Indonesia's President-elect and Great Indonesia Movement Party General Chairman Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to visit China from March 31 to April 2, amid great expectations from both sides that the positive momentum of amicable ties will be sustained. Analysts said greater connections with China do not imply that Indonesia will choose a side in the rivalry between big countries, rather, Indonesia will insist on a non-aligned policy and play a more active role in dealing with regional issues.
At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Prabowo will visit China from March 31 to April 2, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Friday.
President Xi will hold talks with President-elect Prabowo and Premier Li Qiang will also meet with him. Leaders of the two sides will exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of common concern, Lin Jian, a spokesperson of the Foreign Ministry, told a press conference on Friday.
Prabowo's choice of China as his first visit as president-elect fully reflects the high level of China-Indonesia relations, said the spokesperson.
China and Indonesia are both important developing countries and representatives of emerging economies, with deep traditional friendship and close and in-depth cooperation. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Joko Widodo, the two countries' relationship has maintained a strong momentum of development and entered a new stage of building a community of shared future, Lin said.
Both sides will take this visit as an opportunity to further consolidate their traditional friendship, deepen all-round strategic cooperation, promote the strategic cooperation between China and Indonesia, and create a model of cooperation between developing countries for unity, cooperation, and common development, injecting more stability and positive energy into regional and global development, Lin said.
Analysts said that it is not usual to see a president-elect being invited to China, and Prabowo's upcoming visit hints at the high possibility for the president-elect to continue President Joko Widodo's friendly policy toward China and carry forward the non-aligned foreign policy to avoid choosing sides amid competitions among major countries, analysts said.
They also expressed high anticipation for Indonesia to play a bigger role in promoting China's relations with ASEAN and in dealing with regional affairs, especially on the escalating South China Sea issues.
On March 20, Indonesia's General Elections Commission (KPU) announced that Prabowo, who is the current defense minister of Indonesia, won the country's 2024 presidential election. The inauguration of the newly elected president and vice president is scheduled for October 20 this year.
On the same day the election outcome was announced, President Xi congratulated Prabowo and said that he looked forward to working with him to secure greater achievements in building a community with a shared future, and set an example of solidarity and coordination for common development among major developing countries so as to bring more benefits to the two peoples and inject strong impetus into regional and global prosperity and stability.
How to promote a China-Indonesia community of a shared future and further develop China-Indonesia relations and expand cooperation will top the agenda of Prabowo's meeting with Chinese leaders, Ge Hongliang, deputy director of the College of ASEAN Studies at Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times on Friday.
Ge said Prabowo may strongly carry forward President Widodo's China policy. In terms of the economy, aside from the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway, which is the most notable accomplishment of China-Indonesia economic cooperation in recent years, bilateral cooperation has also expanded to other fields, particularly high technology.
Prabowo will continue to press Indonesia to move up from the bottom of the global industrial chain, thus cooperation with China will also be advantageous to Indonesia, said the expert.
Maintaining close ties with China does not mean Prabowo will abandon the long-standing principle of non-alignment in global affairs, some observers said.
During the presidential debate in Jakarta in January, Prabowo used the sentence "Having a thousand friends is insufficient, while having one enemy is too many" to emphasize the importance of fostering amicable relations with nations worldwide, Indonesian media reported.
Ge noted that as defense minister of Indonesia, Prabowo has a clear understanding of regional stability and hoped Southeast Asia will not fall into the arms race or competition between countries.
After Prabowo takes office, Indonesia will also insist on using political dialogue and negotiation to resolve regional conflicts, especially on the South China Sea issues. This underscores the significance of Indonesia's position as a regional stabilizer, said the expert.
Experts have expressed excitement about the potential for artificial intelligence (AI), at the Boao Forum for Asia in South China's Hainan Province. Zhang Keke, director of the Macau Institute of Space Technology and Application, told the Global Times that Mars could be transformed into a habitable planet for humans with the help of AI.
Zhang said that Mars used to have water and an atmosphere, just like Earth, but Mars has evolved faster. In a sense, today's Mars represents the future of the Earth.
"If we humans can go to Mars and transform it with the help of modern technologies such as AI, we might be able to transform the environment of Mars so that humans can live there, which would represent a very important starting point for a breakthrough moment in the technological revolution," Zhang said during a session at the Boao Forum for Asia on Tuesday.
"If we want Mars to reboot and return to a state of life, then we must find a way to restart its internal generator. I believe we will be able to realize this goal through AI technology in the future," Zhang noted.
"It may not be science fiction. Humans could improve the environment on Mars, making it have air and water again, so that humans can live there. If this happens, it will solve many of the troubles faced by humans," Zhang said. He added that humans face a lack of resources and land, which is why they have been exploring the moon and other celestial bodies for many years.
Various ideas have been put forward by scientists to recreate the magnetic field of Mars, Zhang noted. He said that when there is a magnetic field, it acts like an umbrella and blocks solar wind, allowing the environment to become suitable for the development of water, air and human life.
China's spatial research and development is already on this path, according to Zhang. He mentioned the Tianwen-1 probe that landed on Mars. This was the first time that human beings have carried out an exploration of the magnetic field on Mars.
The Tianwen-1 probe consists of an orbiter, a lander and a rover. On May 15, 2021, it touched down at its pre-selected landing area in Utopia Planitia, a vast Martian plain, marking the first time that China has landed a probe on the planet. A week later on May 22, 2021, the Mars rover Zhurong, which resembles a butterfly, drove down from its landing platform to the Martian surface, according to Xinhua News Agency.
China's exploration of Mars will be further accelerated with the development of AI, Zhang told the Global Times. He said that in 2028, China will launch a second spacecraft called Tianwen-3, which will take samples from Mars and bring them back to Earth. Macao will strive to play a part in this research, Zhang noted.
