As elections in the Solomon Islands approach, the geopolitical dynamics of the Pacific are drawing intense scrutiny from major global players.

This electoral event has sparked particular interest from the US, along with allegations and complaints about how the US might have been attempting to intervene.

Experts said that as China's contact and cooperation with Pacific Island countries strengthens, the US is increasingly emphasizing its supposed superiority, but this is not resonating with the islanders.

Voting in the Solomon Islands general election is set to take place on Wednesday. It is the first election since China and the Solomon Islands established diplomatic ties on September 21, 2019. Half a month later, Solomon Islands Prime Minister Manasseh Sogavare paid his first visit to China, during which the Solomon Islands officially joined the Belt and Road Initiative.

In the past few years, the Sogavare government has actively cooperated with China, leading to progress in infrastructure construction, improvement of people's livelihoods, and greater social stability in the Solomon Islands. Last year, the Pacific Games were successfully held in a stadium built with China's aid.

Therefore, whether Sogavare can win this year's election is noteworthy. But Sogavare's attitude has aroused dissatisfaction among the US and its allies, who are accustomed to treating the South Pacific region as their own backyard.

"The US cannot tolerate the South Pacific nations developing an equal and reciprocal relationship with China. Instead, it intervenes under the guise of democracy, ultimately aiming to turn these nations into dependencies," Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Friday.

He pointed out the consequences of such policies. "The US mentality is unhealthy, even pathological. It cannot bear the autonomous development of the South Pacific nations, nor can it stand the idea of these countries choosing their own economic development models."

According to Yu Lei, chief research fellow at the Research Center for Pacific Island Countries of Liaocheng University, the effective cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands has become a role model and a driving force for the cooperation between China and Pacific Island countries, which has encouraged other Pacific Island countries such as Papua New Guinea to deepen their cooperation with China. This has caused significant dissatisfaction in Australia and the US.

"Word has it that the US might seek to topple and obstruct Sogavare's government," Yu noted.

A recent investigative article by Russia's Sputnik news agency criticized the US' role and intentions in the upcoming elections in the Solomon Islands. The report suggested that the US Agency for International Development (USAID) might be attempting to influence the election outcome through "democracy promotion" activities, in order to counter China's influence in the region.

The report highlighted concerns over the security agreement between the Solomon Islands and China, which has alarmed the US and its allies who fear it could compromise the US' "island chain strategy" in the Pacific.

The article detailed USAID activities in the Solomon Islands, including engaging with local community political leaders, civil society organizations, and influential individuals, as well as funding surveys and training programs to bolster anti-government sentiment.

An anonymous source disclosed to the Sputnik news agency that they fear the US might incite another riot during the upcoming election to achieve its geopolitical goals.

Meanwhile, according to a report from the Covert Action Magazine earlier this month, the USAID actively intervenes in the electoral processes of other countries through its Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening (CEPPS), aiming to promote regimes that align with American interests.

The CEPPS collaborates with organizations such as the International Republican Institute (IRI), the National Democratic Institute (NDI), and the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES), all of which have close ties with USAID, with the NDI and IRI having been created by the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), which is considered a branch of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

The reported noted that the USAID's Solomon Islands Election and Political Processes Program (SIEPP), funded through the CEPPS, has conducted voter awareness campaigns in the Solomon Islands, aiming to sway voters toward pro-American candidates.

"The US uses NGOs to interfere in other countries' domestic politics and orchestrate color revolutions, a tactic that is no secret to the world," Li noted, adding that such actions, often branded as promoting democracy, are perceived as attempts to sow discord and crises, drawing scrutiny and raising alarms among policymakers and citizens globally.

These so-called democracy promotion efforts, which are essentially color revolutions, are unlikely to achieve their intended outcomes due to the instability of US policies. Critics argue that the US, while chaotic in its own democratic practices, presumes to set an example for others, Li said.

This lack of calm, objective, and realistic reflections on its own democratic processes disqualifies US decision-makers from legitimately influencing the internal affairs of other nations. Consequently, these actions are met with resistance and resentment, as the results of such democracy promotion activities are often subpar and unwelcome, he noted.

Yu said the US has a variety of conventional methods to tighten control in Pacific island countries. For instance, the US directly deploys military forces in Pacific Island countries to intervene, or mobilizes local mobs and thugs to carry out subversion against some authoritarian regimes and governments perceived as disobedient to the US. The third method is to use the Pacific Islands Forum to besiege so-called disobedient countries, using economic sanctions as a way to exert pressure.

"In the short term, the effects may seem significant, such as through military occupation, which of course yields immediate results. However, in the medium to long term, the effects of the US' activities turn out to be just the opposite. But cooperation with China turns out to be fruitful," Yu said.

