Summary: This article reflects on General Secretary Xi Jinping's commitment to "serving the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust," tracing this pledge through his inspections, policy initiatives, and statements on Party self-governance. It highlights his emphasis on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, including the fight against corruption, and his people-centered governance philosophy as demonstrated in poverty alleviation and livelihood projects. The piece recounts Xi's personal history, from his time in Yan'an to his leadership in the new era, and his calls for the Party to maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the people. It also notes that foreign leaders, including US President Trump, have expressed respect for Xi and China, and that international interest in China's governance experience is growing. The article concludes by framing Xi's commitment as a lifelong conviction that guides the Party's mission for national rejuvenation and common prosperity.
Summary: President Xi Jinping sent a message to Lula on October 27, congratulating him on his re-election as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil. Xi noted Lula's important contributions to China-Brazil relations and their close communication in recent years, which have advanced the China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. He emphasized the growing global, strategic, and long-term nature of bilateral ties, calling them a model of solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries. Xi expressed willingness to work with Lula to elevate the China-Brazil community with a shared future to a new level, opening broader prospects for comprehensive strategic coordination. Vice President Han Zheng also sent a congratulatory message to Alckmin on the same day.
Summary: President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda on October 27, expressing condolences over his passing and sympathy to his family. Xi noted that Fukuda was a Japanese politician of integrity and responsibility and an old friend of the Chinese people, who was deeply concerned about China-Japan friendship and upheld a correct view of history. During his tenure, Fukuda signed the fourth political document between China and Japan, clarifying important principles for bilateral relations, and later served as Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, promoting regional exchange and cooperation. Xi expressed hope that Fukuda's family would carry forward his unfulfilled wishes for China-Japan friendship, and that Japan's current leaders would adhere to the four political documents and safeguard the political foundation of bilateral relations.
Summary: The article reports that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has reached ordinary people, citing six grassroots stories from People's Daily reporters. These include a Shanghai elderly resident finally receiving a delayed grain-growing subsidy after a discipline inspection, a Jiangxi community secretary using a checklist to reduce formalism and visit households more often, and a Chongqing school meal rectification using an "AI + Smart School Meal Management" platform. Other examples cover cleaner government-business relations in a Guangdong high-tech zone, standardized village accounts in Hebei, and simplified banquets in Sichuan following revised village rules. General Secretary Xi Jinping is quoted as emphasizing that all issues strongly reflected by the masses must be treated seriously and all acts harming their interests must be resolutely corrected. The piece concludes that the Party will continue promoting self-governance with strict measures so the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security becomes increasingly substantial.
Summary: As of the end of September, China's cumulative installed power generation capacity reached 4.13 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%, with wind and solar installed capacity totaling 2.01 billion kilowatts. Wind power reached 700 million kilowatts, up 20.4%, and solar power reached 1.31 billion kilowatts, up 16.5%. In the first three quarters, wind and solar power generation hit 1,933.3 billion kilowatt-hours, with the increment accounting for 64% of the rise in total social electricity consumption. The National Energy Administration reported that this milestone provides more sufficient green power guarantees for China's economic and social development.
Summary: General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during a May 2025 inspection tour of Henan that the province must strengthen cultivated land protection, shoulder food security responsibility, extend the modern agricultural industry chain, and drive comprehensive rural revitalization through integrated urban-rural development. Henan, as a major agricultural and grain province, is implementing these directives by deploying intelligent agricultural machinery—including BeiDou-assisted harvesters and continuously variable transmission tractors—to improve farming efficiency, with wheat sowing progressing steadily across the Central Plains. The province is also boosting rural incomes through industrial development, exemplified by Queshan County's violin-making cluster exporting over 400,000 instruments annually and Ximajuhe Village's poultry and egg-processing operations raising collective income to 500,000 yuan. Cultural revitalization efforts include preserving the national intangible heritage of Xun County ni gu gu clay sculptures, which have been modernized into trendy products generating over 48 million yuan in annual output value, alongside new provincial regulations promoting the Red Flag Canal spirit. These measures aim to build livable, workable, and beautiful villages while increasing farmers' per capita disposable income, which reached 16,258 yuan in the first three quarters of this year, up 6.4 percent year-on-year.
Summary: The article reports on the digital transformation of Cixi's small home appliance industry, highlighting Qixi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. and its chairman Fang Shuguang, who credited digital upgrades for raising output value from 70 million yuan to over 400 million yuan without adding factory space. It also features Wanneng Electronics general manager Yu Chongwei, whose digital factory produces a power cord every 3.8 seconds with reduced staffing and improved efficiency. Xu Cong, deputy director of the Cixi Municipal Bureau of Economy and Informatization, said the government builds platforms and shares empowerment to address SMEs' shortages of talent, platforms, and channels. Fang Shuguang emphasized that government support and university empowerment have strengthened industry-university-research cooperation, enabling enterprises to pursue cutting-edge R&D with a spirit of daring to venture and try new things.
Summary: The article discusses the distinctive features and major significance of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, as presented in the ninth edition of a theoretical series. It outlines the system's defining characteristics and underscores its importance for Party building and governance. The piece emphasizes the theoretical and practical contributions of this framework to advancing the Party's self-reform. No specific officials or accompanying figures are mentioned in the provided text.
Summary: The State Council issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Intellectual Property Protection and Utilization," setting a target of more than 22 high-value invention patents per 10,000 people, up from 16 at the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. Liang Xinxin, director of the Strategic Planning Department of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, said the indicator guides innovation resources to concentrate in key fields and among key entities, with over 70 percent of such patents coming from strategic emerging industries. Experts and officials, including Yang Ming of Shandong University and Wu Qiang of Hounuo Intelligent Technology, emphasized pre-application evaluation systems and integrating intellectual property into R&D to shift from quantity to quality. The article notes that by the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the average examination cycle for invention patents was reduced to 15 months, and China's intellectual property royalty export revenue reached 49.87 billion yuan in the first half of the year. Liang Xinxin added that continuing to set this indicator during the 15th Five-Year Plan period releases a clear policy orientation of continuously incentivizing and promoting innovation.
Summary: The author, a Tsinghua University physics professor, describes how his atomic quantum computing team injected four high-value patents into Liangyi Wanxiang Technology Co., Ltd. through the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Tsinghua's research team handles basic research while Liangyi Wanxiang focuses on industrial implementation, forming a healthy cycle where basic research empowers future industries and vice versa. After the patents were converted into equity, they drove the company's technology development, talent recruitment, and financing, with the company also submitting multiple patent applications across key quantum computing industry chain areas. The university and company teams have become mutually independent, equal collaborators, aiming to open up the full-chain channel from basic research to industrial application. The author hopes this model enables the quantum computing industry to grow and thrive.
Summary: The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission reported that from January to September 2026, national discipline inspection and supervision organs received 3.506 million letters and visits, filed 800,000 cases, and disciplined 680,000 people, including 105 officials at the provincial/ministerial level or above. Among those disciplined, 505,000 received Party disciplinary action and 222,000 received administrative disciplinary action, with breakdowns by rank including 3,680 department/bureau-level officials and 467,000 others including rural and enterprise personnel. The organs applied the "four forms" to criticize, educate, and handle 1.385 million person-times, with the first form accounting for 50.2 percent and the fourth form for 4.1 percent. They also persisted in investigating both bribe-givers and bribe-takers, placing 29,000 bribe-givers on file and referring 3,020 people to procuratorial organs.
Summary: The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission released September data showing 32,940 cases of violations of the Eight-Point Regulation were investigated and dealt with nationwide, involving 40,122 people, of whom 28,461 received disciplinary or supervisory sanctions. Among formalism and bureaucratism problems, 14,475 cases involved failing to perform duties properly or acting improperly, accounting for 83.7 percent of the total. Hedonism and extravagance cases included illegally giving or receiving famous and specialty products and gifts or money (63.4 percent), illegal eating and drinking (18.2 percent), and illegal issuance of subsidies or benefits (10.7 percent). By rank, 129 problems involved prefecture and department-level leading cadres, 1,808 involved county and division-level cadres, and 31,003 involved township, section, and lower-level cadres, with the latter accounting for 94.1 percent of all cases.
Summary: This article reflects on General Secretary Xi Jinping's commitment to "serving the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust," tracing this pledge through his inspections, policy initiatives, and statements on Party self-governance. It highlights his emphasis on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, including the fight against corruption, and his people-centered governance philosophy as demonstrated in poverty alleviation and livelihood projects. The piece recounts Xi's personal history, from his time in Yan'an to his leadership in the new era, and his calls for the Party to maintain flesh-and-blood ties with the people. It also notes that foreign leaders, including US President Trump, have expressed respect for Xi and China, and that international interest in China's governance experience is growing. The article concludes by framing Xi's commitment as a lifelong conviction that guides the Party's mission for national rejuvenation and common prosperity.
Summary: In the harvest season, Heilongjiang Province's "Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products" brand complex in Harbin is bustling, with citizens and tourists tasting and ordering mountain goods such as monkey head mushrooms and blue honeysuckle berries. Staff member Wang Mindi explained that these 27 categories represent Heilongjiang's more than 700 types of forest food, which were previously "hidden in the mountains and forests, unknown to people" and sold loose at low prices. In 2023, Heilongjiang created the provincial forestry public brand, finalizing the category lists through public voting and expert review, and establishing 74 standards covering the entire industry chain with full-process control. The brand complex includes a museum, forest marketplace, freshly made tea drink shop, and online livestream room, with related topics exceeding 23 million views and more than 20 chain stores opened offline. Sun Hui, president of the Heilongjiang Province Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products Forest Food Industry Development Promotion Association, reported that in 2025, selected enterprises achieved revenue exceeding 8.2 billion yuan, and the brand is linking ecology, industry, and income growth for forest area residents.
Summary: The article reports on the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, a landmark Belt and Road Initiative project connecting Kashgar in China's Xinjiang to Andijan in eastern Uzbekistan. Kyrgyzstan's Minister of Transport and Communications, Talant Soltobayev, said the railway will connect the region with China, Central Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. The project has prioritized ecological protection by routing around the Sary-Chelek State Nature Park and snow leopard habitats, while overcoming challenges such as extreme cold, permafrost, high ground stress, and seismic zones. Construction is progressing on 28 tunnels, 47 bridges, and 90 subgrade sections, with over 2,000 Kyrgyz citizens employed locally and more than 1,800 trained through specialized bases. The project has also implemented 29 "small yet beautiful" livelihood projects, including irrigation canals and drinking water pipelines, benefiting local communities.
Summary: The author, President of Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan, reflects on Chinese modernization based on his visits to China, emphasizing that it has transformed China's development and enriched humanity's exploration of modernization paths. He highlights tangible improvements in Chinese daily life, such as mobile payment, high-speed rail, and green spaces, and stresses that modernization's key lies in people and education, praising China's young talent and sustained investment in education and science. He underscores China's openness and mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation, citing agricultural projects in Punjab Province that benefit both Pakistan and China, and notes the 75th anniversary of Pakistan-China diplomatic relations. He argues that Chinese modernization, based on national conditions, provides valuable experience for developing countries and is supported by initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative and global development proposals. Concluding that focusing on China means focusing on the future, he affirms Pakistan's willingness to deepen cooperation and share in China's development dividends.
Summary: The article is an essay by the Chinese Ambassador to Mexico ahead of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting to be held in Shenzhen in November, marking China's third time hosting APEC. The ambassador highlights China-Mexico cooperation as a model of open development, noting that bilateral trade exceeded US$100 billion for the third consecutive year in 2025. He emphasizes innovation, green transition, and digital economy as new opportunities for cooperation, and stresses the importance of upholding openness against protectionism. The ambassador calls for building an Asia-Pacific community through mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and expresses China's willingness to work with all Asia-Pacific parties, including Mexico, for shared prosperity.
Summary: On October 27 local time, the medal-awarding ceremony for China's 16th peacekeeping contingent to South Sudan (Wau) was held in a grand and solemn manner at the Chinese engineer battalion area of the Wau super camp of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). A total of 315 peacekeeping officers and soldiers were awarded the United Nations "Peace Honor Medal." The article was written by Huang Weixin, with photos by Gao Junwei.
Summary: Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, led a delegation to the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum in New Delhi from October 26 to 27 and delivered a keynote speech. He cited President Xi Jinping's proposal at the 18th BRICS Summit that BRICS countries should be pioneers in innovative development, safeguarding peace and stability, advancing mutual learning among civilizations, and reforming global governance. He stated that BRICS countries have become a genuine and well-deserved leading echelon of the Global South, and that BRICS parliamentary cooperation should strengthen unity to lead the international order toward a more just and reasonable direction. During the meeting, he met separately with parliamentary leaders from India, Russia, Thailand, Uganda, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, and other countries to exchange views on deepening legislative cooperation.
Summary: He Wei, Vice Chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee, met in Beijing on October 27 with a delegation from the Left Group of the European Parliament, led by co-chairperson Schirdewan. The two sides exchanged views on consolidating the positioning of the China-EU partnership, strengthening exchanges between legislative bodies and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and promoting the sound and stable development of China-EU relations.
Summary: China and 25 other countries, including Ghana, became the first signatories to the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents at a signing ceremony in Accra on October 26, with Vice Minister of Commerce Jiang Chenghua signing on behalf of the Chinese government. Jiang Chenghua said the Convention is a landmark innovation in international commercial rules, a practical action by China and countries worldwide in upholding the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and deeply implementing the four global initiatives, and a vivid portrayal of adhering to true multilateralism and safeguarding the international system centered on the United Nations. He stated that China is willing to work with all States Parties to complete domestic approval procedures as soon as possible and looks forward to more countries joining the Convention. Ghana's Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, said Ghana will follow up with legislation and pilot negotiable cargo documents, while Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, thanked the Chinese government for submitting the Convention project and praised China's firm support. The Convention, initiated and led to conclusion by China and adopted by the eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly in December 2025, breaks down the institutional barrier that for centuries only maritime bills of lading could represent title to goods.
Summary: The China-Pakistan News Corridor launch ceremony was held on October 26 at the Pakistan-China Friendship Center in Islamabad, attended by about 600 representatives from government, media, and think tanks of both countries. Pakistan's Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, said the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has brought development opportunities to Pakistan, and the News Corridor builds an information bridge for bilateral cooperation. He expressed Pakistan's willingness to work with China to build and utilize the corridor, showcasing the vivid practice of the Pakistan-China community with a shared future.
Summary: The article describes Communist Party members' disaster relief efforts after the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet, highlighting their actions at the front line despite extreme cold and aftershocks. It details how they relocated 621 residents, established 43 temporary Party branches, and provided essential supplies like hot water, coal, and yak dung to resettlement sites. Specific members such as Zhaxi Dawa, Liu Zuyun, and Ci Zhuoga are profiled for their roles in rescue, logistics, and care for the affected masses. The piece also recounts gratitude from residents and volunteers, including a boy delivering meals and a doctor treating the injured, emphasizing the collective strength of Party members and the people. The narrative underscores the Party flag's presence at the epicenter and the masses' recognition of Communist Party members as a "most shining name."
Summary: The emergency response headquarters for the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Baqing County, Tibet Autonomous Region, reported that as of 18:00 on the 27th, emergency safety assessments of 3,313 buildings had been completed. The assessments cover key buildings including rural housing, schools, and hospitals, with 2,269 rural houses in 123 natural villages evaluated. Expert teams are continuing safety appraisals on 50 school buildings at two middle schools, with results to guide orderly resumption of classes. The findings provide technical support for resettling affected residents and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction.
Summary: The article is a photo report with layout design by Cai Huawei, presenting visual content without accompanying text or statements from officials. No substantive information is provided beyond the title and design credit.
Summary: The reporter describes how the second village of Maru Township in Baqên County, at the earthquake epicenter, was transformed from ruin to rows of prefabricated houses within days, with supplies, utilities, and eco-friendly toilets quickly restored. A little girl named Mayang asked whether everyone came to help voluntarily, and the reporter, on her behalf, received similar heartwarming answers from strangers affirming their voluntary assistance. The reporter concludes that this response was not only an answer for Mayang but also a declaration that when disaster strikes, countless arms will come together to bear the burden.
Summary: The article is a first-person account by a clay sculptor from Henan Zhang Village in Huimin County, Shandong, who describes his family's generations-long craft of making Huimin clay sculptures from Yellow River mud. He details the multi-step process of preparing the mud and shaping the figures, noting that he and his wife divide the work, with her excelling at painting the eyes. The sculptor expresses concern that fewer young people remain in the village and that some veteran craftsmen have stopped working, so he has received local government support for intangible cultural heritage training and promotion. He and his wife have incorporated new rural stories into their creations, and their work "Auspicious Dolls" won the Folk Culture Award at the Shandong International Cultural Industry Expo. He concludes by emphasizing that Yellow River mud is a gift from the river and a form of homesickness that must be safeguarded and passed on.
Summary: The article reflects on the cultural heritage of the Yellow River, emphasizing its role as a living lineage of homesickness and tradition. It highlights the skills of artisans like Zhang Kai and Zhang Huachang, whose work with Yellow River clay embodies this heritage. The piece calls for more meticulous excavation of the Yellow River's cultural genes and the promotion of its culture through creative transformation and innovative development.
Summary: The article reports on the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment’s promotion of the "integration of the three affairs" of party affairs, village affairs, and police affairs to precisely serve herders in Inner Mongolia. It describes how community police officer Hu Jingguang helped an elderly herder recover lost livestock, and quotes political instructor Zhao Xinpo on using party building to break down departmental barriers. The piece highlights a "common prosperity service team" that delivers technology, resources, and jobs, with deputy director Zhang Yongqiang detailing these efforts. It notes that six "integration of the three affairs" practice stations now cover five border banners, having mediated over 200 disputes and handled more than 350 livelihood matters this year.
Summary: The article is an editor's note praising the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment for addressing grassroots governance challenges in sparsely populated border pastoral areas. It highlights how the detachment uses Party building to coordinate Party, village, and police affairs, integrating forces to serve herders through actions like recovering livestock and following seasonal migration routes. The piece argues this shift—where services follow the masses rather than the masses seeking services—embodies a correct view of political achievements. It concludes that when governance centers on the masses' daily trivialities, political achievements become tangible and grassroots innovation avoids becoming mere formality.
Summary: Comrade Yu Lei, former Vice Minister and Member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security, passed away in Beijing on September 17, 2026, at the age of 97. Leading comrades of the Central Committee expressed condolences and extended sympathies to his family. Born in March 1929 in Tianjin, he joined the revolutionary work in April 1945 and the Communist Party of China in June of the same year, later serving in various public security and political-legal roles. From July 1983 to March 1993, he served as Vice Minister and Member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security, retiring in December 1999. He was a member of the Seventh National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and a Standing Committee member and Deputy Director of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Eighth CPPCC National Committee.
Summary: Comrade Zhang Qiong, former Deputy Director and member of the Party Leadership Group of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office, passed away in Beijing on September 24, 2026, at the age of 76. After his passing, relevant leading comrades of the Central Committee expressed their condolences and extended sympathies to his family. Born in October 1949 in Guzhen, Anhui Province, he began working in December 1970 and joined the Communist Party of China in December 1974. His career included roles at the Supreme People's Procuratorate from 1982 to 2003, culminating as Deputy Procurator-General, and he served as Deputy Director of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office from 2003 to 2009. He was a delegate to the 15th and 16th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China and a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Summary: The article argues that the Party's organizational strength, exemplified by the "organizational chain" of Party branches and commando teams, underpins achievements like the Pinglu Canal's rapid completion and the Zhuque-3 rocket's recovery. It cites Xi Jinping's Party-building thought, including the Fourteen Commitments and the Two Upholds, as the foundation for this system. The piece highlights Beijing's "immediate response to complaints" hotline, which has handled about 200 million requests with high satisfaction, as a daily example of organizational effectiveness. It also quotes José Luis Centella of the Communist Party of Spain on the CPC's vitality through advancing with the times. The article concludes that strengthening Party organizations at every level ensures the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security.
Summary: The article is a People's Commentary piece introducing a series on developing new quality productive forces, following the Central Committee and State Council's issuance of the "Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces" with 19 major tasks. It argues that regions should avoid "involution" and homogeneous competition by pursuing differentiated development, citing Huainan, Anhui's focus on components and special-purpose vehicles, which saw 67.5 percent average annual growth in automobile industry output from 2023 to 2025. The commentary references General Secretary Xi Jinping's inspection of Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia, where he warned against "disorderly development" and "blind competition" that ignores local conditions. It emphasizes acting in light of local conditions, finding precise positioning within the overall situation, leveraging distinctive features—such as northwest data centers using "green electricity plus computing power" and Yunnan's digital agriculture—and balancing competition with cooperation, exemplified by the Shenzhen-Harbin Industrial Park. The piece concludes that there is no standard answer or universally applicable model, and broader thinking leads to wider paths forward.
Summary: Gu Changxin, the 49th-generation tomb keeper of Li Bai's tomb in Dangtu, Anhui, took up the role at age 18 and has maintained it for 41 years, recently being named to the "Model of Integrity" list by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the National Development and Reform Commission. He began with basic upkeep and, through learning pinyin, standard Mandarin, and studying Li Bai's poetry, now explains some 400 poems and has co-authored research works. The article argues that long-term, serious persistence in unremarkable tasks yields great significance, citing actor You Benchang and quantum physicist Pan Jianwei as examples. It also references the Pinglu Canal, whose construction spanned over half a century, rewriting China's inland waterway network and ending Guangxi's "facing the sea but not connected to rivers or the ocean" status. The piece concludes that patient cultivation and steady progress, without insisting on personal credit, ultimately lead to extraordinary achievements.
Summary: China is the world's largest energy producer and consumer, with clean energy industries such as wind power, photovoltaics, and nuclear energy ranking among the world's foremost. Adhering to standards-led development, China has approved and released more than 600 national standards for clean energy, more than 1,300 group standards, and 345 foreign-language editions of national standards. These efforts contribute to safeguarding the safe and orderly development of the energy industry and promoting the global green transition. The article includes a verse describing photovoltaic panels, turbine blades, and standards escorting the path of green transition.
Summary: The article discusses two recent incidents—a woman making a loud speakerphone call on a high-speed train and a man doing pull-ups on the ancient Hanging Temple—as examples of personal desires crossing the boundary of public interests, challenging civility. It argues that such behavior reflects a psychology of failing to distinguish between public and private interests, which erodes trust in shared life. The piece calls for clear rule guidance and institutional norms, alongside moral self-discipline, to clarify the public-private boundary, citing past successes like legislation on dog leashing and preventing object throwing. It emphasizes that strengthening civic moral development is an inherent requirement of Chinese modernization, requiring continuous governance improvement and individual practice. The commentary concludes that cultivating civility is not achieved overnight and urges collective effort to build a better home through mutual respect.
Summary: The author, a professor in the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, reflects on the anxiety among art lovers about AI's ability to generate images and questions the value of studying fine art. They describe moving their easel into a solo exhibition in Ningbo, Zhejiang, where viewers observed the creative process, leading to the insight that art is about "seeing" beauty at the point where gazes meet. The author argues that AI cannot truly "see" or replicate the warmth, hesitation, and human experience embedded in a painter's work, and that technology's limitations highlight the unique value of human-created art. They advocate for embracing new technology while transforming art museums and exhibitions into conveners of public space, citing the 2026 Wuhan Biennale as an example of extending art into everyday city life. The piece concludes that what must be protected is people's life experience, independent judgment, and capacity for empathy, not a fixed creative paradigm.
Summary: Chen Kaixian, an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and a pioneer of computer-aided drug design in China, was profiled for his lifelong contributions to drug molecular design, new drug discovery, and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. He recalled being inspired by older-generation scientists who returned from overseas to serve the motherland, and described his early work in the 1970s on computer-aided drug design, including writing quantum chemistry programs using punched cards. He promoted the inclusion of the "Creation of Major New Drugs" in national major science and technology projects and led the relocation of the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica to Zhangjiang, which became a world-renowned pharmaceutical innovation hub. Chen emphasized the need to strengthen original innovation and keep innovative drug "seedlings" on home soil, while also mentoring young talent and serving as president of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Now over eighty, he remains active in scientific research, industry forums, and education, stating that every step forward in the country's pharmaceutical industry motivates his persistence.
Summary: Liaoning Province launched a three-year special campaign in October 2025 to replace wooden fishing boats with steel ones, targeting 6,485 old vessels to improve safety and efficiency. Fishermen like Sun Jingjun and Feng Zhenyu reported that new steel boats offer greater stability, higher speed, and larger catches, supported by subsidies and low-interest loans. The province streamlined approval steps, released standardized hull designs, and completed 677 boats during the summer moratorium, with total new builds exceeding the past decade's sum. Flexible policies include job transition support, such as greenhouse farming for former fishermen like Tang Hongwei, and a "rental instead of purchase" model in Huludao. As of early October, Liaoning received 3,418 applications, renovated 1,964 boats, and facilitated 1,454 boat reductions and job transitions.
Summary: The article reports that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has reached ordinary people, citing six grassroots stories from People's Daily reporters. These include a Shanghai elderly resident finally receiving a delayed grain-growing subsidy after a discipline inspection, a Jiangxi community secretary using a checklist to reduce formalism and visit households more often, and a Chongqing school meal rectification using an "AI + Smart School Meal Management" platform. Other examples cover cleaner government-business relations in a Guangdong high-tech zone, standardized village accounts in Hebei, and simplified banquets in Sichuan following revised village rules. General Secretary Xi Jinping is quoted as emphasizing that all issues strongly reflected by the masses must be treated seriously and all acts harming their interests must be resolutely corrected. The piece concludes that the Party will continue promoting self-governance with strict measures so the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security becomes increasingly substantial.
Summary: The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and five other departments issued Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of Modern Comprehensive Agricultural Service Centers to promote the integration of smallholder farmers with modern agricultural development. By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the national supply and marketing cooperative system had established 16,000 agricultural service centers, with plans to build or renovate an additional 1,000 centers during the 15th Five-Year Plan period. Recent field reports from Shandong, Jiangsu, and Jiangxi highlight how these centers utilize full-process land trusteeship, digital platforms like the Su Nong Fu digital platform, and data-based soil testing to improve yields and stabilize harvests. In Shandong, the Huanghe Agricultural Service Center provides smart management and large-scale grain drying, while in Jiangsu, digital platforms facilitate cloud-based dispatch for agricultural machinery. In Jiangxi, the Xunwu Agricultural Service Center of Zhongnong Group utilizes laboratory testing to provide data prescriptions for precision fertilization and disease control in orchards.
Summary: The article examines how Rongjiang County, one of China's last counties to shake off poverty, achieved economic leapfrog development through the "Village Super League" football tournament. It highlights innovative linkage converting event traffic into consumption growth, with a "Super Delicious · Super Comfortable Stay" alliance offering discounts and vouchers to tourists. The county leveraged the tournament's brand to attract investment, including Guizhou Super Good Kick Sports Goods Technology Co., Ltd., which boosted foreign trade orders and industrial development. Brand revenue is shared, with 51 percent strengthening village collective economies and 49 percent supporting teams and youth training, while villages like Dali launched shuttle bus projects distributing dividends to all households. County magistrate Wang Fei emphasized mobilizing public participation, and in the first half of the year, village collective income rose 69.09 percent year on year.
Summary: The 2026 Hehe Culture Forum, themed "Hehe Aspires to Far-Reaching Goals, the Great Way Travels Together," was held on October 27 in Tiantai County, Zhejiang, co-hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies under the China International Communications Group and the Taizhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. More than 220 Chinese and foreign guests from 23 countries and regions attended, engaging in dialogue on civilizational exchange and exploring the contemporary value of hehe culture. The opening ceremony featured the presentation of research findings, a global call for works for a digital art competition, the release of global hehe culture practice cases, the signing of a technology industry fund, and the broadcast of brand activities for international dissemination. The forum included four sub-forums and exchange activities such as the "Tiantai Mountain Dialogue." Hehe culture, embodying wisdom from China's traditional culture, has been promoted through the forum since its founding in 2021, now a platform with considerable visibility and influence at home and abroad.
Summary: General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during a May 2025 inspection tour of Henan that the province must strengthen cultivated land protection, shoulder food security responsibility, extend the modern agricultural industry chain, and drive comprehensive rural revitalization through integrated urban-rural development. Henan, as a major agricultural and grain province, is implementing these directives by deploying intelligent agricultural machinery—including BeiDou-assisted harvesters and continuously variable transmission tractors—to improve farming efficiency, with wheat sowing progressing steadily across the Central Plains. The province is also boosting rural incomes through industrial development, exemplified by Queshan County's violin-making cluster exporting over 400,000 instruments annually and Ximajuhe Village's poultry and egg-processing operations raising collective income to 500,000 yuan. Cultural revitalization efforts include preserving the national intangible heritage of Xun County ni gu gu clay sculptures, which have been modernized into trendy products generating over 48 million yuan in annual output value, alongside new provincial regulations promoting the Red Flag Canal spirit. These measures aim to build livable, workable, and beautiful villages while increasing farmers' per capita disposable income, which reached 16,258 yuan in the first three quarters of this year, up 6.4 percent year-on-year.
Summary: The Ministry of Civil Affairs has issued a notice deploying the "Warmth in Winter" special rescue operation, running until March 15, 2027, to ensure displaced persons without means of support pass the winter safely. Localities must establish meteorological warning linkage mechanisms and conduct joint patrols with public security, urban management, health, and emergency response departments, focusing on areas like stations, bridges, and abandoned buildings. A discovery-and-reporting network will be built, mobilizing sanitation workers, couriers, and drivers, with temporary rescue points set up at welfare lottery stations where possible. For those refusing institutional rescue, necessary supplies and help-seeking means will be provided, while critically ill patients and persons with mental disorders will be sent to designated hospitals under the principle of "treatment first, rescue second." The notice also mandates emergency livelihood support for those in difficulty due to domestic violence or temporary unemployment, and use of "Internet+" methods for family reunification of rescued persons without identity information.
Summary: The 2026 He Xiangjian Young Scientists Award Ceremony and Academic Symposium, themed "Youth Knows No Limits," was held on October 24 at Midea's Global Innovation Center in Shunde, Foshan, with academicians and experts from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and other institutions joining 20 funded young scientists. The program funds 20 young scientists in medicine and life sciences and energy, environment, and climate change, each receiving 2 million yuan over three years for original and breakthrough research. The academic symposium featured parallel sessions where young scientists presented work on topics such as G protein-coupled receptors, RNA modifications, wearable ultrasound devices, piezoelectric effects, and next-generation battery cathodes. At the award ceremony, renowned scientists encouraged the recipients to uphold their research mission and contribute youthful strength to building a Healthy China. The He Xiangjian Science Fund, founded with 3 billion yuan from Midea Group's founder, imposes no restrictions on research directions or assessments, and starting from the third phase will add a funding direction in intelligent science.
Summary: The article examines the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, tracing its development from the Central Eight-Point Regulation through successive plenary sessions to its current theoretical and institutional maturity. It outlines the system's distinctive features—political leadership, systematic wholeness, connectivity and coverage, and dynamism and openness—and its major significance, including original contributions to Marxist party-building theory and institutional foundations for long-term governance. The piece also highlights the system's role in supporting Chinese modernization and contributing Chinese wisdom to global party governance, contrasting it with the Western model of party alternation. General Secretary Xi Jinping is quoted throughout, emphasizing the need to improve the system as an effective path for continuously advancing the new great project of Party building. The author is identified as a specially invited researcher at the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era.
Summary: The article argues that low-visibility achievements are as important as visible ones, citing "July 1 Medal" recipients Ma Shanxiang and Wu Yaqin, who have served grassroots communities for over 30 years. It stresses General Secretary Xi Jinping's call to achieve both types of achievements, emphasizing that low-visibility work lays foundations and requires long-term dedication. The piece highlights examples like Gu Wenchang, Huang Dafa, and Wang Ji to show how quiet efforts yield lasting results. It calls on Party members and cadres to avoid using low-visibility achievements as excuses for inaction and to tackle difficult problems with persistence. Finally, it urges that such achievements be properly incentivized and assessed through public evaluation and long-cycle follow-up, avoiding superficial metrics.
Summary: The article argues for improving rural library functions to enhance rural reading services, citing General Secretary Xi Jinping's emphasis on fostering a love of reading. It outlines measures such as optimizing library layout, improving content quality, strengthening reading promotion, and refining management mechanisms. The piece notes that some rural libraries face issues like insufficiently targeted book supply and weak integration of digital and traditional reading. It recommends dynamic adjustments, venue sharing, and joint construction with schools and social forces to better serve farmers. The author is a professor at Sun Yat-sen University.
Summary: The article reports on east-west collaboration cadre exchanges between Huangzhong District, Xining City, Qinghai Province, and Qixia District, Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, focusing on two cadres: Hua Wei, a Qixia cadre serving as deputy secretary and deputy district head in Huangzhong, and Mo Yugong, a Huangzhong cadre seconded to the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Qixia District Party Committee. Hua Wei learned from Qinghai cadres to "look downward" at the people, ecology, and foundations, while Mo Yugong learned from Jiangsu cadres to "look forward" at efficiency, the long term, and the market, concluding that "funding and projects are both temporary; the transformation of mindsets and work styles is the long-term solution." Hua Wei participated in formulating the "Huangzhong District Government Investment Project Whole-Life-Cycle Management Measures" to standardize project management and reduce unplanned variables, while Mo Yugong observed that Nanjing cadres first ask three questions—"Where is the market? Who will operate it? Can it make money?"—before starting construction, as seen in the all-season strawberry project that signed orders first. On intangible cultural heritage, the two sides integrated their approaches, confirming rights to the village collective while introducing professional teams for operational guidance, ensuring both the interests of the masses and sustainable project operation. Mo Yugong concluded that "east-west collaboration has never been limited to one-way transfer of funds and projects," with the exchange of mindsets and mutual learning of work styles serving as the long-term driving force for regional coordination toward high-quality development.
Summary: The article argues that momentum for East-West collaboration comes from mutual learning of work styles between exchange cadres from Jiangsu and Qinghai. Jiangsu cadres "look forward," emphasizing precision, efficiency, and effectiveness through measures like full-lifecycle project management and professional operations. Qinghai cadres "look downward," focusing on fairness by confirming asset rights to village collectives and cultivating local teams so the masses share development fruits. The piece concludes that a shift in philosophy and work style is a long-term solution, requiring not just resource exchange but also mutual learning to inject lasting momentum into coordinated regional development.
Summary: Anne, an American attendee with the Chinese name Fu Weiping, returned to the 140th Canton Fair and said, "Having attended for over 30 years, it feels better and better." Her father, Fu Yong'an, served as the first captain of the Canton Fair's motorcade in 1957, and she first worked at the fair in 1982 before returning in 1990 as a trade representative of Sacramento. In August 2024, she established the Canton Fair Friendship House in San Francisco, and a promotion event was held in Cupertino, where a city councilmember said the United States needs the Canton Fair and the fair needs the United States. Fu Weiping noted the exhibits have become smarter, higher in quality, and more futuristic in recent years. On the eve of the fair's opening, she told her father she would attend the opening ceremony on his behalf, and he responded, "The Canton Fair keeps getting better and better — it depends on passing the torch."
Summary: The National Energy Administration reported that power trading institutions across the country completed a cumulative trading volume of 5,853.6 billion kilowatt-hours in the first nine months, up 18.9% year-on-year. In September, trading volume reached 673.7 billion kilowatt-hours, a 17.5% increase, with intra-provincial volume up 21.7% and inter-provincial and inter-regional volume up 5.0%. By type, medium- and long-term trading volume was 601.6 billion kilowatt-hours, spot trading volume was 72.1 billion kilowatt-hours, and green power trading volume rose 6.9% to 31.0 billion kilowatt-hours. Grid companies purchased 65.0 billion kilowatt-hours on behalf of customers through market-based agency.
Summary: The "Jiaolong" manned submersible, after its second iterative upgrade, completed multiple 7,000-meter test dives in the Philippine Sea Basin and returned safely, finishing the 7,000-meter-class sea trial of the national key research and development program "Enhancement of Jiaolong's Key Operational Technical Capabilities and Scientific Applications," with a maximum dive depth of 7,056.9 meters. The article includes a photo of the "Jiaolong" being recovered as it leaves the sea surface, taken by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xin.
Summary: Xiamen International Bank, the first Sino-foreign joint venture bank in New China, has maintained its positioning of serving the real economy while expanding its industrial finance strategy, which now covers 19 first-tier tracks including artificial intelligence and new energy vehicles. The bank's industrial finance loan balances have risen to nearly 50 percent of corporate loans, with a low non-performing loan ratio. For overseas Chinese enterprises operating in both domestic and overseas markets, the bank coordinated with its Hong Kong and Macao subsidiaries to customize cross-border financial solutions, addressing pain points in fund deployment. It has launched specialized products such as the "Overseas Chinese Heart Card" and "Overseas Chinese Mortgage Loan," serving over 100,000 overseas Chinese customers with business volume exceeding 255 billion yuan. The bank has also helped more than 140 Chinese enterprises complete overseas bond issuance with financing scale exceeding 300 billion yuan.
Summary: Shandong Province has issued the second batch of its 2026 policy list for promoting economic "seeking progress while maintaining stability" and improving quality and efficiency, comprising six measures focused on expanding and upgrading the service industry. The policies aim to make full use of the provincial service industry development guidance fund to support the platform economy, high-growth enterprises, quality projects, and new service consumption scenarios. Provincial funds will be arranged to subsidize public-facing network platforms and e-commerce platforms. The province will also coordinate funds to support business format integration, model innovation, and the cultivation of new consumption scenarios, providing incentives for consumption voucher issuance and consumption-promotion activities.
Summary: The Ministry of Natural Resources and the National Development and Reform Commission jointly released the *Mineral Resources Catalogue*, covering 174 mineral species and 119 sub-species, marking the first major revision of China's mineral resource "household register" in over 30 years. Qiao Chunlei, Deputy Director of the Department of Mineral Resources Protection and Supervision, stated that the re-registration is urgent due to the new Mineral Resources Law and the need to safeguard energy and resource security and develop new quality productive forces. The adjustment will enhance mineral resource safeguards, including special planning for strategic resources like shale gas, natural gas hydrates, and high-purity quartz ore, and support strategic emerging industries. The catalogue affects eight key management areas, from planning and policy regulation to property rights, statistics, taxation, market transactions, and law enforcement, forming a complete management chain. The revision adds, merges, and renames mineral species without deletions, with new additions reflecting strategic opportunities and mergers following scientific logic, while a dynamic adjustment mechanism is being established.
Summary: The article reports on efforts to reduce grassroots burdens by tackling formalism and bureaucratism, featuring case studies from Yangqu County, Dongfang City, and Yunyang County. In Yangqu, village-level responsibility lists clarified duties, enabling cadres like Party branch secretary Zheng Wei to focus on services such as a shuttle bus for elderly residents, with oversight by the county discipline inspection commission. In Dongfang, a coordinated supervision mechanism merged multiple inspection bodies into joint teams, cutting redundant inspections and paperwork for projects like the Xinlong Industrial Park, as noted by officials Xu Jiyuan and Yin Junguang. In Yunyang, the "Yunsheng Echo" platform aggregated public demands and flagged unresolved issues, prompting re-supervision that led to water supply fixes for villager Zhang Dazhong, with county discipline inspection officials Luo Ailing and Wang Lei emphasizing precision and burden reduction. The piece concludes that such measures enable grassroots cadres to act with readiness and vigor, delivering tangible benefits to the people.
Summary: The Supreme People's Procuratorate reported that from 2023 to September 2026, procuratorial organs nationwide prosecuted over 7,100 people for copyright infringement crimes, with criminal methods increasingly digital and large-scale. Infringement targets have expanded from traditional books and toys to emerging cultural formats such as online games, online short dramas, "script murder" game scripts, and blind box figurines. Criminal organizations have become more industrialized, chain-based, and cross-border, with some individuals providing technical services to circumvent copyright protections. Profit-making methods have shifted from direct sales to "traffic monetization," including website membership fees, advertising fees, and virtual currency transactions to evade regulation. Examples cited include cases involving illegal game servers, overseas apps streaming pirated short dramas, and illegal film websites earning over 17.22 million yuan in advertising fees.
Summary: The 140th China Import and Export Fair is being held from October 15 to November 4 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, and the Guangzhou courts have launched a one-stop dispute resolution platform for the Canton Fair to foster a first-class business environment. To date, the platform has provided litigation guidance, typical case references, and other services to more than 7,800 person-times, along with over 300 AI-assisted responses to litigation-related inquiries, helping domestic and overseas merchants participate with peace of mind. For commercial disputes or legal questions encountered during the fair, the courts will offer judicial services in six areas, including diversified dispute resolution and litigation guidance. Merchants may choose to apply for mediation online, and the courts will provide efficient and convenient judicial confirmation for successfully mediated disputes.
Summary: Agricultural Bank of China has actively supported the construction of an innovation system by providing high-quality financial services to accelerate high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology. The bank aims to resolve financing difficulties for technology-based enterprises and help build a new pattern of a healthy cycle among "technology, industry, and finance."
Summary: The China Great Wall Museum in Yanqing District, Beijing, reopened on October 24 after renovation, with its height reduced from 16 to 9 meters to blend into the natural landscape, as explained by chief design director Li Yinong. The permanent exhibition "The Great Wall of Ten Thousand Li" gathers over 700 artifacts from 24 museums, with curator Zhang Wenyong emphasizing the Great Wall's role in conveying Chinese civilization's values of continuity, innovation, and inclusiveness. Special exhibitions include archaeological finds from 15 provinces, such as a Jin Dynasty bronze seated dragon and carbonized crop seeds from Ming Dynasty sites. A white marble relief "Peace Across Ten Thousand Li," assembled from 472 pieces, highlights the Great Wall's historical depth, with Zou Feng noting its reflection of the Chinese nation's harmony-oriented character. Capital Museum director Guo Jingning stated the museum will serve as a venue for spreading Great Wall culture, an academic hall for research, and an international exchange platform.
Summary: Fudan University Library director Chen Yinchi said that a young person's time in the library profoundly shapes their life, and that libraries serve as a "second classroom" for young people's thinking. Reporters visited four Shanghai universities and found libraries transforming into comprehensive platforms for fostering virtue, continuing cultural lineage, and empowering intellectual development. Libraries are using red culture, such as displays of the *Communist Manifesto* and Chen Wangdao's donated books, to serve as ideological and political education classrooms. They are also shifting ancient books from "storage" to "use" through events like Fudan's Golden Autumn Book-Airing Festival and East China Normal University's restoration technique experiences. Additionally, libraries are empowering students with digital tools, including VR experiences and artificial intelligence literacy classes, to support innovation and practice.
Summary: In Xi'an, the "215 Theater Space" inside the Wangfujing commercial complex hosts free weekly performances under the "Theater Meets Wednesday" brand, created by the Shaanxi Experimental Drama Theater with the Xi'an Municipal Mass Art Center. Deputy director Tong Bin explained that the space, with 80 movable seats, supports experimental and immersive theater while balancing social and economic benefits. Audience member Li Rujuan praised the format for helping viewers understand works before listening, featuring young actors averaging age 20. The program has served over 15,000 audience visits since early this year, with commercial weekend shows complementing the free offerings. The initiative embeds drama into commercial districts, providing accessible cultural experiences for citizens and tourists.
Summary: The finals of the 19th "Revitalization Cup" National Youth Vocational Skills Competition were held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, from October 20 to 26, hosted by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, with nearly a thousand contestants competing. The competition featured five occupational categories aligned with industrial needs and, for the first time, included a special "AI+" innovation and efficiency competition for youth commando teams across four tracks. An "AI + Youth Skills" action initiative was released during the event, alongside a recruitment fair for young skilled talent. Over its 21-year history, the "Revitalization Cup" has seen more than 20 million young people participate at various levels, with 260,000 advancing their professional qualifications or skill levels.
Summary: Danyang City in Jiangsu has built public innovation platforms and flexible talent recruitment mechanisms to drive innovation in a county lacking large-city resources. The city established seven new-type research institutions, including a technology incubator that introduced academicians and raised over 18 million yuan for aerospace R&D. Danyang also created "innovation enclaves" with Beijing and Shanghai universities to attract talent whose affiliation remains with their institutions. The city promotes industry-oriented education, with nearly 80 percent of optometry graduates joining local enterprises. Xu Shenfeng, secretary of the Danyang Municipal Party Committee, said the city will deepen its talent plans to provide broader development opportunities.
Summary: The national artificial intelligence application pilot testing base for the home appliances and smart home sector officially commenced construction in Qingdao, Shandong, on October 27. The base aims to build a pilot testing base for "new-generation smart home appliances," tackle common industry challenges, consolidate reusable public capabilities, and promote the large-scale and standardized application of artificial intelligence. At the launch ceremony, the base initiated an "AI + Consumption" collaborative development matrix, recruiting innovative forces from across society to jointly expand the ecosystem. To better serve the entire industry, the base will establish two service windows — a "supply-demand operations platform" and an "application services marketplace" — forming a complete operational loop from demand discovery, collaborative research and development, pilot testing and validation, to the promotion of results.
Summary: The Ministry of Transport and three other departments jointly issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Green Transportation Development," proposing that by 2030 the transportation sector will generally achieve peak carbon emissions, with pollution intensity and major pollutant emissions continuing to decline. The Plan promotes low-carbon substitution of transportation power, including accelerating the large-scale application of new-energy heavy trucks, promoting electric and methanol-powered ships, and expanding sustainable aviation fuel use. It also calls for green transformation of transportation infrastructure, such as building zero-carbon transport corridors, and implementing a campaign to tackle multimodal transport to increase railway and waterway freight shares. A Ministry of Transport official said the green and low-carbon transformation of vehicles is key to reducing carbon and pollution, and that adjusting the transportation structure offers the greatest systemic benefit for emission cuts. The article highlights examples like Zhongtong Express deploying new-energy heavy trucks and Rizhao Port raising its clean transport share from 73.9 percent to 87.3 percent between 2019 and 2025.
Summary: China's snow leopard population has doubled from approximately 2,500 individuals in 2013 to about 5,000 now, with a total habitat area of roughly 2.08 million square kilometers, according to the National Forestry and Grassland Administration. The species, a Class I nationally protected wild animal, is distributed across eight provincial-level regions including Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, and Gansu. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, the country has coordinated integrated protection of mountain ecosystems, restoring prey populations and building 2 national parks and 78 protected areas covering over 800,000 square kilometers. China has also launched its first systematic snow leopard reintroduction pilot project in the Helan Mountains, where 8 snow leopards have been introduced and multiple individuals have established fixed home ranges and achieved independent hunting.
Summary: The Beijing Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve has been officially included in the IUCN Green List, becoming the first nature reserve in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the first in Beijing to receive this certification. Located in Yanqing District, it is Beijing's largest near-natural inland wetland, forming a composite ecosystem with the Guanting Reservoir. Since its establishment in 1997, the reserve faced challenges such as wetland desiccation and human disturbance, but over 20 years of systematic governance—including returning farmland to wetland and restoring vegetation—has restored over 20,000 mu of wetland. Today, it is a key stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway, with over 100,000 migratory birds stopping annually and recorded bird species rising from 189 to 374. Rare and endangered birds such as the Baer's pochard and the great bustard now frequently appear in the reserve.
Summary: The article outlines Yunyan District's high-quality development strategy, centered on deepening the "construction of the four zones" to build a "charming main city." It highlights the district's digital economy growth, with its gross regional product reaching 112.669 billion yuan in 2025, and its focus on AI applications and industrial integration. The piece also details urban renewal efforts, including the renovation of 11 million square meters and the completion of Metro Line 3, alongside improvements in public services and livelihood projects. Ecological progress is emphasized through expanded green space coverage and the transformation of environmental advantages into development opportunities. The report concludes by reaffirming the district's commitment to pragmatic work and continued high-quality development.
Summary: The 57th National Medicinal Materials and Pharmaceutical Products Fair opened in Zhangshu City, Jiangxi Province, with over a thousand enterprises participating. Zhangshu, known as "China's Capital of Traditional Chinese Medicine," is undergoing a transformation across the entire industrial chain, from standardized planting and digital manufacturing to modern trading platforms. The city has stabilized germplasm resources, embedded AI and smart agriculture into field management, and upgraded pharmaceutical enterprises from "experience-based manufacturing" to "digital intelligent manufacturing." Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group launched the Longfengtang (Jiangxi) International Traditional Chinese Medicine City project in Zhangshu, with its Party Committee Secretary, Chairman, and President Xu Haoyu stating the project will build a distribution hub and innovation center for traditional Chinese medicinal materials. Zhangshu Municipal Party Committee Secretary Zeng Hai said the city will leverage Yangtze River Pharmaceutical's nationwide planting bases and digital capabilities to further empower the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
Summary: The article describes how Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine is modernizing traditional Chinese medicine processing techniques, which have long relied on oral transmission and personal example. Professor Zhong Lingyun demonstrated the craft in a training room, emphasizing the need to convert sensory observations into measurable scientific parameters. A team led by Qihuang scholar Yang Ming visited 74 inheritance bases, consulted 27 veteran medicine workers, and built a database that rescued 12 endangered processing techniques. The team implemented a dual-mentor system, compiled the national textbook *Science of Chinese Medicine Processing*, and won a second-class prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award. They have trained over 220 master's and doctoral students and more than 10,000 industry personnel, with young members like Zhu Jing continuing research on the Zhangshu school's methods.
Summary: At the 57th National Medicinal Materials and Pharmaceutical Products Fair in Zhangshu, Jiangxi, an AI large model for testing traditional Chinese medicinal materials, jointly developed by Zhang Boli's team and Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group, was released alongside intelligent testing equipment. The equipment integrates industrial vision, hyperspectral analysis, and X-ray imaging to generate digitized quality reports in seconds, addressing longstanding reliance on subjective manual inspection. Liu Changqing, senior manager of Tianjin Modern Innovation Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Co., Ltd., said the equipment achieves over 90 percent testing accuracy and has modeled more than 50 commonly used varieties, including gardenia and ginseng. He noted that AI testing complements rather than replaces statutory inspection, converting sensory judgments into quantifiable, traceable data for quality control and regulatory linkage. The team is researching multi-technology solutions for trace chemicals like pesticide residues and plans a portable version for field use.
Summary: Jiangxi Province is expanding grassroots traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) services, with Nanchang County leveraging its "Jianchang Bang" heritage to establish standardized TCM clinics in all 12 township health centers and provide smart pharmacy delivery within 4-8 hours. The article highlights villager Huang Guodong, who now receives reimbursable "Jianchang Bang" specialty decoction pieces at his local township clinic, avoiding lengthy trips to the county hospital. As a national comprehensive reform demonstration zone for TCM, Jiangxi has incorporated grassroots TCM into its wellbeing strategy, with policies, funds, and talent directed toward counties and townships. All 1,771 grassroots health service institutions in Jiangxi now have TCM clinics, and over 60 percent of township health centers provide more than 15 types of appropriate TCM technical services. The province has also included 165 TCM medical service items in medical insurance reimbursement and applied "same disease, same effect, same price" to 121 TCM-dominant disease categories.
Summary: The article reports on global efforts to curb telecom and online fraud, noting a 55% increase in fraud cases reported to INTERPOL and the establishment of the International Alliance for Combating Telecommunications Network Fraud in Lianyungang, China, with 46 founding member states. In Cambodia, State Secretary Chhay Sina Nareth briefed diplomats on crackdowns that investigated 910 premises, prosecuted 5,778 suspects, and repatriated 22,892 foreign nationals, while new laws impose heavier penalties including life imprisonment for fraud resulting in death. Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency conducted operations dismantling fraud dens and arresting suspects, with Deputy Director Atif Amir and Director General Nasir Rizvi emphasizing nationwide crackdowns and zero tolerance for such crimes. In Kenya, reported cybercrime cases rose 67% in the first half of 2026, prompting new measures such as criminalizing SIM swapping, increasing penalties, and launching the "Guard Cyber Security" awareness campaign. Kenya's Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen stated the country is ready to strengthen international cooperation to jointly combat cybercrime.
Summary: The 2026 EU autumn summit in Brussels yielded little progress, with deadlocked budget negotiations, unresolved energy policy differences, and no substantive acceleration of competitiveness reforms, highlighting the EU's governance inertia of "difficulties in both reaching decisions and implementing them." Two years after Draghi's competitiveness report identified structural problems like high energy costs and weak innovation, implementation of its 20 core recommendations stands at only about 26 percent, with the real bottleneck being difficulty in execution. The dual deadlock over energy policy and the long-term budget reflects how divergent member-state interests constrain collective action, as seen in disputes over carbon emissions trading adjustments and Germany's refusal to endorse Ireland's compromise budget proposal. European Commission President von der Leyen stated after the summit that the Commission will propose import restriction measures against more Chinese goods and study new trade policy tools, though the Kiel Institute for the World Economy warned that tariffs on Chinese goods cannot solve endogenous development problems and may trigger trade countermeasures. Ultimately, trade barriers cannot lower energy costs or substitute for technological innovation and industrial investment, and Europe's real challenge lies in lacking the execution capacity to translate consensus into action.
Summary: A photo exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trial opened on October 26 at UN Headquarters in New York, hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations. Fu Cong, China's Permanent Representative to the UN, said the Tokyo Trial consolidated the postwar international order and defended international fairness and justice, while criticizing Japan's right-wing forces for questioning its legitimacy and drifting from its "peaceful nation" identity. China calls on all parties to carry forward the spirit of the Tokyo Trial and remain vigilant against a new form of militarism. Qi Dahai, Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Zhou Feng, Curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders, also delivered remarks alongside Russian and DPRK officials. The exhibition displayed a large collection of Tokyo Trial historical photographs and archival documents for the first time at UN Headquarters, attracting representatives from various countries' permanent missions and UN officials.
Summary: The Dubai Branch of the Bank of China held a bell-ringing ceremony at the Nasdaq Dubai exchange for the listing of offshore bonds issued under the Yulan issuance model, amounting to 2 billion yuan with a two-year term. This marks the first Yulan issuance model offshore bond in the Middle East and North Africa region and its first appearance at the Nasdaq Dubai exchange. The Yulan issuance model is an innovative mechanism under which the Shanghai Clearing House serves as the central depository and custodian, adopting internationally accepted rules such as multi-tier custody arrangements. The issuance received active subscription from international investors, with initial subscription volume exceeding five times the offering, ultimately narrowing by 50 basis points from the initial pricing, and sovereign institutions accounting for more than 30 percent of subscriptions. Industry insiders said this will help deepen financial infrastructure connectivity between China and the United Arab Emirates, attract more regional issuers to try renminbi financing, and promote the formation of a positive cycle of sustained development in the regional offshore renminbi market.
Summary: The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel released a report on the 26th stating that Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territory and continues to perpetrate genocide in the Gaza Strip. The report, submitted to the United Nations General Assembly, holds that the situation in the West Bank has seriously deteriorated since October 7, 2023, with Palestinians targeted because of their nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, and age. It further holds that Israeli authorities and forces have continued to perpetrate acts of genocide in the Gaza Strip even after the announcement of the ceasefire agreement, aiming to destroy the Palestinians in whole or in part. The commission recommends that Israel immediately end its illegal occupation, remove all settlements, withdraw settlers, cease confiscation of Palestinian property, and return all confiscated land to its Palestinian owners.
Summary: Ethiopia-Eritrea relations have sharply deteriorated after Ethiopia closed its embassy in Eritrea and expelled Eritrean diplomats, prompting Eritrea to sever diplomatic ties, while Ethiopian forces advanced toward the Eritrean border after recapturing Mekelle. The crisis was triggered by an anti-government alliance formed on September 20 by seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front, which seized airports and clashed with government forces, leading Ethiopia to accuse Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting the alliance, though all three denied it. The rift stems from long-standing disputes over borders, security, and strategic interests dating back to Eritrea's 1993 independence and the 1998-2000 war, with relations briefly normalizing in 2018 but deteriorating again after Eritrea was excluded from the 2022 Pretoria Agreement. Ethiopia's push for Red Sea port access, including proposals to lease Eritrea's port of Assab, has deepened tensions, with Eritrea fearing threats to its sovereignty and regional leaders emphasizing littoral state responsibility for Red Sea security. The African Union Commission and the United Nations Security Council have expressed concern, with the UN calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to dialogue under the Pretoria Agreement framework.
Summary: Libyan Minister of Transport of the Government of National Unity, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi, announced on October 26 that the International Civil Aviation Organization has revoked aviation safety warnings and restrictions imposed on Libyan airspace. Al-Shahoubi attributed the decision to the Government of National Unity's years of efforts to develop the aviation industry, strengthen aviation safety, and raise security standards. He said the government will launch a promotional program for international airlines, encouraging them to resume direct flights to Libya and to make greater use of Libyan airspace as an air corridor connecting Europe and Africa. The warnings had been issued in 2013 and 2015 due to the deteriorating security situation after Libya's 2011 armed conflict.
Summary: Hengdian Town in Zhejiang has grown from its first outdoor shooting base in 1996 into the world's largest film and television real-scene shooting base, now hosting over 2,000 enterprises and producing two-thirds of the country's film and television works. The article details how Hengdian has built a full-chain ecosystem spanning scenes, talent, services, and technology, including launching a "Hengdian Film and Television Large Model" and supporting over 150,000 registered crowd actors. It highlights the rise of micro-dramas as a new growth pole, with 4,016 new vertical-screen drama crews starting shooting in 2025, a 237.48% year-on-year increase. On international outreach, Hengdian has connected with platforms such as Netflix and Disney, while leading micro-drama going-global platforms like DramaBox, ShortMax, and iDrama have settled there, covering markets including North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The article concludes by positioning Hengdian's transformation from a domestic base into a global highland of film and television cultural innovation, contributing to the going-global of Chinese film and television culture.
Summary: Muhammed Al-Shalabi, a Jordanian who has lived in China for over 20 years, owns the Beidi Restaurant in Yiwu, Zhejiang, which he opened in 2002 as the "Flower" restaurant and later renamed, meaning "my home" in Arabic. He recounted how Yiwu's inclusive business environment, including fair landlords, safe streets, and helpful government staff, convinced him to stay despite its initial "small county town" appearance. His restaurant became a "base camp" for foreign merchants, where orders were often finalized over meals, and he credited local "one-stop" services and the "Yijing" APP for supporting his business. In 2014, President Xi Jinping told Muhammed's story at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, after which he expanded the restaurant and added a promotional wall for the "Yixin'ou" China-Europe Railway Express, which he said connects hometowns with Yiwu as one big "family" and represents win-win cooperation through mutual benefit. Muhammed also serves as a foreign mediator and participates in public welfare, noting that locals now affectionately call him "our Yiwu's Boss Beidi."
Summary: The author, a Belgian musician, recounts how learning the Shanghai dialect transformed his experience of China, from his first visit in 2008 to becoming a performer in a Shanghai-dialect *huaji* play in 2025. He emphasizes that language and culture are inseparable, and that music, like language, carries the full range of human emotions, allowing cross-cultural connection. He combines traditional Chinese melodies with Western instruments and jazz harmonies to help European audiences understand China. He credits the visa-free transit policy with enabling relatives and friends, including his uncle, to visit China and change their prior views, reinforcing his belief in "seeing is believing." He concludes that face-to-face communication is the most effective way to enhance mutual understanding, positioning himself as a bridge between Europe and China.
Summary: Riya Rani, an Indian master's student at Jawaharlal Nehru University's China Studies Centre, taught herself Chinese calligraphy and painting after being captivated by a video of cursive script writing, later developing a deep appreciation for Chinese culture. She recounted her journey of learning brush techniques, practicing characters like "home" with perseverance, and studying famous calligraphers such as Yan Zhenqing and Zhao Mengfu. Last year, she visited Beijing, Hebei, and Shanghai with the "Chinese Bridge" Indian youth delegation, where she bought calligraphy supplies and experienced Chinese culture firsthand. The trip strengthened her resolve to study in China and achieve greater mastery in calligraphy, expressing her feelings for China through a planned artwork of a panda with the inscription "Where the heart yearns."
Summary: The article criticizes "rounding up" parking billing, which charges drivers for extra time they did not use, and argues that public complaints about paying for an extra hour after parking one extra minute reflect a pursuit of consumption fairness, not petty calculation. It notes that many places, including Hangzhou, Shanghai, Nanchang, and Changsha, have begun optimizing parking billing rules, with some shifting to billing by the minute, facilitated by electronic payment and smart parking systems. The piece asserts that continuing crude billing methods lacks justification when technology enables accurate time recording, and that such practices infringe on consumer rights. It advocates for further optimization through local conditions, coordinated measures like short-term free parking and time-differentiated billing, and stronger transparency and oversight. The article concludes that parking fee reform reflects a people-centered governance logic and should move from local pilots to nationwide implementation.
Summary: The article describes a day at the Party-Mass Service Station in Shanghai's Shimin Xincun Residential Area, which provides fresh produce, community activities, and services to residents of a renovated old housing complex. It highlights the renovation project that gave residents independent kitchens, bathrooms, and elevators, following General Secretary Xi Jinping's July 2026 inspection of the area. Residents and officials emphasize the station's role in serving the "last 100 meters" and improving daily life, with activities like Yue opera rehearsals, choir practice, and free services. The station was converted from a market supervision office to a shared community space, reflecting efforts to leave the best resources for residents. The article concludes with officials stressing the importance of grassroots services in enhancing governance and serving the people.
Summary: Yao Wenbin, a herder from Sunite Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, recounts his journey of building a horse-related business around pregnant mare serum and urine collection, which he pursued to provide herders with more stable incomes. He describes overcoming initial uncertainties, learning collection techniques, and establishing quality standards to ensure long-term sales. He now coordinates collection from hundreds of horses across multiple banners and shares his experience with fellow herders to improve the industry collectively. His motivation, he says, is to treat horses well and help villagers earn better livelihoods through their own skills and hard work. The article was compiled by People's Daily reporter Wu Yong.
Summary: The article discusses how financial services are supporting China's autumn harvest by addressing farmers' needs, such as green credit channels and advance insurance claims. It highlights the apple "insurance + futures" income insurance in Yan'an, Shaanxi, which protected fruit grower Zhao Erhu from hailstorm losses and boosted his income. The piece emphasizes solving farmers' dual fears of weather disasters and market fluctuations through financial innovation, including the "bank-insurance-futures" model by the Dalian Commodity Exchange. It also cites China Development Bank's Fujian Branch funding high-standard farmland in Nan'an City, increasing rice output by 200 jin per mu. The article concludes that rural finance must center on farmers' needs to sustain vitality and support comprehensive rural revitalization.
Summary: The article reports on the coordinated fiscal-financial policy package introduced in January by the Ministry of Finance, the People's Bank of China, and the National Financial Regulatory Administration to expand domestic demand, with an optimized "4+2" policy toolkit taking effect from August 1. It details how loan interest subsidies, expanded to cover working capital loans and credit card installments, have reduced financing costs for enterprises such as Hunan Airlines, Jinbei Electric Wire, and Hunan Weifu Auto Parts, enabling them to invest in equipment renewal and capacity expansion despite rising oil and copper prices. On the consumption side, the article describes how subsidies for personal consumption loans and credit card installments have encouraged residents in Sichuan to purchase new energy vehicles and household appliances, while service industry subsidies supported new supply from dairy, cruise tourism, and community glasses businesses. The piece highlights local implementation mechanisms in Hunan and Sichuan, including pre-allocated subsidy funds, expanded handling institutions, and streamlined online application processes, with Sichuan pre-allocating 1.636 billion yuan in central and provincial subsidies. The reporter's note concludes that the key to policy effectiveness lies in coordination—between fiscal and financial tools, supply and demand sides, and departmental and vertical linkages—which transforms policy dividends into sustained momentum for expanding domestic demand.
Summary: The article recounts a visit to the Malan test site in Xinjiang on the 60th anniversary of China's hydrogen bomb test, tracing the footsteps of Yu Min, the "father of China's hydrogen bomb." The author describes the "Couple Tree," named by General Zhang Aiping after Wang Ruzhi and Zhang Xianglin, a married couple who met by chance under the tree while both were secretly assigned to the same nuclear test mission. The piece reflects on the sacrifices of other nuclear scientist couples, including Qian Sanqiang and He Zehui, Guo Yonghuai and Li Pei, Yu Min and Sun Yuqin, and Deng Jiaxian and Xu Luxi, highlighting their devotion to the nation amid separation and hardship. It also details the harsh living conditions at the base, such as dugout homes, water rationing, and extreme cold. The narrative concludes with a meditation on the enduring romance and sacrifice embodied by the Couple Tree.
Summary: The article reflects on Wang Meng's essay about literary supplements, linking it to Mao Zedong's tradition of "running the newspaper with open doors" and the 70-year practice of the Zhaohua supplement of Jiefang Daily. It highlights Mao's personal efforts to solicit contributions and his call to rely on the masses, which Wang Meng echoes in advocating for supplements that are light yet solemn and resonate with readers. The piece notes Xi Jinping's guidance for literary workers to follow the people's footsteps, and observes that while Zhaohua's carriers have evolved with converged media, its character of "new, broad, miscellaneous, and refined" remains unchanged. It stresses the need for supplements to adapt to a volatile public opinion arena, with Wang Meng urging media to speak out clearly on hot topics and provide mature guidance. The article concludes that supplements carry the human heart and literary lineage, requiring open-door traditions and vivid spirit to remain a warm light in everyday life.
Summary: The article describes a National Day return to the author's hometown of Jiantan, where the grain-drying ground is packed with cars bearing license plates from across the country, a "grand gathering" in the mountain hollows. It contrasts the area's revolutionary past—Red Army slogans at the former Soviet government site in Jiaokeng—with today's near-universal car ownership. The author reflects on personal progress, from a full day's walk to the county seat to a half-hour drive, and on the village's evolution from bicycles to motorcycles to cars. A childhood friend, Chunsheng, now drives a Jiangsu-plated car after years in Suzhou, and the bridgehead donor tablet lists young people thriving in major cities. The piece concludes that the road trodden by straw sandals has become a broad thoroughfare, with license plates "filled with Chinese stories."
Summary: The article recounts a visit to Minghe in Zhejiang, where the narrator finds a pair of straw sandals once worn by Great-Grandfather Wang Yunzhang, the Party branch secretary of the Tenth Production Brigade of Minghe Commune, whom villagers called "the Straw Sandal Secretary." It describes his frugality, his ritual of raising the national flag every National Day, his labor repairing a typhoon-damaged dike, and his generosity in delivering rice cakes to five-guarantee recipients. The piece highlights his precise knowledge of local fields and channels, praised by a leader as carrying "a living ledger in his heart," and reflects on his legacy amid the town's modern transformation.
Summary: The article is a poetic tribute to border guards stationed at a snowfield boundary marker at an altitude above five thousand meters, near the Khunjerab Pass. It describes a stone stele marked with 1986 and the national emblem, where someone has traveled a great distance with determination to raise a bright red flag in the oxygen-starved "forbidden zone of life." The text emphasizes the guards' wordless vigil, with the unbroken snow peaks as a barrier and every long wind remembering their watch. It states that this is the highest port of entry of the motherland, where every flake of snow recognizes the Five-Starred Red Flag. The piece concludes by likening the guard, whose steel rifle freezes and warms, to another stone stele carved with the words: This place is China.
Summary: The Chinese painting "Abundant Harvest" by Zhao Wangyun is housed in the National Art Museum of China.
Summary: The article opens with the end of the summer fishing moratorium in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea, as over 500 fishing boats depart from Shidao Fishing Port. It features an interview with 84-year-old Grandpa Tang Shining, who recalls childhood fishing traditions, including the use of pig's blood and tung oil on nets, and praises the "summer fishing moratorium" policy as letting the ocean rest. The piece describes the return of boats with fresh catches and the local cooking methods that preserve seafood's original flavor. It concludes by highlighting the hard toil of fishermen and the wisdom of living in harmony with nature.
By: 本报记者 黄 超 陈世涵 邝西曦
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust." In the answer sheet of governance in the new era, this statement is of far-reaching significance and will be forever recorded in history.
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" is the true expression of the pure heart of Chinese Communists, the sincere articulation of the original aspiration and founding mission, profoundly revealing the deep affection for the people embedded in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and fully reflecting that in the new era our Party adheres to the principle that the Party must supervise itself and govern itself strictly, winning the historical initiative to strengthen the Party and strengthen the country.
