. Not far from the Church of St. Leodegar is the Ritter Palace. First built in 1557, it adopts the Florentine-style Renaissance palace form and is one of the earliest Renaissance palaces north of the Alps; it now serves as the seat of the Lucerne cantonal government and the cantonal parliament.
Walking slowly north from the church square for seven or eight minutes, a tranquil grove hides the Lion Monument. During the French Revolution in 1792, more than 700 Swiss mercenaries fought in bloody battle to guard King Louis XVI of France. In 1821, the "Dying Lion" sculpture, designed by Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen, was officially completed. The sculpture is 10 meters long and 3 meters high; the lion lies prone with head lowered, a broken spear in its back, covered in wounds, its bearing mournful yet not lacking in fortitude. The Latin inscription beside the rock wall records the deeds and number of the fallen soldiers. In front of the sculpture is a stretch of clear lake water, reflecting the lion and the passing visitors. Mark Twain wrote in his travel notes: "This is the most mournful and moving piece of stone in the world."
For hundreds of years, Lucerne has been a spiritual habitat for many artists and humanists, who created and lived here, entrusting their lives and years to a lake breeze. The writer Alexandre Dumas, after traveling here, praised Lucerne as "the pearl in the world's most beautiful mussel shell." The musician Richard Wagner conceived and completed part of the composition of his opera Tristan und Isolde in Lucerne in his early years, and later lived for six years in the Tribschen Villa by the lake, where he wrote the Siegfried Idyll. Literary giants Tolstoy, Goethe, and Hugo all once stopped in Lucerne, leaving behind numerous written diaries depicting the lake, mountains, and old city.
Returning to the lake area, I board a catamaran to enjoy the lake-and-mountain scenery. What meets the eye are countless birds, many circling over the lake surface, greeting us. I have heard that wild swans, seagulls, mergansers, and alpine swifts roost on the inner walls of the Octagonal Water Tower. Like other visitors, I am only an occasional guest; the birds are the lake's "permanent residents," lifting their gaze toward the coming and going of tourists, calm and serene.
Time passes in a daze; the evening breeze arrives, and Lake Lucerne ripples in gentle waves. The landscapes of the world each have their own charm. Lake Lucerne blends the clarity of nature with the weight of human culture just right, and after a thousand years, it remains as it was at the beginning.
Return to TopBy: 王骁波
In the early morning in Mexico City, wisps of cooking smoke rise from street corners. On the griddles of mobile food carts, yellowed corn tortillas sizzle and crackle, giving off a distinctive toasted aroma. People deftly roll up the tortillas, wrapping them with meat, chili peppers, and bean paste, eating heartily (大快朵颐, da kuai duo er - "great, eat, pluck, eat"). Locals often say: "We created corn, and corn also created us." For Mexico, corn has not only nourished this land and its people, but has also written a moving epic of civilization.
About 9,000 years ago, in the Balsas River basin of what is now south-central Mexico, there grew an unremarkable plant — teosinte. It is the ancestor of modern corn, resembling a weed, with its kernels wrapped in a hard husk that makes them difficult to eat directly. However, the ancient peoples of the Americas discovered a small number of mutant plants with degraded hard husks and exposed kernels, and began to consciously select and breed them, thus beginning a history of corn domestication spanning several thousand years. In the San Marcos Cave in the Tehuacán Valley, archaeologists have unearthed specimens of primitive corn dating back several thousand years. These ancient corn cobs, only the size of a knuckle, provide precious evidence for studying the evolutionary process of corn from early domestication to a modern crop.
As farming techniques matured, the ancient peoples living in what is now Mexico developed a symbiotic agricultural system called the "milpa": planting corn, beans, squash, and other crops on the same plot of land, and practicing rotation or fallowing in light of local conditions. The tall corn plants serve as trellises for the beans to climb, while the rhizobia on the bean roots continuously nourish the soil; the broad vines and leaves of the squash cover the ground, reducing water evaporation and suppressing weed growth. This ancient agricultural system embodies the ecological wisdom of humans conforming to nature, and laid a solid agricultural foundation for the development of civilizations such as the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec.
After corn became a staple food, people also developed a unique process of nixtamalization: boiling and soaking corn kernels in limewater or wood-ash water, then grinding them into flour. This process effectively softens the outer husk of the corn, facilitating further processing; more importantly, it makes the niacin (i.e., vitamin B3) in the corn easier for the human body to absorb, greatly reducing the incidence of pellagra. After grinding on a stone metate, the corn kernels become corn flour, which then turns into soft dough, and then into delicacies on the dining table such as tortillas and tamales, preserved in the taste memory of Mexicans. In 2010, traditional Mexican cuisine was inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This living culture encompasses agricultural production, cooking techniques, and community life, with corn, beans, and chili peppers as the basic ingredients, and the "milpa" and nixtamalization as important components.
Corn has nourished generations of Mexican inhabitants, and has also become integrated into their beliefs, lives, and national memory. The Maya creation epic Popol Vuh records that the creator gods made human beings by kneading dough from white corn and yellow corn, which is why the Maya call themselves the "corn people." The General History of the Things of New Spain, completed in the 16th century, records the special feelings the Aztecs of the 14th to 16th centuries had for corn: before boiling corn kernels, women would blow a gentle breath on them, believing that this would keep the kernels from fearing the boiling hot water; if they saw corn kernels scattered on the ground, they would pick them up, so as not to incur the blame of the corn god or even bring upon themselves the punishment of hunger. In their conception, corn possesses life and divinity, and these customs also contain an ancient ecological view of harmonious coexistence between humans and nature.
The renowned Mexican anthropologist Guillermo Bonfil, in his México Profundo, argued that the ancient Mesoamerican civilizational tradition did not disappear with colonial rule, but still exists in Mexico's social life and popular culture, and that corn is an important witness to this cultural continuity. The farming methods represented by the "milpa" continue to shape traditional Mexican society: sowing and harvesting rely on neighborhood cooperation, families make corn foods together, and sharing corn delicacies at festivals further makes corn a bond that sustains kinship, community connection, and cultural inheritance.
Entering the 20th century, this tradition that had endured for millennia faced severe challenges amid the waves of agricultural globalization and industrialization: large-scale low-priced corn imports continuously impacted Mexico's traditional agriculture and small and medium-sized farmers, and the area planted with native corn kept shrinking. In response to public demands, the Mexican government introduced a series of measures, including designating September 29 each year as "National Corn Day," while continuously improving laws and regulations for the protection of native corn, striving to strike a balance between trade openness and the protection of native corn varieties.
Modern technology has also become a force for Mexico in safeguarding its corn civilization. In traditional agricultural regions such as Oaxaca and Yucatán, some farmers rely on community seed banks to preserve native varieties, and through practices such as saving seed and exchanging seeds, they carry on the ancient wisdom of the "milpa." The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center is located in Texcoco, State of Mexico, and houses the world's largest maize germplasm bank, preserving tens of thousands of maize germplasm resources, including native Mexican corn varieties and teosinte.
At the same time, Mexico's food and beverage operators are also rediscovering the value of native corn. "Maizajo," founded in 2016, began as a mill specializing in the processing of native corn, and later developed into a tortilla shop and restaurant. The operators cooperate with farmers, select native corn of different colors, and adhere to the traditional nixtamalization process, allowing diners to taste the flavors of different corn varieties in their tortillas. From street food to fine dining, these attempts have created new connections between traditional corn cultivation and modern urban life.
When the morning light once again illuminates Mexico City, the sizzling sound of baking resumes on the street-corner griddles. This is not only a continuation of the vitality of everyday life, but also a resolute echo sounded by a people who have stood with their land for a thousand years. As long as native corn still sprouts in the fields, is ground on the stone metate, and rolls up steaming hot hope on the dining table, Mexican civilization will continue to be inherited and developed in an unending cycle of life.
Return to TopBy: 吴树民
Sea breeze swept over us, waves leapt and tumbled, and our ship slowly came alongside the dock, arriving at Victoria, capital of British Columbia, Canada. After disembarking, we drove about 21 kilometers north and reached the world-famous Butchart Gardens.
At the entrance, beside a cluster of blooming flowers, stood a bronze statue of a gardener, holding pruning shears in hand, with a warm smile on his face. Stepping into the gardens, the in all sorts of shapes and manners (千姿百态, qian zi bai tai - "thousand, posture, hundred, form") and multicolored flowers were breathtaking; the arched corridors leading to flower hills, flower mounds, and flower valleys were layered and wrapped by countless blossoms and green leaves.
Entering the sunken Sunken Garden, fuchsias hung bell-like flowers from the trellises, gently swaying in the breeze; hyacinths and violets stood side by side, their purple, pink, and white merging into a soft sea of color; on the slopes, azaleas were in full swing or at a fever pitch (如火如荼, ru huo ru tu - "like, fire, like, army"), camellias gave off a light, sweet fragrance, crabapple blossoms were exquisitely beautiful and looking as if about to drip (娇艳欲滴, jiao yan yu di - "lovely, beautiful, desire, drop"), and wild lilies stood graceful and slender in appearance (亭亭玉立, ting ting yu li - "slender, slender, jade, stand").
Following the path deeper into the flowers and trees, the garden's various sections unfolded one after another, each with its own style. In the lovely Sunken Garden, rock faces were covered with thick green ivy, and layers of flowers and trees spread out in staggered arrangement along the terrain, like an unfurled three-dimensional floral tapestry. Continuing onward, we reached the Italian Garden, converted in 1929 from the site of a former tennis court. Centered on a cruciform pool, brilliant flowers were arranged in neat order around the water, together with elegant stone-carved arched colonnades creating a Mediterranean-style romantic atmosphere.
Amid the sheltering flowers and trees, exquisite details were scattered about: a frog sculpture by the lake raised its head and spouted water, carp in the water flicked their tails and leapt above the waves, and in the lily pond children played beneath a waterfall. Trees in the garden were trimmed into pagoda, column, and spiral shapes, showing exceptional ingenuity (匠心独运, jiang xin du yun - "craftsman, heart, uniquely, operate"). Clear streams and layered springs ran through the garden, and in the depths of the woods the sound of water gurgled. By the limpid lake, an old-fashioned wooden waterwheel turned slowly, carrying a rustic, pastoral charm.
