China's economy continued its steady upward trend in August, with the output of industrial enterprises above the designated size up by 4.5 percent year-on-year, and retail sales rising by 2.1 percent year-on-year, according to data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Saturday.
Liu Aihua, spokesperson and chief economist of the NBS, told a press conference on Saturday that a range of economic indicators showed a steady expansion trajectory despite the impact of internal natural disasters and external uncertainties. She also highlighted the government's policy support and high-quality development strategy that provide foundation for growth.
In August alone, the value-added industrial output saw a 4.5 percent year-on-year growth, 0.32 percent up from the previous month level. For the first eight months, value-added industrial output rose by 5.8 percent year-on-year.
The growth of industrial output was led with equipment manufacturing and high-tech manufacturing sectors. In specific, the output volume of new-energy vehicles in August increased by 30.5 percent year-on-year, service robots increased by 20.1 percent and the integrated circuit products increased by 17.8 percent.
In the first eight months this year, fixed asset investment reached 32.94 trillion yuan, up 3.4 percent year-on-year, NBS data showed.
She noted that the issuance of the ultra-long treasury bonds and special government bonds will ensure the steady growth of nation's investment into the future. The retail sales in August rose 2.1 percent year-on-year. From January to August this year, the nation's retail sales totaled 31.25 trillion yuan, up 3.4 percent year-on-year, indicating the great potential of China's super large-scale market.
Looking ahead, Liu stated that the foundation for consumption recovery will be further strengthened through the promotion of ongoing trade-in schemes and other consumption stimulation policies.
On the remote island of Baisha in East China's Zhejiang Province, a community of elderly residents live quietly, far from the bustling cities. As the Chinese New Year approached in 2023, British host Tim Hague and his friend arrived on the island, talking with locals and helping prepare for the festival feast for the elderly.
Their visit, captured in the ongoing documentary series Towards a Shared Future, highlights the ways in which technology and community care are enabling the elderly in rural China to lead healthier and more fulfilling lives.
The documentary, currently airing on domestic video platform Youku, focuses on the broad theme of "common prosperity." Common prosperity, an essential requirement of socialism and a key feature of Chinese modernization, aims to create a future in which prosperity is shared by everyone in the country, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Directed by Zhang Wei, the series invites Hague - a renowned British television presenter and former BBC host - to explore various parts of Zhejiang Province from a global perspective to tell the real stories of ordinary Chinese people as China continues on its path to modernization..
"After extensive research, we decided to present this story through an international lens to illustrate the relationship between the ordinary people and the concept of common prosperity," Zhang said at the documentary's global premiere in Beijing on Wednesday.
"Zhejiang, with its balanced urban and rural development, is like a microcosm of China, making it the perfect setting for this documentary," he noted.
In 2021, China introduced guidelines to develop Zhejiang as a demonstration zone for common prosperity, aiming to balance regional and urban-rural development across the country. This initiative is also one of the reasons the documentary was filmed in Zhejiang, showcasing the province's role as a leader in this national effort.
Hague's curiosity and questions drive the narrative of Towards a Shared Future. With a deep interest in Chinese culture and development, Hague, who has visited China multiple times, explores the lives and relationships of people in rural areas.
According to Zhang, the documentary, presented largely from Hague's perspective, reveals his observations and discoveries about the unique connections between villagers, volunteers, and the broader community.
The three-part series addresses five key issues: healthcare, elderly care, education, environmental protection, and the global promotion of traditional culture.
"Tim's curiosity about China's customs, the relationships between people, and the everyday joys and struggles of ordinary people is what shapes the storytelling in this documentary," Zhang explained. "We want to uncover the stories behind his questions, and through those stories, reveal a broader theme."
For example, in the recently aired first episode, Hague visited the Jingning She autonomous county in Zhejiang, where he experienced local wedding customs, spoke with a traditional heritage practitioner, and tried his hand at weaving She ethnic ribbons. In Kaihua county, Zhejiang, he interacted with local volunteers, took part in their daily activities, including visiting a boy with a congenital disease, and assisted at an elderly care cafeteria run by the local government.
On Baisha Island, the local government regularly sends medical teams to provide free checkups. For those with limited mobility, doctors will visit their homes for checkups. In addition to medical care, the elderly receive help with haircuts, tailoring, and tool sharpening.