From the "Road to Rejuvenation" exhibition at the National Museum of China, to the site of the First National Congress of the CPC and the Red Boat on South Lake, and then to the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Sites, each declaration clearly points to "carrying forward the past and opening up the future, and building our Party well."
At the historic moment when the new era set sail, three important statements by General Secretary Xi Jinping hit the key points——
At the First Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, "the people have always been the solid governing foundation of our Party";
At the meeting between the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee and Chinese and foreign journalists, "our responsibility is to work together with all Party comrades, adhere to the principle that the Party must supervise itself and govern itself strictly, and effectively solve the prominent problems existing within ourselves";
At the first group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, "when the Party is strong and effective, and the Party maintains flesh-and-blood ties with the people, the country will be prosperous and stable, and the people will live in happiness and well-being."
"The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, a new Long March for the Party and the people."
At the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, General Secretary Xi Jinping, reflecting on the past while looking at the present (抚今追昔, fu jin zhui xi - "touch, present; pursue, past"), put forward the clear requirement of "five musts" on carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading the new Long March well, emphasizing that "we must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building."
"Our goal is very grand, but also very simple; in the final analysis, it is to let the common people live better lives."
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" — from this one can understand the sentiment and responsibility of the leader of a major party and major country who stays true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, and the strategic foresight of persevering with constancy (持之以恒, chi zhi yi heng - "hold, this, with, constant") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — this is my lifelong conviction"
General Secretary Xi Jinping's inspection trail since the beginning of this year has been captured by the camera in two sets of heartwarming scenes——
On the eve of the Spring Festival, at the Parents' Canteen on Xinjiekou Street in Beijing, he inspected the dishes, prices, and dining environment; during the spring semester, at the canteen of Beijing No. 4 Middle School Xiong'an Campus, he urged the school to ensure the safety and nutrition of students' meals.
"Strengthen food safety supervision and protect 'safety on the tip of the tongue.'" In October, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized this at the National Conference on Health and Wellness.
The two tables of meals for "the elderly and the young" hold ordinary food, but contain a happy life.
During the summer sowing season, he walked into the home of a villager in Dezhou, Shandong, to learn whether the Party's policies on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers (三农) had all been fully implemented; braving the scorching heat, he went deep into the homes of Shanghai residents to inspect their living conditions, saying "the Communist Party exists to serve the common people."
Two families, one in the city and one in the countryside; twice he pushed open the door and entered their homes, concerned about the warmth and cold of ten thousand households.
"Take the Party's original aspiration as our own original intention, and the Party's mission as our own life." On October 16, Qiushi magazine published an important article by General Secretary Xi Jinping titled "Advancing Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party with Higher Standards and More Concrete Measures."
"What the people are worried about, I must think about; what the people are hoping for, I must act upon." Words and deeds (一言一行, yi yan yi xing - "one, word; one, action") reflect the original aspiration and founding mission that the Communist Party of China has always upheld: from Shikumen to Tiananmen, from Xingye Road to the Road to Rejuvenation, all the efforts our Party has made, all the struggles it has waged, and all the sacrifices it has made have been for the happiness of the people and the rejuvenation of the nation.
Stretching the lens of time, one can see even more the profound meaning of this important assertion. Two pieces of writing unfold the affection for the people that sprouted in contemplation and grew in practice.
One article, which Comrade Xi Jinping, then sent to the countryside in Yan'an, read repeatedly, is "Serve the People," which states: "Our contingent is entirely devoted to liberating the people and works thoroughly in the interests of the people."
One short piece, written by Comrade Xi Jinping when he was in charge of Zhejiang, "All Those Who Serve the People Will Be Embraced by the People": "The relationship between Party members and cadres and the masses is the relationship between public servants and masters. Separated from the people, we will be having nothing at all (一无所有, yi wu suo you - "one, not, possess, all") and achieving nothing (一事无成, yi shi wu cheng - "one, matter, not, succeed")."
"Whether for an individual or a political party, the most difficult thing is to remain true to the original aspiration despite having experienced many vicissitudes (历经沧桑, li jing cang sang - "experience, through, mulberry, mulberry") and to maintain one's true character despite having experienced much hardship (饱经风霜, bao jing feng shuang - "fully, experience, wind, frost")."
From secretary of the Party branch of a rural production brigade, to a local leader in charge of a region, and then to the helmsman of China in the new era, along the way, the people-centered stance has been consistent from beginning to end (一以贯之, yi yi guan zhi - "one, through, connect, through"): "The people's aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle."
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" — the responsibility and commitment of one who holds all the people in his heart.
Dingxi in Gansu, once known as "the most bitter and barren place under heaven," the forest area of Arxan in Inner Mongolia where temperatures drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius, and the Yi ethnic village in Sichuan at an altitude of over 2,500 meters... The places General Secretary Xi Jinping visits most are the grassroots; he enters villages and households, visits the poor and asks about their hardships, saying "people of all ethnic groups, every household, are my concern."
"Is it cold at night in this season?" "How much does your blood pressure medication cost per year?" "Where do the children go to school?"... Face-to-face exchanges, heart-to-heart inquiries.
There is meticulous care in the smallest details, and also long-term planning on a grand scale. When the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan began, General Secretary Xi Jinping personally served as head of the drafting group for the plan proposal document. Now, opening the weighty plan outline, "Increasing efforts to safeguard and improve people's livelihood and solidly advancing common prosperity for all the people" forms a chapter of its own. Twenty-five livelihood projects cover education, medical care, social care services, and all other aspects.
"The Party's greatest political advantage is close ties with the masses, and the greatest danger after assuming power is becoming divorced from the masses. We must always place the people in the highest position in our hearts, firmly stand on the people's side, and cultivate deep affection for the people" — every word reveals Party spirit and true character.
In the battle against poverty, he conducted more than 50 research trips on poverty alleviation work and visited all 14 contiguous destitute areas; in planning reform, he presided over dozens of meetings of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform and the Central Commission for Deepening Overall Reform, and the number of reform measures introduced after the launch of comprehensive deepening of reform is in the thousands... These points, connected into lines, outline the consistent value pursuit of the "people's servant."
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" — the spiritual realm of dedicating oneself to the Party and the country.
For Marxists, what is happiness?
Marx defined it in "Reflections of a Young Man on the Choice of a Profession": "History recognizes those who have labored for a common goal and thereby become noble as great figures; experience praises those who bring happiness to the greatest number as the happiest of people."
Transcending time and space, the value commitment is inherited in one continuous line, and the original aspiration of Chinese Communists in the new era is as firm as a rock. In the eyes of General Secretary Xi Jinping, "the greatest happiness in the world is none other than striving for the happiness of the people."
One recalls the earnest words at the centenary of the Party's founding: at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), he encouraged young cadres to "constantly pursue the spiritual realm of 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'"; at the Great Hall of the People, he praised the recipients of the "July 1 Medal" for "interpreting the lofty sentiment of Communists of 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'," inspiring Party members and cadres to bear in mind the Party's original aspiration and founding mission...
To seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation — "if this original aspiration and mission are forgotten, the Party will change its nature and its color, and will lose the people and lose the future."
"There are both enormous advantages in accomplishing great things and building great undertakings, and special difficulties in governing the Party and the country." At the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping, from the perspective of the overall development of the Party and the country's cause, used "six hows to always" to make a profound exposition, the first being "how to always stay true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission."
The Communist Party of China is rooted in the people, its blood flows from the people, and its strength comes from the people.
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — this is my lifelong conviction" and "I will use all my energy and my entire life to repay the trust of the Party and the people." From promise to fulfillment, this is the deep confession of a Communist Party member, the unity of knowledge and action of a people's leader guiding the entire Party to share weal and woe with the people.
I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — "resolutely struggle against all factors that harm the Party's advanced nature and purity"
"Produce political achievements for the people, produce political achievements through practical work." The study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements is being carried out in depth throughout the Party this year.
Working in the same direction, "persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" runs through the practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, and is also reflected in the important nodes of governance this year:
At the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, he emphasized implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee more resolutely and forcefully, confining power to the cage of institutions more scientifically and effectively, and advancing the fight against corruption more soberly and firmly;
During the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference sessions, he pointed out that the more effective the governance of the Party is, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development;
At the conference celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, he emphasized that to strengthen confidence and continue the struggle, we must persevere with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party;
On September 21, the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee studied major issues concerning persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party;
During local inspections, he has always paid attention to strengthening the Party's leadership and Party building...
In the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
Consider it from the perspective of the relationship between the Party and the people.
Only by "serving the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust, and always representing the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people" can one examine oneself and constantly reflect on one's own faults, and "resolutely struggle against all factors that harm the Party's advanced nature and purity."
"Public support is the greatest politics." A party without its own special interests dares to turn its blade inward and can withstand the supervision of the people.
In 1988, when Comrade Xi Jinping took up his post in Ningde, Fujian, during research many people reported that cadres had violated discipline and laws by occupying land to build private houses, which the people called "corruption at the roadside." He asked seriously: "Do the people have strong complaints?" "Is this the biggest problem affecting enthusiasm at present?" "Should we offend nearly three million people, or these two to three thousand people?" A campaign to clear up housing violations was thus launched.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, this extraordinary sense of mission and responsibility has continued to be demonstrated.
"If the Party is not managed well and governed strictly, and the prominent problems within the Party that the people strongly reflect upon are not solved, then our Party will sooner or later lose its governing qualification and will inevitably be eliminated by history" and "We did not weigh this lightly. But we are convinced of the Party's purpose and mission, and convinced of the people's expectations"...
Participating in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation at the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping remarked with emotion: "The Party Central Committee has advanced full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with the determination of 'ten years of sharpening a sword,' and has advanced an unprecedented fight against corruption with the mission and responsibility of 'offending thousands of people rather than failing 1.4 billion.'"
This is a major struggle that cannot be lost and must not be lost; a set of figures bears witness to the determination:
On October 27, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission published the summary of cases nationwide in September this year involving violations of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation (八项规定). This is the 157th consecutive month that monthly report data has been published;
On the same day, it reported the nationwide situation of supervision, inspection, and investigation by discipline inspection and supervision organs from January to September this year. A total of 800,000 cases were filed, including 73 cadres at the provincial and ministerial level or above, 4,203 cadres at the department and bureau level, 34,000 cadres at the county and division level, and 114,000 cadres at the township and section level; 79,000 current or former village Party branch secretaries and village committee directors were placed on file.
"Win the trust of the people with the actual results of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party." At this year's National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference sessions, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed this out when participating in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation.
The credibility of a major party is built on solid results and begins with the expectations of the people.
"You are the nemesis of corrupt elements and the star of good fortune for the people of the whole country!" In December 2014, in Shiye Town, Dantu District, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, an old Party member firmly held the hand of the General Secretary. It was during this research trip to Jiangsu that the General Secretary first proposed "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party."
Persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party relies on rules and also on education.
In October 2016, the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee reviewed and approved the "Several Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation" and the "Regulations on Intra-Party Supervision of the Communist Party of China." General Secretary Xi Jinping explained clearly when briefing the plenary session on the drafting of the documents:
"During the Party's mass line education and practice campaign and the special education on 'Three Stricts and Three Honests,' many comrades suggested formulating a document to strengthen and regulate political life within the Party in light of the new situation."
The thematic education on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Party discipline learning and education, and the study and education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation... In all the intra-Party learning and education campaigns since the new era, efforts have been concentrated and sustained over the long term. Through one ideological baptism after another, our Party continues to answer the "cave-dwelling question" with sober historical self-awareness.
What has the revolutionary forging that tempers steel been able to win?
I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — "only then can we make the people trust us, support us, sincerely help us correct our shortcomings, and firmly follow the Party in striving together."
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Through the unprecedented fight against corruption and for integrity, the Party has won the historical initiative of maintaining flesh-and-blood ties with the people and winning their heartfelt support, and has won the historical initiative of high-level unity and solidarity of the whole Party, advancing at the forefront of the times, and leading the people in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee clearly designated General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole Party; the "Resolution" of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee clearly put forward the Two Establishments (两个确立).
This is the choice of history, the choice of the times, and the choice of the people, fully reflecting the common will of the whole Party and the common aspiration of the people of the whole country, and fundamentally ensuring that the historical trend of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is irreversible and unstoppable.
Today, our Party is bigger, the Party's ranks are bigger, the Party's cause is bigger, the responsibilities we bear are also bigger, and the people's demands on the Party are also bigger. The development tasks during the 15th Five-Year Plan period are arduous, and the situation is severe and complex, placing new and higher demands on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
"'Even if there are ten thousand people opposing me, I will go forward!'"
From precisely targeting and comprehensively addressing the most prominent problems that the people strongly reflect upon and that pose the greatest threat to the Party's governing foundation, every step in governing the Party and managing the Party demonstrates the firm determination of "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust."
As China's leader, "my attitude is 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'"
"We wish to learn from China's experience in governance, especially President Xi Jinping's sentiment of 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust.'" In August, during the trip to Central Asia, President Japarov of Kyrgyzstan expressed sincere admiration during his talks with President Xi Jinping.
This scene reminds people of the Apennine Peninsula in 2019.
At the Italian Chamber of Deputies, when asked by a foreign leader about his feelings upon being elected President of China, President Xi Jinping's gaze was calm yet full of strength: "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust. I am willing to achieve a state of 'selflessness' and dedicate myself to China's development."
A pure heart, putting the people first. Over the years, President Xi Jinping has often used profound language on diplomatic occasions to tell the same theme——
"As a national leader, since the people have placed me in this position, I must always put the people in the highest position in my heart, bear in mind that responsibility is heavier than Mount Tai, and always keep the safety and well-being of the people in mind";
"As China's leader, being able to serve 1.4 billion Chinese people and work with them to create a better life is both a major challenge and a major responsibility. My attitude is 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'"...
Why repeatedly mention the people and feel gratitude toward the people?
Because this is a political party that has clearly written the word "people" on its banner since the day of its founding, and this is the leader of a major party and major country who has come all the way from the yellow earth, always single-mindedly serving the people.
"Deeply rooted in the people, always possessing a solid foundation" — at the conference celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping distilled this as one of the Party's six outstanding qualities.
"History and the people chose the Communist Party of China, and the Communist Party of China has not failed history and the people's choice." Bearing in mind and practicing the original aspiration and founding mission is a main thread running through our Party's more than one hundred years of struggle.
As of the end of September this year, the cumulative balance of the national basic old-age insurance, unemployment insurance, and work-related injury insurance funds was 11.2 trillion yuan; it is expected that by the end of the year, more than 95 percent of community health service centers and township health centers will be able to provide pediatric diagnosis and treatment services; grain production for the whole year is expected to achieve another bumper harvest, and the Chinese people's rice bowl is held more firmly and better; the "six networks" are being woven and spread, promoting complementary advantages between the east and the west and sharing infrastructure dividends... These development achievements continuously enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security.
The wheel of the times rolls forward, and the thought shines ever brighter with the passage of time.
The 105th anniversary of the founding of the Party, the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, and the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan — standing at the intersection of history, looking toward the historic achievements and historic changes of the new era, these words of General Secretary Xi Jinping are profoundly meaningful:
"Our Party has developed into the world's largest governing party with significant global influence, enjoys the heartfelt support and endorsement of the people, is the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is fully worthy of being a great, glorious, and correct party."
History gives the answer and also enlightens the future.
In July 2021, the CPC and World Political Parties Summit was held, with the theme "Seeking Happiness for the People: The Responsibility of Political Parties."
"The Communist Party of China will adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, contemplate the profound proposition of national rejuvenation and human progress in a broad dimension of time and space, and work together with political parties of all countries to create a better future."
The people-centered development philosophy has released strong appeal and influence in the frequent interactions between China and the world.
At the 19th Summit of the Group of Twenty, President Xi Jinping shared China's practice in the battle against poverty, vividly telling of the confidence and possibilities brought by the "weak bird" flying first and flying high; at the United Nations Summit on Development, he explained that "the ultimate purpose of development is for the people"... These narrations have made Chinese wisdom deeply rooted in people's hearts.
From jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative to the four major global initiatives, from clean energy illuminating the lights of ten thousand households to poverty reduction and livelihood cooperation plans that address urgent needs... These cooperative efforts have enabled Chinese solutions to benefit the whole world.
The Chinese voice of "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" is heard under the world's spotlight and has also resonated with the international community; "looking east" and "going to China" have become trends of the times.
This year, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the scenes of President Xi Jinping's meetings and talks with foreign dignitaries provide a perspective for understanding China:
US President Trump, who was in China for a state visit, said: "President Xi Jinping is a great leader, and China is a great country. I have great respect for President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people."
President Boko of Botswana recalled that his visit to China began in Fujian, "which is a place where you once worked, and where you achieved remarkable accomplishments."
Faure, President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, made his first stop in Shaanxi during his visit to China, "and there I also saw a photo of you, together with the local people"...
In recent years, some foreign dignitaries have visited cities and villages during their trips to China, experiencing firsthand the myriad scenes of Chinese modernization. More and more leaders of foreign political parties have a common stop on their itineraries: the Museum of the Communist Party of China.
Walking through this three-dimensional magnificent epic, they gain insights into the governance experience of a century-old major party. Arriving at the exhibition area of "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust," the photo wall of General Secretary Xi Jinping together with people of all ethnic groups draws visitors to stop and gaze:
In Shibadong Village, Xiangxi, Hunan, together with villagers; at a community cultural activity room in Tangshan, Hebei, together with residents; at the Beijing Children's Palace, together with children...
Each moment freezes the arduous journeys over mountains and rivers, composing a picture of the people's leader and the masses connected heart to heart. In front of the exhibition area, eight large characters shine brightly——
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust."
(People's Daily reporters Cheng Long, Yang Qiaochu, and Wang Rong participated in the writing)
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 27) On October 27, President Xi Jinping sent a message to Lula, congratulating him on his re-election as President of the Federative Republic of Brazil.
Xi Jinping noted that President Lula has made important contributions to the development of China-Brazil relations. In recent years, President Lula and I have maintained close communication through various means, jointly leading the China-Brazil community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet to make new progress, with the global, strategic, and long-term nature of bilateral relations becoming more prominent, making them a model of solidarity and cooperation among Global South countries. I attach great importance to the development of China-Brazil relations and am willing to work with President Lula to lead the building of the China-Brazil community with a shared future to reach a new level or stage (迈上新台阶, mai shang xin tai jie - "step up, new, platform, level"), opening broader prospects for comprehensive strategic coordination between the two countries and continuously enhancing the well-being of the two peoples.
On the same day, Vice President Han Zheng sent a congratulatory message to Alckmin, who was re-elected Vice President of Brazil.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 27) On October 27, President Xi Jinping sent a message of condolence to the family of former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, expressing condolences over Fukuda's passing and extending sympathy to his family.
Xi Jinping noted that Mr. Fukuda was a Japanese politician of integrity and responsibility, and also an old friend of the Chinese people. He was deeply concerned about (心系, xin xi - "heart, concern") China-Japan friendship over the years, upheld a correct view of history, and during his tenure signed the fourth political document between China and Japan with the Chinese side, clarifying important principles for the development of bilateral relations. Mr. Fukuda also served as Chairman of the Boao Forum for Asia, playing an important role in promoting exchange and cooperation in the Asian region. The Chinese side will remember Mr. Fukuda's contributions to China-Japan relations and Asia's development. It is hoped that his family will carry forward Mr. Fukuda's unfulfilled wishes and continue to devote themselves to the cause of China-Japan friendship. It is also hoped that Japan's current leaders will cherish the painstaking efforts of the older generation of politicians, adhere to the four political documents between China and Japan, and earnestly safeguard the political foundation of bilateral relations.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 洋 孟祥夫 史一棋
Is full and rigorous self-governance of the Party far from ordinary people?
The answer lies in the scenes right around the masses: sky-high mooncakes and luxury gift boxes are hard to find anymore; clubs have transformed into affordable teahouses open to the public; at service windows, "demanding kickbacks and making things difficult" has decreased, with one-time notification and time-limited completion becoming the norm; before the bulletin board at the village entrance, villagers check the accounts item by item: "How much was spent on road repairs, who received the public welfare post subsidies—once the clear accounts are tallied, our hearts are at ease."
Every small matter connects to the people's hearts. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "All issues strongly reflected by the masses must be treated seriously and earnestly, and all acts that harm the interests of the masses must be resolutely corrected."
Since the new era, full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has continued to advance in depth and extend to the grassroots, resolutely rectifying unhealthy tendencies and deep-rooted maladies. Party conduct and government conduct have taken on a completely new look, social customs and public morals have continued to improve, and the fruits of modernization have been shared by all the people more extensively and equitably.
Recently, reporters from People's Daily went deep into the grassroots, feeling through the stories of six ordinary people that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is right by their side, and fairness and justice are right by their side.
A subsidy—
The policy benefiting the people has been implemented and delivered
A sum of money—89-year-old Shen Yeyun had waited for it for more than 10 years, and finally it arrived.
This elderly resident of Xinyuan Village, Shihudang Town, Songjiang District, Shanghai, had repeatedly asked neighbors about the subsidy and had even been upset with the village.
Rewind to 2015, when Songjiang District's grain-growing subsidy policy was implemented, and every grain-growing household in Xinyuan Village was eligible. Shen Yeyun's family was extremely joyful or delighted (喜上眉梢, xi shang mei chao - "joy, arrive, eyebrow, tip"). But after waiting and waiting, the subsidy never showed up.
Where did the money go? In 2025, the Songjiang District Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission launched a special inspection of agricultural and farmer-benefiting subsidy funds. Checking account books, visiting farming households, and verifying through multiple channels, they finally got to the bottom of the whole story or sequence of events (来龙去脉, lai long qu mai - "come, dragon, go, vein"): it turned out that at the time, Songjiang District was promoting whole-village land transfer, and the village wanted to coordinate the transfer work with subsidy distribution—those who completed the transfer received payment on time; those who had not yet transferred were asked to wait. In addition, since there was no information platform for subsidy distribution at the time, the district allocated funds to the town, and the town transferred them to the village, where everything at the village level relied on manual record-keeping and offline verification. The accounts were postponed again and again, and so it dragged on for more than 10 years.
No matter how many policies there are, if they are not implemented, they are just blank slips of paper; no matter how many supervisory measures there are, if they do not resolve the urgent difficulties and concerns of the masses, they are empty moves. The purpose of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is to give play to its leading and safeguarding role and to promote the implementation and delivery of the Party Central Committee's decisions and arrangements.
"The farmer-benefiting subsidy card was stuck at the 'last mile.' On the surface it was a matter of delayed accounts, but at the root it was that responsibilities were not firmly pressed and work style was not solid." The Songjiang District Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission made it clear that grain-growing subsidies must adhere to the principle of "district to town, town to village, village to card," unaffected by other work, and must be paid in full and on time.
Soon, more than 100,000 yuan was fully paid out, benefiting more than 30 households. Receiving the money, the elderly Shen Yeyun was overjoyed. "My heart is at ease now! That day, my father ate half a bowl more rice than usual," said his daughter Xie Wenjuan.
A small subsidy, a big matter of people's livelihood. For full and rigorous self-governance of the Party to extend to the grassroots, it must keep an eye on these matters of "should have been paid but wasn't, should have arrived but didn't," placing supervision right beside the masses so that not a single cent of farmer-benefiting funds fails to reach the people's pockets.
A checklist—
Cadres visit households more frequently
Knock, knock, knock—at 9 a.m., at the doorstep of Liao Xiying, an elderly resident of Jindu Community, Longnan City, Jiangxi Province, Chen Jinjing, secretary of the community Party committee, gently tapped on the door.
The door opened, and 86-year-old Liao Xiying came forward with a smile, still holding her blood pressure medication in her hand: "You're more punctual than an alarm clock." Chen Jinjing took the medicine box, looked at it, then bent down to glance at the rice barrel in the corner: "Is there enough rice for a few more days? I should help you buy some."
Such scenes are now common in Jindu Community. But in previous years, Chen Jinjing had plenty of complaints: "One app after another on my phone—medical insurance collection rankings, check-in records, form-filling for inspections—people were firmly nailed to their workstations."
Where did the change come from? In recent years, the spirit of the Central Committee's the Eight-Point Regulation (八项规定) has been implemented with unremitting perseverance, efforts to rectify formalism and reduce burdens at the grassroots have continued, and problems such as mountains of documents, seas of meetings, and frequent assessments have been addressed. Localities have also combined "immediate correction" with "long-term establishment," using checklists to clarify grassroots duty items.
At the beginning of this year, the "Checklist of Duty Items for Urban Community Work in Longnan City" was implemented: 392 basic items clearly state "what should be done," 97 coordination items specify "who to work with," and 166 additional tasks that the grassroots cannot handle were returned to higher-level departments. Signboards were removed, apportioned tasks were withdrawn, and powers and responsibilities became clearer.
"The checklist is not about reducing responsibility; it's about letting us direct our efforts to the right places," Chen Jinjing said. Now, Chen Jinjing leads cadres in surveying facilities and identifying needs: idle rooms have been converted into AI self-study rooms and shared fitness rooms; electric drills and ladders are stored in a "shared tools room." Some residents remark: "The community now has a 'treasure box'—how convenient!"
Even more meticulous is the "9 o'clock appointment." Every day at 9 a.m., community cadres and volunteers knock on the doors of elderly people living alone or in empty nests, taking their blood pressure, buying groceries, paying bills on their behalf, and checking gas lines. Eleven elderly people receive daily visits, and more than 1,900 visits have earned the praise: "They're more punctual than relatives."
Flipping through the community work log, there are fewer entries like "report submitted" and more like "Aunt Liao's electrical switch repaired" and "new light bulbs installed in Building 3's hallway"... "With more time for door-to-door visits, we deliver services to the very hearts of the masses, and the community has become a warm home for the people," Chen Jinjing said.
A school meal—
"Flies and ants of corruption" have been rectified
"I love braised chicken legs best!" "I like dry-pot shrimp!" At 12:30 p.m., in the cafeteria of Jinyu School in Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing, children chattered away after their meal, holding a "food tasting session."
In previous years, the situation was completely different—in the words of parents: "We didn't pay less for meals, but the kids' mouths had no flavor."
Why? It turned out that meal fees went directly into the school's account, and parents had no idea what vegetables were bought or how much was spent. Once the food entered the school gate, everything relied on handwritten bookkeeping. Cheng Jifu, head of Longtousi Primary School, said: "Handwritten records inevitably have errors and omissions, paper receipts can't be stored well or checked clearly, and how the kitchen operated depended entirely on self-discipline."
With loopholes in the accounts, there was inevitably grease on the hands. In recent years, concentrated rectification of unhealthy practices and corruption around the masses has been carried out in depth. The Liangjiang New Area Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission included school meals in the scope of rectification and investigated multiple cases: some school principals abused their authority to "give the green light" to suppliers and pocketed kickbacks; others siphoned off student meal fees to set up private "slush funds"...
The "flies and ants of corruption" in school meals erode the children's rice bowls and hurt the people's hearts. The district commission has worked on two fronts: on one hand, strictly investigating and punishing cases to form deterrence; on the other, promoting reform based on cases to tighten the cage.
The district commission actively promoted the district education bureau's development of an "AI + Smart School Meal Management" platform, putting the cafeterias of nearly 400 public schools under "cloud" supervision. Entering the smart management center of Jiangbeizui Experimental School, the big screen shows real-time footage from the kitchen: washing vegetables, cutting and preparing, cooking—every move is perfectly clear.
At 2 p.m., Huang Qiu, the school chef, sits at the computer "shopping"—checking boxes and placing orders for the next day's ingredients one by one. At 5 a.m. the next day, the supplier delivers, and the smart scale automatically identifies the items and weighs them precisely, taking a photo of both the food and the person receiving it. After the inspector reviews and signs electronically, the data is uploaded on the spot. The platform then compares the purchase order, receiving order, storage order, and invoice one by one—if the four documents don't match, even by one cent or one digit, the payment cannot go through.
"Now I feel at ease. I open my phone and watch the kitchen livestream—where the food comes from, what the quarantine certificate looks like, perfectly clear and distinct (一清二楚, yi qing er chu - "one, clear, two, clear"). The safety of what's on our children's tongues is better guaranteed," said Zhou Yunqiong, a parent of a student in Class 5, Grade 3.
A visit—
Government-business relations are closer and cleaner
Not long ago, Cai Ling, director of the Administrative Service Center and secretary of its Party branch in Zhaoqing High-tech Zone, Guangdong Province, visited Guangdong Jinghe Precision Machinery Processing Co., Ltd., learning that the company, due to business expansion, was somewhat short-handed and lacked space.
The enterprise's worries are the focal point for getting things done. The Administrative Service Center immediately coordinated with relevant departments to build recruitment channels and quickly fill the labor gap. To resolve the space shortage, Cai Ling also led a team to visit relevant departments, sorting through vacant factory buildings and connecting available resources.
As problems were resolved one by one, the company's general manager, Xiong Xumin, felt warmth in his heart: "The cadres in the high-tech zone are like family and friends." He had wanted to invite the cadres to a gathering to express his gratitude, but was politely declined. Cai Ling said: "The rules and regulations are right there—what can be done and what cannot be done are perfectly clear."
That "perfectly clear" reflects the change in work style brought about by full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. In recent years, the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Working Committee of Zhaoqing High-tech Zone has formulated codes of conduct for government-business interactions, positive and negative checklists for government-business interactions, and other rules and regulations, while also hiring supervisors of government-business relations to keep an eye on cadres' performance of duties in enterprise-related official activities such as administrative approval and administrative law enforcement.
Close but measured, clean but proactive. In recent years, the Party Working Committee of Zhaoqing High-tech Zone, Guangdong, has also implemented several measures for enterprise-related administrative inspections: promoting "one comprehensive inspection"—emergency response, fire protection, market supervision, and others come together for a single inspection; establishing a "whitelist" of non-interference to minimize disruption to enterprises' normal production and operations; and standardizing procedures by promoting electronic display of administrative law enforcement certificates—"showing the certificate means showing the code, showing the code means positioning, and positioning means supervision."
Xiong Yunliang, head of Zhongtuo Technology Company, has been in the auto parts business for many years. In the early days, he feared inspections the most. Now, "the inspections that should happen are all there, and the ones that shouldn't are none added—what a relief!" Xiong Yunliang said.
Cadres work with a clear conscience, enterprises develop with peace of mind, government-business relations are closer and cleaner, and local development vitality is stronger. According to statistics, the total number of business entities in the area grew from more than 9,300 in 2023 to nearly 13,300 by 2025.
A village account book—
The exercise of micro-power has become more standardized
In the afternoon, in front of the village affairs bulletin board of Dongbeijie Village, Jize County, Handan, Hebei Province, villager Wang Hongtai adjusted his reading glasses and slowly ran his fingertip down the public notice line by line. "It's written out perfectly clearly."
In previous years, it was hard to understand the village accounts. Either the account books were not made public, or when they were, it was like seeing flowers through fog, meaning seeing things unclearly (雾里看花, wu li kan hua - "fog, inside, look, flower"). Some villagers harbored doubts: "With so much collective money, did a few people spend it?" The seed of suspicion is often buried in "murkiness."
Putting power in the cage of institutions is an important task of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era. Since the beginning of this year, the Jize County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission, finance departments, and others have formed a special working group to carry out a major rectification of the management of rural collective "three assets" (funds, assets, and resources): going through account books that had piled up for years, taking stock of household items such as reserve land and village collective houses, and entering every village income and expenditure into the "three assets" supervision platform... The old "muddy accounts" have been sorted out one by one.
More importantly, while clearing old accounts, new rules have also been established. Jize County has sorted out and formed a checklist of micro-power items, requiring that major village-level matters strictly implement the "four deliberations and two disclosures" procedure, and turning matters such as collective asset leasing, small-scale project procurement, and public welfare post subsidies into "flowcharts": who handles it, how to handle it, what materials are needed, how long it takes to complete, and who supervises—all clear at a glance.
Now, the village affairs bulletin board has been completely transformed: every street repair expenditure and environmental sanitation fee is written out clearly. At village assembly meetings, village cadres read the accounts on the spot, the masses ask questions face to face, and any doubts are answered on the spot. "Recently the village repaired the drainage pipe network—how much the materials cost, how much the labor cost—it's all posted on the board," said Ren Shaolin, secretary of the Party branch of Dongbeijie Village, pointing at the bulletin board.
With the accounts exposed to the sunlight, people's suspicions naturally decrease, and hearts become more united.
"I used to think full and rigorous self-governance of the Party was far away from us ordinary people," Wang Hongtai said with emotion. "Actually, it's right here in these pages of village accounts. When the accounts are clear, our hearts are bright too!"
A banquet—
The clean and honest atmosphere has grown fuller
"Just 30 tables—not one table fewer!"
"At six or seven hundred yuan per table, 30 tables would cost 20,000 yuan—we can't afford that."
In Fengxiang Village, Suishui Town, Anzhou District, Mianyang, Sichuan Province, Zhang Keqin and his son Zhang Lizhi still remember, years later, the time they argued until both were red in the face over holding a banquet for the completion of their new house. In the end, the elder Zhang held more than 30 tables, and the younger Zhang was not happy at all: "The gifts we receive will have to be returned eventually."
In the past, this was nothing unusual locally. Some village cadres ate and drank extravagantly under the pretext of official activities, putting on displays of ostentation and exceeding standards, wasting resources. When villagers had weddings, funerals, house completions, or children's school admissions, they also competed with each other, with gift money rising year after year and tables multiplying.
As full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has advanced in depth, the change in Party conduct and government conduct has directly influenced the change in social customs and public morals. Localities have made good use of cultural resources, online platforms, and literary and artistic vehicles to carry out discipline and law education at different levels and by category, promoting clean culture to subtly and silently influence like fine rain (润物细无声, run wu xi wu sheng - "moisten, things, fine, without, sound") the daily lives of Party members, cadres, and the masses.
The clean and honest breeze blows across the fields. In Suishui Town, town and village cadres keep the string of discipline and rules taut, take the lead in signing commitment letters, consciously resist improper eating and drinking, practice thrift and oppose waste, and accept supervision by the masses. Villages have successively written the concepts of advocating integrity, rejecting corruption, valuing frugality, and abstaining from extravagance into their village rules and covenants, and have established red-and-white event councils one after another. Fengxiang Village has also held courtyard meetings. "Some people think we're overreaching, but more people applaud. When we encounter those who don't understand, we go to their homes to persuade them and explain the reasoning thoroughly," said Xie Chao, secretary of the village Party committee.
Happy events handled in new ways, funerals simplified, no events held without cause... The revised village rules and covenants have been posted on walls, broadcast over loudspeakers, and sent via WeChat groups, so every household knows them. When any household holds a red or white event, the red-and-white event council helps make arrangements in advance and also helps "apply the brakes": persuading them to reduce the number of tables and gift amounts, and not to hire luxury car convoys. Follow-up visits are recorded into points, which are used in evaluating civilized families and most beautiful courtyards.
When Party conduct is upright, folk customs are simple and honest. Villagers all say that when the whole family sits together for a meal, the warmth of human connection hasn't changed, but the burden of favor debts has decreased, and life gets more comfortable day by day.
The quality of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is best confirmed by the changes that the masses can feel and see around them.
As supervision sinks down and rules are established, good customs enter thousands of households bit by bit.
On the new journey, we will continue to promote full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance, adhere unwaveringly to the strict tone, strict measures, and strict atmosphere, so that the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security becomes increasingly substantial, and the hearts of the Party and the people draw closer and are bound more tightly together.
(Reporters Wang Yunna, You Yi, Zhang Tengyang, Yang Yanfei, Wang Xinyue, and Wang Yinxin of People's Daily contributed to this report)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Wang Yunshan) The reporter learned from the National Energy Administration: As of the end of September, the country's cumulative installed power generation capacity reached 4.13 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 11.2%. Among this, the cumulative installed capacity of wind and solar power generation reached 2.01 billion kilowatts. Wind power installed capacity reached 700 million kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 20.4%; solar power installed capacity reached 1.31 billion kilowatts, a year-on-year increase of 16.5%.
In the first three quarters of this year, the national wind and solar power generation reached 1,933.3 billion kilowatt-hours, an increase of 193.7 billion kilowatt-hours compared with the same period last year, and the increment in wind and solar power generation accounted for 64% of the increase in total social electricity consumption. The rapid development of new energy is playing an important role in the energy sector, and the cumulative installed capacity of wind and solar power exceeding 2 billion kilowatts provides more sufficient green power guarantees for China's economic and social development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘 烨 朱佩娴 赵帅杰
At present, on the Central Plains, in the fertile fields and vast farmlands, wheat sowing is in full swing.
Agricultural machinery moves across the Eastern Henan Plain; wheat strip seeders advance at a steady pace with even row spacing, "harvesting one plot while sowing another." Violins from Xiaowangzhuang Village, Queshan County, Zhumadian City, are sold overseas, with villagers working at their doorstep, some earning nearly 10,000 yuan a month. Dajian Village, Yuzhou City, Xuchang, has built a geological park on the basis of its coal-mining area and converted idle houses into distinctive guesthouses and agritainment venues, attracting visitors from all directions (八方来客, ba fang lai ke - "eight, directions, come, guest")...
In May 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during an inspection tour in Henan: "We must strengthen the protection and construction of cultivated land, firmly shoulder the responsibility for food security, extend the modern agricultural industry chain, drive comprehensive rural revitalization through integrated urban-rural development, and promote common prosperity between urban and rural areas."
Thoroughly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, Henan, as a major agricultural province and a major grain province, firmly shoulders the responsibility for food security, implements policies with high quality and efficiency, takes multiple measures to increase farmers' incomes, builds livable, workable, and beautiful villages in light of local conditions, and strives to write an excellent answer sheet for the new era's work on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.
Technology Empowers
Making Farming More Efficient
Producing nearly 10 percent of the nation's grain with about 6 percent of the nation's cultivated land, with total grain output remaining stable at over 130 billion jin for nine consecutive years and wheat output ranking first in the country—this is the confidence of Henan as the country's core grain production area.
Where does this confidence come from? Benefiting from the iterative upgrading of Henan's agricultural machinery and equipment, farmers have moved from "having machines available" to "having good machines to use," and agricultural machinery has shifted from small machines for "one household, one machine" to large intelligent equipment at "agricultural service centers," making farming more efficient.
During this year's autumn harvest, in the corn fields of Qianxie Village, Qingnian Town, Zhaoling District, Luohe City, combine harvesters equipped with BeiDou navigation system-assisted driving have become the "new favorites." Operators only need to set the working route, and the machine can automatically complete harvesting, turning, and grain unloading, with errors controlled at the centimeter level.
Su Wensheng, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of YTO Group Corporation, introduced that Dongfanghong tractors have already iterated and upgraded from original mechanical gear shifting and power shifting to continuously variable transmission and unmanned driving. Agricultural machinery is now commonly equipped with yield monitoring, fault warning, and remote operation and maintenance systems, with operating efficiency improved by more than 20 percent.
Statistics from the Henan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs show that during this year's "three autumns" period (autumn harvest, autumn sowing, and autumn management), the province invested more than 4 million sets of various agricultural machinery and tools, with intelligent agricultural machinery accounting for more than 15 percent for the first time; the number of corn combine harvesters reached 120,000 units, with the mechanized harvesting rate remaining stable at over 92 percent.
Behind the iterative upgrading of agricultural machinery lies a deep transformation of Henan's modern agricultural system. In Daweizhuang Village, Weizhuang Township, Huojia County, Xinxiang City, drone field patrols, IoT pest monitoring, and integrated water-fertilizer irrigation systems work in coordination. The entire chain of grain drying, storage, and processing operates efficiently.
"When corn enters the drying tower, moisture content can drop from 30 percent to 14 percent within five hours, avoiding the losses and pollution of traditional sun-drying." Wang Qing'an, station chief of the Soil and Fertilizer Station of the Huojia County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, showed his mobile app: "Crop growth, soil moisture, and machinery positions are immediately obvious at a glance (一目了然, yi mu liang ran - "one, eye, clearly, understand"), and autumn harvest and autumn sowing are seamlessly connected. What used to take half a month can now be done in three to five days."
The baling of straw from autumn grain crops such as corn and sorghum once faced problems of difficult dust removal, low efficiency, and poor fiber rubbing, resulting in bales with many impurities. Livestock enterprises that bought them often needed secondary processing and dust removal, making the bales "hard to sell and even harder to sell at a good price."
Targeting the pain points of the industry, Xinxiang Huaxi Technology Co., Ltd. developed a baler with a dual dust removal system of double-sided centrifugal fans plus negative-pressure fans, and installed advanced crushing equipment, making the straw so clean that almost no soil is visible, turning it into "golden grass" that cattle and sheep compete to eat.
As of October 27, Henan Province had completed stubble clearing on 99.17 million mu of land and land preparation on 75.96 million mu, with wheat sown on 47.55 million mu, accounting for 55.9 percent of the planned area, and a daily sowing progress of 7.31 million mu.
Industry Builds the Foundation
Making Fellow Villagers' Pockets Fuller
Entering Xiaowangzhuang Village, Zhugou Town, Queshan County, Zhumadian City, courtyard-style violin-making workshops can be seen everywhere, with the sounds of planing wood, sanding, and tuning rising and falling in succession (此起彼伏, ci qi bi fu - "this, rise, that, fall"). Piece by piece, ordinary wood is transformed by craftsmen's carving into handcrafted violins with mellow tones.
Looking across Queshan County, a complete industrial chain has been formed, from wood treatment and accessory carving to paint spraying. The county has developed 144 violin-making and supporting enterprises, employing more than 2,600 people, producing over 400,000 violins annually, with an annual output value of over 600 million yuan for the entire industrial chain.
"Our products are exported to many countries overseas. Among handcrafted violins of the same quality, the prices here are more internationally competitive." Wang Jinwu, a leader in prosperity, said. He has been deeply engaged in violin-making for more than 20 years. In the 1980s, he went to Beijing with a group of fellow villagers to learn handcrafted violin-making, and in 2015, responding to the county's call, he returned to his hometown to start a business. "My biggest wish now is to make fellow villagers' pockets fuller."
"After six years of development, our village's collective income has now reached 500,000 yuan," said Wang Changping, Party branch secretary of Ximajuhe Village, Hebi Town, Heshan District, Hebi City. But six years ago, the village's collective income was still nearly zero.
Where did the change come from? In 2020, Wang Changping responded to the policy and returned to his hometown, becoming a leader in prosperity. Relying on the local advantages of light, heat, and land resources, he led villagers to install photovoltaic panels, develop laying hen farming and fresh egg processing. The distinctive industries developed from nothing into something (从无到有, cong wu dao you - "from, nothing, to, something") and gradually grew stronger.
Washing, disinfection, shell breaking, separating egg white and yolk... Fresh eggs pass through the production line and are transformed into rich products such as egg tart liquid, egg white powder, and lysozyme. "With more than 2 million laying hens in stock and daily fresh egg output exceeding 1.5 million eggs, after deep processing, added value can increase by more than 50 percent. This has driven more than 100 villagers to find employment at their doorstep, with per capita monthly income exceeding 3,000 yuan," Wang Changping said.
In the first three quarters of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in Henan Province reached 16,258 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.4 percent, 1.7 percentage points higher than the growth rate in urban areas.
Culture Casts the Soul
Letting the Countryside Retain Nostalgia
Taking a lump of clay, rolling and kneading it in the palm, then pinching and shaping it, and opening holes—between the flying fingers, a ni gu gu quickly takes shape. In Xiyangqitun Village, Pishan Street, Xun County, Hebi City, Song Kaizhan, a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project Xun County ni gu gu, is intently making clay sculptures. On the display stand beside him are finished products of unique shapes, endearing and cute in appearance (憨态可掬, han tai ke ju - "silly, manner, can, scoop up").
"Ever since I can remember, my parents have been making ni gu gu to sell. With a hole opened at the tail, it makes a 'gu gu' sound when blown. It carries the childhood joy of a generation and was once the most popular toy among children at the market," said Song Kaizhan, who is just over 40 years old. In previous years, as trendy toys gradually entered people's daily lives, ni gu gu became increasingly neglected by the market.
"We cannot let traditional folk customs be lost in our generation!" Song Kaizhan began to actively go out to learn and tried to integrate traditional clay sculpture with contemporary trend culture. To create works themed on the Year of the Horse, he visited multiple museums to draw inspiration and produced more than 40 horse-themed ni gu gu pieces. Works such as "I Like My Horse" and "Immediate Happiness with a Horse" are lively and cute, becoming hot sellers for festivals and weddings and deeply loved by young people.
Song Kaizhan is not alone. A group of new-generation intangible cultural heritage inheritors in the village are also actively seeking change. Some delve into life scenarios and develop portable cultural and creative products such as ni gu gu refrigerator magnets, necklaces, and bag charms, allowing the ancient clay sculptures to step out of display cases and into daily life; others create trendy images such as garlic birds, milk dragons, and capybaras, and study music theory to improve the hole structure, upgrading ni gu gu into musical instruments that can play melodies, truly making the Yellow River clay "sing."
As the main production area of Xun County ni gu gu, Xiyangqitun Village has now built 36 cultural venues including the ni gu gu exhibition hall, training center, museum, and master workshops, with more than 1,000 craftsmen and artists and annual sales of over 20 million clay sculpture pieces. The local area has explored a "ni gu gu + study tours + cultural creativity + e-commerce incubation" model for linking agriculture with farmers, driving the village's annual clay sculpture output value to over 48 million yuan and increasing villagers' per capita income by more than 5,000 yuan.
On October 5, the "Regulations of Henan Province on Inheriting and Promoting the Spirit of the Red Flag Canal" was promulgated and will officially take effect on January 1, 2027. This is Henan's first provincial-level local regulation themed on the "spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists," opening a new chapter in the inheritance and promotion of the Red Flag Canal spirit.
In Muqiuquan Village, Rencun Town, Linzhou City, Anyang, the main canal of the Red Flag Canal, built more than half a century ago, flows without cease. Not far away, at the Qupan Fengwu Agricultural and Creative Center, Qin Chenkai, a "third-generation canal builder," spreads red paper flat on the table and, holding an engraving knife and scissors, creates the paper-cut work "Red Flag Canal Water Winding Around Taihang Mountain," meticulously recreating with fine knife work the scenes of Linzhou people cutting through mountains and building the canal, working side by side.
"To inherit and promote the Red Flag Canal spirit, we must continuously innovate in form so that the weighty history becomes tangible and perceptible," Qin Chenkai said. Over the years, the team has developed a series of cultural and creative products including paper-cuts, rubbings, leaf carvings, aromatherapy, and canvas bags, bringing the story of the Red Flag Canal to more audiences.
(People's Daily reporter Lu Chang participated in the reporting)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 何 聪 窦 皓
Travel-size water dispensers target the business-travel and camping market segments, while wall-mounted and built-in water purifier-dispensers are aimed at office and home-renovation scenarios... Ningbo Qixi Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Qixi"), located in Cixi City, Ningbo, Zhejiang Province, has made a great achievement or reputation (大名堂, da ming tang - "great, name, achievement") out of a small product category.
Cixi is known as the "Capital of Small Home Appliances." The core area of its modern furniture and smart home appliance industry cluster saw revenue exceed 100 billion yuan for the first time last year.
Behind each new product lies a transformation in manufacturing methods.
Walking into Qixi's digital production workshop, one sees production scheduling plans and inspection data refreshing in real time on large electronic screens; in the intelligent warehousing area, automated guided vehicles shuttle between shelves and storage locations, with materials flowing precisely according to instructions. A 300-square-meter, 18-meter-high automated warehouse "stacks" six times the storage capacity.
In 2017, Qixi's annual output value was 70 million yuan, yet due to insufficient warehousing and materials piled up in the aisles, it "dared not accept orders." The warehousing problem forced the company onto the path of digital transformation.
"Business is growing now, but there's no need to add more factory space." Qixi Chairman Fang Shuguang did the math: cumulative investment was only a few million yuan, not a single inch of land has been added in many years, output value has grown from 70 million yuan to over 400 million yuan, material turnover time has been cut from 40 days to 7 days, production efficiency has increased by more than 30%, and output per mu is close to 30 million yuan.
On the R&D front, the team uses large models to assist in circuit board design and check for program errors, improving testing efficiency by about 30%; on the after-sales front, the company has compiled over a hundred common consumer questions into a knowledge base, and the AI customer service chatbot directly resolves 80% of inquiries.
The complete-machine manufacturers are changing, and so are the supporting enterprises. In the nearby Qiaotou Town, power cords produced by Cixi Wanneng Electronics Co., Ltd. are being shipped in an unending stream or continuous supply (源源不断, yuan yuan bu duan - "source, source, not, continuous") to Qixi's workshop.
"As early as around 2010, we began our automation transformation," said Yu Chongwei, general manager of Wanneng Electronics. After six rounds of iteration, Wanneng Electronics built a digital factory for power cords: a power cord comes off the line every 3.8 seconds, staffing per line has been reduced from 6 people to 1, production efficiency has increased by 40%, and delivery cycles have been shortened by 30%; a machine vision inspection system photographs each power cord and, by comparing the image against a database, identifies defective products and ensures quality at the factory gate.
One complete-machine manufacturer and one parts supplier together demonstrate the strength of Cixi's small home appliance industry: over 2,000 complete-machine enterprises and nearly 10,000 supporting enterprises mean that all components for a small home appliance can be assembled within less than an hour.
Enterprises are transforming, and so is the government. "For SMEs undergoing transformation, the biggest shortages are talent, platforms, and channels. Cixi's solution is for the government to build the platform and share empowerment," said Xu Cong, deputy director of the Cixi Municipal Bureau of Economy and Informatization.
Cixi has issued a "menu-style" transformation list, allowing enterprises to "order dishes" and make changes accordingly; it has promoted a chief data officer system and partnered with universities to train talent for enterprises' digital transformation... Guided by the "industrial brain" and future factory construction, Cixi has cultivated more than 20 provincial-level smart factories and digital workshops in three years.
Qixi's new concept water dispenser was developed through separate efforts by Zhejiang Sci-Tech University and the College of Science & Technology, Ningbo University. "With government support and university empowerment, industry-university-research cooperation has become closer, and only then do enterprises dare to pursue cutting-edge R&D," said Fang Shuguang. "Right now there's a full spirit of daring to venture and try new things (敢闯敢试, gan chuang gan shi - "dare, venture, dare, try") and forging ahead toward innovation!"
Return to TopTheory
The Distinctive Features and Major Significance of the System for Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party in the New Era
Ninth Edition
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 谷业凯
Intellectual property is an important indicator for measuring the level of innovation-driven development. Recently, the State Council issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Intellectual Property Protection and Utilization," setting the target for high-value invention patents owned per 10,000 people at more than 22, an increase of more than 6 over the 16 at the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period. How is the significant leap in the number of high-value invention patents per 10,000 people to be achieved? Our reporter conducted interviews.
Strictly guard the "entry gate" for patents, effectively guiding innovation resources to concentrate in key fields and among key entities
Deeply engaged in the frontier field of new energy, Yang Ming, a professor at the School of Electrical Engineering of Shandong University, has not only published nearly 200 papers in high-level academic journals, but has also obtained more than 60 authorized invention patents.
Yang Ming explained that for technical mechanisms, model architecture designs, and the like that are publicly available and have industrial demonstration effects, core high-value invention patents are systematically deployed; for application layers such as product implementation, engineering adaptation, and scenario iteration, supporting peripheral patents and software copyrights are deployed in tandem, thereby building a rigorous intellectual property protection system.
At present, Shandong University has established a pre-application evaluation system for patents that focuses on industrialization prospects. "Scientific research breakthroughs answer the question of 'whether there is good technology'; the pre-application evaluation must answer the question of 'whether it is worth applying for a patent.'" Mou Chunzhu, director of the Science and Technology Innovation Achievement Transformation Center of Shandong University's Science and Technology Research Institute, said that this transforms patent creation from a "by-product" of research output into the starting point of technology transfer.
At present, the China National Intellectual Property Administration has promoted the establishment of pre-application evaluation systems for patents in more than 1,200 universities and research institutions, strictly guarding the "entry gate" for patents.
Although the number of patents in China is large, there was once a phenomenon of "valuing quantity over quality, and valuing applications over utilization." The indicator of high-value invention patents owned per 10,000 people reflects that China is placing greater emphasis on quality and value orientation in innovation, shifting from pursuing quantity to improving quality.
Liang Xinxin, director of the Strategic Planning Department of the China National Intellectual Property Administration, introduced that high-value invention patents mainly include four categories within the statistical scope: invention patents in strategic emerging industries, invention patents with counterpart patent rights overseas, invention patents maintained for more than 10 years, and invention patents that have won the National Science and Technology Award or the China Patent Award.
"By setting this indicator, innovation resources can be effectively guided to concentrate in key fields and among key entities, promoting the growth and strengthening of emerging industries and future industries." Liang Xinxin said.
Providing stronger innovation support for improving the quality and expanding the capacity of emerging industries and for the implementation and landing of future industry layouts
According to statistics, among China's high-value invention patents, more than 70 percent come from strategic emerging industries, concentrated in key fields such as artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, integrated circuits, biomedicine, and new energy.
"It is expected that during the 15th Five-Year Plan period, this proportion will be further increased, providing stronger innovation support for improving the quality and expanding the capacity of emerging industries and for the implementation and landing of future industry layouts." Liang Xinxin stated.
Hounuo Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd. has continuously strengthened the creation of high-value invention patents around computing-in-memory technology. At present, the company has applied for approximately 200 patents both domestically and overseas, forming a full-chain intellectual property protection system covering chip architecture, advanced packaging, and software tool chains.
Wu Qiang, chief executive officer of Hounuo Intelligent, stated: "We position high-value invention patents at the forefront of the technological innovation process, so that intellectual property work is truly integrated into the main line of R&D, forming a virtuous cycle of 'promoting patents through research, and nourishing research through patents.'"
Enterprises are the main body of innovation. As of the end of 2025, 280,000 enterprises in China owned 1.764 million high-value invention patents, accounting for 77 percent, becoming the "main force" in creating high-value invention patents.
"After scientific research achievements enter the industrial system in the form of intellectual property, the real feedback from enterprises in the market transforms the originally scattered and vague scientific research exploration into technological demands with clear goals and realistic constraints." Yi Jiming, a professor at Peking University Law School, believes.
In addition, as more and more enterprises "go global," the global layout of high-value invention patents has become a manifestation of shaping new competitive advantages internationally through intellectual property.
For the ship and marine equipment industry, the role of intellectual property in protecting innovation and preventing and controlling risks is prominent.
"In the field of low-temperature gas carriers, we have built a high-value patent portfolio including more than 1,000 inventions and nearly 100 PCT (Patent Cooperation Treaty) applications. The relevant ship types have cumulatively generated sales (export) revenue of 570 million yuan, with new profits exceeding 74 million yuan." Yan Yusheng, deputy director of the Intellectual Property and Achievement Management Research Center of China State Shipbuilding Corporation, cited as an example.
In the first half of this year, PCT international patent applications, Hague System international design applications, and Madrid System international trademark registrations submitted by Chinese applicants all remained firmly among the world's top ranks, with overall scale remaining stable with slight growth; China's intellectual property royalty export revenue reached 49.87 billion yuan, a substantial year-on-year increase of 44.3 percent.
Further releasing a clear policy orientation of continuously incentivizing and promoting innovation
In March this year, China Biologic Products Holdings reached a cooperation with the multinational pharmaceutical company Sanofi, exclusively licensing the global rights of a self-developed first-in-class drug to Sanofi, with a total transaction value of up to 1.53 billion US dollars, setting the highest record for out-licensing deals by Chinese pharmaceutical companies in the transplantation field.
In recent years, intellectual property authorities have vigorously promoted the acceleration of patent authorization for innovative drugs, with the core direction being to compress the review cycle, optimize the examination model, and tilt resources toward key innovative drugs. Efficient examination and strong protection not only build "firewalls" one after another for high-value patents, but also enable enterprises to unleash strong market competitiveness.
By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the average examination cycle for invention patents in China had been reduced to 15 months, reaching the fastest international level under the same system. Public satisfaction with intellectual property protection rose to 82.81 points.
On the other hand, in 2025, the transaction value of technology contracts involving patents nationwide reached 1.18 trillion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 18.8 percent. A large number of high-value patents have "come off the bookshelf and onto the shelf," being tested in practical application.
"Protecting intellectual property is protecting innovation, and among this, protecting valuable innovation is especially important. High-value invention patents cannot be viewed only from the perspective of application and authorization; the key is whether they can promote the development of new quality productive forces and achieve considerable economic value." Shan Xiaoguang, a professor at the Shanghai International College of Intellectual Property of Tongji University, believes.
In the view of the experts interviewed, in practical work, it is necessary to continuously optimize the intellectual property protection environment and accelerate the establishment of intellectual property protection systems for emerging fields; at the same time, deepen the reform of benefit distribution, strengthen policy support and market services, and enhance the efficiency of transformation and utilization.
"Since the 12th Five-Year Plan period, intellectual property indicators have been included in the national five-year plan for four consecutive times, making steady progress step by step (一步一个脚印, yi bu yi ge jiao yin - "one step, one footprint"), promoting the continuous improvement of China's innovation capacity, and making China worthy of the name (名副其实, ming fu qi shi - "name, matches, reality") of a major intellectual property country." Liang Xinxin stated, "During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, continuing to set this indicator further releases a clear policy orientation of continuously incentivizing and promoting innovation, and also injects stable expectations into the high-quality development of the economy and society."
Return to TopBy: 翟 荟
The quality of patents has a critical impact on the effectiveness of the transformation of research achievements. At the beginning of this year, the atomic quantum computing team at Tsinghua University, where I work, injected four high-value patents into Liangyi Wanxiang Technology Co., Ltd. through the transformation of scientific and technological achievements. Tsinghua University's research team is responsible for basic research, advancing all-around innovation from principles, to technologies, to algorithms; Liangyi Wanxiang is responsible for industrial implementation, committed to building a full-stack ecosystem from complete machines, to upstream and downstream products, to derivatives.
With high-value patents as the link, we have initially formed a healthy cycle (良性循环, liang xing xun huan - "good, kind, nature; good, kind, nature; circle, cycle") in which basic research empowers future industries and future industries in turn feed back into basic research, and have achieved a series of breakthroughs in a short period of time.
After the high-value patents were converted into equity, they played a driving role for Liangyi Wanxiang in technology development, talent recruitment, and financing. The company is not only an output end for achievements, but also an innovation engine that empowers scientific research, continuing to make efforts in patent layout and submitting multiple patent applications covering several key technology areas of the quantum computing industry chain.
In the synergy between basic research and future industries, the university team and the company team have become partners that are both mutually independent and equal collaborators. We hope to use high-value patents to drive high-level transformation of achievements, further open up the full-chain channel from basic research to industrial application, form a healthy cycle of "innovation—transformation—re-innovation," and enable the quantum computing industry to grow and thrive.
(The author is the head of the Department of Physics at Tsinghua University and a professor at the Yang Zhenning Advanced Research Institute; compiled and edited from an interview by Gu Yekai, People's Daily reporter)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Shi Yiqi) The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission reported on the supervision, inspection, and investigation work of the national discipline inspection and supervision organs from January to September 2026. From January to September 2026, the national discipline inspection and supervision organs received a total of 3.506 million letters and visits reporting issues, filed 800,000 cases, and disciplined 680,000 people, including 105 officials at the provincial/ministerial level or above.
The report shows that from January to September 2026, the national discipline inspection and supervision organs received a total of 3.506 million letters and visits reporting issues, of which 847,000 were reports of accusations and complaints. A total of 2.149 million leads on problems were handled. A total of 800,000 cases were filed, including 73 officials at the provincial/ministerial level or above, 4,203 officials at the department/bureau level, 34,000 officials at the county/division level, and 114,000 officials at the township/section level; 79,000 current or former village party branch secretaries and village committee directors were placed on file. A total of 680,000 people were disciplined, including 505,000 who received Party disciplinary action and 222,000 who received administrative disciplinary action; among those disciplined were 105 officials at the provincial/ministerial level or above, 3,680 officials at the department/bureau level, 28,000 officials at the county/division level, 92,000 officials at the township/section level, 89,000 ordinary cadres, and 467,000 others including rural and enterprise personnel.
The report shows that from January to September 2026, the national discipline inspection and supervision organs applied the "four forms" to criticize, educate, and handle 1.385 million person-times. Among them, the first form was applied to criticize, educate, and handle 696,000 person-times, accounting for 50.2 percent of the total; the second form was applied to handle 569,000 person-times, accounting for 41 percent; the third form was applied to handle 65,000 person-times, accounting for 4.7 percent; and the fourth form was applied to handle 56,000 person-times, accounting for 4.1 percent. At the same time, the organs persisted in investigating both those who offer bribes and those who accept them, placing 29,000 bribe-givers on file and referring 3,020 people to procuratorial organs.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Shi Yiqi) The CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission on the 27th released the summary of nationwide cases of violations of the Eight-Point Regulation (八项规定) investigated and dealt with in September this year. The bulletin showed that in September, a total of 32,940 cases of violations of the Eight-Point Regulation were investigated and dealt with nationwide, with 40,122 people subjected to criticism, education, and handling, of whom 28,461 received disciplinary or supervisory sanctions.
According to the bulletin, in September, in the areas of performing duties and responsibilities, serving economic and social development, and ecological environmental protection, a total of 14,475 cases were investigated and dealt with involving failing to perform duties properly or acting improperly (不担当、不作为、乱作为、假作为, bu dangang, bu zuo wei, luan zuo wei, jia zuo wei - "not undertake responsibility, not act, act recklessly, act falsely"), which seriously affected high-quality development, accounting for 83.7 percent of the total number of formalism and bureaucratism problems investigated and dealt with. The three types of problems investigated and dealt with — illegally giving or receiving famous and specialty products and gifts or money, illegal eating and drinking, and illegal issuance of subsidies or benefits — accounted for 63.4 percent, 18.2 percent, and 10.7 percent, respectively, of the total number of hedonism and extravagance problems investigated and dealt with that month.
The bulletin showed that in September, a total of 129 problems involving leading cadres at the prefecture and department level, 1,808 problems involving leading cadres at the county and division level, and 31,003 problems involving cadres at the township, section, and lower levels were investigated and dealt with nationwide. Among them, problems involving cadres at the township, section, and lower levels accounted for 94.1 percent of the total number of problems investigated and dealt with.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 黄 超 陈世涵 邝西曦
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust." In the answer sheet of governance in the new era, this statement is of far-reaching significance and will be forever recorded in history.
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" is the true expression of the pure heart of Chinese Communists, the sincere articulation of the original aspiration and founding mission, profoundly revealing the deep affection for the people embedded in Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, and fully reflecting that in the new era our Party adheres to the principle that the Party must supervise itself and govern itself strictly, winning the historical initiative to strengthen the Party and strengthen the country.
From the "Road to Rejuvenation" exhibition at the National Museum of China, to the site of the First National Congress of the CPC and the Red Boat on South Lake, and then to the Yan'an Revolutionary Memorial Sites, each declaration clearly points to "carrying forward the past and opening up the future, and building our Party well."
At the historic moment when the new era set sail, three important statements by General Secretary Xi Jinping hit the key points——
At the First Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee, "the people have always been the solid governing foundation of our Party";
At the meeting between the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee and Chinese and foreign journalists, "our responsibility is to work together with all Party comrades, adhere to the principle that the Party must supervise itself and govern itself strictly, and effectively solve the prominent problems existing within ourselves";
At the first group study session of the Political Bureau of the 18th CPC Central Committee, "when the Party is strong and effective, and the Party maintains flesh-and-blood ties with the people, the country will be prosperous and stable, and the people will live in happiness and well-being."
"The new journey is an expedition filled with glory and dreams, a new Long March for the Party and the people."
At the conference commemorating the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, General Secretary Xi Jinping, reflecting on the past while looking at the present (抚今追昔, fu jin zhui xi - "touch, present; pursue, past"), put forward the clear requirement of "five musts" on carrying forward the great Long March spirit and treading the new Long March well, emphasizing that "we must uphold the Party's leadership and strengthen Party building."
"Our goal is very grand, but also very simple; in the final analysis, it is to let the common people live better lives."
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" — from this one can understand the sentiment and responsibility of the leader of a major party and major country who stays true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission, and the strategic foresight of persevering with constancy (持之以恒, chi zhi yi heng - "hold, this, with, constant") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — this is my lifelong conviction"
General Secretary Xi Jinping's inspection trail since the beginning of this year has been captured by the camera in two sets of heartwarming scenes——
On the eve of the Spring Festival, at the Parents' Canteen on Xinjiekou Street in Beijing, he inspected the dishes, prices, and dining environment; during the spring semester, at the canteen of Beijing No. 4 Middle School Xiong'an Campus, he urged the school to ensure the safety and nutrition of students' meals.
"Strengthen food safety supervision and protect 'safety on the tip of the tongue.'" In October, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized this at the National Conference on Health and Wellness.
The two tables of meals for "the elderly and the young" hold ordinary food, but contain a happy life.
During the summer sowing season, he walked into the home of a villager in Dezhou, Shandong, to learn whether the Party's policies on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers (三农) had all been fully implemented; braving the scorching heat, he went deep into the homes of Shanghai residents to inspect their living conditions, saying "the Communist Party exists to serve the common people."
Two families, one in the city and one in the countryside; twice he pushed open the door and entered their homes, concerned about the warmth and cold of ten thousand households.
"Take the Party's original aspiration as our own original intention, and the Party's mission as our own life." On October 16, Qiushi magazine published an important article by General Secretary Xi Jinping titled "Advancing Full and Rigorous Self-Governance of the Party with Higher Standards and More Concrete Measures."
"What the people are worried about, I must think about; what the people are hoping for, I must act upon." Words and deeds (一言一行, yi yan yi xing - "one, word; one, action") reflect the original aspiration and founding mission that the Communist Party of China has always upheld: from Shikumen to Tiananmen, from Xingye Road to the Road to Rejuvenation, all the efforts our Party has made, all the struggles it has waged, and all the sacrifices it has made have been for the happiness of the people and the rejuvenation of the nation.
Stretching the lens of time, one can see even more the profound meaning of this important assertion. Two pieces of writing unfold the affection for the people that sprouted in contemplation and grew in practice.
One article, which Comrade Xi Jinping, then sent to the countryside in Yan'an, read repeatedly, is "Serve the People," which states: "Our contingent is entirely devoted to liberating the people and works thoroughly in the interests of the people."
One short piece, written by Comrade Xi Jinping when he was in charge of Zhejiang, "All Those Who Serve the People Will Be Embraced by the People": "The relationship between Party members and cadres and the masses is the relationship between public servants and masters. Separated from the people, we will be having nothing at all (一无所有, yi wu suo you - "one, not, possess, all") and achieving nothing (一事无成, yi shi wu cheng - "one, matter, not, succeed")."
"Whether for an individual or a political party, the most difficult thing is to remain true to the original aspiration despite having experienced many vicissitudes (历经沧桑, li jing cang sang - "experience, through, mulberry, mulberry") and to maintain one's true character despite having experienced much hardship (饱经风霜, bao jing feng shuang - "fully, experience, wind, frost")."
From secretary of the Party branch of a rural production brigade, to a local leader in charge of a region, and then to the helmsman of China in the new era, along the way, the people-centered stance has been consistent from beginning to end (一以贯之, yi yi guan zhi - "one, through, connect, through"): "The people's aspiration for a better life is our goal of struggle."
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" — the responsibility and commitment of one who holds all the people in his heart.
Dingxi in Gansu, once known as "the most bitter and barren place under heaven," the forest area of Arxan in Inner Mongolia where temperatures drop below minus 30 degrees Celsius, and the Yi ethnic village in Sichuan at an altitude of over 2,500 meters... The places General Secretary Xi Jinping visits most are the grassroots; he enters villages and households, visits the poor and asks about their hardships, saying "people of all ethnic groups, every household, are my concern."
"Is it cold at night in this season?" "How much does your blood pressure medication cost per year?" "Where do the children go to school?"... Face-to-face exchanges, heart-to-heart inquiries.