Few people would imagine that this land, now a riot of colors or many bright colors (姹紫嫣红, cha zi yan hong - "various, purple, bright, red"), was once a barren limestone quarry. Gazing down from the lookout platform, the Sunken Garden resembled a finely carved emerald set into the floor of a mine pit more than 10 meters deep — this was the legendary starting point of Butchart Gardens, and the beginning of Mrs. Jennie Butchart's act of turning something decaying into something wonderful (化腐朽为神奇, hua fu xiu wei shen qi - "transform, rotten, as, divine, magic").
In the early 20th century, Robert Butchart, a Scotsman, operated a cement plant here, quarrying limestone to fire cement. After several years, the surface ore veins were exhausted, leaving behind a huge gray-white pit. Mrs. Butchart, who loved gardening, was unwilling to see the land lie waste and resolved to turn the abandoned pit into a garden. She had fertile topsoil brought in by horse-drawn cart and spread over the pit floor, and personally planned the planting of flowers and trees. Seated in a bosun's chair, she was slowly lowered along the quarry wall, planting ivy and climbing plants one by one into the crevices of the rock. When it was completed in 1921, the once drab quarry pit had become a colorful sunken garden.
For over a hundred years, this garden has been managed by the Butchart family. In 1939, Mr. and Mrs. Butchart gifted the garden to their grandson, Ian Ross. Under his hand, the garden grew from a private estate into a world-class tourist attraction: nighttime lighting and Christmas-themed events were added, giving the garden attractions in every season. By the time the fourth-generation heir, Robin, took over, Butchart Gardens covered 22 hectares, contained more than 700 species of flowers and trees, and attracted over a million visitors each year. In 2004, Butchart Gardens was listed as a Canadian National Historic Site, transformed from an industrial ruin into a national cultural treasure.
A barren quarry pit has grown a dream of eternal spring. The legend of this garden lies not only in its flourishing flowers and trees, but also in humanity's gentle reshaping of the land, and in a family's perseverance spanning a century. Different flowers and trees, together with craftsmanship and care, on the same piece of land, have at last bloomed into moving blossoms.
Return to TopBy: 谷业凯
On October 16, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia, he stressed that China's territory is vast, with notable differences in resource endowments across the east, west, south, north, and center. On the new journey, all regions should, in accordance with the Party Central Committee's strategic decisions and planning deployments, establish and practice a correct view of political achievements, fully, accurately, and comprehensively implement the new development philosophy, keep pace with the trends of the times, seize development opportunities, base themselves on their own conditions, leverage their comparative advantages, and promote high-quality development in light of local conditions.
Ulanqab is rich in "wind and solar" resources. In recent years, by leveraging its comparative advantages in green electricity, climate, and location, it has achieved positive results in the development of the green computing power industry. As of now, Ulanqab has signed contracts for more than 100 data center projects, with operational computing power reaching 172,000 P (quadrillions of floating-point operations per second), and intelligent computing accounting for over 95 percent, making it a "highland" in the national computing power industry.
Ulanqab has unique advantages in developing green computing power. In terms of climate, Ulanqab has an average annual temperature of 4.3 degrees Celsius, with nearly 10 months of the year available for utilizing natural cold sources, which can save 20 to 30 percent of energy under the same technical conditions. In terms of location, Ulanqab is adjacent to the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, with low network latency and favorable conditions for undertaking industrial transfers. In terms of electricity, Ulanqab is rich in "wind and solar" resources with a high proportion of green electricity, providing a low-cost, low-carbon energy supply... These "assets" make Ulanqab a preferred location for deploying large and ultra-large data centers.
However, from the supply of kilowatt-hours of green electricity to the output of individual tokens, industrial development cannot simply "depend on the weather." Looking at the practice of Ulanqab's development of green computing power, a highly instructive experience is to adhere to proceeding in light of local conditions, not blindly following trends, not departing from endowments, and taking the path of transforming natural advantages into industrial advantages and upgrading the original "assets" into new growth drivers.
In developing green computing power, Ulanqab has not merely focused on purchasing servers and building computer rooms, but has set its sights on advancing measures that lay foundations and benefit the long term, such as promoting the coordination of computing and electricity and opening up the "source-grid-load-storage" chain. For example, Ulanqab has planned and built multiple green electricity direct-connection projects for data centers, while simultaneously advancing reforms of the electricity pricing mechanism, with the electricity price for data centers at 0.32 to 0.38 yuan per kilowatt-hour. The surging green electricity and sensitive market price signals have become the foundation of the local green computing power industry's development, and have also provided replicable and scalable experience for other regions. As another example, Ulanqab has built a dedicated 144-core dual-route optical cable directly to Beijing, compressing the physical distance of about 240 kilometers into a communication latency of 4.2 milliseconds, making data transmission faster and connections more stable, and effectively converting locational advantages into computing power industry advantages.
In developing green computing power, Ulanqab has also not neglected or abandoned other industries. Mechanisms developed on the basis of the green computing power industry, such as green electricity traceability and quantifiable green electricity value mechanisms, have allowed traditional industries such as ferroalloys to simultaneously enjoy institutional dividends, with the proportion of green electricity used in newly started projects reaching 60 percent. The wind turbine and photovoltaic equipment, energy storage, and green hydrogen derived from green electricity have extended and expanded the new energy industry chain. A full-chain digital system integrating intelligent planting and smart logistics has taken root and flourished in industries such as potatoes and oats, significantly increasing product added value... Supported and driven by green computing power, new quality productive forces, led by scientific and technological innovation and underpinned by green and low-carbon development, have injected new momentum into local industries.
In developing green computing power, Ulanqab also emphasizes chain clustering, ecological synergy, and value enhancement. Digital rendering and intelligent creative industries have driven the growth and expansion of diverse business forms. Positions such as customer service and marketing, data annotation, and data center operations and maintenance have opened up new space for employment. The "tentacles" of artificial intelligence have extended into all aspects of medical services and social governance, bringing convenience to people's lives... From "building well" to "using well" green computing power, and from "selling computing power" to exploring "selling effective computing power output," this is driving profound changes in the mode of economic and social development.
Looking from Ulanqab to the whole country, the "East Data, West Computing" project has already deployed eight national computing power hub nodes and 10 national data center clusters. Regions across the country, relying on their own resource endowments, have carved out new development paths — Guizhou has become the country's first comprehensive big data pilot zone, Gansu is promoting cross-border trade in computing power, and Ningxia is building a "token factory"... The practice of these regions also shows that new quality productive forces are not something only large cities and sci-tech innovation centers can develop. The key is to accurately identify one's own most prominent comparative advantages, while making good use of technological empowerment, actively aligning with national strategies, and building industries suitable for local development, so as to avoid homogeneous competition.
General Secretary Xi Jinping stressed that "proceeding in light of local conditions is, in essence, seeking truth from facts," and required "accurately identifying one's strategic positioning in the overall national situation." This is an important methodology for doing economic work well, and also one of the deep logics for coordinating efforts across the country as a whole.
In the opening year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, all regions should leverage their comparative advantages and strive to each display their own strengths, blaze a path of high-quality development suited to their own actual conditions, and steadily advance Chinese modernization.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 冯春梅 赵景锋
During an inspection tour in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized that all parties should earnestly implement the requirements of efficiency, green development, and safety, pay attention to "coordination between computing power and electricity" and "coordination between computing power and water," do a good job in the construction and operation of computing power center projects, actively promote the development of the green computing power industry, and make greater contributions to advancing the building of a Digital China and promoting the development of new quality productive forces.
The practice of Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, shows that to develop new quality productive forces, it is necessary to combine the implementation of the Party Central Committee's strategic deployments with leveraging one's own conditions and advantages, and to make precise connections and find the correct positioning. This edition focuses on the green computing power industry in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, looking at how a grassland has grown a forest of computing power, how one kilowatt-hour of green electricity has become one intelligent computation, and how the blueprint of the "East Data, West Computing" project has been transformed into a beautiful reality of high-quality development on the land of the northern frontier.
—Editor
In late autumn, at the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone in Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia, tower cranes stand in rows, machinery roars, and the construction sites are bustling with activity. Looking at these scenes, Gao Yandong always recalls that six years ago, when he decided to return to his hometown to work in the computing power industry, almost no one around him was optimistic about it.
Gao Yandong's hometown, Ulanqab, is located in central Inner Mongolia. It has a cool climate with large temperature differences between day and night, is rich in potatoes, and is known as the "Potato Capital of China." In the eyes of his relatives and friends, terms like big data, computing power, and operations and maintenance were hard to associate with this small grassland city that "grows potatoes," and it was even harder to imagine that someone could make a living from "computing power" right at their doorstep.
The seemingly risky choice was based on Gao Yandong's own considerations. His university major was power system automation, and after graduation he entered a wind farm in Hebei to work. The job matched his major and offered a stable income, but the work content was relatively monotonous and the career path relatively narrow, so he gradually developed the idea of switching tracks. In his daily life, Gao Yandong often paid attention to industry trends, and cutting-edge technologies such as big data and cloud computing caught his interest.
In 2020, when he learned that a computing power enterprise in the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone was recruiting operations and maintenance engineers, Gao Yandong looked into it carefully and found that the knowledge of power supply and distribution required for the position was exactly his professional strength; and his hometown's cool climate happened to be an advantage for developing the computing power industry. After careful consideration, Gao Yandong submitted his application form, passed the interview smoothly, and began working in operations and maintenance.
Six years have passed, and the changes around him have continuously confirmed Gao Yandong's judgment. In the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone, on what was once empty land, data center buildings have risen one after another, attracting workers from all corners of the country. Riding the tailwind of industrial development, Gao Yandong has also been continuously accumulating experience and honing his skills. His work content has shifted from basic operations and maintenance to testing and verification before data center delivery. Not only is his income considerable, but he has also built up a team. "From 'growing potatoes' to 'growing Tokens,' I am both a witness to and a beneficiary of my hometown's changes," Gao Yandong said with emotion.
Gao Yandong's experience is a microcosm of the local industrial transformation and upgrading. As the main carrying area for Ulanqab's computing power industry, as of now, the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone has signed contracts for a total of 65 data center projects, completed a cumulative investment of 45 billion yuan, and built 580,000 cabinets... From the landing of individual projects to the clustering of numerous enterprises, the computing power industry is accelerating its formation and momentum on this fertile soil. Recently, reporters came to the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone to explore in person the code of its development.
Building Momentum—
Seizing Development Opportunities Improving Service Levels
Six years is the growth time of the computing power industry in the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone in Gao Yandong's eyes; in fact, from laying out the big data industry to focusing on intelligent computing power, the local area has been continuously cultivating for more than 10 years.
