Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena in Beijing on Wednesday.

Noting that the friendship between China and Sri Lanka enjoys a long history and the two peoples share a natural affinity, Xi said consolidating and promoting China-Sri Lanka relations serves the fundamental interests and reflects the common expectations of the two peoples.

China is willing to work with Sri Lanka to carry forward the spirit of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is characterized by "independence, self-reliance, unity and mutual support," to consolidate political mutual trust, enhance exchanges of experience in governance, expand practical cooperation, and advance the high quality Belt and Road cooperation, Xi said.

He noted that China and Sri Lanka should join hands to advance their strategic cooperative partnership featuring sincere mutual assistance and ever-lasting friendship.

The recent briefings run British politicians have started a new round of "China threat" hype with the focus on cybersecurity, a smear campaign not deviant from their long-term anti-China stance but intensified by the upcoming general election, Chinese observers said on Monday.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden is set to inform parliament on Monday that Beijing is behind a wave of cyber attacks against members of parliament (MPs) and peers, as well as accessing the personal details of 40 million voters in a hack on the Electoral Commission last year, Sky News reported.

Parliament's director of security Alison Giles has convened a briefing with the attendance of a small group of China hawks, including former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith, the former minister Tim Loughton, the crossbench peer Lord Alton and the SNP MP Stewart McDonald, the Times reported.

The four are members of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), a cross-country anti-China coalition formed in 2020 that was derided as a contemporary era "Eight-Nation Alliance" invasion force.

Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron is also set to brief the 1922 Committee of backbench Conservative MPs on Monday evening, and the topic of China and security will likely be raised.

In response to those accusations against China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Monday's routine press briefing that tracing cyberattacks is highly complex and sensitive. There should be sufficient, objective evidence when investigating and characterizing cyber incidents, rather than smear other countries without facts, let alone politicizing cyber security issues.

Cybersecurity is a global challenge and China is one of the major victims of cyber-attacks. China always resolutely resists all types of malicious online activities in accordance with the law, and advocates that all countries jointly respond through dialogue and cooperation, Lin said, "We hope that all parties will stop spreading false information, take a responsible attitude and jointly maintain the peace and security of cyberspace."

Hyping "cyber attacks from China" continues on the anti-China path of Conservatives and is not very different from the UK's past smear campaigns against Chinese firms or products. Basically their argument is "anything from China can constitute a threat," Li Guanjie, a research fellow with the Shanghai Academy of Global Governance and Area Studies under the Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Monday.

But intensifying such hypes at the moment is related to the general election to be held later this year, Li believes.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declined to brand China a threat, despite pressure from some wings of the party, and as the election approaches, harden tone against China is an easy campaign method, analysts said.

Hao Min, dean of the Department of Law of the University of International Relations, told the Global Times on Monday that blame shifting is also an easy approach to divert domestic anxiety and discontent on sluggish economy and social issues.

Painting China as a security threat also paves to protectionist policies in economic realm, Hao said, citing the latest British media reports that Chinese-made electric cars in UK could be jammed remotely by Beijing.

Hao noticed the UK's hardline stance on China has become more prominent after the Brexit, as London aligned with Washington closer in foreign policy. The attacks on Chinese EVs came on heels of the US' similar smears.

As global geopolitics becomes "Cold War-alike," such camp-based rather than fact-based rows will continue, analysts said, but China will firmly reject such smear campaigns and defend its own interests in line with the law.

According to Guardian, the UK could impose sanctions on individuals believed to be involved in acts of state-backed interference. If the UK takes any concrete actions, they will be responded by countermeasures from China, analysts said.

Every year, Professor Liu Yansui embarks on a journey that takes him to the heart of China's countryside. With each step he takes, Liu brings with him a wealth of knowledge, experience, and dedication that have made him a driving force in China's poverty alleviation and rural revitalization efforts.

His method, a blend of meticulous research and concern for the well-being of rural residents, has yielded remarkable results. Through his scientific research and decision-making support, thousands of households have been lifted out of poverty, and rural communities have been revitalized.

Despite spending a large quantity of time in rural areas where he works from dawn to dusk, Liu, a specialist in human geography and land science at Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research of Chinese Academy of Sciences, is also busy with academic work in Beijing as he tries to find solutions for problems through careful planning and scientific methods.

"Poverty alleviation and rural revitalization is not just about providing temporary relief. It's about empowering communities to become self-sufficient and resilient," Liu told the Global Times at his Beijing office.

"As a geographer, one must not only read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles, but also strive for the well-being of thousands of people," he noted.

Base research on land

Chinese President Xi Jinping once noted that "it is necessary to vigorously promote the scientific spirit of pursuing truth and scaling new heights throughout society, widely publicize role models and deeds emerging in the fields of basic research and other science and technology fields, educate and guide science and technology personnel to inherit the glorious traditions of the previous generations of scientists who devoted themselves to the country and cared for the people, and base their research on the land of China."

Bearing this in mind, Liu has been dedicated to promoting the scientific spirit and pursuing truth by conducting extensive research and writing papers based on the rich materials he has found in the vast land of China.