According to the Sputnik report, which cited documents provided by an anonymous source, after the Solomon Islands' 2019 election and Sogavare's shift away from the US, SIEPP was launched. Funded by the USAID and partners like the IFES, IRI, and NDI under the "Strengthening Democratic Governance in the Pacific Islands" initiative, SIEPP had an initial budget of nearly $10 million from September 2020 to September 2023. The program, expected to conclude in fall 2023, was extended to April 2024 with an additional $1.5 million after the election postponement by Sogavare.

In 2021, residents of Malaita and other islands expressed opposition to the Solomon Islands government's decision to establish diplomatic relations with China, leading to violent incidents. Parts of Honiara, especially the Chinatown in the city center, were burned and looted, resulting in significant losses for Chinese nationals.

Days after the riots, Prime Minister Sogavare told the press that the crisis was influenced and encouraged by other powers. He further indicated that these forces influencing Malaita, the main island of the nation, are those that "don't want ties with the People's Republic of China," according to the Sydney Morning Herald.

However, a memorandum of understanding to establish friendly exchange relations was signed last week between Malaita Province and East China's Jiangsu Province. This new chapter follows years of skepticism, indicating a pivot toward cooperation and mutual growth, analysts noted.

"The local ordinary people and politicians of the Pacific Island countries are very pragmatic. They will support whoever can bring about substantial improvements to their lives. The Pacific Island countries also see that China treats them with real respect and equality without exerting any pollical or economic pressure on them," Yu said.

Platform 9¾, a beloved scene from the iconic Harry Potter series, magically materialized at a station in the Beijing subway on Tuesday, enchanting fans who flocked to capture the moment with their phones.

According to the Beijing Daily, the unique platform display has been set up at the East Gate of Peking University Station on Line 4. The platform is adorned with red brick-style posters wrapping each pillar in the middle aisle. Positioned in front of the two central pillars is a luggage cart seemingly "vanishing" into the wall, reminiscent of a scene from the movie.

Additionally, the cart is loaded with three red suitcases and a basket filled with yellow scrolls, evoking a sense of nostalgia and magic throughout the subway station. This enchanting display has captivated the attention of many passengers, who are drawn to gather around and capture the moment with photographs.

"In the eyes of ordinary people, this platform may seem like just a wall, but to a true wizard, it is a portal to Platform 9¾ where the Hogwarts Express awaits," a movie enthusiast surnamed Chen explained, as she excitedly shared the story with her friends. Chen, who had discovered the magical spot via social media, couldn't contain her excitement and immediately made plans to visit with her friends.

In addition to people arriving to capture moments with their cameras, the station hall was also bustling with photographers and young individuals donning wizard robes and wigs.
Beijing subway Line 4 has introduced a Harry Potter themed train, adorned with enchanting posters and decorations inspired by the beloved series. From Quidditch to owls, the train immerses passengers in the magical world of Hogwarts. "As I board this train, I can't help but feel transported to that school of wizardry in my dreams!" exclaimed many excited fans.

In response to the high volume of people on site, cautionary lines and signs have been placed around the decorative wall to ensure the safety of passengers.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met with Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Vuong Dinh Hue in Beijing. 

The Chinese Foreign Ministry slammed the Philippines on Tuesday for violating China's sovereignty, inciting external forces to provoke China and damage regional peace and stability. The Chinese side also refuted a smear campaign by a Filipino senior official, urging Manila to respect the facts and abide by its commitments.

Tensions between China and the Philippines over the South China Sea issues are growing in the recent months. In the latest episode, Philippine Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr on Tuesday warned that Filipinos to be wary of Chinese “propaganda trap” which may deflect “Beijing’s encroachment” of South China Sea. 

In an open letter, Teodoro said "let us not fall into the trap set by Chinese propaganda of refocusing the debate on a so-called promise while deflecting attention away from China's government, thereby freeing and allowing them to continue with their illegal activities in our exclusive economic zone," according to the Phil Star. 

The Philippines keeps accusing China of “intimidating smaller countries” without mentioning at all the Philippine occupation of and encroachment on China’s territory in Nansha Qundao. That is a real propaganda “trap,” Wang Wenbin, a spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, responded at a Wednesday briefing.

On the issue of Ren’ai Jiao, it’s not the size, but the behavior of a country that determines who is right and who is wrong, Wang said. 

According to Wang, right after the Philippines deliberately grounded its warship on Ren’ai Jiao in 1999, which seriously violated China’s sovereignty, China made démarches to the Philippines, and the Philippines promised to tow away the warship several times. A senior official of the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs made it clear that the Philippines had no intention of building any facility on Ren’ai Jiao and it doesn’t want to and will not be the first country to violate the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC).