In 2013, a Huawei team came to the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone to discuss building a cloud computing data center. At that time, the local area was almost a blank slate in this field: there was neither supporting infrastructure nor professional operations and maintenance talent, and local cadres knew very little about cutting-edge technologies such as big data and cloud computing. "At first, some people worried that building a data center was just a gimmick and would not bring real development," recalled Liu Junping, deputy director of the Management Committee of the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone. But as they got in touch, everyone found that the demand for big data storage and computing was growing continuously, and the market prospects were very broad. "The industrial foundation is weak, and we can make up for it bit by bit, but we cannot miss a development opportunity that was not easily obtained just because we have never done this before," Liu Junping said.
When an opportunity comes, one must find ways to seize it. In order to promote the efficient implementation of the project, the local government and the enterprise formed a joint working group. Cadres followed the technical team around, first understanding the enterprise's needs, then finding ways to provide targeted support—how to guarantee electricity supply, how to lay out the network, how to accelerate approval. Everyone learned while doing, and managed to break down an unfamiliar high-tech industry into specific tasks that could be advanced one by one. In 2016, the Huawei Cloud Computing Data Center was officially put into operation, with a total investment of 1.6 billion yuan, housing nearly 20,000 servers. Ulanqab thus became one of the earliest prefecture-level cities in the country to lay out the big data industry.
The process of advancing the project also made local cadres reacquaint themselves with their own endowments. First, there is the "cold": Ulanqab has an average annual temperature of 4.3 degrees Celsius, with nearly 10 months of natural cold source each year, which under the same technical conditions can reduce data center energy consumption by 20% to 30%. Second, there is the "wind": there are as many as 60 days of strong wind in spring alone, and combined with an annual average total solar radiation of 5,500–6,200 megajoules per square meter, it can better meet the large-scale green electricity needs of intelligent computing centers. "In the past, when we talked about the cold weather and strong winds, we always felt they were unfavorable to industrial development. Now, looking at it from a different angle, these conditions have instead become advantages for developing computing power," Liu Junping said.
However, after the Huawei Cloud Computing Data Center was put into operation, the computing power industry did not immediately enter the fast lane. In the following years, there were very few new projects in the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone. Liu Junping said that in the face of the long period of silence, they were not anxious. On the one hand, they continued to improve supporting facilities such as substations and optical cables; on the other hand, they organized trips to learn about industry trends and advanced experience, consolidating the foundation for industrial development bit by bit. "Looking back, those seemingly slow accumulations were precisely building momentum for the later rapid development," Liu Junping said.
Years of cultivation have also brought another advantage of Ulanqab to the fore—"speed." Starting in 2017, Ulanqab spent two years building two 144-core point-to-point dedicated dual-route high-capacity optical cables directly to Beijing, compressing end-to-end latency to 4.2 milliseconds. "It is equivalent to the time of a person blinking an eye, and data can travel back and forth between Beijing and Ulanqab dozens of times," Liu Junping said. With faster transmission speeds, the impact of spatial distance on business is reduced. Enterprises that place their servers in Ulanqab can enjoy local advantages such as low electricity prices while also responding to remote demands in a timely manner. Cross-provincial collaboration has become a tangible industrial reality.
In 2022, the national "East Data, West Computing" project was officially launched, and Inner Mongolia became one of the eight national computing power hub nodes. The once-quiet Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone finally welcomed the spring breeze of industrial development, and more and more leading enterprises began to make their moves here. Today, strolling through the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone, one can see engineering vehicles shuttling back and forth, and data centers that are either already in operation or under construction scattered on both sides of the streets, with surging vitality everywhere. "At present, there are 22 computing power projects under construction alone, with nearly 30,000 construction workers," Liu Junping said.
With a "hard foundation" in place, "soft services" must also be done well. "Basically, for any project that breaks ground, the client has already been secured and the delivery date is fixed. Any delay in filing, construction, or testing could affect the final delivery," said Li Chunxiao, operations and maintenance manager of the CINF Data Ulanqab Zero-Carbon Computing Power Base. Before construction began, the relevant departments proactively asked about their needs and provided thoughtful services, and they completed the construction in only 35 days, delivering to the client at the earliest opportunity.
In response to the difficulties and bottlenecks in the project construction process, Ulanqab regularly organizes government-enterprise consultation meetings. Enterprises raise their demands, relevant departments supervise and handle them on the spot, clarify solutions one by one, and incorporate the handling results into supervision and inspection, ensuring that every matter receives a response and every issue is accounted for. "Thanks to the early layout, we seized the development opportunity; but whether the development opportunity can be turned into a lasting advantage depends on services," said Wuruluge, deputy director of the Economic Development and Investment Promotion Bureau of the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone.
Climbing—
Accelerated Application of New Technologies Increasingly Detailed Accounting of Benefits
For enterprises, where a data center is located and how it is operated depend crucially on "electricity"—
The electricity price must be low. Data centers can be called "electricity tigers," with electricity costs accounting for more than 60% of total operating costs. If the price of one kilowatt-hour is one cent cheaper, profits could increase by more than ten million yuan.
The source must be green. Relevant policies stipulate that by the end of 2025, the proportion of green electricity in newly built data centers at national hub nodes should exceed 80%.
The supply must be stable. If a fault causes a power outage and a large model training session is interrupted once, the loss could exceed one million yuan.
How to calculate the electricity bill well? In the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone, the solution offered by CINF Data is "source-grid-load-storage integration"—
In the mountains and fields, wind turbines stand against the wind, and photovoltaic panels spread out in continuous arrays. A steady stream of green electricity travels through a 16-kilometer dedicated line directly to the CINF Data Ulanqab Zero-Carbon Computing Power Base, working in coordination with the public power grid to support the 24-hour uninterrupted operation of the data center buildings. This is one of the first batch of national data center green electricity direct-connection source-grid-load-storage integration projects, with a total installed capacity of 300,000 kilowatts of wind and solar power, supporting energy storage of 45,000 kilowatts, and an annual self-generated and self-consumed green electricity of approximately 848 million kilowatt-hours.
"Green electricity goes directly to the data center, eliminating the transmission and distribution losses of the public power grid, and significantly reducing electricity costs," Li Chunxiao introduced. The supporting energy storage is like a large power bank: when the wind is strong and the sun is abundant, it stores the electricity; when the "wind and solar" are insufficient, it releases it, so there is no need to worry about power outages at all. Since operations began in July last year, the power supply has been stable, strongly supporting the normal operation of the data center buildings.
Enterprises are calculating the electricity bill, and the government is also calculating it. "Coordination between computing power and electricity" has been officially written into this year's Government Work Report and listed as one of the new infrastructure projects. The Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone has taken the lead in piloting this approach, using "incremental distribution network + direct green electricity supply" as the core model, treating the entire big data industrial park as a unified distribution network unit, uniformly developing and building wind and solar power projects, and uniformly supplying electricity to intelligent computing centers. Liu Junping stated that after the application of the "incremental distribution network + direct green electricity supply" model, the electricity price at the user's doorstep is 0.32 to 0.38 yuan per kilowatt-hour, the proportion of direct green electricity connection exceeds 80%, and 100% green electricity traceability can be achieved, giving it a leading advantage nationwide.
Servers run day and night, and in addition to electricity, heat dissipation is a key issue that must be considered.
When it comes to heat dissipation, Ulanqab has a "natural gift" because it is "cold" enough. Through technological innovation, enterprises have further converted this "natural gift" into "benefits." Li Chunxiao introduced that when the temperature is relatively low, external cold air is mainly used for cooling; when the temperature is relatively high, compressor refrigeration is mainly used; through the scientific calculation of the intelligent dispatch system, the two methods can operate in coordination in an appropriate ratio, ensuring stability while minimizing energy consumption.
What are the actual results? Li Chunxiao did the math: there is a key indicator for measuring the energy efficiency of data centers—PUE (Power Usage Effectiveness). The closer the PUE is to 1, the less additional energy is consumed for processes such as heat dissipation. "Our PUE can be kept below 1.2," Li Chunxiao compared, noting that in many other regions, the PUE of data centers may reach around 1.3. Taking an annual electricity consumption of 1 billion kilowatt-hours as an example, a 0.1 reduction in PUE is equivalent to saving nearly 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year. Even at the low electricity price of 0.35 yuan per kilowatt-hour, this can save 35 million yuan in cost investment.
The water bill must also be calculated. Recently, a skeptical voice has been spreading online: Ulanqab's per capita water resources are less than one-quarter of the national average. With a large number of intelligent computing centers being put into operation, will they "compete with sheep for drinking water"?
Li Yi, technical director of the Century Internet Ulanqab Base, introduced that in fact, the cooling water for data centers does not require drinking water quality. Recycled water, reclaimed water, and seawater can all be used after appropriate treatment. "The water we use for cooling is all reclaimed water, which does not affect local natural water sources or groundwater sources, and does not involve drinking, irrigation, or livestock water."
The government is also increasing sources of supply and reducing consumption. Wang Yingquan, deputy director of the Ulanqab Municipal Water Resources Bureau, introduced that according to the Regulations of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region on Groundwater Protection and Management, production water for computing power center projects is strictly prohibited from using groundwater as cooling water. In terms of reserves, the city's annual production of reclaimed water is approximately 72 million tons, with about 30 million tons of remaining allocable reclaimed water. Multiple backup water sources, including a project to divert surface water from the Haihe River Basin, are also being advanced. In addition, by promoting water-saving technologies such as anhydrous fluorinated pump air conditioners and air-cooled screw chiller units, the computing power industry is also being pushed toward a water-saving and efficient direction of development.
The process of calculating the electricity, water, and heat dissipation accounts with increasing detail is also driving the computing power industry to climb toward new heights and excellence.
Benefiting—
Talent Returning to "Grow Tokens" The Small City Rises with the Hustle and Bustle of Daily Life
Industrial development ultimately comes down to "people."
Over the past six years, Gao Yandong has clearly felt that more and more young people are coming to work in the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone. Although their work content differs, they all share a unified identity—"people who grow Tokens." The so-called "people who grow Tokens" refers to practitioners in the computing power industry, including different types of work such as data center operations and maintenance, testing, and data annotation.
Zhao Weixi, 26 years old this year, after working outside for two years, also wants to return home to "grow Tokens." During this period, his heart has been both nervous and expectant. Nervous, because he is anxiously waiting for the interview results from various enterprises; expectant, because he hopes to make a name for himself in the computing power track.