Liu showed notes he has written on his cell phone to the Global Times, which include his thoughts on the country's strategies, geographical science and engineering innovation, and how to empower rural communities to thrive.

Tall and energetic, the geographer has reiterated the importance of the countryside for the country's overall development to the Global Times reporters. Having worked in the field of human geography for more than two decades, he believes that the concept of the human-earth system science, which highlights interactions and dynamics between human activities and the natural environment in the new era, is fundamental in revitalizing rural communities and reshaping the future of China's countryside.

His work in promoting ecological land consolidation technologies and industrialization models, as well as scientific reclaiming desertified lands, revitalizing saline-alkali soil, creating land in gullies on the Loess Plateau, and implementing sustainable agricultural and rural revitalization practices, has earned him national recognition and accolades.

On the international stage, Liu's work also gained wide reputation. He has received numerous awards and accolades including being awarded the social science award by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the distinguished practice award by the International Geographical Union (IGU), and being elected as a TWAS academician. More importantly, he is now sharing his work and practical experience with more developing countries that could apply such knowledge in their development.

In the realm of academic pursuits and scientific endeavors, the passing of knowledge from one generation to the next is a crucial aspect of advancement. This passing of the torch is not merely a formality, but a deeply ingrained tradition that ensures the preservation and evolution of ideas and practices.

Liu's greatest mentor is academician Wu Chuanjun, a distinguished expert in human geography and economic geography in China.

After half a century of exploration and research, Wu first proposed that the human-earth areal system is the core theory of geographical research, a dynamic structure formed by the intertwining of human society and the geographical environment in a specific region.

Liu inherited and further built upon Wu's theory. He has led a team to establish geographical engineering research demonstration bases in typical regions such as Yan'an, Yulin, Hanzhong, Yanchi, Yucheng, and Fuping. Through continuous observation and comprehensive research on human-earth systems in different regions, he has creatively developed human-earth system science and is exploring its practical application to meet the demands of modern sustainable development.

According to Liu, with the increasing impact of human activities on the geographical environment, the importance of the human-earth system is becoming more apparent. Conducting in-depth research concerning human-earth systems and sustainable development is not only an important international scientific frontier topic, but also an important scientific basis for serving national strategic needs such as promoting harmonious coexistence between humans and nature, and rural revitalization.

"Innovation first requires inheritance - inheriting the scientific research of predecessors and continuing the unfinished cause of predecessors. Innovation is not something that comes out of thin air, but a process of continuous progression from nothing to something, from something to better, and from better to unique," Liu said.

He not only absorbed the theories and concepts put forth by his mentor but also the underlying ethos of dedication and perseverance. He learned how to apply theory to practice, and how to innovate while staying true to the principles laid down by his mentor.

"Mr. Wu always emphasized the importance of understanding the intricate systems that govern our world. He taught me that every region, no matter how small, is a system unto itself, and that understanding these systems is key to effective action," he recalled.

Liu's team marks February 25 as the "Day for Serving National Strategy," when they hosted seminars to share their latest research findings.

On February 25, 2021, President Xi hailed the country's achievement of eradicating extreme poverty as a miracle that shall "go down in history." China has lifted 98.99 million poor rural residents under the current poverty line out of poverty, with 832 impoverished counties and 128,000 poor villages removed from the poverty list.

"Geography, as a comprehensive interdisciplinary studying the relationship between humans and the environment, has significant practical applications. In China, many geographers have been actively involved in solving major strategic needs and real-life issues," Liu explained.

In 2016, Liu led a team to undertake the tasks of third-party assessment of national targeted poverty alleviation in China and promoting the standardization of assessment. In the six year after, he and over 10,000 experts traveled to 22 provinces in central and western China. They conducted field investigations in 5,380 typical villages of 603 counties, collecting 160,000 questionnaires from villagers and 3,813 from village officials.

"Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), precise strategies for poverty alleviation and eradication have been implemented, along with a rigorous assessment and evaluation system to ensure tangible results," Liu said.

Liu highlighted that the third-party evaluation of national poverty alleviation effectiveness is a complex yet significant project, being the largest and earliest in the history of global poverty reduction.

Days were spent on household surveys, and nights were on discussions. The intense yet rewarding evaluation days during their journey left a lasting impact on Liu.

"During household surveys, we adopted the'six-step method': First observed their living conditions, second checked food reserves, third look at the labor force, forth verified children's school attendance, fifth inquired about the stability of their income sources, and, finally ask about the evaluation of the masses," Liu shared.

Apart from collecting stacks of paper questionnaires, Liu and his team developed a third-party evaluation system utilizing big data, integrating questionnaires, recordings, video, photography, GPS positioning, and high-definition maps. This approach authentically and objectively records nationwide poverty alleviation progress.

In Liu's view, through numerous explorations, China has found a successful path for poverty alleviation and development tailored to its national conditions. This lays the groundwork for addressing overall regional poverty in rural areas and advancing modern agricultural development and rural revitalization.