"As we all know, China recently successfully launched a relay satellite to the moon, allowing humans to explore the far side of the moon. Therefore, I feel that with powerful tools like AI and machine learning methods, humans will greatly increase the speed of exploration of resources on Mars and especially the moon in the future," Zhang noted.
During the session, Max Yuan, chairman of Xiao-i Corporation, also shared his views on breakthroughs in technology. He emphasized the importance of integrating AI into our daily lives, as it has become ubiquitous in all aspects of society.
Yuan posed a thought-provoking question: Is our work life more akin to that of a machine or a human? He suggested that these are the existential questions facing humanity.
Yuan also stressed the necessity of embracing AI in every industry and emphasized the importance of staying ahead in the technological race, highlighting the significance of utilizing AI faster than others to maintain a competitive edge.
But Kyoung Mu Lee, a professor at Seoul National University, said that singularity, or the point at which AI becomes more intelligent than humans, will arrive faster than most people think.
A survey in 2017 indicated that most people predicted it would occur between 2045 and 2090, with 2060 being the most likely year for the technological singularity to occur. However, as the development of AI is progressing at an unprecedented speed, and true AI is beginning now, Lee believes the singularity will happen within five years.
He said that previously, ChatGPT was just a talking machine, but true transformation comes from multimodal, multitasking, embedded AI that can be integrated with any machine, such as cars and robots.
Disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and nuclear fusion have strong synergistic effects when combined. When these three factors are placed together, we will have true singularity for AI, Lee told the audience.
The terror attack in Moscow that has reportedly caused at least 137 deaths will further unify Russians, as Chinese experts said the incident will not weaken, but will strengthen the authority of Russian President Vladimir Putin as Russians want the government and military to revenge for the victims, and Russia will surely retaliate not only against the terrorists but also other related hostile forces behind the attack.
Although the Islamic State (IS) group claimed responsibility for the attack, Russia's investigation and interrogation of the arrested suspected attackers show that the case is complicated, as the suspects were reportedly trying to escape from Russia to Ukraine. Analysts said that Russia will retaliate, but they will not ease up on their operations in Ukraine. If Moscow confirms that Ukraine and the US are involved in this attack, the Ukraine crisis would be further escalated, said the experts.
Due to the struggles and strategic competition between the US and other non-Western major powers like Russia and China, international counterterrorism cooperation has been paralyzed. This has allowed some terrorist groups like IS to reemerge in many regions of the world and undertake deadly attacks. Experts noted that China will keep boosting counterterrorism cooperation with its partners, especially among developing countries, to better safeguard the world from the terrorist attacks.
More united
According to a report from Russian state media TASS on Sunday, the death toll from the terrorist attack has climbed to 137 people, the Russian Investigative Committee said.
Some voices from the West said the attack will damage Putin's authority in the wake of his recent reelection as he tries to prove that Russia is safe and stable despite the conflict with Ukraine and Western sanctions.
Chinese analysts disagree with this opinion, as the counterterrorism operation is more likely to strengthen Putin's authority. Russian public calls for retaliation and a more effective counterterrorism response will enable the Russian government to strengthen control and law-enforcement activities in many fields. Therefore, Putin's authority will not be weakened, but will be strengthened and reinforced.
Zhang Hong, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday that "this attack will bring some interruptions to Russian society, and bring pressures to Putin's governance in his new six-year term. But all of these are controllable, and the pressures will prompt Russia to make more adjustments and improvements to its policies and strategies."
Russians, including Moscow residents, reached by the Global Times said that many people have been lining up to donate blood, as they want to help save lives among the survivors of the Friday attack on the Crocus City Hall. They said they believe the government will hunt down and destroy all hostile forces related to the attack.
Russian Ambassador to the United States Anatoly Antonov told TASS that terrorist raids and the hybrid war of the West will not force Russia to change its course and foreign policy.
"I want to say no change of the foreign policy, the course of President [of Russia Vladimir Putin], particularly after elections - nothing will take place," the Ambassador said. "Such strikes from behind… will not change our line, our course, and we will continue our work," Antonov noted, referring to the terrorist act at Crocus City Hall.
It is the West that chose the line for the hybrid war with Russia, the Ambassador said. "If they chose their line aimed at undermining Russia, at strikes against Russia, with the aid of Ukraine in this case, now - this is their choice," Antonov stated. "Everything they are supplying [to Kiev], items that they will forward - all that will be destroyed," he cautioned. Retaliation against whom?
In a televised address, Putin said 11 people had been detained, including the four alleged gunmen. "They tried to hide and moved toward Ukraine, where, according to preliminary data, a window was prepared for them on the Ukrainian side to cross the state border," he said, Reuters reported.
On Saturday, RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan posted footage of the interrogation of one of the suspects. The man in the video claims that he went on the killing spree after he was promised 500,000 rubles ($5,400). The suspect also claimed that his handlers had instructed him as to where the attack should take place. He said he was ordered to "kill people there… doesn't matter who." The suspect claimed that the terrorist act was organized on Telegram with an unknown person who provided weapons.
After the attack, the terrorists planned to flee to Ukraine, Russia's FSB security service said in a statement on Saturday, RT reported.
"This attack is quite different from the attacks launched by the IS in the past. As the attackers [this time] were motivated by money rather than extremist thoughts, and after the attack, they were not like jihadists who would normally launch a suicide attack to become 'martyrs,' they were trying to escape to Ukraine," said a Beijing-based expert on international security who asked for anonymity.