"Common prosperity is not just a concept; it's built on countless small stories of ordinary people," Zhang said. "It's like constructing a building - each of us is a part of the foundation. When all these individual stories come together, the concept of common prosperity truly takes shape."
Towards a Shared Future will also be broadcast on domestic television and translated into multiple languages for global audiences.
"We hope that through this documentary, viewers around the world who are unfamiliar with China will gain an understanding of the reality of our country - our people's daily lives, their aspirations, and their spirit," Zhang told the Global Times.
After a concert held at the Shanghai Cultural Square Theater on Monday night, renowned Welsh musical theater actor and singer John Owen-Jones met his Chinese fans at the "More than Music" event hosted by the British Consulate-General in Shanghai on Tuesday to share his career experience, and celebrate the rich cultural exchanges between the UK and China. John Owen-Jones, also known as JOJ, is most famous for his portrayals of Jean Valjean in Alain Boublil's and Claude-Michel Schönberg's Les Misérables and the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera. Speaking of blending Western and Chinese instruments and making a very unique version of The Phantom of the Opera, which they performed during the China tour, JOJ said, "It's always one of the most exciting parts of the show for me because I get to see how the audience reacts to that, because cultural exchange is such a rich tapestry of different things all over the world that we can all learn from each other and make better art and make better music. And that's what's so exciting about being here in China. I think I'd like to explore more, so I definitely would like to integrate, explore more cultural opportunities between where I'm from, where you are from."
"Regardless of where we come from, music is this universal language, and it reminds us of that shared humanity and the things that bind us together," echoed the British Consul General in Shanghai Matt Burney.
"Indonesia, a country of 17,000 islands, offers a unique experience for tourists. Starting from the Metropolitan city of Jakarta with skyscrapers to Raja Ampat in Southwest Papua with natural beauty that is still natural. As is known, Indonesia will move the capital from Jakarta to the archipelago, which is located on the third-largest island in the world, namely Kalimantan. The relocation of the capital of Indonesia to the archipelago is proof of the progress of the Indonesian nation and hope for a brighter future to welcome [Golden] Indonesia Advanced 2045 [Vision]," said Djauhari Oratmangun, Indonesian Ambassador to China.
Enlivened with various art and cultural performances from Indonesia, the event was the largest exhibition of Indonesian products and culture in China, featuring Indonesia's export products that have entered the Chinese market.
Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Chinese president, and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stressed that the environment concerns the well-being of people in all countries. During his many inspections, Xi has always emphasized the importance of ecosystems, spanning from cities to rural areas, and from enterprises to communities.
Under President Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization, China has been advancing the green transition of its economy over the last decade. Regions across the country are actively promoting the construction of an ecological civilization and advancing Chinese modernization featuring harmony between humanity and nature. These efforts go toward creating a "Beautiful China."
The coming five years will be critical to the building of a "Beautiful China." The Global Times is launching a series of stories to explore the progress of ecological civilization projects inspired by Xi's words, delving into the positive environmental changes occurring now, and offering valuable insights and references for both national and global efforts.
Through this prism, we can see how Xi's thoughts on ecological civilization is being put into practice and further inspiring public action.
The Global Times recently visited the largest hydropower station in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, to witness the advanced power and technology achievements of China's clean energy projects in remote areas. The visit also included a trip to an ethnic minority community village that was relocated due to the project's construction. Our reporter witnessed significant improvements in the quality of their life after relocation.
This shows how China's green energy development integrates resources, drives the process of modernization, and sets a scientific example for many developing countries worldwide. In the past, the Yarkand River in Xinjiang would flood annually during the rainy season, causing destruction to infrastructure, submerging farmland, and engulfing homes and villages. Bubishare, a Uygur resident who grew up in a village upstream of the river, still vividly recalls the cries of helplessness from those affected by the devastating floods before the construction of the Aratax water conservation project. Thanks to the project, these nightmares are now a thing of the past for local residents.
Located in the Karakorum Mountain Valley, the Aratax water conservation project, known as the "Xinjiang's Three Gorges" project for its grandeur and construction challenges, was constructed to control the Yarkant River. The 1,289-km-long Yarkant River in the Tarim Basin is Xinjiang's most flood-prone river, and the towering dam can withstand the turbulent floodwaters in a reservoir with a storage capacity of 2.2 billion cubic meters.
Today, this dam is gushing with clean water sources, stable power, and also gushing with hope for the minority groups on the desert.