There is meticulous care in the smallest details, and also long-term planning on a grand scale. When the compilation of the 15th Five-Year Plan began, General Secretary Xi Jinping personally served as head of the drafting group for the plan proposal document. Now, opening the weighty plan outline, "Increasing efforts to safeguard and improve people's livelihood and solidly advancing common prosperity for all the people" forms a chapter of its own. Twenty-five livelihood projects cover education, medical care, social care services, and all other aspects.
"The Party's greatest political advantage is close ties with the masses, and the greatest danger after assuming power is becoming divorced from the masses. We must always place the people in the highest position in our hearts, firmly stand on the people's side, and cultivate deep affection for the people" — every word reveals Party spirit and true character.
In the battle against poverty, he conducted more than 50 research trips on poverty alleviation work and visited all 14 contiguous destitute areas; in planning reform, he presided over dozens of meetings of the Central Leading Group for Deepening Overall Reform and the Central Commission for Deepening Overall Reform, and the number of reform measures introduced after the launch of comprehensive deepening of reform is in the thousands... These points, connected into lines, outline the consistent value pursuit of the "people's servant."
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" — the spiritual realm of dedicating oneself to the Party and the country.
For Marxists, what is happiness?
Marx defined it in "Reflections of a Young Man on the Choice of a Profession": "History recognizes those who have labored for a common goal and thereby become noble as great figures; experience praises those who bring happiness to the greatest number as the happiest of people."
Transcending time and space, the value commitment is inherited in one continuous line, and the original aspiration of Chinese Communists in the new era is as firm as a rock. In the eyes of General Secretary Xi Jinping, "the greatest happiness in the world is none other than striving for the happiness of the people."
One recalls the earnest words at the centenary of the Party's founding: at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance), he encouraged young cadres to "constantly pursue the spiritual realm of 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'"; at the Great Hall of the People, he praised the recipients of the "July 1 Medal" for "interpreting the lofty sentiment of Communists of 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'," inspiring Party members and cadres to bear in mind the Party's original aspiration and founding mission...
To seek happiness for the Chinese people and rejuvenation for the Chinese nation — "if this original aspiration and mission are forgotten, the Party will change its nature and its color, and will lose the people and lose the future."
"There are both enormous advantages in accomplishing great things and building great undertakings, and special difficulties in governing the Party and the country." At the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping, from the perspective of the overall development of the Party and the country's cause, used "six hows to always" to make a profound exposition, the first being "how to always stay true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission."
The Communist Party of China is rooted in the people, its blood flows from the people, and its strength comes from the people.
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — this is my lifelong conviction" and "I will use all my energy and my entire life to repay the trust of the Party and the people." From promise to fulfillment, this is the deep confession of a Communist Party member, the unity of knowledge and action of a people's leader guiding the entire Party to share weal and woe with the people.
I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — "resolutely struggle against all factors that harm the Party's advanced nature and purity"
"Produce political achievements for the people, produce political achievements through practical work." The study and education on establishing and practicing a correct view of political achievements is being carried out in depth throughout the Party this year.
Working in the same direction, "persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" runs through the practice of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era, and is also reflected in the important nodes of governance this year:
At the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, he emphasized implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee more resolutely and forcefully, confining power to the cage of institutions more scientifically and effectively, and advancing the fight against corruption more soberly and firmly;
During the National People's Congress and the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference sessions, he pointed out that the more effective the governance of the Party is, the stronger the guarantee for economic and social development;
At the conference celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, he emphasized that to strengthen confidence and continue the struggle, we must persevere with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party;
On September 21, the meeting of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee studied major issues concerning persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party;
During local inspections, he has always paid attention to strengthening the Party's leadership and Party building...
In the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan, General Secretary Xi Jinping has repeatedly emphasized persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
Consider it from the perspective of the relationship between the Party and the people.
Only by "serving the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust, and always representing the fundamental interests of the broadest masses of the people" can one examine oneself and constantly reflect on one's own faults, and "resolutely struggle against all factors that harm the Party's advanced nature and purity."
"Public support is the greatest politics." A party without its own special interests dares to turn its blade inward and can withstand the supervision of the people.
In 1988, when Comrade Xi Jinping took up his post in Ningde, Fujian, during research many people reported that cadres had violated discipline and laws by occupying land to build private houses, which the people called "corruption at the roadside." He asked seriously: "Do the people have strong complaints?" "Is this the biggest problem affecting enthusiasm at present?" "Should we offend nearly three million people, or these two to three thousand people?" A campaign to clear up housing violations was thus launched.
Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, this extraordinary sense of mission and responsibility has continued to be demonstrated.
"If the Party is not managed well and governed strictly, and the prominent problems within the Party that the people strongly reflect upon are not solved, then our Party will sooner or later lose its governing qualification and will inevitably be eliminated by history" and "We did not weigh this lightly. But we are convinced of the Party's purpose and mission, and convinced of the people's expectations"...
Participating in the discussion of the Guangxi delegation at the 20th National Congress of the CPC, General Secretary Xi Jinping remarked with emotion: "The Party Central Committee has advanced full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with the determination of 'ten years of sharpening a sword,' and has advanced an unprecedented fight against corruption with the mission and responsibility of 'offending thousands of people rather than failing 1.4 billion.'"
This is a major struggle that cannot be lost and must not be lost; a set of figures bears witness to the determination:
On October 27, the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection and the National Supervisory Commission published the summary of cases nationwide in September this year involving violations of the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation (八项规定). This is the 157th consecutive month that monthly report data has been published;
On the same day, it reported the nationwide situation of supervision, inspection, and investigation by discipline inspection and supervision organs from January to September this year. A total of 800,000 cases were filed, including 73 cadres at the provincial and ministerial level or above, 4,203 cadres at the department and bureau level, 34,000 cadres at the county and division level, and 114,000 cadres at the township and section level; 79,000 current or former village Party branch secretaries and village committee directors were placed on file.
"Win the trust of the people with the actual results of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party." At this year's National People's Congress and Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference sessions, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed this out when participating in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation.
The credibility of a major party is built on solid results and begins with the expectations of the people.
"You are the nemesis of corrupt elements and the star of good fortune for the people of the whole country!" In December 2014, in Shiye Town, Dantu District, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, an old Party member firmly held the hand of the General Secretary. It was during this research trip to Jiangsu that the General Secretary first proposed "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party."
Persevering with constancy in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party relies on rules and also on education.
In October 2016, the Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee reviewed and approved the "Several Norms on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation" and the "Regulations on Intra-Party Supervision of the Communist Party of China." General Secretary Xi Jinping explained clearly when briefing the plenary session on the drafting of the documents:
"During the Party's mass line education and practice campaign and the special education on 'Three Stricts and Three Honests,' many comrades suggested formulating a document to strengthen and regulate political life within the Party in light of the new situation."
The thematic education on studying and implementing Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, Party discipline learning and education, and the study and education on thoroughly implementing the spirit of the Eight-Point Regulation... In all the intra-Party learning and education campaigns since the new era, efforts have been concentrated and sustained over the long term. Through one ideological baptism after another, our Party continues to answer the "cave-dwelling question" with sober historical self-awareness.
What has the revolutionary forging that tempers steel been able to win?
I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust — "only then can we make the people trust us, support us, sincerely help us correct our shortcomings, and firmly follow the Party in striving together."
General Secretary Xi Jinping profoundly pointed out: "Through the unprecedented fight against corruption and for integrity, the Party has won the historical initiative of maintaining flesh-and-blood ties with the people and winning their heartfelt support, and has won the historical initiative of high-level unity and solidarity of the whole Party, advancing at the forefront of the times, and leading the people in realizing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation."
The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee clearly designated General Secretary Xi Jinping as the core of the Party Central Committee and the core of the whole Party; the "Resolution" of the Sixth Plenary Session of the 19th CPC Central Committee clearly put forward the Two Establishments (两个确立).
This is the choice of history, the choice of the times, and the choice of the people, fully reflecting the common will of the whole Party and the common aspiration of the people of the whole country, and fundamentally ensuring that the historical trend of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation is irreversible and unstoppable.
Today, our Party is bigger, the Party's ranks are bigger, the Party's cause is bigger, the responsibilities we bear are also bigger, and the people's demands on the Party are also bigger. The development tasks during the 15th Five-Year Plan period are arduous, and the situation is severe and complex, placing new and higher demands on full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
"'Even if there are ten thousand people opposing me, I will go forward!'"
From precisely targeting and comprehensively addressing the most prominent problems that the people strongly reflect upon and that pose the greatest threat to the Party's governing foundation, every step in governing the Party and managing the Party demonstrates the firm determination of "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust."
As China's leader, "my attitude is 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'"
"We wish to learn from China's experience in governance, especially President Xi Jinping's sentiment of 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust.'" In August, during the trip to Central Asia, President Japarov of Kyrgyzstan expressed sincere admiration during his talks with President Xi Jinping.
This scene reminds people of the Apennine Peninsula in 2019.
At the Italian Chamber of Deputies, when asked by a foreign leader about his feelings upon being elected President of China, President Xi Jinping's gaze was calm yet full of strength: "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust. I am willing to achieve a state of 'selflessness' and dedicate myself to China's development."
A pure heart, putting the people first. Over the years, President Xi Jinping has often used profound language on diplomatic occasions to tell the same theme——
"As a national leader, since the people have placed me in this position, I must always put the people in the highest position in my heart, bear in mind that responsibility is heavier than Mount Tai, and always keep the safety and well-being of the people in mind";
"As China's leader, being able to serve 1.4 billion Chinese people and work with them to create a better life is both a major challenge and a major responsibility. My attitude is 'I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust'"...
Why repeatedly mention the people and feel gratitude toward the people?
Because this is a political party that has clearly written the word "people" on its banner since the day of its founding, and this is the leader of a major party and major country who has come all the way from the yellow earth, always single-mindedly serving the people.
"Deeply rooted in the people, always possessing a solid foundation" — at the conference celebrating the 105th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, General Secretary Xi Jinping distilled this as one of the Party's six outstanding qualities.
"History and the people chose the Communist Party of China, and the Communist Party of China has not failed history and the people's choice." Bearing in mind and practicing the original aspiration and founding mission is a main thread running through our Party's more than one hundred years of struggle.
As of the end of September this year, the cumulative balance of the national basic old-age insurance, unemployment insurance, and work-related injury insurance funds was 11.2 trillion yuan; it is expected that by the end of the year, more than 95 percent of community health service centers and township health centers will be able to provide pediatric diagnosis and treatment services; grain production for the whole year is expected to achieve another bumper harvest, and the Chinese people's rice bowl is held more firmly and better; the "six networks" are being woven and spread, promoting complementary advantages between the east and the west and sharing infrastructure dividends... These development achievements continuously enhance the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security.
The wheel of the times rolls forward, and the thought shines ever brighter with the passage of time.
The 105th anniversary of the founding of the Party, the 90th anniversary of the victory of the Long March, and the first year of the 15th Five-Year Plan — standing at the intersection of history, looking toward the historic achievements and historic changes of the new era, these words of General Secretary Xi Jinping are profoundly meaningful:
"Our Party has developed into the world's largest governing party with significant global influence, enjoys the heartfelt support and endorsement of the people, is the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and is fully worthy of being a great, glorious, and correct party."
History gives the answer and also enlightens the future.
In July 2021, the CPC and World Political Parties Summit was held, with the theme "Seeking Happiness for the People: The Responsibility of Political Parties."
"The Communist Party of China will adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, contemplate the profound proposition of national rejuvenation and human progress in a broad dimension of time and space, and work together with political parties of all countries to create a better future."
The people-centered development philosophy has released strong appeal and influence in the frequent interactions between China and the world.
At the 19th Summit of the Group of Twenty, President Xi Jinping shared China's practice in the battle against poverty, vividly telling of the confidence and possibilities brought by the "weak bird" flying first and flying high; at the United Nations Summit on Development, he explained that "the ultimate purpose of development is for the people"... These narrations have made Chinese wisdom deeply rooted in people's hearts.
From jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative to the four major global initiatives, from clean energy illuminating the lights of ten thousand households to poverty reduction and livelihood cooperation plans that address urgent needs... These cooperative efforts have enabled Chinese solutions to benefit the whole world.
The Chinese voice of "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust" is heard under the world's spotlight and has also resonated with the international community; "looking east" and "going to China" have become trends of the times.
This year, at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the scenes of President Xi Jinping's meetings and talks with foreign dignitaries provide a perspective for understanding China:
US President Trump, who was in China for a state visit, said: "President Xi Jinping is a great leader, and China is a great country. I have great respect for President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people."
President Boko of Botswana recalled that his visit to China began in Fujian, "which is a place where you once worked, and where you achieved remarkable accomplishments."
Faure, President of the Council of Ministers of Togo, made his first stop in Shaanxi during his visit to China, "and there I also saw a photo of you, together with the local people"...
In recent years, some foreign dignitaries have visited cities and villages during their trips to China, experiencing firsthand the myriad scenes of Chinese modernization. More and more leaders of foreign political parties have a common stop on their itineraries: the Museum of the Communist Party of China.
Walking through this three-dimensional magnificent epic, they gain insights into the governance experience of a century-old major party. Arriving at the exhibition area of "I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust," the photo wall of General Secretary Xi Jinping together with people of all ethnic groups draws visitors to stop and gaze:
In Shibadong Village, Xiangxi, Hunan, together with villagers; at a community cultural activity room in Tangshan, Hebei, together with residents; at the Beijing Children's Palace, together with children...
Each moment freezes the arduous journeys over mountains and rivers, composing a picture of the people's leader and the masses connected heart to heart. In front of the exhibition area, eight large characters shine brightly——
"I will serve the people with total devotion, living up to the people's trust."
(People's Daily reporters Cheng Long, Yang Qiaochu, and Wang Rong participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 方 圆
In the harvest season, the "Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products" brand complex in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, is bustling with activity. Blue honeysuckle berries burst open between fingertips, freshly shelled Korean pine nuts are plump and full, and monkey head mushrooms, pine mushrooms, and hairy tip mushrooms are lined up in a row. Citizens and tourists queue up to taste, ask prices, and place orders.
"The nine delicacies such as monkey head mushrooms are rare mountain treasures, while the eighteen products such as blue honeysuckle berries are popular everyday goods, together making up 27 categories." Wang Mindi, a staff member of the "Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products" brand, explained in detail, and people gathered around to enjoy the feast.
Heilongjiang has more than 700 types of forest food, and these 27 categories are representative of them. In the past, these foods were "hidden in the mountains and forests, unknown to people." "Previously, when we picked wild fruits and dug medicinal herbs, most were eaten at home or carried to the streets and markets to sell loose—they didn't fetch good prices and couldn't be sold far away," Wang Mindi said.
Establish a broad view of food, and seek food from the forests. The change began with a brand.
In 2023, Heilongjiang created the "Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products" provincial forestry public brand. How were the category lists determined? Through public voting and expert review, the nine delicacies and eighteen products were finalized one by one. How was quality ensured? The local government, together with the China National Institute of Standardization and the Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry Sciences, established 74 standards covering the entire industry chain, with full-process control from harvesting to market listing. When consumers scan a QR code with their phones, the raw material collection time, forest plot location, and testing reports are immediately obvious and clear (一目了然, yi mu liang ran - "one, eye, clearly, see").
Selection depends on strength. Through independent enterprise application, expert review, and public announcement, four batches selected 599 products from 200 enterprises.
Good mountain goods also need to be sold in a "trendy" way.
In the "Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products" brand complex, four spaces—a museum, a forest marketplace, a freshly made tea drink shop, and an online livestream room—are connected as one. In the livestream room, the camera focuses on Korean pine nuts and birch sap, and the host introduces them enthusiastically, with orders following; at the "Forest Momo" freshly made tea drink counter, birch sap replaces water, honey replaces sugar, and accompanied by original forest food products, it attracts young people to queue up and "check in"; birch sap can also be brewed into vinegar drinks, made into face masks and hydrating sprays... Old mountain goods have taken on new forms, with related topics on major new media platforms exceeding 23 million views, and more than 20 chain stores opened offline.
Sun Hui, president of the Heilongjiang Province Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products Forest Food Industry Development Promotion Association, introduced that in 2025, the enterprises selected for "Nine Delicacies and Eighteen Products" achieved revenue exceeding 8.2 billion yuan; throughout the year, 167 production-marketing connection and promotion activities were carried out.
"This public brand is closely linking ecology, industry, and income growth for forest area residents. In the future, we will launch more good products so that more people can enjoy these gifts from nature," Sun Hui said.
In the golden autumn of the Greater and Lesser Khingan Mountains, the sound of pine waves rumbles. At the treetops and under the forests, batch after batch of mountain delicacies are traversing mountains and ridges (翻山越岭, fan shan yue ling - "overturn, mountain, cross, ridge"), "rushing" toward more distant dining tables.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李心萍
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway starts from Kashgar in China's Xinjiang, passes through the Torugart Pass into Kyrgyzstan, then heads west through the Kyrgyz border city of Jalal-Abad, and finally reaches Andijan, a city in eastern Uzbekistan. As a landmark project of high-quality Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway carries the mission of enhancing regional connectivity and promoting regional prosperity and stability. "Through this railway, we will be connected with China, Central Asia, the Middle East, and even Europe," said Talant Soltobayev, Minister of Transport and Communications of Kyrgyzstan.
How does the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway proceed—
Going around the snow leopard's home
The Kyrgyzstan section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway is 304.84 kilometers in total length. The railway runs east-west, passing through the southern part of Kyrgyzstan. Along this route, the Sary-Chelek State Nature Park and various ecological and environmental protection areas are widely distributed in many places (星罗棋布, xing luo qi bu - "star, net, scattered, spread"), and the Southern Tien Shan and Fergana mountains are habitats for snow leopards.
"From the very beginning of route planning and selection, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway has upheld the concept of ecological and environmental protection. It not only goes around ecologically fragile areas such as the Sary-Chelek State Nature Park, but also stays far away from the snow leopard's home and away from bird protection sites," said Xiao Lianshan, an engineer for the Kyrgyzstan section project of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway under China Railway Design Corporation.
According to the plan, the railway will pass through Kyrgyzstan's main livestock-raising areas. The design team has reserved nearly 300 livestock passageways in the subgrade sections, each 4 meters wide and 4 meters high. Together with a total of 105 kilometers of tunnels and 15 kilometers of bridges, these facilitate the free movement of livestock and ensure that railway construction does not affect livestock production. The design team has also tried to route around villages as much as possible to avoid large-scale land acquisition and demolition. Where it is truly impossible to avoid them, bridges are used for partial crossings, and sound barriers are designed to reduce disturbance to residents during future railway operations.
What difficulties does the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway face—
Overcoming complex geological challenges such as permafrost, high ground stress, and high seismic intensity
In the Kyrgyzstan section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, the elevation descends steadily from east to west. The first 65 kilometers are in a plateau area, with the highest elevation reaching 3,580 meters.
The first challenge brought by the plateau is extreme cold—in this area, the lowest temperature can reach minus 48.1 degrees Celsius, posing a considerable challenge to concrete curing; the second challenge is permafrost—from the third kilometer to the twenty-second kilometer of this section, island-shaped permafrost is distributed.
"Whether it is extreme cold or permafrost, we have rich experience in dealing with both and sufficient technical reserves," said Xi Jihong, chief engineer of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project department under China Railway International Co., Ltd. The project team has designed riprap ventilation subgrades and block-stone air-cooled subgrades to slow permafrost degradation and ensure subgrade stability.
Starting from the sixty-sixth kilometer, the elevation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway descends below 2,000 meters, and the railway's journey through the mountains begins.
The Kyrgyzstan section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway has three extra-long tunnels of more than 10 kilometers each along its entire route, all of which face the challenge of high ground stress. High ground stress manifests in two forms: one manifests as "hard" and "dangerous"—as tunnel excavation proceeds, the energy accumulated in the mountains is suddenly released, causing rock bursts that shoot out like bullets; the other manifests as "soft" and "collapsing"—when grabbed by hand, the rock turns to powder, and when it meets water, it turns to mud. Construction of these three tunnels is currently progressing smoothly.
Along the Kyrgyzstan section of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway, there are more than 2,000 kilometers of active fault zones and seismic belts, and the route has to cross them multiple times. "When encountering active fault zones, we mostly cross them at a large angle in the form of subgrades," Xi Jihong explained. Tunnels near seismic belts are designed in a circular shape, which improves the tunnels' self-stability. Bridges located in seismic belts use new materials. Taking the Kichialyt River extra-large bridge as an example, the bridge site is located in a seismic zone, and both the steel reinforcement and concrete are specially made materials. The main span steel truss girder needs to be assembled on the bank and then sent across the river valley using a walking-type incremental launching system.
As of now, construction has started on 28 tunnels, 47 bridges, and 90 subgrade sections of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway.
How is the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway being built—
Working together like one family, extremely close and intimate
In Manas, the capital of Kyrgyzstan's Jalal-Abad Region, a railway station site is undergoing leveling operations.
"Colleagues from the three countries work together like one family, extremely close and intimate (亲密无间, qin mi wu jian - "close, intimate, no, gap")." said Nurbek Zanibekov, coordinator of the management department for Lot 11-1 of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project.
Data shows that the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway Co., Ltd. has established three specialized railway skills training bases in Kyrgyzstan, having trained more than 1,800 local employees in cumulative terms. At present, more than 2,000 Kyrgyz citizens have achieved nearby employment and stable income growth. With Chinese support, a school for cultivating railway professionals has been established in Manas, and students there also have the opportunity to pursue further studies in China.
The China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project has also driven the flourishing and vigorous development (蓬勃发展, peng bo fa zhan - "vigorous, flourishing, develop, expand") of upstream and downstream industries in Kyrgyzstan such as building materials, construction machinery, and transportation. "As of now, the project has cumulatively completed material procurement and equipment leasing of more than 12.4 billion som (approximately 950 million yuan) locally," said Wang Yongshun, deputy general manager of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project department under China Railway International Co., Ltd. Blasting consumables, fuel, and other materials have achieved 100 percent localized procurement, and the local procurement rate for core building materials such as cement has reached 60 percent.
The participating units of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway have also actively fulfilled their social responsibilities. In Morotovo Village, Atai Township, Ak-Talaa District of Kyrgyzstan, the Chinese team excavated a 3,000-meter irrigation canal and laid 3,000 meters of drinking water pipelines, delivering clean water to all 118 households and more than 400 villagers. "The local district government specially sent a letter of thanks," said Liu Dongsheng, head of the broad-gauge command department of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project under China Railway International Co., Ltd. According to statistics, since 2026, the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan Railway project has cumulatively implemented 29 "small yet beautiful" livelihood projects, with a total investment of approximately 7.23 million yuan. Among them, 19 are infrastructure construction projects, 5 are education and consulting projects, and 5 are poverty reduction and humanitarian assistance projects, covering areas such as local people's production and daily life, educational development, and livelihood security, achieving the goal of "building one project, bringing benefits to the local people (造福一方, zao fu yi fang - "create, benefit, one, direction")."
Return to TopBy: 扎法尔·纳瓦兹·贾斯帕尔
Chinese modernization has not only profoundly transformed China's own development landscape, but has also enriched the practice of humanity's exploration of the path to modernization.
Over the past decade or more, I have visited China on many occasions. From the rapidly changing and developing (日新月异, ri xin yue yi - "day, new, month, change") urban landscape to the continuously expanding opening up to the outside world, from young talents full of youthful vigor and vitality (朝气蓬勃, chao qi peng bo - "morning, energy, surging, vigorous") to vibrant scientific and technological innovation, Chinese modernization has left a deep impression on me. To understand Chinese modernization, one must not merely stop at perceiving the enormous changes taking place in China, but must also understand the development logic behind these changes, and thereby recognize the opportunities that China's development brings to the world.
In measuring a country's level of modernization, one must look not only at hard indicators such as economic aggregate and scientific and technological strength, but also at whether development achievements truly benefit the daily lives of the people. In China, the conveniences brought by modernization are within easy reach: mobile payment is universally popularized, and digital technology is deeply integrated into fields such as consumption, transportation, and public services. The crisscrossing (纵横交错, zong heng jiao cuo - "vertical, horizontal, cross, interlace") high-speed rail network has brought cities closer together, the new energy vehicle industry is developing rapidly, and more and more parks and green spaces have become an important part of the livable urban landscape. Infrastructure continues to improve, public services are convenient and accessible, the living environment is constantly optimized, and society operates efficiently and in an orderly manner... These changes together sketch a vivid picture of Chinese modernization. For the Chinese people, modernization means a tangible improvement in the quality of life.
The key to modernization lies in the people, and its foundation lies in education. I have long been committed to promoting exchanges and cooperation between Quaid-i-Azam University in Pakistan and Chinese universities, and have established cooperative relationships in various forms with Fudan University and other Chinese universities. In the course of visiting Chinese universities, I have come to know many young Chinese students. They have active minds and broad horizons, demonstrating solid learning abilities and outstanding international perspectives. China today has a large and vibrant contingent of young talent, which is inseparable from its long-standing high priority on education, scientific research, and talent cultivation. Modernization is a sustained, long-term effort of development that requires the continued struggle of generation after generation. Sustained investment in education, science and technology, and talent is precisely the important driving force behind the continuous advance of Chinese modernization.
China has always upheld the concept of openness and cooperation, sharing the fruits of development with other countries. For Pakistan, this feeling is especially real. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Pakistan and China. An important reason why the traditional friendship between the two countries has become stronger and more resilient over time (历久弥坚, li jiu mi jian - "pass, long time, even more, firm") is that both sides have always adhered to mutual respect and mutual trust and mutually beneficial and win-win (互利共赢, hu li gong ying - "mutual, benefit, together, win") cooperation, with the fruits of cooperation continuing to benefit the peoples of both countries. My hometown is located in Punjab Province, Pakistan. Every time I return from Islamabad to my hometown, I pass by an agricultural base jointly built by Pakistani and Chinese agricultural experts, where high-quality chili peppers are cultivated and grown. Such projects vividly illustrate the connotation of mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation: the agricultural base has created job opportunities for the local area and driven up farmers' incomes; its products are exported to China, meeting the consumption demand of the Chinese market. There are many such cooperation projects in Pakistan, which have long been deeply integrated into local economic and social development and the daily lives of the people. It is precisely these down-to-earth, results-oriented practical cooperation projects that have built a deep and enduring foundation of popular support for the friendship between Pakistan and China.
Chinese modernization has not only profoundly transformed China's own development landscape, but has also enriched the practice of humanity's exploration of the path to modernization. Countries around the world differ in their histories, cultures, social systems, and stages of development, and there is no single model of modernization that is applicable to all places or situations everywhere (放之四海而皆准, fang zhi si hai er jie zhun - "place, it, four, seas, and, all, conform"). China has steadily advanced its modernization drive based on its own national conditions, providing valuable experience and useful inspiration for other developing countries exploring development paths suited to their own realities. In recent years, China has successively proposed the Belt and Road Initiative, the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative, demonstrating China's profound thinking in coordinating its own development with the common development of all countries, and reflecting China's positive contribution to global governance and human progress.
Paying attention to China means paying attention to the future. The fact that Chinese modernization is driving the sustained development and progress of a major country with a population of more than 1.4 billion is in itself a major event in the world's modernization process. While achieving its own development, China has always continued to create new development opportunities for the world through mutually beneficial cooperation. As China's ironclad friend, Pakistan is willing to continue deepening all-round mutually beneficial cooperation with China, share in the development dividends brought by Chinese modernization, and ensure that the fruits of cooperation better benefit the peoples of both countries.
(The author is the President of Quaid-i-Azam University, Pakistan)
Return to TopBy: 陈道江
In November this year, the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting will be held in Shenzhen, Guangdong. This year marks the third time China has hosted APEC, and the first time in 12 years. Over the past 30-plus years, APEC members have promoted development through openness, created opportunities through innovation, and achieved win-win outcomes through cooperation, making the Asia-Pacific one of the most dynamic economic regions in the world. As important members of the Asia-Pacific family, China and Mexico have always stayed true to their original aspirations and advanced hand in hand on the path of common development, continuously contributing to the building of an Asia-Pacific community.
Connecting with each other through openness, making the Pacific a bridge linking opportunities. Throughout the course of Asia-Pacific development, openness and cooperation have brought mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, while protectionism ultimately ends up harming oneself while harming others (损人害己, sun ren hai ji - "damage others, harm self"). From China's manufacturing bases to Mexico's industrial parks, from the busy Pacific shipping routes to the trade and economic networks linking the two countries, China-Mexico cooperation vividly demonstrates the contemporary value of open development. China is Mexico's second-largest trading partner, and Mexico is China's second-largest trading partner in Latin America. In 2025, bilateral trade exceeded US$100 billion for the third consecutive year. Busy ports see cargo ships shuttling back and forth, modern factories hum with the sound of machinery, and electronic products, machinery and equipment, auto parts, and mineral products flow between the two countries. The China-Mexico industrial chain is growing ever closer, and the boom in trade and economic cooperation continues to emerge on both shores of the Pacific. The more turbulent and dangerous conditions (风高浪急, feng gao lang ji - "wind high, waves urgent") the countercurrents of unilateralism and protectionism become, the more we must uphold openness and connectivity. By linking the two countries' markets through smoother trade and sharing development opportunities through closer industrial collaboration, we can truly make the Pacific a sea of prosperity connecting China and Mexico and bridging the Asia-Pacific.
Responding to the times with innovation, letting the fruits of development better benefit the people of both countries. Innovation is an inexhaustible source of Asia-Pacific development. It is embodied not only in scientific and technological progress and industrial upgrading, but also in the continuous renewal of development concepts, cooperation models, and governance approaches. China is comprehensively advancing the building of a great country and the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization. China is accelerating the development of new quality productive forces, advancing the green and low-carbon transition, and exploring the deep integration of the digital economy with the real economy, providing new opportunities for China-Mexico cooperation. Today, Chinese-made electric buses are running on the streets of Mexico City, helping the city's public transportation undergo a green transition; Chinese new-energy vehicle technology is being combined with local Mexican production, offering new options for industrial upgrading. At the same time, through exchanges on green development concepts, exploration of digital transformation for small and medium-sized enterprises, and alignment of vocational education with industrial needs, the two countries' innovation cooperation has gained more entry points. The APEC "China Year" has made innovation one of its key themes, providing an important opportunity for China and Mexico to strengthen policy exchanges, share development experience, and explore new cooperation models. Let technological innovation invigorate industry, let conceptual innovation lead the green transition, let model innovation promote complementary strengths, let the fruits of cooperation better benefit the people of both countries, and with the vibrant vitality of multi-field innovation, push China-Mexico cooperation to a new level and inject strong momentum into Asia-Pacific shared prosperity.
Building consensus through cooperation, deepening China-Mexico friendship through exchange and mutual learning. Since its founding more than 30 years ago, APEC member economies have always been helping each other in times of need (守望相助, shou wang xiang zhu - "watch, hope, assist, help") and overcoming hard times together (共克时艰, gong ke shi jian - "together, overcome, difficult, times"), enabling the Asia-Pacific to stand proudly at the forefront of the world economy. In this process, the sense of an Asia-Pacific community has taken ever deeper root in people's hearts and has increasingly become a spiritual bond uniting member economies. China and Mexico are both ancient civilizations. China-Mexico cooperation has not only produced tangible results in trade, investment, and industry, but also warm stories in education, culture, and tourism; it is reflected not only in the mutual benefit and win-win outcomes of industrial development, but also woven into the daily lives of the two peoples. From direct China-Mexico flights to increasingly frequent trade, economic, and people-to-people exchanges; from the strong interest of the Chinese people in exploring Maya civilization to the heartfelt affection of the Mexican people for China's pandas, the two peoples have deepened their understanding through exchange and forged friendships through interaction. Though mountains and seas lie between us, our bonds of friendship connect us; though our civilizations differ, each shines in its own beauty. China-Mexico friendship is becoming more vibrant over time (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "long time, even more, new") through the connection of hearts and minds, and grows stronger through mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, pooling strength for and contributing to the building of an Asia-Pacific community.
The vast Pacific carries the shared aspiration of the Asia-Pacific peoples for a better life; the surging tide of the times stirs the mighty force of openness, inclusiveness, cooperation, and win-win outcomes; the magnificent new journey unfolds the bright prospects of common development, prosperity, and progress for the Asia-Pacific. As the host of APEC 2026, China will provide new opportunities for the development of the Asia-Pacific and the world with new achievements in Chinese modernization. China is willing to work with all Asia-Pacific parties, including Mexico, to embrace development opportunities with a more open mind, advance practical cooperation with more determined steps, and create a better future with a more spirited attitude, making new and greater contributions to Asia-Pacific prosperity and world development.
(The author is the Chinese Ambassador to Mexico)
Return to TopOn October 27 local time, the medal-awarding ceremony for China's 16th peacekeeping contingent to South Sudan (Wau) was held in a grand and solemn manner (隆重举行, long zhong ju xing - "grand, solemn, hold, conduct") at the Chinese engineer battalion area of the Wau super camp of the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), where 315 peacekeeping officers and soldiers were awarded the United Nations "Peace Honor Medal."
Text by Huang Weixin, photo by Gao Junwei
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, New Delhi, October 27) (Reporters: Chen Dongshu, Liu Jiang) From October 26 to 27, Zheng Jianbang, Vice Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee, led a delegation to attend the 12th BRICS Parliamentary Forum held in New Delhi, India, and delivered a keynote speech.
Zheng Jianbang stated that Chinese President Xi Jinping, at the 18th BRICS Summit, proposed that BRICS countries should be pioneers in promoting innovative development, pioneers in safeguarding peace and stability, pioneers in advancing mutual learning among civilizations, and pioneers in reforming and improving global governance, which defines the historical mission and points out the direction of progress for BRICS cooperation. BRICS countries have become a genuine and well-deserved (名副其实, ming fu qi shi - "name, matches, actual, reality") leading echelon of the Global South. As an important component of BRICS cooperation, BRICS parliamentary cooperation is a key force in consolidating the foundation of BRICS cooperation, enhancing institutional resilience, overcoming governance difficulties, and safeguarding a shared future. BRICS parliaments should strengthen unity and cooperation, boldly serve as pioneers of the times, and lead the international order toward a more just and reasonable direction.
During the meeting, Zheng Jianbang met separately with parliamentary leaders of India, Russia, Thailand, Uganda, Belarus, Cuba, Iran, and other countries, and exchanged views on deepening cooperation among legislative bodies.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 27) He Wei, Vice Chairperson of the NPC Standing Committee, met in Beijing on October 27 with a delegation from the Left Group of the European Parliament, led by co-chairperson Schirdewan. The two sides exchanged views on consolidating the positioning of the China-EU partnership, strengthening exchanges between legislative bodies and mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields, and promoting the sound and stable development of China-EU relations.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Accra, October 26) (Reporter Gao Jianfei) The signing ceremony for the United Nations Convention on Negotiable Cargo Documents (hereinafter referred to as the "Convention") was held on the 26th in Accra, the capital of Ghana, with 26 countries, including China and Ghana, becoming the first signatories to the Convention. The Convention will subsequently be opened for signature by all states at the United Nations Headquarters in New York.
Vice Minister of Commerce Jiang Chenghua attended the signing ceremony and signed the Convention on behalf of the Chinese government. At the signing ceremony, Jiang Chenghua said that the birth of the Convention is a landmark innovation in international commercial rules, a practical action by China and countries around the world in upholding a principle or idea (秉持, bing chi - "hold, uphold") the vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind and deeply implementing the four global initiatives, and also a vivid portrayal (生动写照, sheng dong xie zhao - "vivid, portrayal") of adhering to true multilateralism and safeguarding the international system centered on the United Nations.
He stated that China is willing to work with all States Parties to complete domestic approval procedures as soon as possible, and also looks forward to more countries joining the Convention, so that the dividends of the Convention can benefit more countries and contribute to the prosperity of global trade and the well-being of people of all countries.
Ghana's Minister of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, stated that Ghana, as one of the first signatories to the Convention, will subsequently follow up with legislation and pilot negotiable cargo documents.
Anna Joubin-Bret, Secretary of the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law, said that the Convention helps reduce uncertainty, enhance resilience, promote trade finance, support trade digitalization, and improve the efficiency of international supply chains. She expressed gratitude to the Chinese government for submitting the Convention project to the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law. "Since its adoption by the United Nations General Assembly, we have greatly benefited from China's firm support for the Convention and its efforts to promote broader understanding of the framework," she said.
Delegations from more than 60 countries and regions, totaling about 400 people, attended the signing ceremony for the Convention.
The Convention was initiated and led to conclusion by China, and was reviewed and adopted by the eightieth session of the United Nations General Assembly in December 2025. By creating "negotiable cargo documents" applicable to all modes of cross-border transport at the level of international rules, the Convention breaks down the institutional barrier that for centuries only bills of lading for maritime transport could represent title to goods.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Islamabad, October 27) (Reporter Zhao Yipu) On the evening of October 26 local time, the launch ceremony of the China-Pakistan News Corridor was held at the Pakistan-China Friendship Center in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan. Approximately 600 representatives from the governments, media, think tanks, and other sectors of China and Pakistan attended.
Pakistan's Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Attaullah Tarar, stated that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor has brought development opportunities to Pakistan, and the News Corridor builds an information bridge for cooperation between the two countries. Pakistan is willing to work with China to build and make good use of the News Corridor, showcasing to the world the vivid practice of the Pakistan-China community with a shared future.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 卞民德 徐驭尧 人民网记者 李海霞
What does a Communist Party member look like?
Only those who charge forward at critical moments and step up at times of crisis are true Communist Party members.
At the front line of rescue and disaster relief following the 7.0-magnitude earthquake in Baqing County, Nagqu City, Tibet, such Communist Party members can be seen everywhere. The average elevation here is nearly 4,800 meters, with extreme cold, oxygen deficiency, and continuous aftershocks.
The disaster situation is the command. One after another, Communist Party members acted immediately upon receiving orders (闻令而动, wen ling er dong - "hear, command, and, move"), rushing to the destination day and night (星夜奔赴, xing ye ben fu - "star, night, rush, arrive"). They safely relocated the masses, ensuring no household was missed and no person was left behind; 43 temporary Party branches were established at resettlement sites, with tents linked to households on a one-to-one basis — checking on daily life during the day and asking about warmth and well-being at night. At the tent entrances, one after another public notice board was hung up.
The Party flag was planted at the disaster relief front line at the earliest possible moment. In the local understanding, "Maru" means "a piece of red land," and today the Party flag flies over Maru Township and Gangqie Township at the epicenter.
The masses may not be able to recognize every individual, but they have remembered one of the most shining names — Communist Party member.
Figures moving against the wind in the biting cold
In the early morning in Maru Township, the temperature was minus 10 degrees Celsius. The wind was like a knife, and breath turned to frost.
After the earthquake, Communist Party member Zhaxi Dawa, captain of the Baqing County Fire Rescue Brigade, volunteered for the mission. Two vehicles and eight personnel made up the forward reconnaissance team he led. At 1:20 a.m. on October 23, they arrived in Maru Township, becoming the first professional rescue force to enter the epicenter area.
They scientifically divided into operational groups and clarified inspection routes. Houses were cracked, and dangers were everywhere. Ignoring the shaking from aftershocks, Zhaxi Dawa took the lead in entering one earthquake-damaged house after another. Elderly people living alone, families left behind, and remote households — each was checked one by one. A total of 621 residents were safely relocated.
In Yuxiu natural village, residential houses collapsed on a large scale and roads were blocked. Debris components were loose, and the risk of secondary collapse was prominent. Zhaxi Dawa and his teammates carefully searched through the rubble, itemized and registered the belongings they recovered, and returned them one by one, helping the masses recover losses of more than 40,000 yuan.
At the resettlement site, tents were densely packed and heating electricity use was frequent. On nights at minus 10 degrees Celsius, carbon monoxide poisoning was highly likely inside the sealed tents. Zhaxi Dawa led his team on tent-by-tent inspections, handling 135 hidden dangers and conducting 438 science popularization and awareness sessions.
The nights in the quake zone were bone-chillingly cold. Countless Party members like Zhaxi Dawa stood guard, allowing the masses to sleep soundly.
Liu Zuyun, the leading Party member from Sinohydro Foundation Engineering Co., Ltd., arrived in Baqing County at 4 a.m. on October 24. They stayed in container units without electricity, unable to sleep through the cold nights. By 5 p.m. on October 26, the prefabricated housing units they were responsible for in Gela Village, Gangqie Township, were all completed.
Amid the aftershocks, Yongzha, a Party member in Nagong Village, Gangqie Township, bid farewell to his wife and children and shouted loudly: "Let's first relocate the elderly living alone and the left-behind children!"
Jiaqiao Zhaba, a doctor at the Maru Township Health Center and Communist Party member, was treating four residents when the earthquake struck. He organized the evacuation, then turned back to rush medical supplies to safety. When a falling beam struck his head, he endured the pain and continued rescuing 53 residents despite his injury.
Remu, Party branch secretary of the Second Village in Maru Township, went door to door to notify residents to take shelter. Party member volunteer Qiongma Ciren rushed from Axiu Township to Maru Township to help set up tents...
Minus 10 degrees Celsius can freeze hands and feet, but it cannot stop Communist Party members from moving against the wind.
A pot of hot water that warms people's hearts
In Baqing County, the boiling point of water is only about 85 degrees Celsius. Boiling a pot of water takes much longer than on the plains. This 85 degrees became the temperature the masses needed most after the earthquake. In the extremely cold weather (天寒地冻, tian han di dong - "sky, cold, earth, frozen"), the masses had to be warmed up first.
Just as dawn was breaking, Ci Zhuoga, a Party member at the Baqing County Government Logistics Service Center, was already busy. "Hot water is what everyone needs most — it must be boiled before the masses wake up." Each barrel held 12 liters, and 50 barrels were needed a day. From early morning to late night, Ci Zhuoga barely paused.
Once the water was boiled, she brewed a cup of butter tea. "Very warm, very fragrant!" said resident Renzeng Cuomu, holding the cup, her eyes full of gratitude. "As long as everyone is warm, we don't feel cold," Ci Zhuoga said.
"Here, we don't distinguish between you and me — if there's work, we do it." Danba Lunzhu, a Party member from the Baqing County Commerce Bureau, assisted the People's Liberation Army soldiers in preparing meals, took night shifts, and vied to do the heavy and tiring work.
On the evening of October 25, Zhaxi Bayang's family, villagers from the Second Village in Maru Township, moved into prefabricated housing. The stove fire was burning vigorously and the teapot was gurgling. "The stove was issued by the government, and so were the yak dung and coal — all arranged by Party members and cadres."
In the quake zone, yak dung and coal were the most common heating fuels. Baqing Township, Axiu Township, and Benta Township were less affected by the earthquake, and Party organizations at all levels tried every possible way to solve the problem (想方设法, xiang fang she fa - "think, plan, seek, method") to procure supplies — the Baqing Township Party Committee mobilized 24 tons of coal at 4 a.m. on October 23 and sent it to the resettlement sites in two batches overnight; Dunzhu, Party branch secretary of Chayitang Village in Axiu Township, and Dajia, Party branch secretary of Duojitang Village, mobilized residents to donate more than 300 bags of yak dung; about 500 Party members, cadres, and residents in Benta Township donated 71 tons of yak dung and 25 tons of coal.
"On the night of the earthquake, I was so scared I didn't dare close my eyes all night. After moving into the resettlement site, when I was cold there was a stove and quilts, and when I was hungry there were hot meals — I feel much more at ease." The simple words of the masses voiced a shared sentiment.
The strength gathered by standing shoulder to shoulder
The disaster cracked the houses, but it could not affect the warmth of hearts pressed together. Party members and the masses in the quake zone stood shoulder to shoulder, gathering the strength to overcome the difficulties together.
In a ward at the Tibet Autonomous Region Hospital (West China Hospital of Sichuan University Tibet Hospital), an injured elderly man in his eighties held the hand of Wu Songze, a doctor in the Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine and Communist Party member, for a long time without letting go. "Thank you, doctor. Thank you, Communist Party." The elderly man knew that Wu Songze had been busy in the consultation room for a long time, carefully taking charge of his diagnosis and treatment.
Nyima Wangdui, a boy just over ten years old, came with his little friends at mealtimes carrying boxed meals on thick cardboard. "Uncles, aunties, eat!" Everyone waved for him to eat first, but he shook his head and pushed the meal boxes forward again. "You came to help us — we must be grateful."
Ten-year-old Mayang found a "new job" on the afternoon of October 27: washing and chopping vegetables in the logistics kitchen. Her good friend Wangmu came too, and the two little girls stood at the cutting board, working earnestly. Volunteer Peng Jie, who had experienced the Wenchuan earthquake, told her: "I especially understand how you feel. People from all directions provide aid during a disaster (一方有难、八方支援, yi fang you nan, ba fang zhi yuan - "one, side, has, difficulty; eight, directions, support")." Mayang took it to heart.
Gagsong Qucuo, Party branch secretary of Longqing Village in Maru Township, who was still on maternity leave, put down her infant in swaddling clothes and rushed back to the village overnight. She inspected houses, registered residents' needs, and organized a Party member volunteer service team.
Danba Jiangcun, principal of Maru Township Primary School, stood at the stairwell directing the flow when the earthquake struck. All teachers and students reached the playground safely, with no one injured.
Pubu Yangzong, a teacher at Gangqie Township Primary School, is a probationary Party member. Late at night after the earthquake, she followed the team on patrol. A herder grabbed their hands, gripping tightly, his eyes full of trust. At that moment she understood: Communist Party members are the people who can give the masses peace of mind in the dark of night.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Nagqu, October 27) (Reporter Qiongda Zhuoga) The reporter learned on the 27th from the emergency response headquarters for the 7.0-magnitude earthquake disaster in Baqing County, Tibet Autonomous Region: as of 18:00 on the 27th, Baqing County had completed emergency safety assessments of 3,313 buildings, scientifically determining building safety grades to provide technical support for the resettlement of affected residents and post-disaster recovery and reconstruction. It is understood that this assessment covers key buildings including rural housing, schools, and hospitals. Among them, the rural housing assessment covers 2,269 houses in 123 natural villages. At present, expert teams are continuing to conduct safety appraisals on 50 school buildings at two middle schools in Baqing County, and the assessment results will serve as an important basis for orderly resumption of classes at the schools.
Return to TopBy: 李海霞
In these past few days, I have watched the second village of Maru Township in Baqên County, at the epicenter of this earthquake, transform from a scene of utter ruin at the outset to rows of prefabricated houses standing today.
I still remember the first night I spent here — the wind was biting cold (寒风刺骨, han feng ci gu - "cold wind, pierce, bone"), but the roar of machinery and the bustle of activity drowned out the chill. Supplies transported from all directions, carrying the love of countless compatriots, kept arriving in the disaster zone. Soon after, prefabricated houses were set up, water, electricity, and network connections were restored, and eco-friendly toilets were installed one after another...
During my reporting, I met a little girl named Mayang. The changes of just a few short days were a miracle in Mayang's eyes. She wanted to photograph what she had seen and show it to the whole world. She asked me earnestly: "Did everyone come to help us voluntarily?" She said this answer mattered a great deal to her.
Over the following days, I asked many people on her behalf. "Of course" "I came voluntarily"... The answers from one stranger after another were similar and heartwarming. This was not only an answer for Mayang, but also a declaration from many: when disaster strikes, countless arms will come together to bear the burden.
Return to TopBy: 讲述人：国家级非遗惠民泥塑省级代表性传承人 张 凯
Whenever people ask me where I am from and what I do, I always begin with the Yellow River.
My home is in Henan Zhang Village, Huimin County, Shandong. Henan Zhang Village, as the name implies (顾名思义, gu ming si yi - "look at name, think of meaning"), is a village on the south bank of a river. This river is the Sha River, located in the old course of the Yellow River. The silt deposited by the Yellow River over thousands of years left our village a treasure—Yellow River mud.
Yellow River mud is a type of red clay, fine in texture and extremely sticky. Our local people have from generation to generation (祖祖辈辈, zu zu bei bei - "ancestor, ancestor, generation, generation") relied on this mud to make a living. "Henan Zhang, facing south, every household molds clay figurines." Huimin clay sculpture is unique in form and rich in color; people from the surrounding countryside and nearby towns (十里八乡, shi li ba xiang - "ten li, eight villages") all love it, and this craft has been passed down from one generation to the next.
My father, Zhang Bing'ao, is the twenty-first-generation inheritor of the Huimin clay sculpture craft. I learned the craft from my father from a young age. Now, my wife Zhang Huachang and I make clay sculptures together.
In spring, the Sha River enters its dry season, and the Yellow River mud emerges from the riverbed. I push a cart to the riverbank to select and dig out the mud. The mud I bring back is spread out to dry in the sun, crushed and sifted, then repeatedly mixed with water, trampled, and pounded, and left for several months to "rest." From taking and preparing the mud, to applying slip, dusting with powder, and coloring... there are more than 20 steps, and not one can be omitted—coloring the hair alone requires nine passes. If a single step is missing, the quality of the finished sculpture falls short.
My wife and I divide the work with tacit understanding. I am responsible for shaping and trimming the clay, capturing the contours and expressions of the figures; my wife excels at painting and adding the finishing touches. When making clay dolls, the hardest part is painting the eyes—whether they look lively or lifeless depends entirely on them. When I was young, I learned "opening the eyes" from my father, who always felt I was "missing something." Later, after my wife married into our family, she practiced a few times and painted them with such vividness and naturalness that this step was "contracted" to her. During the day we worked in the fields, and at night, with a lump of yellow clay and two paintbrushes, we would work late into the night.
Huimin clay sculpture carries the spirit of the Yellow River and the temperament of the people on both its banks. The sculptures are sturdy and full in form, with bold and generous lines. The "tumbler" dolls, auspicious dolls, and various opera character figures all have round faces, plump builds, and bright colors. My father said our clay sculptures must have form and also a "soul." This "soul" is the simple, honest vigor of the farmers of the yellow earth.
In recent years, fewer young people remain in the village, and some veteran craftsmen have set down their clay. I see this and feel anxious—such fine craftsmanship must not be broken off on my watch. The local government supports me in carrying out intangible cultural heritage training and promotion, and in developing the "intangible heritage +" industry. My wife and I have incorporated new rural stories and new trends into our clay sculpture creations, and our work "Auspicious Dolls" won the Folk Culture Award at the Shandong International Cultural Industry Expo.
Now, tourists and students often come to visit and experience the craft. I always tell them that Yellow River mud is a gift from the Yellow River and the homesickness passed down through the generations. We must steadfastly safeguard this folk craft nurtured by the Yellow River, let more people see it, and pass it on from generation to generation.
(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporters Li Rui and Dong Siyu)
Return to TopBy: 李 蕊
As the interview drew to a close, the mud stains between Zhang Kai's fingers had not yet been washed clean, and the colored pens on Zhang Huachang's desk were neatly arranged by color number. I felt deeply that a lump of Yellow River clay is a skill of the fingertips, strands of homesickness, and, even more, a cultural lineage that flows on.
From classical Chinese poetry and literature (诗词歌赋, shi ci ge fu - "poetry, lyrics, songs, prose"), historical legends, and intangible cultural heritage skills, to water conservancy projects, ancient architecture, and traditional villages, the cultural heritage of the Yellow River is a precious legacy left to us by our ancestors. Looking to the future, we must more meticulously excavate the cultural genes of the Yellow River, promote Yellow River culture, advance its creative transformation and innovative development, and continuously reveal new charm.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李祉瑶
We will push the focus of social governance and services downward to the grassroots level, and strengthen the allocation of service and management forces at the grassroots level.
— Excerpted from the outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan
In Baiyinchagan Community, Cuogang Town, Xin Barag Left Banner, Inner Mongolia, Uncle Zhang repeatedly expressed his gratitude to Hu Jingguang, a community police officer of the Cuogang Border Police Station under the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment: "Thanks to your help in searching for the missing cow. Otherwise, once it got dark, it would have been hard to find in the mountain gully, and I really couldn't have managed on my own!"
The grasslands of Cuogang Town are vast and herding points are scattered. A total of 876 herder households in the town make a living from livestock breeding. In late autumn, the temperature difference between day and night is large, and livestock can easily break free of fences and get lost. For elderly herders living alone like Uncle Zhang, searching for livestock on the grasslands and in gullies often leaves them feeling powerless or unable to cope (力不从心, li bu cong xin - "strength, not, follow, heart"): "The gullies are deep and the grass is thick. Every autumn evening when the livestock runs off, I worry."
On the evening of October 25, after receiving Uncle Zhang's request for help, the police quickly mobilized border guards and split into two groups. Personnel on the ground searched on foot following the hoof prints, while police drones were launched to scan and inspect from the air. More than half an hour later, they successfully helped Uncle Zhang recover the lost livestock. Previously, many herders had also reported their concerns to the community and the police station: the pastoral areas have vast grasslands, free-range livestock are prone to getting lost, and searching in gully and low-lying areas is difficult... Hu Jingguang, together with community workers, went deep into the pastoral frontline to conduct visits and recorded these difficulties one by one.
Police officers going deep into the frontline to investigate and resolve people's livelihood concerns — this is a true portrayal of the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment's promotion of the "integration of the three affairs" of party affairs, village affairs, and police affairs to precisely serve herders in its jurisdiction.
"The border pastoral areas are vast and sparsely populated. The strength of a single department is limited, and services cannot cover all the terminal points." Zhao Xinpo, political instructor of the Cuogang Border Police Station, said, "Different departments each have their own management mechanisms and operational characteristics, making direct integration at the business level quite difficult." The "integration of the three affairs" precisely uses party building as the guide to break down departmental barriers, coordinate party affairs work, village affairs management, and police governance, and form service teams composed of police officers, grassroots party members, community workers, and volunteers to serve herders' production and daily life more precisely.
In order to better realize "services following the masses," the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment has continuously promoted the upgrading of grassroots governance models: the original police service rooms and party building service points have been integrated into "integration of the three affairs" practice stations, service positions have been extended to border towns, and service content has been expanded to cover more matters. At present, Hulunbuir City has a total of 6 "integration of the three affairs" practice stations, covering 5 border banners (counties).
In Dongwuzhur Sumu, Chen Barag Banner, herder Yin Zhuang held up finely packaged dairy products and said joyfully: "My family's milk curd and milk skin now have their own brand, and are now sold nationwide through e-commerce!"
Yin Zhuang has long been engaged in making traditional dairy products, and previously her products were only sold on a small scale in the surrounding area. "With the foundation of the 'integration of the three affairs,' through the 'joint village affairs planning' mechanism, we worked together with the Gacha villagers' committee to help her secure special subsidies to upgrade her breeding facilities, build a platform connecting agricultural enterprises with production and sales, and help open up the market for her products." Bai Manda, head of the Dongwuzhur Border Police Station under the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment, said.
"Police officers serving as village cadres and members of the Gacha villagers' committee form a 'common prosperity service team,' extending the reach of services to the very terminal points of grassroots governance." Zhang Yongqiang, deputy director of the Border Management Division of the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment, introduced that the service team focuses on upgrading three types of services: delivering technology, by inviting livestock experts to explain scientific breeding techniques to herders; delivering resources, by coordinating with relevant departments to introduce 8 projects for livestock tourism and agricultural and livestock product processing; and delivering jobs, by cooperating with enterprises to carry out skills training, helping nearly 200 unemployed people achieve employment.
Today, the "integration of the three affairs" practice stations have accomplished a number of practical projects for local residents: repairing and reinforcing pastoral roads to smooth the channels for seasonal herding migration and travel; optimizing the business environment to attract livestock enterprises to settle in and drive up herders' incomes; and transforming police vehicles into mobile service stations that follow the migration routes to provide services such as document processing on behalf of residents, dispute mediation, and emergency assistance... One practice station after another continuously resolves the urgent, difficult, anxious, and expectant concerns of the masses. Since the beginning of this year, the practice stations have cumulatively mediated and resolved more than 200 disputes and conflicts and handled more than 350 matters of people's livelihood on behalf of residents.
(Li Yongjian participated in the writing and reporting)
Return to TopBy: 陈 震
"The strength of a single department is limited, and services are hard to cover every last outpost." This remark by a police officer captures the predicament facing grassroots governance in many border pastoral areas: sparsely populated areas (地广人稀, di guang ren xi - "land, vast; people, sparse"), scattered forces, and difficulty in promptly and precisely meeting the various demands of the masses.
The exploration by the Hulunbuir Border Management Detachment has responded well to this problem. Taking Party building as the guide, they coordinate Party affairs, village affairs, and police affairs, integrating multiple forces to better serve herders. From helping solitary herders recover their livestock, to broadening sales channels for dairy products, to police vehicles following the seasonal migration routes—these actions reflect behind them a shift in governance logic: no longer do the masses come knocking at the door, but services follow the masses.
Services following the masses is precisely the vivid embodiment of the local area's establishment and practice of a correct view of political achievements. When police officers' notebooks are filled with the trivial matters of daily life (家长里短, jia chang li duan - "family, long; household, short") of herders, and when the center of gravity of governance and services truly sinks down to the side of the masses, political achievements become tangible and perceptible in the daily lives of the masses. Only when the masses are in one's heart can grassroots governance innovation avoid becoming mere formality and truly benefit and serve the people.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 20) Comrade Yu Lei, former Vice Minister and Member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security, passed away in Beijing on September 17, 2026, due to illness, at the age of 97.
After Comrade Yu Lei's passing, leading comrades of the Central Committee expressed condolences in various ways and extended their sympathies to his family members.
Yu Lei was born in March 1929 in Tianjin. He joined the revolutionary work in April 1945 and joined the Communist Party of China in June of the same year. From April 1945, after receiving training, he engaged in underground Party work in Beiping. From September 1945, he successively served as Secretary of the Anti-Japanese Salvation Youth Association of the Eighth District of Changwan County, Shanxi-Chahar-Hebei Border Region, and as Clerk of the Higher Court of Chahar Province. From December 1947, he successively served as Deputy Team Leader of the Frontline Support Work Team of Zhoukoudian, Western Ping, and as Chief of the Interrogation Section of the Public Security Bureau of Luoyang City, Western Henan District of the Central Plains Liberated Area. From September 1954, he successively served as Section Chief, Deputy Director, and Director of the Research Office of the General Office of the Ministry of Public Security. From June 1966 to March 1971, he was affected during the "Cultural Revolution" and was sent down to labor at a "May 7" Cadre School in Heilongjiang. From March 1971 to May 1979, he successively served as Head of the Research Group of the General Office of the Ministry of Public Security and Head of the General Office of the Ministry of Public Security. From May 1979 to July 1983, he first served as Deputy Director of the Public Security Bureau of Liaoning Province and concurrently as Director of the Office of the Provincial Party Committee's Political and Legal Leading Group, and later worked at the Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission. From July 1983 to March 1993, he served as Vice Minister and Member of the Party Committee of the Ministry of Public Security. He retired in December 1999.
Yu Lei was a member of the Seventh National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and a member of the Standing Committee and Deputy Director of the Legal Affairs Committee of the Eighth National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Beijing, October 20) Comrade Zhang Qiong, former Deputy Director and member of the Party Leadership Group of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office, passed away in Beijing on September 24, 2026, at the age of 76.
After Comrade Zhang Qiong's passing, relevant leading comrades of the Central Committee expressed their condolences in various ways and extended their sympathies to his family members.
Zhang Qiong, formerly known by the alias Zhang Zhiyuan, was born in October 1949 in Guzhen, Anhui Province. He began working in December 1970 and joined the Communist Party of China in December 1974. From 1970 to 1978, he successively served as a teacher at Yuhong Primary School in Renqiao Commune, Guzhen County, Anhui Province; as secretary and deputy section chief of the Secretariat Section of the Guzhen County Party Committee Office; and as a teacher at the Guzhen County Party Committee Party School. From 1982 to 1988, he successively served as a cadre, clerk, and deputy director of the Second Procuratorial Department of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. From 1988 to 1990, he successively served as Director of the Discipline Inspection Procuratorial Department of the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and as a member of the Procuratorial Committee and Director of the Discipline Inspection Procuratorial Department. From 1990 to 1995, he served as a member of the Party Leadership Group, a member of the Procuratorial Committee, and Director of the General Office of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. From 1995 to 2003, he served as Deputy Procurator-General, member of the Party Leadership Group, and member of the Procuratorial Committee of the Supreme People's Procuratorate. From 2003 to 2009, he served as Deputy Director and member of the Party Leadership Group of the State Council Legislative Affairs Office.
Zhang Qiong was a delegate to the 15th and 16th National Congresses of the Communist Party of China, a member of the 11th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, and Deputy Director of its Committee on Social and Legal Affairs. He once served as a member of the Expert Advisory Group of the State Council Anti-Monopoly Commission.
Return to TopBy: 邹 翔
When Party organizations at every level are sound and strong, and every Party member's role is fully brought into play, the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security will have a solid foundation to rely on.
During this year's National Day holiday, the Pinglu Canal saw a "double harvest" in both cargo and passenger traffic. This century-spanning canal, which originated from the vision in Dr. Sun Yat-sen's The International Development of China, took only four years from breaking ground to completion and opening to navigation.
Behind the astonishing "Pinglu speed," one question is worth asking: With 105 participating construction units and more than 20,000 builders, what enabled them to unite individual efforts into a single powerful force (攥指成拳, zuan zhi cheng quan - "clench fingers, form a fist") and concentrate their strength on tackling hard problems?
The answer lies in an "organizational chain."
Across project sections, construction teams, and frontline work sites, 40 Party branches were established with full coverage; more than 110 "Party member commando teams" and "youth commando teams" charged ahead; a Party-building brand of "Pinglu Canal Battle Team · Pioneers of the Canal" was created, with Party-building tasks and engineering tasks deployed simultaneously, organizational development and project construction advanced in tandem, and Party-building assessments and engineering evaluations implemented in parallel... A "canal battle team" writing a chapter of struggle is a vivid footnote to how full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era has forged an organizational system that is connected from top to bottom and effective in execution.
Looking across today's China, from the front lines of major engineering projects to science and technology innovation laboratories, from industrial parks to the vast countryside, the Party's political advantages and organizational advantages are continuously being transformed into governance effectiveness and development momentum.
Upholding the improvement of an organizational system that is connected from top to bottom and effective in execution is one of the Fourteen Commitments of Xi Jinping's Party-building thought, and it is also where the Party's strengths and power lie. Studying Volume I and Volume II of the Selected Works of Xi Jinping on Party Building, one can strongly feel that General Secretary Xi Jinping has always attached great importance to the Party's organizational development, profoundly elucidated the Party's organizational line for the new era, and put forward clear requirements for strengthening the building of the Party's organizational system.
The key to tightening the Party's organizational system is upholding the authority of the Party Central Committee and its centralized, unified leadership, and the fundamental requirement lies in achieving the Two Upholds (两个维护). A major aspect of the historic and pioneering achievements of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era is the continuous weaving and strengthening of the Party's organizational system, which has reversed the weakening of the Party's leadership and the deficiencies in Party building that existed in some localities and departments, and has enabled the Party's leadership to be comprehensively strengthened.
Organizational advantage is a magic weapon for victory, and it is also a combat effectiveness that can be seen and a productive force that can be felt.
In August this year, the Zhuque-3 achieved China's first land recovery of the first stage of an orbital launch vehicle. From the very start of the project, the company brought together personnel from the entire chain and established a Party member commando team, with design, manufacturing, testing, launch, and other links seamlessly connected (无缝衔接, wu feng xian jie - "no seam, connect") and operating in joint combat — only then did they crack this hard nut and create a new breakthrough.
As of the end of 2025, the total number of Party members of the Communist Party of China was 101.286 million, and the number of primary-level Party organizations was 5.431 million. By implementing the requirements of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party unswervingly and thoroughly (不折不扣, bu zhe bu kou - "not fold, not deduct") in every Party organization and every Party member, and by transforming the scale advantage of a major party into a quality advantage and political advantage, we can gather the powerful strength to overcome all difficulties and obstacles.
"Connected from top to bottom, effective in execution" — the people feel this most keenly in their daily lives.
In Beijing, "immediate response to complaints" has become integrated into residents' daily life: when a streetlight at the doorstep goes out or parking order in a hutong becomes chaotic, one phone call or one message quickly brings staff to call back and coordinate.
Behind this efficiency is the continued deepening of the reform of immediate response to complaints led by Party building — with the municipal party committee coordinating overall, and the three-tier Party-building work coordination committees at the district, street (township), and community (village) levels working in tandem, forming a dense "livelihood response network." As of now, Beijing's 12345 hotline has handled approximately 200 million requests from citizens and enterprises, with resolution rates and satisfaction rates both exceeding 97 percent.
From this, one can better appreciate the distinctive achievements of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in strengthening the foundation and consolidating the basis (强基固本, qiang ji gu ben - "strengthen foundation, consolidate roots"): when Party organizations at every level are sound and strong, and every Party member's role is fully brought into play, the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security will have a solid foundation to rely on.
José Luis Centella, chairman of the Communist Party of Spain, believes that an important reason why the Communist Party of China has always maintained vigorous vitality lies in its insistence on advancing with the times (与时俱进, yu shi ju jin - "with time, together, advance") and continuously strengthening Party building.
From "building Party branches on projects" to strengthening Party building in the "three new" sectors, wherever Party work advances, Party organizations extend their coverage; the "nerve endings" of Party organizations continue to reach further, and leadership, organizational capacity, and execution capacity continue to improve.
During research and interviews in Heilongjiang, I repeatedly saw the slogan "Standing in the far north, hearts toward the Party Central Committee," and felt that every Party member has become a bright red flag, and every primary-level Party branch has become a strong fortress for stabilizing the border, revitalizing the border areas, and advancing reform and development.
Turning one "impossible" after another into "certainly possible," and writing the "Chinese-style romance" of delivering on every promise — the code is contained within.
By persistently advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, building the Party to be even stronger and more capable, and enabling the Party's leadership to operate "like the body directing the arms, and the arms directing the fingers," even greater new miracles await our creation.
Return to TopBy: 陈 凌
Not long ago, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces," putting forward 19 major development and reform tasks. This edition launches a series of commentaries from today, inviting our readers to think together about how to identify the right focal points for developing new quality productive forces.
— Editor
In developing new quality productive forces, how can one break free from the trap of homogeneous competition and build one's own unique competitiveness?
The development of Huainan, Anhui, offers us a perspective for observation. When Hefei built up its industrial advantages in the field of complete new-energy vehicle manufacturing, Huainan did not choose to engage in "involution" but instead pursued differentiated development, focusing on areas such as components and special-purpose vehicle manufacturing. From 2023 to 2025, the average annual growth rate of the output value of Huainan's automobile industry above designated size reached 67.5 percent.
Thinking determines the way forward. The track for developing new quality productive forces is wide enough to accommodate the common progress of all regions; the key lies in having the courage to break inertial thinking and the wisdom to act in light of local conditions.
Not long ago, when General Secretary Xi Jinping inspected Ulanqab in Inner Mongolia, he pointed out: "What I worry about most is still disorderly development — rushing into things all at once, and finally scattering in a rush, which would dampen enthusiasm even more. There is also the problem of 'involution' — blind competition, developing without regard for one's own conditions."
The "Opinions on Developing New Quality Productive Forces" issued by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the State Council clearly requires: "Adhere to acting in light of local conditions, strengthen classified guidance, and coordinate key areas as a whole."
Cultivating new quality productive forces has no standard answer or fixed model. Avoiding rushing headlong into something without planning (一哄而上, yi hong er shang - "one, rush up, together") and blindly following trends depends on thinking. With good thinking, there will be good ways forward.
Where does good thinking come from?
In grasping the relationship between one region and the overall situation, one must find the right positioning. The cultivation of new quality productive forces cannot rely on "copy-and-paste" imitation; rather, it requires standing on what the overall situation needs, combining it with what one region can do, and achieving tailoring methods to suit specific circumstances (量体裁衣, liang ti cai yi - "measure, body; cut, clothes").
Danleng, a small city in southwest Sichuan, is accelerating its advance on the photovoltaic track. "Looking at Danleng from outside Danleng," the locality stands from the perspective of the "Chengdu-Meishan-Leshan-Yibin photovoltaic industry corridor," thinking about what cost pain points and missing links remain in the industrial chain, and has found the precise positioning of an "industry gap-filler." From January to November 2025, Danleng had 23 new-energy and new-material enterprises above designated size, achieving an output value of 3.38 billion yuan.