This is very strange because although the IS has claimed responsibility, it will surely make Russia continue to investigate to uncover the hostile forces behind the attackers, the expert said. The IS in recent years has frequently attacked countries like Russia and Iran which have tensions with the US, and terror attacks against Western countries have reduced, he noted.
Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said any statement from the US authorities to justify Kiev until the end of the investigation into the terrorist attack "should be considered as evidence," TASS reported.
"Over the decades, the political elites of the US have learned how to skillfully divert attention from high-profile crimes and all sorts of staging. Therefore, until the investigation into the terrorist attack in the Crocus City Hall is completed, any phrase from Washington justifying Kiev should be considered as evidence," the diplomat wrote in her Telegram channel.
She noted that the financing of "the terrorist activities of the Kiev organized crime group by American liberal democrats and participation in the corruption schemes of the Biden family have been going on for many years."
Li Wei, an expert from the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations, told the Global Times on Sunday that "in recent years, IS has claimed responsibility for some attacks that are not conducted by them, as it wants to improve its influence. So at this moment, we still need to pay attention to the investigation result rather than simply believe that this is just an attack launched by the IS."
Li also said although the US released a warning of terror attacks earlier this month, the information released was too vague, and was not really helpful for Russia to prevent an attack. The attackers can adjust their plan due to the warning released to the public.
Against the backdrop of Ukraine crisis, relevant parties will possibly use intelligence about terrorist attacks to achieve their military and political goals, and right after the attack, the US' act to immediately clarify for Ukraine looks very strange, Li noted.
Russia will surely take actions to retaliate for attack, but against whom it will retaliate remains in question, analysts said. Some Western voices said Russia should focus on counterterrorism after the attack rather than "imaginary foes" in Ukraine, but Chinese experts said if Russia confirms that Kiev and Washington are involved in this attack, the Ukraine crisis will not be eased but will also escalate.
The Swiss global financial group Cedrus Group announced the establishment of the QFLP Fund on Tuesday to focus on investing in mature, pre-IPO stage companies in the life sciences and agriculture sectors in China, and establishing joint ventures with foreign companies seeking to enter the Chinese market.
Chairman of Cedrus Group, Rani Jarkas, said that the launch of the fund is a major milestone for the group, and proves that an international financial group like Cedrus is highly committed to China.
The fund will complete the group's ecosystem in life sciences and will enable the company to play an even more active role in the development of highly innovative biotech and pharmaceutic companies in China, by adding a focused capital pool supporting these initiatives, Jarkas noted.
In addition, it will boost their capabilities to attract highly relevant foreign technology into China, through joint ventures or wholly owned foreign entities, which in turn, will create highly skilled jobs in healthcare and increase local government tax revenues, he said.
The move was announced at the Cedrus Life Sciences Investment Forum in Beijing on Tuesday. Fifty industrial experts were invited to the forum to discuss and offer advice to promote the development of the life science industry. Wei Jianguo, former vice minister of China's Ministry of Commerce, attended the forum and delivered a keynote speech.
Xia Qinglin, secretary of the work committee of the Party Committee of the Tianjin Binhai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Area and general director of the administrative commission of the area, introduced the area's favorable policies for bio-investment companies, the current scale and layout of biotechnology companies, and the agglomeration effect the area had created through cooperation with Cedrus.
Relying on the Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, the Tianjin Binhai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Area enhanced efforts to improve the level of the local biomedical industry.
The area issued "double nine policies" to further support the accelerated development of the biomedical industry, to help build the area into a world-class and domestically leading source of basic research and a gathering place for scientific and technological innovation.
Currently, there are more than 204 city-level and above research and development institutions in the Tianjin Binhai Hi-Tech Industrial Development Area. Among them, more than 30 are at the national level. These institutions have helped to attract talent and created a cluster effect for the area, Wang told the Global Times.
"For a development region like ours, both our industry and technology must be internationalized. We must constantly connect with international resources to promote our companies to go global while also introducing international companies into our area. After all, technology can only develop through exchanges and mutual learning. This is not only to promote the development of enterprises but also to promote the development of various countries to better serve people's lives and health," Xia said.
Xiong Juan, chairwoman of the Hainan Leyun Biotechnology Co, Ltd, also shared her opinions on the challenges and opportunities facing Chinese companies on the path of internationalization.
"We are mainly in the scientific research transformation period in China. As a Chinese life sciences company, we not only want to promote our products in this market in China but also want to go out to Southeast Asia and also to Europe. But as our overseas resources and visibility overseas are limited, so we need an international platform like Cedrus to help combine external resources," Xiong said.
Over the last two months, the "shock therapy" implemented by the Milei government has had a tremendous impact on Argentine livelihoods and society. The working class has substituted beef with cheaper chicken on their dinner tables; the middle class has ceased dining out and started collecting discount coupons from newspapers; supermarket shelf stockers have had to frequently change price tags; and small business owners have lamented the increasing difficulty of doing business... Despite facing these challenges, and while some Argentines express concern that they do not know "what tomorrow will bring," another segment of the population remains confident in Milei's reforms. What is the reason behind this? The Global Times interviewed several Argentine citizens, getting their accounts of the changes experienced in their lives over the last two months and their expectations for Argentina's future.
Chicken for beef
Eduardo Perez, a trader in Argentina, told the Global Times that over the last two months, the prices of all essential goods, ranging from toilet paper, bread, and cooking oil to beef, pork, and flour, have been rapidly increasing.
"Prices of various goods have risen by more than 50 to 100 percent, and even more. This has forced people to compare prices at different supermarkets one by one before placing orders, and they now only buy necessities," Perez said.
Beef has always been the most consumed meat in Argentina, and has been so for decades. Argentina is even known as the "land of beef." A few years ago, when the Global Times interviewed locals in Argentina, some women casually said: "When I don't know what to cook for my family, I just grill beef," a nod to the deeply rooted dietary habits of the locals.