Zhao Weixi's career transition is even bigger than Gao Yandong's. After graduating from Inner Mongolia Mechanical and Electrical Vocational and Technical College in 2024, he worked as a tour guide. During the peak tourist season, he was busy every day receiving and leading tour groups, often so busy that his feet barely touched the ground. During his contact with tourists, Zhao Weixi learned about many new professions. Last spring, he received a tour group from a computing power enterprise and gained an initial understanding of the development of the computing power industry. After further investigation, he found that the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone in his hometown of Ulanqab had already become a computing power highland, and many data centers were recruiting operations and maintenance personnel. The idea of returning home to "grow Tokens" quietly sprouted in his heart at that time.
In 2022, focusing on the computing power industry, Ulanqab Vocational College, together with relevant enterprises, established the Runchuang Industry College, covering professional fields such as power automation and fire safety, and offering a 40-day "Operations and Maintenance Craftsman Class" for current students and members of the public. In July 2026, through a friend's recommendation, Zhao Weixi contacted An Wenjun, training manager of the Runchuang Industry College.
After stating his intention to enroll, An Wenjun did not immediately give his approval, but instead recommended several professional books so that Zhao Weixi could understand the field clearly before making a decision. Zhao Weixi's university major was cloud computing technology and application, so the content of the books was not unfamiliar to him. After reading them, a picture of data center work took shape in his mind. During the slack season of tourism, he also obtained a fire safety certificate and a high-voltage electrician certificate, gradually gaining confidence, and finally decided to enroll. Before enrollment, the college conducted a basic assessment of him, and after passing, he formally entered the "Operations and Maintenance Craftsman Class" for study.
Data center operations and maintenance must ensure the safe operation of all types of equipment in the computer room, and one must be proficient in electrical, HVAC, weak current, and fire safety. The 40-day course was half theory and half practical operation, packed from morning to night. Although he had read the books beforehand, it was still extremely difficult when he actually started learning, especially the electrical course, which often left Zhao Weixi completely confused. Reviewing at night and previewing in the morning, he used painstaking effort to chew through the knowledge points one by one. After a month, Zhao Weixi had become thoroughly familiar with all kinds of professional terms and technical operations. After the training ended, he received many interview invitations.
Zhao Weixi's story is not an isolated case. An Wenjun told reporters that since the training class was established, it has cultivated more than a thousand trainees cumulatively, with an employment rate exceeding 99%. At first, the trainees mostly came from Ulanqab and surrounding cities; now, the source of students has expanded to multiple provinces including Ningxia, Gansu, and Heilongjiang, among whom are not a few graduates of well-known universities. Often, before the training even ends, enterprises come to the door asking for people, and "order-based" training has become the norm.
The beneficiaries of the computing power industry are not only "people who grow Tokens." In Basumu Village, not far from the Chahar High-tech Industrial Development Zone, Luo Dongmei and her husband run a restaurant. In the past, due to a lack of customers, the shop was particularly desolate. Now, at meal times, crowds of people coming off work from the development zone surge into the village, and the small shop is often packed full. Because they were too busy, the couple also hired a villager to help. "Now we earn more than 2,000 yuan a day, several times more than before!" Luo Dongmei said, beaming with joy. Now, the couple has moved into a larger storefront and also started a guesthouse business, living a fulfilling and enjoyable life.
In the evening, the once-quiet small city becomes particularly lively. The development of the computing power industry is not only reflected in the continuously growing data on paper, but also hidden in the hustle and bustle of daily life rising from the streets and alleys...
Return to TopBy: 杜志雄
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "The key to handling the affairs of the common people well lies in strengthening the construction of rural grassroots Party organizations, giving play to the role of Party branches as fighting fortresses and the vanguard and exemplary role of Party members, and leading the masses in developing the economy and doing a good job of rural governance." Grassroots Party organizations are the "nerve endings" of the Party's body, and they are also the cornerstone of good rural governance and of enriching the people and revitalizing villages. To advance comprehensive rural revitalization, it is necessary to strengthen the foundation and consolidate the basis (夯基固本, hang ji gu ben - "strike foundation, consolidate roots") through organizational revitalization, transforming the Party's political and organizational advantages into action advantages in upgrading industries, increasing the incomes of the masses, improving local customs, and achieving effective governance.
Practice has proven that every village that develops well has a good Party branch and a good Party secretary. In recent years, localities have widely recruited skilled wealth-creators, returning youth, and retired military personnel into the village "two committees," selecting and strengthening the "leading geese" contingent of grassroots Party organizations, and continuously building a solid organizational foundation for village development. On the basis of selecting good "heads of the household," by improving the deliberation and decision-making mechanisms led by Party organizations, scattered farming households and business entities are consolidated into a development community that jointly discusses development paths, effectively pooling the joint force for undertaking work and starting businesses.
Whether the countryside is prosperous or not depends on the Party branch. Transforming organizational advantages into industrial advantages is the most direct manifestation of Party building leading and empowering rural revitalization. Industrial revitalization is the top priority of rural revitalization. In the past, farming households acting alone without cooperation (单打独斗, dan da du dou - "single, strike, single, fight") found it difficult to connect with the large market. In recent years, localities have explored establishing Party branches along the industrial chain and placing Party members in key positions, promoting the "Party branch + cooperative + farming household" model, with Party organizations coordinating to revitalize idle resources, connecting with leading enterprises, research institutions, and sales channels, unifying standards and brands, effectively extending the industrial chain, and improving market competitiveness and the capacity to withstand risks.
Judging from explorations in various localities, village-level Party organizations have considerable room to play in industrial development. For example, some lead cooperatives in developing specialty planting, under-forest economy, and integrated agriculture-culture-tourism projects; some give play to their coordinating role in clearing bottlenecks in policy implementation, technical services, and market connectivity; some carry out skills training in agricultural technology, handicrafts, and e-commerce around the industrial layout, build labor service matching platforms, and attract migrant workers to return home for nearby employment, achieving "both taking care of the family and increasing income." Through village-level Party organizations acting as an intermediary to facilitate connections (牵线搭桥, qian xian da qiao - "pull thread, build bridge"), fully giving play to the guiding role of organizations, they can help resolve matters in development that villagers themselves "cannot do or cannot do well."
Rural governance is the cornerstone of rural revitalization. Grassroots Party organizations are the "mainstay" of rural governance, but governance is not a "one-man show" by cadres; rather, it is a "chorus" of the masses. It is necessary to actively build deliberation platforms, improve villagers' deliberation councils and village affairs supervision mechanisms, let the masses discuss major matters, supervise the process, and evaluate the results, fully mobilizing the enthusiasm of villagers to participate in village construction, improvement of the living environment, and management of collective assets. At present, many localities focus on improving the governance system led by Party organizations, relying on Party organizations to take the lead in activating the strength of villager representatives and volunteers. Regarding neighborhood disputes, land disputes, and livelihood demands, they listen and resolve them at the front line, dissolving conflicts in their infancy and avoiding small matters growing into big ones. At the same time, making good use of village rules and covenants, red-and-white council organizations, and other means to advance transforming old customs and social habits (移风易俗, yi feng yi su - "change customs, transform habits"), fostering a civilized and simple rural culture, and blazing a path of good governance through joint construction, joint governance, and shared benefits.
Transforming the Party's organizational advantages into tangible results in rural revitalization has become a widespread practice at the grassroots level. Looking to the future, it is necessary to continuously sum up experience, continue to give play to the Party organizations' advantages in expanding new industries and new business forms and in improving the level of refined rural governance, and build a stable, orderly, harmonious, and beautiful grassroots foundation for comprehensive rural revitalization.
Return to TopGan Ziming, Party branch secretary of Xiying Village, Jize Town, Jize County, Hebei Province —
"That's right, I'm promoting goods for our village"
[Profile] Gan Ziming, serving as Party branch secretary of Xiying Village since November 2025.
In the blink of an eye, the girl who loved scrolling through short videos now stands before the camera as a livestream host. That's right, I'm promoting goods for our village.
Last November, after being elected village Party branch secretary, I suddenly became the "head of the household" for all 2,823 people in the village. A year ago, I never would have imagined this — I studied education, and had originally planned to stay in the city and become a teacher. It was a phone call from former secretary Wang Yongshen that called me back: "For rural revitalization, we need educated young people to come back and take up the burden."
The first hurdle upon returning to the village was the villagers' gaze. "What can a little kid accomplish? Go on, get going." When I went door to door, I was often turned away, and I was so upset that tears fell. After crying, I wiped away my tears and turned back into that acting with swift and decisive efficiency (雷厉风行, lei li feng xing - "thunder, lightning, wind, go") "Secretary Gan."
The village's collective economy was weak, and most young people had gone out to work in cities. I kept pondering what path could genuinely help the villagers increase their incomes and get rich.
The livestream e-commerce project promoted by the county awakened me. The village had plenty of local specialties — bags, chili sauce, malt candy and more — but I was a livestream novice. The moment I faced the camera I got nervous, and as soon as I opened my mouth I froze. I made myself a "rising star host growth plan" and began systematic study from zero. Late at night, after finishing work and getting home, I would often practice my oral delivery silently in front of the mirror. Sometimes, lying in bed, a suitable line of copy would suddenly pop into my head, and I would scramble up and quickly write it down. It was common for a single short video of a few dozen seconds to be filmed over a dozen times.
Through repeated trial and error, I found the style that belonged to our village's livestream room: the white wall of the village committee office as the backdrop, simple clothing, and chatting with netizens in a bit of a local accent about everyday matters. Occasionally, when I put up the wrong link, I would apologize to netizens openly and honestly. Many fans watched me grow bit by bit and left messages of encouragement: "Good village official, keep going!" Some netizens even said they wanted to come to Xiying Village for tourism and check-in. Besides livestreaming to sell goods, I also filmed short videos recording village life, sending the nostalgia out to the world.
This April, a short video I posted about my hometown unexpectedly went viral, with 546,000 views. My first reaction was to seize this wave of traffic to help the village's bag industry, and for that purpose I went again and again to persuade the person in charge of the bag factory. Just one hour after going live, 9 orders popped up in the backend. The bag factory boss marveled: "This girl is really stubborn — she actually sold them!"
