The Minister of Tourism and Antiquities of Egypt Sherif Fathy expressed his desire to enhance cooperation with China in the fields of tourism and archaeology at a press conference in Cairo on Tuesday, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Wednesday.
The call has won active response from Chinese cultural and archaeological experts, who said the cultural exchanges between the two countries have achieved fruitful results and highlight China's role as an active advocate for cultural heritage protection and dialogue among civilizations.
Fathy told Xinhua that the relationship between Egypt and China is very solid, and it has thrived following the visits of the two heads of state and the wide-ranging and productive cooperation between the two nations, including the ongoing exhibition On Top of the Pyramid: The Civilization of Ancient Egypt being held in China.
In July, the exhibition kicked off at the Shanghai Museum, bringing Chinese visitors a cultural feast composed of some 788 artifacts from different periods of ancient Egypt, from statues of pharaohs and anthropoid inner coffins to gold jewelry. Over 95 percent of the exhibits are being displayed in Asia for the first time, according to the museum.
"Two of the world's four ancient civilizations, the ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations have many historical similarities," said Chu Xiaobo, director of the museum, adding that there has been little official cooperation between China and Egypt in exhibitions before.
"This time we finally realized our dream," he said.
Media reported that the exhibition has earned big thumbs-up among Chinese visitors, many of whom have claimed that these Egyptian artifacts are "priceless and unprecedented."
During the press conference, Fathy expressed his anticipation for expanding cultural exchanges and archaeological collaboration with China, a country that shares a long history and a brilliant civilization with Egypt, quoting the successful example of the joint archaeological project at the Montu Temple in Luxor, Egypt.
According to media reports, the two countries launched the joint project in 2018. This marked the first time a Chinese archaeological team had conducted excavations in Egypt since the founding of the People's Republic of China.
In mid-March, the joint archaeological team resumed excavation work at the Montu Temple site after a pandemic-induced hiatus and has since achieved abundant results.
Jia Xiaobing, the Chinese head of the joint archaeological project and director of the world archaeological research office at the Institute of Archaeology of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times that the latest collaboration with the Egyptian team has achieved a deeper understanding compared to his initial experience in 2018.
According to a report released by the China-Egypt joint archaeological team, two excavation sites are the focuses of the current round of work. The first site is in the southwestern part of the entire Montu Temple area, where six Osirian Chapels are distributed from west to east.
Except for the first and second temples, which have accurate dates and names, more information about the other temples awaits archaeological discovery.
The second site is located at the junction of the Montu Temple and the Maat Temple. The focus there is on resolving architectural sequence issues.
"Archaeology is the best way to understand the core of the traditional culture of a nation. Although our working season only lasts two to three months, within this period, we have deepened our understanding of each other's civilizations," Jia said.
He said that China acts as an active advocate for cultural heritage protection and dialogue among civilizations, adding that the international cooperation of Chinese archaeology is "an essential component in implementing the Global Civilization Initiative."
Additionally, Fathy said that Egypt currently attracts approximately 200,000 Chinese tourists annually and that measures will be taken to increase this number.
Beyond participating in tourism fairs in China, the Egyptian tourism sector will strengthen cooperation with Chinese tourism operators. They plan to explore more strategies to promote cooperation in tourism development through conferences, dialogues, and seminars.
According to the website of China's Ministry of Commerce, around 90,000 Chinese tourists visited Egypt in the first quarter of this year, a year-on-year increase of 178 percent. The tourism authority in Egypt has set a target of welcoming 300,000 Chinese tourists by the end of 2024.
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati and Humanitarian Coordinator for Lebanon Imran Riza on Tuesday launched a 426-million-U.S. dollar Flash Appeal to mobilize urgent resources for civilians affected by the escalating conflict and resulting humanitarian crisis in Lebanon.
The announcement occurred at the Serail in Beirut, which was attended by UN agencies, member states, the international community, and local and international partners.
"I urge all nations to step up their support in providing humanitarian aid and to use their influence to help bring an end to the violence," Mikati said, calling for immediate action from the international community.
The Flash Appeal seeks to assist approximately 1 million people affected by the ongoing clashes between Israel and Hezbollah by providing urgent needs such as food, basic assistance, shelter, healthcare, water, and municipal services.
"We must act swiftly and decisively to ensure that those affected by this crisis receive the essential support they require. All parties must uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians and prioritize humanitarian access," Riza said.