However, this situation seems to be changing. With the recent skyrocketing prices of beef, many families find it difficult to afford it, so they are changing their traditional dietary habits and opting for cheaper meats like chicken and pork, and some families are already down to eating only one meal a day due to the soaring food prices.
In an interview with the BBC, Oriana and Samir, a young couple in their early 20s living in Buenos Aires lamented over the current dilemma.
"It's very difficult," Oriana told the Global Times. "You're constantly asking yourself - 'how am I going to make ends meet?' We're the country of beef, but we only eat chicken because it's cheaper."
Life for the middle class in Argentina is also tough. Gustavo Ng, who works as a writer for a publication in Buenos Aires, is a typical member of the Argentine middle class. He told the Global Times that in just two months since Milei took office, his family has changed many habits, including cutting down on dining expenses as the cost of dining out has increased by 40 to 80 percent.
"Now, when shopping with my family at the supermarket, we no longer choose the brands we used to, but 'downgrade' to buy brands of relatively poorer quality that are cheaper," he told the Global Times.
"We have also started to learn to collect discount coupons from newspapers and specifically look for supermarkets with discounts. My family is also stocking up on more food and cleaning products because prices are rising too fast," he said.
An Argentine housewife who frequently goes shopping told the Global Times that over the last two months, the prices of goods in supermarkets consistently changed, and changing price tags has even become an important task for supermarket staff.
In addition to the food price inflation, Argentines also have to bear the increase in public transportation costs. In January 2024, Buenos Aires subway fares rose, with a single-trip fare first rising from 80 pesos to 110 pesos. According to local authorities, this price will continue to increase to 125 pesos in February, an increase of more than 50 percent in two months.
"This has greatly increased the commuting costs for working-class people, and some people now even have difficulty going to work," Gustavo complained, noting that the increase in public transportation costs has the greatest impact on the poorest people and families caring for the elderly and children.
Businesses dilemma
The economic situation in Argentina is a source of increased operational difficulties for businesses and for workers to obtain reasonable incomes. Perez told the Global Times that currently, the average monthly salary in Argentina is less than $200. "For example, a clerical secretary can earn around $150 to $220 a month, while a building security guard earns between $130 and $200 per month. This figure is rapidly decreasing due to currency devaluation."
According to local media reports, in January this year, Argentina's current minimum monthly wage was 156,000 pesos, equivalent to only $156 according to black market exchange rates at the time, ranking second to last among the 18 major Latin American countries surveyed. However, in December 2023, Argentina's
"poverty line" was set at a monthly income of 240,000 pesos. This means that the minimum wage now falls far short of meeting basic living needs. In sharp contrast, eight years ago, Argentina's minimum wage level was among the highest in the region.
For business owners, the rising costs of raw materials and other expenses are a heavy burden, with some enterprises facing the dilemma of layoffs or even closure. According to a BBC report, Claudio Perez, a successful Argentine businessman who once owned 12 supermarkets and candy stores, now only has two left due to the sharp decline in his income caused by skyrocketing operating costs and the collapse of customer income.
According to Gustavo, state-owned enterprises in Argentina have already undergone massive layoffs. The government has announced that there will also be large-scale layoffs in government departments. It is also widely expected that many private enterprises will also have to lay off employees in the coming months due to the inability to sustain operations. Some of his friends have already lost their jobs, and he himself has lost a part-time job. "Due to the almost zero purchasing power of many Argentines, businesses that sell to the domestic market are greatly affected."
Against this backdrop, on January 24, Argentina witnessed a large-scale strike. Amid the economic turmoil, the polarization of wealth in Argentina is becoming more severe: Ordinary people are paid in Argentine pesos and lack the ability or avenues to obtain dollars, thus having to bear the brunt of soaring prices; however, the wealthy have significant dollar assets and dollar savings, and since the Argentine peso is also depreciating, many goods priced in dollars have not become more expensive, but have become sometimes even cheaper than in neighboring countries, and everything remains unchanged for the rich, read media reports.
What is ahead?
Shortly after taking office, Argentina's Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced a series of economic policies aimed at reducing the fiscal deficit and controlling inflation. Milei's government attributed the root cause of Argentina's current economic problems to an excessively large fiscal deficit. The new government promised to introduce a series of policies to narrow the fiscal deficit, including reducing the number of federal ministries from 18 to nine, cutting subsidies for energy and transportation, and halting the bidding for new public works projects.
The policy that the new government aims to adopt is not without merit: Publicly available data shows that Argentina's fiscal expenditure far exceeds its income, and the country's debt level is staggering. Argentina owes over $44 billion to the International Monetary Fund, making it the largest single debtor country to the organization.
One of the most closely watched reform measures that the new government has since adopted is allowing a significant devaluation of the Argentine peso and making comprehensive dollarization of the economy its medium-term goal, although it has yet to announce a roadmap for dollarization. However, a report by Morgan Stanley suggests that Argentina's productivity levels, economic vitality, foreign exchange reserves, and savings rates do not meet the requirements for dollarization.
"I am extremely pessimistic about the future of Argentina," Gustavo told the Global Times. "If the cost of keeping the Argentine economy barely running is the well-being and dignity of millions of Argentines, then this is a burden that Argentines cannot bear. Cutting funding for science, culture, and industry will also undermine the prospects for long-term development. Historically, Argentina has experienced similar moments, all leading to massive protests and social unrest."
"I don't know what will happen tomorrow. Nobody knows," bemoaned another resident of Buenos Aires who preferred to remain anonymous.
Despite this, not all Argentines suffering from the economic crisis oppose the new government. Perez is one of Milei's supporters.