Liu emphasized that China's success in targeted poverty alleviation is due to accurate poverty identification, targeted assistance and effective solutions. He commended active cooperation between the evaluation expert teams and provincial Party committees and governments in addressing issues identified during field investigations.

Witnessing the remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, Liu now focuses on urban-rural integration and rural revitalization in the new era. He initiated a plan to conduct the second survey of hollow villages nationwide in conjunction with the major program of National Natural Science Foundation of China, which he is currently hosting, on cooperative observation, transformation mechanism, and scenario simulation of rural area system this year.

With China's urbanization progressing, Liu highlighted the need to find a place where more than 400 million rural residents can live and work in peace as the urbanization rate is expected to reach 70 percent by 2030.

He envisions that with scientific and technological advancements, China will enhance the quality of urbanization and promote the urbanization of agricultural migrant workers.

Through urban-rural integration and optimizing the coupling relationship between human, land and industry, it's hoped that China will gradually eliminate this development imbalance, further enhance the quality of the population, improve the ecological environment, and build beautiful and prosperous rural areas, he said.
Solutions for developing nations

On the "Day for Serving National Strategy" in 2023, Liu's research team released the English version of the "Poverty Alleviation Supported By Science And Technology," which garnered attention from international organizations such as the Alliance of International Science Organizations (ANSO) and the IGU. The IGU expressed gratitude to Liu's team for utilizing geography's advantages to closely serve major needs at a crucial time.

Liu emphasized that China's accomplishments in poverty reduction offer valuable insights for other regions worldwide.

In 40 years, according to the World Bank's global absolute poverty standard of $1.90 per person per day, China has reduced the number of poor people by nearly 800 million, accounting for nearly 75 percent of the global poverty reduction in the same period.

Liu noted that currently, China's involvement in global governance, including building a global community of shared future, constructing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and implementing global development initiatives, are significant theoretical innovations and practical contributions. These are also key areas that Chinese geographers are dedicated to participating in.

As the Chairman of the Alliance of International Science Organizations-Alliance of Poverty Reduction and Development (ANSO-APRD), Liu actively promotes collaboration between Belt and Road partner countries and organizations. Through expert discussions, technical officials training and strategic advice, ANSO-APRD aims to share China's experience in targeted poverty alleviation and rural revitalization with developing countries and transform the growing process of the BRI into a sustainable development path of poverty reduction and growth.

In 2016, he initiated the establishment of the IGU Commission on Agricultural Geography and Land Engineering (IGU-AGLE) and was elected as its chairman. He worked hard to promote the latest achievements of Chinese agricultural geography and land engineering to the international community.

Since 2018, Liu has consistently been recognized as a "globally highly cited scientist." In 2023, he was even named one of the "World's Top 2 percent Scientists 2022" out of over 9.6 million scientists.

Liu attributes the international community's interest in his work to concerns about China's agricultural and rural issues. "We effectively translate national strategies into engineering techniques to solve practical problems and develop a universal methodology," he explained.

During the interview with the Global Times, Liu received an official invitation. He is planning to represent ANSO-APRD to visit sub-Saharan Africa for research and exchange, with the goal of sharing China's experiences in poverty reduction and development, which is at the forefront of international poverty reduction efforts.

In Liu's view, scientists have a homeland, but science has no boundaries.

"Many developing countries are currently facing challenges of poverty reduction and hunger, and China has explored and become a leader in solving these issues. We are also advancing systematic research and providing innovative solutions for developing countries," he noted.

Since 2023, the Philippines has been dispatching batches of government vessels and fishing ships to intrude on and provoke disputes in the South China Sea, especially near China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island), under the pretext of "ensuring the security of Filipino fishermen."

Interestingly, the fishing activities have not been disrupted since 2016 when China offered a provisional arrangement for Philippine fishermen, a move that has since become a problem due to the Philippines' decision to "protect them."

In this investigative piece, the Global Times presents evidence showing that some fishing ships were "hired guns," trained and controlled by the Philippine government through military conscription and government subsidies.

Chinese analysts say it clearly shows that the Philippine government's actions are geared toward eventually controlling Huangyan Dao. If the Philippines truly cares about the fishing rights and interests of its fishermen, it would stop its abuses and unilaterally sabotage the foundation of Beijing's goodwill to Manila that temporarily allows Philippine fishermen to operate near Huangyan Dao, rather than aggravating the situation by sacrificing the livelihoods of fishermen to satisfy the ambitions of some politicians.
Deploy fisherfolk militia

Recently, the Philippines deployed a number of civilian ships to illegally intrude into waters adjacent to Huangyan Dao. These boats were funded with official subsidies, and used fishing activities as cover, abusing China's goodwill, violating China's sovereignty and jurisdiction, and leading to aggravation of the maritime situation, a source close to the matter told the Global Times on Sunday.

This can be seen as the latest move by the Philippine military, which stated in last August that the militia will be drawn from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)'s reserve force and possibly among fisherfolks.

The Philippines plans to deploy its own maritime militia to "defend its sovereignty" amid a raging territorial row with China, Gen. Romeo Brawner Jr., the Filipino armed forces chief said on August 10, 2023, as he visited an island on the frontline of the maritime dispute, Benar News reported.