In August 2023, President Xi Jinping urged firmly grasping the strategic positioning of Xinjiang in the overall national situation and better building a beautiful Xinjiang in the process of pursuing Chinese modernization, the Xinhua News Agency reported.
Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, demanded thorough, meticulous, concrete and sustained efforts to develop a beautiful Xinjiang that is united, harmonious, prosperous, and culturally advanced, with healthy ecosystems and people living and working in contentment, in the process of pursuing Chinese modernization.
The building of a beautiful Xinjiang extends from a dam to a relocated ethnic minority community. The relocation of villagers to new homes with improved living conditions, as a result of the dam project, has brought green energy, green fields, and a green dream of prosperity to the villagers. Path to build new hope
After a challenging 6-hour journey along the rugged Tasha Ancient Road, the Global Times reporter finally laid eyes on the Aratax dam nestled in the mountainside deep within the Karakorum Mountain. Without firsthand experience of this journey, it is difficult to fathom the obstacles encountered during the entire process of researching, designing, and constructing the dam - no roads on the ground, barren mountains devoid of trees, transportation primarily by feet, and communication mainly through shouting. Accidents like overturning were frequent due to the rugged environment.
The Xinhua Hydropower Generation Co, Ltd, a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation, began construction on the water conservation project in 2011, with a total investment of 10.98 billion yuan ($1.5 billion). The Aratax project has played a crucial role in flood control, irrigation, and power generation. The river plain, with a population of 4 million and an irrigated area of over 6.5 million mu (433,333 hectares), is the largest irrigated area in Xinjiang and the fourth-largest in China, benefiting 2.4 million people in the region.
Zhang Yibo, a frontline employee at the developer, told the media, "Over a decade ago, this place was even more desolate and rarely visited, and our water conservancy experts achieved a remarkable feat here." Confronted by the harsh natural surroundings, the builders traversed mountains, camped under the open sky, drank from rivers when thirsty, and rested in tents outdoor, with a firm passion for building a sustainable dam for locals.
From July 18 to August 17, 2021, the Aratax water conservancy project successfully connected four units to the grid in just one month, a rare accomplishment in the history of global hydropower development. This hydropower station significantly alleviated the power shortage in the four southern prefectures in Xinjiang. The project's designed annual power generation is 21.86 billion kilowatt-hours, saving 883,100 tons of standard coal annually while reducing smoke and dust emissions by 175,300 tons, and enabling the residents of southern Xinjiang to access cleaner energy.
The dam's incorporation of advanced technology, such as unmanned compaction technology using the Beidou satellite, improved digital visualization of the construction progress, and magnetic induction devices to assist in fish migration, have been notable features of its intelligent design.
"Following the completion of this project, it has greatly supported our irrigation efforts. Economic crops like sea buckthorn and apples are now extensively cultivated in the desert, leading to significant improvements in both economic and ecological benefits," Fan Kexing, Party secretary of Tong'an township, Kashi, Xinjiang, told the Global Times. "Previously, the area was plagued by strong winds and sandstorms, with sand and gravel striking house windows with a loud thud, but this phenomenon has now been alleviated," Fan noted.
Path to enjoy better life
Over the last six years, the residents of the remote Karakorum Mountains in Xinjiang have experienced incredible changes. Having previously lived in the vast desert with only three mu of arable land per person a decade ago, they had to trek seven kilometers to the mountains for drinking water, which needed to be purified before consumption. Power outages lasting for days at a time were a common occurrence. However, these challenges are now a thing of the past.
Today, the residents have an average annual income exceeding 10,000 yuan, live in beautifully decorated homes with their ethnicity characteristics, and enjoy access to closer schools, more job opportunities, and reliable water and electricity services.
Thanks to the construction of the dam, in August 2018, 4,243 individuals from over 1,000 households in Kusilafu township, Aketao county were resettled in Tong'an township, over 100 kilometers away. This diverse community, made up of Uygurs, Kyrgyz, Tajiks, and other ethnic groups, have embraced their new beginning.
Zhou Jingfang, an expert at the Xinhua Hydropower Generation Co who led the relocation work, still remembers the days of tirelessly conducting site surveys, clearing land, mobilizing villagers to relocate, planning and designing new sites, building resettlement houses, greening rural areas, reclaiming farmland, introducing livestock, and setting up factories, schools, clinics, and markets.