But 25 years on, not only hasn’t the Philippines fulfilled its promise to tow away the warship, it has even attempted to send construction materials for large-scale repair and reinforcement of the warship in order to build permanent structures on Ren’ai Jiao, noted Wang. 

The Philippines has gone back on its words, and stirred up trouble to provoke China. This is not only breach of the understandings between the two sides on handling the Ren’ai Jiao issue, but also a violation of the DOC, especially its Article 5 on refraining from action of inhabiting on the presently uninhabited islands, reefs, shoals, cays, and other features, the spokesperson stated.  

The Philippines is clearly responsible for the current tensions in the South China Sea, Wang added.

Wang further remarked that China and ASEAN countries have long been committed to properly managing and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation between states directly involved, and worked together to jointly maintain peace and stability in the South China Sea, which has kept the South China Sea generally stable. But for some time, the Philippines has been pulling non-regional actors into the South China Sea affairs to back Philippine provocations and violation of China’s sovereignty.

“The Philippines has been pursing selfish gains at the expense of the consensus reached by countries in the region. This is the main reason why the situation in the  South China Sea has escalated and become more complicated,” Wang stressed. 

"We once again urge the Philippines to respect the facts, observe the relevant understandings between the two sides and DOC provisions, follow the consensus reached between China and ASEAN countries, and return to the right track of properly managing and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation as soon as possible,” Wang added. 

Editor's Note:

"Cognitive Warfare" has become a new form of confrontation between states, and a new security threat. With new technological means, it sets agendas and spreads disinformation, to change people's perceptions and thus alter their self-identity. Launching cognitive warfare against China is an important means for Western anti-China forces to attack and discredit the country. 

Some politicians and media outlets have publicly smeared China's image by propagating false narratives in an attempt to incite and provoke dissatisfaction with China among people in certain countries. These means all serve the seemingly peaceful evolution of the US strategy to contain China's rise and maintain its hegemony. The Global Times is publishing a series of articles to reveal the intrigues of the US-led West's China-targeted cognitive warfare, and expose its lies and vicious intentions. 

In the 11th installment of the series, the Global Times exposed Australian media's deceptive tactics to stir up confrontation and misunderstanding between Fiji and China, while encouraging them to play a more constructive role in promoting cooperation, peace, and development amid recent warming signals of relations and exchanges between China and Australia. 

Some Western media outlets have been sparing no effort to smear China's cooperation with South Pacific Island Countries (PICs). In a recent move, 60 Minutes Australia released a video program entitled "China's dirty tactics to control Pacific" on March 24 to further smear normal exchanges and cooperation between China and Fiji. The video alleges that behind this cooperation are China and Chinese businesspeople who are "supporting drug trafficking organizations in Fiji" and are seeking as much influence as possible in the island nation.

The video and the following reports are based on lies, speculations, and presumptions of guilt and are full of ideological bias and distortion of facts, the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Fiji said in a statement on March 26. He firmly denounced the video and the subsequent reports in the statement. The spokesperson made clarifications in response to the trumped-up charges claimed in the video one by one. 

For decades, Australia, the "manager" of the US in their perceived South Pacific region "backyard," has blatantly projected its expansive hegemony by treating the PICs as its vassal states.

Although the region has been "neglected" by the US and Australia for a long time, when China attempts to cultivate normal cooperation and economic exchanges there, Canberra, Washington, as well as their allies resort to unrelenting hysteric attacks against China.

In 2022, their target was the security pact between China and the Solomon Islands. Recently, they turned their focus to Fiji, which is considered the leader of the PICs, especially by Australia, which views this region as a power range that must be contested and protected. 

Efforts by some Australian media sources to "spread" Western democratic values and increase their external propaganda in Fiji are increasing, the Global Times learned from some sources in Fiji, who are direct witnesses to the Australian media's sneaky maneuvers to sow discord between Fiji and China.

Reports based on a deliberate distortion of facts would not only erode the credibility of these media outlets but also threaten to destabilize regional peace and development, analysts warned. They called for certain Australian media outlets to return to the right track of playing a more positive role in promoting cooperation and regional peace rather than stirring up trouble.  

Same old tricks

Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka put on hold the decade-old police cooperation between Fiji and China shortly after forming his government in December 2022, citing differences in policing, investigations, and legal systems. 

After reviewing a policing cooperation deal with China for one year, Fiji decided to maintain the cooperation despite mounting pressure from the US and Australia. The Chinese Embassy in Fiji confirmed this information with the Global Times on March 17. The move reflects that such cooperation, fundamentally different from that with Western countries, stems from the strong demand of the PICs, Chinese experts said.  

The above-mentioned 60 Minutes Australia video discredited the China-Fiji police cooperation as a way to conduct "mass kidnapping" and "exert power in the region." 