"We want our fisherfolk to become reservists and teach them how to help in defending the country," the official said in a statement.

"It's already being implemented. We have established reserve units, but we are going to wait for the platforms or the vessels that actually would be used," the chief said, emphasizing that the way forward "depends on the funds."

The source of funding could come from the confidential and intelligence fund in the 2024 budget. A total of 1.23 billion Philippine pesos ($20 million) in confidential funds from the 2024 budget were distributed to agencies at the forefront of efforts to assert the Philippines' alleged territorial rights in the South China Sea, according to a statement by the Philippines' House of Representatives on October 10, 2023.

In addition to financial support, the Philippine authorities have also been increasing efforts to provide supplies and subsidies to fishing vessels.

On February 23, the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) publicly acknowledged that "it would also continue to carry out its duty of distributing fuel subsidies to the Filipino fishing boats that are present in the area to support their prolonged fishing activities."

"From public reports, we see that Philippine official vessels are specifically providing collective supplies for fishing boats on site. Such an expensive service for 'private fishing boats' is truly rare," said Yang Xiao, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Strategy Studies, China Institute of Contemporary International Relations.

"A series of evidence fully indicates that the Philippines has planned and organized to incite its fisherfolks to carry out long-term occupation and provocations in the South China Sea," Yang told the Global Times.

Recently, a large amount of "video evidence" from the Philippine side has appeared on social media sources, most of which is from the visual angle of so-called Philippine "fishermen."

A number of these "civilian vessels" track and monitor Chinese coast guard vessels with some recording and gathering so-called "evidence" of the China Coast Guard (CCG)'s operations, while some trespassing into the reefs of China's Huangyan Dao to illegally catch seashell… These videos are then used as an "evidence" by the Philippine Coast Guard to defame China's professional and restrained action in the South China Sea.

In the video, one can also notice that the methods of these so-called fishermen appear very professional, and they repeatedly provoke the extremely restrained Chinese law enforcement vessels and personnel on site, Yang pointed out.

"The disclosure of these videos demonstrates that the local Filipino personnel are not private fishermen focused on fishing at all, but are entirely serving as militia for provocative actions. They are serving a premeditated, malicious cognitive warfare launched by the Philippine government," said Yang.

The Philippine government incites these fishermen to be stranded in the vast sea for a long time and never considers the harsh conditions of life at sea, said the expert. "This on the contrary shows that the Philippines is turning a deaf ear to the right to life and health of its people."

Opposition voices are already growing in the Philippines.

In August 2023, a Philippine fisher group on the Philippines' illegally occupied Zhongye Dao (also known as Zhongye Island) turned down a recent suggestion from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to train fisherfolks to help defend the West Philippine Sea as military reservists, local media source Philstar reported.

The group's President Larry Hugo said that it would be "difficult" for them to undergo military training and that he would prefer not to carry firearms.

Sabotage Beijing's goodwill

The Philippines has frequently advocated for the livelihood of the fisherfolks since 2023.

According to Jay Tarriela, the spokesperson of the Philippine Coast Guard, the Philippines has sent governmental vessels to "ensure the security of Filipino fishermen."

"Fishing activities have never been interfered with since 2016 when China offered the provisional arrangement for the Philippines' fisherfolks, while it now it has become a problem as the Philippines has decided to protect them by sending government vessels to invade the territory of Huangyan Dao," Lei Xiaolu, professor of law at the China Institute of Boundary and Ocean Studies, Wuhan University, told the Global Times.

As we all know, there is a territorial sovereignty dispute over Huangyan Dao between China and the Philippines. Although China neither accepts nor recognizes the South China Sea Arbitration, in 2016, China made a special arrangement for the Philippines' fishermen to maintain their small-scale artisanal fishing activities around Huangyan Dao under humanitarian considerations.

From 2016 to 2023, China has always kept the commitment. Despite the territorial and maritime disputes between the two sides, the livelihood of the fisherfolks has never been affected, Lei noted.

"This represents China's goodwill to maintain the peace and stability of the region, as well as to promote the development and prosperity of all people," Lei stressed.

However, the status quo has been changed since the Philippines began to send government vessels to the territorial sea of Huangyan Dao in the second half of 2023. In this case, China had to respond and repel the government vessels.

However, since 2024, the Philippines has conducted more and more provocations. The Philippine fishery vessel group was reportedly accompanied by the Ship 3002 which belongs to the Philippines' Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources when they trespassed waters off Huangyan Dao, and according to a statement by Gan Yu, a spokesperson at the China Coast Guard (CCG), the CCG repelled this particular ship in accordance with the law when it ignored repeated warnings from the Chinese side and insisted on illegally intruding into waters adjacent to Huangyan Dao from Febraury 24 to 25.

"Even so, China has shown great restraint. It did not name the specific activities of the fishermen in the CCG statement. The CCG only repelled the Philippines' government vessel 'illegally intruding.' It is clear that China has expressed its goodwill to the fisherfolks while defending its sovereignty," Lei said.