He told the Global Times that the dedicated team members worked long hours in harsh conditions, and navigated countless checkpoints and roads in the vast desert and rugged mountains without complaint. Nowadays, the villagers are no longer facing the endless desert of despair as they did in the past.
When discussing stories of relocation, 25-year-old Bubishare said, "Our village now has schools, factories, and employment opportunities. The village has supported us to find more diverse ways to make a living."
"We have 20,000 acres of farmland, where we not only grow food but also operate cash crops cooperatives. This area is a seabuckthorn forest, and our village recently constructed a seabuckthorn fruit processing plant. Our seabuckthorn beer will soon hit the market. With ample water supply, we are confident in our farming endeavors." Fan shared proudly while standing amid the seabuckthorn forest.
In a local farmer's backyard sheep pen, the Global Times reporter observed over 20 Dolan sheep, known as "living banks." Zhou explained that by raising two Dolan sheep, a farmer can become prosperous within two years due to their high reproductive rate. In Tong'an, many villagers raise Dolan sheep in this manner and enjoy prosperity.
Tong'an township has also collaborated with local businesses to establish factories, providing employment for local women to produce items made from Xinjiang cotton, such as down jackets and socks for overseas export, ensuring female workers earn at least 2,000-3,000 yuan per month. "The factory is conveniently located, allowing women to balance family responsibilities while earning an income," Fan informed the Global Times.
In one factory, a wall in the workshop reads, "Happiness is achieved through hard work." These words have accurately described how local women in Xinjiang have embarked on the path to modernization through their own hands.
Along the Yarkand River, beyond the Karakorum Mountain, the villagers of Tong'an are employing their diligence and unwavering efforts to write their own happy stories in the desert. They have left behind isolation and poverty, embracing hope and prosperity within short years. In this vibrant land, a new life of perseverance and success is blossoming with vibrant hues.
Chinese President Xi Jinping spoke with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday by phone at the latter's request, during which Xi said that China and Britain should remain firm as partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit the two countries and the world through a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.
The phone conversation is the first of its kind between Xi and Starmer since Starmer succeeded in leading the Labour Party to a decisive victory in the UK general election and was appointed prime minister on July 5. On July 7, Chinese Premier Li Qiang sent a congratulatory message to Starmer on assuming the position.
During his phone talks, Xi congratulated Starmer on assuming office as British prime minister.
Xi noted that the current international situation is volatile and intertwined, and he said that China and Britain, both permanent members of the UN Security Council and major economies in the world, should view bilateral relations from a long-term and strategic perspective, remain firm as partners, strengthen dialogue and cooperation, and benefit the two countries and the world through a stable and mutually beneficial China-Britain relationship.
China is committed to advancing the building of a strong country and national rejuvenation on all fronts via Chinese modernization, and sticking to the path of peaceful development, Xi said, expressing his hope that Britain can view China in an objective and rational way.
China stands ready to engage in equal dialogue with Britain on the basis of mutual respect, enhance mutual understanding and mutual trust, strengthen synergy of development strategies with Britain, expand cooperation in such fields as finance, green economy and artificial intelligence as well as deepen people-to-people exchanges, to make mutual benefit and win-win the main tone of China-Britain relations, Xi said.
Starmer congratulated the Chinese sports delegation on their outstanding performance at the Paris Olympics and said that developing closer UK-China cooperation aligns with the long-term interests of both sides. Strengthening cooperation in trade, finance, education, clean energy, and healthcare would benefit each country's development and jointly address global challenges such as climate change.
The UK hopes to enhance contact and dialogue at all levels and in all areas with China, aiming for positive results in practical cooperation and institutional exchanges, and to develop a long-term, stable, and strategically significant UK-China relationship based on mutual respect, said Starmer.
This phone call on Friday is seen as meaningful for both countries, as China-UK relations had previously been strained for a while, Cui Hongjian, a professor from the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times.
Cui noted that the Labour Party's push for phone communication between the leaders is aimed at distinguishing itself from the Conservative Party. Since coming to power, the Labour Party has faced various challenges and is seeking to make a breakthrough in diplomacy, aiming to reactivate China-UK relations and restore them to a normal and healthy state through dialogue and interaction.
However, whether it can rejuvenate bilateral ties depends on the British side, as the current issues in China-UK relations largely stem from the UK. The British government needs to show sincerity and take concrete actions to improve relations, analysts said.