The recent escalation caused an unprecedented surge in casualties and displacement in Lebanon, with more than 1,000 people losing their lives over the past two weeks and around 1 million people displaced from their villages and towns since last October, according to the tally by the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Meanwhile, the United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) launched an appeal for 105 million dollars for Lebanon for the next three months.
"The escalation in hostilities is catastrophic for all children in Lebanon," said UNICEF Representative in Lebanon, Edouard Beigbeder, in a statement. "UNICEF is responding to the most critical and immediate needs of children in Lebanon but requires urgent support to sustain and expand its response."
The statement said that the funds are urgently needed to deliver critical supplies to children in desperate need, maintain Lebanon's essential services, including safe water, psychosocial support, and learning, and prepare for any potential further escalation in hostilities.
More than 100 children have been killed since Oct. 8, 2023, with more than half of the deaths occurring in the past week alone, while more than 300,000 children have been displaced from their homes, the UN body said, citing statistics from the Lebanese Health Ministry.
Confrontations between Hezbollah and Israel have intensified following Israel's announcement to broaden its war objectives to include the return of northern residents, who were evacuated due to attacks by Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, has launched barrages of rockets at Israel since last October in solidarity with Hamas and the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
In efforts to regulate internet news services and enhance the credibility of Chinese mainstream media, while creating a healthier online environment, the Office of the Central Cyberspace Affairs Commission launched a three-month campaign aimed at rectifying illegal online news information services, the office announced on Thursday.
The campaign will target five primary areas of concern, including the publishing of false or misleading news, such as creating sensational headlines, distorting or fabricating news content, or using misleading video and image edits to deceive the public.
The other area of concern is the abuse of media oversight, where some platforms used news production, publishing, and deletion to influence search results or extort money or favors from individuals and companies.
Impersonating legitimate news outlets, unauthorized internet news services, and forging or misusing news credentials such as the illegal trading or transfer of internet news service licenses will also be cracked down during the campaign.
A spokesperson for the cyberspace regulator emphasized that local cybersecurity departments must enhance their political awareness and strengthen the leadership of this campaign to ensure its implementation.
They should guide websites and platforms to refine the categorization of public accounts by creating a distinct category for "news accounts." Verifying licensing qualifications will be a prerequisite for launching such accounts.
Furthermore, the spokesperson highlighted that online platforms, public accounts, applications, and live broadcasts that provide online news services must prominently display the entity's name and license number.
Platforms are also urged to improve their algorithm models and recommendation systems to prioritize high-quality news from certified news accounts. Reporting channels curbing illegal activities should be expanded, and investigations into such reports should be promptly conducted, with typical cases publicly exposed.
In recent years, the cyberspace administration authority has launched a series of campaigns addressing key problems across the online environment. This year, the campaigns focus on 10 major tasks, with most of which already underway, including the regulation of online space during the Spring Festival holidays, improving business environment by tackling corporate rights violations, crackdown on illegal external links, and curb the rise of unscrupulous content from social media accounts. Additionally, actions have been taken to clean up false and vulgar content in the livestreaming industry and protect minors online during the summer break.
Looking ahead, the office will target increased regulation in AI-generated and synthesized content by ensuring proper labeling, standardize online language use, and address local content issues in city-specific sections of the internet, according to a plan released by the office earlier in March outlining their key tasks for 2024.
An article by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, on promoting patriotism, will be published on Tuesday in the Qiushi Journal.
The article by Xi, who is also Chinese president and chairman of the Central Military Commission, stresses more efforts to build a strong China and advance national rejuvenation.
Tuesday marks the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China.
In an era marked by unprecedented global transformations, the world stands at a critical crossroads, grappling with deepening deficits in peace, development, security, and governance. As humanity faces unparalleled challenges during this tumultuous period, Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, has put forth a solemn call to action through the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI).
The three pivotal initiatives address the pressing issues of our time, offering viable pathways and robust support for the building of a global community of shared future. Rooted in the rich historical experiences of the CPC's century-long struggle and infused with the wisdom of China's traditional culture, these initiatives are expected to unite the world in the pursuit of common progress and stability.
To offer a deep understanding of the GDI, the GSI, and the GCI, and elaborate on their significance on a global scale, the Global Times is launching series of articles featuring engaging stories and in-depth interviews to provide our readers with a comprehensive insight into the three initiatives. From 'Convention of Peking' to 'Beijing Declaration'
In April 2022, President Xi proposed the GSI to promote universal security while delivering a keynote speech via video link at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2022. The initiative is a global public good offered by China, as well as a vivid illustration of the vision of a community with a shared future for mankind in the security field.