"Involution" offers no way out. Rather than blindly following trends, it is better to plan precisely, implement policies precisely, and exert efforts precisely. Breaking the mindset of "whatever lands in the basket counts as vegetables" and being good at finding one's positioning in the overall situation are the prerequisites for building up industrial development advantages.
In coordinating strengths and weaknesses, one can find distinctive features. Some may think that developing new quality productive forces is a matter for regions rich in scientific and technological resources and has nothing to do with other regions. In fact, leading regions have the advantages of being first movers, and lagging regions can equally carve out a new world of their own; the key is to find distinctive features.
Situated inland, how can one develop new quality productive forces? On the Gobi Desert, data centers have risen one after another. Many places in the northwest, relying on their advantages in wind and solar resources, are developing the new business form of "green electricity plus computing power," turning "watts" into "bits."
How can traditional agriculture move toward the "new"? In the practice of plateau-featured agriculture in Yunnan, data and algorithms have become new agricultural inputs. How much water, how much light, and how much fertilizer a cherry tomato needs for growth can all be managed with digital precision through big data and artificial intelligence technologies.
Distinctive features are potential and competitiveness. Seeing where one's own strengths and weaknesses lie, and where others' do, and playing to one's strengths and avoiding one's weaknesses (扬长避短, yang chang bi duan - "raise, long; avoid, short"), lagging regions and traditional industries can equally explore unique development paths that others do not have.
In balancing competition and cooperation, one can find opportunities. A region developing new quality productive forces never means acting alone without cooperation (单打独斗, dan da du dou - "single, strike; single, fight"); coordinated linkage and cluster efforts can instead yield an effect of "1 plus 1 greater than 2."
Harbin in Heilongjiang and Shenzhen in Guangdong — two cities spanning 2,800 kilometers — have joined hands in innovation, jointly activating a "rich mine" of science and technology. As the vehicle for this partnership, the Shenzhen-Harbin Industrial Park, located in Harbin, has systematically transplanted Shenzhen's mature industrial logic and advanced service concepts, deeply activating the scientific and technological resources of universities such as Harbin Institute of Technology and Harbin Engineering University, allowing innovation vitality to burst forth continuously. As of the end of 2025, the occupancy rate of enterprises in Phase I of the Shenzhen-Harbin Industrial Park, which has been put into operation, exceeded 90 percent, with cumulative revenue exceeding 17 billion yuan.
Using others' experience or successes as a reference for one's own improvement (他山之石，可以攻玉, ta shan zhi shi, ke yi gong yu - "other, mountain, of, stone; can, attack, jade"). The other can be both a region's competitor and a partner in development. Stepping outside conventional perspectives, viewing the relationship between one region and others with a mindset of coordination, finding growth points for cooperation, drawing on others' strengths to make up for one's own weaknesses — this can open up a new world of development.
Developing new quality productive forces has no unified standard answer and no model that is applicable universally in all circumstances (放之四海而皆准, fang zhi si hai er jie zhun - "place, four, seas, and, all, are, standard"). The broader one's thinking, the wider one's paths forward.
Return to TopBy: 程 诚
[Profile] The Tomb Keeper Gu Changxin
[Story] Gu Changxin, the 49th-generation tomb keeper of Li Bai's tomb in Dangtu, Anhui, took up the family's baton of tomb keeping at age 18 and has kept at it for 41 years. From sweeping the grounds and wiping the stele to studying Li Bai and explaining his poetry to visitors, he has treated "tomb keeping" as a career. Not long ago, Gu Changxin was named to the "Model of Integrity" list jointly released by the Publicity Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the National Development and Reform Commission. Time bears witness: a promise spanning a thousand years, carried forward and fulfilled by generation after generation.
[Commentary]
In his later years, Li Bai lived in Dangtu, where, according to legend, he formed a close friendship with Gu Changxin's ancestor Gu Lanxin. Li Bai wished to be buried after death at Mount Daqing, as a neighbor to the Southern Dynasties' refined scholar Xie Tiao, and Gu Lanxin agreed, instructing his descendants to guard the tomb for generations. By the time it reached Gu Changxin, it was already the 49th generation.
When he first entered the cemetery, Gu Changxin knew little beyond sweeping the grounds, weeding, and wiping the stele. The first time he gave a guided explanation to Chinese and foreign guests, he was so nervous he could barely string together a few sentences. From then on, he started by learning pinyin and standard Mandarin, memorized poems and couplets, then pored over the family genealogy and county gazetteers, making up for gaps bit by bit and mulling things over again and again. Today, he can explain some 400 of Li Bai's poems and has also participated in writing several research works. The breadth of this undertaking has surely exceeded anything Gu Changxin could have imagined when he took over the role.
When one does a single thing seriously for a long time, it often gives rise to meanings one never envisioned at the outset. Actor You Benchang only became known to audiences nationwide in his 50s for "The Mad Monk." Before that, he had played many unremarkable minor roles. He said, "I put real effort into my walk-on parts." Sweeping tombs and playing walk-on roles — these are all unremarkable jobs. Yet after decades of devoted study, small things acquire weight, and modest words carry great significance. Many great things are not great because they were great at the start, but become great through long-term, serious persistence.
Information updates are measured in seconds, and hot topics are vanishing in a flash (转瞬即逝, zhuan shun ji shi - "turn, instant, immediately, pass")... Nowadays, people are increasingly accustomed to instant feedback, but not everything must submit to the timetable of "immediate results." There are always undertakings that require taking a longer view. In the 1990s, when Pan Jianwei was pursuing his doctorate in Austria, the experiment he conducted merely transmitted the quantum state of a single photon over a few meters; after many years, the "Mozi" satellite achieved quantum communication at the thousand-kilometer level; today, China has built an operational quantum-secure communication backbone network exceeding 12,000 kilometers in total length. Only with patient cultivation is there harvest — this too is the meaning of choosing one thing and devoting a lifetime to it.
This holds for individual development, and even more so for public undertakings. When the Pinglu Canal opened to navigation, an engineer who had participated in the canal's survey in the 1960s shared his experience on social media. From technicians conducting surveys on foot with crude equipment, to the project being shelved after deliberation, to its construction and opening once conditions matured, over half a century and several generations of relay, Guangxi's status of "facing the sea but not connected to rivers or the ocean" became history, and the pattern of China's inland waterway network was rewritten. "A canal needs time to prove its own value" and "This is a matter for a thousand generations"... The power of persistence and patience is contained within.
"Our understanding of time is not measured in decades or centuries, but in centuries and millennia." Ecological restoration takes time, nurturing talent takes time, cultural inheritance takes time... Many tasks of laying groundwork and building foundations will not be sown today and bear fruit tomorrow. Not insisting on taking personal credit for success (功成不必在我, gong cheng bu bi zai wo - "achievement, succeed, not, must, be, at, me"), not losing direction because of immediate temptations, not giving up lightly because of temporary hardship, recognizing what is worth doing and continuing to act, making steady, incremental progress every day (日拱一卒, ri gong yi zu - "day, advance, one, pawn"), and accepting the test of time — in the end, one can achieve the extraordinary.
Time carries away the clamor, but it also leaves an echo for those who are earnest.
Return to TopChina is the world's largest energy producer and consumer, and its clean energy industries such as wind power, photovoltaics, and nuclear energy rank among the world's foremost. Adhering to standards-led development, China has approved and released more than 600 national standards for clean energy, more than 1,300 group standards, and 345 foreign-language editions of national standards, contributing to safeguarding the safe and orderly development of the energy industry and promoting the global green transition.
This is aptly captured in verse:
Rows of photovoltaic panels stand tall toward the clear sun,
Long winds cross the ridges as turbine blades race.
Standards escort the path, steadying the way forward,
The transition to green is precisely the moment at hand.
Xu Zhiwen
Return to TopBy: 常言道
Recently, two incidents have drawn public attention: a woman made a speakerphone call for a full hour on a high-speed train, and when confronted, retorted, "What business is it of yours?"; a man did pull-ups on a horizontal beam of the thousand-year-old Hanging Temple in Mount Heng, an ancient structure, and was placed under investigation by police.
The former disturbed the peace of the train carriage, the latter damaged the safety of cultural relics. Both point to the same proposition: when personal desires cross the boundary of public interests, the bottom line of civility is challenged.
Some scholars studying traditional rural society have found that people's sense of morality and responsibility tends to be stronger in the private sphere, yet gradually thins out as they move toward the "public" domain. That seemingly acting with self-righteous confidence (理直气壮, li zhi qi zang - "reason, direct; breath, vigorous") retort in the high-speed train carriage, and that behavior of acting purely on one's own whims (随心所欲, sui xin suo yu - "follow, heart, what, desires") on the ancient structure's beam, are to some extent precisely the manifestation of this psychology of failing to distinguish between public and private interests (公私不分, gong si bu fen - "public, private, not, distinguish") in modern public space. When the willfulness of the "private" is infinitely magnified and the boundary of the "public" is blurred and dissolved, placing "what I want" above "everyone" becomes a latent habit.
Placing personal desires above public interests not only triggers conflicts and causes harm, but also erodes the foundation of trust in shared life.
Some time ago, an entertainer "occupied a seat in a high-speed train carriage," and the assistant instead asked the person whose seat was taken to "make do"; the 12345 hotline in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, was "overwhelmed" by 48,000 complaints initiated by fan groups. These phenomena remind us: with the rapid economic and social development, the corresponding public awareness and rule literacy still need to "make up for missed lessons."
This is not harsh criticism, but a cultural-psychological hurdle that must be crossed. The degree of civilization of a society is ultimately reflected in whether individuals, after leaving the private sphere, can maintain reverence and respect for others and for public rules.
Of course, the improvement of civic literacy and the clarification of the public-private boundary cannot rely solely on moral self-discipline; they also require clear rule guidance and institutional norms.
In the past, behaviors such as walking dogs without leashes and throwing objects from heights repeatedly occurred. It was precisely through legislation clarifying responsibility, law enforcement forming deterrence, and publicity building consensus that "leashing one's dog" and "refusing to throw objects" gradually became common consensus and habit.
For disorderly behavior in public life, we should not only patiently counsel and kindly remind, but also promptly establish rules and clarify boundaries. When the boundary between "what is permissible" and "what is impermissible" is clear, individual freedom can be fully exercised without harming public interests, and public civility can have a solid guarantee.
From a broader perspective, strengthening civic moral development and promoting the coordination of material civilization and spiritual civilization have always been an inherent requirement of Chinese modernization.
Over the years, the level of civility across society has steadily improved. But we must also soberly recognize that the cultivation of civility is not something achieved overnight (非一日之功, fei yi ri zhi gong - "not, one, day, of, achievement"); it requires the state to continuously improve governance, society to actively coordinate and advance, and, more importantly, every citizen to practice it earnestly in daily words and deeds. When everyone can uphold the distinction between public and private in the smallest details and always harbor a sense of reverence, those conflicts that make people frown will become fewer, and the space for mutual kindness will become greater.
Modernization is not only a grand blueprint for development, but is also embodied in the warmth and texture of countless ordinary people's daily lives. May we work together to cultivate modern civic literacy as the times advance, and jointly build a better home through mutual respect.
(Excerpted from the "People's Commentary" WeChat public account)
Return to TopBy: 马佳伟
In the past two years, students have often asked me: when an ordinary person can use AI (artificial intelligence) to generate an "oil painting" in a short time, what is the value of studying fine art? Now that everyone is used to images on screens, will people still walk into art museums?
This is the anxiety in the hearts of art lovers, and it is also a question that the era has thrown to the art world. It cannot be avoided; it must be answered.
As an art educator and creator, I too often ponder this. This summer, when I held a solo exhibition in Ningbo, Zhejiang, I moved my easel into the exhibition hall and created works on the spot, right beside my pieces. I sketched the space of the exhibition hall and also re-presented my old works on canvas. Many viewers agreed in spirit without prior communication (不约而同, bu yue er tong - "not, agree, together") in exclaiming, "So this is how a painting is made," and some children crouched before the palette, concentrating with total attention (全神贯注, quan shen guan zhu - "entire, spirit, concentrate, focus") as they observed different pigments blending into new colors. The creator observes life and also becomes the object of observation; what people see is not just the picture, but also each other's ways of seeing. At this moment, the exhibition is no longer "I display, you view," but becomes "we meet." From this comes the reflection that art is not about reproducing what people have already seen, but about "seeing" more beauty and meaning at the point where gazes meet, through creation.
AI finds it difficult to truly "see." It can generate images in an instant, imitate styles, and collage visual effects, but it cannot understand why a painter repeatedly applies dozens of layers of pigment to the same spot; it cannot see through how the traces of hesitation, correction, and reworking endow a work with warmth; and it is even less able to reproduce the gaze and expression that a living person completes in real space, drawing on their own experience and aesthetic sensibility. Algorithms can push content that "you might like," but they cannot create the moment when two strangers encounter each other through the same work. Technology is far from omnipotent; its countless moments of being at one's wits' end (束手无策, shu shou wu ce - "bind, hands, no, way") are precisely the unique value of art created by people.
Of course, embracing the era does not mean rejecting new technology. Under the wave of digital intelligence, more and more ordinary people are picking up the "brush of creation," making originally silent life experiences vividly visible. Many professional creators, through online platforms, introduce professional knowledge and share their understanding of beauty, making seemingly "aloof" art approachable and relatable. Mass creators and professional artists mirror and nourish each other, jointly building a new literary and artistic scene and enriching the spiritual soil of new mass literature and art.
The way of "seeing" art is being renewed, and the boundaries of artistic creation are also expanding. Many artists are exploring entirely new dimensions of viewing through professional practice. When audiences enter the art museum, exchange feelings on site, and share their emotions online, they shift from passive viewing to active participation. What people see is no longer a finished product separated by a frame, but how a picture slowly grows from a blank surface; they see the long, possibly flawed creative process; they see hesitation, covering, revision, and starting over — those details of life hidden within the painting yet shared with the experience of the general public... The emotional resonance triggered by each of these acts of "seeing" gives artistic creation a more moving significance.
At present, art creators and art museums are transforming from one-way enlighteners into conveners of public space. An exhibition is not merely a display of works, but a field where perception occurs. Audiences are no longer just passersby checking in, but can become thinkers, interlocutors, and co-builders. The true value of fine art is not to polish works to perfection, but to awaken people's ability to examine life.
The 2026 Wuhan Biennale is a vivid example. It breaks the boundaries of venues, extending the exhibition into the shopping malls, streets, and everyday spaces of the riverside city. Exhibiting across the entire city lets art step out of the gallery and fill every corner of the city like air. As citizens stroll and relax, they can encounter works by chance. When "collection pieces" enter ordinary lanes and alleys, and when public life becomes a new field of creation, art gains greater popularity and more enduring vitality.
Technology can revolutionize the way images are produced, but it cannot replace people's perception of the world. What we must protect is never a fixed creative paradigm, but people's life experience, independent judgment, capacity for empathy, and those beautiful encounters.
The layers of piled pigment and the repeatedly deliberated brushstrokes all remind us: in an era of racing algorithms, the footsteps willing to slow down and the gaze willing to discover beauty remain precious.
(The author is a professor in the Oil Painting Department of the Central Academy of Fine Arts.)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 黄晓慧
Profile
Chen Kaixian, born in August 1945, is an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and one of the pioneers in the field of computer-aided drug design in China. He has long been devoted to research on drug molecular design, new drug discovery, and the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine, and has made contributions to advancing the construction of China's new drug research technology platform system and to the inclusion of the "Creation of Major New Drugs" in the national major science and technology projects. He has received honors including the Shanghai Science and Technology Elite Award, the Ho Leung Ho Lee Foundation Prize for Scientific and Technological Progress, the National Innovation Award, and the second prize of the National Technological Invention Award.
In the afternoon, in the small building of the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, 81-year-old Academician Chen Kaixian walked toward us with steady steps. Before we had even drawn near, he had already extended his hand in greeting. His hair was still black, with only a few strands of gray at the temples. After a few pleasantries, he eagerly began talking about new drug research and development.
As one of the pioneers of computer-aided drug design in China, Chen Kaixian began work in the 1970s on work similar to today's AI (artificial intelligence)-assisted drug research — computer-aided drug design. "Using more advanced technology to assist drug research, making drug molecular design more precise and more efficient." When speaking of building a strong science and technology nation, urgent clinical needs, and people's health, Chen Kaixian's words were filled with persistent pursuit and expectation.
"The education I received from childhood was to learn skills well and, when grown up, to serve the motherland"
"The education I received from childhood was to learn skills well and, when grown up, to serve the motherland." Chen Kaixian recalled that after entering the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica to study and work, he often heard the senior scholars speak of the past events of facing many hardships and difficulties (艰难险阻, jian nan xian zu - "difficult, perilous, dangerous, obstacles") in returning to China from overseas by a circuitous route, and of weeping uncontrollably the first time they saw the five-star red flag. He was deeply moved, and the scientific research spirit of the older generation of scientists in dedicating themselves to serving the country also profoundly influenced Chen Kaixian.
In 1962, Chen Kaixian was admitted to Fudan University and was assigned to the radiochemistry major. Chen Kaixian said, "Whatever the country needs, that is what we study." After graduation, he worked as an operator at the Central South Pharmaceutical Factory in Shaoyang, Hunan. Amid the roar of water pumps, he worked while self-studying English and pharmaceutical chemistry. This experience also laid the foundation for his later work in pharmaceutical chemistry research. In 1978, when the graduate admissions system was restored, he was admitted to the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and became a graduate student of the renowned pharmacologist Mr. Ji Ruyun.
At that time, international new drug research and development was gradually shifting from random screening to rational drug design, and the interdisciplinary field of computer-aided drug design was emerging in response to circumstances (应运而生, ying yun er sheng - "respond to, luck, arise"). Mr. Ji keenly perceived this trend and arranged for Chen Kaixian to go to Jilin University to study quantum chemistry, and also to go to Beijing and other places to "borrow" computers from other units to carry out computational research.
At that time, each computation on the computer required programs to be input through stacks of punched cards; over a thousand program statements meant over a thousand cards. Every time Chen Kaixian went to another place to use a computer, he had to carry a heavy travel bag full of experimental cards. In the room where he stayed, apart from simple bedding and toiletries, every other place was piled with "stacks of punched cards and long, large sheets of printout paper," the blank backs of which were covered with computer program flowcharts, formulas, and computational statements.
After several months of arduous effort, Chen Kaixian successfully wrote a quantum chemistry computational program, which was ported and promoted for use by multiple domestic research institutions and became an important tool for quantum chemistry computational research in China at that time.
In 1985, Chen Kaixian received his doctorate and was later sent by the state to study in France, engaging in theoretical research on biological macromolecules. At the age of forty, without having received systematic French language training, Chen Kaixian traveled far across the ocean, starting everything from scratch; for this reason, he worked even harder and more diligently than others.
After three years of study, he returned to his motherland. Chen Kaixian said: "At that time, there was a huge gap between China's scientific research level and that of developed countries; we had to strive to catch up." In the luggage Chen Kaixian brought back, the "largest item" was a computer he had purchased for the institute by saving and scrimping on his own expenses.
"We cannot be content with catch-up-style scientific research; we must focus on strengthening original innovation"
In the eyes of his peers, Chen Kaixian is not only a scientist with profound knowledge, but also a strategic scientist with broad vision and the courage to take responsibility. In pioneering the field of computer-aided drug design and in leading students very early on in research on applying neural network algorithms to quantitative structure-activity relationships of drugs... Whenever it concerned the development of medicine, he always dared to be the first and strove to stay at the forefront of science.
After returning to China, Chen Kaixian went back to the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica and led his team in a series of scientific and technological breakthroughs: guiding and advancing seven Class 1.1 candidate new drugs, including Selatinib, into clinical research, and developing data collection and analysis methods such as DNA-encoded compound libraries, multi-omics analysis, and literature mining. He also led his team in writing China's first large-scale comprehensive drug design software package, which became one of the first domestically produced "drug design platforms."
In the late 1990s, China's clinical medication and industrial development faced the grim situation of "imitation not working and innovation being insufficient." At that time, Chen Kaixian, who had already taken up a management position at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, clearly recognized that independent innovation was an important way out for China's pharmaceutical industry.
In 1996, Chen Kaixian promoted the establishment of the first national-level basic research "Climbing Program" project in China's innovative drug field; in 1997, the project "Discovery and Optimization of Lead Structures for Innovative Drugs Against Major Diseases," which he led in applying for, stood out from the crowd (脱颖而出, tuo ying er chu - "shed, excellence, emerge") from more than 200 project applications nationwide and became one of the first 10 "973" Program projects approved by the state.
At that time, some people believed that only projects like large aircraft and the lunar exploration program could inspire the national spirit — how could a small pill be listed alongside them? He repeatedly explained: new drug research and development concerns people's life and health, strategic emerging industries, and the commanding heights of international scientific and technological competition; it is an important support for economic and social development and for people's well-being. He led the writing of a report, jointly signed by more than 100 academicians, and made positive contributions to promoting the inclusion of the "Creation of Major New Drugs" in the national major science and technology projects.
The deepening of the development and opening up of Pudong "gave birth to" the Zhangjiang Biomedical Science and Technology Industrial Base co-built by the ministry and the municipality. The Shanghai municipal government hoped that the Institute of Materia Medica, as an important scientific and technological force, would relocate to Zhangjiang. But at that time, many people in the institute were worried: changing locations would affect research work and would also bring many inconveniences in daily life, transportation, and children's education. Chen Kaixian and his colleagues held repeated symposiums, proceeding from the national drug innovation strategy and the long-term development of the institute, patiently communicating and actively solving employees' difficulties, and finally completed the relocation of the entire institute in 2003. Driven by institutions such as the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Zhangjiang has today become a world-renowned hub for pharmaceutical innovation.
"We cannot be content with catch-up-style scientific research; we must focus on strengthening original innovation, keeping some good innovative drug 'seedlings' on home soil, and helping more innovative drugs be born on home soil," Chen Kaixian said.
"Pass the baton of 'serving the country through science and technology, innovating for the people' from generation to generation"
"Every generation has its own duties and missions. We must shoulder our responsibilities well and fulfill our duties well, passing the baton of 'serving the country through science and technology, innovating for the people' from generation to generation." Apart from his busy scientific research and social work, Chen Kaixian has always been concerned about the growth of young talent. For returned scholars seeking jobs in China, he actively recommends them and carefully helps them; for young researchers applying for projects and participating in defenses, he helps revise materials word by word and precisely guides their direction; when research groups encounter bottlenecks and industrial development faces difficulties, he conducts in-depth investigations and offers advice and suggestions (出谋划策, chu mou hua ce - "produce, scheme, plan, strategy").
A small matter remains unforgettable to Liu Dongxiang, a researcher at the Institute of Materia Medica. Back then, he was going abroad for postdoctoral research. "I was a rural child who had never set foot outside the country. Before I left, Teacher Chen kindly asked about the details of my itinerary, and even drew a route map of the local airport for me, telling me how to go through customs and pick up my luggage," Liu Dongxiang said.
In 2005, Chen Kaixian, having stepped down as director of the Institute of Materia Medica, became president of Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Facing an entirely new field, he frankly admitted: "Traditional Chinese medicine is not my specialty; I feel great pressure." But he resolutely shouldered the heavy responsibility. During his tenure, he devoted himself wholeheartedly, deepened educational and teaching reforms, and explored paths for the inheritance, innovation, and development of traditional Chinese medicine, bringing Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine to the forefront of traditional Chinese medicine colleges nationwide.
Li Yiming, a professor at the School of Chinese Materia Medica at Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, said that Chen Kaixian lives frugally — a dark green coat he wore for many years — but he is very generous with his students. "He won the Shanghai Outstanding Contribution Award for Traditional Chinese Medicine, with a prize of 30,000 yuan. He quietly gave it to me and asked me to distribute it to the students," Li Yiming said.
Today, Chen Kaixian, now over eighty years old, still rushes about on the front lines of scientific research, academic lecture platforms, and the forefront of industry. His figure remains active in biomedical industry forums, science popularization activities, and medical and pharmaceutical education conferences. "Every step forward the country's pharmaceutical industry takes is the motivation for me to persist in scientific research," Chen Kaixian said.
(Huang Wanqing participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘成友 刘洪超 胡婧怡
Inside the national-level fishing port of Xingshutun in Jinpu New District, Dalian, Liaoning, ships come and go in the shipping lanes, and masts stand in dense ranks along the berths. On the dock, trucks shuttle back and forth and fish crates are stacked high. As the sound of motors draws near from afar, two brand-new steel-hulled fishing boats steadily cleave the waves and return to port. The boat owner, Sun Ganghui, stands at the bow directing operations, while the crew members work quickly and skillfully, lifting crates, sorting fish, and transferring loads; layer upon layer of fresh fish glisten in the sunlight.
The full holds, the solid joy of a good catch, are a vivid answer sheet for the bumper harvest of Liaoning's fisheries, and an even more vivid microcosm of the special campaign to replace wooden fishing boats with steel ones.
For thousands of years, fishermen along the Liaoning coast have lived by the sea, and wooden fishing boats have carried their livelihood of tilling the sea, but hidden dangers have long lurked beneath the surface. In October 2025, Liaoning Province launched a three-year special campaign to replace wooden fishing boats with steel ones, and a deep transformation to safeguard peace at sea, benefit countless fishermen, and reshape the fisheries landscape has been rolled out across the board.
Problem-oriented approach to build a solid safety line of defense
Those who live off the sea fear nothing more than seeking wealth amid peril on the waves. For a long time, a large number of Liaoning fishermen have relied on old, outdated fishing boats operating beyond their service life. According to statistics, of Liaoning's 12,680 marine fishing boats, 10,993 are registered in the national database, while 1,687 are under local management. Old wooden boats are not only weak in resisting wind and waves, small in operating radius, and low in fishing efficiency, but they are also eroded year after year by sea wind and washed by seawater, leaving hulls loose, planks aged, and prone to seepage and damage, requiring large amounts of money and labor for repair and maintenance every year. Fishermen not only face a bottleneck in increasing their income, but also must constantly face the risks of going to sea.
"In the past, when I took a wooden boat out to sea, my heart would race if a strong wind came up, and I wouldn't dare close my eyes all night; my family would be awake worrying the whole night too." Sun Jingjun, a fisherman from Jinzhou who has been engaged in inshore fishing for nearly 20 years, has felt firsthand the many drawbacks of old wooden boats—every year he had to spend more than 5,000 yuan on anti-corrosion treatment, caulking, and dry-dock repairs, and repeated repairs not only increased operating costs but also repeatedly caused him to miss the optimal fishing windows. Once, when a force-six gale suddenly struck inshore, huge waves pounded the hull violently, the boat pitched and rolled severely, and water kept flooding into the cabin; he and his crew fought desperately to control the damage and only barely managed to return.
Liaoning adheres to a problem-oriented approach, builds a solid safety line of defense for fishery production, and the special campaign to replace wooden fishing boats with steel ones targets 6,485 old fishing boats, covering both wooden boats 13 years old or older and steel boats 16 years old or older.
Sun Jingjun made up his mind to replace his old wooden boat with a brand-new steel fishing boat, bidding a complete farewell to the days of going to sea full of perils and unexpected dangers. As one of the earliest fishermen to carry out the wooden-to-steel replacement, his 43-meter steel fishing boat, the "Liaojinyu 15168," has achieved a leapfrog upgrade in operating mode since it was put into use: the steel hull is sturdy, corrosion-resistant, and highly stable, and can calmly handle force-seven or force-eight sea winds; the boat is equipped with digital equipment such as Beidou positioning, intelligent fish finders, and navigation warning systems, making fishing operations more precise and efficient.
"Now, the new boat's net-carrying capacity has increased from 20 pieces to 30 pieces, speed has risen from 8 knots per hour to 10 knots, the operating radius has been greatly extended, and the catch per trip is two to three times that of the old wooden boat." Sun Jingjun said with emotion, "This replacement—worth it!"
Taking a series of diverse measures to empower the upgrade and transformation
Feng Zhenyu, a fisherman from Changhai County, Dalian, who had long held back because of the higher cost of steel boats, finally took action this time. "In the past, we were gambling with our lives; looking back now, it really wasn't worth it," Feng Zhenyu said frankly. "The new boat costs 300,000 yuan, with a direct subsidy of 50,000 yuan, plus a fuel subsidy of 15,000 yuan per year for 18 years. A genuinely people-benefiting policy like this is hard to resist."
The iterative upgrading of fishing boats is not merely a replacement of hull materials, but a systemic transformation with all-round coordination across policy, government services, finance, and industry. Liaoning targets the crux of the problem and empowers with precision, providing all-round support for the wooden-to-steel special campaign to improve quality and accelerate progress through faster government services, lower financial costs, smart governance for public security, and greater industrial efficiency.
Guan Yawen, a boat owner from Dadong Subdistrict, Donggang City, Dandong, took advantage of this year's summer fishing moratorium to dismantle 7 old fishing boats and build 5 new steel fishing boats. "I used to think the procedures for changing boats were cumbersome and that I'd be running around exhaustively to get things done, but unexpectedly, someone taught me how to prepare the materials and someone guided me through the process. The first boat took only one month, and the dismantling of the remaining 6 boats was completed in two weeks. Four new boats have already been launched," Guan Yawen said.
Liaoning seized the fishing moratorium window and issued 26 supporting systems, unleashing a policy "combined punch": advancing process reengineering by streamlining 13 approval steps down to 6, with processing time cut by more than 50%; establishing a provincial-level fishery vessel drawing review and technical exchange center and releasing 19 standardized new hull designs; providing subsidies for renovation and upgrading of up to 30% of construction costs, tiered by boat length; launching special wooden-to-steel loans with ultra-low interest rates for up to 20 years; and holding hands-on training courses on new steel fishing boat operations to teach fishermen, step by step, how to use the intelligent equipment...
In the dry dock of the Guanghui Fishing Boat Repair and Construction Yard in Gaizhou City, steel fishing boats of various sizes are neatly arrayed, and welding arcs flash on site. At noon, when the tide is full, a new boat slowly slides into the water for a trial voyage. "Fishermen's demand for steel fishing boats is growing rapidly; this year we have already received orders for 110 new boats, far exceeding the same period last year," said Liu Wei, the on-site construction manager of the yard. He noted that the yard is now working overtime and extra hours, and has already delivered more than 80 steel fishing boats, with the remaining vessels expected to be fully delivered by the end of the year.
Policy dividends continue to be released, forming a virtuous cycle of "increased income for fishermen, increased efficiency for enterprises, and improved quality for the industry." During this year's summer fishing moratorium, Liaoning completed the entire process from design, approval, and construction to launching for 677 fishing boats in just 4 months, winning back a full fishing season for fishermen and achieving "building boats during the moratorium, and reaping a bumper harvest as soon as the season opens."
Flexible policy implementation to safeguard the warmth of people's livelihoods
The wooden-to-steel work is connected on one end to industrial safety and on the other to the livelihoods of countless fishermen. On the one hand, Liaoning holds fast to the safety red line, advances the construction of an intelligent supervision platform, and strictly prohibits substandard fishing boats from going to sea; on the other hand, it resolutely abandons "campaign-style" and "one-size-fits-all" implementation models, so that reform fits the grassroots and warms people's livelihoods.
Across the region, door-to-door visits, fishing port forums, and policy briefings are used to help fishermen clearly calculate their safety accounts and economic accounts. For fishermen of different ages and intentions, all localities fully respect fishermen's independent choices and provide a variety of services including upgrading, job transition, and basic livelihood guarantees: fishermen who wish to continue deep-sea fishing and expand capacity can enjoy preferential policies to upgrade to new boats; fishermen who are advanced in years and unable to work can apply for boat reduction and job transition, coming ashore to settle down.
In Donggang City, as blueberry greenhouses shift from post-harvest recovery into the critical period of storing energy for winter, greenhouse owner Tang Hongwei is carefully applying autumn fertilizer to the fruit trees. With the support of the boat reduction and job transition policy, Tang Hongwei, who had roamed the sea for more than 30 years, decided to "come ashore." "When I first left the sea, I felt both reluctant and at a loss. The government recommended entrepreneurial projects and provided guidance, and I chose greenhouse blueberry cultivation," Tang Hongwei said. "Now, the blueberry greenhouse is my 'new boat.' Without the sea, the land gives returns just the same."
In response to livelihood needs during the transition, all localities have introduced flexible assistance measures and solidly carried out basic livelihood guarantees: Dandong City is guiding "old, small, wooden" fishing boats to gradually withdraw from the fishing industry and broadening employment and development paths for fishermen; Yingkou City is providing public welfare positions for "ashore" fishermen who meet the criteria for those with employment difficulties; Huludao City has innovated a "rental instead of purchase" model, in which cooperatives uniformly dispose of old boats and purchase new ones, allowing fishermen to rent them flexibly...
As old wooden boats accelerate their withdrawal and brand-new steel boats surge forward on the waves, Liaoning's fisheries are ushering in a new outlook of high-quality development. As of early October this year, Liaoning has cumulatively received applications for 3,418 wooden-to-steel fishing boats, completed renovation and upgrading of 1,964, built 1,024, and achieved boat reduction and job transition for 1,454, with the total number of newly built fishing boats exceeding the sum of the past 10 years.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张 洋 孟祥夫 史一棋
Is full and rigorous self-governance of the Party far from ordinary people?
The answer lies in the scenes right around the masses: sky-high mooncakes and luxury gift boxes are hard to find anymore; clubs have transformed into affordable teahouses open to the public; at service windows, "demanding kickbacks and making things difficult" has decreased, with one-time notification and time-limited completion becoming the norm; before the bulletin board at the village entrance, villagers check the accounts item by item: "How much was spent on road repairs, who received the public welfare post subsidies—once the clear accounts are tallied, our hearts are at ease."
Every small matter connects to the people's hearts. General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "All issues strongly reflected by the masses must be treated seriously and earnestly, and all acts that harm the interests of the masses must be resolutely corrected."
Since the new era, full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has continued to advance in depth and extend to the grassroots, resolutely rectifying unhealthy tendencies and deep-rooted maladies. Party conduct and government conduct have taken on a completely new look, social customs and public morals have continued to improve, and the fruits of modernization have been shared by all the people more extensively and equitably.
Recently, reporters from People's Daily went deep into the grassroots, feeling through the stories of six ordinary people that full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is right by their side, and fairness and justice are right by their side.
A subsidy—
The policy benefiting the people has been implemented and delivered
A sum of money—89-year-old Shen Yeyun had waited for it for more than 10 years, and finally it arrived.
This elderly resident of Xinyuan Village, Shihudang Town, Songjiang District, Shanghai, had repeatedly asked neighbors about the subsidy and had even been upset with the village.
Rewind to 2015, when Songjiang District's grain-growing subsidy policy was implemented, and every grain-growing household in Xinyuan Village was eligible. Shen Yeyun's family was extremely joyful or delighted (喜上眉梢, xi shang mei chao - "joy, arrive, eyebrow, tip"). But after waiting and waiting, the subsidy never showed up.
Where did the money go? In 2025, the Songjiang District Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission launched a special inspection of agricultural and farmer-benefiting subsidy funds. Checking account books, visiting farming households, and verifying through multiple channels, they finally got to the bottom of the whole story or sequence of events (来龙去脉, lai long qu mai - "come, dragon, go, vein"): it turned out that at the time, Songjiang District was promoting whole-village land transfer, and the village wanted to coordinate the transfer work with subsidy distribution—those who completed the transfer received payment on time; those who had not yet transferred were asked to wait. In addition, since there was no information platform for subsidy distribution at the time, the district allocated funds to the town, and the town transferred them to the village, where everything at the village level relied on manual record-keeping and offline verification. The accounts were postponed again and again, and so it dragged on for more than 10 years.
No matter how many policies there are, if they are not implemented, they are just blank slips of paper; no matter how many supervisory measures there are, if they do not resolve the urgent difficulties and concerns of the masses, they are empty moves. The purpose of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is to give play to its leading and safeguarding role and to promote the implementation and delivery of the Party Central Committee's decisions and arrangements.
"The farmer-benefiting subsidy card was stuck at the 'last mile.' On the surface it was a matter of delayed accounts, but at the root it was that responsibilities were not firmly pressed and work style was not solid." The Songjiang District Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission made it clear that grain-growing subsidies must adhere to the principle of "district to town, town to village, village to card," unaffected by other work, and must be paid in full and on time.
Soon, more than 100,000 yuan was fully paid out, benefiting more than 30 households. Receiving the money, the elderly Shen Yeyun was overjoyed. "My heart is at ease now! That day, my father ate half a bowl more rice than usual," said his daughter Xie Wenjuan.
A small subsidy, a big matter of people's livelihood. For full and rigorous self-governance of the Party to extend to the grassroots, it must keep an eye on these matters of "should have been paid but wasn't, should have arrived but didn't," placing supervision right beside the masses so that not a single cent of farmer-benefiting funds fails to reach the people's pockets.
A checklist—
Cadres visit households more frequently
Knock, knock, knock—at 9 a.m., at the doorstep of Liao Xiying, an elderly resident of Jindu Community, Longnan City, Jiangxi Province, Chen Jinjing, secretary of the community Party committee, gently tapped on the door.
The door opened, and 86-year-old Liao Xiying came forward with a smile, still holding her blood pressure medication in her hand: "You're more punctual than an alarm clock." Chen Jinjing took the medicine box, looked at it, then bent down to glance at the rice barrel in the corner: "Is there enough rice for a few more days? I should help you buy some."
Such scenes are now common in Jindu Community. But in previous years, Chen Jinjing had plenty of complaints: "One app after another on my phone—medical insurance collection rankings, check-in records, form-filling for inspections—people were firmly nailed to their workstations."
Where did the change come from? In recent years, the spirit of the Central Committee's the Eight-Point Regulation (八项规定) has been implemented with unremitting perseverance, efforts to rectify formalism and reduce burdens at the grassroots have continued, and problems such as mountains of documents, seas of meetings, and frequent assessments have been addressed. Localities have also combined "immediate correction" with "long-term establishment," using checklists to clarify grassroots duty items.
At the beginning of this year, the "Checklist of Duty Items for Urban Community Work in Longnan City" was implemented: 392 basic items clearly state "what should be done," 97 coordination items specify "who to work with," and 166 additional tasks that the grassroots cannot handle were returned to higher-level departments. Signboards were removed, apportioned tasks were withdrawn, and powers and responsibilities became clearer.
"The checklist is not about reducing responsibility; it's about letting us direct our efforts to the right places," Chen Jinjing said. Now, Chen Jinjing leads cadres in surveying facilities and identifying needs: idle rooms have been converted into AI self-study rooms and shared fitness rooms; electric drills and ladders are stored in a "shared tools room." Some residents remark: "The community now has a 'treasure box'—how convenient!"
Even more meticulous is the "9 o'clock appointment." Every day at 9 a.m., community cadres and volunteers knock on the doors of elderly people living alone or in empty nests, taking their blood pressure, buying groceries, paying bills on their behalf, and checking gas lines. Eleven elderly people receive daily visits, and more than 1,900 visits have earned the praise: "They're more punctual than relatives."
Flipping through the community work log, there are fewer entries like "report submitted" and more like "Aunt Liao's electrical switch repaired" and "new light bulbs installed in Building 3's hallway"... "With more time for door-to-door visits, we deliver services to the very hearts of the masses, and the community has become a warm home for the people," Chen Jinjing said.
A school meal—
"Flies and ants of corruption" have been rectified
"I love braised chicken legs best!" "I like dry-pot shrimp!" At 12:30 p.m., in the cafeteria of Jinyu School in Liangjiang New Area, Chongqing, children chattered away after their meal, holding a "food tasting session."
In previous years, the situation was completely different—in the words of parents: "We didn't pay less for meals, but the kids' mouths had no flavor."
Why? It turned out that meal fees went directly into the school's account, and parents had no idea what vegetables were bought or how much was spent. Once the food entered the school gate, everything relied on handwritten bookkeeping. Cheng Jifu, head of Longtousi Primary School, said: "Handwritten records inevitably have errors and omissions, paper receipts can't be stored well or checked clearly, and how the kitchen operated depended entirely on self-discipline."
With loopholes in the accounts, there was inevitably grease on the hands. In recent years, concentrated rectification of unhealthy practices and corruption around the masses has been carried out in depth. The Liangjiang New Area Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission included school meals in the scope of rectification and investigated multiple cases: some school principals abused their authority to "give the green light" to suppliers and pocketed kickbacks; others siphoned off student meal fees to set up private "slush funds"...
The "flies and ants of corruption" in school meals erode the children's rice bowls and hurt the people's hearts. The district commission has worked on two fronts: on one hand, strictly investigating and punishing cases to form deterrence; on the other, promoting reform based on cases to tighten the cage.
The district commission actively promoted the district education bureau's development of an "AI + Smart School Meal Management" platform, putting the cafeterias of nearly 400 public schools under "cloud" supervision. Entering the smart management center of Jiangbeizui Experimental School, the big screen shows real-time footage from the kitchen: washing vegetables, cutting and preparing, cooking—every move is perfectly clear.
At 2 p.m., Huang Qiu, the school chef, sits at the computer "shopping"—checking boxes and placing orders for the next day's ingredients one by one. At 5 a.m. the next day, the supplier delivers, and the smart scale automatically identifies the items and weighs them precisely, taking a photo of both the food and the person receiving it. After the inspector reviews and signs electronically, the data is uploaded on the spot. The platform then compares the purchase order, receiving order, storage order, and invoice one by one—if the four documents don't match, even by one cent or one digit, the payment cannot go through.
"Now I feel at ease. I open my phone and watch the kitchen livestream—where the food comes from, what the quarantine certificate looks like, perfectly clear and distinct (一清二楚, yi qing er chu - "one, clear, two, clear"). The safety of what's on our children's tongues is better guaranteed," said Zhou Yunqiong, a parent of a student in Class 5, Grade 3.
A visit—
Government-business relations are closer and cleaner
Not long ago, Cai Ling, director of the Administrative Service Center and secretary of its Party branch in Zhaoqing High-tech Zone, Guangdong Province, visited Guangdong Jinghe Precision Machinery Processing Co., Ltd., learning that the company, due to business expansion, was somewhat short-handed and lacked space.
The enterprise's worries are the focal point for getting things done. The Administrative Service Center immediately coordinated with relevant departments to build recruitment channels and quickly fill the labor gap. To resolve the space shortage, Cai Ling also led a team to visit relevant departments, sorting through vacant factory buildings and connecting available resources.
As problems were resolved one by one, the company's general manager, Xiong Xumin, felt warmth in his heart: "The cadres in the high-tech zone are like family and friends." He had wanted to invite the cadres to a gathering to express his gratitude, but was politely declined. Cai Ling said: "The rules and regulations are right there—what can be done and what cannot be done are perfectly clear."
That "perfectly clear" reflects the change in work style brought about by full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. In recent years, the Discipline Inspection and Supervision Working Committee of Zhaoqing High-tech Zone has formulated codes of conduct for government-business interactions, positive and negative checklists for government-business interactions, and other rules and regulations, while also hiring supervisors of government-business relations to keep an eye on cadres' performance of duties in enterprise-related official activities such as administrative approval and administrative law enforcement.
Close but measured, clean but proactive. In recent years, the Party Working Committee of Zhaoqing High-tech Zone, Guangdong, has also implemented several measures for enterprise-related administrative inspections: promoting "one comprehensive inspection"—emergency response, fire protection, market supervision, and others come together for a single inspection; establishing a "whitelist" of non-interference to minimize disruption to enterprises' normal production and operations; and standardizing procedures by promoting electronic display of administrative law enforcement certificates—"showing the certificate means showing the code, showing the code means positioning, and positioning means supervision."
Xiong Yunliang, head of Zhongtuo Technology Company, has been in the auto parts business for many years. In the early days, he feared inspections the most. Now, "the inspections that should happen are all there, and the ones that shouldn't are none added—what a relief!" Xiong Yunliang said.
Cadres work with a clear conscience, enterprises develop with peace of mind, government-business relations are closer and cleaner, and local development vitality is stronger. According to statistics, the total number of business entities in the area grew from more than 9,300 in 2023 to nearly 13,300 by 2025.
A village account book—
The exercise of micro-power has become more standardized
In the afternoon, in front of the village affairs bulletin board of Dongbeijie Village, Jize County, Handan, Hebei Province, villager Wang Hongtai adjusted his reading glasses and slowly ran his fingertip down the public notice line by line. "It's written out perfectly clearly."
In previous years, it was hard to understand the village accounts. Either the account books were not made public, or when they were, it was like seeing flowers through fog, meaning seeing things unclearly (雾里看花, wu li kan hua - "fog, inside, look, flower"). Some villagers harbored doubts: "With so much collective money, did a few people spend it?" The seed of suspicion is often buried in "murkiness."
Putting power in the cage of institutions is an important task of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era. Since the beginning of this year, the Jize County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission, finance departments, and others have formed a special working group to carry out a major rectification of the management of rural collective "three assets" (funds, assets, and resources): going through account books that had piled up for years, taking stock of household items such as reserve land and village collective houses, and entering every village income and expenditure into the "three assets" supervision platform... The old "muddy accounts" have been sorted out one by one.
More importantly, while clearing old accounts, new rules have also been established. Jize County has sorted out and formed a checklist of micro-power items, requiring that major village-level matters strictly implement the "four deliberations and two disclosures" procedure, and turning matters such as collective asset leasing, small-scale project procurement, and public welfare post subsidies into "flowcharts": who handles it, how to handle it, what materials are needed, how long it takes to complete, and who supervises—all clear at a glance.
Now, the village affairs bulletin board has been completely transformed: every street repair expenditure and environmental sanitation fee is written out clearly. At village assembly meetings, village cadres read the accounts on the spot, the masses ask questions face to face, and any doubts are answered on the spot. "Recently the village repaired the drainage pipe network—how much the materials cost, how much the labor cost—it's all posted on the board," said Ren Shaolin, secretary of the Party branch of Dongbeijie Village, pointing at the bulletin board.
With the accounts exposed to the sunlight, people's suspicions naturally decrease, and hearts become more united.
"I used to think full and rigorous self-governance of the Party was far away from us ordinary people," Wang Hongtai said with emotion. "Actually, it's right here in these pages of village accounts. When the accounts are clear, our hearts are bright too!"
A banquet—
The clean and honest atmosphere has grown fuller
"Just 30 tables—not one table fewer!"
"At six or seven hundred yuan per table, 30 tables would cost 20,000 yuan—we can't afford that."
In Fengxiang Village, Suishui Town, Anzhou District, Mianyang, Sichuan Province, Zhang Keqin and his son Zhang Lizhi still remember, years later, the time they argued until both were red in the face over holding a banquet for the completion of their new house. In the end, the elder Zhang held more than 30 tables, and the younger Zhang was not happy at all: "The gifts we receive will have to be returned eventually."
In the past, this was nothing unusual locally. Some village cadres ate and drank extravagantly under the pretext of official activities, putting on displays of ostentation and exceeding standards, wasting resources. When villagers had weddings, funerals, house completions, or children's school admissions, they also competed with each other, with gift money rising year after year and tables multiplying.
As full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has advanced in depth, the change in Party conduct and government conduct has directly influenced the change in social customs and public morals. Localities have made good use of cultural resources, online platforms, and literary and artistic vehicles to carry out discipline and law education at different levels and by category, promoting clean culture to subtly and silently influence like fine rain (润物细无声, run wu xi wu sheng - "moisten, things, fine, without, sound") the daily lives of Party members, cadres, and the masses.
The clean and honest breeze blows across the fields. In Suishui Town, town and village cadres keep the string of discipline and rules taut, take the lead in signing commitment letters, consciously resist improper eating and drinking, practice thrift and oppose waste, and accept supervision by the masses. Villages have successively written the concepts of advocating integrity, rejecting corruption, valuing frugality, and abstaining from extravagance into their village rules and covenants, and have established red-and-white event councils one after another. Fengxiang Village has also held courtyard meetings. "Some people think we're overreaching, but more people applaud. When we encounter those who don't understand, we go to their homes to persuade them and explain the reasoning thoroughly," said Xie Chao, secretary of the village Party committee.
Happy events handled in new ways, funerals simplified, no events held without cause... The revised village rules and covenants have been posted on walls, broadcast over loudspeakers, and sent via WeChat groups, so every household knows them. When any household holds a red or white event, the red-and-white event council helps make arrangements in advance and also helps "apply the brakes": persuading them to reduce the number of tables and gift amounts, and not to hire luxury car convoys. Follow-up visits are recorded into points, which are used in evaluating civilized families and most beautiful courtyards.
When Party conduct is upright, folk customs are simple and honest. Villagers all say that when the whole family sits together for a meal, the warmth of human connection hasn't changed, but the burden of favor debts has decreased, and life gets more comfortable day by day.
The quality of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is best confirmed by the changes that the masses can feel and see around them.
As supervision sinks down and rules are established, good customs enter thousands of households bit by bit.
On the new journey, we will continue to promote full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with perseverance, adhere unwaveringly to the strict tone, strict measures, and strict atmosphere, so that the people's sense of gain, happiness, and security becomes increasingly substantial, and the hearts of the Party and the people draw closer and are bound more tightly together.
(Reporters Wang Yunna, You Yi, Zhang Tengyang, Yang Yanfei, Wang Xinyue, and Wang Yinxin of People's Daily contributed to this report)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 齐志明 王 者 白光迪
The harvested wheat has entered the granaries, and autumn grain collection and storage is in full swing (如火如荼, ru huo ru tu - "like, fire, like, raging"). Amid the harvest scene, agricultural service centers one after another take root in the countryside, delivering technology, data, and related professional services to fields across the land.
The outline of the 15th Five-Year Plan proposes improving the convenient and efficient agricultural socialized service system and promoting the organic integration of smallholder farmers with modern agricultural development.The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs and five other departments issued the "Guiding Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of Modern Comprehensive Agricultural Service Centers," clarifying the construction of a number of modern comprehensive agricultural service centers that are scientifically laid out, standardized in operation, excellent in service, and that link and drive farmers, with an emphasis on services that drive smallholder farmers.
By the end of the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the national supply and marketing cooperative system had built 16,000 agricultural service centers, continuously strengthening agricultural socialization service capacity, innovating service mechanisms, expanding service fields, and improving the agricultural socialization service system.During the 15th Five-Year Plan period, it plans to build or renovate 1,000 agricultural service centers to better bring smallholder farmers onto the track of modern agricultural development.
How can smallholder farmers catch the express train of modern agriculture? Recently, reporters visited Shandong, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, and other places, seeking answers in the fields.
Full-process trusteeship——
The Yellow River floodplain area has forged a "new path to stable yields"
The sky is high and the clouds are light. In the fields of Huanghe Subdistrict, Zhangqiu District, Jinan, Shandong, grain transport trucks shuttle back and forth on rural roads, and the bustle of the autumn harvest has shifted from the fields to the granaries.
"My family's plot of land is right next to the Yellow River floodplain. In the past, I feared prolonged rainy weather the most—corn would rot at the roots and lodge. When hit by heavy rainfall, several hundred mu of land even faced the risk of total crop failure," said Han Xiangchao, a large-scale grain grower.
In 2022, Han Xiangchao handed over 400 mu of arable land to the Huanghe Agricultural Service Center operated by Shandong Lugong Fengnong Agricultural Service Co., Ltd., implementing full-process land trusteeship. From then on, from land preparation, drainage, and plant protection all the way to harvest and drying, everything has relied on smart agricultural methods for refined management, allowing the farmer to enjoy stable harvests with ease.
With trusteeship in place, the management and protection system has been comprehensively upgraded. The service center assigns dedicated personnel to parcel-based field management and protection, and, given the low-lying characteristics of the floodplain area, dredges ditches and channels in advance and improves the drainage pipe network. Various sensors are deployed in the fields and connected to an information platform, with soil moisture, seedling growth conditions, and pest and disease dynamics collected and uploaded around the clock. Plant protection drones and large sprayers carry out green, precise prevention and control, reducing pesticide use by 20 percent, with pest and disease control rates exceeding 96 percent, making field management more scientific and standardized.
Technology-based trusteeship has withstood the real test of extreme weather. Last autumn, Zhangqiu District experienced sustained heavy rainfall. For the 400 mu of land under Han Xiangchao's trusteeship, risks were predicted in advance before the rain based on monitoring data, large machinery raced to drain water during the rain, and technical personnel followed up with remedial measures after the rain—the entire process was tightly linked, and the plots passed through the flood season smoothly.
The former risk-prone plots that "feared rain and waterlogging" have, thanks to full-process trusteeship technology, entered a new stage of modern agriculture featuring data-based farming, technology-based field management, and standardized operations, forging a "new path to stable yields." "Now, regardless of drought or flood, the per-mu yield remains stably above 900 jin. This year, the 400 mu of land is expected to bring in income of 380,000 yuan," Han Xiangchao said.
Nor does it stop at field management—the agricultural service center extends its service chain to after the harvest. To safeguard grain storage, Shandong Lugong Fengnong Agricultural Service Co., Ltd. has built supporting large-scale grain drying towers and standardized grain silos locally, with a combined capacity for grain drying, storage, processing, and sales of 100,000 tons. To date, this enterprise has placed 62,000 mu of arable land under full-process trusteeship in Zhangqiu District, covering 12 subdistricts, serving 17,000 farming households, and driving 94 village collectives to increase income and prosper.
Using service scale to drive production scale, the Shandong Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative has now built 841 agricultural service centers, carrying out agricultural socialized services covering more than 90 million mu-times each year, allowing the broad mass of farmers to share in the dividends of modern agricultural development.
Smart empowerment——
Rice paddies in northern Jiangsu achieve "cloud-based dispatch"
The autumn wind brings coolness. In the golden rice paddies of Cunsan Village, Shiyan Town, Dongtai City, Yancheng, Jiangsu, harvesters are roaring at full throttle, shuttling back and forth. On the ridge, farmer Fan Wenming looks at his nearly harvested 20 mu of rice paddies and lets out a long sigh of relief.
"In past autumn harvest seasons, what worried me most was not whether the rice was ripe, but when the harvester would get to me," Fan Wenming said. If he could not get a machine in time and ran into rainy weather, the harvest could suffer losses.
At the same time, during the busy farming season, machine operators had to scout around for where harvesting was needed, wasting effective working time. On one side, farmers "begged for machines"; on the other, agricultural machinery "looked for farm work." The information barrier between supply and demand is a practical contradiction commonly encountered in many grain-producing areas.
Today, a mobile phone solves the problem. By opening the "Yan Gong Nong Fu" WeChat mini-program, farmers can fill in plot location, area, and preferred operation time, and publish their demand with one click. "In the past, I chased after machine operators to ask about timing. Now, once the demand is submitted, the machine operator comes to me proactively, and the price is open and transparent," Fan Wenming said.
On the other end of the platform, machine operators also enjoy the convenience: opening the mini-program, they can see at a glance the operation demands, land areas, and operation times of surrounding plots. "Now during the busy season, I can do more work in a day, and my income is more stable," said machine operator Yan Falin. In the first half of this year, Yancheng completed 45,000 mu-times of agricultural machinery dispatch operations through the platform.
The digital agricultural service platform can do more than book machinery. "There is also a 'field doctor' hidden in the platform," Fan Wenming said. A month before the wheat harvest, he noticed that the tips of wheat seedlings near the ridge were turning yellow and pale. Unsure of the cause, he took a few photos and uploaded them to the intelligent diagnosis module in the mini-program. Relying on the agricultural technical knowledge base and large models, the system quickly gave a preliminary assessment, indicating risks in water and fertilizer management and suggesting checking soil moisture. After receiving the prompt, he immediately contacted grassroots agricultural technicians to verify on site, carried out timely field treatment, and avoided a small problem turning into a major loss.
"Agricultural production values the farming season most of all. The advantage of the digital platform is delivering services both quickly and accurately," said Yu Weiguo, director of the Shiyan Supply and Marketing Cooperative in Dongtai City. He explained that building the digital platform through coordination at the provincial, municipal, and county levels is not simply moving business onto a mobile phone, but rather getting information flowing—machinery idles less, and farmers wait less.
At present, the "Su Nong Fu" digital platform built by the Jiangsu Provincial Supply and Marketing Cooperative has been rolled out in Yancheng, Suqian, and other places, with cumulative operation services exceeding 1 million mu-times, covering more than 800,000 mu of farmland, and 12 regional comprehensive agricultural service centers are now online and operating.
Technology assistance——
Gannan orchards use "data prescriptions"
Across the land of Gannan, navel oranges cover the branches of trees on every mountain. In the navel orange orchard of Yangmei Village, Wenfeng Township, Xunwu County, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, technicians are taking layered soil samples, bagging and numbering them, a set of movements performed with practiced skill. Nearby, Ling Zhenghua, a fruit farmer who has grown navel oranges for 20 years, squats on the ground, watching intently. "In the past, fertilization was entirely based on experience. Now, with the help of soil testing technology, the fruit trees are growing better and better," Ling Zhenghua said with emotion.
In the past, years of continuous cropping and "crude" fertilization methods led to soil compaction and declining fertility. Citrus Huanglongbing (citrus greening disease) spreads quickly and is difficult to prevent and control, posing a major challenge.
The Xunwu Agricultural Service Center of Zhongnong Group, under China National Agricultural Means of Production Group Corporation (China Agri-Group), has moved its laboratory to the orchard floor, transforming "farming by experience" into "farming by data." After soil samples are collected, they are quickly sent to the testing laboratory, where it becomes clear at a glance which elements the plot lacks and what should be supplemented. Based on the testing reports, the technical team issues a "data prescription" for each orchard, tailoring soil improvement, precision fertilization, and management and protection plans, and building a closed-loop service system of "soil testing, precision fertilization, technology empowerment, and production-marketing integration."
"Once the test results came out, the technical team gave me a dedicated fertilization and improvement plan." Ling Zhenghua looked at the thick, lush green branches and leaves of the fruit trees, a smile spreading across his face. Soil testing and formula-based precision measures have allowed the orchard trees to gradually recover their vigor, with the sweetness of fruit in many orchards increasing by about 2 degrees and the proportion of large fruit rising significantly.
"Our agricultural service center exists to serve farmers—improving cultivated land quality, tackling disease problems, and popularizing science and technology," said Zhang Qi, head of the Xunwu Agricultural Service Center. To address the challenge of Huanglongbing prevention and control, the Zhongnong Group Citrus Huanglongbing Research Workstation has innovatively built a three-dimensional, integrated prevention and control model of "improving soil + strengthening tree vigor + blocking transmission," first improving the soil and strengthening the tree body, then cutting off the pathogen's transmission pathways through multiple links using physical barriers and precise pesticides.
The Xunwu Agricultural Service Center has also explored an intercropping model of passion fruit and chili peppers at its demonstration base in Daping Township, Nankang District, Ganzhou. "In the past, when we planted only passion fruit, the first half of the year saw only investment and no returns. After intercropping, this year we sold 120,000 jin of chili peppers, earning 230,000 yuan, and the greenhouse rent and labor wages can all be covered by the chili pepper income," said grower Zhu Fangquan.
As of the end of September this year, the agricultural service centers deployed in Jiangxi Province had provided cumulative services covering 766,500 mu-times. From soil testing and formula fertilization tailored to each orchard, to joint research tackling each disease with each specific treatment, from soil improvement to unified prevention and control, the service radius continues to expand. More and more fields and orchards are being connected to this technical service network, giving the stable production and guaranteed harvest of specialty industries a stronger foundation.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 马跃峰 苏 滨
As dusk settled, the stands were completely filled with people (座无虚席, zuo wu xu xi - "sit, no, empty, seat"). Cheerleading squads in Miao and Dong ethnic finery entered the field, silver ornaments jingling, batik skirts shimmering, colorful fans rising and falling, and the sound of the lusheng rising melodiously — an exciting match was about to begin.
Not long ago, the third International Football Tournament of Guizhou's "Village Super League" was held in Rongjiang County, with 551 players from 37 countries and regions gathering on the "Village Super League" pitch. All 20 townships (subdistricts) and 29 key villages of Rongjiang mobilized in tandem, launching 32 themed cultural-tourism activities that upgraded the traditional "watch a football match" into a new model of "stroll through villages, appreciate intangible cultural heritage, savor local customs, and take a slow vacation."
Nestled deep in the Miaoling Mountains, Rongjiang is one of the last batch of counties in the country to shake off poverty. In 2019, its regional GDP stood at 7.913 billion yuan; today, that figure has long since surpassed the 10-billion-yuan mark. From poverty alleviation to 10 billion yuan, how did this small mountainous county achieve its leapfrog development?
Innovative linkage, converting event traffic into consumption growth
During this year's "Village Super League," tourist Zhong Xianyi from Guangdong drove with his family to Rongjiang. On the way to the stadium, posters for the "Super Delicious · Super Comfortable Stay" curated consumption alliance came into view, prominently marking member merchants' discount activities, with a QR code at the bottom. Zhong Xianyi stopped, took out his phone, scanned the QR code, and saw the participating merchants' information.
Zhong Xianyi picked a restaurant specializing in Miao-style sour fish soup. The family walked through streets where lights were gradually coming on, following a sour aroma into the shop. "You scanned the code to get here, right! We're an alliance store — solid quality, plus discounts, so rest assured and enjoy." Shop owner Wang Yongli greeted them warmly.
A pot of signature sour fish soup, a plate of local seasonal vegetables, a serving of rolled rice noodles, plus a dish of crispy fried pork — the family of three ate to their hearts' content. "That comes to 123 yuan, 108 yuan after the discount. If you add one more yuan, you can exchange it for a 10-yuan voucher usable at many restaurants and cinemas." Wang Yongli reminded them. Zhong Xianyi paid one yuan extra, then hurried to the participating hotel, checked in first, and then went to watch the match.
One poster, one QR code, channeling stadium traffic to street-corner shops; one affordable purchase, one voucher, letting visitors enjoy the lively matches and savor the flavors of everyday life.
"Converting event traffic into consumption growth — innovative linkage is the key." Duan Tingting, deputy director of the Rongjiang County Commerce Bureau, explained that starting in February this year, Rongjiang County formed the "Super Delicious · Super Comfortable Stay" curated consumption alliance, uniformly setting a base discount of 12 percent off and carrying out various promotional activities to stimulate consumption vitality in accommodation, dining, and other sectors. In the first half of this year, Rongjiang County received 5.0667 million tourist visits, up 7.2 percent year on year, with total tourism spending of 5.255 billion yuan, up 2.1 percent year on year.
Attracting and selecting investment, converting brand advantages into industrial advantages
Settling in May, trial production in June, and full production in October — the arrival of Guizhou Super Good Kick Sports Goods Technology Co., Ltd. is a microcosm of Rongjiang County leveraging the "Village Super League" brand to convert brand advantages into industrial advantages and strengthen the county economy.
"Ours is a two-way commitment with Rongjiang — letting Rongjiang people play football made by themselves, and letting Rongjiang football reach overseas." Li Changping, chairman of Guizhou Super Good Kick Sports Goods Technology Co., Ltd., said that thanks to the "Village Super League" brand advantage, foreign trade orders have been arriving in large numbers (纷至沓来, fen zhi da lai - "disperse, arrive, flood, come"), and production lines are running at full capacity.
In the past, wood processing was Rongjiang County's traditional pillar industry, but it long faced difficulties of low product sophistication, low added value, and weak brand influence. It was not until the "Village Super League" became popular that industrial development gained new opportunities.
"The 'Village Super League' brand building has a 'three three-year' plan, of which the second three-year period is 2026–2028. We will develop the 'Village Super League' industry and 'Village Super League' manufacturing, build up the industry, turn traffic into economic growth, and follow a path of revitalizing industry through sports, attracting investment through business, and precisely selecting investors." Wang Fei, deputy secretary of the Rongjiang County Party Committee and county magistrate, said.
Yang Yan, director of the Rongjiang County Investment Promotion Bureau, explained that the locality is focusing on traditional advantageous industries such as deep wood processing, premium fruits and vegetables, and authentic medicinal herbs, while developing emerging industries such as sports, culture and tourism, and modern services, as well as advanced manufacturing such as sports equipment manufacturing, introducing quality enterprises that match the industrial plan to ensure that new projects can take root, survive, and drive development.
Since the "Village Super League" gained national attention, Rongjiang County has newly registered 12,081 business entities, cumulatively attracted more than 20 quality enterprises in food processing, electronics manufacturing, and other sectors to settle, and launched cooperation with more than 60 "Village Super League" brand licensing projects.
Enriching the people and benefiting households, converting development gains into income dividends
Dali Village, located in Zaima Township of Rongjiang County, is a well-preserved ancient Dong village. In the past, it sat on high-quality cultural resources but suffered from a lack of visitor channels, leaving the village collective economy with narrow and slow-growing income avenues.
"The 'Village Super League' brand comes from the people, and its proceeds are used for the people." Wang Fei explained that 51 percent of brand revenue is used to strengthen the collective economies of 250 villages, and 49 percent is used for team and cheerleading squad development and youth training, while also building tourism routes to channel traffic into villages and link tourism resources together like a string of pearls.
After deliberation at a villagers' representative meeting, Dali Village pooled the collective funds it received and launched a sightseeing shuttle bus project, opening a tour loop from the village entrance parking lot to the core area of the ancient stockade, supplemented by visitor rest pavilions, public restrooms, and Dong culture interpretation points, drawing "Village Super League" traffic deep into the Dong stockade.
"At the time I put in an extra 4,000-plus yuan to buy into the sightseeing shuttle bus project." Villager Yang Zongzhi became a shuttle bus driver, with a steady stream of visitors to the village every day — "cumulative dividends of 4,000 yuan, and I'll recoup my investment soon."
"The biggest feature of the village's tourism development is benefit sharing." Yang Bo, Party branch secretary of Dali Village, said that taking the shuttle bus project as an example, regardless of whether one holds shares, 10 percent of profits are distributed annually to all 309 households in the village, with cumulative dividends of 459,000 yuan.
"The key is to mobilize everyone's enthusiasm to participate in the development of the village collective economy." Wang Fei said that many villages use "Village Super League" brand revenue to develop understory Gastrodia cultivation, passion fruit planting, and other ventures, and continue to increase income through livestream e-commerce. Leveraging "Village Super League" traffic, Rongjiang County has also built the Moon Mountain Ring tourism and wellness resort area and the Leigong Mountain sports and wellness resort area, innovatively cultivating township-level "village-branded" sub-brands, so that the masses can benefit from the integration of culture, tourism, and sports.
The event sets the stage, collective income grows, and the people prosper. Since the "Village Super League" gained national attention, the urban-rural income ratio in Rongjiang County has narrowed year by year. In the first half of this year, the county's village collective economy income reached 83.6105 million yuan, up 69.09 percent year on year.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Taizhou, October 27) (Reporters He Cong, Dou Hao) On October 27, the 2026 Hehe Culture Forum, themed "Hehe Aspires to Far-Reaching Goals, the Great Way Travels Together," was held in Tiantai County, Zhejiang. The forum was co-hosted by the Academy of Contemporary China and World Studies under the China International Communications Group and the Taizhou Municipal Party Committee and Municipal Government. More than 220 Chinese and foreign guests from 23 countries and regions worldwide attended the forum for discussion and exchange, engaging in dialogue on civilizational exchange and jointly exploring the contemporary value of hehe culture.
At the opening ceremony of the forum, activities were held including the presentation of research findings on "Hehe Culture and the Spiritual Symbols of Chinese Civilization," the global call for works for the "Using Digital Media as a Bridge, Hehe Coexistence" Hehe Culture Digital Art Competition, the release of global hehe culture practice cases, the signing of the Hehe Culture Technology Industry Fund, and the broadcast of brand activities for the international dissemination of hehe culture.
The forum featured four sub-forums, namely "The Contemporary Value of the Chinese Concept of Hehe," "Hehe Business Principles and Regional Opening-Up and Cooperation," "The Contemporary Development of Traditional Culture and Exchange and Mutual Learning," and "Youth Power and Global Sustainable Development," alongside exchange activities such as the "Tiantai Mountain Dialogue" held concurrently.
Hehe culture upholds seeking harmony while respecting differences (和而不同, he er bu tong - "harmony, yet, not, same") and promoting harmony among all nations (协和万邦, xie he wan bang - "harmonize, peace, ten thousand, states"), embodying the wisdom of China's excellent traditional culture. The Hehe Culture Forum was founded in 2021 and has been held for six sessions to date, becoming a platform for cultural exchange and intellectual dialogue with considerable visibility and influence both at home and abroad.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘 烨 朱佩娴 赵帅杰
At present, on the Central Plains, in the fertile fields and vast farmlands, wheat sowing is in full swing.