The Labour Party faces significant pressure from the UK media, Parliament, and think tanks, which maintained a critical stance toward China. Additionally, reduced communication under the previous Conservative government posed challenges, said Cui.
"We hope the Labour Party will move beyond mere gestures and develop concrete plans to restore bilateral relations responsibly. Both sides should implement the leaders' consensus, build mutual trust, and improve ties step by step," said the expert.
China's delegation for the Paris Olympic Games arrived in the French capital on Monday evening.
Headed by Gao Zhidan, director of China's General Administration of Sport, a team of Chinese Olympic Committee officials landed at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport.
China will be represented by 405 athletes in 236 events across 30 sports at the July 26-August 11 Olympics.
Athletes in table tennis, badminton, swimming and women's volleyball have already arrived in Paris, according to Gao.
China finished second behind the United States in the medals table at Tokyo 2020 with 38 golds, 32 silvers and 19 bronzes.
Top diplomats from Quad countries held talks on Monday in Tokyo, expressing so-called concerns about the situation in the East and South China Seas and vowing to uphold so-called maritime order in the "Indo-Pacific region," which analysts viewed as another attempt targeting China's growth, with a bloc-confrontation mentality.
The analysts noted that hyping up the "China-threat" rhetoric is a typical US way of inciting security anxiety, so as to make some regional countries rely more on the US-led bloc. However, most countries know that making China a target of confrontation may largely suit the needs of Washington's elites, but not their own.
According to the Japanese foreign ministry, the Quad (the US, Japan, Australia and India) foreign ministers have reaffirmed commitment toward the realization of a "free and open Indo-Pacific." In a joint statement released after the meeting, ministers emphasized the importance of adherence to international law for the rules-based maritime order, including in the East and South China Seas. They also reaffirmed "strong opposition to any unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo by force or coercion."
"We continue to express our serious concern about the militarization of disputed features, and coercive and intimidating maneuvers in the South China Sea," read the joint statement, "We also express our serious concern about the dangerous use of coast guard and maritime militia vessels, the increasing use of various kinds of dangerous maneuvers, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities."
Although China has not been directly singled out in the statement, analysts believe their implication for China is quite obvious.
In terms of the South China Sea disputes, the statement said that foreign ministers emphasized the importance of "maintaining and upholding freedom of navigation and overflight, and reiterate that the award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal on July 12, 2016 "is the basis for peacefully resolving disputes between the parties." China has previously declared that the award is "null and void and has no binding force," due to its fallacies and unfairness.
Besides, foreign ministers also discussed the promotion of cooperation on maritime security, critical and emerging technologies, cybersecurity, and counter-terrorism. They also discussed the Korean Peninsula situation, the Ukraine crisis and the Middle East situation, according to the joint statement.
In response to the Quad meeting, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a Monday press briefing that the Quad keeps chanting the slogan of a free and open Indo-Pacific, and all the while, it has been scaremongering, inciting antagonism and confrontation, and holding back other countries' development.
He said the Quad "runs counter to the overwhelming trend of pursuing peace, development, cooperation, and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and will by no means gain any support." He described some external forces as "the biggest threat and challenge to regional peace and stability."
Quad is a US-led mechanism, and its joint statement shows that the US is attempting to bolster the bloc's build-up by hyping "China threat" rhetoric and inciting security anxiety in the region, so as to make some regional countries rely more on the US-led bloc in terms of security, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.
Quad is a currently more about a partnership, but not yet an alliance. The latest statement suggests that the US is likely to further manipulate other parties with more coordinated actions, to enable Quad to evolve in the direction of a true alliance, Li said.
This means that the quad is likely to become a major source of creating antagonism and confrontation in the Asia-Pacific region, Li said.
Quad foreign ministers' meeting came after a US-Japan 2+2 security talks on Sunday, when they portrayed China as "the greatest strategic challenge" facing in the region. They agreed on upgrading the command and control of US forces and strengthening American-licensed missile production there, according to AP.
Earlier on Sunday, defense chiefs from the US, Japan and South Korea held a trilateral meeting in Tokyo, they vowed to strengthen cooperation to deter "nuclear and missile threats" from North Korea and formalized a trilateral agreement that would "institutionalize" security cooperation among their defense authorities, including senior-level policy consultations, information sharing, trilateral exercises, and defense exchange cooperation, according to CNN.