On July 23, 2024, 14 Palestinian factions gathered in Beijing and signed the Beijing Declaration on Ending Division and Strengthening Palestinian National Unity after participating in reconciliation talks mediated by China, a lively demonstration of the GSI's function in practice, which many international observers hailed China for having "made something impossible possible," and regarded it as a milestone in the Middle East reconciliation process.
"Palestinian unity is key to the realization of Palestinian statehood and China is committed to facilitating it," read an article on news outlet Al Jazeera.
"The Palestinian question is at the core of the Middle East issue. Over the past years, China has put forward proposals and taken action to address the Palestinian question with Chinese wisdom and solutions," stated the article.
China's Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said at a regular media briefing on July 24, that "China firmly supports the Palestinian people in restoring their legitimate national rights, and supports the people of Middle East countries in holding their future in their own hands. China will continue to advance the GSI and make more contribution to peace and stability in the Middle East."
On the day that the "Beijing Declaration" was signed, many Chinese people hailed the important step in peace in the Middle East and shared the sentiment "Because we have been caught in the rain, we want to hold an umbrella for others" on social media platforms.
They recalled the history that 164 years ago, the Qing government was forced to sign the humiliating "Convention of Peking" in 1860, which included ceding territories and paying indemnities. That dark era saw China reduced to a semi-feudal and semi-colonial society, when bullying by foreign powers and frequent wars tore the country apart and plunged the Chinese people into an abyss of great suffering. After a strenuous fight, the CPC has closely united and led the Chinese people of all ethnic groups to work hard for a century to put an end to China's national humiliation, guiding the country to progress and prosperity.
The past suffering is not merely a reminder of a dark history; it has also made the Chinese people more sympathetic to the suffering of others and has deepened their understanding of the value of peace.
Turkish Ambassador to China İsmail Hakkı Musa hailed the significance of the GSI in an exclusive interview with the Global Times. "The GSI has its own rations. It focuses on sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, and [the] peaceful settlement of the disputes. You may have noticed that too many people - too many analysts - defended the idea that, for example, the role assumed by China between the approach of Saudi Arabia and Iran was a kind of application or practice of this initiative," Musa said.
"We all know that this approach is a good thing. Lesser tension in that region is an important contribution to the world peace," he stressed.
In practice, China is not only playing an unselfish, active role in the brokering of peace in the Middle East while some other countries ignore human lives for selfish interests, but has also become an important force in maintaining world peace.
Since the restoration of its legitimate seat in the United Nations, China has faithfully fulfilled its international legal obligations as a permanent member of the UN Security Council.
Currently, China is the second-largest contributor to the UN's regular budget, the second-largest contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, and the largest troop-contributing nation among the permanent members of the Security Council. China actively participates in negotiations and the formulation of rules on global security issues in various fields, including international arms control and preventing nuclear proliferation.
It also collaborates with various parties in non-traditional security areas such as counter-terrorism, biosecurity, and food security. In the face of ongoing hotspot issues, China is committed to playing the role of a responsible major power.
Right to development
In the heart of Africa, where the sun shines brightly and the needs of the people are as vast as the savannah, a new story of development is unfolding. It's a tale of "small but beautiful" projects born from China-Africa cooperation, ranging from crop cultivation and maize growth and combating the region's hunger issue, to clean energy projects that provide affordable new energy, and to the Luban Workshop, which offers training to many in Africa.
The implementation of these "small and beautiful" projects echoes the GDI's call for sustainable and people-centric growth.
Three years ago, Xi proposed the GDI at the general debate of the 76th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, calling for the building of a consensus in pursuing development, promoting shared growth, and helping accelerate the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
China achieved the goal of eradicating absolute poverty 10 years ahead of the United Nations' 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, making significant contributions to global poverty alleviation efforts. Internationally, China is fully committed to development, actively sharing its development opportunities and experiences with other countries, especially with those in the Global South.
Since the initiative was proposed, the content has been consistently substantialized, with its implementation mechanisms becoming more refined over time. This has led to the gradual establishment of practical cooperation within its framework, providing China's approach to addressing the development gap in Global South countries.
At the just concluded 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the China-Africa Joint Statement on Deepening Cooperation within the Framework of the Global Development Initiative was released.
"Since the launch of the GDI, China and Africa have joined forces and mutually supported each other in exploring paths toward modernization, further implementing the China-Africa Cooperation Vision 2035, advancing the nine programs to a high standard, as well as completing 175 'small and beautiful' livelihood cooperation projects," read the statement.