Agricultural machinery moves across the Eastern Henan Plain; wheat strip seeders advance at a steady pace with even row spacing, "harvesting one plot while sowing another." Violins from Xiaowangzhuang Village, Queshan County, Zhumadian City, are sold overseas, with villagers working at their doorstep, some earning nearly 10,000 yuan a month. Dajian Village, Yuzhou City, Xuchang, has built a geological park on the basis of its coal-mining area and converted idle houses into distinctive guesthouses and agritainment venues, attracting visitors from all directions (八方来客, ba fang lai ke - "eight, directions, come, guest")...
In May 2025, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized during an inspection tour in Henan: "We must strengthen the protection and construction of cultivated land, firmly shoulder the responsibility for food security, extend the modern agricultural industry chain, drive comprehensive rural revitalization through integrated urban-rural development, and promote common prosperity between urban and rural areas."
Thoroughly implementing the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping's important speech, Henan, as a major agricultural province and a major grain province, firmly shoulders the responsibility for food security, implements policies with high quality and efficiency, takes multiple measures to increase farmers' incomes, builds livable, workable, and beautiful villages in light of local conditions, and strives to write an excellent answer sheet for the new era's work on agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.
Technology Empowers
Making Farming More Efficient
Producing nearly 10 percent of the nation's grain with about 6 percent of the nation's cultivated land, with total grain output remaining stable at over 130 billion jin for nine consecutive years and wheat output ranking first in the country—this is the confidence of Henan as the country's core grain production area.
Where does this confidence come from? Benefiting from the iterative upgrading of Henan's agricultural machinery and equipment, farmers have moved from "having machines available" to "having good machines to use," and agricultural machinery has shifted from small machines for "one household, one machine" to large intelligent equipment at "agricultural service centers," making farming more efficient.
During this year's autumn harvest, in the corn fields of Qianxie Village, Qingnian Town, Zhaoling District, Luohe City, combine harvesters equipped with BeiDou navigation system-assisted driving have become the "new favorites." Operators only need to set the working route, and the machine can automatically complete harvesting, turning, and grain unloading, with errors controlled at the centimeter level.
Su Wensheng, deputy secretary of the Party Committee of YTO Group Corporation, introduced that Dongfanghong tractors have already iterated and upgraded from original mechanical gear shifting and power shifting to continuously variable transmission and unmanned driving. Agricultural machinery is now commonly equipped with yield monitoring, fault warning, and remote operation and maintenance systems, with operating efficiency improved by more than 20 percent.
Statistics from the Henan Provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs show that during this year's "three autumns" period (autumn harvest, autumn sowing, and autumn management), the province invested more than 4 million sets of various agricultural machinery and tools, with intelligent agricultural machinery accounting for more than 15 percent for the first time; the number of corn combine harvesters reached 120,000 units, with the mechanized harvesting rate remaining stable at over 92 percent.
Behind the iterative upgrading of agricultural machinery lies a deep transformation of Henan's modern agricultural system. In Daweizhuang Village, Weizhuang Township, Huojia County, Xinxiang City, drone field patrols, IoT pest monitoring, and integrated water-fertilizer irrigation systems work in coordination. The entire chain of grain drying, storage, and processing operates efficiently.
"When corn enters the drying tower, moisture content can drop from 30 percent to 14 percent within five hours, avoiding the losses and pollution of traditional sun-drying." Wang Qing'an, station chief of the Soil and Fertilizer Station of the Huojia County Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, showed his mobile app: "Crop growth, soil moisture, and machinery positions are immediately obvious at a glance (一目了然, yi mu liang ran - "one, eye, clearly, understand"), and autumn harvest and autumn sowing are seamlessly connected. What used to take half a month can now be done in three to five days."
The baling of straw from autumn grain crops such as corn and sorghum once faced problems of difficult dust removal, low efficiency, and poor fiber rubbing, resulting in bales with many impurities. Livestock enterprises that bought them often needed secondary processing and dust removal, making the bales "hard to sell and even harder to sell at a good price."
Targeting the pain points of the industry, Xinxiang Huaxi Technology Co., Ltd. developed a baler with a dual dust removal system of double-sided centrifugal fans plus negative-pressure fans, and installed advanced crushing equipment, making the straw so clean that almost no soil is visible, turning it into "golden grass" that cattle and sheep compete to eat.
As of October 27, Henan Province had completed stubble clearing on 99.17 million mu of land and land preparation on 75.96 million mu, with wheat sown on 47.55 million mu, accounting for 55.9 percent of the planned area, and a daily sowing progress of 7.31 million mu.
Industry Builds the Foundation
Making Fellow Villagers' Pockets Fuller
Entering Xiaowangzhuang Village, Zhugou Town, Queshan County, Zhumadian City, courtyard-style violin-making workshops can be seen everywhere, with the sounds of planing wood, sanding, and tuning rising and falling in succession (此起彼伏, ci qi bi fu - "this, rise, that, fall"). Piece by piece, ordinary wood is transformed by craftsmen's carving into handcrafted violins with mellow tones.
Looking across Queshan County, a complete industrial chain has been formed, from wood treatment and accessory carving to paint spraying. The county has developed 144 violin-making and supporting enterprises, employing more than 2,600 people, producing over 400,000 violins annually, with an annual output value of over 600 million yuan for the entire industrial chain.
"Our products are exported to many countries overseas. Among handcrafted violins of the same quality, the prices here are more internationally competitive." Wang Jinwu, a leader in prosperity, said. He has been deeply engaged in violin-making for more than 20 years. In the 1980s, he went to Beijing with a group of fellow villagers to learn handcrafted violin-making, and in 2015, responding to the county's call, he returned to his hometown to start a business. "My biggest wish now is to make fellow villagers' pockets fuller."
"After six years of development, our village's collective income has now reached 500,000 yuan," said Wang Changping, Party branch secretary of Ximajuhe Village, Hebi Town, Heshan District, Hebi City. But six years ago, the village's collective income was still nearly zero.
Where did the change come from? In 2020, Wang Changping responded to the policy and returned to his hometown, becoming a leader in prosperity. Relying on the local advantages of light, heat, and land resources, he led villagers to install photovoltaic panels, develop laying hen farming and fresh egg processing. The distinctive industries developed from nothing into something (从无到有, cong wu dao you - "from, nothing, to, something") and gradually grew stronger.
Washing, disinfection, shell breaking, separating egg white and yolk... Fresh eggs pass through the production line and are transformed into rich products such as egg tart liquid, egg white powder, and lysozyme. "With more than 2 million laying hens in stock and daily fresh egg output exceeding 1.5 million eggs, after deep processing, added value can increase by more than 50 percent. This has driven more than 100 villagers to find employment at their doorstep, with per capita monthly income exceeding 3,000 yuan," Wang Changping said.
In the first three quarters of this year, the per capita disposable income of rural residents in Henan Province reached 16,258 yuan, a year-on-year increase of 6.4 percent, 1.7 percentage points higher than the growth rate in urban areas.
Culture Casts the Soul
Letting the Countryside Retain Nostalgia
Taking a lump of clay, rolling and kneading it in the palm, then pinching and shaping it, and opening holes—between the flying fingers, a ni gu gu quickly takes shape. In Xiyangqitun Village, Pishan Street, Xun County, Hebi City, Song Kaizhan, a representative inheritor of the national intangible cultural heritage project Xun County ni gu gu, is intently making clay sculptures. On the display stand beside him are finished products of unique shapes, endearing and cute in appearance (憨态可掬, han tai ke ju - "silly, manner, can, scoop up").
"Ever since I can remember, my parents have been making ni gu gu to sell. With a hole opened at the tail, it makes a 'gu gu' sound when blown. It carries the childhood joy of a generation and was once the most popular toy among children at the market," said Song Kaizhan, who is just over 40 years old. In previous years, as trendy toys gradually entered people's daily lives, ni gu gu became increasingly neglected by the market.
"We cannot let traditional folk customs be lost in our generation!" Song Kaizhan began to actively go out to learn and tried to integrate traditional clay sculpture with contemporary trend culture. To create works themed on the Year of the Horse, he visited multiple museums to draw inspiration and produced more than 40 horse-themed ni gu gu pieces. Works such as "I Like My Horse" and "Immediate Happiness with a Horse" are lively and cute, becoming hot sellers for festivals and weddings and deeply loved by young people.
Song Kaizhan is not alone. A group of new-generation intangible cultural heritage inheritors in the village are also actively seeking change. Some delve into life scenarios and develop portable cultural and creative products such as ni gu gu refrigerator magnets, necklaces, and bag charms, allowing the ancient clay sculptures to step out of display cases and into daily life; others create trendy images such as garlic birds, milk dragons, and capybaras, and study music theory to improve the hole structure, upgrading ni gu gu into musical instruments that can play melodies, truly making the Yellow River clay "sing."
As the main production area of Xun County ni gu gu, Xiyangqitun Village has now built 36 cultural venues including the ni gu gu exhibition hall, training center, museum, and master workshops, with more than 1,000 craftsmen and artists and annual sales of over 20 million clay sculpture pieces. The local area has explored a "ni gu gu + study tours + cultural creativity + e-commerce incubation" model for linking agriculture with farmers, driving the village's annual clay sculpture output value to over 48 million yuan and increasing villagers' per capita income by more than 5,000 yuan.
On October 5, the "Regulations of Henan Province on Inheriting and Promoting the Spirit of the Red Flag Canal" was promulgated and will officially take effect on January 1, 2027. This is Henan's first provincial-level local regulation themed on the "spiritual pedigree of the Chinese Communists," opening a new chapter in the inheritance and promotion of the Red Flag Canal spirit.
In Muqiuquan Village, Rencun Town, Linzhou City, Anyang, the main canal of the Red Flag Canal, built more than half a century ago, flows without cease. Not far away, at the Qupan Fengwu Agricultural and Creative Center, Qin Chenkai, a "third-generation canal builder," spreads red paper flat on the table and, holding an engraving knife and scissors, creates the paper-cut work "Red Flag Canal Water Winding Around Taihang Mountain," meticulously recreating with fine knife work the scenes of Linzhou people cutting through mountains and building the canal, working side by side.
"To inherit and promote the Red Flag Canal spirit, we must continuously innovate in form so that the weighty history becomes tangible and perceptible," Qin Chenkai said. Over the years, the team has developed a series of cultural and creative products including paper-cuts, rubbings, leaf carvings, aromatherapy, and canvas bags, bringing the story of the Red Flag Canal to more audiences.
(People's Daily reporter Lu Chang participated in the reporting)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Wu Chuqi) The General Office of the Ministry of Civil Affairs recently issued a notice deploying the "Warmth in Winter" special rescue operation, which runs from now until March 15, 2027 (may be extended as circumstances warrant in the Northeast and Northwest regions), to effectively ensure that displaced persons without means of support pass the winter safely.
The notice requires that all localities establish a meteorological warning linkage mechanism, proactively coordinate with public security, urban management, health, and emergency response departments to conduct joint patrols, carry out dragnet-style inspections of areas where displaced persons may sleep outdoors, such as stations, docks, underground passages, bridges, culverts, and abandoned buildings, and increase the frequency of patrols before extreme weather and at night.
All localities should accelerate the construction of a discovery-and-reporting network covering cities, counties, townships, villages, and grassroots units, and mobilize sanitation workers, couriers, and bus and taxi drivers to provide rescue leads. Where circumstances permit, temporary rescue points may be established at venues such as welfare lottery public welfare fund stations, so that displaced persons can seek help in a nearby and convenient manner (就近就便, jiu jin jiu bian - "near, easy; near, convenient").
For persons found on the streets who, after persuasion, are unwilling to go to institutions to receive rescue, necessary food, clothing, and warm supplies should be provided, means of seeking help should be left with them, and the local township (subdistrict) should be informed simultaneously to carry out follow-up tracking and rescue; for critically ill patients and persons with mental disorders, in accordance with the principle of "treatment first, rescue second," they should be sent as soon as possible to designated hospitals for treatment.
The notice clarifies that for persons whose lives have fallen into difficulty due to domestic violence victimization, temporary unemployment, or other reasons, emergency and transitional livelihood support should be provided, and relevant departments should be coordinated to provide psychological counseling, legal aid, employment consultation, and other services; for rescued persons who cannot provide personal identity information, "Internet+" and other methods should be used to carry out rescue and family reunification efforts, helping them return to their families.
Return to TopOn October 24, 2026, the 2026 He Xiangjian Young Scientists Award Ceremony and Academic Symposium, themed "Youth Knows No Limits," was held at Midea's Global Innovation Center in Shunde, Foshan. Academicians, experts, and scholars from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and renowned institutions at home and abroad, together with 20 funded young scientists, gathered together in one place (齐聚一堂, qi ju yi tang - "gather, together, one hall") to engage in in-depth discussions on scientific frontiers and jointly witness a glorious moment for the strength of young scientific research.
As with the first phase of the "He Xiangjian Young Scientists" program, this phase funds 20 young scientists in two major fields—medicine and life sciences, and energy, environment, and climate change—each receiving 2 million yuan in research funding, disbursed over three years, to support their original and breakthrough basic, translational, and applied research. This event, combining academic depth with the warmth of public welfare, both showcased the innovative edge of China's young scientific research strength and highlighted the He Xiangjian Science Fund's commitment to empowering scientific and technological progress through public welfare and fulfilling social responsibility.
Academic Symposium Focuses on Frontiers
Jointly Exploring Original Breakthroughs "From 0 to 1" in Two Major Fields
On the morning of October 24, the academic symposium was held simultaneously in two parallel sessions: medicine and life sciences, and energy, environment, and climate change. Reviewing experts and young scientists engaged in in-depth discussions on the feasibility of research plans, technical bottlenecks, and translation pathways.
The medicine and life sciences session focused on life and health. Duan Jia analyzed the mechanism of action of G protein-coupled receptors, a key drug target, providing a foundation for the development of precise drugs with fewer side effects; Liu Jun constructed a "dictionary" of RNA modifications in pathogenic bacteria, addressing the pain point of rapid diagnosis of acute infections, and explored the feasibility of RNA modifications as new targets for tumor immunotherapy; Liu Yang studied the balance between rapid immune response and precise regulation of inflammation, discovered a non-canonical antiviral pathway in which RNA modifications regulate immune cell metabolism, and is currently identifying new therapeutic targets related to infection and inflammation; Hu Hongjie "lightweighted" traditional ultrasound into wearable flexible devices and expanded non-invasive ultrasound brain-computer interfaces that can precisely regulate deep brain regions, exploring new therapies for brain function-related diseases.
The energy, environment, and climate change session targeted the green transition. Fu Chenguang's discovery of a wide-temperature-range piezoelectric effect and millimeter-scale heat dissipation technology can precisely solve the problem of local hot spots in consumer electronics; Chen Zhuoyu independently developed a strong oxidizing atomic coating epitaxy technology, promoting the application of high-temperature superconductivity at the normal-pressure liquid nitrogen temperature range in scenarios such as urban power transmission and distribution and nuclear fusion demonstration; Zhang Benxiang explored electrochemically driven high-value utilization and recycling of fluorine resources, constructing carbon-fluorine bonds greenly with safe and inexpensive fluorine sources, contributing to green manufacturing and climate response; Dong Yanhao developed next-generation battery cathode materials combining high energy density and high cycling stability, extending the research cycle to more than eight years and settling in for long-term basic research.
The symposium was summarized by reviewing experts who served as moderators, affirming the original ideas of the young scientists while providing interdisciplinary suggestions for research directions. Throughout, "academic rigor" and "application orientation" were upheld, building a bridge between industry, academia, and research for scientific research breakthroughs.
Fund Funding Empowers Innovation
Public Welfare Strength Supports Young Scientists' Dreams
On the afternoon of October 24, the award ceremony was officially held. At the start of the ceremony, the video "Youth Knows No Limits," opening with "Sowing the Future," showcased the research passion and youthful edge of the 20 young scientists.
Renowned scientists encouraged the young scientists in their addresses to uphold their research mission, delve deeply into the frontiers of medicine, confront clinical challenges directly, study with great concentration (潜心钻研, qian xin zuan yan - "submerge, heart; drill, study"), and innovate courageously, contributing youthful strength to building a Healthy China.
Subsequently, the funded young scientists in the fields of medicine and life sciences and energy, environment, and climate change came on stage in batches to receive their funding certificates.
As the founder of Midea Group, Mr. He Xiangjian has long been devoted to public welfare, personally contributing 3 billion yuan to establish a science fund targeting basic research fields that are "urgently needed by the nation and at the world's frontier," extending public welfare practice from "livelihood security" to "root-level breakthroughs in science and technology."
The He Xiangjian Science Fund gives young scientists ample patience and tolerance—imposing no restrictions on research directions, no assessment indicators, and no proportional limits on the use of funds—allowing scientists to conduct research with peace of mind, dare to touch more fundamental, longer-term, and potentially failing high-difficulty topics, and settle down to endure loneliness or hardship to focus on long-term tasks (坐冷板凳, zuo leng ban deng - "sit, cold, long, bench") and tackle difficult problems or tough tasks (啃硬骨头, ken ying gu tou - "gnaw, hard, bone, head"). This support model, which respects the laws of science and encourages free exploration, also charts a new path for social capital investment in basic research.
New Fields Sow the Future
Let Young Scientific Research Strength Blossom Fully
Compared with the first phase, this phase of the program presents distinctive features: the selected cohort is overall younger; while encouraging frontier exploration, the review orientation further strengthens application translation, placing greater emphasis on the potential for research outcomes to be implemented, helping young scientists turn "discoveries in the laboratory" into "implementable solutions." Starting from the third phase, the program will add a funding direction in intelligent science, collaboratively driving frontier scientific and technological breakthroughs with a "no-limits" mindset.
The He Xiangjian Science Fund, with the aspiration of "Sowing the Future," continues to empower young scientific research strength. With the expansion of funding fields in the third phase, the fund will cover broader frontier directions, providing platforms and stages for more outstanding young scientists. Going forward, the fund will continue to link young research talent with industrial demand through public welfare, supporting young scientists in focusing on original and breakthrough basic, translational, and applied research, enabling more original research outcomes to move from the laboratory to industry and daily life, and allowing more youthful strength to blossom fully on the journey of building a strong science and technology nation.
Data source: He Xiangjian Science Fund
Return to TopBy: 吕增奎
The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is the achievement of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core in continuously advancing theoretical innovation, practical innovation, and institutional innovation in Party building through the practice of managing and governing the Party. The Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Party made strategic arrangements for persevering continuously (持之以恒, chizhi yihang - "hold on, persevere") in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. Improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, providing strong institutional guarantees for persevering continuously in advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, is the inevitable choice for our Party to strengthen the Party and strengthen the country under conditions of long-term governance. Fully understanding and grasping the development trajectory, distinctive features, and major significance of this system helps us more consciously study and implement Xi Jinping's thought on Party building and promote the new great project of Party building in the new era to develop in depth.
The process of building the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "Advancing Party building as a great project, and always adhering to the principles and policies of the Party managing itself and governing itself strictly, is a great innovation of our Party and a great magic weapon for founding the party and the state (立党立国, lidang liguo - "establish the party, establish the nation") and for revitalizing the Party and strengthening the country." In the new era, facing the profound and complex changes in the world situation, national conditions, and Party conditions, and facing the even more arduous tasks of managing and governing the Party, the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has promoted the continuous deepening and development of the new great project of Party building in the new era, and has constructed and continuously improved the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. The process of building the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a continuously developing process that began with breaking ground on work style improvement, deepened through discipline building, improved through institutional oversight, and advanced to enhancing theoretical consciousness and systematic construction. This process vividly embodies the characteristic that every step of deepening practice is accompanied by a step forward in theoretical generalization, and profoundly reflects the continuous elevation of the Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core's understanding of the laws of Marxist party building under conditions of long-term governance.
Breaking ground and concept formation. Shortly after the conclusion of the 18th National Congress of the Party, the Central Eight-Point Regulation was promulgated, becoming the entry point and mobilization order for the Party managing itself and governing itself strictly. In December 2014, General Secretary Xi Jinping proposed "full and rigorous self-governance of the Party" during an inspection tour in Jiangsu. In February 2015, at the special seminar for principal leading cadres at the provincial and ministerial level on studying and implementing the spirit of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee and comprehensively advancing law-based governance, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically elaborated on the Four-Pronged Comprehensive Strategy (四个全面) strategic layout, which includes full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. On October 8, 2015, at the 119th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the 18th Central Committee reviewing the revised drafts of the Party's integrity code and disciplinary regulations, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Strengthening discipline building is the addressing the fundamental issue (治本之策, zhiben zhi ce - "treat the root, strategy") for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party." Breaking ground from the character "govern," Party building in the new era has placed greater emphasis on comprehensive governance.
Systematic exploration and initial framework construction. The Sixth Plenary Session of the 18th Central Committee of the Party specifically studied major issues of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, reviewed and approved the "Several Guidelines on Political Life Within the Party Under the New Situation" and the revised "Regulations on Intra-Party Supervision of the Communist Party of China," forming a governance framework focused on strict intra-party political life and strengthened intra-party supervision. The 19th National Congress of the Party put forward the general requirements for Party building in the new era, forming the overall layout of Party building of "comprehensively advancing the Party's political building, ideological building, organizational building, work style building, and discipline building, running institutional building through all of them, and deeply advancing the fight against corruption." The Fourth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee proposed improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, requiring "establishing and improving the institutional mechanisms and systems that, with the Party's political building as the guide, comprehensively advance all aspects of Party building." At this stage, the systematic thinking of managing and governing the Party became more prominent.
Proposition put forward and systematic integration. The 20th National Congress of the Party proposed "improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party." In January 2023, at the Second Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically summarized the rich achievements accumulated in building the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party over the ten years of the new era, made the major judgment that "a system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has been initially constructed," and put forward the clear requirements of "full coverage in content, full coverage in objects, full chain in responsibility, and full connectivity in institutions." This fully reflects that the construction of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has moved from practical exploration to theoretical construction.
Complete elements and improved structure. In June 2024, at the 15th collective study session of the Political Bureau of the 20th Central Committee, General Secretary Xi Jinping systematically elaborated on improving the organizational system, education system, supervision system, institutional system, and responsibility system. The organizational system undertakes the functions of organizational embedding and will transmission, serving as the structural foundation for the operation of the entire system, emphasizing vertical connectivity and strong execution; the education system undertakes the functions of theoretical arming and value internalization, internalizing external political norms into political identity and behavioral consciousness, emphasizing strengthening the foundation and vitality (固本培元, gubeny peiyuan - "strengthen the foundation, nourish the origin") and unifying minds and forging character (凝心铸魂, ningxin zhuhun - "condense hearts, cast souls"); the supervision system undertakes the functions of deviation monitoring and feedback correction, serving as the "sensor" and "corrector" of the entire system, emphasizing precise force and addressing both symptoms and root causes (标本兼治, biaoben jianzhi - "symptoms, root, treat both"); the institutional system provides rule tracks and procedural guarantees for the operation of the entire system, emphasizing scientific completeness and effective usefulness; the responsibility system drives pressure transmission and incentive constraints, serving as the "pressure booster valve" of the entire system, emphasizing clear subjects and clear requirements. The proposal of the organizational system, education system, supervision system, institutional system, and responsibility system indicates that the element configuration of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is more complete and its structural functions are more mature.
At the Fifth Plenary Session of the 20th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out advancing full and rigorous self-governance of the Party with higher standards and more concrete measures, emphasizing more resolutely and forcefully implementing the major decisions and arrangements of the Party Central Committee, more scientifically and effectively confining power within the cage of institutions, and more soberly and firmly advancing the fight against corruption, putting forward new requirements for improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. In June 2026, the National Forum on Party Building Work was held, making work arrangements for studying and implementing Xi Jinping's thought on Party building. Xi Jinping's thought on Party building provides the fundamental guidance and scientific guide for improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and also indicates that the construction of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has moved from practical exploration and theoretical construction to a higher level of theorization and systematization.
The distinctive features of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era
The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a holistic party-governance system covering the entire domain of managing and governing the Party, and is the concentrated embodiment of the new great project of Party building in the new era at the level of systematic operation. This system takes political building as the guide, systematic thinking as the method, connectivity and coverage as the requirement, and dynamism and openness as the characteristic, reflecting our Party's profound grasp of the laws of managing and governing the Party under conditions of long-term governance.
Political leadership. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Party building in the new era is a systematic project in which the Party's political building serves as the guide and all aspects of Party building work together in the same direction (同向发力, tongxiang fali - "same direction, exert force") and exert comprehensive force." The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has distinct political attributes, requiring adherence to the Party's political building as the guide and running political standards and political requirements through all aspects of Party building. The Two Upholds (两个维护) constitute the highest political principle for the operation of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and political supervision runs through the entire process of the system's operation. Political leadership is not an externally added element but an inherent requirement of this system. Only under the leadership of political building can all aspects of Party building work together in the same direction, exert comprehensive force, and form synergy.
Systematic wholeness. The operational logic of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party can be understood from three levels. From the perspective of goal setting, always maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity, ensuring that the Party always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and consolidating the Party's long-term governing position—these are the fundamental goals to be achieved in building the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. From the perspective of the leading mechanism, adhering to the Party's leadership is the most essential feature of socialism with Chinese characteristics, adhering to the centralized, unified leadership of the Party Central Committee, adhering to full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, and adhering to staying true to the Party's original aspiration and founding mission establish the correct direction and value orientation for building the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. From the perspective of the transformation and realization mechanism, the organizational system, education system, supervision system, institutional system, and responsibility system transform strategic-level requirements into operable, assessable, and accountable operational mechanisms, coordinating and integrating all fields, all links, and all subjects of Party building, constituting an organic and complete whole for governing the Party.
Connectivity and coverage. The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has full coverage in content—wherever Party building advances, the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is constructed, not limited to rectifying work styles, enforcing discipline, and fighting corruption; full coverage in objects—facing all Party organizations at all levels and all Party members, managing the entire Party and governing the entire Party, with focus on grasping the "key minority"; full chain in responsibility—primary responsibility, supervisory responsibility, responsibility of the first responsible person, and "one post with dual responsibilities" are closely linked and interconnected (环环相扣, huanhuan xiangkou - "ring, ring, interlock"), achieving equal rights and responsibilities and accountability for dereliction of duty; full connectivity in institutions—with the Party Constitution as the foundation and democratic centralism as the core, enhancing the authority and enforcement of intra-Party regulations. The four "fulls" reflect the overall coverage and effective articulation of full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in content, objects, responsibility, and institutions.
Dynamism and openness. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out that improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party "requires us to adhere to governing the Party with institutions and governing the Party with regulations," emphasizing that "institutional building must adapt to the needs of managing and governing the Party, be coordinated with all aspects of Party building, and weave the cage of institutions tightly in all directions. At the same time, we must also prevent institutions from becoming overly cumbersome and falling into an 'institutional trap.'" The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a dynamic and open system. Improving this system requires both weaving the institutional cage tightly in all directions and preventing institutional overload; both enhancing institutional enforcement and maintaining dynamic adaptation between institutional supply and practical needs, highlighting the organic articulation, linked integration, and coordinated coordination of all aspects of Party building, and continuously exerting effort on complete elements and efficient operation.
The major significance of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party in the new era
The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party has elevated our Party's understanding of the laws of Marxist party building to a new height, elevated the institutionalization, standardization, and scientization of managing and governing the Party to a new level, and demonstrated the remarkable advantages of our Party. A 2025 survey by the National Bureau of Statistics showed that 95.5% of surveyed members of the public affirmed the effectiveness of implementing the spirit of the Central Eight-Point Regulation, and 91.7% of surveyed staff of Party and government organs and enterprises and public institutions expressed satisfaction with their local areas and units in overcoming formalism and bureaucratism. Through improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, the comprehensive effect of addressing both symptoms and root causes in full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is increasingly evident, and our Party has won the historical initiative of strengthening the Party and strengthening the country.
Making original contributions to the development of Marxist party-building theory. Marxist classical writers believed that Marxist political parties should strive to maintain their revolutionary nature and advanced nature. In the process of founding the Russian working-class party, Lenin paid special attention to the Party's purity, emphasizing that "our task is to safeguard the firmness, thoroughness, and purity of our Party." However, constrained by the conditions of the times, Marxist classical writers had limited systematic expositions on how parties maintain advanced nature and purity under conditions of long-term governance. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Building a system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is a work of overall and pioneering significance." Improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, focusing on maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity, profoundly summarizing the practical experience of Party building in the new era, connecting the Party's political building, ideological building, organizational building, work style building, discipline building, institutional building, and the fight against corruption, promotes Party building from individual advancement to systematic integration and from partial governance to holistic governance. The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party not only enriches the theory of Marxist parties maintaining advanced nature and purity in practical paths, but also deepens and expands the Marxist theory on party self-building through systematic construction.
Laying a solid institutional foundation for our Party's long-term governance. Under conditions of long-term governance, how to always maintain the Party's advanced nature and purity and how to ensure that the Party always maintaining vigor and vitality (永葆生机活力, yongbao shengji huoli - "forever maintain, life, vitality") are important issues that Marxist parties must resolve. The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, adhering to governing the Party with institutions and governing the Party with regulations, connects the organizational system, education system, supervision system, institutional system, and responsibility system, so that all requirements for managing and governing the Party are implemented in all fields and links of Party building. The organizational system strengthens the Party's organizational advantages, the education system consolidates the ideological foundation, the supervision system plays the role of supervision and correction, the institutional system provides normative guarantees, and the responsibility system promotes the implementation of responsibilities, constructing an overall framework for the building of a long-term governing party and forming a long-term mechanism for always maintaining the Party's advanced nature and purity.
Providing solid support for advancing Chinese modernization. Advancing Chinese modernization is a great cause unprecedented in history (前无古人, qianwu guren - "before, no, ancient people"), and it must adhere to the Party's leadership as the fundamental guarantee. The Party's governing capacity and leadership level directly bear on the future and destiny of Chinese modernization. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "To ensure the correct exercise and standardized operation of power and improve the Party's governing capacity and leadership level, we must effectively ensure that wherever the cause of the Party and the state expands, Party building covers it." The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party promotes the shift of various measures for managing and governing the Party from dispersed implementation to integrated advancement, advances the management and governance of the Party with systematic thinking and scientific methods, enables the Party's governing capacity and leadership level to be comprehensively improved, and promotes the cause of Chinese modernization to continuously achieve new breakthroughs under the strong leadership of the Party. At the same time, as an organic component of the national governance system, the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party plays an important function of connecting the management and governance of the Party with national governance. Through improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, Party building adapts to and coordinates with the development of the cause of the Party and the state, better transforming the Party's political advantages, organizational advantages, and institutional advantages into the governance effectiveness of the national governance system.
Contributing Chinese wisdom and Chinese solutions to global party governance. How to strengthen self-building, prevent organizational weakening, and maintain development vitality is a common challenge faced by many political parties around the world. Our Party uses the concept of governance, systematic thinking, and dialectical thinking to manage, govern, and build the Party, gradually forming a mechanism for managing and governing the Party with systematicity, stability, and long-term nature, especially by exploring important paths of self-purification, self-improvement, self-renewal, and self-enhancement through improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party. The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party emphasizes the Party's proactive self-governance and the Party's own responsibility and commitment, blazing a new path of party governance different from the Western model of party alternation, providing valuable experience for global party governance. The system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is based on the characteristics of the Communist Party of China itself, focuses on solving the prominent problems of Party building in the new era, and absorbs and develops the governance wisdom in China's excellent traditional culture that values universal connections and excels at overall coordination, and thus can achieve remarkable results in practice. This also provides inspiration for party governance in developing countries: only by basing themselves on their own history, culture, actual national conditions, and party conditions, and exploring party-building concepts and paths that suit their own realities, can they maintain their own cohesion and vitality and better lead their people in advancing modernization.
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The entire Party must always maintain the sobriety and firmness of being on the examination, take improving the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party as an effective path, and continuously push forward the new great project of Party building in the new era." Full and rigorous self-governance of the Party is always on the road. In the new era and new journey, to further improve the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party, we must fully implement Xi Jinping's thought on Party building, implement the general requirements for Party building in the new era, adhere to problem orientation, systematic thinking, and scientific methods, continuously enhance the scientificity, systematicity, and effectiveness of managing and governing the Party, truly transform the institutional advantages of the system for full and rigorous self-governance of the Party into governance effectiveness in managing and governing the Party, ensure that the Party always stays at the forefront of the times and always maintains vigor and vitality, always remains the strong leading core of the cause of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and provides a strong guarantee for the great cause of building a strong country and national rejuvenation.
(The author is a specially invited researcher at the Beijing Research Center for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era)
Return to TopBy: 王芸婷
Undertakings differ in their immediacy, and achievements differ in their visibility. This year's "July 1 Medal" recipients Ma Shanxiang and Wu Yaqin have been rooted at the grassroots for over 30 years. One has received and served more than 20,000 members of the public, mediated more than 2,500 disputes, and written over 9 million characters of work notes; the other has mediated more than 1,000 disputes, explored and implemented the "Four-Step Deliberation" and "36 Methods of Community Work," and trained nearly 30,000 backbone cadres in grassroots governance. Rooted in the people and making sustained, long-term effort, they have proven through concrete action that achievements of low visibility can equally shake heaven and earth.
General Secretary Xi Jinping has stressed: "One should achieve both visible achievements and achievements of low visibility." Both low-visibility achievements and visible achievements are political achievements, dialectically unified in the practice of Party members and cadres undertaking work and benefiting the people; both require devotion to the people and producing real results through solid work. Compared with visible achievements, which take effect immediately and are easy to quantify, low-visibility achievements require silent dedication and long-term investment before their results become apparent; they typically involve making steady progress through small, continuous steps (积跬步至千里, ji kui bu zhi qian li - "accumulate, small steps, reach, thousand li") and accumulating small victories into major ones, and they determine the foundation and quality of visible achievements, bearing on the stability of foundations, overall construction, and long-term development. The work of laying foundations and building platforms, though not conspicuous at any given moment, will ultimately drive the cause forward; the achievements of quiet cultivation and solid work, though not dazzling in the present, will surely be transformed into public acclaim and monuments to the cause.
"One skilled at building is not uprooted; one skilled at embracing is not separated." Low-visibility achievements best embody the sense of responsibility, vision, and capability of Party members and cadres. Gu Wenchang spent more than 10 years planting trees and controlling sandstorms on Dongshan Island in Fujian; Huang Dafa spent more than 30 years chiseling a "life-saving canal" out of cliff faces; Wang Ji has held fast to the three-foot podium for more than 30 years, practicing the mission of cultivating virtue and nurturing talents (立德树人, li de shu ren - "establish, virtue, grow, people") and nurturing talent for combat. These are all low-visibility achievements. Today, Dongshan Island has white sands and verdant forests; Tuanjie Village in Pingzheng Gelao Township, Bozhou District, Zunyi, Guizhou, is enjoying increasingly better development momentum; and the large number of students Wang Ji has trained have grown into backbone talents in the field of high-confidence software in China. This vividly confirms the profound truth that "great trees must have deep roots (参天之木，必有其根, can tian zhi mu, bi you qi gen - "reach, heaven, tree, must, have, its, root"); waters that embrace mountains must have their sources." Those who toil quietly at low-visibility achievements shoulder the heavy responsibility of consolidating foundations rather than flashy empty work, seek strategies for long-term planning rather than emergency measures, and calculate the interests of the people rather than personal gain, manifesting the original aspiration and distinctive character of Chinese Communists in wholeheartedly serving the people, disregarding fame and gain, and being down-to-earth and practical (脚踏实地, jiao ta shi di - "foot, step, solid, ground").
To cultivate low-visibility achievements deeply, one must correctly understand their cornerstone role in the development of the cause, clearly recognize that low-visibility achievements and visible achievements are not opposed and that low-visibility achievements are also achievements, and put an end to using low-visibility achievements as a "fig leaf" for lacking ambition or drive to improve (不思进取, bu si jin qu - "not, think, advance, pursue") and mediocre and negligent governance (庸政怠政, yong zheng dai zheng - "mediocre, government, lazy, government"), or as a "shield" for non-action and slow action. To cultivate low-visibility achievements deeply, one must precisely break new ground where contradictions are most concentrated, build foundations where the foundations are weakest, and exert effort where the people yearn most. At present, we are in a critical period of consolidating the foundation and launching a comprehensive effort to basically realize socialist modernization. Whether it is consolidating and expanding advantages or breaking through bottlenecks and constraints and strengthening weak links and shortcomings, Party members and cadres must be not getting lost in unrealistic fantasies (不驰于空想, bu chi yu kong xiang - "not, gallop, at, empty, thought"), not chasing empty reputation (不骛于虚声, bu wu yu xu sheng - "not, pursue, at, hollow, fame"), daring to tackle difficult problems (敢啃硬骨头, gan ken ying gu tou - "dare, gnaw, hard, bone"), daring to take on hot potatoes, willingly doing groundwork, willingly grasping unfinished matters, being down-to-earth and persevering and persistent (持之以恒, chi zhi yi heng - "hold, it, with, perseverance"), using low-visibility work to achieve visible results and turning blueprints into reality.
Low-visibility achievements need to be incentivized. Only by accurately identifying low-visibility achievements and enabling those who cultivate them deeply to receive recognition and praise can more people be driven to devote themselves to creating low-visibility achievements and to acting with dedication and solid work. To scientifically assess low-visibility achievements, public evaluation must be used as the yardstick: listen to public opinion more in the fields, visit villages and households more to see the real situation, and examine actual results through public acclaim, avoiding "performing only for superiors rather than being responsible to the people." Adhere to a systems perspective, coordinate considering political and economic factors, the present and the future, the material and the spiritual, development and ecology, and the domestic and international, be good at calculating the big picture and the overall account, and do not simply judge heroes by economic data and superficial achievements, avoiding "numbers producing officials and officials producing numbers." Establish an orientation toward sustainable development and relay-style endeavor, carry out long-cycle follow-up evaluation of results, and take the long-term impact of decisions and deployments, the progress in resolving historical legacy issues, and the cumulative results of foundational work as important dimensions of assessment and evaluation.Strengthen the targeting of assessment and evaluation, use differentiated, precise, and scientific assessment methods, and formulate assessment plans according to level, region, department, post, and conditions.
History is the most just and never buries any perseverance that benefits the long term; the people are the most affectionate and forever cherish every act of diligent cultivation that is close to and loving toward them. The broad ranks of Party members and cadres are pragmatic and responsible, aware of the weight of their burdens and willing to bear them. They are both good at creating visible achievements that are tangible, beneficial to the people, and good at being willing to make low-visibility achievements that consolidate the foundation and benefit the nation and future generations. They will surely accumulate earth to form high mountains and converge streams to reach rivers and seas, continuously advancing the great cause of Chinese modernization.
Return to TopBy: 肖 鹏
Reading is an important pathway for humanity to acquire knowledge, enlighten wisdom, cultivate intelligence, and foster morality. In his congratulatory letter to the first National Reading Conference, General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "It is hoped that the whole society will participate in reading, forming a strong atmosphere of loving books, reading good books, and being adept at reading." The rural library (nongjia shuwu) is a foundational project for safeguarding farmers' reading rights and promoting rural reading, and is of great significance for advancing the construction of spiritual civilization in rural areas and supporting the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside. The "Action Plan for Promoting Rural Library Reform and Enhancement to Boost Rural Reading," issued in June this year, clearly requires effectively revitalizing and making good use of rural reading facilities such as rural libraries, cultivating farmers' interest in reading, and meeting farmers' basic reading needs. It is necessary to further improve the functions of rural libraries, enhance the efficiency of rural reading services, and, through abundant reading facilities, high-quality reading resources, and regular reading activities, better meet farmers' spiritual and cultural needs and advance the construction of rural culture.
At the beginning of this century, in order to fill the gap in rural reading facilities, China launched the Rural Library Project. After years of construction, rural libraries have achieved extensive coverage in rural areas, becoming an important position for rural reading and providing strong support for cultivating a reading culture and enriching farmers' spiritual and cultural life. As the comprehensive revitalization of the countryside advances in depth, profound changes have taken place in the rural population structure, production and lifestyle, and channels for accessing information, which also pose new requirements for rural libraries. At present, the pertinence and timeliness of the supply of book resources in some rural libraries need to be improved, and there are problems such as insufficient attractiveness of reading activities and insufficient integration of digital reading with traditional reading. It is necessary to focus on the new situation and new requirements, base ourselves on the "rural" (nongjia) positioning, improve the quality of "books" (shu), enrich the functions of the "house" (wu), and strengthen the atmosphere of "reading" (du), taking concrete measures and seeking breakthroughs in revitalizing space, optimizing resources, enriching activities, and improving mechanisms, so as to promote rural libraries to take root in the countryside and better serve farmers.
Optimize the layout of rural libraries. A scientific layout is the foundation for giving play to the role of rural libraries. With the acceleration of rural population mobility and the adjustment of village layouts, the site selection of some libraries has become disconnected from the actual conditions and needs of rural areas. It is necessary to ascertain the actual situation in rural areas through investigation and research, clearly understand where the masses are, what they need, and how they use rural libraries, and make dynamic adjustments to the construction of rural libraries, so as to make their construction and distribution more precise and practical. Through venue sharing, the integrated development of rural libraries with Party and mass service centers, new era civilization practice centers (xin shidai wenming shijian suo), village history museums, and other venues can be promoted, continuously upgrading service capabilities; through joint construction and sharing, deep linkage between rural libraries and rural school libraries (rooms) can be promoted, building a reading system that connects inside and outside the campus; through resource linkage, cultural content and public services with rural characteristics can be introduced into libraries, expanding functions on the basis of highlighting the main business of reading, creating small yet exquisite and beautiful (小而美, xiao er mei - "small, and, beautiful") characteristic reading spaces, and promoting the integration of positions, the flow of resources, and the connection of services.
Improve the quality of content. Farmers are the target audience of rural libraries. To improve the quality of book content in rural libraries, efforts must be made on the word "agriculture" (nong), starting from the four aspects of "accurate, excellent, new, and lively" (zhun, you, xin, huo). "Accurate" means precisely serving farmers' reading needs, which can be achieved by improving the mechanism for collecting needs and reading feedback, and promoting services such as "people order books," "you buy books, I pay," as well as "order-based" and "menu-based" services, so that book supply matches the needs of the masses. "Excellent" means promoting the direct delivery of high-quality resources to the grassroots, strengthening coordination and linkage between rural libraries and public libraries, physical bookstores, publishing and distribution institutions, and broadening the channels for good books to reach the countryside. "New" means keeping the collection vibrant, improving the mechanism for dynamic replenishment and regular updating of book resources, promoting the orderly flow of high-quality books between urban and rural areas and between libraries, and ensuring that bookshelves are always fresh and good books are always available. "Lively" means enabling rural libraries to further move from "having books to read" to "having people come to read," actively organizing thematic reading activities such as science popularization reading and family reading, closely combining book selection and allocation with reading services, and attracting more readers.
Strengthen reading promotion. Rural libraries are important positions for cultivating a rural reading culture and supporting the construction of spiritual civilization in rural areas. It is necessary to strengthen reading promotion through scientific guidance, so that more farmers participate in reading, fall in love with reading, and benefit from reading. Focus on key groups to bring reading services closer to more people. For rural women and children, make parent-child reading, family reading guidance, and children's reading companionship regular services; for groups such as the elderly and returning youth, design reading programs based on their life characteristics and actual needs. Focus on local memory, combining the construction of local literature with reading promotion, and through activities such as local culture reading and lectures, village history co-reading, and oral memory, enable the masses to understand their hometown and remember nostalgia (xiangchou) through reading. Focus on professional content, deepening cooperation with public libraries, bookstores, and social forces, and continuously improving the quality and level of reading activities; develop reading promotion toolkits suitable for rural libraries, transforming innovative ideas and cutting-edge experience into professional tools that the grassroots can use directly and effectively. Focus on brand building, regularly carrying out reading activities that are recognized by the masses and effective, and cultivating a number of reading brands with rural characteristics and broad influence.
Improve the management and operation mechanism. Promoting the further improvement of the management and operation mechanism is an important lever for enabling rural libraries to better realize the sinking of resources, serve the masses, and nurture rural customs. In areas where conditions permit, the inclusion of rural libraries in the unified management of the public library central-branch library system can be promoted, establishing a sound overall management mechanism in book circulation, professional guidance, activity organization, and other aspects, so that scattered rural libraries can be connected to a professional and regular public reading service system. Improve the mechanism for the participation of social forces, and, on the premise of adhering to the public welfare attribute and guaranteeing basic services, explore more flexible management and use methods, introduce professional forces to participate in operation, and explore innovative methods such as public welfare adoption, project claiming, and cooperative co-construction, so as to enhance the operational vitality of rural libraries. Improve the mechanism for building the talent team, strengthen professional training for library management personnel and volunteer service forces, attach importance to the cultivation mechanism for reading promoters and the incubation mechanism for rural reading organizations, so that more people who understand reading, are good at promotion, and are adept at service can take root at the grassroots. Innovate the evaluation mechanism, highlight the orientation of service effectiveness, and, based on the characteristics of rural libraries in deeply cultivating the countryside and serving the masses, not only examine input guarantees and operational foundations, but also pay attention to the utilization of resources and the degree of benefit to the masses, avoiding one-sided use of the number and scale of rural libraries as the basis for evaluation.
(The author is a professor at the School of Information Management, Sun Yat-sen University)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 乔 栋
Huangzhong District of Xining City, Qinghai Province, and Qixia District of Nanjing City, Jiangsu Province, are thousands of miles apart. The east-west collaboration cadre secondment program brought two cadres into connection: Hua Wei, a cadre from Qixia District, went to Huangzhong District to serve as deputy secretary and deputy district head, while Mo Yugong, a cadre from Huangzhong District, was seconded to the Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Qixia District Party Committee.
Over the past several months, Mo Yugong has gained deep insight: "Jiangsu cadres taught me to 'look forward' — at efficiency, at the long term, at the market." Hua Wei, in turn, was influenced by the plateau cadres: "Qinghai cadres reminded me to 'look downward' — at the people, at the ecology, at the foundations."
"'Looking forward' and 'looking downward,' combined together, are what can drive high-quality development." The two had previously believed that east-west collaboration meant "giving money and giving projects," but now they recognize that "funding and projects are both temporary; the transformation of mindsets and work styles is the long-term solution."
Precision in allocation, fiscal funds leverage greater returns
Reduce unplanned variables, implement whole-life-cycle project management
When he first arrived in Huangzhong District last year, Hua Wei was adapting to the plateau climate while also adapting to the work environment.
Upon arriving in Qinghai, the pace slowed considerably. For the strawberry industrial park project under east-west collaboration, Hua Wei frequently asked about progress (隔三岔五, ge san cha wu - "separated, three, 岔, five"), but progress was slow.
Many projects are prone to problems in process management — "Previously, some projects looked good on 'packaging' in the early stage, but had many unplanned interfering factors later on, causing results to fall short of expectations," introduced Ren Yifan, deputy director of the Huangzhong District Finance Bureau.
This easily leads to losses of fiscal funds. Previously, a morel mushroom project in Qunjia Tibetan Township, Huangzhong District, was slow to show returns on investment, and after completion, the input-output ratio fell short of the declared expectations.
To address this, Hua Wei participated in formulating the "Huangzhong District Government Investment Project Whole-Life-Cycle Management Measures," directly targeting "standardization." In Hua Wei's words, "Every node has clear responsible persons and restrictive clauses, reducing disturbance from external factors and ensuring high-quality progress according to the schedule."
This set of management measures also brought another benefit: every project precisely found its "home." "According to the departments involved in the specific content of each project, projects are split into different sub-projects, making review more professional and fiscal fund allocation more precise," Ren Yifan said.
During his secondment in Nanjing, Mo Yugong was deeply influenced by the efficient and meticulous work style there. "Cadres in Huangzhong District are willing to endure hardship, but sometimes lack this kind of whole-chain, meticulous thinking capability." Mo Yugong hopes to bring Jiangsu's good experience back with him.
Market orientation, sign the "order" first, then start construction
Clarify the management and operation model, let subsequent development proceed steadily over the long term
Emphasizing construction over operation, emphasizing protection over revitalization — some individual cadres still hold fixed ways of thinking.
After more than half a year of research back and forth, Hua Wei directly pointed out problems at a government meeting discussion regarding an infrastructure project about to be launched: "We should prepare both the 'seasoning' and the 'ingredients' before we 'cook.' Rushing to launch in the early stage, with a lack of substance in subsequent development, is disadvantageous in the long run."
Yun Luo Sangjiancuo, a local cadre attending the meeting who serves as a member of the Party Leadership Group and deputy director of the Huangzhong District Agriculture and Rural Affairs Bureau, was quite surprised: "Within his term of office, doesn't he want to push forward a few more highlight projects?"
This question was answered after their working relationship became familiar, when Hua Wei explained: "We need to plan comprehensively for the long term, lay a solid foundation and calculate the accounts well, and then subsequent matters can proceed steadily over the long term."
Regarding the different work styles of "slow and fast," Mo Yugong's feelings are equally profound: "I have long done grassroots work in Huangzhong District. When encountering a project, my first reaction is how to fight for funding and how to start construction as soon as possible."
Upon arriving in Qixia District, Mo Yugong still handles the implementation of east-west collaboration funding projects. He discovered that the starting points of thinking among cadres on both sides are different — "Nanjing cadres first ask three questions: Where is the market? Who will operate it? Can it make money?"
Take Huangzhong District's all-season strawberry project as an example. Mo Yugong previously served as deputy district head and is very familiar with the implementation process of this industry. "In the past, our approach to developing industry was relatively simple — build greenhouses, cultivate seedlings, grow fresh fruit, sell it."
After the Nanjing colleagues arrived, they did not rush to start construction, but instead spent two months conducting market research, bringing in experts from the Jiangsu Provincial Academy of Agricultural Sciences to test soil and select varieties, and also connecting with multiple leading strawberry cultivation enterprises in Jiangsu, signing the orders first before starting base construction. Mo Yugong said: "To be honest, at first I didn't quite understand and felt they were too slow. It was only during project implementation that I realized — precisely because the early market research was solid, we successfully cultivated 47 high-quality varieties including Akihime, Benihoppe, and Sweet Charlie. The strawberries are not hard to sell once grown, and prices are considerably higher than before."
Integration of mindsets, balancing the interests of the masses with market benefits
Find the "optimal solution" for confirming rights to intangible cultural heritage, ensure sustainable operation
Huangzhong District has 139 intangible cultural heritage projects, and many villages have their own distinctive intangible cultural heritage items. In Yangpo Village, local artisans have long been deeply engaged in silver and copper forging craftsmanship, but have always relied on scattered workshops fighting alone, with resources dispersed.
Solutions have been attempted. Huangzhong District integrated multiple intangible cultural heritage items to build the Eight-Petal Lotus Intangible Cultural Heritage Inheritance Center, inviting artisans to take up residence. But after the center began operating, it remained in a state of "low-power operation." "Spending money to build a 'greenhouse' for protecting intangible cultural heritage is still far from activation and utilization," said Chen Wenjin, secretary of the Party Working Committee and director of the Hehuang Culture Xining Industrial Park Management Committee.
"True inheritance requires embracing the market." Hua Wei previously worked in Maqun Subdistrict in Qixia District and had handled many similar projects. "Pushing intangible cultural heritage onto the path of industrialization, protection naturally follows as a natural development (水到渠成, shui dao qu cheng - "water, arrive; channel, complete")."
With an innovative work style of opening up markets, part of the east-west collaboration funds was invested in the activation and utilization of intangible cultural heritage. Huangzhong District cooperated with South-Central Minzu University to extract 10 categories and more than 50 types of cultural and creative products from projects such as pile embroidery, silver and copper ware, and Tibetan carpets, covering consumer goods such as refrigerator magnets and keychains. "At present, the intangible cultural heritage inheritance center has both research-study exchanges and intangible cultural heritage experiences, and has also achieved simultaneous research and development, exhibition, and sales," Chen Wenjin said.
Regarding the direction of the mechanism for linking intangible cultural heritage projects to farmers and benefiting farmers, the focus points on both sides also differ. Nanjing cadres pay more attention to introducing professional operating companies to manage, ensuring project profitability; Huangzhong District cadres believe that "assets and intellectual property rights must be confirmed to the village collective" is more important.
The final plan reached was: confirm rights to the village collective, introduce professional teams responsible for operational guidance and technical support, and cultivate local teams to gradually take over. This ensures both the interests of the masses and the sustainable operation of the projects. "I think this plan is the result of the integration of both sides' mindsets — it calculates both the economic account and the livelihood account," Mo Yugong said.
Taking Yangpo Village as an example, for every refrigerator magnet or other cultural and creative product sold featuring "silver and copper ware making and gold-gilding craftsmanship," 5% of the revenue goes to the village collective.
Mountains and seas converge — Hua Wei has honed a work style of bending down to take root in the livelihood of the plateau without compromise, while Mo Yugong brings back new development thinking of marketization and refinement. "East-west collaboration has never been limited to one-way transfer of funds and projects. The exchange of mindsets and mutual learning of work styles are the long-term driving force helping regional coordination move toward high-quality development," Mo Yugong said.
Return to TopBy: 吴 凯
Where does the momentum for East-West collaboration come from? Two exchange cadres from Jiangsu and Qinghai have provided the answer through practice: it is necessary to do a good job of connecting funds with projects, and even more important to focus on mutual learning of work styles.
Jiangsu cadres "look forward," emphasizing precision, efficiency, and effectiveness. Formulating a full-lifecycle management approach for projects, conducting sufficient market research before starting construction, bringing in professional teams to be responsible for project operations... a series of measures has made project management more scientific and standardized, answering the question of development efficiency. Qinghai cadres "look downward," emphasizing adherence to the foundation of fairness. Confirming asset and intellectual property rights to village collectives, cultivating local teams to gradually take over project operations, and enabling the masses to truly share in the fruits of development—these respond to the concern that development serves the people.
A shift in philosophy and work style is a long-term solution (长久之计, chang jiu zhi ji - "long, lasting, plan, scheme"). Deepening East-West collaboration requires not only the exchange of resources but also mutual learning of work styles, so as to inject lasting momentum into promoting coordinated regional development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王东辉 李 刚
On October 23, the second phase of the 140th Canton Fair opened. Returning to the Canton Fair again this year, Anne from the United States was deeply moved: "Having attended for over 30 years, it feels better and better."
Anne, born in 1962, has the Chinese name Fu Weiping. She is the founder of the U.S. International Marketing Group (IMG) and the Canton Fair Friendship House in San Francisco, as well as a promoter of the Canton Fair. Fu Weiping's connection to the Canton Fair began with her father's generation.
Fu Weiping's father, Fu Yong'an, served as the first captain of the Canton Fair's motorcade when the first Canton Fair was held in 1957. Speaking of her father, Fu Weiping is very proud: "When I was little, my father often told me stories about the Canton Fair, planting in my heart the seed of a bond with the Canton Fair."
"My mother told me that during the Canton Fair, my father came home very late every night, devoting himself wholeheartedly to serving the fair's guests." Fu Weiping recalled that her father had deep feelings for the Canton Fair and would wear the Canton Fair work uniform on many formal occasions.
In 1982, Fu Weiping graduated from high school and became a salesperson at the Canton Fair's shopping mall. Thanks to her solid English foundation, she also served as a translator at the mall.
In 1985, Fu Weiping married and moved to California, the United States, where she worked in sales at a wholesale mall in California. In 1990, Fu Weiping returned to the Canton Fair as a trade representative of Sacramento, the capital of California.
"At that time, my parents were overjoyed to see me back. My father urged me to be serious and responsible, to strive to facilitate more business, bring more American merchants to the Canton Fair, and bring more Chinese products to the United States." Fu Weiping recalled.
At that session, Fu Weiping conceived the idea of starting her own business and deepening her involvement in international trade. Soon after, she established IMG in the United States, conducting international trade primarily with goods offered at the Canton Fair. Later, she also invested in building factories in China.
Since leading delegations to the Canton Fair in 1990, Fu Weiping has attended almost every session on time. From full of high spirits (意气风发, yi qi feng fa - "will, spirit, high, prosperous") to calm and composed, the traces of passing time are visible on her badges from many sessions.
"The Canton Fair is a calling card of China's foreign trade, a window open to the world." Having accompanied the Canton Fair's growth for so many years, Fu Weiping's understanding of it has deepened, and her feelings have grown stronger, giving rise to a new idea.
In August 2024, Fu Weiping established the Canton Fair Friendship House in San Francisco, hoping to bring together more international friends who love the Canton Fair and further promote the fair to the world.
In September 2024, the Canton Fair promotion event was held for the first time in Cupertino, the United States, and was warmly welcomed locally. As a Cupertino city councilmember put it, the United States needs the Canton Fair, and the Canton Fair also needs the United States, hoping for more cooperation with the fair.
Today, Fu Weiping's role at the Canton Fair has shifted to that of representative of the Canton Fair Friendship House in San Francisco. She said she is very proud to have witnessed with her own eyes the fair's growth over the years, especially the exhibits becoming smarter, higher in quality, and more futuristic in recent years.
On the eve of the opening of the 140th Canton Fair, Fu Weiping said to her father, who is over ninety years old: "This year the Canton Fair turns 70. I'll attend the opening ceremony on your behalf."
Fu Yong'an nodded with gratification and said: "The Canton Fair keeps getting better and better — it depends on passing the torch."
Generation after generation of "Canton Fair people" have passed the baton with dedication, and the "No. 1 Exhibition in China" has become more and more new with age (历久弥新, li jiu mi xin - "pass, long time, even more, new"), radiating vigorous vitality.
(Lu Dong and Zeng Huanru contributed to the reporting)
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Wang Yunshan) The reporter learned from the National Energy Administration: In the first nine months, power trading institutions across the country completed a cumulative trading volume of 5,853.6 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 18.9%.
In September, power trading institutions across the country completed a trading volume of 673.7 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 17.5%. By scope of trading, intra-provincial trading volume was 523.5 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 21.7%; inter-provincial and inter-regional trading volume was 150.2 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 5.0%.
By type of trading, medium- and long-term trading volume was 601.6 billion kilowatt-hours; spot trading volume was 72.1 billion kilowatt-hours. Green power trading volume was 31.0 billion kilowatt-hours, a year-on-year increase of 6.9%. The volume of electricity purchased on behalf of customers through market-based agency by grid companies was 65.0 billion kilowatt-hours.
Return to TopThe reporter learned on the 27th that the "Jiaolong" manned submersible, which has achieved its second iterative upgrade, recently conducted multiple 7,000-meter test dives in the Philippine Sea Basin and returned safely, successfully completing the 7,000-meter-class sea trial of the national key research and development program "Enhancement of Jiaolong's Key Operational Technical Capabilities and Scientific Applications," with a maximum dive depth of 7,056.9 meters. The photo shows the recovery of the "Jiaolong" as it leaves the sea surface.
Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Li Xin
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 钟自炜
In Xiamen, Fujian, a smart manufacturing enterprise holds multiple core patents, and sustained R&D investment has brought considerable funding pressure. The industrial finance team of Xiamen International Bank made multiple on-site research visits to the enterprise, applied the six-dimensional evaluation system for sci-tech innovation enterprises, comprehensively assessed the enterprise's technological barriers, patent reserves, and market prospects, and completed approval of a 30 million yuan credit line within two weeks.
"Sci-tech innovation enterprises emphasize R&D and have light assets; in the past, their financing channels were relatively limited. The bank recognized the value of our technology, and this credit line has provided key support for our continued research efforts," said the person in charge of the enterprise.
In 2022, Xiamen International Bank launched its specialized industrial finance strategy, building an industrial finance system covering 19 first-tier tracks and 78 second-tier tracks, including artificial intelligence, new energy vehicles, and humanoid robots. As of the end of June this year, the proportion of domestic legal entity industrial finance loan balances in corporate loans had risen to nearly 50 percent, while the non-performing loan ratio remained low.
By the banks of the Lujiang River, the headquarters building of Xiamen International Bank stands facing each other across the sea (隔海相望, ge hai xiang wang - "separated by sea, look at each other") with Gulangyu Island. As the first Sino-foreign joint venture bank in New China, the bank has gradually grown into a modern commercial bank rooted locally with business radiating both domestically and internationally. Though its scale has kept changing, its positioning of serving the real economy has never changed.
In the 1980s, Xiamen became a frontier of opening up to the outside world, and the market's demand for diversified, outward-oriented financial services became increasingly prominent. In 1985, Xiamen International Bank was established.
Acting as agent for the sale of bonds for the Xiamen Gaoji Cross-Sea Bridge (i.e., Xiamen Bridge), raising funds for the city's cross-island development; actively serving various outward-oriented enterprises and providing financial support for early foreign-funded enterprises... Xiamen International Bank has contributed to development through taking the lead in exploring new paths (先行先试, xian xing xian shi - "first act, first try").
In 2013, Xiamen International Bank completed its shareholding reform and has continued to focus its service efforts on the real economy, constantly innovating financial models suited to industrial development.
Fujian is rich in overseas Chinese business resources, and many overseas Chinese enterprises operate in both domestic and overseas markets simultaneously, making cross-border fund deployment a real pain point in business operations.
A leading listed overseas Chinese-funded enterprise in the region has seen rapid expansion of its overseas business, with increasing funding needs for overseas projects. The bank coordinated with its subsidiaries in Hong Kong and Macao, sorted out the bottlenecks in the enterprise's cross-border operations, customized comprehensive financial solutions, opened up domestic and overseas business channels, and ensured the supply of funds for the enterprise's overseas projects.
"The enterprise operates domestically and overseas in parallel, and the efficiency of cross-border fund flows directly affects the pace of development. The bank leveraged the synergy of its institutions in both locations and effectively resolved the practical difficulties in our operations," said the person in charge of the overseas Chinese enterprise.
Focusing on the broad community of overseas Chinese and their enterprises, the bank has launched a series of specialized financial products such as the "Overseas Chinese Heart Card" and the "Overseas Chinese Mortgage Loan." Data show that the bank has served more than 100,000 overseas Chinese customers cumulatively, with the group's overseas Chinese business volume exceeding 255 billion yuan; the group's international business accounts for more than one-third of its total, helping more than 140 Chinese enterprises complete overseas bond issuance with financing scale exceeding 300 billion yuan.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Jinan, October 27) (Reporter Xiao Jiaxin) Recently, Shandong Province issued the second batch of the 2026 policy list for promoting economic seeking progress while maintaining stability (稳中求进, wen zhong qiu jin - "stable, middle, seek, advance") and improving quality and efficiency, which includes six policy measures centered on promoting the expansion and quality improvement of the service industry, making full and good use of the provincial service industry development guidance fund, supporting the platform economy, high-growth enterprises, quality projects, and the construction of new scenarios for service consumption, and promoting the sustained recovery and improvement of the service industry.
The policy specifies that provincial-level funds will be arranged to support the development of the platform economy, providing subsidies to public-facing network platforms and e-commerce platforms. Centering on service consumption, the province will coordinate funds to support business format integration, model innovation, and the cultivation of new consumption scenarios, and will provide incentives for the issuance of consumption vouchers and the carrying out of consumption-promotion activities.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 常 钦
Recently, the Ministry of Natural Resources, together with the National Development and Reform Commission, jointly released the Mineral Resources Catalogue. This catalogue, covering 174 mineral species and 119 sub-species, serves as the "household register" of China's mineral resources. Previously, China had been using the Detailed Classification of Mineral Resources, which had been in operation for more than 30 years. Why is this "household register" of mineral resources undergoing its first major revision?
Qiao Chunlei (乔春磊), Deputy Director of the Department of Mineral Resources Protection and Supervision under the Ministry of Natural Resources, stated that with the promulgation and implementation of the new Mineral Resources Law and its implementing regulations, and in the face of new circumstances and new requirements such as safeguarding energy and resource security and developing new quality productive forces, "re-registering" mineral resources has become an urgent task. This adjustment will enhance the capacity to safeguard mineral resources, particularly by carrying out special planning and special protection for strategic resources such as shale gas, natural gas hydrates, and high-purity quartz ore; and it will promote the development of new quality productive forces, providing institutional safeguards for the resource needs of strategic emerging industries.
The Mineral Resources Catalogue is the fundamental basis for the state to achieve refined management of mineral resources, involving eight key areas:
In planning and layout, it enables government departments to clearly define management targets, grasp resource endowments, formulate exploration and development indicators by mineral species, optimize layouts, guide prospecting directions, and select strategic minerals for special protection.
In policy regulation, it supports the formulation of differentiated exploration, mining, reserve, and import-export policies based on the strategic status of mineral species, and the reasonable division of supervision and management authority between the central and local governments.
In property rights management, mining rights licenses must clearly indicate the mineral species to be explored or mined; this is key to avoiding ownership disputes, preventing unauthorized mining, and preventing the loss of state resources.
In industry standards, it is the basis for formulating technical standards such as exploration specifications by mineral species and the "three rates" indicators.
In statistics and decision-making, national statistics on mineral resource reserves are compiled by mineral species (sub-species), on the basis of which the degree of external dependence of resources and supply chain risks are assessed.
In tax and fee collection and management, the collection and management of mining rights transfer proceeds requires the formulation of different collection methods by mineral species.
In market transactions, transactions in both international and domestic markets and the release of price indices all depend on clear classification of mineral species.
In supervision and law enforcement, mineral species recognized by laws and regulations are an important basis for determining the value of illegal mining and the value of resource damage.
These eight areas are closely interconnected and linked together (环环相扣, huan huan xiang kou - "ring, ring, link, link"), forming a complete chain of China's mineral resources management. If one mineral species is not clearly classified, it may lead to confusion in management across the entire chain, from planning and layout to supervision and law enforcement.
This optimization and adjustment follows the original classification framework, adding, merging, and renaming mineral species, without any deletions.
The newly added mineral species reflect strategic opportunities. For example, six new mineral species previously approved by the State Council have been formally incorporated: pyroxenite, gabbro, syenite, shale gas, natural gas hydrates, and high-purity quartz ore. Among these, the shale gas revolution is representative of the unconventional natural gas revolution; natural gas hydrates are regarded as a strategic replacement energy source for the 21st century; and high-purity quartz ore is an indispensable key basic material for the photovoltaic and semiconductor industries. Rutile, celestite, brucite, and zircon are listed as four newly added mineral species among non-metallic minerals, making a reasonable distinction of the non-metallic attributes of minerals. Taking into account the special provisions of the new Mineral Resources Law concerning sand, stone, and clay, the mineral species "other construction-use sand, stone, and clay" has been added, and "sea sand" is listed as a sub-species.
The merging of mineral species reflects scientific logic. For example, coalbed methane, shale gas, and natural gas hydrates, which have essentially the same main chemical composition, have been merged as sub-species of "hydrocarbon natural gas"; native sulfur and pyrite have been adjusted to become sub-species of "sulfur"; and Iceland spar has been adjusted to become a sub-species of "calcite." These mergers both conform to geological laws and facilitate unified management.
The name adjustments keep pace with the times. For example, "粘土" has been changed to the standardized character form "黏土" (both meaning clay), "铝土矿" (bauxite) has been changed to "铝" (aluminum) to highlight the elemental essence, "矿盐" (mineral salt) has been changed to "盐矿" (salt mine) to be more standardized, and "矿泉水" (mineral water) has been changed to "天然矿泉水" (natural mineral water) to be more accurate.
The subdivision of sub-species adapts to industrial needs. For example, graphite has added two sub-species, "crystalline graphite" and "amorphous graphite"; basalt has added the sub-species "basalt for drawing fibers," serving the new materials industry; and natural quartz sand has added the sub-species "sand for fracturing," directly serving oil and gas extraction.