"Argentina's current situation is the result of years of accumulated wrong policies, not caused by the current government, which has been in office for only a few days," he explained to the Global Times. He agrees with the government's assertion that in recent years, Argentina's public expenditure has been excessive, so he supports the Milei government's measures to reduce ministries and achieve fiscal balance.
"We have to give the new government time, and then we will see growth," Perez told the Global Times.
Despite being engaged in trade with China himself, he is not worried about Milei's previous remarks about "cutting ties with China" or similar statements. "Despite the Milei government appearing more pro-US, Argentina cannot stop its economic and trade relations with China. This is an obvious fact," he said.
According to a January survey by the pollster Escenarios cited by Al Jazeera, 55 percent of respondents believed Milei's reform measures were necessary to improve the economy.
The report quotes political analysts as saying that this figure is mainly due to the propaganda efforts of the new government, which argues that Argentina's economic woes are the result of accumulated problems from the previous administration's policies. However, the survey also shows that most respondents believe that any significant policy changes should be implemented gradually, rather than all at once.
Milei warned in his inaugural speech that Argentina's situation would worsen before it improved. "He was right," said Al Jazeera, but if the situation does not improve after some time, opposition to the Milei government in Argentina may intensify, even leading to its inability to complete its term, and the new government may find itself "in the eye of the storm" within just a few months.
"Let's give him a year," Al Jazeera quoted an Argentine voter as saying. "And if, for a year, all of us have to eat beans, we'll eat beans."
Although the US and the Philippines have repeatedly provoked China in the South China Sea issue, weaponizing fishermen against China, the story of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy rescuing foreign fishermen in the South China Sea continues to uphold the humanitarian principle of "search and rescue knows no borders."
Eyewitnesses who participated in the successful rescue of an injured Filipino fisherman by a PLA Navy vessel cruising near China's Nansha Islands in September 2023, as well as a Vietnamese fisherman whose limb was amputated and received urgent treatment at a Chinese hospital in the Nansha Islands in October 2023, reveal captivating moments that demonstrate China's capability and commitment to provide strong security guarantees in the South China Sea through practical actions. The gestures, which highlight the country's willingness to set aside disputes and prioritize human lives, promote peaceful and harmonious coexistence in the South China Sea.
This story is a part of the Global Times' "Witness to history" series, which features first-hand accounts from witnesses who were at the forefront of historic moments. From scholars, politicians and diplomats to ordinary citizens, their authentic reflections on the impact of historical moments help reveal a sound future for humanity through the solid forward steps taken in the past and the present. 'Thank you, Chinese Navy!'
On September 17, 2023, when the PLA naval vessel Aba was approached by two Filipino fishermen seeking help during its cruise in the eastern maritime zone of the Nansha Islands, Wen Qi, a military doctor aboard the vessel, noticed a Filipino fisherman on a small fishing boat waving his arms and shouting for help while in distress.
The Aba vessel quickly responded and used a hanging ladder to transfer the injured fisherman aboard for emergency assistance. Wen soon learned that one of the fishermen sustained wounds inflicted by propeller blades and was profusely bleeding.
Due to the slow speed of the small fishing boat, the Filipino fishermen couldn't reunite with their mother ship in the short term. They desperately sought help for about six hours until they saw a silver lining in the appearance of the Chinese navy vessel.
"We found that the injured fisherman had lost a lot of blood, had low blood pressure, and had difficulty in expressing himself. Without timely treatment, there was a high likelihood that he would have lost his life," said Wen.
After examination, Wen found multiple deep lacerations exposing bone on the injured fisherman's left foot. Prolonged exposure to a moist environment made some of the tissue around the wound necrotized.
Wen administered immediate emergency treatment to the wound, and also provided the injured fisherman with bread, milk, and drinking water to help restore his strength. After the fisherman showed signs of basic cognitive recovery, the Aba vessel deployed a small shipborne boat and assigned officers to escort the injured fisherman and his companion back to their mother ship.
Before leaving, Wen also prepared medication, hydrogen peroxide, bandages, gauze, and other medical supplies for the injured fisherman, and wrote down follow-up instructions on paper in English.
"Thank you, Chinese Navy!" The rescued Filipino fishermen gave thumbs up to the PLA Navy officers and medics, while other fishermen waved in gratitude.
Witnessing this scene made Wen feel both relieved and proud. She told the Global Times that the PLA Navy occasionally encounters injured fishermen seeking help in territorial waters during patrol missions, and the PLA Navy always actively offers assistance out of humanitarian principles.
"We embody the concept of a maritime community of shared future and show our principle as a responsible major country. This is one of our core missions in the South China Sea," said Wen.
By providing timely medical assistance and initiating rescue operations, the PLA Navy not only demonstrates its professionalism and capability, but also fosters goodwill and trust among nations in the region.
Such acts of humanitarian aid showcase China's commitment to regional stability, cooperation, and the well-being of its neighboring countries, encouraging greater collaboration and mutual assistance in times of need. Protector of maritime community
On October 9, 2023, in the waters near Yongshu Reef, part of China's Nansha Islands, multiple Vietnamese fishermen on the fishing boat QNG96562TS attracted the attention of the PLA Navy's Qujing vessel by waving their hands and approaching it. The Vietnamese fishing boat had an accident while at sea, resulting in one fisherman suffering a life-threatening complete fracture and detachment of his right upper arm.
After receiving the distress signal, the PLA's Nansha garrison command quickly dispatched a small boat to investigate together with the Qujing vessel, and initiated rescue protocols. The military doctor on board the Qujing vessel provided emergency treatment to the injured fisherman, while the Yongshu Reef Hospital on Nansha Islands prepared to receive the patient to administer further treatment.