More than 30 African members of the FOCAC have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI and the Global Development Promotion Center Network to put in place an efficient working mechanism and platform for alignment in development policies, coordination of development resources, and facilitation of joint actions.
Shakeel Ahmad Ramay, CEO of the Asian Institute of Eco-civilization Research and Development in Pakistan, told the Global Times that he believes that the GDI, which advocates that development "holds the master key" to solving problems and ensuring sustainable peace, is what the world is desperately seeking now. He noted that apart from Africa, other Global South countries are benefiting from the GDI and China's development dividends.
"Without sharing the dividends of development, we cannot preach ethics, and the dream of peace will remain a dream. Without cooperation, concrete programs, and the allocation of financial resources, we cannot achieve these goals. China is cognizant of this reality and has launched numerous programs and provided financial support such as $4 billion to the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund," he said.
Musa noted to the Global Times that "China initiated the concept of the 'right to development.' The GDI also offers action-based policies and result-based projects."
According to China's Foreign Ministry, over the last three years, the GDI has made remarkable achievements. Over 100 countries and some international organizations have given support to or taken part in the initiative. More than 80 countries have joined the Group of Friends of the GDI. China has set up a Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund, which has financed over 150 programs. The Global Development Promotion Center Network is bringing more members on board.
"The GDI was put forward by China, but its opportunities and benefits are shared by the world. On the path toward development and prosperity, no country or individual should be left behind. This is the vision of the GDI, as well as the goal advocated by the UN," Mao Ning said at a regular media briefing on September 20, 2024. Respect for diverse civilizations
In March 2023, Xi proposed the GCI for the first time at the CPC in Dialogue with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting, advocating for the respect of the diversity of world civilizations, the promotion of common values for all humanity, the emphasis on the inheritance and innovation of civilizations, and the strengthening of international cultural exchange and cooperation.
The initiative is another major public product offered to the world by China after the GDI and the GSI. It sends a sincere call to the world to deepen the dialogue of civilization exchanges and promote the progress of human civilization through inclusiveness and mutual learning, contributing Chinese wisdom and solutions to promote a higher level of international cooperation, experts said.
Shahbaz Khan, director of the UNESCO Regional Office, told the Global Times that the GCI aligns with UNESCO's mission to foster respect for cultures worldwide, particularly those that possess outstanding universal value.
China now boasts 59 World Heritage sites, including the Beijing Central Axis, a "remarkable example" of urban heritage that showcases advancements from the Yuan Dynasty (1279-1368) to the present day, Khan said.
In recent years, China has enhanced communication and coordination with UNESCO, working with all parties to promote the implementation of the United Nations' Global Agenda for Dialogue among Civilizations, strengthening dialogue and exchange among civilizations, and increasing the sharing of values, concepts, and experiences behind the policies of various countries, jointly exploring solutions to global challenges and issues.
Ramay noted that the GCI, together with GDI and GSI, "negates the idea of superiority and present the vision of equality and equity built on respect for diversity and cultures. The vision categorically highlighted the need for a fair and just system where everyone (country or human) can pursue the dream of development and peace."
"These initiatives promote the idea of resolving conflicts or disputes through dialogue and development to strengthen peaceful and cooperative co-existence. Thus, the world welcomed the initiative, especially the Global South," he said.
A joint investigation group in Hefei, capital of East China's Anhui Province, announced in a statement on Thursday that it will confiscate illegal gains and impose a fine totaling 68.9491 million yuan ($9.83 million) on Three Sheep Group, a company based in the city that was founded by online influencer Zhang Qingyang. The company has recently been hit by criticism of false publicity.
The company apologized for misleading consumers, and vowed to comprehensively conduct internal rectification and protect consumers' legal rights.
Short video platform Douyin said on Thursday that the platform has suspended the livestreaming function of Three Sheep Group's account since September 21, and will further urge the company to commence self-rectification and properly resolve the after-sales compensation issues for consumers.
According to the statement, the Three Sheep Group marketed mooncakes from the Meisun Fine Cake brand as a "Hong Kong-based product" with "over 20 years of history." But in fact, the mooncakes are produced in Guangdong Province and are not sold in Hong Kong.
Three Sheep Group also marketed an "Australian grain-fed beef roll" product as original meat despite not obtaining the original meat inspection report, and the product actually involves a mixture of meat.
The two cases were defined as false commercial publicity by the investigation group, and another case regarding discrepancies between some shipped products and advertised items is under further investigation.