But increased evidence shows that those civilian fishing vessels are organized, sponsored, or even controlled and authorized by the Philippine government, according to the expert.

"It is not appropriate to use the livelihood of the fishermen as an excuse to satisfy the ambitions of certain politicians. If the Philippines was thinking of the livelihood of the fisherfolks, it would return to the 'gentlemen's arrangement' with China, rather than leading to the aggravation of the situation," Lei said.

Hiring fishermen to cause trouble in specific waters, then sending government ships to regularly supply them with fuel, and then turning around to accuse China of conducting law enforcement activities on the scene, the Philippines has staged another ugly farce at Huangyan Dao, similar to how they grounded their warship on Ren'ai Jiao, Yang suggested.

All of these conspiracies were made possible because China's goodwill and restraint were abused by the Philippines. This evil act of disregarding commitments has greatly harmed the security and development of the South China Sea region, Yang said.

It is only about one week before the arrival of the 2024 Chinese New Year, or Spring Festival, which falls on February 10. Chinese people are busy preparing for this important traditional festival as a festive atmosphere has already spread everywhere, from bustling markets, elegantly decorated streets to crowded lantern shows.  

In accordance with the lunar Chinese calendar, the year 2024 will be the Year of the Wood Dragon. Dragon is the totem of Chinese nationality that symbolizes power, nobility, and intelligence. Combined with Wood, which holds the meaning of growth, development, and prosperity in Chinese wuxing (five elements) culture, 2024 is forecasted to bring about opportunities, changes, and challenges.

When China is at a vital point in economy recovery, the Year of Wood Dragon inspires great expectation of Chinese people for 2024 and celebration activities have kicked off across the country.        

In Shanghai, the annual Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show kicked off on January 21, attracting a large number of visitors. On the evening of January 28 alone, the number of visitors to Yuyuan exceeded 20,000, setting a new record for the show. 

Yuyuan Garden is a cultural beacon of Shanghai. It is the largest, oldest and best-preserved traditional Chinese-style garden in this metropolis of east China. It features typical Chinese style pavilions and zigzag bridges above the ponds, and has been serving as a window to display traditional Chinese culture. 

The Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show is a representative of Chinese folk culture and a national-level intangible cultural heritage. It has been held for 29 consecutive years.

To celebrate the Year of the Dragon, this year's Yuyuan Garden Lantern Show the fair is themed Mountain and Sea, featuring dragons and mythical creatures from the "Classic of Mountains and Seas."

The show was simultaneously held in four cities in China and France, naming Paris, Shanghai, Shenyang, and Rudong.

In Beijing, a wide range of cultural activities will be held during the Spring Festival holidays, presenting a colorful cultural and tourism feast for residents and tourists, the capital government announced Monday. 

Traditional temple fairs in Ditan, Changdian and Shijingshan will be back in full force this year. This year's Changdian temple fair will highlight the traditional Beijing atmosphere with the theme "Strolling along the Central Axis of the ancient capital to appreciate the century-old Changdian." 

During the Spring Festival, each district in Beijing will also organize various lantern festivals, flower exhibitions, parades, lantern riddles, and lantern festivals, allowing residents and tourists to immerse themselves in the traditional customs of the northern region.

With its ancient origins, the Spring Festival is the most important festival in China. Over thousands of years, various customs and traditions have been developed to celebrate this festival and many of them are still practiced today in addition to lantern shows and temple fairs. 

In ancient agricultural societies, housewives would start preparing Chinese New Year's food around the eighth day of the 12th lunar month. Because the curing process for some complex dishes, such as preserved meats, takes a long time, preparations must be made early. Many provinces and regions in China have the custom of preserving meats, with South China's Guangdong and Southwest China's Sichuan provinces being the most famous.

Couplets and New Year paintings are also unique forms of expression in Chinese culture. Couplets are usually written on red paper and feature auspicious poems expressing blessings and joy. New Year paintings are a kind of folk painting symbolizing good luck and auspiciousness used to decorate rooms. During the Spring Festival, every household, whether in urban or rural areas, selects a pair of red couplets to paste on their door, adding a festive atmosphere to the holidays.

While pasting couplets, some families also paste the Chinese character "福" (fu, meaning good fortune and happiness) on their doors, walls, and lintels, embodying people's longing for a happy life and a better future.

Dragon and lion dances are one of the most representative performances during Chinese New Year celebrations. These performances are usually performed by professional dragon and lion dance troupes in public places such as squares and streets. 

Since ancient times, China has been an agricultural country, and favorable weather conditions are of great significance to production and life. In the minds of ancient people, dragons were believed to have the power to summon wind and rain and ward off disasters and epidemics. Therefore, the tradition of holding dragon dances was formed in the hope of obtaining the blessings of dragons.

At the ping-pong table, US player Margaux Reppert asked her Chinese partner Liu Wanying about receiving skills before their doubles match began. Liu answered Reppert’s questions in detail and gave her encouragement. The two 20-year-olds had relaxed and friendly smiles on their faces.