Strange bedfellows
Before the Quad meeting, Indian External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar also met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Sunday on bilateral ties and regional and global issues. In terms of the Quad meeting, Western media commented that any criticism of Moscow by the bloc could be "awkward for India," whose Prime Minister Narendra Modi has just met with Vladimir Putin this month and displayed close ties.
Chinese Premier Li Qiang visited Australia in June and attended the ninth China-Australia Annual Leaders' Meeting with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said that Australia is pleased to see that current Australia-China relations are stabilizing and improving.
About a week ahead of the Quad meeting, from July 21 to 25, Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Ma Zhaoxu held the 16th round of China-Japan strategic dialogue with Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Masataka Okano in Tokyo, and held the 10th round of the high-level strategic dialogue between the foreign ministries of China and South Korea with South Korean Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Kim Hong-kyun in Seoul, according to Xinhua News Agency.
"Those interactions are examples that can explain why the Quad joint statement did not name China directly, but dealt with the related issues in an obscure way," a Beijing-based expert told the Global Times on Monday, requesting anonymity.
"The Quad is divided over its handling of relations with China and many other issues … It is a relatively loose mechanism for strange bedfellows," he added.
The US can't get India to break off ties with Russia and fully embrace the US, while Japan and Australia have close ties in trade and people-to-people exchanges with China, and they can't afford to become vassals of the US at the expense of their own strategic interests, the expert noted.
Making China a target of confrontation may largely suit the needs of Washington's elites, but it isn't in line with the interest of the vast majority, he said.
Following the Quad foreign ministers meeting in Tokyo, Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin are expected to travel to Manila, where they will meet with their Philippine counterparts for a US-Philippines 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue.
The Japan and Philippine trip are part of Blinken's 18th trip to "Indo-Pacific" region since becoming Secretary, according to the US Department of State. And the trip, covering Laos, Vietnam, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Mongolia, lasts from July 25 to August 3.
Blinken's Asia trip is shadowed by the domestic political chaos in the US, including US President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the Presidential election.
Different candidates in the US have conflicting ideas on how to treat allies, which brings great uncertainty to the future foreign policy of the US, and that inevitably make many countries, including Asia-Pacific nations, doubt and even be wary of the credibility and consistency of the US policy, Li said.
"Blinken's trip served a strong purpose of reassurance, mainly to convince allies that US policy in the Asia-Pacific region and its security policy toward allied partners would not change because of domestic chaos," Li said. "At the same time, the US is conveying to allies that they need to continue to follow its lead in strategic competition with China and Russia."
"In fact, the US move is an attempt to consolidate its own hegemony at the expense of regional security, stability and prosperity, and even the interests of its allies themselves," said Li. "This means that in the long run, the US may not achieve its goals."
The ongoing official visit of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to China raised high expectations among the business community for its potential boost to bilateral economic and trade ties, in which both sides are highly complementary.
The visit, which takes place from Saturday to Wednesday, is highly anticipated by both Italian and Chinese enterprises with investments in mind, Fan Xianwei, secretary-general of the Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Italy (CCCIT), told the Global Times in an interview via email over the weekend, noting that "the visit is expected to bring new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, reflecting the shared aspirations of both nations."
"Chinese enterprises hope that with the exceptional political wisdom of leaders from both sides, Meloni's visit will foster deeper development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Italy, reject ideological biases, advocate economic globalization, and create a favorable and equitable business and investment environment," Fan said.
The visit came as China had just concluded its third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, during which important policies were unveiled, reflecting China's resolve to deepen reform and opening-up, a message that has been welcomed by the international business community.
Meloni's visit to China aims to further build up mutual trust while expanding cooperation despite Italy's previous withdrawal from the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, Zhao Junjie, a research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences' Institute of European Studies, told the Global Times.
"Meloni is expected to secure more cooperation in major projects with great potential, while driving economic development and bringing back vitality to some of its previously thriving sectors and enterprises, such as the manufacturing industry, and new energy by cooperating with Chinese enterprises," said Zhao.
China and Italy continue to deepen practical cooperation and achieve mutual benefits and win-win results. China is Italy's largest trading partner in Asia, with bilateral trade exceeding $70 billion for three consecutive years, Chinese Ambassador to Italy Jia Guide said in an article published by the People's Daily on Sunday.