Aside from the penalties, the investigation group required Three Sheep Group to commence rectification within a defined time limit and take legal responsibility. The department of discipline inspection and supervision will initiate investigations into individuals who neglect their duties according to relevant laws and regulations, said the statement.
On September 17, Hefei's market supervision administration launched an investigation into Three Sheep Group for allegedly "misleading consumers" during its livestream sales on social media platform Douyin.
Analysts said the incident serves as a warning for the livestreaming industry, and will help to promote stricter regulations and reforms.
Finland will return a pair of giant pandas to China ahead of schedule due to cost issues, the Global Times learned from Ähtäri Zoo on Wednesday, noting that the two pandas are in good condition and a farewell party is being planned for them.
General curator of Ähtäri Zoo, Marko Haapakoski, told the Global Times in an email on Wednesday that the zoo has been facing many challenges since 2020, and most of them were impossible to predict. The situation at hand is a sum of many factors such as the decrease in yearly visitors due to the pandemic, following inflation and a considerable rise in interest rates in Finland.
Despite Chinese partners’ unprecedented help and support, and Ähtäri Zoo’s many efforts, the zoo found itself in a situation where a difficult decision of returning the pandas needed to be made, Haapakoski said.
He explained, "The decision was made after friendly negotiations between partners in China and Finland. All parties agreed together that the best solution for everyone involved is to return the pandas to China."
Regarding the upcoming plans for the pandas, Haapakoski said the pandas will remain visible to the public until October 20. After that, the panda house will be closed to the public, and the pandas will spend their final month in Ähtäri in quarantine.
He also said they "are planning a farewell party for the pandas and hope that many visitors will come to wish them a good journey back to China."
The pandas, named Lumi and Pyry, arrived in Finland in January 2018 on a 15-year loan under a research program. Haapakosk said the pandas are doing really good. The female panda, Lumi (Jin Baobao), is returning to normal after a pseudopregnancy, and bamboo has started to appeal to her again. Pyry (Huo Bao) has been doing well all the time.
According to Reuters on Wednesday, a spokesperson for Finland's foreign ministry said that the return of the pandas was a business decision made by the zoo, which did not involve Finland's government and should not impact relations between the two countries.
Despite efforts by China to aid the zoo, the two countries jointly concluded after friendly consultations to return the pandas, the Chinese embassy in Helsinki said in a statement to Reuters.
Chinese top diplomat Wang Yi met with Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa on Monday in New York at the latter's invitation. Wang said China's opposition to Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the ocean is entirely justified, and that China will conduct an investigation and handle the individual case of the attack of a Japanese student in Shenzhen in accordance with the law, and the Japanese side should view this matter calmly and rationally, avoiding politicization and escalation.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, stated that comprehensively advancing the strategic mutually beneficial relationship between China and Japan is a shared responsibility of both sides. He hopes that Japan will work with China to grasp the correct direction of bilateral relations, implement the consensus reached by the leaders of both countries, and promote the healthy and stable development of China-Japan relations, according to a release published by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
Kamikawa said that Japan values its relationship with China. In the face of rising risks and challenges in the international situation, Japan and China should maintain communication and dialogue at all levels and in all fields, including negotiating solutions to the nuclear wastewater issue, and jointly safeguarding regional peace and development.
The important foundation of the bilateral relationship lies in the exchanges between the peoples of the two countries. The Japanese foreign minister said it is hoped that China will properly handle the case of the Shenzhen schoolboy and ensure the safety of Japanese nationals in China.
Wang stressed that China's opposition to Japan's discharge of nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station into the ocean is entirely justified. Since Japan has agreed to accept long-term international monitoring arrangements and independent sampling and monitoring by relevant countries, including China, it should follow through on its commitments and avoid unnecessary complications.
China will investigate and handle the individual case of the Japanese schoolboy attack in Shenzhen in accordance with the law, and will continue to ensure the safety of all foreign citizens in China. Japan should view this matter calmly and rationally, avoiding politicization and escalation, said Wang.
An ongoing exhibition about Han Dynasty (206BC-AD220) stone reliefs at the Art Museum of West Taihu Lake in Changzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, has been a major draw during the Mid-Autumn Festival holidays.
The stone reliefs are unique artistic works from the Western and Eastern Han periods and were created to decorate tomb chambers, ancestral halls, mausoleum gates, stone coffins and cliff grottoes.
This exhibition brings together nearly 200 precious collections from about 20 cultural institutions and university research units across China. It collects the latest research achievements in Han Dynasty stone reliefs, featuring new archaeological discoveries from various regions, archaeological sketches, outstanding publications and literature.