It’s hard to imagine that they had only met the night before. “I’m already great friends with my partner, she is really helpful,” Reppert says. “I think this is a great experience.”

Reppert is one of a US student delegation that recently came to China for a China-US youth ping-pong exchange, in the hope of promoting better understanding between youngsters of the two countries, just like the “ping-pong diplomacy” of 53 years ago, a milestone in the history of China-US relations.

From December 12 to 23, the Peking University table tennis team made up of 15 students and teachers was invited to visit the US to for the US Table Tennis Open in Los Angeles. The mutual visits added a new chapter to the stories of China-US friendship that began with ping-pong diplomacy and new impetus to people-to-people exchanges, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning at a press conference on Tuesday.

Youth friendship

Under the theme “Rekindling Ping-Pong Diplomacy, Renewing Youth Friendship,” the delegation members, 12 students from University of Virginia (UVA), had a friendly table tennis match with local students on Tuesday.

Some of the US students have been playing table tennis for many years, and some others, including the 21-year-old Reppert, are newbies who have just practiced for a few months.

This is the fourth time that Reppert has come to China. Due to her interest in the country, she chose Putonghua as one of her undergraduate majors at UVA. The four visits have enabled the young American to witness China’s development in person. “It’s interesting to see how it has changed, and how much more modern it has become in just a few years,” she told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Before coming to China, the delegation learned about the history of ping-pong diplomacy, and its great influence on China-US relations. Reppert said that she very much cherishes this opportunity to visit China, to experience the charm of table tennis and communicate with young Chinese people.

“I would love to keep in touch with my partner,” she said. “It’s so interesting to hear about each other’s lifestyle as a college student, and see how there are a lot of similarities. In addition to the differences that we talked about, we found already a lot of similarities.”

Reppert’s partner Liu echoed this. “Ping pong is our medium,” said the 22-year-old student from Shanghai University of Sport (SUS). “We can talk about ping pong-related things, and we can also talk about many other topics, to learn more about each other’s life.”

Positive example

The 12 UVA students left the US for China on January 1. During the ongoing trip in China, they visited Hong Kong and Beijing, and Shanghai is their last stop.

The trip has followed almost the same path of a visit by the US table tennis delegation to China in 1971, said Justin O’Jack, chief representative of the UVA China Office. “It’s symbolic and meaningful,” O’Jack told the Global Times on Tuesday.

In April 1971, the US table tennis delegation conducted an ice-breaking visit to China at China’s invitation. Prior to that, the two countries had had no official contact at all for more than two decades. This was the start of the well-known ping-pong diplomacy, which paved the way for the normalization of China-US relations in those hard years filled with ideological confrontations.

The Chinese table tennis players paid a return visit to the US in 1972. Bruce Reynolds, a UVA emeritus professor who was also at the friendly match on Tuesday, was then a young student who participated in the US’ reception work that year.

Reynolds told the Global Times that the number of UVA students studying Chinese language, history and culture is rising, and many students there “want to come to China.”

Now living in Shanghai after retiring, Reynolds said he hopes more US students will come to China to better understand the country and its people, and to feel their warmth. “When they go back to the US, [they can] tell their friends and family that China is just like any other country, and the US should work to improve its relationship with this wonderful country.”

Months ago, O’Jack and his colleagues pitched the idea of “revisiting ping-pong diplomacy” to the UVA leaders, who were “very supportive,” said O’Jack. “It’s no secret that US-China relations are not at a high point right now, although they’re getting better,” he told the Global Times. “We, as a university, should do our part to try to help that process forward and be a positive example,” he said.

“We hope that this is just the first of many more visits to come,” he added.

Strengthening ties

This year marks the 45th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the US.

“We believe in the power of people-to-people relations to help strengthen the bilateral relations between our countries,” said Daniel Delk, deputy principal officer at the US Consulate General in Shanghai, who watched the friendly match at the scene.

“Our two presidents agreed on that (enhancing people-to-people exchanges) in San Francisco,” Delk told the Global Times, saying that he is pleased to see more civil exchanges taking place in the new year in fields including culture, arts, sport and education.

“We hope to continue to strengthen the ties between our students, to have more students from the US come and study in China, and to increase the number of Chinese students who are studying in the US,” said Delk. “This is a great way for us to help deepen mutual understanding.”

The friendly match was sponsored by the Shanghai People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, Fudan University, SUS and UVA. It was organized by, and held at, the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF) Museum and China Table Tennis Museum.

Xu Yinsheng, honorary president of the ITTF and a witness of ping-pong diplomacy in the early 1970s, as well as renowned former table tennis world champions including Shi Zhihao, Wang Liqin and Zhang Yining, also attended the Tuesday event as guests.

There are high complementarities between the EU and China since both sides are impacted by climate change and both have clear targets to pursue in the green transition, Vicky Pollard, head of the Unit in the European Commission's Directorate General for Climate Action, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview on Thursday.

Chinese experts said that the remarks set a rare and positive tone from the EU side in seeking more cooperation with China against the backdrop of the intensified probe targeting Chinese new-energy products.