The Ministry of Natural Resources stated that it is currently studying and formulating procedural documents and technical standards for the approval of new mineral species, which will be publicly released subsequently. This means that the Mineral Resources Catalogue will establish a dynamic adjustment mechanism, updating in step with economic and social development. From 1994 to 2026, the update of the "household register" of mineral resources not only bears witness to the industrial development of the past more than 30 years, but is also a strategic layout oriented toward future resource security and high-quality development.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 马睿姗 曹文轩 沈靖然
Editor's Note: Formalism and bureaucratism are the deep-rooted causes of excessive burdens at the grassroots level. Enabling grassroots cadres to act with readiness and vigor (轻装上阵, qing zhuang shang zhen - "light, equipment, go up, array") and devote more energy to implementing tasks is both an urgent task in work-style development and an inherent requirement for improving governance effectiveness. Over a period of time, various localities have strengthened oversight, carried out targeted rectification, and developed many useful explorations. Focusing on the list of responsibilities for village-level organizations, they have drawn clear boundaries between "what should be done and what should not be done"; optimizing supervision and inspection to reduce the burden of receiving inspections; targeting "formalism at the fingertips" to liberate grassroots cadres from meaningless screen-scrolling and check-in activities. The supervisory probe must not only be aimed accurately at problems, but also be able to manage long-term effectiveness. Only when grassroots cadres can settle their minds and take steps forward can the people's sense of gain that is visible and tangible be more substantial.
Yangqu County, Shanxi, clarifies the list of responsibilities for village-level organizations and tracks follow-up effectiveness in a timely manner
Clarify the work within one's own scope, and tend well one's own responsibility field
"Beep beep—" a crisp sound of a horn rang out, and the "Love Shuttle Bus" drove on time through the streets and lanes of Xinzhuang Village, Yangqu County, Taiyuan City, Shanxi Province. After elderly people with limited mobility boarded one by one, it drove toward the village's daytime care center and senior canteen. After lunch, the elderly, carrying the dinner and next day's breakfast packed from the senior canteen, took the shuttle bus back home.
Previously, meals for elderly people living alone at advanced ages had always been a "long-standing difficult problem" in the village. Although the Xinzhuang Village daytime care center had opened a senior canteen, many elderly people reported that transportation difficulties affected their dining experience.
The change originated from a standardized list of responsibilities for village-level organizations. Yangqu County issued regulations for reducing burdens at the grassroots level and formulated a list of matters for which grassroots self-governing mass organizations perform their duties. The list requires providing care services for special groups such as the elderly and the disabled, with village grid workers making door-to-door visits weekly and consolidating the demands of groups such as elderly people living alone into a list of matters handled on their behalf.
"Previously there were many meetings and many documents, and few door-to-door visits. Since the list of duty-performing matters was formulated, the members of our village's two committees have visited and chatted with the elderly more often, and have also been able to free up more time to do practical things for the people," said Zheng Wei, secretary of the Xinzhuang Village Party branch and director of the village committee.
On one occasion, Zheng Wei and members of the village's two committees visited the home of 84-year-old Rong Huang'e and discovered that due to her limited mobility, she could only give up eating at the senior canteen. A small matter concerning people's livelihoods became a major matter pending on the list. After collective deliberation by the Xinzhuang Village two committees, they used village collective income to purchase a convenience shuttle vehicle, with members of the two committees and grid workers serving as drivers and volunteers to transport the elderly to meals. "Now with the vehicle to pick us up, we can get to the canteen in a few minutes—it's much more convenient!" Rong Huang'e said with a smile.
Recalling Xinzhuang Village's "signboard reduction" campaign, Zheng Wei remembers it vividly. From more than 20 signboards previously to retaining only 6, not only were there fewer signboards, but the redundant service matters that troubled grassroots cadres were also reduced. "In the past, higher levels assigned tasks layer by layer, such as fire safety inspections, and even if they exceeded our scope of duties and capabilities, we had to tough it out—the pressure was great." Zheng Wei explained that now the village's two committees are only responsible for preliminary coordination and communication, and for surveying and reporting upward, with the corresponding authority having been transferred to higher-level functional departments.
"Reducing burdens requires addressing both symptoms and root causes. Not only must redundant signboards be removed, but more importantly, responsibilities that should not be borne by the grassroots must be reduced, clarifying for the grassroots 'what work should be done, what matters can be handled, and what responsibilities should be borne.'" Ma Wenjie, head of the Organization Department of the Yangqu County Party Committee, said that in the future they will continue to make rectifying formalism and reducing burdens at the grassroots level an important means of strengthening the Party's work-style development and improving grassroots governance effectiveness.
To ensure that the grassroots burden-reduction list system is implemented without discount, and to carry out targeted rectification of problems such as ineffective duty performance and insubstantial results, the Yangqu County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission has improved the accountability and accountability-investigation mechanism, keeping a close eye on chronic formalism and bureaucratism problems in task implementation such as emphasizing ledgers over actual results and emphasizing traces over real performance, flexibly using means such as admonishing talks and issuing work reminder letters to address problems early and small, and promptly correcting deviations, urging immediate rectification. For acts that implement the list with discounts, turn the duty-performing list into a "paper list," illegally transfer and apportion additional tasks to villages (communities), or increase grassroots burdens in disguised form, they adhere to rigid oversight and strictly pursue accountability from the top down, achieving the verification and closure of tasks, effectively loosening constraints and reducing burdens for the grassroots, and enabling grassroots cadres to free up more time to go down to the front line to do practical things for the people.
Dongfang City, Hainan, standardizes supervision and inspection to solve the problem of multiple oversight bodies
Enter the door only once, and be able to inspect multiple matters
At present, the construction of the centralized seawater intake project for the Xinlong Industrial Park in Dongfang City, Hainan Province, is in full swing. Online water quality monitoring equipment has been installed, and tailwater treatment facilities are being urgently debugged. This key provincial project for the rectification of seawater aquaculture, which started construction in February this year, successfully achieved centralized water intake and flow by the end of September, and is expected to open in November.
"In the past, such a key project with a tight schedule and heavy tasks would inevitably have to receive wave after wave of inspections. Multiple departments came to the door separately, and for each round we had to prepare briefing materials, organize ledgers, and coordinate personnel to accompany them throughout." Xu Jiyuan, a relevant person in charge of Hainan Enxiang Modern Agricultural Science and Technology Co., Ltd., the project's contractor and operator, admitted that he had initially worried that spending a great deal of energy on receiving inspections would crowd out time for advancing the project and solving problems.
What Xu Jiyuan did not expect was that what recently came to the industrial park was a joint inspection team composed of the Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission, the Municipal Supervision and Effectiveness Office, and the competent business department. "One team comes to the site once, so we don't have to receive them in turns, and written materials have been reduced by more than half compared to before." Xu Yumiao, deputy director of the Dongfang Municipal Ecology and Environment Bureau, was deeply impressed.
"In the past, various oversight entities each operated their own systems, and inspection plans were not coordinated with each other, so the grassroots received repeated inspections and submitted repeated reports." Luo Zhong, director of the Party Conduct and Government Integrity Supervision Office of the Dongfang Municipal Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission, said. In May 2025, under the dual impetus of Hainan Province's continued promotion of the innovative application of the "One Network for Supervision" and Dongfang City's implementation of the "Major Breakthrough in Work Style" campaign, Dongfang City explored and implemented a coordinated mechanism for discipline inspection and supervision—integrating and coordinating various oversight forces such as discipline inspection and supervision, effectiveness supervision, and inspection tours to jointly coordinate and act, solving the formalism problem of multiple oversight bodies and emphasizing materials over real performance.
Dongfang City has brought all local inspection matters into unified plan management, strictly implementing the requirements for filing and management of grassroots burden-reduction supervision, inspection, and assessment plans. All inspection matters are uniformly coordinated and filed, and inspections may not be conducted without filing. Departments are mixed into groups and go down jointly, achieving "entering the door once and inspecting multiple matters."
At the Xinlong Industrial Park, inspectors directly observed on site the progress of the water intake, purification, and tailwater treatment projects, and sorted out on the spot the difficulties in land acquisition and construction. "What can be verified and clarified on site no longer requires the grassroots to write lengthy reports or pile up supporting materials." Yin Junguang, deputy director of the Dongfang Municipal Supervision and Effectiveness Office, said.
Relieved of the burden of multiple inspections and repeatedly preparing large amounts of materials, grassroots cadres have been able to devote more energy to tackling projects and serving the people. Xu Yumiao explained that after the Xinlong Industrial Park opens, it will guide scattered small aquaculture households to enter the park for standardized green aquaculture, protecting the marine ecology while driving the masses to increase income and become prosperous.
Yunyang County, Chongqing, aggregates public demands through a cloud platform, with the Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission supervising in parallel
Do subtraction on the platform, do addition on supervision
Approaching evening, Zhang Dazhong, a villager from Group 8 of Jinyin Village, Nanxi Town, Yunyang County, Chongqing, turned on his own faucet, and clear water flowed out. "Drinking and domestic water finally has a reliable solution." Facing the discipline inspection and supervision cadres who came for a return visit, Zhang Dazhong expressed his thanks repeatedly.
Zhang Dazhong's home is located next to a mountain pond, and mountainous areas often face the problem of seasonal water shortages. In August last year, Zhang Dazhong reported the water shortage problem through an online platform. After the staff of Nanxi Town learned that his family did not suffer from long-term water shortage and that their domestic water was guaranteed, the first reply stated, "After telephone communication, your household is temporarily not short of water."
"The masses report once, the department replies once. It appears to form a closed loop, but the actual difficulty is not resolved." Luo Ailing, a standing committee member of the Yunyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection, said that this phenomenon of "emphasizing replies over implementation" is typical "formalism at the fingertips."
Since 2024, the Yunyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission has taken the lead in building the "Yunsheng Echo" platform. The platform does not add a new channel for public complaints, does not replace the original channels for reporting problems, and township and town cadres do not need to install another APP or fill in another form. The platform aggregates more than 130,000 pieces of demand data scattered across various channels, with AI (artificial intelligence) screening out three categories of problems that have "not been substantively resolved": those where the masses rated "unsatisfied," those where "satisfied" was clicked but analysis determined the problem was not truly resolved, and those requiring supervision by the Commission for Discipline Inspection.
"In the past, rectifying formalism often meant adding a platform at the top and adding a layer of burden at the bottom. This time it is the reverse—the platform helps do subtraction, and supervision proactively does addition." Luo Li, head of the platform's special task force, explained that the system sets the rules of "acknowledge receipt within two days, complete handling within a classified time limit," with automatic warnings and reminders for approaching or exceeding deadlines, without relying on grassroots manual form-filling and reporting.
Zhang Dazhong's demand was retrieved by the "Yunsheng Echo" platform from historical data. Although there was a reply to the demand, the wording was vague, with suspicion of "superficial closure but substantive non-resolution." On September 5, the Yunyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission, through the platform, issued a second assignment to the Nanxi Town government, requiring rectification within a time limit and the upload of supporting materials. The Yunyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection and Supervisory Commission simultaneously initiated "three-level supervision," requiring discipline inspection and supervision cadres to go to the site to see and to go to the complainant's home to ask, and only allowing closure of the case when the problem was truly resolved and the complainant was truly satisfied.
Nanxi Town immediately established a rectification special task force, restoring water supply through measures such as delivering water and seeking alternative water sources, with the town's discipline inspection commission following up with supervision. "The re-supervision of supervision—the key lies in precision, and the ultimate goal lies in burden reduction." Wang Lei, secretary of the Yunyang County Commission for Discipline Inspection and director of the County Supervisory Commission, said.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Ni Yi) The reporter learned from the Supreme People's Procuratorate: From 2023 to September 2026, procuratorial organs nationwide prosecuted more than 7,100 people for copyright infringement crimes. Procuratorial case handling has found that, along with the rapid development of the cultural industry, copyright infringement crimes have shown new characteristics and new trends. Criminal methods have been iteratively upgraded, with the features of digital infringement and large-scale dissemination becoming prominent.
The targets of infringement have spread to emerging cultural business formats such as online games and blind box figurines, affecting the development of the cultural and creative industry. The targets of infringement have gradually expanded from traditional books and toys to new types of cultural products such as online games, online short dramas, "script murder" game scripts, and blind box figurines. For example, in the copyright infringement case of Liu and others handled by procuratorial organs, Liu and others, without the permission of the copyright holder of a certain online game, set up game servers on the internet and illegally operated three games obtained from others that were related versions of that online game. By providing game clients for download to game players and opening merchant recharging links, they collected game player recharging fees of more than 6.72 million yuan.
Criminal organizations have become more tightly structured, trending toward industrialization, chain-based operations, and cross-border activity. The subjects of copyright infringement crimes have evolved toward industrialization and chain-based operations, with upstream and downstream crimes interconnecting and profit-making methods becoming more diverse. Some individuals, knowing that others were committing copyright infringement, still provided device components used to circumvent or destroy copyright protection technical measures, or corresponding technical services, for profit. For example, in the copyright infringement case of Zhu and others handled by procuratorial organs, Zhu and others illegally used technologies such as web crawlers to obtain 65 online short dramas totaling more than 4,900 episodes, uploaded them to multiple overseas apps they had developed themselves, and provided them for overseas users to pay to stream and watch, collecting fees of more than 390,000 yuan.
Profit-making methods have evolved from earning through sales to "traffic monetization." Currently, in addition to the traditional method of profiting from selling pirated goods, some copyright infringement criminals also use website membership fees and advertising fees as profit-making means, and use virtual currency transactions to evade regulation. For example, in the copyright infringement case of Qiu and others handled by procuratorial organs, Qiu and others successively built multiple illegal film and television websites by purchasing domain names and renting overseas servers, providing on-demand streaming services for more than 160,000 audiovisual works including popular movies. They also contacted and cooperated with illegal advertisers through overseas communication software, placed advertisements on the aforementioned websites, and collected advertising fees of more than 17.22 million yuan.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Guangzhou, October 27) (Reporter He Linping) The 140th China Import and Export Fair is being held from October 15 to November 4 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province. To foster a first-class business environment, the Guangzhou courts have launched a one-stop dispute resolution platform for the Canton Fair. To date, the platform has provided litigation guidance, typical case references, and other services to more than 7,800 person-times; it has also provided over 300 AI-assisted responses to litigation-related inquiries, helping domestic and overseas merchants participate in the fair with peace of mind and conduct transactions with confidence.
Should domestic and overseas merchants encounter commercial disputes or legal questions during their participation in the fair, the Guangzhou courts will provide judicial services in six areas, including diversified dispute resolution and litigation guidance. For disputes, merchants may choose to apply for mediation online, and the courts will provide efficient and convenient judicial confirmation for disputes successfully mediated.
Return to TopAgricultural Bank of China has vigorously supported the building of an innovation system, providing high-quality financial services to accelerate the realization of high-level self-reliance and strength in science and technology, striving to resolve the financing difficulties of technology-based enterprises, and helping to construct a new pattern of a healthy cycle or positive feedback loop (良性循环, liang xing xun huan - "good, kind, nature; good, kind, nature; circle, cycle") among "technology, industry, and finance."
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 施 芳
Among the rolling mountains of Yanqing District, Beijing, the Badaling Great Wall winds and undulates. On a terrace at the foot of the mountains, a gray-white building lies quietly. Seen from afar, it resembles a giant Great Wall brick that has undergone many changes over time (历经岁月沧桑, li jing yue sui cang sang - "pass through, years, time, vicissitudes").
On October 24, after renovation and upgrading, the China Great Wall Museum reopened to the public. This cultural hall, bearing the enduring imprint of Chinese civilization, allows the public to feel the stretching on endlessly (绵延不绝, mian yan bu jue - "extend, stretch, not, continuous") spiritual power of the Great Wall through a dialogue between ancient and modern times.
The building's height has been lowered, and indoor and outdoor spaces are integrated, to better display the Great Wall, this precious exhibit.
The China Great Wall Museum is an important landmark project of the Great Wall National Cultural Park (Beijing Section). In September 1994, the old China Great Wall Museum opened. In April 2022, the old museum closed. In December 2023, the renovation and upgrading project commenced.
"We followed the principle of minimal intervention to the heritage site's landscape, integrating the building into the natural environment," said Li Yinong, chief design director of the China Great Wall Museum and chief architect of Beijing Institute of Architectural Design Co., Ltd. The new museum's building height has been reduced from 16 meters for the old museum to 9 meters, making the building's mass more expansive and blending it with the surrounding mountains.
In the past, years of construction had formed a retaining wall about 10 meters high on the hillside, making the old museum, located on a high terrace behind the wall, difficult to reach and greatly affecting visitor flow. The team integrated the museum into the upper terrace, using the building's main facade to replace the original retaining wall position, freeing up a larger outdoor activity area for outdoor exhibitions, public events, and other uses.
The museum's east facade, close to the hillside, is crafted from various types of stone, allowing the building's exterior to naturally connect with the hillside retaining wall. "The museum's total area is about 16,000 square meters, of which more than 10,000 square meters are visually concealed within the hillside and greenery through design, minimizing interference with the natural environment," Li Yinong said.
Stepping into the Great Wall Hall on the second floor, through the wide floor-to-ceiling glass curtain wall, the magnificent view of the Badaling Great Wall from South Tower 1 to South Tower 4 is completely within one's view (尽收眼底, jin shou yan di - "completely, receive, eye, bottom"). "Museum exhibits are generally inside the museum, but this museum's most precious exhibit is outside — the Great Wall before our eyes. This indoor-outdoor integrated design allows visitors to experience the magnificent and grand (雄伟壮丽, xiong wei zhuang li - "majestic, grand, magnificent, beautiful") Great Wall through the changing seasons," Li Yinong said.
Gathering more than 700 artifacts (sets) from 24 museums, helping visitors better understand history and appreciate the spirit.
The Great Wall is a representative symbol of the Chinese nation and an important marker of Chinese civilization. Centering on three dimensions — Great Wall history, Great Wall culture, and Great Wall spirit — the China Great Wall Museum has launched a series of major exhibitions.
The permanent exhibition "The Great Wall of Ten Thousand Li" brings together more than 700 artifacts (sets) from 24 museums across China.
"When people mention the Great Wall, they often think of a towering wall stretching ten thousand li. In fact, the Great Wall is a military defense system interwoven with passes, enemy watchtowers, beacon towers, fortresses, and other facilities; nor was it built in a single effort by a few dynasties — from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods through the Ming and Qing dynasties, successive generations repaired and continued to use the Great Wall," said Zhang Wenyong, director of the Exhibition Department of the Capital Museum. "We hope the exhibition can convey the deep values of continuity, innovation, and inclusiveness of Chinese civilization."
The exhibition's first unit, "A Vast Structure of Ten Thousand Li, Continuously Built over a Thousand Years" (千载续建, qian zai xu jian - "thousand, years, continue, build"), focuses on the history of Great Wall construction across successive dynasties and displays a number of heavyweight artifacts. The "Zi He Zi" bronze cauldron from the National Museum of China is physical evidence of the Great Wall built by the State of Qi during the Warring States period. The first-grade cultural relic, the Qi family military saber, bears witness to the close connection between the famous general Qi Jiguang and the Great Wall.
The exhibition also features units such as "Within and Beyond the Great Wall, One Family in Harmony," "The Great Wall in the War of Resistance, a Spiritual Monument," "Great Wall Protection, Guarding the Roots," and "World Heritage, a Bridge of Friendship." From the original 1987 "Great Wall World Heritage Certificate" to the sickles carried by Great Wall protection officers on patrol and the cloth tape measures used by volunteers of the Great Wall Small Station, visitors can experience the continuous journey of safeguarding the Great Wall.
In the display cases, tools such as trowels, pressing tools, tamping hammers, and peach-shaped shovels were donated by Cheng Yongmao, a Great Wall restoration technical expert from the Cultural Relics Management Office of Huairou District, Beijing. One of the trowels was used in the emergency reinforcement project of the Jiankou Great Wall. "The Great Wall's steep and rugged terrain (地势险峻, di shi xian jun - "ground, situation, steep, precipitous") makes it impossible for machinery to reach, so restoration work can only be done by hand using chisels, shovels, and other tools," explained Zhang Shenglei, deputy director of the Collections Department of the Capital Museum.
"During the curatorial process, we organized more than 20 expert review meetings and revised the outline dozens of times. Compared with the past, not only has the number of artifacts greatly increased, but through research and interpretation, the information of the cultural relics is more fully presented, helping visitors better understand history and appreciate the spirit," said Huang Xiaoyu, a research curator in the Exhibition Department of the Capital Museum.
472 pieces of white marble form "Peace Across Ten Thousand Li," highlighting the Great Wall's historical depth and contemporary elegance.
As a supplement and extension to the permanent exhibition, the museum also features special exhibitions and digital exhibitions.
The "Passes and Mountains Through the Ages, Majestic Past and Present — Exhibition of Archaeological Achievements Along the Great Wall" brings together archaeological achievements from 15 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities along the Great Wall. A Jin Dynasty bronze seated dragon unearthed from the Taizicheng site in Chongli, Hebei, is particularly precious — all Jin Dynasty bronze seated dragons discovered so far have been unearthed from capitals, imperial mausoleums, or imperial palaces, and this artifact, according to expert speculation, should have been an ornament on the top wheel of the Jin emperor's grand palanquin.
Millet, sorghum, barley, buckwheat... The exhibition also displays carbonized plant seeds floated out from the kang stoves of enemy watchtowers at the Badaling Great Wall site, which are currently the first crop remains with scientific dating obtained from Ming Dynasty Great Wall sites.
The digital exhibition hall, soon to open, is themed "The Great Wall of Ten Thousand Li — The Spiritual Backbone Uniting Chinese Civilization," using technologies such as multi-fold screen immersive projection and fusion, real-scene 3D, and digital twins to construct a digital fantasy realm.
On the first floor, in the Peace Hall, the white marble relief sculpture "Peace Across Ten Thousand Li" is awe-inspiring. The relief covers a total area of about 450 square meters, assembled from 472 pieces of white marble. The sculpture integrates into the space in a 180-degree semi-panoramic manner, forming with the hall's "round heaven, square earth" design an artistic conception of "between heaven and earth."
"The warm, smooth texture of white marble matches the introverted, modest, and inclusive character of the Chinese nation. The Great Wall is a symbol of the wisdom of valuing harmony above all else (以和为贵, yi he wei gui - "use, harmony, as, precious") and promoting harmony among all nations (协和万邦, xie he wan bang - "harmonize, together, ten thousand, states"). We use contemporary artistic language to highlight the Great Wall's historical depth and contemporary elegance," introduced Zou Feng, dean of the School of Art and Design at Beijing University of Technology.
"As an important project supporting Beijing's efforts to advance the functions of a national cultural center and an international exchange center, the China Great Wall Museum is not only a venue for spreading Great Wall culture and displaying the Great Wall spirit, but will also become an academic hall for Great Wall cultural research and dissemination and an international exchange platform," said Guo Jingning, director of the Capital Museum.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 姜泓冰
"The time a young person spends in a library will profoundly shape his or her life. The library not only serves teaching and research, but is also a site for cultural education, and is even more so a 'second classroom' for young people's thinking." Chen Yinchi, director of the Fudan University Library, said.
Facing the young faces in the library, Chen Yinchi has been pondering: how to make good use of the library's collection resources, so that the fragrance of books and youth can "meet each other halfway," helping young students grow. This is also a common topic facing many university libraries.
Recently, reporters visited the libraries of four universities — Fudan University, East China Normal University, Shanghai International Studies University, and East China University of Science and Technology — and observed that university libraries have broken through their traditional functions and are accelerating their transformation into comprehensive platforms for fostering virtue through education, continuing the cultural lineage, and empowering intellectual development.
Forging the Soul with Red Culture: The Library Is Also a Classroom for Ideological and Political Education
Entering the library of the Songjiang Campus of Shanghai International Studies University, one looks up and sees the university motto written in multiple languages: "having high standards and lofty ambitions, possessing profound knowledge that spans both Chinese and foreign studies."
In the exhibition hall on the first floor, on the special bookshelf for Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, multiple language versions of Xi Jinping: The Governance of China are displayed; in the special exhibition area on the east side for Marxist classics in multiple languages, editions of the Communist Manifesto from different periods and in different languages are on display. On site, a distinctive reading session is being held. More than 30 teachers and students from seven departments sit together, reading aloud classic passages of the Communist Manifesto in seven languages. When they read "Working men of all countries, unite!", the different languages ring out simultaneously — this is a resonance of voices, and even more so a resonance of thought.
The Liberal Arts Library of Fudan University likewise has a special collection space on red-themed topics. Among them, the "Wangdao Study" displays more than 2,000 volumes of books donated by Chen Wangdao, translator of the Communist Manifesto and former president of Fudan University. On a half-old desk, an old desk lamp stands silently, allowing students to feel up close Chen Wangdao's dedication to painstaking translation and his pursuit of truth.
In the library of East China University of Science and Technology, in the themed reading exhibition "The Long March in Documents," pieces of precious red-themed documentary images and historical photographs, along with books on the Long March, present in multiple ways that extraordinary period of history, highlighting the firm convictions of the revolutionary forebears. On the message wall at the site, many teachers and students have also written down their reflections on the visit.
Shifting from "Storage" to "Use": Letting Traditional Culture Nourish Growth
The autumn sun is just right, and the teachers and students of Fudan University are welcoming an interesting "festival" — the Golden Autumn Book-Airing Festival, now in its tenth year. The event carries on the ancient tradition of airing books to prevent insects and of appraising books and appreciating texts. Taking advantage of the crisp autumn weather, rare ancient books usually hidden deep in the stacks are brought out for a collective display, while experience programs such as woodblock watercolor printing and seal carving calligraphy are offered simultaneously, allowing teachers and students from different disciplines to understand the history of ancient books and letting fine traditional culture nourish the growth of young people.
Beyond the event, Fudan University has also established the Institute for Preservation and Conservation of Chinese Ancient Books, offering a university-wide general education course titled "Chinese Traditional Book Binding Art and Practice." In class, students can make thread-bound books and immersively experience the charm of traditional Chinese aesthetics and craftsmanship.
Moistening the paper, laying the paper, beating the paper, applying the ink... In the "Wanjuan Yinghua" special research and study space for ancient books at the East China Normal University Library, the experience area of the national-level transmission institute for ancient book restoration techniques is crowded with students. Under the guidance of their teachers, students make rubbings from steles and inscriptions, experiencing the beauty of calligraphy.
"We adhere to promoting teaching through collections and educating people through research, truly letting ancient books walk out of the stacks, into the classroom, and toward young people, pushing the library to transform from a place of document services into a front for cultural education," said Zhou Jian, Party Committee Secretary of the East China Normal University Library. The university's library houses more than 30,000 titles and more than 330,000 volumes of ancient books, of which 95 titles have been included in the National Catalogue of Precious Ancient Books.
In promoting the shift of ancient books from "storage" to "use," university libraries continue to explore. Recently, Zhao Zhuocheng, a doctoral graduate of the Chinese Department of Fudan University, participated in planning the exhibition "The Origins and Development of the Shanghai Dialect — Shanghai Dialect Documents Since the Nineteenth Century," which is being held at the university library. The exhibition originated from the "Exploring New Insights from Old Papers" project specially established by the university library to encourage teachers and students to better apply library collections in conducting research. "This exhibition has turned me from a document researcher into 'a person who tells stories with documents,'" Zhao Zhuocheng said.
Empowering with Digital Intelligence: Assisting College Students' Innovation and Practice
In the era of digital intelligence, libraries are gradually becoming new types of learning spaces that integrate personalized smart services, professional teaching support, and diverse learning scenarios.
The Ancient Books Department of the East China Normal University Library has a VR (virtual reality) experience area. Zeng Zihan, a first-year undergraduate student, put on VR glasses and immersively "stepped into" the Yongle Encyclopedia. She said: "The Yongle Encyclopedia has more than 10,000 volumes in total. Through the smart device, I saw the process of how the ancient book was produced. This experience makes history and ancient books tangible and touchable."
"What specific format should a project proposal have, and how can it be written to be more extremely fascinating and captivating (引人入胜, yin ren ru sheng - "attract, people, enter, victory")?" At the scene of the special training series of the "National Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program Excellence Initiative" at East China University of Science and Technology, a student raised a hand to ask.
In response to situations such as the weak literature retrieval abilities of undergraduate students at the initial stage of research, the East China University of Science and Technology Library, in conjunction with the School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, has opened training courses for the university's project teams pre-approved for the 2026 National College Students' Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program.
Shanghai International Studies University has established a Digital Humanities Laboratory, whose immersive experience space serves both as a research support platform and as a teaching practice space and a venue for interdisciplinary exchange. Relying on this laboratory, the university has opened artificial intelligence literacy classes and digital humanities workshops, building a "technology + humanities" interdisciplinary innovative education scenario, and has launched the "AI + Literacy · Same-City Co-Learning" series of classes for teachers and students of Shanghai universities.
As digital technology makes ancient books tangible and touchable, and as "cloud" platforms aggregate documents for access at any time, university libraries one after another are continuously exploring on the path of deeply tapping their resource endowments and transforming their educational approaches.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 高 炳
On Wednesday evening, in Xi'an, Shaanxi, the lights of the city were just beginning to twinkle (华灯初上, hua deng chu shang - "splendid, lamp, begin, rise").
Not far from Yongning Gate on the city wall, the "215 Theater Space" on the 5th floor of the Wangfujing commercial complex was already completely filled with people (座无虚席, zuo wu xu xi - "sit, no, empty, seat").
The lights gradually dimmed, the curtain first rose, and a song titled "A Lament for Parting," adapted from Wang Wei's "Seeing Off Yuan the Second on His Mission to Anxi," gradually drew the audience into the sorrow of separation. The arrangement of guqin and string music blended with the charm of Qinqiang opera, at once distant and desolate.
"In the past, to watch a musical you had to go specifically to a large theater. Now, just by visiting a shopping mall, you can enjoy one for free." A few days ago, audience member Li Rujuan booked her performance ticket online, and on this in-person visit, she could hardly contain her excitement.
In December 2025, the "215 Theater Space" created by the Shaanxi Experimental Drama Theater was put into operation, becoming the first professional drama complex to be established in a commercial complex in Shaanxi.
Since the beginning of this year, every Wednesday at 19:45, the "Theater Meets Wednesday" public welfare performance brand has been carried out on a regular basis — the Shaanxi Experimental Drama Theater, in conjunction with the Xi'an Municipal Mass Art Center, has planned and implemented zero-ticket-price performances for the benefit of the people, covering a variety of forms including classic dramas, original experimental theater, adaptations of film and television drama excerpts, musical excerpt sharing sessions, and cultural lectures.
"The '215' in the name of the theater space not only represents the 215 square meters of floor area here, but also symbolizes a pursuit of 'small yet beautiful, new yet vibrant.'" Tong Bin, deputy director of the Shaanxi Experimental Drama Theater, explained that the space is equipped with 80 movable audience seats and professional equipment, providing diverse possibilities for experimental theater and immersive performances.
The excerpt "Peach Blossoms Bloom in My Heart" from the opera The Long March was gentle and melodious; the excerpt "Waiting a Lifetime" from the opera Yimeng Mountain was simple and deeply felt...
"Unlike regular concerts, before these pieces begin, the actors and the audience sit together in a circle and talk, sharing the plot stories, creative backgrounds, and characters' inner worlds behind the excerpts..." Li Rujuan said, "Before listening, the audience is helped to 'understand' the work, and thereby truly 'step into' the melody."
On this stage for the people's benefit, what plays are performed? And who performs them?
Tong Bin explained that the works performed at "Theater Meets Wednesday" are mainly incubated, created, and rehearsed by the Shaanxi Experimental Drama Theater. Since the beginning of this year, excerpts from the dramas Thunderstorm and Hidden Marriage, original one-act plays such as The Plague and Hey, Brother, and a batch of other works have won the favor of citizens and tourists; in recent times, the newly launched "Musical Excerpt Sharing Session" has also been well received.
On the stage, youthful energy has become the "absolute protagonist" — the actors come mainly from the outstanding young backbone actors of the Shaanxi Experimental Drama Theater, literary and art volunteers, and others, a group of young faces with an average age of 20.
"Standing on the stage, we are not simply acting." Literary and art volunteer Zhao Hangbo said, "We want to share the beauty of drama with more people, and also strive to become disseminators of urban culture."
In Tong Bin's view, the public welfare performances are actively exploring how to balance social benefits and economic benefits — both are very important.
In the "215 Theater Space," in addition to the zero-ticket-price performances of "Theater Meets Wednesday," regular commercial performances are also offered on weekends, linked with a series of activities such as the "Drama Carnival," the "Youth Drama Competition Season," and the "Star-Studded Theater Gathering: Drama in Chang'an," building a performance matrix of "something wonderful every week, a new work every month."
"Drama art has been embedded into the consumption scene of the commercial district, giving citizens one more 'cultural way station at their doorstep.' Drama art has lowered its threshold and come to the side of the common people." Tong Bin said that as of the end of August, the "Theater Meets Wednesday" public welfare performance brand had served more than 15,000 audience visits, with a conversion rate of over 30 percent for commercial activities.
Wednesday has come again, and night has fully fallen. Outside the city wall, the lights of the "215 Theater Space" have lit up once more. Amid the everyday bustle of the ancient city, the "flower of art" is quietly blooming.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Yang Hao) The reporter learned from the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League: From October 20 to 26, the finals of the 19th "Revitalization Cup" National Youth Vocational Skills Competition were held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. Themed "Contributing to the 15th Five-Year Plan · Youth Shouldering Responsibility for Chinese Modernization," the competition was hosted by the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League and the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, with nearly a thousand contestants competing on the same stage (同台竞技, tong tai jing ji - "same, stage, compete, struggle"), showcasing the vitality of youth.
Aligned with the cutting-edge needs of industrial development, the competition featured five occupational categories: machine tool installation and maintenance workers, service robot application technicians, automobile assembly workers, digital solution designers, and additive manufacturing equipment operators. For the first time, the competition held a special "AI+" innovation and efficiency competition for youth commando teams, setting up four tracks:"AI + Industrial Development," "AI + Cultural Development," "AI + People's Livelihood Security," and "AI + Social Governance," showcasing the practical achievements of youth commando teams in empowering job innovation with artificial intelligence.During the competition, an "AI + Youth Skills" action initiative was also released, accompanied by a series of activities including a recruitment fair for young skilled talent.
According to reports, as a national first-class competition, the "Revitalization Cup" has, over 21 years of development, seen more than 20 million young people participate in competitions at various levels, with 260,000 young people advancing their professional qualifications or skill levels through the competition.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 白光迪
Danyang City, Zhenjiang, Jiangsu, completed construction of Zhenjiang's first national innovative county (city) in 2025. Innovative counties cannot match the science-and-technology innovation carriers and industrial scale of large cities — how can they achieve innovation-driven development?
In recent years, Danyang has actively built public innovation platforms, explored flexible talent recruitment and science-and-technology innovation enclave mechanisms, and promoted education reform through industrial traction, allowing science-and-technology innovation factors to sink down to the grassroots, take root, and sprout.
Yang Fan, technical director of Qiji Aerospace (Danyang) Technology Co., Ltd., recalled: "The platform introduced two academicians of the Chinese Academy of Engineering to serve as senior advisors, who, together with my doctoral supervisor, set the research direction. It also introduced local materials enterprises to provide production support, and raised more than 18 million yuan in investment."
The "platform" Yang Fan referred to is Danyang Gaochuang Aerospace Technology Co., Ltd. This locally renowned technology business incubator is one of Danyang's seven new-type research and development institutions and public service platforms.
"Scientific and technological innovation is not acting in isolation without regard to reality (闭门造车, bi men zao che - "close, door, build, cart"). Support also needs to come from 'all aspects' so that scientific and technological talent can focus on technology research and development," said Liu Yingjie, head of the platform.
Danyang is building a "one-stop" comprehensive science-and-technology service platform. It has jointly established 11 joint innovation centers with the Jiangsu Provincial Industrial Technology Research Institute, built 81 provincial-level engineering technology research centers, 2 national-level and 2 provincial-level technology business incubators, and 12 academician workstations. Through the "platform + venture capital + incubation + industrialization" pathway, it has cultivated 4 high-tech enterprises.
With the platform in place, how should talent be recruited? Jiang Pengfei, member of the Standing Committee of the Danyang Municipal Party Committee and head of the Organization Department, introduced that Danyang has cooperated with universities in Beijing and Shanghai to establish the Beijing Innovation Service Station and the Danyang (Shanghai) Enclave Incubator, using "innovation enclaves" to attract scientific and technological talent whose "affiliation is with the university, work is in the enclave, and contribution is to Danyang."
"'Danyang Glasses' is a calling card, but it cannot be limited to 'refraction testing and lens fitting'; 'optometry big-health science and technology' is where the industry is headed and what the market needs." In a classroom at Nanjing Normal University Zhongbei College, located in Danyang, Gu Haidong, a specially appointed expert of the school, took apart a new model tonometer to teach. The next day, he returned to the enterprise to serve as chief expert advisor. Last July, after the school's first batch of optometry undergraduates graduated, nearly 80 percent joined local leading vision-manufacturing enterprises or big-health enterprises.
Xu Shenfeng, member of the Standing Committee of the Zhenjiang Municipal Party Committee and Secretary of the Danyang Municipal Party Committee, stated that Danyang will continue to deepen the implementation of the "Danyang Rising Sun" talent plan and the "Gathering in Danyang" plan for young talent, providing a broad stage for development for more talent.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Qingdao, October 27) (Reporter Hou Linliang) The national artificial intelligence application pilot testing base for the home appliances and smart home sector officially commenced construction in Qingdao, Shandong, on October 27. The base aims to build a pilot testing base for "new-generation smart home appliances," tackle common industry challenges, consolidate reusable public capabilities, promote the large-scale and standardized application of artificial intelligence, and explore transforming China's rich home-scenario advantages into technological and standards advantages.
At the launch ceremony, the pilot testing base also initiated an "AI + Consumption" collaborative development matrix, recruiting innovative forces from across society to jointly expand the ecosystem. To better serve the entire industry, the pilot testing base will establish two service windows — a "supply-demand operations platform" and an "application services marketplace" — forming a complete operational loop from demand discovery, collaborative research and development (联合攻关, lianhe gongguan - "jointly, attack/tackle"), pilot testing and validation, to the promotion of results.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 韩 鑫
Transportation is one of the key areas of carbon emissions, accounting for about 10 percent of the national total. Recently, the Ministry of Transport and three other departments jointly issued the "15th Five-Year Plan for Green Transportation Development" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), which proposes that by 2030, the transportation sector will generally achieve peak carbon emissions, with the intensity of transportation pollution emissions continuing to decline and the emissions of major pollutants continuing to decline.
The "15th Five-Year Plan" period is a critical and decisive period for achieving peak carbon emissions. How will the transportation sector achieve the goal of "one peak, two declines"? How can the level of green and low-carbon development be further improved? A reporter interviewed the relevant official of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Ministry of Transport.
Promoting low-carbon substitution of transportation power
Accelerating the promotion and application of new-energy and clean-energy vehicles
At the Zhongtong Express Tongliao outlet park in Inner Mongolia, more than 10 brand-new new-energy heavy trucks are neatly arranged, and staff are rapidly loading and unloading parcels. "We started replacing fuel vehicles at the beginning of this year, and have already put 20 new-energy heavy trucks into operation. Next year, the fleet will achieve full green energy coverage," the person in charge of the outlet introduced.
From "usable at a single point" to "convenient as a network," new-energy heavy trucks are running increasingly "fast" in recent years. As of now, Zhongtong Express has more than 1,800 high-efficiency, energy-saving models meeting China VI emission standards, of which more than 700 are LNG (liquefied natural gas) vehicles, reducing fuel consumption by about 4.6 million liters per year, which not only helps the industry's green transformation but also achieves notable results in reducing costs and increasing efficiency (降本增效, jiang ben zeng xiao - "decrease, cost; increase, efficiency").
In May this year, the Ministry of Transport and 10 other departments jointly issued the "Implementation Plan for Promoting the Large-Scale Application of New-Energy Heavy Trucks," which clearly sets quantitative targets: by 2030, the penetration rate of new-energy heavy trucks in China should reach 40 percent, and the number of vehicles in use should exceed 1.6 million.
"From the perspective of express delivery and logistics, the industry has a huge scale of transport capacity, and there is enormous space for the electrification transformation of heavy trucks," said the relevant person in charge of the China Express Association. Calculated on the basis of an average annual growth of 10 percent in the number of trucks owned by express delivery companies, by 2030, the number of new-energy heavy trucks owned by just five private express delivery companies, including Zhongtong and YTO, could reach 15,000.
Driven by both policy and market forces, China's new-energy heavy trucks have entered a new stage of rapid popularization, promotion, and application. Data show that in the first half of this year, cumulative sales of new-energy heavy trucks reached about 140,000 units, a year-on-year increase of 78.6 percent.
"The green and low-carbon transformation of vehicles is key to reducing carbon and pollution in the industry," the relevant official of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Ministry of Transport introduced. The Plan proposes promoting low-carbon substitution of transportation power. Railways will build a modern equipment system with electric traction as the mainstay and diversified new energy in coordination, accelerate the large-scale application of new-energy heavy trucks, promote expansion from short-haul transport to trunk-line transport, promote the application of electric ships and methanol-powered ships in suitable scenarios, orderly expand the application of sustainable aviation fuel, and advance the accelerated electrification substitution of urban public transport vehicles.
Large-scale equipment renewal has pressed the "fast-forward button" for the transportation industry to renew itself and go green. The Plan specifically proposes implementing a large-scale equipment renewal campaign, promoting the renewal of new-energy buses, and the scrapping and renewal of old operating trucks and operating ships.
Riding the momentum of equipment renewal, the "green makeover" of old ships is being fully unfolded along the 10,000-li Yangtze River. As of September this year, the Changjiang River Administration of Navigational Affairs of the Ministry of Transport has provided services to support the dismantling of more than 3,400 old ships, effectively promoting the large-scale application of new-energy ships. At present, the total number of various new-energy ships in operation and under construction on the main line of the Yangtze River has exceeded 1,200, and zero-emission, low-noise pure electric ships are becoming a new sight on the river.
"During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the penetration rate of new-energy heavy trucks in China, and the share of electric locomotives, new-energy public buses and trolleybuses, and ride-hailing taxis, have increased significantly," said the relevant official of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Ministry of Transport. With the accelerated promotion and application of new-energy and clean-energy vehicles, the energy consumption and carbon emission intensity of transportation will continue to decline.
Promoting the green transformation of transportation infrastructure
Helping multiple green transportation "major projects" achieve practical results
During the recent National Day holiday, an average of about 16 million new-energy vehicles per day entered expressways, with more than 88,000 charging facilities distributed across more than 8,000 expressway service areas, supporting the world's largest collective travel of new-energy vehicles.
The increasingly dense highway refueling and recharging network has become a vivid microcosm of green transportation development. Promoting the development and utilization of clean energy along highways, advancing ecological restoration during maintenance processes, and strengthening the recycling of waste building materials... In recent years, the "green" content of transportation infrastructure has continued to grow: a cumulative total of more than 12,500 green express delivery outlets has been built, 48 "dual-carbon airports" have been established, and a number of green and low-carbon stations have been renovated...
Infrastructure is an important carrier of green transportation development. The Plan proposes promoting the green transformation of transportation infrastructure. It strengthens ecological environmental protection and restoration in transportation construction, promotes energy-saving and carbon-reduction renovations of railway passenger stations, highway service areas, ports and wharves, airports, hub stations and yards, and express delivery sorting centers, improves the network of new-energy and clean-energy refueling and recharging facilities, plans and builds charging, swapping, and green fuel refueling facilities, and creates zero-carbon transport corridors.
This "green" wind is blowing strongly across ports and highways—
On September 30, under the support of the Ningbo Maritime Safety Administration, Ningbo Zhoushan Port completed China's first refueling operation of three ships with three types of fuel for international voyage vessels. "One port, three fuel supplies" marks a new breakthrough in the diversification and large-scale development of the port's green fuel refueling capacity.
On October 1, Fujian's first zero-carbon transport corridor demonstration line for expressways was put into operation. Along this 649-kilometer line, 23 heavy-truck charging and battery-swapping stations have been built. The refueling interval of within 100 kilometers, combined with a convenient online platform for battery-swapping operations, is accelerating the shift of trunk-line logistics toward green.
Building a number of near-zero-carbon facilities, constructing about 30,000 kilometers of zero-carbon road transport corridors and about 5,000 kilometers of zero-carbon waterway transport corridors... In the Plan, multiple green transportation "major projects," including the zero-carbon road transport corridor construction project, the zero-carbon waterway transport corridor construction project, and the clean energy development and utilization project for transportation infrastructure, promote the green transformation of transportation infrastructure.
Today, China has built the world's largest high-speed railway network, expressway network, and postal and express delivery network, as well as a world-class port cluster. "Through goal guidance and task promotion, greatly improving the green level of infrastructure will ensure that green transportation work achieves practical results," said the relevant official of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Ministry of Transport.
Accelerating the adjustment and optimization of the transportation structure
Building a green, intensive, and efficient comprehensive transport system
On the shore of the Yellow Sea, multiple port areas of Rizhao Port in Shandong are busy with operations—
In the southern operation area of Lanshan Port District, 30 kilometers of belt conveyors and pipe conveyors wind like long dragons, closely connecting port berths, stockyards, and downstream steel plants. Fully enclosed transport has reduced dust emissions by 92 percent and carbon emissions by 75 percent; in the southern operation area of Shijiu Port District, automated train loading towers have increased train loading and unloading efficiency by 10 percent. In 2025, Rizhao Port's railway collection and distribution volume reached 115 million tons, ranking first among coastal ports nationwide.
Vigorously promoting "road-to-pipeline" and "road-to-rail" shifts, from 2019 to 2025, the share of clean transport at Rizhao Port increased from 73.9 percent to 87.3 percent, with both transport efficiency and environmental benefits improving.
"Green transportation must not only reduce carbon, but also reduce pollution, and moreover achieve synergistic efficiency gains," the relevant official of the Comprehensive Planning Department of the Ministry of Transport stated. The adjustment of the transportation structure is the measure with the greatest systemic benefit for reducing carbon and pollution in the industry.
During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, through continuous optimization of the transportation structure, the potential for green development has been continuously released: in terms of freight, the construction of railway special lines into ports, parks, and mines has been promoted, the system of water-to-water transshipment and river-sea direct transport has been improved, and the proportion of green distribution of coal and iron ore at major coastal ports has reached 90.7 percent; in terms of passenger transport, the proportion of green travel in 97 green travel demonstration cities has reached 70 percent, and in 2025, the operating mileage of urban rail transit reached 11,650 kilometers, an increase of 58.4 percent over 2020.
Promoting the green transformation of transportation requires not only renewing the "hardware" and strengthening the "skeleton," but also optimizing the "software" and smoothing the "meridians and collaterals." The Plan proposes implementing a campaign to tackle multimodal transport, deeply advancing the adjustment of the freight transport structure, and increasing the share of railway and waterway transport of bulk cargo and the share of new-energy heavy truck transport; at the same time, it continues to promote green urban travel and build an urban transport system with rail transit as the backbone, ground public transport as the main body, and slow-traffic systems as a supplement.
When more "green vehicles" run on "low-carbon roads," with wind, solar, storage, and hydrogen complementing each other, and roads, railways, waterways, and aviation organically combined, a comprehensive three-dimensional transport network full of green vitality will surely strongly support the building of a country with strong transportation and a beautiful China.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporters Gu Zhongyang, Dong Siyu) The reporter learned from the National Forestry and Grassland Administration: since systematic special protection work for snow leopards was launched in 2013, China has continuously strengthened snow leopard protection and restoration of their habitats, the quality of snow leopard habitats and the integrity of ecosystems have continued to improve, and population numbers and reproductive vitality have been steadily rising. China is the country with the widest snow leopard distribution, the largest population, and the largest habitat area in the world. At present, China's snow leopard population has increased from approximately 2,500 individuals in 2013 to approximately 5,000 individuals now, achieving a doubling; the total habitat area is approximately 2.08 million square kilometers, accounting for more than 60 percent of the global total.
As a Class I nationally protected wild animal and a flagship species and umbrella species of global alpine ecosystems, the snow leopard is known as the "King of the Snowy Mountains" and is a core indicator species for measuring the integrity, stability, and health of alpine mountain ecosystems. In China, snow leopards are distributed across eight provincial-level regions — Xinjiang, Tibet, Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan, Inner Mongolia, and Ningxia — and mainly inhabit alpine bare rock, alpine meadows, and desert mountains at elevations of 3,000 to 5,000 meters.
Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, China has coordinated the integrated protection and systematic governance of mountains, waters, forests, farmlands, grasslands, and deserts. Relying on major ecological projects such as natural forest protection and returning grazing land to grassland, it has continuously restored alpine mountain vegetation, steadily restored the populations of major snow leopard prey species such as blue sheep, ibex, and argali, effectively filled the gaps in the alpine ecosystem food chain, and continuously enhanced habitat carrying capacity and integrity. It has comprehensively advanced the construction of the protected area system, laying out and building 2 national parks and 78 important protected areas in the core snow leopard distribution zones, bringing more than 800,000 square kilometers of habitat within the scope of strict protection, and achieving standardized management and protection of nearly 40 percent of potential snow leopard habitat.
At the same time, population reconstruction has been actively carried out. In response to the problems of regional extinction of snow leopards in the Helan Mountains and ecological chain imbalance, China launched the country's first systematic snow leopard reintroduction pilot project, scientifically carrying out individual screening, health assessment, genetic testing, wildness training, wild release, and long-term dynamic monitoring, and making steady progress (稳步推进, wen bu tui jin - "steady, step, push forward") in population reconstruction in historically vacant distribution areas. Up to now, a cumulative total of 8 snow leopards have been introduced into the Helan Mountains; combined with naturally dispersing individuals, multiple snow leopards have now stably established themselves, set up fixed home ranges, and achieved independent hunting.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Beijing, October 27) (Reporter Pan Junqiang) Recently, the Beijing Yeyahu Wetland Nature Reserve was officially included in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Green List (also known as the "World's Best Protected Areas"), making it the first nature reserve in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region and the first in Beijing to receive this certification.
As Beijing's largest near-natural inland wetland with the richest variety of wetland types, Yeyahu is located in the northwestern part of Beijing's Yanqing District, forming a composite wetland ecosystem created jointly by the surrounding mudflats of the Guanting Reservoir and reservoir ponds. When the reserve was first established in 1997, the lake area faced numerous challenges such as wetland desiccation and human disturbance, with horse paddocks and livestock sheds scattered along the lakeshore, placing the wetland ecosystem under pressure. Over more than 20 years, the Yanqing District has adopted systematic governance measures including returning farmland to wetland, connecting water systems, constructing habitat islands, and restoring vegetation, restoring a total of over 20,000 mu of wetland and allowing the degraded wetland to regain its vitality and vigor. Today, it serves as a key stopover on the East Asian-Australasian Flyway for migratory birds, with over 100,000 migratory birds stopping here each year to rest and refuel. The number of recorded bird species has risen from 189 at the time of the reserve's establishment to 374, accounting for 72 percent of Beijing's total bird species, with rare and endangered birds such as the Baer's pochard and the great bustard frequently appearing here.
Return to TopFrom developing the digital economy to activating new quality productive forces, from building a people-centered city to revitalizing resource endowments, from advancing ecological protection to realizing value transformation, as the central urban district of Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, Yunyan District has consistently adhered to high-quality development as the overarching guide for all its work, striving forward with determination (砥砺奋进, di li fen jin - "grind, polish; advance, strive") and building the city through solid work, deeply cultivating the "construction of the four zones," striving to build a "charming main city" with more vibrant development, more appealing urban character, warmer living conditions, and more beautiful ecology, and writing a new answer sheet for Yunyan's practice of Chinese modernization.
Developing the Digital Economy, Empowering Industries to Advance
From data collection and data annotation to artificial intelligence applications and digital transformation of industries, digital technologies are accelerating their integration into all fields of the economy and society of Yunyan District, injecting a steady stream of innovative vitality into industrial upgrading. Yunyan District's gross regional product exceeded 100 billion yuan for the first time in 2023, reaching 112.669 billion yuan in 2025, making it the county-level administrative district with the smallest land area and the highest economic density in the province. Behind the growth in data is a breakthrough in the continuous optimization of the industrial structure and the constant accumulation of development momentum.
The capacity of digital industry platforms continues to improve. Guizhou Industrial Design City has been completed and put into operation, providing enterprises with services such as design and R&D, concept validation, and achievement incubation. The Yunyan Digital Specialty Industrial Park has been rated as a Guizhou Province digital intelligence industrial park, and the level of integration between big data and the real economy has remained in the province's first tier for five consecutive years. From the construction of industrial platforms to the application of digital technologies, Yunyan District is accelerating the transformation of the digital economy from resource aggregation to industrial clustering, and from technological application to value creation.
Integrated industrial development has carved out new tracks. Yunyan District is deeply cultivating distinctive fields such as data collection and annotation, AIGC (AI-generated content), and AI industry applications, making forward-looking arrangements in frontier directions such as industry-specific vertical large models and intelligent agents, deeply implementing the "AI+" action, and promoting the coordinated development of high-quality dataset production, model fine-tuning, and application scenario implementation. At the same time, it empowers the upgrading of the modern service industry through scientific and technological innovation, promotes the deep integration of the industrial chain, innovation chain, and talent chain, and transforms data advantages into productive forces and technological advantages into competitiveness, allowing the "charming main city" to radiate vitality through upholding fundamental principles and breaking new ground.
Strengthening the Foundation of People's Livelihood and Well-being, Urban Renewal and Upgrading
The city is undergoing a transformative renewal, and people's livelihoods are warmer. Over the past five years, Yunyan District has vigorously promoted urban renewal, cumulatively renovating 11 million square meters of urban villages, shantytowns, and old residential communities, upgrading and renovating 507.39 kilometers of underground pipeline networks and 250 backstreets and alleys, benefiting 124,800 households. Metro Line 3 has been completed and opened to traffic, and the urban road network system has been continuously improved. The Taiping Road and Xinyin 1950 urban renewal cases were selected as typical cases in the second batch of urban renewal cases by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development. The spatial layout of the old city continues to be optimized, and the city's carrying capacity has been significantly enhanced.
Public services have been improved in quality and expanded in coverage, and people's livelihood and well-being have continued to increase, making the city more livable, life more convenient, and the people happier. The district has completed 1,157 livelihood projects, achieving full coverage of the "15-minute living circle." Public services in education, healthcare, employment, elderly care, and childcare have continued to improve in quality and expand in coverage, allowing the fruits of development to benefit the people more extensively and fairly.
Urban renewal has activated a new engine for consumption. The Wenchang Pavilion historical and cultural district has been revitalized and upgraded, the Guancheng River has been "uncovered" and restored to flowing, and the historical city wall trail has been fully connected. New business formats such as roadside concerts and "city neighborhood markets" continue to heat up, constantly stimulating consumption vitality. Historical heritage and modern life are deeply interwoven, and urban renewal and cultural tourism consumption empower each other in both directions, allowing Yunyan District to retain the atmosphere of everyday life accumulated over the years while also showcasing the texture of an upgraded city.
Leveraging Resource Endowments, Promoting Green Transformation
Seeing green from one's window, entering a park upon leaving home, and strolling along the river are vivid portrayals of ecological civilization construction in Yunyan District. Over the past five years, the district has accelerated the construction of an ecological protection pattern of "one corridor, five rivers, and multiple parks," with urban green space coverage reaching 47.97%, the proportion of days with good air quality remaining stable at over 99% for a long period, and the soil and water conservation rate and forest coverage rate remaining stable at over 93% and 33%, respectively. The quality of the ecological environment has steadily improved, urban green spaces have continued to expand, and the benefits of ecological improvements for the people have continued to emerge.
Ecological protection is deeply integrated into the entire process of urban planning, construction, and governance. From the contiguous layout of riverside trails, city-mountain trails, and pocket parks, to the protection of ecological nodes in urban parks such as Dongshan Park and Nanya Mountain Park, Yunyan District continues to improve the urban ecological network, making green a distinctive foundation of urban development.
Ecological advantages are accelerating their transformation into development advantages. Relying on ecological resources such as Qianling Mountain Park, Xiaoguan Lake, and Luchongguan Forest Park, the district is promoting the coordinated development of the "Qianxiaolu" area and cultivating business formats such as health and wellness, tourism and vacation, and urban leisure. It is deepening the green transformation of traditional industries, vigorously developing zero-carbon parks and green business districts, integrating green into the fabric of the city, promoting the integration of ecotourism with diversified industries, and broadening the path for transforming "clear waters and green mountains" into "gold and silver mountains."
Looking back on five years of striving, hard work and solid action have yielded fruitful results. Standing at a new historical starting point, Yunyan District will always maintain a work attitude of being down-to-earth and pragmatic, with sustained, long-term effort, turning grand visions into vivid achievements step by step, allowing the fruits of development to benefit the people more extensively and fairly, continuing to deeply cultivate the "construction of the four zones," making every effort to build a "charming main city," and striving to open up a new situation of high-quality development.
Data source: Publicity Department of the CPC Guiyang Municipal Yunyan District Committee
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 丹
In the golden autumn of October, the fragrance of medicinal herbs permeates the air. At the Qihuang Town Convention and Exhibition Center in Zhangshu City, Jiangxi Province, several veteran herbalists of the Zhangshu school demonstrated traditional Chinese medicine processing techniques passed down for a thousand years to the crowds passing by their stalls; on the other side, a long queue formed at the medicinal cuisine exhibition area of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, where moss landscaping adorned the countertops, bamboo baskets served as accents, and fresh sweet pastries and steaming Ophiopogon japonicus and old duck soup attracted many visitors.
On October 16, the 57th National Medicinal Materials and Pharmaceutical Products Fair (hereinafter referred to as the "Medicine Fair") opened in Zhangshu City, Jiangxi Province. The Medicine Fair is one of the domestic professional events for traditional Chinese medicine with the longest history and the broadest industry influence. This year, more than a thousand enterprises including Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group, Tongrentang, and Pien Tze Huang participated in the exhibition.
Zhangshu City is a major hub of Jiangxi's traditional Chinese medicine industry and has long enjoyed the reputation of "China's Capital of Traditional Chinese Medicine." Jiangxi boasts abundant traditional Chinese medicine resources and a deep industrial foundation. Relying on the thousand-year cultural heritage of the Zhangshu school, a mature distribution system, and a complete industrial chain, Zhangshu City has always been a pioneer area for the high-quality development of the province's traditional Chinese medicine industry. Today, a transformation spanning the entire industrial chain—from planting and production to consumption—is quietly taking place in this city of traditional Chinese medicine in central Jiangxi.
Cultivating medicinal herbs to "authentic standards," and measuring them to standards
Just after the Cold Dew solar term, morning light fell upon the Jiuniu mugwort planting base in Sunjia Village, Geshan Town, Zhangshu City, where more than 1,000 mu of Jiuniu mugwort seedlings stood lush and luxuriant vegetation (郁郁葱葱, yuyu congcong - "lush, green, luxuriant"), swaying in the breeze. Zhong Lanyang, deputy general manager of Zhangshu Rural Integration Investment and Development Co., Ltd., crouched down to examine them closely: "The growth is looking good; we can harvest in late November."
Jiuniu mugwort is a rare variety of mugwort, known as the "elite of mugwort," and is a precious traditional Chinese medicinal herb resource. Relevant research has found that Jiuniu mugwort features high fluff yield, a clear fragrance, and gentle heat output, making it a promising new high-quality material for moxibustion.
In 2021, with technical support from the team of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, Zhangshu Rural Integration Investment and Development Co., Ltd. took the lead in undertaking the introduction, domestication, and propagation of Jiuniu mugwort. "The team from the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences chose to cooperate with Zhangshu on the domestication and propagation of Jiuniu mugwort precisely because of the city's complete traditional Chinese medicine industrial chain and profound traditional Chinese medicine culture," Zhong Lanyang explained. Today, Zhangshu City has established a core mugwort germplasm resource nursery and a Jiuniu mugwort germplasm resource nursery, collecting more than 1,600 mugwort germplasm accessions including Jiuniu mugwort, with standardized Jiuniu mugwort planting reaching more than 1,200 mu. In September this year, Jiuniu mugwort was included in the first batch of the Jiangxi Province Dao-di Herbs Catalog. Through continuous local efforts in discovery, protection, and cultivation, lost traditional Chinese medicinal herbs have taken root and multiplied once again in Zhangshu City.
The "three seeds and one shell"—Gardenia jasminoides (yellow gardenia), Evodia rutaecarpa (commonly known as "Evodia fruit"), Plantago asiatica (plantain seed), and Citrus aurantium (bitter orange shell)—are the well-known Dao-di varieties of Zhangshu. Among them, Zhangshu Evodia, Zhangshu yellow gardenia, and Qingjiang bitter orange shell have received national geographical indication product protection. Zhangshu has always been a "natural medicine warehouse" for Dao-di herbs. But in the past, this "Dao-di" status often relied on being passed down by word of mouth (口口相传, koukou xiangchuan - "mouth to mouth, heart to heart"), with mixed seed sources and missing standards, making it difficult for good medicinal herbs to "prove their own authenticity," which once constrained industrial upgrading. In recent years, many domestic pharmaceutical enterprises have been searching far and wide for stable and reliable Dao-di herb bases. When Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group was planning its central China health industry segment, it likewise took "whether the source of medicinal herbs is stable and authentic" as its primary consideration.
Focusing on the two characters "Dao-di," Zhangshu City has concentrated its efforts at the source. The city's standardized planting bases have remained stable at more than 500,000 mu, with 2 bases of 10,000 mu, 45 bases of 1,000 mu, and 6 seedling bases; the provincial-level bitter orange shell germplasm resource bank has collected 132 germplasm resources from across the country; relying on the research efforts of academician-led teams, 6.8 million Jiuniu mugwort plants have been domesticated and propagated locally, solving the adaptability problem of rare exotic medicinal herbs in new environments and enabling standardized artificial cultivation of wild resources. Now that germplasm resources have been stabilized, Zhangshu has gone a step further by embedding digital tools into field management, using smart agriculture to safeguard the growth of Dao-di herbs. As early as May 2024, Zhangshu City established a traditional Chinese medicine meteorological town. In the traditional Chinese medicine meteorological town, more than 10 sets of intelligent meteorological monitoring equipment provide full coverage, with real-time collection of data on soil moisture, light radiation, and crop growth. An AI (artificial intelligence) system automatically matches irrigation, fertilization, and drying plans, using data empowerment to establish full-cycle "growth files" for a number of key Dao-di herbs.
Cultivating to "Dao-di standards" is not enough—measuring to standards is equally important. The international standard for "Traditional Chinese Medicine—Gardenia" was officially released, the international standard for bitter orange shell was successfully initiated, 34 processing standards were incorporated into provincial norms, and 27 inheritance classes have trained more than 2,100 herbalists cumulatively, continuously transforming ancient empirical methods into implementable, testable industry standards. "Zhangshu herbalists have excellent skills, and the medicinal herbs are even better," said Nie Yana, deputy director of the Zhangshu Traditional Chinese Medicine Industry Development Center. It is precisely this tangible and verifiable "Dao-di" quality that led Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group to ultimately choose Zhangshu City among many cities to establish its full-chain traditional Chinese medicine project.
A workshop transformation from relying on experience to relying on data
On the production side, a transformation "from relying on experience to relying on data" is quietly taking place in the pharmaceutical workshops of Zhangshu City. In the smart workshop of Deshang Pharmaceutical, there is none of the steaming heat and manual sorting of traditional workshops. Here, robotic arms operate with precision, and intelligent production lines advance at a steady pace. Every medicinal herb, from feeding, cleaning, and cutting, has a fully traceable and verifiable process record. A few years ago, quality control here still depended on the eyes of veteran workers. But manual sorting was weak in stability and limited in efficiency. For small and medium-sized pharmaceutical enterprises to build complete testing laboratories would require high investment and impose a heavy burden. The quality hurdle was once stuck on human experience.
The manufacturing side of Zhangshu City has long taken initial shape: the city has 502 pharmaceutical enterprises, 428 drug approvals, and a cumulative total of 25 enterprises selected for the national centralized procurement list of prepared slices of Chinese medicine. Local enterprises represented by Nafutang Pharmaceutical and others, through intelligent transformation, have achieved 749 registered varieties of traditional Chinese medicine formula granules, ranking first in the province. But in the past, there was "a market without a platform"; when trading and distribution platforms were established, the problem shifted to "having a platform but lacking quality control capability," leaving the quality assurance and modern service capacity of the trading link to rely on external supplementation for a long time.
To fill this gap, Zhangshu is tackling a problem from two sides simultaneously (双管齐下, shuangguan qixia - "two pipes, one below, one below"). On the one hand, it is promoting the transformation of traditional pharmaceutical enterprises from "experience-based manufacturing" to "digital intelligent manufacturing," with 68 above-scale pharmaceutical enterprises completing "digital transformation and intelligent upgrading," and 34 processing standards turning the ancient craft of passing on knowledge through oral instruction and personal demonstration (口传心授, kouchuan xinshou - "mouth to mouth, heart to heart") into replicable industrial processes. On the other hand, the intelligent upgrading of the circulation end is also accelerating in tandem. The planned cold-chain warehousing and logistics park for traditional Chinese medicinal materials has a storage capacity of 460,000 cubic meters, integrating cold-chain storage, intelligent sorting, online trading, and full-process traceability. Every batch of medicinal materials, from warehousing, storage, sorting, to outbound delivery, leaves a complete data trail that can be checked and traced. The traditional face-to-face trading of medicinal materials is being upgraded into a modern commercial model of "cloud trading and intelligent delivery" conducted screen-to-screen.
While promoting the digital and intelligent strengthening of enterprises from within, Zhangshu City is also leveraging external forces to elevate the development level of the traditional Chinese medicine industry. In September this year, the Longfengtang (Jiangxi) International Traditional Chinese Medicine City project of Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group was launched in Zhangshu. "The project will focus on laying out segments for spot trading of traditional Chinese medicinal materials, quality control, warehousing and logistics, and digital services in Zhangshu, actively applying the AI large model technology for traditional Chinese medicinal materials detection jointly released with the National Modern Innovation Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine and other digital tools, and striving to build a distribution hub and innovation center for traditional Chinese medicinal materials that radiates across central China, serves the whole country, and connects to the world," said Xu Haoyu, Party Committee Secretary, Chairman, and President of Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group.
"Yangtze River Pharmaceutical's arrival in Zhangshu City is not just an injection of capital; more valuable is the introduction of new concepts, new technologies, and new development paths." In response, Zeng Hai, Secretary of the Zhangshu Municipal Party Committee, stated that Zhangshu City will leverage Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group's advantages of more than 80 standardized traditional Chinese medicinal materials planting bases deployed nationwide, quality control, and digital application capabilities, and combine them with the city's industrial foundation to further empower the traditional Chinese medicine industry.
Getting good medicinal herbs to sell at good prices
At this year's Medicine Fair, a team born after 2005 stood out. At their booth, traditional Chinese medicine rouge and lipstick drew crowds of young people. Luo Qifu, a student majoring in traditional Chinese medicine at Nanchang Medical College, introduced the creative concept to everyone: "This lipstick contains baicalin, and the outer packaging incorporates guochao (national trend) design, paired with plantain herb, Scutellaria baicalensis, and other herbal motifs..." On the other side, at the booth of Nanchang Vocational College of Health and Technology, student Xu Yue used propolis to preserve peony and Selaginella, creating traditional Chinese medicine specimen cultural and creative hanging paintings—she plans to develop a series of herbal cultural and creative products based on the twenty-four solar terms. In addition, the medicinal cuisine team of Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine served Pseudostellaria heterophylla milk pudding, and Zhangshu local enterprise Kangyi Food's Polygonatum sibiricum ice cream turned the concept of medicine and food homology into a new flavor on the tip of the tongue...
The brand momentum of the thousand-year capital of traditional Chinese medicine is spilling over into the health consumer end. But tracing back along the industrial chain, the back-end trading and distribution link of Zhangshu has long lacked a platform with industry influence and modern service functions—the prolonged stagnation of the Qihuang Town traditional Chinese medicinal materials trading market project led to poor trading, making it difficult for high-quality medicinal herbs to fetch good prices. The arrival of the Longfengtang (Jiangxi) International Traditional Chinese Medicine City will build a credible, controllable, and traceable physical trading scenario offline, and create an integrated intelligent trading service platform online, connecting the entire chain of production areas, markets, enterprises, logistics, and finance, laying a solid quality foundation for pharmaceutical enterprises and merchants to purchase medicinal materials, and also making medicine-and-food homologous products and herbal derivatives for the general public traceable and reassuring to consume.