Only when everyone grows strong together is it truly strong. I pulled the village's two-committee team into the livestreaming ranks with me. Gan Jiangmin, a 56-year-old village committee member, tried it for the first time, nervously rubbing his hands and flushing dark red. I practiced with him, and gradually he too could face the camera with composure. After each livestream, we analyzed the backend order data and fed consumers' preferences back to the manufacturers. Thanks to online traffic, the village's bag factories grew from the original 2 to 5, providing employment for more than 100 idle laborers. Many women left behind in the village now have work right at their doorstep.
Being a village Party branch secretary requires both capability and a lack of squeamishness. To win a road-repair project for the village, I ran to the town government again and again in winter. In my haste, I slipped on the icy road and fell with my bike into a mud pit, cutting my chin. It hurt so much. But watching the potholed road gradually repaired made the hardship worthwhile.
What encouraged me most was the change in the villagers' attitude. 78-year-old Grandma Wei Jiue praised me to everyone she met: "I used to think, what can this little girl do? Now look — the road is repaired, the sewers are unclogged. This girl, she's got it!"
On the road of rural revitalization, I am willing to be a good recommender of my hometown's fine products, a good leading goose for the masses, working steadily and solidly step by step, so that Xiying Village can bloom with its own brilliance in the tide of the times.
(Compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Shi Zhiqiang)
Hou Zhengyuan, Party branch secretary of Shangdandong Village, Chahanwusu Town, Dulan County, Qinghai Province —
"When things are truly accomplished, there's a special sense of achievement"
[Profile] Hou Zhengyuan, serving as Party branch secretary of Shangdandong Village since January 2026.
When I graduated in 2024, I, having studied medicine, had already found a job at a clinic elsewhere. My father at home was in poor health, and the former village Party branch secretary, knowing I had graduated from university, called to invite me back to help in the village. After much consideration, I returned to the place where I was born.
Setting foot on this familiar land again, I felt an inexplicable sense of peace. During the year I helped out at the village committee, I worked hard to learn more, observe more, and ask more, and gradually became familiar with the villagers.
This year, when the village Party branch secretary and village committee director were elected, more than 380 people voted, and I won the majority. A post-2000s kid, considered a junior in everyone's eyes — on what basis could I lead everyone in doing things? The former secretary dispelled my concerns: "The village always needs young people to take up the burden." He didn't completely let go either, staying on the two-committee team to mentor me.
There's no trick to getting people to accept you — the key is sincerity. Just after taking office, I went door to door to learn about each household's situation. There was one household receiving subsistence allowances whose member had difficulty walking and didn't understand the application process for preferential policies. I ran errands on his behalf, and he said, "Zhengyuan is a good lad." Some villagers said the streetlights were always not working. This year, taking advantage of the "doing practical things for the people" initiative, I submitted an application to replace them. Other villagers reported that the manhole covers in the village were badly damaged. Together with the village-based assistance work team, I secured funding, and 15 manhole covers were replaced with new ones.
Small matters, one by one, accumulate into trust. While solving the villagers' urgent difficulties and concerns, I also thought about how to develop the village collective economy. Our village is right next to National Highway 109, with heavy passing traffic. Previously, the village collective had built a service area to develop a "highway economy." I proposed to the village committee building charging piles and improving the "drivers' home" water-refill service, and everyone thought it was quite good.
Working in the village, having the right approach and methods is very important. Our village is only 2.5 kilometers from the county seat, with convenient transportation. Recalling that villagers had mentioned during my door-to-door visits that "there's nothing to do in the evenings," an idea suddenly popped into my head: could we set up a night market, which would both boost consumption and enrich life? The village square could also be put to use — achieving multiple benefits with a single action (一举多得, yi ju duo de - "one move, many gains").
I shared the idea, and many approved, but some opposed it: "Dulan County has a total population of just over 60,000. Why run a money-losing market like this?" After several careful discussions, with the support of the assistance work group for Qinghai, the two committees finally decided to give it a try. I went to surrounding villages to invite performers and called around one by one to recruit vendors for the stalls.
When things were truly accomplished, there was a special sense of achievement. On the opening night of the "evening night market," all the surrounding villages came to perform Qinghai Hua'er folk songs, dance the Guozhuang dance, and do lion dances. The stalls were crowded with a large crowd of people moving about (人头攒动, ren tou cuan dong - "people, heads, crowd, move"), with beer, barbecue, cold noodles, and cold jelly noodles, and some people even came all the way from Gansu to set up stalls. That month, 15,000 people came to Shangdandong, driving more than 200,000 yuan in consumption. Many people said they couldn't imagine this small village on the northwest plateau could be so lively.
This summer, the warming and humidification of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau triggered more flood conditions. I discussed with the villagers that we couldn't neglect flood risks just because the Gobi desert is arid year-round. The village organized several drills, using loudspeakers, gongs, and door-knocking evacuations to help villagers build awareness of safe escape.
Everyone's recognition of "Little Hou" is growing. I know clearly in my heart that this is only the beginning. Our village is an agricultural village with a relatively simple industrial model. How to develop the village collective economy is the bigger issue before us. When "Little Hou" becomes "Old Hou," Shangdandong Village will surely have a brand-new look.
(Compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Qiao Dong)
Wang Hao, Party branch secretary of Tenghuayu Village, Shanting District, Zaozhuang City, Shandong Province —
"This 'black iron egg' of mine has been 'blackened' to good purpose"
[Profile] Wang Hao, serving as Party branch secretary of Tenghuayu Village since April 2024.
On this year's Double Ninth Festival, the cultural square of Tenghuayu Village was very lively. As soon as the music started, the village's dance team joyfully danced in the center of the square with fans in hand. Long lines formed in front of the small games like ring-tossing and egg-clamping on one side, with laughter rising and falling continuously (笑声此起彼伏, xiao sheng ci qi bi fu - "laughter, this rise, that fall"). In the love canteen, dishes were brought to the tables one basin at a time, and more than 100 elderly people sat together, eating until they were sweating and grinning from ear to ear.
I sat at the table with a bowl in hand, and Uncle Li beside me put a piece of chicken in my bowl, looking me over: "Secretary Wang, you look two shades darker than when you first came!"
When I first arrived, the village wasn't like this.
Tenghuayu's collective economy had a weak foundation, and it was usually quiet and desolate. Internally, long-standing matters or old stories (陈年旧事, chen nian jiu shi - "old, years, old, matters") like neighborhood disputes and water shortages for farmland irrigation couldn't be sorted out; externally, the village was surrounded by mountains, and agricultural products had no good sales channels.
As village Party branch secretary, I had just one thought: to make everyone's lives better. Facing the village's various "difficult and complicated cases," the resident first secretary and I either ran to the district and town governments to secure funding and projects, or ran to villagers' homes to verify facts and resolve disputes. Over more than a year, more than 400 meters of old irrigation channels were repaired, 4 check dams were built, and more than 200 households in the village got round-the-clock running water.
Last year, I edited a short video of the year's work and posted it online, receiving millions of likes from netizens. The comment section all said I had "written my civil service essay on the land." Looking in the mirror, this "black iron egg" of mine has been "blackened" to good purpose!
With water flowing and roads improved, how could the villagers' wallets be filled? Last April, I pulled together Gao Anqin, a post-80s master's graduate from Harbin Institute of Technology, and Li Ya, a post-90s returnee from overseas, to form the "agricultural assistance iron triangle." Villagers took the initiative to carry their home-dried goods to the village committee — honeysuckle, hawthorn slices, mountain walnuts and other specialty agricultural products became the "hot commodities" of the livestream room. Everyone actively participated in sorting and labeling, and the once-silent mountain village became busy.
Now, a single livestream can sell more than a thousand jin of agricultural products, driving more than 100 households to steadily increase their incomes. The village collective income has reached 286,000 yuan, and the e-commerce industry chain radiates more than 600,000 yuan to the surrounding area. This is the village's real confidence for development.
With industry in place, culture cannot lag behind. Using the village collective's income, we opened free winter and summer vacation care classes, accommodating more than 200 children in total. This year on Children's Day, I took the mountain children to Yantai to see the sea. Seeing the ocean for the first time, their eyes shone as if they held stars. In addition, on International Women's Day, we arranged to give flowers to the aunties in the village; at the New Year, we used the village's "traffic" to win more benefits for the villagers. Events like the "four-season village gala," the wisteria culture and arts festival, and the cultural and creative market came one after another, and the villagers' hearts grew closer and closer.
Over these two years, I have come to understand more deeply what comprehensive rural revitalization means: villagers have no worries, their wallets grow fuller, children have dreams and hope, young people are willing to come back, and the elderly can enjoy a rich life in their later years. Now, the village has livelihoods and prospects, the common people's lives are getting better and better, and the mountain hollow is turning into a "golden nest."
A few days ago, the village held a "sunshine report meeting," and everyone talked one after another: some said the village's hawthorns and honeysuckle should all be labeled with the "Tenghuayu" brand, so people across the country can taste the good flavors of the mountains; some said the square dance team should be trained to look better, so they can compete in the district next year and win first place... With minds becoming more active, the road of comprehensive rural revitalization gains more and more momentum.
(Compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Wang Pei)
Lin Jia, general Party branch secretary of Longxing Village, Longxi Town, Yuhuan City, Zhejiang Province —
"Step by step, you can always make something of yourself"
[Profile] Lin Jia, serving as general Party branch secretary of Longxing Village since November 2025.
Among all the principal village and community cadres in the town, I am the youngest. Some people call me "Secretary Xiao Lin" to my face, and others call me "Baby Secretary" behind my back. To be honest, when I first heard these titles, my heart was pounding with unease.
In 2022, after graduating from university, I returned to the neighboring Ganjiang Town cultural station to work as a social worker, also serving as cashier. Social work was all about trivial grassroots matters of everyday life. I never expected this experience to become my later "preparatory course."
Last year, the town government approached me, saying the average age of Longxing Village's leadership team was nearly 50, and they hoped a young person could step up. I hesitated — although I was from the village myself, the villagers' eyes when they looked at me were full of doubt: so young, and a girl at that — could she do it? My family was also worried for me. But I thought, I've walked the village roads since I was a child, and someone has to take this baton.
The first hurdle after taking office was speaking. I could understand the dialect but couldn't speak it well. The moment you open your mouth in Mandarin, the villagers treat you as an "outsider" and hold back half of what they'd say. So whenever I had free time, I listened and practiced more, and now chatting about everyday matters is basically no problem. When language flows, hearts draw close. This was the first lesson I learned: to do your job well, you have to sit on the same "bench" as the villagers.