They also said that in order to facilitate their green transition, the EU needs to put more words into action by looking at cooperation rather than competition with China in the field.

The EU and China have much more to cooperate on in the green economy, said Pollard, noting that it also makes economic sense for the EU and China to cooperate for the green transition.

The remarks were made after a meeting on EU 2040 Climate Target, a seminar co-hosted by the EU Delegation to China and the Institute of Climate Change and Sustainable Development of Tsinghua University in Beijing on Thursday.

During the meeting, Pollard gave a thorough presentation on EU's 2040 climate target and Chinese experts and industry representatives exchanged their views on how to pursue green transition and how China and the EU can cooperate in achieving their respective targets for carbon reduction.

Talking about the cooperation that have been made between China and the EU in green transition, Pollard told the Global Times that there are many things both EU and China have discussed and have been working on, including emission trading.

"We also share experiences and seek cooperation on our respective domestic frameworks to ensure deployment of innovative solutions to ensure we meet our commitment to tackle climate change, and we make sure that those commitments are achieved in the most cost-effective ways," Pollard said.

While climate change is a global problem, Pollard said that "by acting together, we can do so at a lower cost and faster provided there is a level playing field. It's also about more dialogue and learning from each other to develop good policies."

The deployment of renewables such as wind power and solar power in the EU and in China is a good example of good policies and the benefits of deployment at scale, said the EU official.

"The EU cannot undergo the green transition alone, nor can China. It's important that we work together within a rule-based system, including for trade, and maintain balance," Pollard further noted.

Laurent Bardon, head of the Green Transition Section at the Delegation of the European Union to China, told the Global Times that from Thursday's meeting, it's evident that participants from both sides engaged in an open discussion, striving to find optimal solutions for enhancing cooperation between China and the EU in the green transition.

"It's good more interactions like this take place in the future," Bardon said.

The China-EU economic and trade ties have encountered rising concerns after the EU issued on March 6 the Official Journal of the European Union regarding its commission's implementation regulation that makes imports of new battery electric vehicles designed for the transport of persons originating in China subject to registration.

The mandate may have some impact on EV exports to Europe, as it may possibly be followed by punitive tariffs, as experts and media reports had said.

Responding to the media question regarding customs registration, He Yadong, a spokesperson of China's Ministry of Commerce, said that the EU's import registration measures and possible retroactive taxation have increased the number of import links and added burdens to normal trade.

It is not conducive to deepening cooperation in the new-energy industries of both parties and will also affect the interests of EU consumers, He noted.

Although the EU claims to seek cooperation with China in green transformation, in reality, there is still significant suppression, Lin Boqiang, director of the China Center for Energy Economics Research at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Thursday. He noted that the EU's move targeting corresponding Chinese products is mainly due to geopolitical factors and a desire not to overly rely on China's industrial chain.

"Green transformation mainly involves cost-effective control and the application and popularization of green technology, and China, with its mature industrial chain, has a good advantage in this regard that the EU cannot imitate in the short term," Lin said.

However, if the EU side truly wishes to facilitate green transformation cost-effectively, it should refrain from suppressing relevant Chinese enterprises and products, Lin remarked.

Green transformation is a common goal for China and the EU. The EU needs China's affordable green products, while China needs the EU's large market, which is a win-win situation for both sides, Lin said.

China's centrally administered state-owned enterprises (SOEs) plan to invest in 133 projects in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from 2024 to 2026, with a total investment of nearly 700 billion yuan ($97.55 billion), China Media Group reported on Tuesday.

With a focus on emerging industries in Xinjiang, the investments will be dedicated to new technologies, new tracks and new markets, striving to create a forward-looking and strategic "incubator," and cultivating new quality productive forces, the report said, citing an unnamed official of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council (SASAC).

The projects are expected to create 32,000 new jobs for the residents of Xinjiang during the three-year period, the official said at a meeting held in Beijing on Monday.

In 2023, central SOEs invested 270 billion yuan in fixed assets in Xinjiang and secured contracts worth 170 billion yuan for project construction, SASAC Chairman Zhang Yuzhuo said at the meeting.

These efforts are part of a broader strategy to boost local employment through industrial support, Zhang noted.

Ma Xingrui, Xinjiang's regional Party chief, said at the meeting that the SASAC as well as various central enterprises have been deeply engaged in industrial support in Xinjiang over the years, making significant contributions to the region's economic and social development.

In the meantime, Xinjiang offers a broad stage for central enterprises to demonstrate their capabilities and develop themselves, Ma said, noting that it is hoped that more central SOEs will deepen strategic cooperation with Xinjiang, with a focus on the development of the region's distinctive advantageous industries such as the "eight major industrial clusters."

This includes actively participating in oil and gas exploration, strategic energy storage and increased production, and strengthening the value chain of the grain, cotton, fruit and livestock industries, Ma said.

Central enterprises' efforts to support Xinjiang's development have yielded remarkable results in recent years. According to the Xinhua News Agency, the scale of investment from central enterprises in Xinjiang is expected to increase by more than 50 percent during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-25), compared with the 767 billion yuan invested during the 13th Five-Year Plan period.