China and Italy are highly complementary in the fields of agricultural and food products, biomedicine and e-commerce, Jia said.
The Italian prime minister's visit also comes as the EU is imposing additional tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, a move that has received wide opposition within the bloc and posed concerns about a possible trade war between the two major trading partners.
Looking at EU-China relations, Fan agreed that despite overall development in recent years, new issues and challenges have emerged. In particular, the European Commission's recent introduction of trade protectionist policies and regulations has added complexity and uncertainty to China-EU relations.
"Meloni is a pragmatic politician, and both Italy and China can accommodate and respect each other's differences from a broad historical and civilizational perspective... Her visit to China is expected to bring new opportunities for bilateral cooperation, reflecting the shared aspirations of both nations," Fan further noted.
"Yushu City is part of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau and it boasts an average altitude of over 4,000 meters. The oxygen content in the air is only about 60 percent of that in Hangzhou, but as long as I sit in an aerobic library for a short while, my blood oxygen saturation will rise from 88 to 94," said Li Haixian, a member of the Party Group of the Education Bureau of Yushu and the "Lighting-up Yushu" public welfare team of the State Grid Hangzhou Power Supply Company.
On June 25th, Li went to Haxiu Township Central Boarding School to unveil the plaque for the fourth aerobic library in the city.
Along the way, Li said a large amount of research has shown that although children growing up at high altitudes have adapted to low air pressure, lower blood oxygen levels still slow down their thinking.
"So, the children in Yushu need a place to learn where they can have sufficient oxygen, that place is the aerobic library."
Oxygen and books
"Do you know why places bitten by mosquitos itch? This book says it's because mosquitoes leave saliva on us."
Before the official unveiling, several students from Haxiu Township Central Boarding School eagerly walked into this brand-new library. Sixth-grader Yongzhuoma was holding a book called One Hundred Thousand Reasons and sharing interesting bits of information with her classmates.
"The children seem to really like this library," Li said.
The library was created out of an 18-square-meter container, and the exterior painted in white, green and blue. Inside the space, facilities such as oxygen production machines, heating and multimedia are available to the public.
According to Xu Guofeng, a volunteer of the "Lighting-up Yushu" public welfare team, there are currently more than 1,000 books in the library, including cartoon picture books and classic literary works, suitable for students of all grades to read.
Yongzhuoma told reporters that there was a reading corner in the school, but it was not well supplied and the number of books was limited. "Reading in the new library feels very cosy and relaxing," he commented.
Yongzhuoma's classmate Cai Rensang Zhou said, "The reason why I like it is simple. There are no tables or chairs in the school's reading corner, so I can only read standing up, but here I can sit and read in peace."
Cai Rensang Zhou pulled out a picture book called Marine Life from the bookshelf. After carefully flipping through a few pages, he pointed to a pine leaf crab and said, "Look, this crab has long legs. I really like the ocean, but I haven't been to the beach. This book allows me to see many animals that are only found in the ocean."
Continuous endeavor
The concept of building an aerobic library was proposed by Li to the "Lighting-up Yushu" public welfare team in 2018. After multiple revisions to the plan, the first aerobic library was established in 2020 at Dejiling Primary School in Longbao Town.
"Our original intention was to provide a place for children to calm down and read books. On the plateau, a suitable oxygen concentration is a prerequisite to learning," said Li. "We hope that children can be empowered by books and one day step out of the mountains to see the outside world."
Ang Ga, the principal of Dejiling Primary School at the time, said that before 2018, the school did not have funds to open a dedicated library. Since the opening of the aerobic library in 2020. However, the school has arranged dedicated librarians to take care of the reading materials and manage the space.
"We have assigned full time staff to the library in order to make the most of this library and extend its opening hours as much as possible," Ang Ga said. The librarians also fulfill a teaching role, providing children with reading classes. "Every Wednesday afternoon, students can take books out of the library to read, or bring them home," Ang Ga explained.
At present, there are tens of thousands of books of various types in the aerobic library of Dejiling Primary School, and they are updated every year, mostly through donations.
With the continuous efforts of the "Lighting-up Yushu" public welfare team, there are now four aerobic libraries serving thousands of students on the plateau at an altitude of over 4,000 meters, allowing them to read any books they like in a comfortable environment.
"Our plan for the future is for Yushu to add one more aerobic library to the existing ones every year, said the volunteers of the" Lighting-up Yushu "public welfare team.