This year, three typhoons in a row affected Yuhuan, and I'll never forget it for the rest of my life. When the first typhoon came, everyone in the village who needed to be relocated had been settled, leaving only 85-year-old Grandma Wang. She lived alone, was blind, and needed regular insulin injections, and she refused to leave no matter what. The village cadres and I went three times. The first two times, the door opened, but she shook her head. The third time, I crouched in front of her and explained the relocation plan item by item: we'll take you to the village health center's shelter, where someone will take care of your injections and meals. Grandma was silent for a while, then finally nodded. That night, I also went out in the rain to patrol Longgongmen Reservoir. The rain stung my face, but I didn't dare stop my feet — whether the reservoir was safe concerned how many people downstream.
More than a month later, Typhoon "Baijinhai" came again, with even heavier rain, and the village flooded. We worked through the night to clear the sewers and remove fallen trees, keeping round-the-clock shifts, and not a single person in the village was injured or killed.
Most village matters are small matters, but small matters connect to people's hearts. Longxing Village was formed by merging three villages. There's an industrial zone next door, and scattered throughout the village are small copper-processing and valve-supporting factories. Counting both locals and migrant workers, there are fully 3,000-plus people, so there's no shortage of trivial matters. This summer, some villagers reported that the streetlights by the reservoir weren't working and the guardrails were damaged. I went to the site and my heart skipped a beat — the water was right there, how dangerous for the elderly and children passing by. I immediately contacted the district electrician and the town's agriculture and water office, and within a week or two the lights and guardrails were all repaired.
Another time, a high-speed rail line was planned beside the village. For safety reasons, the project team suggested demolishing Grandpa Mao's greenhouse, where he grew fruit. The old man agreed to cooperate, but I saw the look in his eyes as he gazed at the little melon seedlings and young grapes that had just sprouted in the greenhouse, and my heart ached. I discussed with the project manager: could we use reinforcement instead of demolition, and accept a safety inspection? I made several phone calls and invited them to see the site in person, and they finally agreed. When I told Grandpa Mao the news, he said cheerfully, "When the grapes ripen, come pick some!" At that moment I understood: there are always more solutions than difficulties — it just depends on whether you're willing to think one more step for the other side.
What I'm most looking forward to now is the imminent completion and opening of Phase I and II of Youxiang East Road. Once the road opens, the planned industrial park along the route can get moving, bringing enterprises back, and the village collective can gain a stable stream of income from rent and property management fees. Next, I also want to revitalize idle land parcels, build talent apartments and a comprehensive building, so that young people who come to the village to work hard can live well, and so the village collective's "money bag" can grow fuller.
This year, I've gotten tanned and lost a few jin, but my heart is bright. Village matters, step by step, can always be made to take shape.
(Compiled from an interview by People's Daily reporter Dou Hao)
Return to TopBy: 戴 清
Since August this year, when beloved artists such as Guo Lanying, You Benchang, and Liu Huan passed away, people have expressed their condolences in various forms of writing. Among these tributes, the most frequently discussed are the deeply moving or touching (感人肺腑, gan ren fei fu - "feel, person, lung, viscera") and widely circulated outstanding works that these artists sang, performed, and created, as well as their personal charisma.
Though the flower does not speak, a path forms beneath it. On what exactly does an artist rely to "establish merit" and "establish fame"? This question cannot help but make me reflect.
One cannot help but think of pop music singer Liu Huan. Overflowing with talent (才华横溢, cai hua heng yi - "talent, flow, overflow") and proficient in multiple foreign languages, he is both a renowned singer and an outstanding composer. "Young Ambition Knows No Sorrow," "The Sun in My Heart," "Song of the Heroes," "Starting Over," "You and Me," "The Phoenix Soaring" — nearly every one of his songs can evoke vivid memories of its era and move the hearts of audiences, and listening to them today is even more stirring.
This is even more true of Guo Lanying. "My Motherland," "Nanniwan," "People Say Shanxi Has Fine Scenery," "The North Wind Blows," "Embroidering the Golden Plaque"... One folk song after another is engraved in the hearts of several generations, carrying warm and unforgettable collective memories of different eras of the Republic.
In August this year, with the passing of Guo Lanying, the 97-year-old "People's Artist," several scenes of great visual impact burst into people's view through newspapers and the internet: in the early 1940s, a young girl in an old opera troupe was roused before dawn by her stern master, and went out onto the frozen river to practice her voice in the biting wind, until her breath melted small hollows in the hard ice; at night, to stretch her hamstrings, she slept with her leg pillowed under her head, and in the middle of the night her master would urge her to switch to the other leg to stretch it... As people revisited Guo Lanying's singing, they also drew closer to the difficult years of her youthful apprenticeship.
The fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold. Apart from her physical and vocal endowments, the resilient character of being able to endure hardship was an important foundation for Guo Lanying's rise from the harsh environment of the opera troupe. At fifteen or sixteen, she had already risen to the leading role in Jin opera, and later became famous across the land of China through opera performance and folk song singing. These achievements were inseparable from her diligence and eagerness to learn, and her willingness to put in hard work. Illiterate, she studied culture assiduously and memorized scripts thoroughly. With a heavy Shanxi accent, she corrected herself character by character. Performing in Zhangjiakou for many years, Guo Lanying forged deep bonds with the local people, who called her "Lanyingzi" and "Elder Sister." However busy her work, she would reply to letters from workers in Zhangjiakou she did not know, never putting on the airs of an artist. The way of art values innovation. Guo Lanying's singing consciously blended the vocal techniques of Jin opera and the flavor of traditional opera, thus forming a Guo Lanying-style vocal method characterized by having perfect pronunciation and clear diction (字正腔圆, zi zheng qiang yuan - "character, correct,腔, round"), sweet yet carrying inner strength.
Unlike Guo Lanying, who achieved fame at a young age, You Benchang's acting career was like a long marathon. Though he always remained in the ranks of drama, mime, and film and television art, for most of the time he was accompanied by obscure supporting roles. Only powerful love and devotion could give rise to such resilience and equanimity. Even for walk-on roles, he set a record — for a 19-second transitional scene, he read 19 books. Some might ask, was that necessary? Yet this is precisely the self-cultivation and self-requirement of an actor. You Benchang positions himself as a "seasoning actor" — meat dishes without seasoning are bland, and his supporting and walk-on roles serve to add flavor to the works.
You Benchang's entire life seems to have been one of reserve and accumulation, maintaining an ordinary heart and willingly serving as the green leaf. But while honing his craft, he never forgot to actively pursue creation and innovation. Whether it was achieving sudden fame or making a great impression (一鸣惊人, yi ming jing ren - "one, sound, startle, person") with his mime performance on the CCTV Spring Festival Gala stage, or successfully portraying the role of Jigong, both were true cases of accumulating much to release it gradually (厚积薄发, hou ji bo fa - "thick, accumulate, thin, emit"). His mime performances condensed the creativity that had long accumulated on the drama stage and finally burst forth. Bodily expressiveness, makeup and costume, micro-expressions... these professional skills of the actor, having undergone rigorous training or many trials (千锤百炼, qian chui bai lian - "thousand, hammer, hundred, refine"), revealed their true quality in the finest details, making his performances possessing both physical form and spiritual essence (形神兼备, xing shen jian bei - "form, spirit, both, possess") and bringing Jigong vividly to life. In "Blossoms Shanghai," he played Uncle Ye, and at the age of 90 precisely rendered the character's calm and composed (气定神闲, qi ding shen xian - "breath, settle, spirit, leisure") and wise, sophisticated demeanor, with his tone, bearing, and sense of form and spirit reaching the level of "acting without acting."
Though the life circumstances and artistic careers of these artists differ considerably, within their differences they preserve a certain shared foundation, such as resilient personality and character — these may be the true essence of a genuine artist. Reverence and respect for the stage, and deep affection for the audience, constitute their way of art, permeating every detail of their conduct and their way of dealing with the world.
In her later years, though Guo Lanying withdrew from the stage, she did not retire from artistic pursuit. She founded an arts school in Panyu, Guangzhou, channeling her singing techniques and her love for folk songs and national opera art into the cultivation of young talent. She placed particular emphasis on cultivating young actors' feelings for the common people. Under her initiative, students of the school were required to perform in the countryside for a full three months before graduation, singing to the common people on the field ridges — this was precisely the practice of carrying forward the spiritual legacy of singing for the masses.
Liu Huan has spent decades singing and writing songs, devoting himself single-mindedly to his art while keeping a low profile in life. His singing spans multiple contemporary eras, warming, moving, and inspiring countless audiences. Moved by the phenomenon in the pop music world of many good singers but few good songs, he has given his full support to the development of original Chinese-language music through the original music reality show "Sing My Song" and the "Liu Huan Original Music Public Welfare Fund."
You Benchang, in order to stage the play "Master Hong Yi — The Final Victory," resolutely sold his house at the age of 80, and persisted in public welfare performances for more than ten years, giving over 120 performances, truly practicing his firmly held artistic conviction of "using literature and art to guide and transform the human heart."
The path of artistic pursuit is like a journey of a thousand miles, beginning with the practitioner's hundreds and thousands of daily studies and refinements. The path of art reveals artistic quality and reveals personal character. Beyond personal qualities and talent, the willpower of resilience and endurance, and persistent devotion and deep love for art are all indispensable. On the path of art, "the road is long and obstructed." When opportunity is slow to arrive, it most tests the practitioner's temperament. Hold fast to love, maintain the original aspiration, and do not seek quick success or instant benefits. But this does not mean muddling along or lying flat and letting things go; rather, it means striving to be the prepared person, honing one's skills while actively seeking innovation — this may be an even greater test of the practitioner's cultivation, self-discipline, faith, and perseverance.
Possessing both high moral character and great artistic talent (德艺双馨, de yi shuang xin - "virtue, art, both, fragrance"), one must first be a good person before being an artist, only then can one go far and go long. The fervent feelings of goodness and beauty that flow and surge within these artists so deeply loved and welcomed by the people reflect their realm and breadth of mind, and are also an important reason why, on the long road of searching tirelessly and persistently (上下求索, shang xia qiu suo - "up, down, seek, search"), they have won people's hearts and the love of audiences.
Return to TopBy: 刘 芳
Mr. Wang Meng's article "Running a Vivid and Spirited Literary Supplement" has sparked enthusiastic resonance in the journalism community. As a literary supplement editor, I read it with a warm heart. Mr. Wang spoke at length, offering many valuable suggestions for literary supplements, and also earnestly expressed the hope that newspaper literary supplements, in the Internet age, can better play their role of "providing warm and mature guidance in public opinion."