As one of the latest examples, China National Aviation Holding Co signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Xinjiang Airport Group recently, aiming to develop Urumqi Diwopu International Airport into a national gateway hub connecting Central Asia, West Asia and Europe with Southeast Asia and Northeast Asia, local media reported on Tuesday.

In 2023, total fixed-asset investment in the region (excluding rural households) increased by 12.4 percent year-on-year, with a growth rate 9.4 percentage points higher than the national average. Investment in the primary industry increased by 9 percent, while that in the secondary industry increased by 32.3 percent, data from the local government showed.

During an inspection tour in Xinjiang in November 2023, Chinese Vice Premier Zhang Guoqing called on central SOEs to make further efforts to assist the region and help it to better serve and integrate into the country's new development paradigm.

"Central enterprises should combine their own advantages with the reality of Xinjiang, and help Xinjiang develop characteristic and advantageous industries and emerging industries," Zhang said.

China has discovered its first deep-water, deep-reservoir oil find in the South China Sea, state-owned oil giant CNOOC announced on Friday.

The Kaipingnan oilfield, 300 kilometers southwest of the waters of Shenzhen in South China, has a proven reserve of 102 million tons of oil equivalent, according to the company.

It is the first oil reserve with a water depth of over 300 meters and a well depth of over 3,000 meters found by China's own efforts, as well as the largest, said CNOOC. The maximum depth where the oilfield lies is 532 meters and the maximum well depth reached 4,831 meters.

Testing drilling yields over 1,000 tons of oil and gas on a daily basis, which is a new record in China for a deep-water, deep-reservoir oilfield, the company said.

The Kaipingnan oilfield demonstrated the vast potential of deep-water exploration in the South China Sea, and further consolidated the foundation of China's offshore oil and gas reserve, which is significant toward ensuring the country's energy security, the company said in a press release on Friday.

In recent years, CNOOC made significant discoveries at the Bozhong 26-6 deep-reservoir oilfield in China's Bohai Sea and the Baodao 21-1 gas field in western South China Sea.

Zhou Xinhuai, CEO of CNOOC, said the company's continuous discoveries in the eastern part of the South China Sea forged new growth drivers for the company's offshore oil and gas business, noting the company will continue to pour more efforts in oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea to ramp up energy supply capacity.

The 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China's top political advisory body, kicked off its second session on Monday, marking the start of the annual two sessions. The second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislature, is set to open on Tuesday.

This year's political gatherings carry extra weight for the Chinese economy, as 2024 will be a crucial year for the realization of the goals and tasks of the 14th Five-Year Plan (2021-25), and the new government is set to submit its Government Work Report to the NPC annual session for deliberation for the first time.

The session usually reviews past achievements and sets development targets for the current year and beyond.

At a time when mainstream Western media outlets are flooded with reports of China grappling with various difficulties - deflation, a property crisis, mounting debt burdens and a foreign capital exodus - the two sessions will serve as a crucial window for the world to observe the country's economic development and understand its policy direction for the year ahead, which Western media outlets said investors are watching closely for signals of a "bazooka-like stimulus." 

It's not unusual to see Western media outlets run bearish reports badmouthing the Chinese economy around the major political event every year. For instance, a report published by the Financial Times on February 27, 2023, was headlined "The implications of China's mid-income trap," while CNN ran an article entitled "China's economy had a surprisingly good start to the year, but it may not last" in March 2022.

Yet, China still accomplished its 2023 GDP growth target despite downward pressure and challenges, and the underlying trends of a rebound in the economy and long-term growth remain unchanged. Such economic fundamentals further prove that the ill-intentioned "China collapse" theory cannot withstand the test of time.

Why have Western predictions about a hard landing for the Chinese economy never come true? The key lies in the inability to understand that China's economic development has its own rhythm and policy direction, which will not be influenced by Western hype. The reason why the two sessions are of great importance to China's economy is not only because of the GDP target issued during the meetings, but also because of the policy direction set for achieving stable economic development in the year ahead.

There is no denying that China's GDP target has been the focus of world attention, which is not surprising given its huge economic size and important implications for the global economy. The Chinese government has always stressed the importance of the quality of economic development, rather than just the growth rate, but GDP, as a major measure of a country's economic strength, is still one of the most important economic metrics in China. 

It is true that China's economic growth has slowed in recent years amid unprecedented and complicated domestic and external market challenges. This is mainly because the economy is undergoing a period of adjustment and transformation. Despite the difficulties and downward pressure, China is still on a solid footing and its GDP growth rate remains relatively fast among the world's major economies. 

If anything, China's consistent economic performance over the years is the best proof that it has the ability to transform its economy while maintaining growth momentum.

During China's two sessions, much attention is often paid to the country's GDP growth target. However, it is crucial to look beyond mere numbers and understand the implications of new policies and measures to be implemented by the Chinese government to address economic challenges. Because the policy direction not only promises positive influence on China's economic prospects, but also presents opportunities in the country's future development.