Luo Tianhang, the deputy chief physician of the general surgery department at the Yongshu Reef Hospital, who was part of the treatment team, told the Global Times that the hospital quickly organized a medical team comprised of several senior consulting doctors, and diagnosed the injury as a complete detachment and destruction of the right upper arm with a lung contusion.
After explaining the surgical procedures to the accompanying Vietnamese personnel and signing relevant informed consent forms, the medical team performed surgery on the injured Vietnamese fisherman. After his condition stabilized, he was sent back to his mother ship.
Media sources reported that Yongshu Reef is about 740 nautical miles away from the nearest piece of land, and it normally takes 2 to 3 days for ships to travel one way. Major illnesses can only be treated by supply ships or passing vessels so the optimal treatment period can easily be missed without the presence of the Yongshu Reef Hospital.
To better provide efficient maritime rescue and treatment, for both domestic and international operations, the Yongshu Reef Hospital will reportedly establish health clinics on other islands and reefs aside from Yongshu Reef in the future, equipped with inter-island medical ships, to achieve wider, comprehensive medical and health coverage in the South China Sea.
In addition to the PLA Navy, China Coast Guard has also successfully rescued foreign fishermen on several occasions.
On August 18, 2023, Chinese coast guard vessel 5103 rescued a Vietnamese fisherman, who had been floating in the sea for three days before being rescued, while cruising in the southern part of the South China Sea.
After rescuing the fisherman, coast guard officers provided him with drinking water, food, and other daily necessities, and checked his physical condition. It is one of the important duties of the China Coast Guard to carry out international cooperation in maritime law enforcement, for which the coast guards of China and Vietnam signed a memorandum of cooperation in June 2016 to establish institutional cooperative relations.
The practice of China's humanitarian rescue also extends to foreign ships in the South China Sea region that experience malfunctions due to typhoons or other extreme weather conditions.
On September 2, 2023, the Nansha garrison command discovered a Liberian cargo ship, sailing from Singapore to North China's Tangshan, with an engine fuel injector leak, resulting in a loss of power. The ship was drifting toward Yongshu Reef and was in imminent danger.
To eliminate danger, the Nansha garrison command immediately assessed the situation, and a joint rescue operation swiftly commenced.
The Chinese maritime authorities immediately decided to dispatch the South China Sea Rescue 115 ship, which was on standby at the Yongshu Reef, along with an English translator, to sail toward the malfunctioning cargo ship and prepare for emergency towing. The standby tugboat of the garrison immediately prepared for tow and rescue. China Coast Guard vessel 5304 continued to monitor the vicinity of the malfunctioning cargo ship and provided escort.
"On that night, the South China Sea Rescue ship 115 began towing the malfunctioning cargo ship and successfully eliminating the potential of the ship running aground. Faced with the complex maritime environment, Chinese rescue forces closely cooperated, maintaining real-time communication with the cargo ship, and ensured that it remained in a safe navigational channel," Rao Hushui, the captain of the South China Sea Rescue ship 115, told the Global Times.
"Thanks to the efficient coordination of the military, police, and civilian forces, we finally prevented a major maritime accident," Rao recalled.
Over the years, China has adhered to the concept of a maritime community of shared future and has been committed to promoting global maritime governance. Currently, the seas face not only traditional security threats such as piracy and terrorism, but also non-traditional security threats such as marine environmental pollution, natural disasters, and accidents involving civilian facilities. Representatives from various countries have called for unity, cooperation, and joint responses to these challenges at multiple international forums.
Experts say that from rescuing foreign fishermen to assisting distressed foreign fishing vessels, China has always actively participated in maritime governance, maintaining maritime peace, stability, and good order, and is a firm guardian of a maritime community of shared future.
Xiao Long, a planetary geoscientist at the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan), estimates that the first human landing on Mars will occur in around 2050.
We no longer face any significant technological barriers in unmanned missions to Mars, but still have difficulty in completing manned missions, which require larger rockets with greater thrust and the technology to safely return from Mars to Earth, Xiao said in an exclusive interview with the Global Times.
He noted that both the US and China are currently developing heavy launch vehicles. The technology for a safe return from Mars is expected to be preliminarily validated by around 2030.
"In addition, there is also a significant amount of work to be done regarding the physiological and psychological issues faced by astronauts during the interstellar long-distance journey, which would last at least 500 days," he said.
Xiao started his career in planetary geology research exactly 20 years ago when China kicked off its Chang'e lunar exploration program [in 2004]. Before that, he focused on Earth studies.
Mars shares many similarities with Earth and holds special significance in our understanding of the formation and evolution of planets and the solar system, as well as the search for extraterrestrial life, Xiao continued.
To Xiao, the ultimate goal of Mars studies is to scientifically elucidate the formation and evolution process of Mars from its early stages to the present and into the future, find out the driving factors behind the process, and discover whether life exists on the planet.
From an application perspective, scientists like Xiao are also trying to figure out whether Mars can become a second home for humans. "Short-term visits or immigration to Mars are possible for some individuals and are likely to be realized within this century. However, it is impossible for the entire human population to migrate to Mars," Xiao said.
Xiao shared with the audience at a New Year's Eve event hosted by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology how his team analyzed scientific data from China's Mars rover Zhurong's multispectral camera and for the first time found petrological evidence of marine sedimentary rocks on the surface of Mars.
"We analyzed the 106 groups of photos from Zhurong daily, trying our best to look for a tale-tell signature of the existence of an ocean on Mars. But before finding any evidence, my teammates and I started to have similar dreams about oceans on Mars. In my dream, the ocean on Mars was restored and was surrounded by lush and dense forests. I could even identify each type of vegetation in the forests," Xiao told the audience.