We often say that "a literary supplement is not supplementary." So when ordinary readers talk about a newspaper, can they blurt out the name of its literary supplement? Or when they open the news pages, do they look forward to good articles in the literary supplement that day? Compared with the seriousness and objectivity of news, the warm and mature guidance that a literary supplement provides to readers and to public opinion should be the goal that literary supplement professionals strive to pursue.
Let me first talk about the "warmth" of the literary supplement.
Warmth requires editors to firmly stand on the people's side. On May 1 this year, the "Night Luminous Cup" (Yeguangbei), one of the oldest literary supplements in Chinese newspaper history, celebrated its 80th birthday. "With wine of grapes the cups of jade would glow at night" — our supplement's name comes from a well-known and familiar (耳熟能详, er shu neng xiang - "ear, listen, can, familiar") Tang Dynasty poem. In the editor's brief note in the inaugural issue of 1946, Zhang Huijian, the "master hand of literary supplements," wrote: "To live up to the name 'Night Luminous Cup,' we should carry forward the spirit of chivalry, broaden our horizons, and say a few more words for the welfare and livelihood of the masses." From its founding, the "Night Luminous Cup" has attached importance to people's livelihood and stood together with the masses. Eighty years have passed in a flash; meeting through words on the page, a short letter expressing deep feelings (纸短情长, zhi duan qing chang - "paper, short, emotion, long"), we have always firmly believed that a literary supplement must empathize with the people, come from the people, and go to the people.
Warmth comes from continuously nurturing urban civilization. On January 1, 1982, Xinmin Evening News resumed publication, and from then until now, the "Night Luminous Cup" has shone with brilliance every night, meeting readers with two pages a day. This was the vision of Zhao Chaogou, the late president of the newspaper: "One page should be more elegant, covering literature, history, notes, and things Chinese and foreign, ancient and modern, with more on self-cultivation; the other page should be more popular, talking a bit about clothing, furniture, home cooking, and movie stars." The weekly "Sunday Night Luminous Cup" has been published continuously for 22 years, keeping pace with the times, skillfully combining the slowness of the literary supplement with the speed of new media, achieving a two-way convergence of positive energy and massive traffic. In the first half of 2026, to deeply practice the era's proposition of "urban civilization, written by the masses," the series of activities of the "Literature Week" commemorating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the "Night Luminous Cup" were successfully held, leaving behind the sound of pen and ink and making friends through literature (以文会友, yi wen hui you - "use, literature, meet, friend"), vividly reflecting how the "Night Luminous Cup," in a unique and positive way, has permeated every corner of the city, integrated into citizens' lives, and nurtured Shanghai's urban civilization.
Warmth originates from witnessing famous writers and ordinary authors sharing the same stage. Over eighty springs and autumns, what has flowed through the "Night Luminous Cup" includes not only the brilliant splendor of the stars (星汉灿烂, xing han can lan - "stars, galaxy, bright, magnificent") of famous writers' brushwork, but also the surging long river of ordinary people's heartfelt expressions. As new mass literature and art flourish vigorously — the masses write, and writing is about the masses — besides the joint efforts of famous writers, the people are even more the brilliant protagonists on the stage of the "Night Luminous Cup." The writer Ye Xin introduced that on several occasions, strangers who met him would blurt out a warm remark: "Teacher Ye, we've never met, but I used to be your neighbor." It turns out that on the pages of the "Night Luminous Cup," articles by ordinary authors and famous writers sit side by side, so people jokingly call each other neighbors. Mr. Ye Xin said that this lamp of the "Night Luminous Cup" illuminates the readers, and also illuminates the friendship and souls of the authors.
Now let me talk about the "maturity" of the literary supplement.
Maturity lies in a newspaper character that seeks truth — speaking the truth and stating the facts; not bragging and flattering others (吹牛拍马, chui niu pai ma - "blow, ox, pat, horse"), not fawning and flattering others (阿谀奉承, e yu feng cheng - "flatter, offer, serve, obey"). In the all-media era, a literary supplement must be even more truth-seeking and pragmatic, daring and adept at speaking out on hot topics in literature, art, health, and daily life on the Internet, actively leading news and public opinion on major themes and important junctures, and promoting the fine spirit of the times and social mores. Fine works published in the "Night Luminous Cup," such as "Gratitude to Veterans" and "That Little House Below the River Embankment," have won first prizes at the China News Awards and the Shanghai News Awards on multiple occasions. When the "Night Luminous Cup" celebrated its 60th anniversary, the great scholar of Chinese studies Ji Xianlin said: "After reading the 'Night Luminous Cup,' one always feels uplifted in spirit and never despondent; some basic principles of conducting oneself in society (为人处世, wei ren chu shi - "act, person, handle, world") flow into the reader's heart imperceptibly, and some relatively profound truths can also be expressed in language that is easy to understand. Being able to be a reader and author of the 'Night Luminous Cup' is something that makes me feel honored." The literary supplement's moral fiber that Mr. Ji praised still makes us strive to emulate someone's excellence (心摹手追, xin mo shou zhui - "heart, copy, hand, pursue") today.
Maturity also requires broad and profound knowledge. Mr. Wang Meng has deep feelings for the "Night Luminous Cup" and has published more than 200 fine works in it over the years. When the "Night Luminous Cup" celebrated its 70th anniversary, he wrote a beautiful essay titled "Why Do I Like the 'Night Luminous Cup'?" This year marks the 80th anniversary of its founding, and at the end of April, he made a special trip to attend the 80th anniversary symposium, where he praised the "Night Luminous Cup" as an old brand that is cordial and friendly, with centripetal force and cohesion. In addition, he expressed the hope that articles in the "Night Luminous Cup" would continuously introduce new topics that concern the people, such as discussing childbirth, talking about longevity, and explaining new-quality artificial intelligence, international issues, and so on. He said that occasionally it could also publish articles with a bit of fire, capable of correcting certain biases and erroneous viewpoints. He suggested that the "Night Luminous Cup" also needs articles of somewhat greater professional depth, so that people with great learning, doctoral students, and doctoral supervisors would be interested in reading them — the proportion need not be too large, but it is worth trying. The views of the 92-year-old Mr. Wang Meng are broad, novel, and keeping pace with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with, time, together, advance"), and the editors have learned a great deal from them.
Maturity also requires the courage to explore. Faced with the profound transformation of the media landscape, can a newspaper's literary supplement always persist in dancing with the trends? The "Night Luminous Cup," by running the newspaper with an open door, actively explores the deepening development of media convergence — holding the "Night Luminous Cup Citizens' Reading Club"; publishing the "Night Luminous Cup Series of Selected Works"; promoting the "Night Luminous Cup into Campus" cultural initiative to enrich Xinjiang; promoting the "Night Luminous Cup Fine Essay Collection Campaign"; building the "Night Luminous Cup · Left League · Youth Writing Plan"; and opening the "Night Luminous Cup Literature City Walk"... These are all offline interactive extension activities of the "Night Luminous Cup," aimed at creating a shared spiritual home for readers, authors, and editors, so that a newspaper literary supplement becomes not only a media platform beloved by readers, but also an important cultural front.
We believe that only a literary supplement that takes root among the people and truly wins the affection of the masses can remain forever young. We are willing to contribute a gentle yet steadfast cultural force to creating a literary supplement that is both warm and mature.
(The author is a member of the editorial board of Xinmin Evening News)
Return to TopBy: 李 艳
On an incidental occasion, passing by the century-old prestigious school, the Primary School Attached to Jinhua Normal University, eight large characters on the blackboard at the main gate — "Stay kind, stay diligent" — caught my attention.
Drawing closer for a closer look, beneath the eight large characters was a passage signed "Party General Branch Secretary: Yu Zhengqiang":
If we take human growth as the object of observation, we find that each instance of growth is so different, yet all beautiful growth shares two inner cores: kindness and diligence.
Growth is very difficult; the difficulty lies in having to remain kind and remain diligent at all times.
In this way, happiness is contained within it.
Yu Zhengqiang is a national model of teaching and educating people. A mathematics teacher, he is unremarkable in appearance (其貌不扬, qi mao bu yang - "appearance, not, outstanding") yet humorous and witty. In decades of teaching, he has put forward the growth concept that "children's moral education begins with action," and has developed four school-based moral education curricula, fastening the first button of children's lives.
I read it again and again; the noisy clamor of car sounds and the sounds of the flowing crowd on the road seemed to vanish in an instant, and the world became extraordinarily quiet and beautiful.
I recalled that many years ago, in a noodle shop in an alley, I saw a thin, frail old man supporting his equally thin and small wife as they walked in, walking with a staggering gait (步履蹒跚, bu lv pan shan - "step, gait, stagger, stagger") to the front counter, and saying to the shopkeeper: "What is the cheapest noodle in your shop? Cook one bowl."
The shopkeeper was a sturdy-looking man in his fifties. He warmly invited the two elderly people to sit down, and before long, brought out two bowls of steaming hot noodles. "The shop is running a promotion today — buy one, get one free." The shopkeeper smiled honestly and simply. As the two elderly people ate the hot noodles, the surprise and satisfaction in their smiles almost overflowed.
I quietly settled the bill for the elderly couple. Only after chatting with the shopkeeper did I learn that the small shop had been open for more than 20 years. Although he had never attended any prestigious school, he had known since childhood the value of being kind to others (与人为善, yu ren wei shan - "with, people, as, good"); this kindness, after weathering the storms of the years, had grown into a towering tree.
I also thought of "Lu Manman," the rural teacher from Yunnan who went viral some time ago, who used short videos to record the story of the "slowest" child in her class, going from zero rope skips to ten consecutive skips. "He learns very slowly, but he never gave up. I didn't do much — I just changed a rope for him and spent a few more lunchtimes with him... The small happiness of a rural teacher is seeing every child, even the slowest one, also striving to shine," said "Lu Manman."
This is a two-way act of kindness and diligence. The teacher's kindness lies in not giving up on any student and striving to make the child shine; the child, in turn, caught the teacher's goodwill — when he went from zero to finally learning to skip ten times... he gained confidence and also came to understand the meaning of diligence.
Is this not the true essence of teaching and educating people? Stay kind, stay diligent — kindness and diligence will ultimately open the door to a beautiful life.
People gradually gathered around.