With trading activated, consumption scenarios have also opened up. The Medicine Fair has expanded from a three-day industry exhibition to a half-month event. Xinmin Night Market and Sanhuangli are bustling with people. The "Qihuang Night Charm, Zhangshu School Herb Fragrance" night market IP (intellectual property) links professional trading with mass consumption, with Zhangshu school processing technique demonstrations appearing alongside traditional Chinese medicine beauty products and medicinal cuisine tastings, as veteran herbalists and young people pass on skills to each other.
Extending from the market end to both ends, the industrial ecosystem has changed accordingly. The city's under-forest medicinal herb planting covers 116,000 mu, driving income increases for 29,000 farming households. The Vitex trifolia project covers 12 administrative villages, with participating households seeing an average annual income increase of 13,000 yuan per household. With a stable quality assurance system on the trading end, the high-quality medicinal herbs produced on the planting end can achieve premium prices for premium quality, and farmers' income growth no longer relies solely on expanding planting area. The ancient Zhangshu school processing techniques can also, with the boost of industrial dividends, attract more young people to continue the inheritance.
From "distribution hub for medicinal materials" to "exporter of standards," this partnership between a top-100 pharmaceutical enterprise and a thousand-year capital of traditional Chinese medicine is reshaping the coordinates of "China's Capital of Traditional Chinese Medicine." At present, Zhangshu City's annual output of prepared slices of Chinese medicine accounts for more than 80% of the province's total, the number of pharmaceutical distribution and wholesale enterprises accounts for about one-third of the province's total, and the scale of the industry remains firmly among the forefront of Jiangxi; after the implementation of AI quality inspection and digital traceability systems, the medicinal herbs of the capital of traditional Chinese medicine are expected to shift from "large quantity" to "superior quality and fair pricing."
"Relying on Zhangshu's deep industrial foundation in traditional Chinese medicinal materials, a century-old pharmaceutical enterprise joining forces with a thousand-year capital of traditional Chinese medicine, using digital technology and the physical industry to jointly empower medicinal materials trading, will help improve the construction of the circulation and reserve system for traditional Chinese medicinal materials and cultivate more new quality productive forces in the field of traditional Chinese medicine," Xu Haoyu said.
(Xiao Yan participated in the writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 周 欢
"Watch the color, smell the aroma! The wheat bran is brownish, the bitter orange peel is scorched yellow, the heat is just right, take it off the stove!" said Zhong Lingyun, a professor at Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine.
In the traditional Chinese medicine processing training room at Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, an iron wok was heated until it glowed red. The moment wheat bran was poured into the wok, smoke rose from beneath the bran and a scorched fragrance filled the air. Adding the bitter orange peel, Zhong Lingyun held the spatula, turning the peel while reminding students to observe the subtle changes in color: "In the past, learning this craft depended on the eye, the hand, and the nose. What we need to do now is turn the depth of color into measurable scientific parameters, so that more people can master this skill."
Chinese medicine processing is a key link in "turning herbs into medicine." In Jiangxi, the processing techniques of the Zhangshu school and the Jianchang school are the most representative. Yet this craft has long relied on passing on knowledge orally and through personal example (口传心授, kou chuan xin shou - "mouth, transmit; heart, teach"), and the predicament of "having the formula but no one to carry it out" stung the Chinese medicine processing team at Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine.
Yang Ming, a Qihuang scholar and chief professor at Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, led the team to visit 74 Chinese medicine inheritance bases, called on 27 veteran medicine workers in person, and recorded practical tips word by word, replicating traditional techniques move by move. In the end, the team built a database of ancient processing methods and "rescued" 12 processing techniques that were on the verge of being lost.
"Rescuing them" is only the first step; they must also be "passed down." The team integrated the experience of the schools, ancient texts, and medicine workers into a knowledge system that can be taught and learned. Zhong Lingyun said: "Inheritance is not just about writing down what the veteran medicine workers said; these experiences must keep growing in the classroom and the laboratory." She led the team in implementing a dual-mentor system covering both technical and academic guidance, so that students' thesis research and craft training advance in tandem. Relying on the national veteran medicine worker inheritance studios, the scattered model of "apprenticeship" has been turned into an assessable, replicable training process. The national planning textbook Science of Chinese Medicine Processing compiled by the team has been adopted by many universities across the country, turning one school's experience into a shared teaching resource.
Passing on the torch of knowledge or tradition from one generation to the next (薪火相传, xin huo xiang chuan - "firewood, torch; mutually, pass on") hinges on people. The project "Inheritance, Protection, and Innovative Transformation of Ancient Chinese Medicine Processing Techniques," completed jointly by a team led by Professor Yang Ming and comprising key members including Zhong Lingyun and Gong Qianfeng, won a second-class prize in the National Science and Technology Progress Award. More weighty than the trophy is a set of figures: the team has trained more than 220 master's and doctoral students and trained more than 10,000 industry backbone personnel and grassroots practitioners. Zhu Jing, a young team member and deputy director of the Research Center for Chinese Medicine Resources and Ethnic Medicine at Jiangxi University of Chinese Medicine, has continued the effort. She has both watched the heat alongside veteran medicine workers and led students in the laboratory to analyze the scientific connotation of the Zhangshu school's honey-bran stir-frying method for "reducing dryness and enhancing efficacy," and has undertaken a key national research and development program project.
"Equipment alone is not enough; people are needed. As long as young people are willing to learn, this craft will not be broken off," Zhong Lingyun said. Amid the thousand-year fragrance of medicine, a new generation of processing practitioners is carrying forward the future of the revitalization and development of Chinese medicine.
(Liu Ting participated in the reporting and writing)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 王 丹
On October 16, at the Qihuang Town Convention and Exhibition Center in Zhangshu, Jiangxi, gardenia fruits were fed one by one into testing equipment. An automatic feeding device sent them into the chamber, an industrial vision system scanned their appearance, X-rays penetrated their interiors, and hyperspectral analysis examined their composition — within a few dozen seconds, a digitized "physical examination report" was generated.
That same day, the 57th National Medicinal Materials and Pharmaceutical Products Fair opened in Zhangshu. An AI (artificial intelligence) large model for testing traditional Chinese medicinal materials, jointly developed by the team of Zhang Boli, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, and Yangtze River Pharmaceutical Group, was officially released, and intelligent testing equipment carrying this technology made its debut at the same time.
Quality assessment of traditional Chinese medicinal materials has long relied on pharmaceutical workers' "visual inspection, manual touch, olfactory examination, and taste testing." Sensory descriptions lack unified quantitative indicators, and judgments often differ between different masters and different batches. Moreover, manual inspection of goods is time-consuming, laboratory physicochemical testing requires complex pre-treatment, and waiting times are calculated in hours or even days — yet medicinal material trading is a batch-based, multi-lot, high-frequency on-site operation, and manual inspection of goods affects work efficiency.
Traditional Chinese medicinal materials come in many varieties and from many sources, making it difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake items (真伪难分, zhen wei nan fen - "true, false, difficult, separate") and difficult to distinguish between high and low quality (优劣难辨, you lie nan bian - "excellent, inferior, difficult, discern"). Compounded by problems such as long circulation chains and difficulty in whole-process traceability, insufficient standardization and a lack of high-level evidence-based proof remain issues, and the phenomenon of "no shortage of standards, but few actually used" is widespread.
This intelligent testing equipment is led by a dedicated multimodal AI large model and integrates three technologies: industrial vision, hyperspectral analysis, and X-ray penetration imaging. Industrial vision identifies shape, color, and texture, assisting in the detection of appearance anomalies and surface foreign matter; hyperspectral analysis provides a reference for estimating component content, quality grading, and authenticity identification; X-rays penetrate the interior to identify structural anomalies such as hollows and insect damage. The three types of signals are all handed to the large model, which, having "read" large numbers of qualified and adulterated samples, can comprehensively judge the quality of traditional Chinese medicinal materials.
The equipment requires only a few dozen seconds for a single sample test, with no need for complex sample preparation. When medicinal materials arrive, samples are taken and placed in the chamber and results come out immediately — warehouse quality inspection can use this to determine whether there is adulteration or deterioration, and substandard goods can be rejected on the spot without waiting idly; on the production line, random sampling provides timely warnings when counterfeit items are mixed in or mold appears, avoiding scrapping of entire batches; at trading markets, goods are tested on the spot when purchased, and both buyers and sellers see the results simultaneously, reducing disputes arising from "judging goods by experience."
Liu Changqing, senior manager of Tianjin Modern Innovation Traditional Chinese Medicine Technology Co., Ltd., introduced that the equipment's comprehensive testing accuracy can reach over 90 percent, and modeling has been completed for more than 50 commonly used traditional Chinese medicinal materials, covering easily adulterated bulk varieties such as gardenia, ginseng, angelica, red ginseng, and astragalus.
Liu Changqing explained that AI testing does not replace statutory inspection or the judgment of professional personnel. It condenses the skills of veteran pharmaceutical workers — feeling the texture, weighing the heft, observing the form, tasting the flavor, and smelling the aroma — into a callable, traceable data asset: images, spectra, and judgment results from testing are automatically saved, forming an electronic file of medicinal materials from purchase to entry into the factory, which can serve both as incoming-material ledgers and quality reviews, and can also be linked to regulatory traceability platforms. More importantly, AI testing converts "color, texture, and appearance quality" into quantifiable indicators, helping the digital standards for genuine regional medicinal materials (道地药材) take root.
At the same time, trace chemical components such as pesticide residues and heavy metals cannot be precisely quantified by vision plus hyperspectral analysis alone, and the team is researching multi-technology integrated solutions to achieve a breakthrough. In addition, the equipment will be iterated into a portable version in the future, extending its reach down to production areas and markets.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 周 欢
"Thanks to the good policies, we can use and afford the fine medicinal herbs handed down by our ancestors right at our doorstep." In Nanchang County, Fuzhou City, Jiangxi Province, the hometown of the "Jianchang Bang" (Jianchang school of pharmacy), Huang Guodong, a 69-year-old villager from Liaofang Village, Lita Town, said this while holding a bag of freshly decocted medicine.
Having suffered from rheumatic arthralgia for many years, he previously had to ask his children to take leave from work to accompany him on round trips to the county hospital of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for health conditioning — a journey that consumed most of a day, and some specialty decoction pieces could not be reimbursed, making the burden considerable. Now, at the TCM clinic in the township health center, after diagnosis the doctor prescribes "Jianchang Bang" specialty decoction pieces of wine-steamed Polygonatum prepared by ancient methods, which both treat his chronic condition according to the symptoms and allow full settlement through the medical insurance card. The prescription is transmitted with one click through the information system to the smart TCM pharmacy, where the herbs are professionally decocted by trained personnel and delivered, so he no longer has to watch over the medicine pot himself — effortless and worry-free (省心又省力, sheng xin you sheng li - "save heart, also save strength").
Relying on the profound TCM heritage of "Jianchang Bang," Nanchang County has extended digital-intelligent services and the advantages of authentic medicinal herbs down to the grassroots. At present, all 12 township health centers in the county have established standardized TCM clinics, 150 village health rooms provide TCM services, and the smart TCM pharmacy has opened up the entire process of prescription transfer, intelligent dispensing, standardized decoction, and home delivery, with medicines delivered within 4 hours in urban areas and 8 hours in townships, resolving the old problem of "having to run to the county seat to get medicine and spending much effort decocting it."
Warm moxibustion comforts people in township clinics, silver needles benefit the people in mountain village consulting rooms, and authentic decoction pieces reach people directly... Vivid scenes of TCM services extending to the grassroots are unfolding one after another (接连铺展, jie lian pu zhan - "successively, spread out") across the land of Jiangxi, and "seeing a good TCM doctor at one's doorstep" is transforming from scattered pilot projects into a regular part of daily life for the people (民生常态, min sheng chang tai - "people's livelihood, normal state") throughout Jiangxi's cities and countryside.
As a national comprehensive reform demonstration zone for TCM, Jiangxi has incorporated grassroots TCM health services into the overall layout for improving people's wellbeing, breaking down barriers to multi-departmental coordination at the provincial level, with policies, funds, and talent continuously tilted toward counties and townships at the front line, ensuring that good services are capable of reaching the grassroots, being accessible, and being retained (沉得下、用得上、留得住, chen de xia, yong de shang, liu de zhu - "sink down, can use, can stay").
The service network is taking ever deeper root at the village and neighborhood level. Jiangxi is steadily advancing full coverage of public TCM hospitals, TCM departments in general hospitals, and grassroots TCM clinics, extending the "capillaries" of TCM services to the village gate. In Yushan County, Shangrao City, TCM experiences have been brought into nighttime markets, where residents strolling through the night market can try moxibustion and taste health-preserving herbal teas.
At present, all 1,771 grassroots health service institutions in Jiangxi have TCM clinics, and over 60 percent of township health centers and community health service centers can provide more than 15 types of appropriate TCM technical services in 6 categories, allowing the public to experience heat-sensitive moxibustion and other therapies right at their doorstep.
The talent contingent is continuously taking root at the grassroots. Jiangxi has revitalized staffing resources so that township health centers "fill vacancies as soon as they arise," while also building a tiered and categorized training system. Yongxiu County, Jiujiang City, has formed a technical transmission chain of "county level guiding township level, township level guiding village level," and Fuzhou City has launched "order-based" training that offers courses according to demand, with more and more medical personnel possessing both western and traditional Chinese medical skills (能西会中, neng xi hui zhong - "can, western, know, chinese") remaining at the grassroots to guard the first line of defense for the people's health.
Medical insurance reform has made good services more convenient and accessible. Jiangxi has included 165 TCM medical service items in medical insurance reimbursement, and 121 TCM-dominant disease categories are subject to "same disease, same effect, same price."
From a single silver needle in a mountain village health room to smart equipment in township TCM clinics; from bags of decoction delivered directly to the door to services provided throughout cities and countryside, Jiangxi is transforming the distinctive advantages of TCM into tangible benefits for the people's wellbeing, allowing the torch of millennia-old traditional medicine to take root and grow at the grassroots, continuously safeguarding the health of millions.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 张矜若 赵益普 黄炜鑫
In recent years, telecommunications network fraud has occurred frequently in many regions around the world, becoming a global public hazard and a difficult issue in global governance. INTERPOL has stated that over the past two years, the number of fraud cases reported by its member states has increased by 55%. Telecommunications network fraud crimes exhibit a highly internationalized character, with criminals exploiting differences in national laws and enforcement blind spots to frequently shift their operational locations, seriously threatening the property and even the lives of people in various countries.
Not long ago, the International Alliance for Combating Telecommunications Network Fraud was formally established in Lianyungang, Jiangsu Province, China. The 46 founding member states, including Cambodia, Pakistan, and Kenya, jointly issued the "Joint Statement on the Establishment of the International Alliance for Combating Telecommunications Network Fraud," agreeing to jointly initiate the establishment of a more focused, more professional, more efficient, and more action-oriented intergovernmental international organization to jointly address and combat telecommunications network fraud and related crimes.
Cambodia —
Vigorously raiding large-scale dens
Expanding international law enforcement cooperation
The Cambodian government recently announced the latest progress in its special operation against telecom fraud. Cambodian State Secretary and Secretary-General of the Committee for Combating Online Fraud Chhay Sina Nareth briefed nearly 50 diplomats accredited to Cambodia, stating that through sustained crackdowns, large-scale telecom fraud crime in Cambodia has been brought under control.
Recently, Cambodia has continued to conduct joint law enforcement operations in areas where telecom fraud activities are relatively concentrated, such as Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville Province, and Banteay Meanchey Province. According to Chhay Sina Nareth's briefing on October 21, from July 2025 to the end of September this year, Cambodian law enforcement agencies investigated 910 premises suspected of involvement in telecom fraud, including 86 large-scale fraud dens. The Cambodian side has transferred 529 cases to court for processing, 5,778 criminal suspects have been prosecuted and detained pending trial, and an additional 22,892 foreign nationals from 40 countries and regions have been repatriated. Cambodia's anti-corruption agency has also investigated 4 cases involving officials in fraud, arresting 15 senior officials and law enforcement personnel.
While intensifying law enforcement efforts, Cambodia is continuously improving its relevant legal and regulatory systems. In April this year, Cambodia promulgated the "Law on Combating Telecommunications Network Fraud," adding 5 new offenses, including organizing or leading telecommunications network fraud gangs, recruiting or training others to engage in telecommunications network fraud, and maliciously collecting personal identity information. Under this law, fraud activities involving violence, illegal detention, human trafficking, forced labor, and other circumstances will be subject to heavier penalties; where such activities result in death, the relevant criminal ringleaders may be sentenced to up to life imprisonment.
Chhay Sina Nareth noted that after large-scale centralized fraud dens were dismantled, new changes have emerged in criminal forms, with some gangs hiding in apartments, hotels, rental houses, cafes, and even vehicles to carry out smaller-scale, more dispersed fraud activities. In response, the Cambodian side will continue to conduct investigations and advance the development of the cybersecurity law, the cybercrime law, and the regulatory framework for virtual assets.
In response to the cross-border and networked characteristics of telecom fraud crime, Cambodia is continuously expanding international law enforcement cooperation. In May this year, Cambodia, together with South Korea, the European Union, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, jointly held a training session in Sihanoukville Province on "International Cooperation in Cybercrime and Human Trafficking Cases," training Cambodian judicial and law enforcement personnel on mutual legal assistance, digital forensics, cross-border cybercrime investigation, and the identification and protection of human trafficking victims. In late September, the Cambodian side also hosted the 2026 International Conference on Combating Cyber Fraud in Phnom Penh, promoting cooperation in cross-border joint law enforcement, intelligence sharing, and fund tracing.
The Cambodian side stated that telecom fraud has become intertwined with human trafficking, forced labor, money laundering, and cyber financial crime, constituting a complex transnational crime problem that no single country can effectively address alone. Cambodia will continue to strengthen international cooperation to prevent the resurgence of telecom fraud activities.
Pakistan —
Specialized agency leading the crackdown
National coordinated special operations
Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency reported on October 9 that, in the preceding week, it had conducted a concentrated crackdown on online gambling and telecom fraud crimes in the Lahore region, dismantling 7 fraud dens and illegal call centers, arresting 281 criminal suspects, and seizing 362 mobile phones, 265 computers, and 550 mobile phone SIM cards. Atif Amir, Deputy Director of the agency's Lahore branch, stated that this was the most powerful operation to date in the Lahore region for rectifying and combating online gambling and telecom fraud crime.
In recent years, the number of online gambling and telecom fraud cases in Pakistan has been increasing. Criminals operate in the suburbs of major cities such as the capital Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi, with criminal forms mostly involving online financial fraud, online extortion and blackmail, and online romance and dating fraud. The Pakistani government has launched multiple rounds of special crackdowns in response. In May 2024, Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency was formally established, and in that same year, in coordination with relevant departments, it conducted dozens of special raids on online gambling and fraud dens, arresting nearly 300 suspects. In 2025, the country launched the "Gray Operation" national special crackdown, clearing more than 20 fraud dens and arresting over 800 suspects. Since August this year, the agency, in conjunction with the Federal Investigation Agency, the Telecommunications Authority, and other departments, has carried out a special crackdown operation lasting several months and coordinated across multiple regions nationwide, dismantling more than 30 fraud dens and arresting over 1,100 suspects.
The Pakistani government has established 15 emergency hotlines for telecom fraud covering the whole country, with dedicated investigators receiving victims. As online gambling becomes increasingly tied to criminal activities such as illegal fundraising and money laundering, the Pakistani government has also established a Financial Action Task Force to supervise and combat the illegal expansion of the country's gambling industry. In addition, the Pakistani authorities have removed 46 mobile applications suspected of involvement in illegal online gambling and illegal foreign exchange transactions.
Nasir Rizvi, Director General of Pakistan's National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency, stated that the agency's crackdown on online gambling and telecom fraud is nationwide, with strict systems established in all regional branches to ensure round-the-clock monitoring of relevant cases. "Protecting citizens' data and property security is our top priority, and the Pakistani government has zero tolerance (零容忍, ling rong ren - "zero, allow, tolerate") for online gambling and telecom fraud."
Kenya —
Intensifying crackdowns on new types of crime
Promoting anti-fraud knowledge
Currently, telecom fraud crime in Kenya is showing a high-incidence trend. Data from Kenya's Communications Authority shows that in the first half of 2026, reported cybercrime cases in the country increased by 67% compared with the same period in 2025. Among these, online financial fraud accounted for 58% of reported cases. The direct economic losses from reported cases totaled 3.2 billion Kenyan shillings (1 yuan is equivalent to approximately 19.3 Kenyan shillings). The agency believes that the actual situation may be more severe, as fewer than one-fifth of cybercrime victims choose to proactively report cases.
Kenya's telecom fraud criminal activities are exhibiting some new characteristics. Fraud involving AI-generated voice cloning is increasing, with criminals using synthetic audio to impersonate victims' relatives and friends, employers, or bank staff in real-time calls to commit fraud. Secondly, the number of mobile phone SIM swap fraud cases has risen significantly, with relevant departments in the country receiving 1,240 reports in the first half of this year alone. In addition, cryptocurrency has become an important tool for laundering and cross-border transfer of fraud funds, making fund tracing and recovery extremely difficult.
In response, the Kenyan government has introduced a number of targeted governance measures. At the law enforcement level, in addition to the existing cybercrime investigation department, the police have established a new specialized agency responsible for investigating cryptocurrency fraud cases, and, with EU support, are conducting training in blockchain and cryptocurrency investigation techniques. At the legislative and regulatory level, the country has further amended the "Computer Misuse and Cybercrimes Act," explicitly listing unauthorized mobile phone SIM swapping as a criminal offense, and plans to increase the maximum penalty for financial cybercrime from 3 years to 10 years and establish a dedicated cyber court. Kenya's Communications Authority has also required all licensed mobile network operators to strengthen identity verification processes and regulate SIM card replacement and reissuance services — for example, mobile numbers linked to mobile money accounts must be registered with on-site biometric verification.
The country's government departments, telecommunications companies, and banking institutions have also jointly launched a public awareness campaign called "Guard Cyber Security." Through channels such as television, radio, and social media, anti-fraud knowledge is promoted in 6 languages, including Swahili and English, with a focus on preventing SIM swap risks, safe password use, and verifying the identity of callers before transferring money.
Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration, Kipchumba Murkomen, stated that with the rapid development of technology, more and more criminal activities are being carried out across borders through communication systems and digital platforms, which requires us to improve our technical capabilities and enhance our ability to analyze, judge, and handle crimes committed through communication systems and digital platforms. Kenya is ready to strengthen international cooperation to jointly combat cybercrime.
(People's Daily, Bangkok, Islamabad, Nairobi, October 27; Hanan Gillani of People's Daily's Pakistan Bureau contributed to this report)
Return to TopBy: 牛瑞飞
The 2026 EU autumn summit concluded recently in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, with multiple agenda items failing to achieve breakthrough progress: the long-term budget negotiations remain deadlocked, differences over energy policy have yet to be bridged, and competitiveness reforms have shown no substantive acceleration. Although the summit produced several principled consensus points, the overall outcomes stand in stark contrast to the high expectations held before the meeting, once again highlighting the EU's governance inertia of difficulties in both reaching decisions and implementing them (议而难决、决而难行, yi er nan jue, jue er nan xing - "discuss, yet hard to decide; decide, yet hard to act").
Enhancing competitiveness was an important agenda item at this summit and is also a long-standing structural challenge that Europe has failed to resolve for years. As early as 2024, former President of the European Central Bank Draghi issued a competitiveness report that systematically identified deep-seated problems such as Europe's relatively high energy costs, insufficient investment, weak innovation momentum, and barriers within the unified market. Two years have passed, and these problems have not seen fundamental improvement. According to one professional assessment, of the 20 core reform recommendations put forward in the report, the EU's overall implementation rate is only about 26 percent, and not a single one has been fully carried out, with the pace of reform consistently failing to keep up with changes in the global competitive landscape. This summit once again deployed efforts to advance the Industrial Accelerator Act, simplify regulatory rules, and deepen the integration of the unified market, but the real bottleneck has always lain in the difficulty of implementation — the scale advantages of the unified national market have yet to be fully unleashed, and blockages such as institutional barriers among member states and the poor translation of innovation results into practical application persist.
The dual deadlock over energy policy and the long-term budget reflects the deep constraints that divergent member-state interests place on collective action. In the energy field, the parties reached a shallow consensus on extending temporary aid measures for certain industries and studying short-term energy price response plans, but sharp differences remain on the key issue of adjusting the carbon emissions trading system: southern European countries such as Italy hope to increase policy flexibility to ease cost pressures on their domestic industries, while some Nordic countries worry that adjustments would weaken the binding force of long-term climate policy, making it difficult to balance short-term relief with long-term transformation. The budget field faces similar difficulties: the EU plans to increase investment in defense, technology, and industry, but regarding the long-term budget framework for 2028 to 2034, the compromise proposal put forward by the rotating presidency country Ireland has not gained Germany's endorsement, with all parties having their own considerations on spending scale and fund allocation, and the priorities of collective action often giving way to the fiscal calculations of individual countries.
While internal reforms move at a sluggish pace, tightening external trade policy has been placed in a prominent position. European Commission President von der Leyen stated after the summit that the Commission will propose import restriction measures against more Chinese goods and study new trade policy tools so as to be able to act quickly when necessary. From an economic logic standpoint, restricting external competition cannot fundamentally boost domestic competitiveness. The Kiel Institute for the World Economy in Germany published two research reports this year issuing warnings — the June study pointed out that the root of Europe's competitiveness problems lies in its own structural shortcomings, and that imposing tariffs on a wide range of Chinese goods can neither solve endogenous development problems nor automatically raise productivity and innovation capacity, and may instead trigger trade countermeasures; the October study further emphasized that simply adding policy tools does not amount to forming an effective strategy. In the final analysis, trade barriers cannot lower energy costs, nor can they substitute for technological innovation and industrial investment — they will only add to development shortcomings.
The EU summit has concluded, but the development challenges facing Europe remain as always (一如既往, yi ru ji wang - "one, as, already, go"). In fact, Europe has never lacked development blueprints and reform plans; the real challenge lies in the lack of execution capacity to translate consensus into action.
Return to Top(People's Daily, United Nations, October 27) (Reporter Li Zhiwei) "For the Justice and Peace of Humanity" — a photo exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Tokyo Trial opened on the 26th at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The exhibition serves as a warning to the international community to jointly safeguard historical truth, defend the victorious achievements of World War II, and uphold the postwar international order.
Fu Cong, China's Permanent Representative to the United Nations, said in his address at the opening ceremony that the Tokyo Trial consolidated the postwar international order, defended international fairness and justice, and advanced the progress of international rule of law. It was a great trial of peace against war, civilization against barbarism, and justice against evil, carrying epoch-making political and historical significance. The object of the Tokyo Trial was Japanese militarism. Japan should have carried forward the spiritual essence of the Tokyo Trial, thoroughly repudiated militarist ideology, and forever followed the path of peace. Regrettably, however, right-wing forces in Japan have questioned the legitimacy of the Tokyo Trial on various pretexts, using this to cover up their history of aggression. From worshipping Class-A war criminals to hollowing out the "Peace Constitution," from relaxing arms export restrictions to lifting the ban on the "right to collective self-defense," Japan is step by step turning its back on the Tokyo Trial and drifting ever further from its self-proclaimed identity as a "peaceful nation." China calls on all parties to carry forward the spirit of the Tokyo Trial, bear in mind the aspiration of the United Nations Charter "to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, which twice in our lifetime has brought untold sorrow to mankind," remain vigilant against the rise of a new form of militarism, and jointly uphold the postwar order and international peace and security.
Qi Dahai, Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Zhou Feng, Curator of the Memorial Hall of the Victims in Nanjing Massacre by Japanese Invaders; as well as the Director-General of the Department of Treaty and Law of the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Deputy Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to the United Nations delivered remarks at the event. Permanent Representatives to the United Nations from Spain, Nicaragua, and other countries attended the opening ceremony.
The speakers from China, Russia, and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea pointed out that the Tokyo Trial represented humanity's lofty ideal of safeguarding peace through the rule of law, delivering a just judgment on Japan's crimes of aggression through rigorous procedures and solid evidence. Reviewing the Tokyo Trial 80 years later is precisely a matter of learning from history to guide the future (以史为鉴, yi shi wei jian - "take, history, as, mirror"), remembering the suffering of war, jointly preventing and stopping a new form of militarism from gaining strength and causing harm, and jointly guarding against and resisting aggressive forces returning with renewed vigor or strength (卷土重来, juan tu chong lai - "roll, earth, again, come").
The exhibition was hosted by China's Permanent Mission to the United Nations and marked the first time that a large collection of precious historical photographs and archival documents of the Tokyo Trial was displayed at United Nations Headquarters in New York, fully restoring the historical truth of the Tokyo Trial. The photo exhibition attracted representatives of various countries' permanent missions to the United Nations, officials of the UN Secretariat, as well as legal officials from the foreign ministries of various countries attending the "International Law Week" of the General Assembly, judges of the International Court of Justice, and members of the International Law Commission. Visitors from all walks of life spoke highly of the historical value and contemporary significance of the Tokyo Trial, holding that it was an important component of the postwar arrangements and of great significance for achieving justice and promoting peace.
Return to Top(People's Daily, Dubai, October 27) (Reporter Jiao Xiang) On October 27, the Dubai Branch of the Bank of China held a bell-ringing ceremony at the Nasdaq Dubai exchange for the listing of offshore bonds issued under the Yulan issuance model. The bonds listed this time amount to 2 billion yuan with a term of two years, marking the first offshore bond under the Yulan issuance model in the Middle East and North Africa region, and also the first appearance of the Yulan issuance model at the Nasdaq Dubai exchange.
The Yulan issuance model is an innovative mechanism arrangement under which the Shanghai Clearing House serves as the central depository and custodian, adopting internationally accepted rules such as multi-tier custody arrangements to serve offshore bond issuance. This issuance received active subscription from international investors, with initial subscription volume exceeding five times the offering, ultimately narrowing by 50 basis points from the initial pricing, and sovereign institutions accounting for more than 30 percent of subscriptions, fully reflecting the allocation demand of the international market for renminbi assets. Industry insiders said this will help deepen financial infrastructure connectivity between China and the United Arab Emirates, attract more regional issuers to try renminbi financing, and promote the formation of a positive cycle (良性循环, liang xing xun huan - "good, kind, positive; cycle, loop") of sustained development in the regional offshore renminbi market.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, United Nations, October 26) (Reporter Shang Xuqian) The Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, and Israel released a report on the 26th stating that Israel has committed war crimes and crimes against humanity in the occupied Palestinian territory and continues to perpetrate genocide in the Gaza Strip.
The report, submitted by the commission of inquiry to the United Nations General Assembly, states that the situation in the West Bank has seriously deteriorated since October 7, 2023. The report holds that Palestinians in the West Bank "are being targeted because of their nationality, race and ethnicity, gender, and age."
The report holds that in the Gaza Strip, even after the announcement of the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Israeli authorities and forces have continued to perpetrate acts of genocide, with the aim of "destroying the Palestinians, in whole or in part."
The commission of inquiry recommends that Israel, in accordance with the advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice of July 2024, immediately end its illegal occupation of Palestinian territory, remove all settlements, and withdraw settlers. Israel must cease the confiscation and appropriation of Palestinian property and return confiscated and appropriated property, cease the seizure of Palestinian land on military grounds, and return all confiscated land to its Palestinian owners.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 戴楷然
Recently, tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have escalated once again. Ethiopia announced the closure of its embassy in Eritrea and the expulsion of Eritrean diplomats, and Eritrea subsequently announced the severance of diplomatic relations with Ethiopia. At the same time, after the Ethiopian government forces recaptured Mekelle, the capital of the northern Tigray region, they continued to advance toward the Eritrean border. There is widespread concern in public opinion that the long-accumulated contradictions between the two countries have been reignited and may trigger a broader regional crisis.
The resurgence of conflict in the Tigray region is a trigger for a crisis or conflict (导火索, dao huo suo - "guide, fire, wick") for this round of crisis. On September 20, seven Ethiopian opposition and armed groups, including the Tigray People's Liberation Front (hereinafter referred to as the "TPLF"), announced the formation of an anti-government alliance; on September 23, TPLF armed forces seized airports in Mekelle and other places and exchanged fire with Ethiopian government forces in Tigray, Afar, and Amhara. The Ethiopian government accused Eritrea, Sudan, and Egypt of supporting the alliance, and all three countries denied this. On October 1, Ethiopia announced the closure of its embassy in Eritrea and designated ten Eritrean diplomats as "persona non grata." The Eritrean Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Ethiopia had been taking "hostile actions" against Eritrea over the past three years, "inciting internal conflict" in Eritrea in an attempt to achieve "regime change," and immediately announced the severance of all diplomatic relations with Ethiopia.
This crisis did not erupt suddenly. In 1993, Eritrea gained independence from Ethiopia, and Ethiopia lost its Red Sea coastal territory and became a landlocked country. In 1998, the two countries went to war over a border dispute, signing a peace agreement in 2000, but relations between the two countries remained tense for a long time thereafter. In 2018, the two countries announced an end to their state of hostility and normalized relations, but this did not completely eliminate their differences over borders, security, and strategic interests. From November 2020 to November 2022, Eritrea joined Ethiopia in combating TPLF armed forces. In November 2022, the Ethiopian government and TPLF armed forces signed the Pretoria Agreement in South Africa, aimed at ending two years of civil war, but the Eritrean government did not participate in the final peace agreement signing process, and relations between the two countries deteriorated once again.
The issue of access to the sea has further deepened the rift in relations between the two countries. Ethiopia has a large population and a great need for maritime shipping. In recent years, it has repeatedly emphasized the importance of gaining access to a Red Sea port, and has even proposed plans such as leasing Eritrea's port of Assab, yet the two countries have never been able to reach an agreement. The Eritrean side fears that Ethiopia's demands for port usage rights and even control could threaten its sovereignty and territorial integrity. On October 4, leaders of Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, and Somalia held a summit in Egypt, emphasizing that Red Sea security and maritime governance should be the responsibility of the littoral states. The Ethiopian Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded the next day, pointing out that any discussion concerning the Red Sea must take into account Ethiopia's "legitimate rights and interests."
The tension between Ethiopia and Eritrea has caused the international community to worry about the regional situation. The African Union Commission recently issued a statement expressing concern over the intensifying tensions among Ethiopia, Eritrea, and other countries, and calling on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and resolve their differences through peaceful dialogue via existing diplomatic channels. The United Nations Security Council recently held closed-door consultations on this matter. UN Secretary-General Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric issued a statement expressing grave concern over the resurgence of fighting in Ethiopia's northern Tigray, Afar, and Amhara regions, and expressing concern over reports of Eritrean troops appearing inside Ethiopian territory, calling on all parties to the conflict to immediately cease hostilities and return to dialogue under the framework of the Pretoria Agreement.
Return to Top(Xinhua News Agency, Algiers, October 27) (Reporter Zhou Haojin) Tripoli dispatch: Libyan Minister of Transport of the Government of National Unity, Mohamed Al-Shahoubi, said on the 26th that the International Civil Aviation Organization has revoked the aviation safety warnings and restrictions imposed on Libyan airspace.
In a statement, Al-Shahoubi said that this decision is the result of the Government of National Unity's years of efforts to develop the aviation industry, strengthen aviation safety, and raise security standards. He stated that the government will launch a promotional program for international airlines, encouraging them to resume direct flights to Libya and to make greater use of Libyan airspace as an air corridor connecting Europe and Africa.
Because the security situation deteriorated after Libya's 2011 armed conflict, the International Civil Aviation Organization issued relevant warnings on the safety of its airspace in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
Return to TopStarting from the completion of its first film and television outdoor shooting base in 1996, Hengdian Town, Dongyang City, Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, has now developed into the world's largest film and television real-scene shooting base, building the Hengdian Film and Television Cultural Industry Demonstration Zone, with two-thirds of the country's film and television works produced in Hengdian.
From building scenes to producing content, from gaining domestic popularity to cultural "going global," Hengdian has gradually built an ecosystem covering the entire chain of the film and television industry. This small town born of light and shadow is now using culture as a bridge, accelerating its transformation from a shooting base into a global highland of film and television cultural innovation.
Nurturing Fertile Soil — A Full-Chain Ecosystem Gathers Momentum and Empowers Development
Hengdian's industrial foundation lies in the full-chain ecosystem built continuously over 30 years. From shooting scenes to talent supply, from enterprise services to technological innovation, each link supports the others and works in coordination, jointly building fertile soil for the development of the film and television industry.
Hengdian currently has more than 50 large-scale film and television real-scene bases and over 130 soundstages. From the Qin and Han dynasties to the Ming and Qing dynasties, from domestic to overseas settings, scenes of different historical periods and different regional styles are everything is available and complete (一应俱全, yi ying ju quan - "one thing, all, meet, complete"). Closely following the shooting needs of online drama going-global themes, Hengdian has iteratively upgraded its distinctive real scenes, fully meeting the location shooting needs of micro-dramas with going-global themes. While continuously improving traditional shooting scenes, Hengdian has also proactively seized the development opportunity of "artificial intelligence + film and television," launching the "Hengdian Film and Television Large Model," integrating 14 high-quality audio and video large models, forming 15 intelligent tools and intelligent agents including a creative canvas, empowering more than 100 enterprises, and applying them to the production of over 300 AI-simulated human dramas and comic dramas.
Industrial prosperity cannot be separated from talent support. Hengdian currently has more than 150,000 registered crowd actors, more than 12,000 personnel in basic supporting trades for the industry, and over 3,000 film and television art craftsmen, ranking first in the country in the number of basic trade personnel. "Hengpiao" (Hengdian drifters) public welfare training is carried out on a regular basis, with 50 sessions held cumulatively in 2025, completing training for 3,746 person-times, covering multiple trades including acting, makeup, props, and lighting, continuously improving the professional skill levels of practitioners.
Centering on the entire process of film and television industry development, Hengdian has built a policy support framework covering creation, shooting, production, distribution, and export, providing institutional support for enterprise development. In July this year, the Hengdian Group launched a shooting incentive plan, opening more than 700,000 square meters of soundstages for free, reducing the costs of scene construction and venue use. At the same time, it has coordinated with financial institutions to explore a "risk underwriting + credit enhancement" model for micro-drama completion, reducing enterprise operating pressure. With its complete industrial ecosystem, Hengdian has attracted more than 2,000 film and television enterprises to gather here, including several of the country's top-ranked film and television enterprises, becoming one of the regions with the highest concentration of leading domestic film and television enterprises.
To support enterprise development, Hengdian has built a digital-intelligent film and television innovation incubation center, providing one-stop incubation services for OPC (one-person company) and going-global platform enterprises, and has attracted more than 10 enterprises to settle in. For emerging business formats such as micro-dramas, management norms have been issued, forming a full-process management chain from pre-event guidance, through in-event control, to post-event underwriting; the vertical-screen drama operation center has been completed and put into use, and the Hengdian International Short Drama Alliance has been simultaneously initiated and established; activities such as regular study and exchange programs for overseas teams are carried out on a regular basis, injecting new vitality into industry development.
At the same time, focusing on industry pain points in film and television infringement such as "difficulty in obtaining evidence, difficulty in investigation, and difficulty in rights protection," Hengdian adheres to Party building leadership, with city-wide coordination, systematic planning, and coordinated efforts, making film and television copyright protection a key lever for optimizing the business environment, stimulating innovation vitality, and promoting industrial upgrading, striving to build a nationally leading demonstration site for film and television copyright protection.
Refining Content — "Produced by Hengdian" Masterpieces Emerge Frequently
Hengdian is not only a film and television shooting base, but also a major town for content production. Over the years, Hengdian has continuously improved its content creation service system, promoting the transformation of film and television production from "quantity accumulation" to "quality improvement."
To improve content quality, Hengdian has established a guidance mechanism for key film and television content creation, optimized service types, and increased efforts in applying for national-level major film and television awards and municipal-level cultural industry development special funds and other reward policies. In recent years, works mainly invested in or co-invested in by enterprises in the Hengdian Film and Television Cultural Industry Cluster Zone have cumulatively won more than 300 national-level film and television awards including the Huabiao Award, the Magnolia Award, the Golden Rooster Award, and the Hundred Flowers Award, ranking among the top in the province in the number of awards won. From costume dramas to realistic-themed works, from commercial blockbusters to artistic masterpieces, "Produced by Hengdian" works have performed impressively in viewership and streaming, and have also won attention from major film and television awards.
Micro-dramas are becoming a new growth pole for content production. Hengdian has issued special support policies to support the high-quality development of the micro-drama industry, issued the country's first micro-drama industry shooting service management norm — the "Hengdian Film and Television Cultural Industry Cluster Zone Micro-Drama Industry Shooting Service Management Norm" — and established a closed-loop management service model. Under the dual effect of policy guidance and standardized management, the quality of Hengdian's micro-drama creation has steadily improved, and a batch of hit works has continued to emerge. In terms of micro-drama review services, Hengdian has actively sought provincial-level authorization to establish a micro-drama review sub-center, and has completed planning and filing review for 285 micro-drama projects as well as offline review of more than 20 completed film and television works, enabling enterprises to handle reviews "at their doorstep."
As of the end of 2025, Hengdian has cumulatively received more than 5,500 traditional film and television crews, shooting more than 160,000 films and series (episodes); received more than 5,200 vertical-screen drama crews, shooting more than 520,000 episodes. In 2025, 505 new traditional crews started shooting, and 4,016 new vertical-screen drama crews started shooting, with the number of newly started vertical-screen drama crews increasing by 237.48% year-on-year. From long-form dramas to micro-dramas, from films to online audiovisual content, a diversified content production landscape is rapidly taking shape in Hengdian.
Setting Sail to Go Global — The Scope of Dissemination Continues to Expand
From a domestic shooting base to an international dissemination stage, the international influence of Hengdian's film and television industry continues to rise. Relying on its complete industrial ecosystem and rich content output, Hengdian is accelerating the construction of a multi-channel, multi-form film and television going-global system.
In the traditional long-form drama field, Hengdian deeply connects with international leading streaming media platforms, empowering overseas dissemination through a "film and television + platform" model. Multiple high-quality series shot in Hengdian have landed on international streaming platforms such as Netflix and Disney, entering the top of the weekly rankings for global non-English series, covering multiple markets including Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea, Europe and the United States. The overseas copyrights of some works have also been licensed to mainstream media platforms in countries and regions such as Vietnam, with the scope of dissemination continuously expanding.
Micro-dramas are surging rapidly in going global, becoming an important force for the "new three items" of culture to go global. Leading micro-drama going-global platforms such as DramaBox (Dianzhong Technology), ShortMax (Jiuzhou Culture), and iDrama (Zhangyue Technology) have successively settled in Hengdian, with business covering key markets including North America, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. DramaBox (Dianzhong Technology), officially launched in 2023, now covers more than 200 countries and regions, with cumulative downloads reaching 150 million in 2025. At the same time, other enterprises in the zone are also laying out new going-global channels. Dongyang Yexingchuan Culture has launched in-depth cooperation with overseas platform FlickReels around overseas AI content industrialization, local content development, and global distribution, continuously expanding new channels for going global.
From industry festivals and exhibitions to themed activities, from business matchmaking to dialogue among civilizations, diversified exchange platforms inject momentum into building international visibility for "Produced by Hengdian" works. Industry events such as the Hengdian Film and Television Cultural Industry Development Conference, the China (Hengdian) International Film Trade Fair, and Micro-Drama Night are held continuously, building matchmaking and exchange platforms for domestic and foreign film and television enterprises. Hengdian has also organized 8 key film and television enterprises to appear at the Hong Kong International Film & TV Market, collectively promoting 21 high-quality "Produced by Hengdian" works. The 2026 China-Africa Film and Television Exchange and Cooperation Activity was held in Hengdian, with the theme of "cultural mutual appreciation, film and television integration, win-win cooperation," focusing on fields such as film and television work screening and film and television talent training, promoting the deepening of China-Africa film and television exchanges from "mutual understanding" to "practical cooperation," adding film and television elements to and contributing Hengdian's strength to Jinhua's creation of a "golden business card" for cooperation with Africa.
From a small Jiangnan town to a global film and television industry highland, Hengdian has taken 30 years to forge a distinctive path of film and television industry cluster development. Standing at a new starting point, Hengdian will continue to deepen its industrial ecosystem, refine content quality, and strengthen international dissemination, allowing more "Produced by Hengdian" works to go global and contributing to the going-global of Chinese film and television culture.
Data sources: Hengdian Film and Television Cultural Industry Cluster Zone Management Committee, Dongyang City Convergence Media Center
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 刘军国
Highlights
During this year's National Day holiday, the Beidi Restaurant on Chouzhou North Road in Yiwu, Zhejiang, was exceptionally bustling, with the number of parties waiting in line reaching as many as a thousand tables in a single day. The restaurant's owner, Muhammed Al-Shalabi, was busy every day, not only warmly greeting customers in the front hall but also carefully checking the quality of dishes in the kitchen. Muhammed, who has been starting businesses and living in China for more than 20 years, uses his restaurant to connect the "small family" with the "big family," and also to connect China with the world.
The Beidi Restaurant on Chouzhou North Road in Yiwu, Zhejiang, was crowded with people (人头攒动, rentou cuandong - "people, heads, crowd, move"), and wafts of grilled meat aroma came from the kitchen. Seeing regular customers come to dine, the restaurant's owner, Muhammed Al-Shalabi, warmly stepped forward to shake hands and embrace them, just like welcoming long-lost family members home.
This year marks Muhammed's twenty-sixth year living in China. In 2002, he and his wife came to Yiwu, Zhejiang, and opened an Arab restaurant named "Flower." Since then, this "flower," carrying the aroma of food and homesickness, has blossomed in Yiwu. Muhammed not only realized his entrepreneurial dream but also found a sense of spiritual belonging in China.
From Guangzhou to Yiwu—
This "small county town" is much "bigger" than imagined
Muhammed comes from Jordan. To make a living, he left his hometown at the age of 17 and had been to the Netherlands and Thailand. In 2000, Muhammed came to Guangzhou, Guangdong, where he worked in his uncle's Arab restaurant, learning to cook while accumulating experience in restaurant management. "At that time, the seed of entrepreneurship was already planted in my heart," Muhammed said. "China's vast market offers a great many opportunities. I believe my career will succeed here." Later, Muhammed and Liu Fang, an Anhui girl who worked as a foreign language translator at the restaurant, were getting married (喜结连理, xijie lianli - "joyfully, tie, connect, together"), making him a "Chinese son-in-law" and further strengthening his conviction to take root in China.
In 2002, Muhammed learned about the place called "Yiwu" through a friend who also came from a Middle Eastern country. This friend introduced Yiwu to Muhammed as an ocean of small commodities—if you can think of it, you can buy it there, and the prices were affordable, with many foreign merchants going there to purchase goods. However, these foreign merchants also encountered a problem—"My friend told me that it was hard to find an authentic Arab restaurant in Yiwu, and suggested I go and check it out." These words stirred something in Muhammed's heart: an opportunity had arrived!
Muhammed and his wife soon boarded a train from Guangzhou to Yiwu. "The moment I stepped out of the station, I could hardly believe my eyes—compared with the bustling international metropolis of Guangzhou, this place was like a small county town, and you couldn't even hail a taxi. My heart was pounding with doubt—can this place really work?" At that time, the Yiwu International Trade City District 1 (the fifth-generation market) had just opened its doors to welcome customers, and the "world capital of small commodities" was at a critical juncture of transformation and upgrading, far removed from its current bustling and lively appearance.
But soon, Yiwu's warmth and inclusiveness made Muhammed determined to stay.
"We were strangers in a strange land. When renting a house, I worried the landlord would be raising prices arbitrarily at the spot (坐地起价, zuodi qijia - "sit, ground, rise, price"), but it turned out that when they heard we were a young couple coming to start a business, they gave us a fair price without a second word, and even helped us move things and introduced us to the neighborhood," Muhammed recalled. "Then there was public security—no matter how late we went out, it was always safe. And there was the market—by then, Yiwu's foreign trade was already starting to show promise or talent (初露头角, chulu toujiao - "first, reveal, head, angle")."
Today, Yiwu's foreign-related services have long since introduced various convenience measures such as online processing and one-stop service windows. Muhammed recalled: "Although it was far from being so convenient back then, every time I went to ask for advice, the staff never made excuses and being perfunctory (推脱敷衍, tuotuo fuyan - "push, avoid, perfunctory, gloss over") just because I was a foreigner. How to apply for a business license, how foreigners should register, what to pay attention to when choosing a restaurant location... they explained each item clearly and guided us through the procedures step by step. If you didn't understand, they would speak slowly; if your documents were incomplete, they would tell you what was missing and where to get it. That attitude of 'not treating you as an outsider' made me feel for the first time that this 'small county town' might be much 'bigger' than I had imagined."
Eating and doing business at the same time—
A small restaurant becomes the "base camp" for foreign merchants in Yiwu
Riding the "east wind" of China's just-formal accession to the World Trade Organization, and with the spirit of "exchanging chicken feathers for sugar," the people of Yiwu became "wave riders" in the great tide of reform and opening up. The reputation of the Yiwu market grew, and merchants from more and more countries came to Yiwu seeking business opportunities. Giving foreign merchants in Yiwu a taste of home cooking was Muhammed's original idea.
Muhammed's first restaurant was opened on Chouzhou North Road, where foreign merchants gathered, and was named the "Flower" restaurant, symbolizing the flower of happiness and the flower of peace. "We designed a white flower in an Arab style for the restaurant and set it inlaid above the entrance hall, and it became one of the restaurant's signature attractions for drawing in customers."
Unexpectedly, this small restaurant quickly became the "base camp" for foreign merchants in Yiwu. "Many foreigners, right after getting off the plane and finishing their purchasing, would head straight to our place," Muhammed said.
Gradually, foreign merchants not only ate here—some waited for clients here, and some negotiated orders here. "Sometimes, a merchant would hand the menu to his partner while closing a business deal at the same time." At the table, on one side were chickpea soup and grilled meat, and on the other side were spread-out sample catalogs and quotation sheets. "As they ate, this place became their foothold," Muhammed said. "You call it a restaurant, but it's more like a business negotiation room without a threshold. Many foreign merchants don't speak Chinese, so my wife, the restaurant staff, and I would act as interpreters. Quite a few orders were finalized in the ten-odd minutes while waiting for the food to be served."
The "Flower" restaurant became a landmark in Yiwu's foreign merchant circle, and behind this was inseparable from the support of the local convenient business environment. In terms of government affairs, consultations, reservations, and online processing for matters such as foreigners' accommodation registration, visas, and work permits were swift and smooth; in the business sector, the Yiwu government launched "one-stop" online service scenarios for matters such as foreign investment and the handling of personal foreign exchange settlement accounts; foreign merchants could also use online intelligent indexing and other personalized services to inquire about various convenience service information. "Whether it's a big matter or a small one, one phone call can solve it—that's 'Yiwu speed,'" Muhammed said. In 2024, Yiwu also launched the "Yijing" APP, an online service platform for foreign residents' affairs, providing foreign merchants with all-around services covering "clothing, food, housing, transportation, and business."
With the support of the local government departments, Muhammed also organized a volunteer organization called "Naide's Home" to help foreigners in Yiwu solve various life problems, and it also frequently organized various volunteer service activities.
From the "small family" to the "big family"—
Different civilizations engage in a dialogue across time and space around win-win cooperation through mutual benefit (互利共赢, huli gongying - "mutual, benefit, together, win")
On June 5, 2014, in his important speech at the opening ceremony of the Sixth Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, President Xi Jinping told the story of an ordinary young Arab man who took root in China and realized his life dream. The protagonist of the story was Muhammed.
After that, more people came because of a good reputation (慕名而来, muming erlai - "admire, name, come, arrive"), and the original restaurant's facilities and space gradually could not keep up with the pace of customer growth, so Muhammed rented a new three-story venue of more than 1,000 square meters nearby and renamed the restaurant "Beidi." "'Beidi' means 'my home' in Arabic—it means inviting guests to eat at my home, hoping everyone who comes here will feel like they are returning home."
The most eye-catching feature of the new restaurant is a promotional wall for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation—on it is carved a relief of the route map of the "Yixin'ou" China-Europe Railway Express, with Yiwu as the starting point and the countries along the route marked, and beside it there is an electronic screen playing introductions to the situation of the countries along the route. Muhammed said: "Many foreign merchants initially didn't understand high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and the China-Europe Railway Express, but when they see this wall, they get it: the train departs from Yiwu, carries Chinese goods to Europe, and also connects our hometowns with Yiwu, making it one big 'family.' This is not only a commercial corridor, but also a dialogue across time and space between different civilizations around win-win cooperation through mutual benefit."
The convenience of commercial exchanges has allowed Muhammed to personally feel the benefits. "Nowadays, 99% of the restaurant's raw materials can be bought locally, and one phone call brings delivery to the door."
Besides running the restaurant, Muhammed also serves as a foreign mediator at the immigration affairs service station of Yiwu's Cilin Community, helping foreigners in Yiwu resolve disputes and explaining laws and regulations to them. In his spare time, he also actively participates in public welfare activities and safety patrols. "Yiwu treats me as one of its own. Police officers from the Choucheng Police Station in Yiwu help maintain order at events during holidays, and community workers provide us with all kinds of free services. Of course, I should also do my part to give back to my 'second hometown'!"
A subtle change has also made Muhammed feel especially warm: "The locals no longer call me 'that foreigner who runs a restaurant,' but affectionately say 'our Yiwu's Boss Beidi.' This acceptance and recognition makes me happier than any business figure."
Every evening, Muhammed is accustomed to standing by the restaurant's floor-to-ceiling windows, watching the flowing endlessly like a stream (川流不息, chuanliu buxi - "river, flow, not, stop") of vehicles and pedestrians on Chouzhou North Road, feeling the vitality and atmosphere of this city. "My story is not just an entrepreneurial story, but also a story of exchange and mutual learning among civilizations," Muhammed said. "I want to say to that young Jordanian man who just stepped off the train more than 20 years ago: Don't worry, you will find the direction of your career here, and you will also find a sense of spiritual belonging."
Return to TopBy: 托比亚斯·勒贡特
My first visit to China was in 2008. At the time, the affiliated middle school of the Ghent Conservatory in Belgium, where I studied, was invited to participate in the Sixth Shanghai Baoshan International Folk Arts Festival. Upon my arrival, I was amazed by Shanghai's prosperity, while the lively atmosphere of everyday life in its streets and alleys made me feel warmly welcomed. Later, I had the opportunity to live in Shanghai and study Chinese. Through everyday activities such as shopping, chatting, and making friends, I gradually integrated into local life, which also made me realize: for foreigners to better understand Chinese culture, they need to participate in it.
In 2016, I returned to Belgium, but I kept missing Shanghai. In 2021, a Shanghai friend recommended that I watch a film in the Shanghai dialect. Seeing the shikumen alleyways on screen and hearing the actors' dialect conversations, I felt as if I had instantly returned to that familiar city. From then on, I asked my Shanghai friends to communicate with me in the Shanghai dialect as much as possible, and I also sought out short videos and huaji comedy performances in the Shanghai dialect, listening to and studying them repeatedly. To document my progress, I began filming videos of myself learning the Shanghai dialect and posting them on online platforms. To my surprise, more and more people paid attention to and supported me, and I gradually grew to enjoy making videos, continuing to this day.
In my view, language and culture are inseparable from one another (密不可分, mi bu ke fen - "dense, not, can, separate"). Learning the dialect transformed me from a "foreigner" into "one of the family," bringing me closer to the daily lives of local people, and it also seemed to give me a "magnifying glass" through which I could perceive the subtle emotions they reveal through their language and manner of expression.
What I did not expect was that learning the Shanghai dialect would also open a door of opportunity for me. In 2025, I was invited to perform in the Shanghai Comedy Troupe's Shanghai-dialect huaji play 72 Tenants from Around the World. Although I had often performed on stage as a musician before, this was my first time acting in the Shanghai dialect, and I felt somewhat nervous. During that month, I attended rehearsals every day, and the other actors patiently helped me correct my pronunciation and worked with me to refine the lines and the "gags"—how to deliver a line naturally, how to control the rhythm to make the audience smile knowingly—all of which required careful deliberation.
Music has given me a similar feeling. I am myself a musician. In my view, music, like language, is a way for people to communicate with one another. Music from different places has different melodies and rhythms, yet it all carries the full range of human emotions (喜怒哀乐, xi nu ai le - "joy, anger, sorrow, happiness"). Even when people do not share a language, they can still feel each other's emotions through music and appreciate the charm of each other's cultures.
Over the years, I have tried to combine traditional Chinese melodies with Western instruments and jazz harmonies, preserving the original melodic characteristics while incorporating different musical expressions. When performing abroad, such works often move audiences. After performances, audience members frequently come up to ask: "What was that piece just now?" Some also hope that I will play more of them next time. Through this approach, I hope to help more European audiences understand China.
The exchange of language and art is certainly important, but if you ask me what the most effective way to enhance mutual understanding is, then I would surely say: it is face-to-face communication between people. Many Belgians ask me about the situation in China: what people eat, how they live, what Chinese cities look like. I am willing to share my experiences, and I often tell them: "If you get the chance, go and see for yourself."
With the implementation of the visa-free transit policy, more and more of my relatives and friends around me have come to China, and my uncle is one of them. In the past, he mainly learned about China through European media and online reports. After traveling to China, he found that China was richer and more multifaceted than he had imagined, and he also changed many of his previous views. This has made me believe even more strongly in the enormous power of seeing is believing (眼见为实, yan jian wei shi - "eye, see, is, real"). Of course, there may also be differing opinions in exchanges, but as long as there is mutual respect and enhanced understanding, these differences can be better handled.
Looking back, learning the language, performing in huaji comedy, making music, and filming videos—these interesting experiences have continuously helped me integrate into China. I am both a learner of Chinese culture and a disseminator of Chinese culture, a bridge connecting Europe and China. To knock on the door of a country's culture, sometimes all it takes is a little curiosity and a little courage to take action. I hope to create opportunities for more people to get to know each other and communicate, and in this process, to continuously bridge divides and deepen understanding.
(The author is a musician of Belgian nationality; compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Niu Ruifei)
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 李 婕 林子涵
Opening the portfolio of Riya Rani, a first-year master's student at the China Studies Centre of Jawaharlal Nehru University in India, one is greeted by a series of exquisite calligraphy and painting works — set against a backdrop of Chinese ink-wash painting, peach blossoms, peach branches, and tender leaves complement each other charmingly, with a line of elegant brush-written characters reading "having many successful students everywhere" (桃李满天下, tao li man tian xia - "peach, plum, fill, all, world") on one side; on red paper, the character "fortune" is full and round, while "virtue" is thick and dignified...Had one not seen it with one's own eyes, it would be hard to imagine that these works came from the hand of a foreign girl who taught herself calligraphy.
Riya's Chinese name is Lai Ruiya. During high school, she became fascinated with Chinese TV dramas, and as a result developed a strong interest in the Chinese language. "I heard that Chinese is 'one of the most difficult languages in the world,' but for someone who loves language learning, what could be more interesting than taking on the challenge of a difficult language?" So when choosing a university major, Lai Ruiya decisively chose Chinese. And the art of calligraphy gave her an even deeper understanding of and love for Chinese culture.
"Four years ago, I happened to see a video on social media of someone writing the character 'dragon' in cursive script, traditional form.The whole process was smooth and flowing like floating clouds and flowing water (行云流水, xing yun liu shui - "walk, cloud, flow, water"), and I was instantly captivated," Lai Ruiya recalled. "I couldn't resist picking up an ordinary soft-tip pen at hand and tracing along with the video on white paper. I had no brush, no rice paper, and didn't even know the stroke order of Chinese characters." But when the ink fell on the paper, she was deeply drawn in.
"My first brush was brought back for me by a senior schoolmate who happened to be in China at the time. When I got the brush, I was absolutely thrilled!" Lai Ruiya could not wait to try writing, yet she did not dare use too much force, afraid of damaging the brush or soiling the paper. But after trying for a long while, she did not achieve the expected result. "Later, I continued learning through videos online, and when I saw a calligraphy teacher first dip the brush in water, wipe off the excess moisture, and then dip it in ink to write, I suddenly realized (恍然大悟, huang ran da wu - "suddenly, realize, great, understand") that a new brush must first be soaked in water to open the bristles before use!"
Carrying her curiosity about and love for Chinese calligraphy, Lai Ruiya unlocked many "firsts" — the first time using a brush, the first time writing freely on rice paper, the first time presenting her own calligraphy and painting works to teachers and friends... At a teacher's retirement ceremony, Lai Ruiya wrote the four characters "four seasons like spring", earning admiration from the teachers and classmates present."Later, a calligraphy teacher gave me a stack of rice paper and encouraged me to keep practicing. I have treasured that gift ever since, and to this day I can't bear to use it all up."
Today, Lai Ruiya uses calligraphy learning apps to practice two or three times a week, and she can recount with great familiarity and expertise (如数家珍, ru shu jia zhen - "as, count, family, precious") the famous ancient Chinese calligraphers Yan Zhenqing, Zhao Mengfu, Ouyang Xun, and their works, and she often watches calligraphy bloggers' shares online. "During practice, I also encounter rough patches — for instance, the character 'home' once gave me no end of trouble," Lai Ruiya explained to the reporter."That character isn't hard, but I could never get the 'bent hook' and the 'left-falling stroke' right. I watched the tutorials again and again, practiced and polished over and over, and finally wrote a character I was satisfied with. This also taught me that learning calligraphy requires persisting with constancy and perseverance (持之以恒, chi zhi yi heng - "hold, it, with, perseverance")." Through learning calligraphy, Lai Ruiya has also gradually come to understand the evolution of Chinese characters and the cultural stories behind them. "For example, the character 'water' in seal script winds and flows like a river, giving the most vivid expression of what makes water water."
Last year, Lai Ruiya came to China for the first time with the "Chinese Bridge" Indian youth delegation. Speaking of that experience, she still cannot contain her excitement: "Over the course of 15 days, I visited Beijing, Hebei, and Shanghai, and had the chance to experience Chinese culture firsthand and realistically (切身实地, qie shen shi di - "cut, body, real, ground") and visit famous historical sites. Being able to turn what I had learned from books into personal experience — it was just wonderful!"
As a calligraphy enthusiast, she had to go see the Four Treasures of the Study. "In Shijiazhuang, I spotted a stationery store, so I bought three brushes, a bottle of ink, and some rice paper. While waiting for the bus on the way back, I caught sight of a shop across the street that specialized in calligraphy supplies." Even though the bus was about to arrive, Lai Ruiya could not resist running over for a bit of "shopping."
The trip to China further strengthened Lai Ruiya's determination to study calligraphy. "I once felt lost about what a foreigner learning calligraphy could do, but my teacher encouraged me to pursue what I love. My goal is to study in China and achieve greater mastery in calligraphy," Lai Ruiya said. "If I were to express my feelings for China in a work of art, I would paint a panda sitting beneath bamboo branches quietly admiring a lake view, and inscribe four characters in regular script: "Where the heart yearns" (where the heart yearns).
Return to TopBy: 陆凡冰
In the past, some parking lots adopted "rounding up" billing, which was convenient for operations and management but shifted the cost onto consumers. The public's complaints about "parking one extra minute but being charged for an extra hour" are not being overly concerned with small matters or trifles (斤斤计较, jin jin ji jiao - "account, account; calculate, calculate") over a few yuan, but rather a simple pursuit of consumption fairness and contractual reciprocity.
Many car owners have probably had this annoyance: once the parking time just crosses a certain threshold, the bill suddenly "jumps a gear": 61 minutes is charged as 2 hours. Looking at the number on the screen, one can't help muttering: just one extra minute, why charge so much more? This "stay one extra minute, pay for an extra half hour or even an hour" "rounding up" billing has long been a vexation for car owners and a hidden pain in urban travel.
Since the beginning of this year, many places have begun optimizing parking billing rules. Some public parking lots in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, have switched from "rounding up" to billing by the minute. In June this year, the Shanghai Municipal Development and Reform Commission publicly solicited opinions on an optimization plan for road parking billing policies, proposing that vehicles parked in Shanghai's road parking lots (within the same road section) for 15 minutes (inclusive) or less be free of charge; for those exceeding 15 minutes, billing shall start from the time parking began; a single vehicle may enjoy 2 short-term free parking sessions per calendar day citywide. Nanchang, Jiangxi, and Changsha, Hunan, among other places, have also optimized their detailed rules for urban road parking management. Public parking billing is moving toward greater fairness, transparency, and refinement, which not only better protects consumer rights but also reflects a profound change in urban governance logic.
Behind the shift from "rounding up by the hour" to "billing by the minute" lie changes in practical conditions. In the past, some parking lots adopted "rounding up" billing, which was convenient for operations and management but shifted the cost onto consumers. However, with the spread of electronic payment, license plate recognition, and smart parking systems, accurately recording vehicle entry and exit times and automatically calculating fees is no longer difficult. When the technical conditions are in place, continuing to use crude billing methods lacks sufficient justification. If one uses "industry practice" or "technical limitations" as an excuse to adopt "rounding up" parking billing, it imperceptibly infringes on consumer rights.
The public's complaints about "parking one extra minute but being charged for an extra hour" are not being overly concerned with small matters or trifles over a few yuan, but rather a simple pursuit of consumption fairness and contractual reciprocity. The parking fee reforms implemented in some regions are a positive response to this reasonable demand. Billing by the minute not only makes fees closer to actual usage time but also breaks information asymmetry, allowing consumers to see completely clear and transparent (明明白白, ming ming bai bai - "bright, bright; white, white") where every penny goes, and to better feel the fairness of public services.
Doing "subtraction" in parking fees translates into doing "addition" in urban vitality. Many citizens' parking needs are inherently temporary and random. Passing a small shop and wanting to buy something, seeing that parking is inconvenient, one might just drive away; wanting to take the family to the neighborhood for a stroll in the evening, the thought of high parking costs dampens one's enthusiasm. For the bustling vitality of a city, parking fee reform can better retain foot traffic, unclog the "capillaries" of urban transport and commercial micro-circulation, and achieve a win-win of social and economic benefits.
Going forward, the parking billing model can continue to be optimized. First, design standards in light of local conditions. Core areas, residential areas, areas around hospitals and schools, commercial streets, and so on have different parking needs, and billing rules should also differ accordingly; one single schedule cannot govern everything. Second, skillfully deploy a series of coordinated measures or policies (组合拳, zu he quan - "combine, he; fist") such as short-term free parking, time-differentiated billing, nighttime discounts, and staggered shared parking, so as to both increase berth turnover and meet the daily needs of the public. Finally, publicity and oversight must be strengthened: billing standards, free periods, billing start points, and complaint channels should all be clearly displayed, to avoid new opacity in the implementation of "billing by the minute" rules. In addition, for parking lots lagging behind in equipment upgrades, system upgrades should be promoted so that good policies are not stuck at the "last mile."
The modernization of urban governance is often hidden in the details of people's livelihoods. The combination of technological capability and a people-centered governance logic can be translated into the "fine needlework" of serving the people. We look forward to parking fee reform that is full of goodwill, embodies wisdom, and pursues fairness, moving from "pilots in many places" to nationwide implementation. Let urban governance, in the precise billing of every minute, proceed with greater care and warmth.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曹玲娟
At 7 a.m., the Party-Mass Service Station of the Shimin Xincun Residential Area, No. 17, Lane 211, Baotun Road, Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict, Huangpu District, Shanghai, opened its doors.
Crisp vegetables were unloaded from carts in baskets and placed at the station's "fresh produce direct-supply point at the doorstep" — tomatoes, potatoes, carrots... all fresh and dewy in the morning light. "The vegetables are good, right at the doorstep, and the prices are affordable." Her grandson had asked for bean sprouts today, so resident Gong Weixing grabbed a big handful. "See, these bean sprouts are dry and clean."
The Party-Mass Service Station brings the "vegetable basket" to residents' doorsteps, and the water dispenser in the station is the ordinary model that elderly people are most accustomed to. "We hope that no matter when, residents are willing to come in and sit for a while. The Party-Mass Service Station must serve the 'last 100 meters' well," said the relevant leading comrade of the Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict with a smile.