"It is not rare for people to dream of things that are on their minds during the day. But for scientists, it could be a problem as we have to stay objective throughout the research and prevent our subjective interpretation from getting in the way," Xiao said. He and his teammates kept reminding each other to stay cautious and realistic until evidence waw found.
"This case clearly illustrates how we do science research. We have to stay grounded while looking up to the sea of stars," Xiao said.
Xiao also shared a global image map, created by China's Tianwen-1 Mars probe using data captured by a medium-resolution camera at the event. He said that the image has a spatial resolution of 76 meters, making it the highest-resolution global color image of Mars publicly available to date. This image also demonstrates that China's Mars exploration capabilities have reached a high level, he noted.
Currently, humans have conducted nearly 50 Mars explorations, and our understanding of the macroscopic topography and geomorphological features of Mars is relatively clear. However, exploration is still ongoing regarding the early Martian atmosphere, climate, geological environment, magnetic field evolution, and whether conditions for the creation of life exist. China has successfully achieved its first Mars exploration, accomplishing the three major objectives of orbiting, landing, and rover exploration in this single mission. China is the first country to have accomplished this in the history of Mars exploration and the second country globally to have completed a similar mission, according to Xiao.
Stepping into 2024, Xiao hopes China can continue to make progress in lunar, Mars, and asteroid exploration missions. "We hope that the Tianwen-1 satellite will return more high-quality data, and that the Zhurong rover will be able to continue its work. We also hope that the Tianwen-2 asteroid sample return mission will be implemented on schedule, and that the Tianwen-3 Mars sample return mission will be approved as soon as possible," he told the Global Times.
In August 1959, it took at least 26 days for two journalists from Minzu Huabao, a Chinese pictorial journal published since 1955 in six Chinese ethnic languages, to reach Dulongjiang township, Gongshan county, in Southwest China's Yunnan Province from Beijing.
To reach the destination, the two journalists first had to arrive in Lijiang county (to which the Gongshan county used to belong) by train and bus, then head to Dulongjiang township by truck and on horseback. It is through such an arduous journey that the Dulong ethnic group was first introduced to the larger Chinese public through media reports.
More than 74 years later, when the Global Times reporters embarked on the same journey in 2023, it took them four and a half hours to fly from Beijing to the city of Baoshan, which borders the Nujiang Lisu Autonomous Prefecture where the Dulongjiang township is located, and after an eight-hour drive, they parked their vans in front of a hotel at the center of Dulongjiang township.
It has been about three years since the township was lifted out of poverty and nearly a decade since the first highway tunnel linking Dulongjiang township and the Gongshan county was constructed. These transformative changes have not only brought about conveniences in transportation to local residents, but also provided them with opportunities to connect with the outside world, as well as improved accessibilities to timely healthcare services, education, and employment opportunities.
Last secrete place Abutting Yunnan's border with Myanmar, Dulongjiang township is the Dulong ethnic minority's ancestral home, with a current population of about 4,300 of the people in the town.
Having long endured extreme poverty while in isolation, it wasn't until the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 that the Dulong people embarked on a journey to modernity in a socialist society.
China's fast-paced development has been embraced by the Dulong ethnic group, and thanks to intensive poverty alleviation efforts, the group has also been dubbed "a group that crossed the millennium in one step."
"Life was pretty hard in the past. We did not have clothes, but only had a blanket that can be worn as clothing in the day and a quilt at night," Li Wenshi, a Dulong township villager in her seventies and one of the few remaining Dulong women adorned with face tattoos, told the Global Times. "Everything has changed now; we have highways, electricity, and new houses. I am so happy and grateful," Li said.
Improvements witnessed by Li's family have greatly increased since the overall poverty alleviation of the township in 2018. Today, Li still busies herself with knitting, which she said could earn her an extra 3,000 yuan ($420) per month during the busy tourism season as many tourists purposely visit the "secret" Dulongjiang and are fascinated by the rainbow-like traditional Dulong blanket.
The younger generation has also inherited textile manufacture knowledge from Li. When thinking about the future, she hopes that the younger generation will balance the embrace of modernity with the inheritance of ancient ancestral knowledge, bringing the signature Dulong rainbow to all the corners of the world.
Crossing the millennium Before 2014 New Year's Day, people from Dulong ethnic group wrote to President Xi Jinping to report the imminent completion of the Gaoligong Mountains-Dulongjiang River highway tunnel.
In his reply, Xi expressed his joy at the good news about the tunnel and congratulated the community. "I have always been concerned about the wellbeing of the Dulong people as you used to live harsh lives."
During an inspection tour in Yunnan a year later, Xi met with some representatives from Dulong ethnic group, including Li Wenshi, to learn about the progress of the highway tunnel and people's lives in the area.
"I'm here to encourage you to keep up the good work, and to assure people of all ethnic groups that the Communist Party of China (CPC) attaches great importance to your development," Xi said during the inspection.
After the six administrative villages in the township lift out of poverty, people in the township wrote another letter to inform Xi of the overall better life now enjoyed by all.
"President Xi stressed that not a single ethnic group, family, or individual should be left behind on the road to xiaokang. This is so encouraging to me. As one of the first people in the younger generation to leave for college, I felt that I couldn't wait to come back to join the team to build the future for my hometown," Dulongjiang township head Mu Xiaolong said.
With the complete eradication of poverty, now Dulongjiang township is firmly on the road to rural revitalization. We believe that our lives will get better and better as long as we continue to make great efforts, said Mu.
By making use of the rich mountainous and forest resources along the Dulong River, many of the 1,100-plus households in Dulongjiang are engaged in herbal cultivation and poultry husbandry with local characteristics.