This is a subtle and silent influence (润物无声, run wu wu sheng - "moisten, things, without, sound") awakening for the teachers and students entering and leaving the school, and also for the passersby coming and going —
Stay kind, stay diligent!
Return to TopBy: 黄永国
Dawn had not yet broken.
In the square, someone stood at the foot of the flagpole.
Holding my child's hand, I squeezed into the crowd.
The child looked up and asked, what are they waiting for?
Waiting for a contingent to march back.
Ninety years ago, that contingent—
Straw sandals sinking into the mud.
Stomachs empty, remaining completely silent (一声不吭, yi sheng bu keng - "one, sound, not, utter").
Snowy mountains crossed, grasslands trampled underfoot.
Some sank into the mire.
And never came out again.
The wind blows in from the banks of the Gan River.
Along the expressway, along the high-speed rail.
Blowing to the rooftops of our county town.
I suddenly felt that thump in my chest.
It was not my heartbeat.
It was those who sacrificed ninety years ago.
Still beating.
The child let go of my hand.
Ran ahead and straightened the red scarf.
When the flag reached the top.
The whole street of people looked up together.
I saw that fire from ninety years ago.
From beneath the snowy mountains.
Burning all the way.
Into the child's heart.
Return to TopThe Chinese painting High Autumn Scenery, by Li Kuchan, collected by the Beijing Fine Art Academy.
Return to TopBy: 林晓雪
The small space was thick with rising heat and steam. Moisture mingled with the scorched aroma, condensing into a sweetness close to that of steamed rice cakes. My second maternal uncle led me into this workshop.
My second uncle has lived for many years in Youxi, Fujian, the hometown of camellia oil, and is familiar with every traditional step in making camellia oil. He explained that this was the steaming-of-tea-seeds step in the ancient method of pressing camellia oil. Only when the water vapor has thoroughly cooked the tea seed powder can the oil separate out smoothly.
Every year after the Cold Dew solar term, the sunlight, showing consideration for the farmers picking the tea fruit, softens its sharpness and grows gentler day by day. The tea fruit is greenish-yellow, about the size of a ping-pong ball. After being dried in the sun and having the husks removed, the coffee-colored tea seeds spread across the farmers' courtyards.
The tea seeds will be ground into powder and placed in baskets for steaming. The thoroughly steamed tea seed powder is wrapped in reed leaves and bamboo shoot husks and pressed into tea cakes the size of a plate's mouth. As for the husks, which give off a faint bitter fragrance, the farmers are also unwilling to discard them; they are dried and become fuel for making smoked delicacies.
The oil-pressing trough is made from a single piece of wood, with both ends left intact and the middle hollowed out. The tea cakes are stuffed into the groove and wedged tight from one end with several wooden blocks. Wooden wedges are driven into the gaps between the blocks, and a stone hammer is swung up and struck against the wedges. With each blow of the hammer, the wooden blocks press a little closer against the tea cakes. When the gaps widen, more wedges are added. The camellia oil is then squeezed out of the cakes, gathers along the small channel at the bottom of the wooden trough, and flows out. Drop by drop, the camellia oil is translucent and forceful, carrying a honeyed fragrance of mountain wildflowers, concentrating the brilliance of autumn.
Today this craft has become an intangible cultural heritage and is displayed in the sightseeing workshop of a camellia oil enterprise in the county seat. In the workshop, tons of oil are produced automatically and, through large supermarkets and the invisible network, travel throughout the country (大江南北, da jiang nan bei - "great, river, south, north"). The camellia oil cooperative links the villages, and the farmers need not worry about sales—they only wait for the trees to bear fruit.
My second uncle remembers that my mother likes Youxi smoked rabbit. He said that Youxi smoked rabbit has a secret recipe I didn't know about—camellia oil participates from the very beginning to the very end, and the whole process takes seven hours.
The rabbit meat is steamed until seventy percent cooked, then coated with sauce and marinated. When smoking, rice is spread evenly over the bottom of the pot, camellia oil is sprinkled in, and the fruit husks serve as fuel. The dry pot scorches the rice into charcoal, thin smoke rises, and the aromas of scorched rice, hot oil, and fruit husks interweave and blend, smoking the rabbit meat to a glossy sauce-red. When it comes out of the pot, a little more camellia oil is brushed on to enhance the color.
My second uncle's description awakened my taste memories. The tender rabbit meat, the red fermented rice wine flavor penetrating through, the smooth richness of the oil, and the smoky fragrance of the stove fire—each bloomed in turn on the tip of my tongue.
The delicacies made possible by camellia oil are far more than smoked rabbit. Many of Youxi's specialty foods cannot do without it: oil-fragrant fresh mushrooms, cold mixed seasonal vegetables, oil-braised glutinous rice, Youxi wild vegetable cakes, camellia oil stewed free-range chicken with herbal root soup, and so on.
Many years ago, my second uncle gave my mother a jar of camellia oil. My mother could not bear to use it for cooking. By the time she remembered it, the camellia oil had already gone from a noble golden hue to being as clear as water. My mother then used it as an external medicine.
My mother said that camellia oil is the most practical—although its edible period had passed, it had gained medicinal value suitable for all ages (老少皆宜, lao shao jie yi - "old, young, all, suitable"). This jar of camellia oil, she treated as a precious treasure (视若珍宝, shi ruo zhen bao - "regard, as, precious, treasure"). When I was a child and got bumps and bruises, it was used to reduce swelling and dissipate stasis. When my son was born, he became the sole user of this jar of camellia oil.
When I left Youxi, my second uncle had me bring a bottle of camellia oil freshly pressed at the workshop, the bottle suffused with the ginkgo yellow of autumn.
Return to TopBy: 斯 雄
Some places are like this: you don't know until you go, and once you go, you're taken aback.
Arriving for the first time in Weishan Yi and Hui Autonomous County, Dali Bai Autonomous Prefecture, Yunnan, this feeling is especially pronounced.
Driving from Xiaguan in Dali city to Weishan takes 40 minutes. Entering the county seat, we stop in front of a gate tower. Above the archway are the characters "Gongchen Gate," and higher up is a four-character plaque reading "Wanli Zhantian" (Gazing at the Sky from Ten Thousand Li Away).
Viewed from above, the overall layout of the ancient city of Weishan is "a square city like a seal," with streets and alleys extending in four directions centered on the Gongchen Tower and Xinggong Tower. The buildings on both sides are of Chinese-style structure, fully preserving the architectural forms and styles of the Ming and Qing dynasties.
Within the ancient city are numerous Ming and Qing ancient buildings, such as the Confucian Temple and the Wenhua Academy. The residential houses along the streets and alleys are mostly courtyard-style, with shops and gateways facing the street and residences behind, at most two or three stories tall. The ground is paved with bluestone slabs, and shops line up one after another. The merchants are basically local residents, selling daily necessities for local people, along with intangible cultural heritage experience shops where tie-dye and tile cats are made on site.
Strolling leisurely through the streets and alleys, one has a dazed feeling of having traveled back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. The abundant atmosphere of everyday life gives me a long-missed sense of relaxation.
Next to the Nanzhao Culture Square is a small eatery with a modest storefront and seven or eight tables. A large piece of red paper pasted on the wall serves as a price list, with very affordable prices. A steaming bowl of ersi (rice noodles) arrives—though it's a small bowl, the portion is generous. The soup is white and thick, the meat tender and smooth, and finishing it in one breath is thoroughly satisfying. Listening to the diners' accents, there are both locals and out-of-towners. Locals and tourists consuming together feels reassuring and warm.
China has many ancient cities, but Weishan's ancient city is special. In 2025, Weishan received 5.88 million tourist visits, with an average of over 10,000 out-of-town visitors wandering the ancient city each day. Despite the many tourists, apart from rising hotel and homestay prices, all other consumption—dining, shopping, and so on—has not increased in price at all.
Facing today's booming tourism market, some have analyzed that domestic tourism has broadly gone through four stages: the earliest tourism was mainly about eating, seeking out good food through travel; the second stage was visiting scenic spots, with everyone heading for famous landscapes and attractions; the third stage was sojourning, no longer making a superficial visit without deep understanding (走马观花, zou ma guan hua - "walk, horse, observe, flower"), but settling down to experience things slowly; the fourth stage is travel-entrepreneurship, where it's not purely leisure but also an opportunity to start a business and do something.
It is said that the number of people sojourning in Weishan has approached 5,000, and the number of travel-entrepreneurs is at least in the triple digits. This figure is quite considerable.
Wanting, the manager of the "Shuxiang Pavilion" tea room at Wenhua Academy, I had met before, and this time I paid a special visit. Her tone of speech is calm and clear, which involuntarily arouses my respect. She says she is a "new Weishan native," having once served as a nurse in the intensive care unit of a Beijing hospital, and also worked as a coffee shop manager and homestay owner, ultimately choosing sojourning plus travel-entrepreneurship in Weishan. Now she lives like a local, buying groceries and cooking for herself every day, having fully integrated into local life. She says: "Only after arriving in Weishan did I find the soil most suited to my own growth, and live the life I wanted."
The ancient city of Weishan is a society of acquaintances. The area is small and the population few; when anything comes up, people keep each other informed and help one another out. At crossroads in the streets and alleys or in the archways of gate towers, there are bulletin boards, with a dedicated obituary board set aside for announcing deaths to the neighborhood.
While strolling through the streets and alleys, I ran into an elderly woman carrying a shoulder pole with baskets, hawking vegetables along the street, with a steelyard scale resting on top of the vegetables... Such scenes were common in my childhood, and encountering one suddenly feels especially familiar and dear.
A friend working in Weishan chatted with me, saying that he too had once wanted to travel widely to many different places (走南闯北, zou nan chuang bei - "walk, south, rush, north"), but after graduating from university he still returned to his hometown. At first he felt trapped. However, living and working in an environment familiar since childhood, many things became simple, and being able to be with family every day is very heartwarming. Going out to buy a bowl of ersi, without needing to be reminded, the owner knows to add your favorite toppings and side dishes—this feeling is comfortable and reassuring.
Life doesn't need too much luxury and complexity; often it only needs a measure of authenticity and simplicity. Traditional Chinese society commonly had the kind of everyday vitality seen in "Along the River During the Qingming Festival"—bustling markets, families seated together, lamplight that feels dear, a settled and secure heart, without excessive anxiety or restlessness—this is not an extravagant hope, but merely the ordinary everyday warmth in the hearts of ordinary people.
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