From morning to night, the reporter followed and interviewed a full day at this Party-Mass Service Station, and found that the warmth of Party-Mass services permeates residents' daily lives.
"Now that people live well, services must be even better"
At 9 a.m., just past the peak grocery-buying period, the third meeting of the Shimin Xincun Owners' Committee was convened inside the Party-Mass Service Station.
"The main passageway of the community is a fire lane; parking is strictly prohibited" "Tiered fees — owners should pay less than tenants" "Reference should be made to the standards of surrounding communities"...
The newly elected Owners' Committee was discussing the revision of the "three regulations." From the Rules of Procedure for the Owners' Assembly to the Management Covenant and the Regulations on the Management of Special Maintenance Funds, with the Owners' Assembly about to convene, preparatory work must be done in advance.
The new Shimin Xincun Owners' Committee serves the new Shimin Xincun Residential Area.
Shimin Xincun was first built in 1957 and was among the first batch of workers' new villages with "small beam, thin slab" structure housing. The old buildings had no independent kitchens or bathrooms. "Ten households on one floor shared one bathroom; everyone was carrying chamber pots. The ceiling leaked, and water dripped onto the middle of the bed." Retired resident Zhu Guoli vividly remembered (历历在目, lili zaimu - "eye, eye, in, sight") the hardships of the past.
In 2023, Shimin Xincun launched its renovation, demolishing and rebuilding all four buildings of non-self-contained housing. The renovation project adopted a "one household, one plan" approach and employed the "household relocation + original-site demolition and reconstruction" method, equipping returning residents with independent kitchens, bathrooms, and elevators. By the end of March 2026, the new homes were officially handed over, and residents moved back in batches.
From "cooking in staggered shifts" and "holding an umbrella while stir-frying" to independent kitchens and bathrooms and direct elevator access, the living conditions of Zhu Guoli and more than 300 old neighbors have undergone drastic changes (天翻地覆, tianfan dipu - "sky, overturn; earth, overturn").
On July 15, 2026, General Secretary Xi Jinping conducted an on-site inspection in Shanghai of the Shimin Xincun Residential Area in Bansongyuan Road Subdistrict, Huangpu District, visiting Zhu Guoli's home and carefully examining the living conditions. The General Secretary said that showing care for every detail (一枝一叶总关情, yi zhi yi ye zong guan qing - "one, branch; one, leaf; always, concern, affection") — the lives of the people are family matters, and even more so, matters of state. The Communist Party exists to serve the people; only when the people are living and working in peace and contentment (安居乐业, anju leye - "peaceful, live; happy, work") and living comfortably will the Party and the government be at ease. He hoped that they would arrange their retirement life well and build their families even better.
Zhu Guoli said she deeply remembers every scene from the General Secretary's inspection. On her small balcony at home, she set up a small table, placed the taro and coffee she had just bought that morning, and drank coffee while opening the window to a view of greenery.
The new homes are clean and tidy, and the old neighbors are still the old neighbors. In the residential area, brand-new multi-story small buildings, lush and green (郁郁葱葱, yuyun congcong - "lush, lush, green, green") landscaping, and public benches and other convenience facilities are all in place. Inside the Party-Mass Service Station, the community service area, reading corner, children's play area... though small, it is having all the necessary parts (五脏俱全, wuzang juquan - "five, organs, all, complete"), with functions tailored to the needs of daily life, making it a shared living room for residents. Old friends meet at the Party-Mass Service Station, sit together and chat, all sighing that they have truly caught up with good times.
"It's really like night and day." Resident Ge Huijun pulled the reporter to visit her new home, with "Joy of Moving" pasted on the door. She and her octogenarian husband had just gone together to buy vegetables at the Party-Mass Service Station, and the old couple walked home arm in arm. "Now it's so convenient — we take the elevator up and down, and the Party-Mass Service Station is right at our doorstep. No need to worry even on rainy days."
Having won the hard battle of urban renewal — "doing a temple fair in a snail shell" — the Party-Mass Service Station underpins residents' expectations of "living well." At the meeting site, Owners' Committee Director Li Xiaohu felt the heavy responsibility; all members were newly elected, and the neighborhood committee dispatched Chen Weiping, a post-90s social worker, to serve as the committee's "little secretary." She carefully reminded them, "Parking rules should be easy to understand and easy to enforce" and "An agreed time limit needs to be added — if parking fees are not paid for a certain period, the space should be reclaimed and put back into circulation."
Chen Weiping said that residents now have a strong sense of belonging to the community. "Now that people live well, services must be even better."
"Can we extend services one step further? Carry out some activities that residents enjoy"
At noon, the Party-Mass Service Station briefly quieted down.
Taking advantage of the lull, the staff of the convenience vegetable stall tidied up the melons, fruits, and vegetables. Ningxia greens, Taihu greens, dwarf greens... the fresh vegetables all sold well; only a small piece of winter melon was left, so another one was brought out. Four autumn pear apples remained... The convenience fruit-and-vegetable stall opened on July 1 this year, and with just a few small stalls, it can provide more than twenty kinds of seasonal fruits and vegetables. Updated daily with affordable prices, it is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Buying a piece of ginger or taking two lilies — these are all everyday fresh groceries that residents need on their dining tables, can afford, and can carry home.
Zhang Wei, Party branch secretary and neighborhood committee director of the Shimin Xincun Residential Area, frankly stated that the fresh produce direct-supply point was initially opened to solve the pain point of elderly people in old communities having difficulty buying vegetables. After a few days of operation, everyone discovered that many elderly people, after buying vegetables and having their blood pressure measured, were not in a hurry to leave but sat in the Party-Mass Service Station chatting and resting. "We thought, can we extend services one step further? Carry out some activities that residents enjoy," Zhang Wei said.
The Yue opera troupe rehearsal was at 2 p.m., but team leader Lu Peiqing arrived before 1 p.m. "City God Temple," "Sending the Phoenix Crown," "My Family Has a Little Ninth Sister"... a dozen or so opera fans can rehearse an entire Yue opera special performance. "We used to rehearse in parks and basements; now we come to the Party-Mass Service Station at fixed times every week, and the conditions are much better." Lu Peiqing and her teammates were busy preparing for an upcoming performance. "The neighbors are all asking us for tickets."
The choir is even larger. "The waters of Honghu Lake, waves lapping against waves..." The meeting table used by the Owners' Committee in the morning was given to the choir in the afternoon. The aunties, dressed beautifully, sat together in a circle, holding up their sheet music and singing at the top of their lungs. "Everyone, pay attention — the sound must not break; keep singing continuously." The teacher coached full of intense passion (激情澎湃, jiqing pengpai - "passion, surging, surging, surging"), and the members sang with total devotion.
The lives of ordinary people are lively and bustling, and also full of talking all at once in a confused way (七嘴八舌, qizui bashe - "seven, mouths, eight, tongues"). Some residents wrote on the message wall, "It's great to read with kids here," "Buying vegetables is really convenient," "Good service — it would be even better with ice cream," while other residents offered suggestions: "The vegetable stall noise affects reading in the reading corner — a sweet trouble." The relevant leading comrade of the subdistrict said with a smile, "We have already coordinated through staggered scheduling, book borrowing, and other means to accommodate diverse needs."
An "activity schedule" posted on the wall of the Party-Mass Service Station was filled with the times of community activities such as residents' deliberation meetings, Yue opera troupe performances, film screenings, and half-day medical clinics. Convenience services were equally numerous: haircuts, free knife sharpening, free phone screen protectors, broadband fault consultation... Zhang Wei explained that the Party-Mass Service Station balances external resource coordination with internal potential tapping, and most activities match the actual needs of a community with a high proportion of elderly residents, while special activities for young people are launched during the summer vacation.
On one side, residents sat on benches chatting, holding number tags and queuing up on their own, waiting for Yu Jiwei to give them free massages. Xiao Yu has a disability and taught himself blind massage. "His technique is excellent — my shoulders and neck feel much better after a few sessions." Residents enthusiastically recommended him. Xiao Yu enjoys this feeling of "being needed." "I'm grateful to the neighborhood committee for giving me this platform. We disabled people receive care from society, and we must also give back to society with concrete actions."
Don't throw away waste cardboard boxes and plastic bottles carelessly — the Party-Mass Service Station also holds exchange activities. The waste cardboard boxes, plastic bottles, and idle items accumulated in daily life no longer need to be casually discarded and wasted; they can be uniformly placed into community recycling bins and exchanged for practical daily necessities such as tissue, garbage bags, table salt, and laundry detergent — heartwarming and convenient.
"No matter when you come, it's always lively here"
In the evening, lawyer Shen Pei was on duty rotation at the Party-Mass Service Station. A resident came to consult about a rental contract dispute, and Shen Pei immediately helped call the tenant on the spot to communicate. "Many small disputes are actually just missing a bridge. People trust the authority of the law, and we try our best to resolve conflicts at the grassroots level," Shen Pei said.
The Party-Mass Service Station is equipped with a "3+X" one-stop community service system, providing property services, neighborhood committee basic services, "one-stop online processing" remote services, and X-type rotating special services, with fixed weekly on-duty station services covering non-high-frequency rigid needs such as urban management, legal consultants, family doctors, and elderly care consultants.
"The property management office has a daytime reception window at the Party-Mass Service Station, as well as daytime repair reporting and emergency repair hotlines, with 24-hour service, ensuring that residents can get a response at any time when they have problems," introduced Bao Zhihao, Party Committee Secretary and Chairman of Nangfang Group.
In the extremely expensive land (寸土寸金, cuntu cunjin - "inch, earth, inch, gold") of downtown Shanghai, the Shimin Xincun Residential Area once had no place even to put a chamber pot — so why can a Party-Mass Service Station be opened in such a prime location?
Zhang Wei revealed that this used to be a market supervision office at the entrance of the community. In coordination with urban renewal, the subdistrict applied to higher-level departments to convert it into a community shared space, leaving the best resources for residents. The station is open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., and all services and facilities are centered on meeting residents' actual needs, supporting temporary rest and cooling off. "No matter when you come, it's always lively here."
The Shimin Xincun Residential Area is the first large-scale old housing demolition and reconstruction project in downtown Shanghai after the implementation of the 2023 "Shanghai Municipal Measures for the Implementation and Administration of Self-Contained Renovation and Demolition-Reconstruction of Old Housing (Trial)." During the project's implementation, residents' awareness rate, ballot delivery rate, voting participation rate, and voluntary contract signing rate all reached 100%.
Self-contained renovation of old housing strives to keep residents in their original communities. The invisible assets of familiar locations, neighborhoods, and social circles are retained together, allowing people who have lived here for decades to remain by the familiar streets and alleys, and preserving the community's human warmth.
This also makes the role of writing the "second half of the article" on living and working in peace and contentment all the more prominent.
"The grassroots level is the home for connecting with and serving the people. Putting more resources, services, and management at the grassroots level is the key to improving governance effectiveness and doing practical things and solving problems for the people, and it is also the key to what the people can feel, touch, and access," said Xu Huili, Secretary of the Huangpu District Party Committee.
Dusk fell, and a gentle evening breeze blew. The vegetable stall was nearing closing time, and a resident came running to have a slice of winter melon cut. "This winter melon is good quality — it cooks up soft and sticky." Zhu Guoli carried a basket of vegetables. "My granddaughter wants beef short ribs, so I bought potatoes, cabbage, and tomatoes — I can make borscht too." Neighbors chatted, and laughter and conversation spread along Baotun Road.
The Party-Mass Service Station has become a bright and warm light by residents' sides.
Return to TopBy: 主讲人：内蒙古锡林郭勒盟苏尼特左旗牧民 要文斌
After a rain, the fragrance of grass on the Sunite grassland was especially strong. I walked into the horse herd, and a mare slowly ambled over and lowered her head to graze. She is 18 years old, my "old partner" from the earliest days of pregnant mare serum collection. Now she has "retired."
Some people ask me, why keep her? I can't bear to part with her. She accompanied me through the hardest stretch of the road and earned money for me, so I ought to provide for her old age. For us people of the grassland, horses are not just livestock—they are companions we live our lives with.
My name is Yao Wenbin, and my home is in Darihan Xili Gacha, Mandulatu Town, Sunite Left Banner, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia. Since childhood, I have loved horses. In the past, herders rode horses for herding and attended Nadam fairs; every household raised horses, but when it came to relying on horse raising to make money, everyone felt uncertain. Fodder cost money, and in winter supplemental feeding was needed; the more horses one raised, the more expenses grew.
In 2013, I went elsewhere to study and came into contact with the pregnant mare serum industry for the first time. Pregnant mare serum is a component of horse blood; drawn reasonably, it has no effect on the horse, and it is a precious biopharmaceutical raw material that can be made into hormone preparations commonly used in livestock breeding. Learning that Mongolian horses are highly adaptable and that pregnant mare serum also has utilization value, I wanted to try: could the horses of the grassland bring herders a more stable income?
After returning home, I prepared to establish a company, renovated sheds and pens, and learned collection techniques. At that time, everything had to be starting from scratch and exploring through trial and error (从头摸索, cong tou mo suo - "from, head, grope, search"); I feared doing it poorly, and feared even more that the money invested would never be recovered. Later, under the guidance of veterinarians, I selected suitable sampling sites and sampling tools, carried out cleaning and disinfection, and only after samples sent to enterprises passed testing and met collection standards did I begin building the plant and starting production. When the first batch of products sold for money, I gradually gained confidence: horse raising cannot rely only on selling horses—one can also find a way out along the industrial chain.
Later, I also worked on the collection of pregnant mare urine. Experts said that pregnant mare urine is a raw material for extracting conjugated estrogens, which can be used to prevent and treat diseases such as osteoporosis caused by estrogen deficiency. At first I had no suitable equipment and could only collect it bit by bit with a water ladle. When I couldn't determine the gestation period accurately, I observed more and recorded more, and whenever I encountered something I didn't understand, I asked others for guidance. I also measured the horses' body shapes and asked enterprises to help make collection devices. To verify product quality, I sent samples to Nanjing, Jiangsu for testing, and also built a cold storage facility, exploring the practices for each link of collection, storage, and transport.
These tasks sound trivial, but doing them leaves no room for carelessness. After raw materials leave the horse farm, they must also be transported to the enterprises that use them; hygiene, temperature, and timing—if any one aspect is neglected, quality may be affected. I gradually came to understand that if one wants others to purchase on a long-term basis and wants herders' incomes to be more stable, one must hold the standards firm.
Now, with pregnant mare serum, pregnant mare urine, and mare's milk, different products are suitable for collection at different stages of a mare's pregnancy. A single horse can create more value, and if the market for one product fluctuates, one need not panic too much.
But it is far from enough for me alone to raise horses well. Many herders around me also love horses and know how to raise them; they simply lack technology and equipment and don't know whom to sell the products to. When people come to ask how to determine gestation or how to preserve raw materials, I am willing to share with them the experience I have groped my way to. Only when more herding households work together to make quality good can the industry possibly last long.
Today, more than 300 horses from herders in two banners come to my place for pregnant mare serum collection, and more than 700 horses from 12 herding households in another 5 banners provide pregnant mare urine on a fixed basis. Behind these numbers are individual households, and also individual trusts. To drive fellow villagers' income growth, one cannot just say "follow me"—they must also be able to see the methods, find the sales channels, and have the accounts reckoned clearly.
At dusk, I close the circuit breaker on the motor-pumped well, clear water flows into the trough, and the horse herd gathers around to drink, snorting from time to time. That "retired" old horse is among them. Looking at them, I always recall why I originally chose this path: to raise the horses before me well, to safeguard product quality, and to serve the herding households in cooperation well.
In this lifetime of mine, I simply want to do the horse industry well—to see the horses of the grassland treated kindly, and to see the fellow villagers willing to raise horses live better lives through their own skills and hard work.
(Compiled and edited by People's Daily reporter Wu Yong)
Return to TopBy: 赵展慧
Opening up a green credit channel, giving priority approval to urgent financing needs such as drying, transport, and procurement; granting credit in advance to ensure that agricultural machinery and supplies can be borrowed as needed; promptly assessing losses and accelerating disaster-survey and insurance-claims work... At present, the autumn harvest is racing against the farming calendar, and financial services are also adding support to help the autumn harvest run at "accelerated speed."
The living water of finance moistening the fields is reflected not only in the responsive action during the busy farming season, but also comes from accumulating bit by bit over a long period (日积月累, ri ji yue lei - "day, accumulate, month, accumulate") of sustained effort and long-term drip irrigation.
An innovative financial instrument brought a bumper harvest to Zhao Erhu, a fruit grower in Yanchang County, Shaanxi Province — 80,000 jin of apples, with total income of 165,000 yuan. "Last year we suffered a hailstorm disaster; without the new insurance as a safety net, this year's harvest would not have been this good." The 15,000-yuan claim payment arrived in time at the start of spring, and Zhao Erhu used the money to replace a batch of new seedlings and expand his planting area, achieving both stable output and increased income.
The new insurance Zhao Erhu referred to is the apple "insurance + futures" income insurance. In order to solve the problems of Yan'an apples suffering output reductions due to disasters, the same fruit fetching different prices, and difficulty in achieving good harvests in bumper years, the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange developed apple futures and applied this innovative financial instrument that combines insurance with futures to share risks to the apple variety. After introducing futures prices as a pricing factor, the new product can protect both output and price, putting a "double insurance" on stable income for farmers. The number of insured persons in Yanchang County increased by 20% this year, and the product is seeing demand exceeding supply (供不应求, gong bu ying qiu - "supply, not, meet, demand").
As can be seen from the financial innovation for Yan'an apples, farmers fear, first, weather fluctuations bringing disasters, and second, market fluctuations preventing them from selling at good prices. The key to making up the shortcomings of rural financial services is to accurately identify the golden key of farmers' needs and help them continuously solve the problem of "living at the mercy of the weather."
To solve the problem of "living at the mercy of the weather," finance must help farmers better withstand weather fluctuations. Not only must efforts be made in post-disaster safeguards, financial services must also extend forward to strengthen the capacity for disaster prevention and reduction. Banks should invest more financial resources in agricultural science and technology innovation and agricultural facility construction, and insurance institutions should strengthen disaster early warning in combination with meteorological data and agricultural technical services, promoting better coordination between capital, technology, and risk management.
In Nan'an City, Fujian Province, some low-efficiency fields that were once scattered and inadequately irrigated, with the financial support of the Fujian Branch of the China Development Bank, have been transformed through land leveling, road repair, and irrigation and drainage facility construction into high-standard farmland that is regular and contiguous, capable of both irrigation and drainage, and suitable for mechanized operations, allowing local farmers to increase rice output by 200 jin per mu. Improved irrigation and drainage conditions provide greater assurance against drought and waterlogging; smooth roads make mechanized harvesting more convenient; developing facility agriculture such as intelligent greenhouses and digital plastic greenhouses can accelerate the transformation from "living at the mercy of the weather" to "living at the mercy of data"; developing more stress-resistant improved seed varieties can enhance crops' resilience to disasters from the source... Financial support for the development of new quality productive forces in agriculture can promote a greater shift from passive disaster relief to proactive intervention, better building a "protective net" and installing a "safety valve" for farmers' cultivation, and reducing the impact of disasters.
To solve the problem of "living at the mercy of the weather," finance must also help farmers better withstand market fluctuations. Market fluctuations are also a force majeure for farmers; smallholders cannot understand or grasp the overall supply-and-demand situation of the large market and can only "follow their feelings," and in this way they inevitably fall into the cyclical price swings of "good and bad years." Farmers fear output reductions, and they also fear being unable to sell at good prices after a bumper harvest. It is necessary to strengthen coordination among various types of financial services, launch more innovative financial instruments, and enable more farmers to secure income protection even without disasters.
For example, the Dalian Commodity Exchange, on the basis of "insurance + futures," has introduced banks and purchasing enterprises and explored the "bank-insurance-futures" model, so that while farmers' sales and income are better protected, they can also use insurance policies and orders as collateral to borrow from banks, broadening funding sources for expanding production, increasing income, upgrading, and transformation, forming a virtuous cycle of "stable income — stable investment — increased efficiency." At the same time, good products must also be made affordable for more farmers; further leveraging the combined funding support of multiple parties such as local governments and exchanges, and continuously improving the premium-sharing mechanism of farmer-benefiting projects such as "insurance + futures," will enable more smallholders to participate in insurance and continuously expand the innovative benefits for farmers.
For rural finance, solving the question of whom to serve and why to innovate is the key. Closely centering on better meeting farmers' needs to promote financial innovation and service optimization, and truly using the money on farmers, rural finance can have lasting vitality and continuously improve the quality and efficiency of serving the comprehensive revitalization of rural areas.
Return to TopBy: 本报记者 曲哲涵
Expanding domestic demand is a strategic move. In January this year, the Ministry of Finance, the People's Bank of China, and the National Financial Regulatory Administration issued a package of fiscal-financial coordinated policies to boost domestic demand, introducing a "4+2" policy toolkit: on the investment side, implementing loan interest subsidies for small and medium-sized and micro enterprises, interest subsidies for equipment renewal loans, a special guarantee program for private investment, and a risk-sharing mechanism for private enterprise bonds; on the consumption side, implementing loan interest subsidies for service industry business entities and personal consumption loans, supporting service industry entities and residents' purchases of big-ticket consumer goods.
From August 1, a new round of coordinated measures to expand domestic demand with optimized and upgraded policies from the three departments took effect: the loan interest subsidy for small and medium-sized and micro enterprises, previously covering only fixed-asset loans, was expanded so that newly issued working capital loans also qualify for the subsidy; the personal consumption loan interest subsidy now includes all types of credit card installment plans within its support scope; the cap on subsidized loans per single enterprise per single bank for small and medium-sized and micro enterprises was raised from 50 million yuan to 75 million yuan, for service industry business entities from 10 million yuan to 20 million yuan, and the annual cumulative per-person per-bank cap for resident personal consumption subsidies was raised from 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan.
With policies continuing to intensify, what results have been achieved? In late September this year, reporters visited Hunan and Sichuan provinces, going into finance departments and banking institutions to find answers on the ground.
Reducing costs and stabilizing expectations, so that enterprises dare to invest and are willing to invest
Policies continue to intensify, offsetting external impacts and stabilizing the foundation for enterprise development——
Entering the Hunan Airlines operations command center, the smart operations command platform's large screen shows the real-time flight status of 17 aircraft. Company Chief Financial Officer Chen Yunting told reporters that the enterprise applied for equipment renewal subsidized loans, obtained credit funds at lower cost, and continuously upgraded its assets and equipment, introducing digital and intelligent means for information sharing and flight scheduling. "From January to August 2026, Hunan Airlines' flight punctuality rate rose to 93.6%, ranking second among 41 airlines."
Affected by the Middle East conflict, aviation fuel prices rose about 35% within the year, and aviation fuel accounts for nearly 60% of airlines' variable costs, so the enterprise's cost pressure surged suddenly. The loan interest subsidy policy for service industry business entities was just like a timely and much-needed assistance (及时雨, ji shi yu - "timely, rain"), especially after the cap on subsidized loans per single entity was raised from 10 million yuan to 20 million yuan in August, enterprises can receive fiscal interest subsidies at 1 percentage point, and a 20 million yuan loan from one bank can yield a subsidy of 200,000 yuan; combined with quotas from multiple banks, this can effectively offset oil price pressure.
"With strong policy support, we have more confidence in expanding our fleet, opening new routes, and strengthening technological upgrading," Chen Yunting said. In the future, the company will also densify its route network and improve its fleet structure to better serve local economic development.
The coordination of fiscal and financial policies has also delivered real money to Jinbei Electric Wire & Electromagnetic Wire Co., Ltd.: since 2025, the company's third-phase project for new energy vehicle electromagnetic wire has received more than 31 million yuan in equipment renovation and renewal subsidies, of which over 22 million yuan has already arrived, and the renovation of production lines such as intelligent melting furnaces is nearing completion. Company General Manager Zheng Qingxiang told reporters that this year working capital loans can also enjoy the interest subsidy policy, and 1.8 million yuan in subsidies has already arrived, helping the enterprise absorb the cost pressure from copper prices rising from over 70,000 yuan per ton to nearly 100,000 yuan. "Credit support is very much in place, and we are firmly confident in intelligent technological upgrading and capacity expansion."
Resolving credit reporting difficulties and reducing cost pressure, making the manufacturing industry chain and supply chain more robust——
Stamping, welding, final assembly——on the production line of Hunan Weifu Auto Parts Co., Ltd., body parts and chassis parts continuously roll off the line. Enterprise financial staff member Luo Limei told reporters that as a first-tier supplier to Geely, BAIC, and BYD, due to the rapid growth in production capacity of the supporting vehicle models, the enterprise has had to follow the "rhythm" of the main engine manufacturers to expand production. "When the main engine manufacturers raise requirements, we can respond to model changes within a few days."
Orders have come in and capacity needs to expand, but the factory buildings and equipment have long been fully mortgaged—how easy is it to get another loan? At the critical moment, the special guarantee policy for private investment resolved the urgent need: the handling bank and Xiangtan County Lianxiang Guarantee Company proactively came to the door, and within two weeks approved 5 million yuan in working capital loans and 8.25 million yuan in bank acceptance bill quotas without collateral, which were in place by the end of June; combined with a 1 percentage point loan interest subsidy, financing costs fell significantly.
"The enterprise is in a critical window period for increasing industrial investment. Providing guarantee and credit enhancement for the enterprise not only promotes the enterprise to further release tax contributions and consolidate local employment, but also helps the Xiangtan Economic Development Zone's auto parts industry chain to strengthen, supplement, and extend the chain, realizing the social benefit of finance empowering the high-quality development of local advanced manufacturing." Zhang Lefang, head of Xiangtan County Lianxiang Guarantee Company, said.
One loan, one guarantee—what is stabilized is an enterprise on the chain, and what is boosted is an advanced manufacturing chain upgrading toward high-end, intelligent, and green development. The loan ledger of Hunan Chengchao Heavy Industry Technology Co., Ltd. also confirms this.
The fields in which the enterprise operates—rail transit seismic isolation and damping bearings, wind power ring forgings, hydrogen energy equipment—are all heavy-asset, long-cycle tracks. Since the second-phase plant began construction in September last year, it has been in the construction period of "spending the most and collecting the least," with depreciation and financial expenses rising. In April this year, the company borrowed 70 million yuan from Bank of Changsha. Under the policy at the beginning of the year, 50 million yuan of that loan enjoyed interest subsidies; when the policy was intensified mid-year, the subsidizable quota increased to 75 million yuan, fully covering this project loan.
"The subsidy funds of 258,000 yuan arrived at the end of August and were all invested in plant construction and advance payments for raw materials; over two years, the expected subsidy is 2.06 million yuan, and the actual financing cost dropped from 4.2% to 2.7%, equivalent to a direct 35% discount." Company Chief Financial Officer Zhou Huixiong told reporters that this is not just a number on the books, but a "reassurance pill" that allows the enterprise to avoid having to cut necessary investment due to short-term cash flow tightness and to deliver orders on schedule. "After the project is put into production, the enterprise will provide supporting services for the park's aerospace and low-altitude economy industries, and will promote coordinated benchmarking of standards, technology, and quality systems with central state-owned enterprises."
Supporting the strengthening of the supply side, so that enterprises can better meet residents' consumer demand
To enhance residents' willingness to consume, efforts must be made on the demand side, but more importantly, high-quality supply must create and lead demand. Visiting the two provinces, the living water of funds is shaping "new supply" to better meet residents' needs.
The upgrading of healthy consumption concepts anchors enterprises to new transformation coordinates——
The core competitiveness of fresh milk lies in freshness. Ren Kuiyuan, Chairman of Sichuan Xuebao Dairy Group Co., Ltd., keenly captured the development trend of healthy consumption and judged that low-temperature fresh milk has become an important direction for dairy consumption upgrading. The enterprise invested nearly 100 million yuan to carry out intelligent renovation of an old workshop that has been in production for more than 20 years. After the renovation is completed, daily production capacity will increase from 300 tons to 500 tons, the share of high-end low-temperature products will rise significantly, and the new fresh milk tea track is also being laid out simultaneously.
The confidence of the enterprise to dare to invest comes from the precise support of credit funds and fiscal interest subsidy policies. This year, Postal Savings Bank of China issued a total of 12.5 million yuan in 10-year project loans for the first phase of the project, with funds specifically used for equipment renewal and renovation. Under the loan interest subsidy policy for small and medium-sized and micro enterprises, this loan can enjoy a fiscal interest subsidy for a period of 2 years, which is expected to reduce the enterprise's interest expenses by 375,000 yuan.
"In the past, medium- and long-term project financing was difficult, and capacity expansion and operation and maintenance could only rely on rolling short-term loans for support, so the enterprise always harbored a hidden worry in its development," Ren Kuiyuan said with emotion. "Now that long-term, low-interest funds arrive in one lump sum, and fiscal interest subsidies further reduce financing costs, the enterprise's momentum to dare to invest and be willing to invest is even stronger."
Cultural tourism consumption is upgrading toward quality, and market opportunities must be seized——
The river winds and bends, and a gentle breeze brushes the face. In Yibin City, Sichuan, the "Yibin Cultural Tourism" pure electric cruise ship is moored beside the Yangtze River wharf. This cruise ship, carrying 205 passengers, was assembled and launched in Yibin in October last year and is striving to be officially put into operation by the end of this year.
"We obtained nearly 5 million yuan in equipment renewal loans for the renovation and upgrading of charging, navigation assistance, and multimedia equipment, and in the first year we expect to receive 51,100 yuan in interest subsidies, of which 31,100 yuan has already arrived." Hu Cheng, the person in charge of the cruise ship and Deputy General Manager of Sichuan Kunlü Trading Co., Ltd., introduced that seizing the new consumption trend of "cruise tourism + green and low-carbon," the enterprise has for the first time crossed over into the water-based cultural tourism industry. Thanks to the long-tail effect of passenger flow brought by hosting the sub-venue of the Year of the Horse Spring Festival Gala, Yibin's holiday cruise ship projects have repeatedly seen "tickets harder to get than one could imagine." The enterprise will also build new ships depending on operating conditions. From purchase to operation to fleet expansion, credit policies are accompanying this new entrant as it rides the waves of the new blue ocean of consumption.
Livelihood services are focusing on "the elderly and children," and market supply must keep up——
The headquarters store of Sichuan Yibin Jinghao Glasses, which relocated and expanded in March this year, is now the nearby choice for eye health services for surrounding residents. The enterprise has been doing the glasses business in Yibin for nearly 30 years, now with 10 stores and more than 40 employees, and is transforming from traditional glasses sales to "optometry + medical care."
Transformation requires investment, but the stores are small in scale and lack collateral, and every step of expanding stores and upgrading fears a break in the capital chain. In March this year, Yibin City Commercial Bank proactively came to the door and issued 6.2 million yuan in working capital loans to the enterprise at an interest rate of only 2.5%; combined with the loan interest subsidy policy for service industry business entities, the actual interest rate fell to about 1.5%, with a full-cycle subsidy of about 60,000 yuan, of which more than 20,000 yuan has been received in installments since August.
"A 60,000 yuan subsidy is equivalent to saving more than a month's wages for a dozen employees." Zhou Buxing, the company's legal representative, said with emotion, "Without policy support, the enterprise would not have dared to take on this new store of more than 1,000 square meters. At present, the number of children coming after school for myopia prevention and control has increased noticeably, and the demand from elderly people for hearing aid fitting is also growing. Eye health is a rigid need for everyone. We look forward to continued policies and smooth loan renewals, so that small stores can take root in the community with peace of mind and provide better supply."
Reducing burdens and increasing well-being, releasing residents' consumption potential
Mr. Zhang, a new urban resident living in Qingyang District, Chengdu, recently encountered a heartwarming matter when purchasing a new energy vehicle. Previously, under the pressure of mortgage and daily expenses, he had been hesitating over his favorite model, repeatedly calculating the down payment and monthly payments. It was at this time that staff from the Qingyang Sub-branch of Agricultural Bank of China in Chengdu, Sichuan, proactively came to his door, introduced in detail the fiscal interest subsidy policy benefiting the people, and recommended a suitable credit card installment product based on the vehicle model. This transaction cumulatively saved Mr. Zhang nearly 20,000 yuan in interest.
"With just 1 percentage point less in interest, so much money can be saved—the benefit package for the people is very real!" This new urban resident, who had just settled in Chengdu, said with emotion, "Now I have both a house and a car, and my sense of happiness has greatly increased."
Mr. Shan, a Yibin resident, is recently renovating his new home, gradually purchasing household appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, spending more than 60,000 yuan. It happened that Industrial Bank's Yibin Branch had set up a promotional booth in the Yibin Tiandi business district, and under the guidance of staff, he applied for credit card installment through the mobile banking APP and completed the subsidy application at the same time. "The process went very smoothly, and I didn't have to worry about anything."
Under this year's new policy, credit card installments enjoy an annualized 1 percentage point interest subsidy, with the annual cumulative cap raised from 3,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan. Mr. Shan's installment received a total subsidy of more than 150 yuan, returned monthly in installments over 3 months along with repayments. The money is not much, but the experience is changing expectations—"With very low loan costs, more consumption plans can be brought forward."
Consumers enjoy the dividend with "zero threshold," and behind this is the bank "embedding" the policy into consumption scenarios: with the support of the Yibin municipal government and finance department, Industrial Bank's Yibin Branch launched a local city co-branded credit card, linking up with well-known business districts such as Yibin Tiandi to carry out activities such as discounts and 50% off on Saturdays; targeting the "small amount, high frequency" characteristics of consumption, it streamlined the online application process—consumption of 50 yuan or 100 yuan can both apply for subsidies with one click on a mobile phone, avoiding the awkwardness of "going through procedures for five or ten yuan." Data shows that the bank's credit card bill installment volume in the second quarter grew 51% compared with the first quarter, with subsidy applications reaching 610,000 yuan.
Building mechanisms and optimizing processes to ensure policy dividends are delivered at an accelerated pace
In order to let funds land earlier and enterprises and the people benefit sooner, all localities are building mechanisms, optimizing processes, and adding services in light of local conditions.
Making efforts in coordination and linkage——
In Hunan, the Provincial Department of Finance, in coordination with the Hunan Provincial Branch of the People's Bank of China, the Hunan Financial Regulatory Bureau, and the Hunan Supervision Bureau of the Ministry of Finance, coordinated 13 provincial-level departments and 28 banking financial institutions as well as provincial-level guarantee entities to build a work pattern of "finance taking the lead, departments coordinating, finance exerting force, and multi-party linkage."
Sichuan established a hierarchical coordination and promotion mechanism with provincial-level overall planning and linkage across province, city, and county levels, with consultations every half month and scheduling every month. Sichuan issued supporting documents, clarifying the principle of "central policies enjoyed first, provincial policies as effective supplements," promoting the bundled use and combined effectiveness of central interest subsidies with provincial fiscal financing guarantees and risk compensation policies, amplifying the comprehensive policy effect.
Making efforts in innovating products and optimizing processes——
In Hunan, financial institutions are making full use of the new policies to develop the consumer credit market. Hunan Provincial Credit Reporting Company aggregated five major data sources including finance, justice, and science and technology, restructured the credit evaluation mechanism for technology enterprises, and, in conjunction with banks and guarantee institutions, launched "Sci-Tech Credit Guarantee Loans," enabling asset-light technology enterprises to obtain loans based on credit. Rural commercial banks across the province conducted full-coverage visits to 27,000 customers intending to trade in old items for new ones, with a total credit line of 1.14 billion yuan, focusing on supporting the upgrading of big-ticket consumption such as automobiles and household appliances. Hunan Bank, focusing on urban big-ticket consumption scenarios, developed the "Xiangyin Quick Loan" featured loan product, with on-site application, borrow-and-repay-at-will, and a maximum loan amount of 1 million yuan. From January to August this year, new personal consumption loans in the province reached 253.8 billion yuan.
In Sichuan, relevant departments and financial institutions compressed the chain and continuously improved the efficiency of subsidy fund disbursement. Li Heping, Deputy Director of the Finance and Capital Management Division of the Sichuan Provincial Department of Finance, said that as of the end of July, Sichuan had pre-allocated 1.636 billion yuan in central and provincial subsidy funds to various handling institutions. "Regarding consumption loan interest subsidies, on the basis of the national policy, Sichuan has also included all banking institutions operating in Sichuan within the scope of handling institutions, broadening policy coverage to benefit more people and continuously stimulating consumption potential."
Reporter's note
The key to amplifying policy effectiveness lies in the word "coordination"
Visiting enterprises and communities, the deepest impression is that no matter how many policies there are, coordination is the first priority for them to be implemented.
Only when fiscal and financial policies work in coordination can investment be better expanded and expectations stabilized. One interest subsidy helped an airline offset the cost pressure of rising oil prices; one guarantee enabled an enterprise on the chain whose factory buildings and equipment were already mortgaged to obtain a loan without collateral within two weeks... Fiscal and financial policies are aligned in orientation and closely coordinated, using fiscal funds to leverage financial credit, using policy certainty to hedge against market uncertainty, so that enterprises have no worries behind them, dare to invest and are willing to invest, making the industry chain and supply chain more robust, and transforming "investment potential" into a continuous driving force for development.
Coordination between the supply and demand sides is the way to promote consumption and smooth the circulation. Boosting consumption requires both benefiting the people on the demand side and, more importantly, creating and leading demand with high-quality supply. Personal consumption loan interest subsidies have been "embedded" by banks into consumption scenarios, and the reduced interest has become the confidence for residents to move from "thinking it over" to "buying now"; subsidies for service industry business entities support the new supply of dairy workshops, Yangtze River cruise ships, and community glasses stores. Stabilizing enterprises means stabilizing jobs; supporting supply means catching consumption. The supply-demand circulation is smoother and market vitality is stronger.
Behind coordination is the mechanism guarantee of departmental linkage and vertical connectivity from top to bottom, and even more so the institutional advantage of macro-control that responds in a timely manner and lands promptly. From practice, wherever policy dividends have been fully released, there are several common features: first, horizontal coverage to the edges—finance departments take the lead, financial regulatory departments cooperate, and industry competent departments participate, breaking down fragmentation between departments and regions, with policy tools combining forces rather than advancing alone; second, vertical penetration to the bottom—province, city, and county levels each compact responsibilities layer by layer, with consultation and scheduling normalized, and central policies bundled with local supporting measures for superimposed effectiveness; third, process reengineering—expanding handling institutions, moving application procedures online, and pre-allocating and quickly disbursing subsidy funds, trading institutional innovation for implementation efficiency. The fact that policies were optimized again in the same year they were issued, with dividends arriving at an accelerated pace, is a vivid manifestation of the strength and speed of this counter-cyclical adjustment and of the institutional advantages of China's macro-control system.
When the hand of government and the hand of the market join, effectiveness multiplies. Continuing to consolidate the coordination mechanism of "finance willing to give, banks willing to lend, enterprises able to invest, and residents willing to consume," the momentum for expanding domestic demand will surely become more enduring and abundant.
Return to TopBy: 侯志明
December 28 this year marks the 60th anniversary of the successful principle test of China's hydrogen bomb. With coordination from relevant departments, in early June I had the opportunity to travel to Malan in Xinjiang and enter the former test site, tracing the footsteps of Yu Min, the "father of China's hydrogen bomb."
I have basically visited every place Mr. Yu Min ever went over the years, though always in haste, and I have benefited greatly from an experience (受益匪浅, shou yi fei qian - "receive benefit, not little") each time. Malan and its test site were the only place I had never reached. For the cause of China's nuclear weapons, Yu Min traveled to Malan and its test site at least seven times in his life. I wanted to know what the roads they walked were like back then. What were the places they lived in like? What was the command post that directed this great campaign like? What is the place where that mushroom cloud rose now like?
Accompanying me were two young people from the China Academy of Engineering Physics, and the driver was veteran driver Yang Xianyong. Calling him a veteran driver is not because he is old, but because he has been driving for a long time.
In June in Heshuo, Xinjiang, patches of Malan flowers were blooming in competition, and among the slender leaves, light purple petals spread out like butterflies, swaying in the wind. This purple sea of flowers rooted in the Gobi, in its most unadorned posture, displayed the beauty of the small town where gentleness and tenacity intertwine.
At 8:30 in the morning, the wheels rolled over crushed stone as we set out from Wushtala Township, heading toward our destination.
Seeing the Malan flowers blooming everywhere, the four of us, one after another, sang the children's song "Malan Flowers Bloom":
Little rubber ball, kick with feet,
Malan flowers bloom, twenty-one.
Two-eight, two-five-six, two-eight, two-five-seven,
Two-eight, two-nine, thirty-one.
In the cheerful atmosphere, as the vehicle went deeper, another scene came into view: boundless wind-eroded earth mounds and grooves. Master Yang said this was the most iconic Yardang landform of the area. The mounds and grooves are dry land formed by years of wind erosion, appearing both like orderly alternating arrangements and like disorderly accidental combinations. Under the refraction of sunlight, the mounds presented a hazy and unreal desolation, like ancient castles connecting heaven and earth, standing in silence.
I asked Master Yang how many times he had traveled this road. He smiled and answered "I can't remember," with pride in his voice. Because walking this road requires qualification. He seemed to know everyone at every post; at each one he passed, he would slow down, roll down the window, and greet them. I said: "You've made this trip many times and know the situation well; if there's anything worth seeing, you must remind me." He smiled and said: "Don't worry, I'll make sure you're satisfied."
After about half an hour of chatting and laughing in the car, Master Yang suddenly asked me: "The Couple Tree, want to see it?"
I asked: "The Couple Tree, is there a story?"
He said: "Of course."
I said: "We must see it."
He turned the steering wheel right, drove off the highway, crossed a stretch of sandy land, and stopped the car.
This was an old elm tree. To be precise, it was two old elm trees twisted together, gnarled and winding, with branches and leaves slanting in all directions, weathered and vigorous. To the left of the tree stood a stone tablet about one and a half meters square, and the text on the tablet was the same color as the stone, not very legible. Just as we leaned in close to the tablet, struggling to make out the characters, Master Yang brought a bottle of mineral water and poured it from top to bottom over the tablet. With that pouring, the characters jumped out clearly from the stone:
In 1963, Wang Ruzhi, deputy director of the Third Research Institute of the Engineering Corps, was transferred to serve as director of the First Office of the research institute, and her husband Zhang Xianglin was also ordered to go to the base with other participating units to carry out tasks. They observed the confidentiality requirement of "not telling parents above, not showing wives and children below," each concealing their circumstances as they set out, heading west with high spirits. On the way to the nuclear test site area to carry out the first nuclear test mission, they happened to meet while waiting for a vehicle under this old elm tree, and only then learned that the two of them had come for the same task. General Zhang Aiping, upon hearing this story, praised them as fine sons and daughters of the motherland and named this tree the "Couple Tree."
Master Yang told me that the Malan base has 20 commemorative markers, and the "Couple Tree" ranks first.
I stood under this tree, looking up for a long time, tears overflowing from my eyes.
Devoting one's body to the country, devoting one's heart to you — what kind of realm is such a couple? I wanted to know more details about this couple, but there were none here, and not even a single image.
They belonged to that era of thunder and storm on the vast desert Gobi, and their love all had an unusually weighty undertone. Whispered endearments under flowers and moonlight, they may have had, but there was more silence, separation, sacrifice, and waiting — the watch of supporting each other in difficult times (相濡以沫, xiang ru yi mo - "moisturize each other, with spit"), and silent, wordless support.
On this Gobi beach sealed by history, how many such couples were there? No one can say for certain. But in the process of writing the story of Yu Min, I came to know many such couples, and I remembered them.
Qian Sanqiang and He Zehui, hailed as "China's Curie couple," wrote a magnificent chapter about family, country, and loved ones with their entire lives. From studying physics together at Tsinghua Garden, to fighting side by side at the Curie Laboratory in Paris, they once together captured the strange sparks of ternary and quaternary fission of uranium nuclei. Those sparks were brilliant, beautiful, and enchanting. Yet when the call of the newly born New China came across the oceans, they unhesitatingly gave up their brilliant prospects and returned to the embrace of a motherland waiting for all ruins to be rebuilt (百废待兴, bai fei dai xing - "hundred, wastes, await, rising"). Qian Sanqiang was masterminding plans within a command tent (运筹帷幄, yun chou wei wo - "operate, strategy, curtain, tent"), while He Zehui delved deep into the microscopic. Their love was the resonance of two wise souls, the silhouette of a pair climbing hand in hand.
If the love of Qian Sanqiang and He Zehui was the boldness of fighting side by side, then the love of Guo Yonghuai and Li Pei was a poignant, magnificent swan song.
Guo Yonghuai left Beijing in 1960 for the northwest to begin secret work, and by the time he died in 1968, he had spent about eight years being frequently separated with few opportunities to meet (聚少离多, ju shao li duo - "gather, few, leave, many") with his family. His wife never knew where he was or what he was doing. In the early morning of December 5, 1968, after completing important work in Qinghai, he flew back to Beijing overnight to report, but unfortunately the plane crashed on landing. Rescue workers at the scene found that the bodies of Guo Yonghuai and his guard were tightly embracing each other, and the classified materials in the briefcase clamped between them were completely intact. Premier Zhou Enlai was deeply shocked upon learning the news and specifically instructed: "Others may not be reported in the press, but Guo Yonghuai must be." Subsequently, the People's Daily published the obituary. Only at this point did Li Pei learn that her husband had been engaged in such a great undertaking all these years. After the devastating loss of her beloved, Li Pei turned her boundless grief into devotion to the nation's educational cause. In her later years, she exhausted her life savings to establish the Zhongguancun Lecture Hall and donated all of Guo Yonghuai's pension and savings to the state.
And there were Yu Min and Sun Yuqin. Through more than 20 years of concealing one's true identity and name (隐姓埋名, yin xing mai ming - "hide, surname, bury, name"), Yu Min turned his name into a top secret and merged his figure into the desert. Sun Yuqin, with her frail shoulders, bore the heavy burden of the family, and in the long wait, kept vigil for a husband who rarely came home and was always in a hurry when he did. It was not until the thunderclap of the hydrogen bomb shocked the world that she understood the thunder behind her husband's silence. After his wife passed away, Yu Min fell into an irretrievable grief, often weeping before her portrait again and again: You died of exhaustion; you took care of me for 55 years; in this world, the only person I owe is you. He often borrowed Yuan Zhen's poem to express his piercing longing: I can only keep my eyes open all night long, to repay a lifetime of your unknitted brows.
One night in the summer of 1958, Deng Jiaxian received the task of participating in the development of the atomic bomb. After returning home, he spent the night tossing and turning due to insomnia (辗转难眠, zhuan zhuan nan mian - "toss, turn, difficult, sleep"), and finally had the following conversation with his wife.
Deng Jiaxian: "I'm going to be transferred to a new job."
Xu Luxi: "Transferred where?"
Deng Jiaxian: "That I can't say."
Xu Luxi: "What kind of work?"
Deng Jiaxian: "That I can't say either."
Xu Luxi: "Give me a post office box number, and I can write to you, okay?"
Deng Jiaxian: "I'm afraid that won't work either."
Xu Luxi: "How strange."
Deng Jiaxian: "I'm afraid I won't be able to take care of this family from now on; the family will depend entirely on you. My life is devoted to the work ahead. If I do this thing well, my life will have been very meaningful, and even dying for it would be worth it."
After a brief silence, Xu Luxi said: "Don't worry, I support you!"
Without knowing at all where her husband had gone, what he was doing, or even being able to correspond, relying only on the words "even dying for it would be worth it," Xu Luxi said "I support you." How could such trust and support not move one deeply?
After Deng Jiaxian's death, central leaders asked Xu Luxi what difficulties or requests she had, and her answer was: "Please send a medical team to give the comrades at the base a physical examination; their living conditions are too hard."
She made no request for herself.
Yes, their living conditions were too hard. If one had not seen it with one's own eyes, it would be almost impossible to imagine. They lived in dugout nests and rammed-earth houses, all in such desolate places, all so low and crude. Even the command post of that time had doors but no windows, or only a small ventilation hole. The large fire stove made of adobe was the indispensable "heavy implement" in the room; everyone had to rely on it to get through the harsh winters of minus thirty or forty degrees Celsius. Water was as precious as oil — only here could one truly appreciate that. Because of the water shortage, they had an unwritten rule: wash face on days one, three, and five; brush teeth on days two, four, and six; and dry-wipe on Sundays.
On the vast Gobi, the traces of life and work left by that generation not only record the extreme hardship of those years, but also tell people of the in full swing with great enthusiasm (热火朝天, re huo chao tian - "hot, fire, towards, sky") and youthful vigor of that time. Some of them have been repaired and protected, while some, like the ancient city of Loulan, are slowly disappearing in the wind and sand. Gazing at these ruined walls and broken structures (残垣断壁, can yuan duan bi - "broken, wall, broken, wall"), my heart felt as if something were gnawing at it.
I do not know whether Wang Ruzhi and Zhang Xianglin ever lived together here. Did He Zehui, Li Pei, Sun Yuqin, and Xu Luxi ever visit this place? What feelings did they leave with after visiting? But I can imagine that if they had come here, they would certainly have been in tears, and their tears would contain not merely the joys and sorrows of their small families, but deep feeling for the striving lives of an entire generation.
Now, when we offer "holding hands and growing old together" (执子之手，与子偕老, zhi zi zhi shou, yu zi xie lao - "hold, your, hand, with, your, grow old together") as a blessing to couple after couple, Couple Tree, tell me: there is an ultimate romance that cannot hold hands; there is a profound love that cannot grow old together.
Couple Tree, this green in the vast desert Gobi, this green that never withers, ripples through my heart like Malan flowers blown by the wind, wave after wave.
Return to TopBy: 吉 方
Recently, Mr. Wang Meng published an article titled "Running a Vivid and Full of Spirit Literary Supplement" on the Dadi (Earth) supplement page of People's Daily, using the three sets of relationships between "editor and author," "solemnity and lightness," and "media and public opinion" to convey a literary master's deep affection for and insight into newspaper literary supplements.
After reading this article, and then reviewing Comrade Mao Zedong's historical materials on "running the newspaper with open doors" and pooling collective wisdom, and looking back on the 70 years of practice of the Zhaohua (Morning Flower) supplement of Jiefang Daily, one cannot help but deeply sigh: a literary supplement is precisely where a newspaper's vivid spirit lies; it is also a reflection of the era and the state of thought of the people within that era, and is a vivid portrayal of "occupying the 'tail of the newspaper' while facing the 'crest of the tide.'"
"Running the newspaper with open doors" is the most profound tradition of the literary supplement. In 1942, when the supplement of Yan'an Jiefang Daily was short of contributions, Comrade Mao Zedong not only personally spoke with chief editor Shu Qun to conduct ideological work, but also drafted in September the "Measures for Soliciting Contributions for the Fourth Page of the Jiefang Daily," directly naming 16 comrades including Chen Huangmei, Ai Siqi, Zhou Yang, and Cai Chang to contribute to the supplement, specifying requirements in fields such as literature, drama, fine arts, and music, and even stipulating monthly word counts. To mobilize enthusiasm, he hosted a banquet at Zaoyuan, joking that "if you eat a bite from someone, you repay them a dou of grain" and "no one is allowed to smear lime on their mouth." This breadth of mind of "running the newspaper by relying on the entire masses of the people, by relying on the entire Party" is precisely the living source of the literary supplement.
"Vivid and full of spirit" means going among the masses and resonating and empathizing with them. Mr. Wang Meng says that a supplement should be light reading, but "within the lightness there is solemnity," and that "no matter how grand the theme, turn it into your life, your feelings, your review, your memories, and carry it with interest and with something to chew on." This is inheriting a tradition from the past (一脉相承, yī mài xiāng chéng - "one, vein, mutually, inherit") with Comrade Mao Zedong's opposition to Party stereotyped writing and his requirement to "speak to the masses in the language of fighters struggling for the cause of the masses." General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out that literary and artistic workers must "follow the footsteps of the people, step out of a small, limited space (方寸天地, fāng cùn tiān dì - "square, inch, heaven, earth"), and experience the vastness of the world (阅尽大千世界, yuè jìn dà qiān shì jiè - "read, finish, great, thousand, world"), letting their hearts forever beat with the hearts of the people." Over the 70-year course of the Zhaohua supplement of Shanghai's Jiefang Daily, it has gone from manual lead-type typesetting and paper layouts to multi-channel dissemination in the era of converged media through electronic newspapers, client terminals, and public accounts. The carriers have changed, and the dissemination paths have changed, but the newspaper supplement character of "new, broad, miscellaneous, and refined" has never changed. "Morning flowers bearing dew are new day after day; the chess game of rotten ax handles rises and falls several times. What remedy has wielding the pen ever been? The joys and sorrows of the human world always touch the heart." When Mr. Ke Ling wrote this poem for the 4,000th issue of Zhaohua in 1994, those 28 characters captured the literary original aspiration and human-world sentiments of the supplement, serving precisely as the poetic footnote to Zhaohua's 70-year literary lineage. At the recent series of events marking the 70th anniversary of Zhaohua's founding, there were post-95s readers who came to Shanghai from other places in the early morning to attend the launch event for the supplement's collected works, primary school students dragging suitcases, and loyal Fujian readers who were cordially invited as guests to bear witness... These various moving moments once again confirmed the interaction and empathy among the supplement, its authors, and its readers.
Running the supplement well in the new era is an arduous task, because we are in a complex and volatile public opinion arena, with diverse information channels and readers' reading habits having already undergone profound changes. How to advance with the times (与时俱进, yǔ shí jù jìn - "with, time, together, advance") and maintain stickiness with readers is a problem that supplement workers must solve. Running the supplement well in the new era carries a glorious mission. At present, online public opinion emotions often run ahead of the facts. Mr. Wang Meng calls on the media to "dare to and be good at speaking out on hot topics and presenting clear viewpoints," and to give play to the supplement's "role of cordial and mature guidance." This requires that the supplement not only provide aesthetic nourishment, but also clarify fallacies, construct cognition, and lead trends of thought. In the surging field of digital intelligence, supplement workers guard warmth with sharpness, still believing that the power of words is enduring and long-lasting, and still believing that inner abundance should naturally be brilliant as morning flowers (灿若朝花, càn ruò zhāo huā - "brilliant, like, morning, flower").
The supplement is not "supplementary," because what it carries is the human heart and the literary lineage, a deep cultural respiration. The fortunes of literature are tied to the fortunes of the nation, and the literary lineage is connected to the national pulse. To run the supplement well, one should inherit the tradition of "running the newspaper with open doors" and fill the pages with pooled collective wisdom; one should follow the pursuit of "vivid and full of spirit," letting literature shake hands with the masses and letting pen and ink resonate with the era, making the supplement that warm beam of light in the mundane world of everyday life.
Return to TopBy: 胡见宇
Leaving the city by car, heading all the way north. On the first day of this year's National Day holiday, the traffic on the expressway flowed like a shining river. Entering southern Jiangxi, the river narrowed, scattered, dissolving into countless small streams, each trickling into its own mountain valley.
After seven or eight hours of bumpy travel, the car turned into my hometown of Jiantan and stopped on the grain-drying ground in front of the Hu ancestral hall. By now, the drying ground was already packed full of cars: Guangdong A, Hainan B, Zhejiang J, Fujian D, Shanghai C, Beijing G... license plates crowded tightly together, as if someone had plucked the door plates of cities from everywhere in the world (天南海北, tian nan hai bei - "sky, south, sea, north") and casually scattered them into the mountain gullies. What a grand gathering of license plates in the mountain hollows.
Not far from the ancestral hall lies Jiaokeng in Jiantan Village, where the Soviet government of Xijiang County was once located. On the walls of the old house, Red Army slogans are still faintly legible: "White Army soldiers, practice falling behind, practice deserting, and join the Red Army" "Strike down the local tyrants, divide the land"... The characters have been blurred by wind and rain, yet they are like sparks of fire, never growing cold. The elderly say that back then the Red Army wore straw sandals and made revolution in these mountains, their soles treading over stone ledges, dew soaking their leggings. Look at today—in Jiaokeng, nearly every household has a car. Those wheels roll gently past the red slogans, as if a contingent has marched by, advancing into the good life.
I suddenly thought of myself. Back then, when I left home to attend school in the county seat, over 40 kilometers of mountain roads, I set out at the first crow of the rooster and did not walk out of the mountain hollow until sunset—a full day just to get there. The blisters worn on my feet burst, and in pain I sat by the roadside, truly wanting to cry. At that time I thought, if only the road could be a little shorter! Now, with cars and roads, it takes just over half an hour to reach the county seat.
The road grew inch by inch. The first bicycle to enter the village was a Forever brand; when its bell rang, all the village children chased after it. The adults gathered around, touching the frame, asking: "Do you need a ration coupon?" The first motorcycle entered the village, roaring, dogs barking in a chorus, the elderly covering their ears, the young people's eyes lighting up. The first car drove onto the threshing ground, shiny black, children touching the tires, the elderly calling it an "iron ox." In just a few short decades, the villagers' expressions went from curiosity, doubt, and envy, to now, when they see a car and only ask with a smile: "Where did you get stuck in traffic this year?"
At the head of Jiantan Bridge, my childhood friend Chunsheng leaned against a Jiangsu E-plated car and greeted me: "You're back?" The car was bought last year; after seven or eight years in Suzhou, "you've got to have legs, otherwise it's still inconvenient coming back." He stroked the front of the car. The stone tablet at the bridgehead is carved with the names of donors, mostly young people striving in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. Not long ago, someone donated over a hundred thousand yuan to install streetlights. The lights brighten the road home and also warm the life of the mountain hollow.
Every time I come back, I first go to my nephew's house. My nephew runs a factory in Huizhou, and his Guangdong L-plated car is parked at the door, as if quietly welcoming me. My sister-in-law lit the fire to cook; I squatted down to add firewood.
"Quite a few out-of-town plates have been added," I said.
"Go to Huizhou—there are even Hong Kong and Macau plates!" my sister-in-law replied.
This National Day, I drove my "Guangdong S" plate through "Jiangxi B" territory, visiting relatives and friends. I watched the gathering of license plates, and also watched the family and the nation resonating at the same frequency. What is gratifying is that the road trodden by straw sandals has grown into a broad thoroughfare. License plates may be small, yet they are filled with Chinese stories.
Return to TopBy: 高 翔
A few days ago I returned to Minghe in Zhejiang. The car began to slow down as soon as we reached the lakeshore. I never expected that our little place would also suffer traffic jams. Mount Wulei lay reclining in the thin mist, and the scent of osmanthus came in waves, soft and yielding, pressing straight into one's chest. After getting out of the car, I passed through the hubbub of voices, turned down an alley, pushed open the iron gate of Great-Grandfather's old courtyard, and peered inside.
Under the eaves, a pair of straw sandals hung from a bamboo pole. The hemp cord had frayed, the shoe loops were curled, and embedded in the sole was a single grain of rice husk, golden yellow and glistening. Third Grandmother poked her head out from behind the curtain: "Oh, my nephew's here!" Seeing me staring at the straw sandals, she said, "Here, your grandmother found them rummaging through the trunks. Afraid they'd go moldy, so while the sun is good, we're airing them out." I reached out and gently touched the sole. That grain of rice husk shone a bright yellow; at first glance it looked like an old copper filing set into the weave, and only on closer inspection could one recognize it as a genuine rice husk. It was firmly wedged deep in the braided cord, impossible to pick out. Third Grandmother covered her mouth and laughed: "Don't pick at it — that was brought back from the threshing ground by your great-grandfather." Great-Grandfather Wang Yunzhang had once been the Party branch secretary of the Tenth Production Brigade of Minghe Commune. The villagers did not call him by name; they only called him "the Straw Sandal Secretary." He had studied only three and a half years, yet a pair of straw sandals measured every ridge path and mountain trail, every river embankment and lake dike in Minghe. At the time firewood cutting was rationed; he carried a steelyard scale on his back and went door to door weighing firewood and calculating work points, unwilling to shortchange anyone, yet never taking a single bit more than his due. As time went on, the mud of the lake dikes and the waves of Dapu all remembered the smell of his straw sandals.
Every National Day, when the sky was barely light and the town had not yet awakened, Great-Grandfather would get up. He would first sit on the threshold, knock the mud off the soles of his straw sandals bit by bit, then take a damp cloth and wipe the shoe loops, as if going to the most dignified appointment of all. Great-Grandmother laughed at him: "It's not like you're going on a blind date." Great-Grandfather said gravely: "The flag must be raised with proper dignity, so the feet beneath must be clean!" Before going out, he tucked the folded national flag close against his chest, afraid the morning dew might dampen the cloth. When he reached the gate of the brigade, he took the flag out from his chest and unfolded it; the cloth still carried the warmth of his body. The flagpole was a thick bamboo pole. Great-Grandfather stood on tiptoe to hang the flag, the veins on the backs of his hands bulging with each effort. When the flag rope occasionally caught, he did not get impatient; he pulled it slowly and gently, murmuring counts under his breath: "1, 2, 3..." When the flag reached the top, the wind happened to blow just then, and the flag unfurled with a "whump." Great-Grandfather stepped back a pace, his heel grinding into the wet mud. He stood ramrod straight, gazing up for a long while, and only then said softly: "It's raised."
One year, the dike was torn open by a gash from a typhoon. Great-Grandfather jumped into the river and, together with the commune members, carried earth to repair the embankment. When the strap of his straw sandal broke, he simply worked barefoot, and only when he returned home at dark did he discover several bloody cuts showing through the mud-caked soles of his feet. Great-Grandmother wanted to throw away the ruined straw sandals, but he would not allow it, insisting that she mend them so he could wear them again.
Great-Grandfather was very "stingy" with himself, yet when it came to the meals he sent to the households of the five-guarantee recipients, he was never sparing. Every festival, he would urge Great-Grandmother to steam a few extra trays of rice cakes, choosing the best glutinous rice and insisting on being generous with the brown sugar. While Great-Grandmother was extremely busy and hardworking (脚不沾地, jiao bu zhan di - "foot, not, touch, ground") before the stove, he would stand beside her, reminding her again and again: "Steam more; the old folks' teeth aren't good, so the rice cakes need to be soft." As soon as the rice cakes came out of the steamer, he would carry them over to deliver them door to door, not missing a single household.
Yet this very man, "stingy" to the bone, was someone people genuinely admired when it came to work. Later he took the lead in setting up a rice mill, mobilizing the villagers to make rice cakes and repair the dirt roads. How much money each task should cost and how much effort it could yield — he had it all clear in his mind. At the commune members' assembly, he gave his report without notes: how many mu of fields each household had, which plots needed irrigation and drainage, which fields were short of water, which channels needed dredging — every sentence was precise, with not the slightest vagueness. After the leader finished listening, he patted him on the shoulder and praised him: "Comrade Yunzhang, you carry a living ledger in your heart!"
Great-Grandfather left us many years ago. He lived his whole life in frugality, supported by subsistence allowances and his children's support. They say Great-Grandfather was like the water of Baiyang Lake — clear to the very bottom, so that even when a stone fell into the water, it never stirred up the slightest murk.
I took down that pair of straw sandals and examined in the sunlight the rice husk embedded in the sole, like a seed sealed away by the years. The autumn wind came across the lake, carrying moisture and the fragrance of rice. At the mouth of the alley, several children ran past waving small flags, their crisp laughter spilling into the little courtyard. In today's ancient town of Minghe, there is a constant stream of people passing by (人来人往, ren lai ren wang - "person, come, person, go") along the shore of Baiyang Lake, and the Old Street of Traditional Chinese Medicine retains a lingering charm. The rice cakes that once staved off hunger have become souvenirs for tourists, and the old houses have been transformed into stylish guesthouses. The dirt road that Great-Grandfather led people to repair back then has been paved with flagstones, polished shiny by the feet of visitors. Third Grandmother looked at the straw sandals and said: "If your great-grandfather were still here, today he would surely put on his straw sandals and run over to the big dike for a stroll."
Return to TopBy: 然 后
The wind sweeps across the vast, frozen earth
A snowfield at an altitude of more than five thousand meters
A stone stele is driven deep into the ground
The carved marks of 1986 glow a dazzling red
The national emblem reflects the harsh highland sunlight
Someone has traveled a great distance with determination (翻山奔赴, fan shan ben fu - "cross mountains, rush toward") to reach this place
In the oxygen-starved "forbidden zone of life"
Raising a bright red flag
Behind the Khunjerab Pass, the mountains
Conceal a wordless vigil
The unbroken snow peaks are the barrier
Every long wind that blows through the mountain gap
Remembers that someone guards this vast expanse of desolation
You say this is the highest port of entry of the motherland
Every flake of snow recognizes the appearance of the Five-Starred Red Flag
The steel rifle freezes cold, then is warmed again by body heat
You stand yourself into another stone stele
Upon it is carved: This place is China
Return to TopThe Chinese painting "Abundant Harvest" (秋实累累, qiu shi lei lei - "autumn, fruit, accumulate, accumulate"), by Zhao Wangyun, is housed in the National Art Museum of China.
Return to TopBy: 厉彦林
"The sea is open — let's cast the nets and go fishing!"
At the dock of Shidao Fishing Port, an old fisherman with sun-darkened skin cheerfully untied the heavy mooring lines, his voice carried ashore on the salt-tinged sea breeze. The boat captain and crew members beside him exchanged smiles, their inner excitement overflowing with emotion (溢于言表, yi yu yan biao - "overflow, at, words, express").
In early September, the summer fishing moratorium in the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea came to an end. Shidao Fishing Port instantly came back to life. Fishing boats were lined up in neat rows as fishermen busied themselves with preparations for sea — mending nets and gear, calibrating onboard electronic instruments, loading ice and water, hauling supplies aboard... More than 500 fishing boats equipped with trawl nets, purse seines, and drift gill nets awaited the order to depart. The delicacies hidden beneath the azure waves were about to leap from the surging billows onto dining tables and taste buds in the blink of an eye.
At noon, firecrackers, ship horns, and the roar of engines spontaneously sounded in unison, while colorful bursts from salute guns shot straight into the sky. One by one, the fishing boats slowly left the harbor, their bows slicing through the calm sea like blades, waves spreading layer by layer on both sides, racing from the horizon toward the distant deep blue.
That same morning, I visited Grandpa Tang Shining at the Fisherman's Wharf Community on Harbor Street. At 84, he was hale and hearty, and very talkative. When asked about fishing in his childhood, he opened up: "As far back as I can remember, we wove nets from cotton thread, first soaked them in pig's blood, then coated them with tung oil. There were so many porgy, Spanish mackerel, chub mackerel, and hairtail to be caught."
"What impressed me most was going fishing that autumn on a small sailboat with the fishing brigade. The adults would stew the fish right on board using seawater and soybean paste — those lively mixed fish tasted so fresh!" He suddenly paused. Squinting, he pointed a finger at his temple: "That flavor is still stored right here."
Grandpa Tang went on: "The boat captain persuaded everyone to throw back into the sea any fish and crabs that were undersized. The fishermen's traditional 'summer rest' and today's 'summer fishing moratorium' policy are the same principle — letting the ocean rest and recuperate. It's a very good deal."
Three to five days after the season opened, boat silhouettes would begin appearing one after another on the distant horizon where sea meets sky. The fishing boats docked steadily, decks piled high with freshly caught seafood: silver-gleaming hairtail, silvery plate-like pomfret, coiled and wriggling octopus, flailing swimming crabs, lively jumping shrimp... The quiet dock instantly became a scene of bustling, noisy activity (人声鼎沸, ren sheng ding fei - "people, voice, tripod, boiling"). Fishermen hurried to unload and haul the catch as nearby residents and vendors crowded around; the clamor of voices mingled with the sound of waves, the briny smell of fish and shrimp, and the aroma of cooked seafood wafting through the air.
My wife curiously sidled up to a fisherman's wife to ask: "Why is seafood from our Jiaodong region so 'fresh'?" It turned out there were no complicated spice bottles on the stove — blanching, steaming, or quick stir-frying over high heat — in just three to five minutes, shrimp shells turned from green to red, fish eyes bulged slightly, clams opened their shells to spit out the last grain of sand. Every step was aimed at preserving the original flavor. Freshness, it turns out, means keeping the shortest time and distance between people and the sea.
Behind every savory bite on the dining table lies the hard toil of fishermen braving wind and waves, as well as the simple wisdom of living in harmony with nature.
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