According to Dulongjiang township agricultural official
Li Xinhua, a total of 83,009 mu (5,533 hectares) of the township is under black cardamom cultivation, also known as caoguo, with a harvest of nearly 3,000 tons each year. Earnings from the 2023 crop were in excess of 25 million yuan.
In 2009, the total economic income of the ownship was only 4.93 million yuan, and the per capita net income of farmers was only 916 yuan. In 2021, the per capita net income of farmers in the entire township reached 15,000 yuan.
Embracing the world Dulongjiang township, which used to be called "the most secret place" in China, is embracing the world thanks to transformative changes along with China's efforts to realize modernization.
Telecommunications network reached this remote corner of China in 2004.
In 2014, Dulongjiang was the first township in Yunnan to have a 4G network, and five years later, it was the first in the province to upgrade to 5G.
Preferential policies and support from central and local authorities are also benefiting the students.
Mu said in the 1990's, students faced an arduous three-day journey to the county to access education. But nowadays, children of school going age are entitled to 14 years of free education, from pre-school through to high school. The rates of primary school enrollment and attendance have both remained at 100 percent.
Dulong culture has also made its sparkling debut on the international stage. With a range of snow-capped mountains and steep canyons, Dulongjiang township is one of the areas in China with the most well-preserved primitive ecological environments. The clear waters of the Dulongjiang River, the mysterious tattoo-faced women, and the colorful Dulong carpets always attract tourists from all over the world.
In May this year, an exhibition at Fabric X featuring items such as scarves, handbags, and eye masks made from textiles by Dulong weavers attracted global art enthusiasts' attention at the ninth London Craft Week.
The exhibition was presented by the Beijing Contemporary Art Foundation (BCAF) and the naze naze studio as part of a Dulong handicraft project was aunched in 2015.
"We planned to launch a handicraft project for Chinese ethnic minorities at that time. We conducted research for about five months, visiting the Yi people and the Miao people. After looking into the Dulong people, we found that the artwork of their artwork showed fascinating and abstract line patterns, we thought it could potentially be a good project for research and development," Hu Fei, BCAF secretary general, told the Global Times.
The Dulong blanket is an indispensable item for local families. The brightly colored Dulong blanket is like a rainbow. By working with local female weavers from the Dulong River Valley, the project blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary tastes and increases the income of the weavers.
To Hu, it is a process of co-creation rather than a unilateral support. At the start, even our designers did not know how to use the waist weaving loom. So, they had to try the loom together with local female weavers.
"It is from the third installment that we started to organize a weaving contest for local women. We would offer bonuses to the best three works. If the participant's works were adopted as part of our products, we would also compensate her in the same way we would professional designers," Hu noted. She added that this was aimed at demonstrating the value of the creations to the artisans, a fact they may have not realized.
So far, the Dulong project hosted six installments, attracting a total of 38 weavers from various ethnic minority groups including Dulong, Dong, Naxi, and Wa.
"I am very glad I can participate in the project. It not only brings about extra income to my family, but also provides me with opportunities to go to Shanghai. I hope I can also go abroad in the future," a Dulong weaver called Hua Jie told the Global Times.
The Week of Italian Cuisine in the World kicked off on Monday, with the aim to promote exquisite Italian cooking, the Mediterranean diet, Italian agri-food products and wine. In the 2023 edition, as in past years, the week will be further enhanced by activities organized by the Italian Embassy in China together with the Italian business community operating in China.
Several Italian restaurants in Beijing, Tianjin, and Qingdao have been preparing special menus and typical dishes for Chinese friends and expatriates residing in China to enjoy throughout the Italian cuisine week that is set to run until November 19. Beijing's ABBOCCA restaurant, for instance, has provided a special selection for homemade fresh cheeses called "TRILOGY," which includes mozzarella, stracciatella, and ricotta, and has been dubbed a tasty journey through salty and sweet to stimulate all senses complete with fresh basil leaves, cherry tomatoes.
Even since the eruption of the recent Israeli-Palestine conflict, China has taken a proactive role in de-escalation, collaborating with the international community to spare efforts to bring an end to the fighting, safeguard civilian lives, and provide humanitarian aid.
In recent days, the Chinese Government's Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Zhai Jun has made relentless trips to Middle Eastern countries including Egypt, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and Jordan in a diplomatic effort to de-escalate the situation and ease hostilities.
Meanwhile, in response to the worsening humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip, the China International Development Cooperation Agency has pledged an additional 15 million yuan ($2.05 million) in emergency humanitarian supplies. This aid aims to assist those affected by the conflict, in addition to previously allocated $1 million in cash assistance through the Palestinian National Authority and the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in the Near East.
During a meeting with Zhai on Sunday in Amman, the capital of Jordan, Commissioner-General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) Philippe Lazzarini, noted that the UNRWA regards China as an important partner, thanks China for its long-standing political support and financial assistance to the UNRWA, appreciates China's emergency humanitarian assistance to Gaza since the conflict, and is willing to strengthen cooperation with China to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza as soon as possible.
UNRWA, which was founded in 1949, is mandated to provide humanitarian assistance to Palestinian refugees. The organization relies on voluntary contributions to finance its operations.
At the Wednesday media briefing, China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that "China has no selfish interests in the Palestinian-Israeli issue. We stand for the protection of civilians, a ceasefire and an end to fighting, the opening of humanitarian relief corridors, the prevention of a greater humanitarian crisis, the resumption of political dialogue and negotiation, and the return of the Palestinian issue to the right track of the two-state solution so as to achieve lasting peace and stability in the Middle East."
"As [China assumes] the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council this month and a responsible member of the international community, China will continue to work with the international community to ease the situation, protect civilians, advance humanitarian assistance, and resume peace talks," he said.