"This allegation disregards facts in favor of a hidden agenda. It is a demonization and malicious distortion of normal cooperation between China and Fiji," the spokesperson of the Chinese Embassy in Fiji said on March 26, firmly refuting the video's claims in the statement.

Police cooperation is just the latest excuse being used by Australian media outlets to smear China's cooperation with the PICs in their constant promotion of the "China threat" theory. 

"They [Australian media] usually portray China's normal exchanges and cooperation with the PICs as a means for major powers to seek power in geopolitical competition, insinuating that China is interfering in the internal affairs of the island countries and eroding their sovereignty," a source who requested anonymity told the Global Times, referring to the negative portrayal of Fiji's participation in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as a prominent example of how Australian media outlets always claim that China's infrastructure projects are setting "debt traps" for the island countries.

Another similar old trick used by some Australian media outlets and officials is to draw parallels between Western and Eastern ideologies by emphasizing Australia's Vuvale Partnership, or family partnership, with Fijians, emphasizing the shared values of "democracy and freedom." This move, as experts said, is aimed at creating doubts about or distancing from China's political system and ideology.   

Some Australian media outlets have also accused China of manipulating agents - for example, Zhao Fugang, a businessman featured in the 60 Minutes Australia program - to increase penetration in Fiji, engaged in crimes with Western competitors like the US and Australia. 

In a response to the 60 Minutes Australia, the Chinese Embassy in Fiji noted that Zhao is a Fijian national and his activities and operations in Fiji should be addressed to the Fijian government.

The Chinese Embassy stressed that 60 Minutes Australia's suspicion of the relationship between the Chinese government and the Chinese community in Fiji is entirely groundless. 

Real dirty tactics

The above-mentioned attacks are baseless and always predicated upon unsubstantiated information and even lies, experts pointed out.  

The Global Times found that, in these kinds of reports, Australian media outlets usually quote information from certain intelligence agencies whose authenticity cannot be confirmed. 

Based on information from unknown sources, these media outlets take things out of context, and piece together a false news story. They then virally spread these reports via diverse channels, including television, radio, documentaries, and social media platforms.

Many Australian media outlets, such as the Sydney Morning Herald and most recently Channel 9 news, also work together to create a matrix effect by reporting on the same issue at the same period of time.  

Australian media outlets also maintain close cooperation with Fiji's local media outlets to ensure that these reports spread to Fiji. Local mainstream media outlets in Fiji have signed cooperation agreements with various Australian media outlets, resulting in a wide coverage range. In addition to high-level exchanges, there are also exchanges of film and television products such as TV series and documentaries. 

The world news section of Fijian media outlets mainly consists of reports from Western media outlets such as the BBC and ABC, with very little original reporting from Fijian media sources. This can lead to a lot of negative publicity in the world news section, experts pointed out. 

Australian media outlets also provide a lot of assistance to Fijian media, such as purchasing equipment or exchanging film and television resources, due to lower media capabilities in Fiji. This assistance is valuable to them, and they will often publish whatever is provided by Australian media outlets. Training and exchange programs also penetrate the upper levels of Fijian media, influencing the stance of the newspapers, a local insider close to the matter told the Global Times. 

Additionally, Australian think tanks and scholars often visit Fijian schools. Under the guise of neutrality and objectivity, some of them, in fact, act as spokespersons for the Australian government. They often publish articles in local media outlets, warning about "debt traps" and "loss of sovereignty" due to Chinese influence, and hold forums and lectures at universities to spread negative opinions and instigate anti-China sentiment, according to the Fijian insider.

Meanwhile, amid Australian media's intensified attacks against China, some scholars in Fiji were recently warned not to express political opinions using their academic affiliations, the Global Times has learned. 

Call for positive role in promoting cooperation

Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times, that the actions of Australian media outlets are not surprising due to their alignment with the Five Eyes alliance, including the US and the UK, shaping their narratives and intelligence efforts to serve US interests. 

Consequently, any enhancement of China's presence, whether in the Arctic or in the South Pacific Islands, faces inevitable denigration, particularly from Australian media outlets closely linked to intelligence and security sectors, Li stated.

"The reckless discourse of Australian media has tangible adverse effects," Li noted, "not only undermining the media's own credibility but also complicating China's diplomatic relations, particularly in the South Pacific region like Fiji."

This has set up unnecessary obstacles in China's interactions with these countries, benefiting foreign political forces keen on intensifying geopolitical competition with China.

Li lamented that such media behavior fosters misunderstandings and escalates difficulties in public engagements with China, injecting harmful geopolitical narratives into the South Pacific, and posing risks of division and confrontation. He concluded that these actions serve to damage the regional interests of most countries in the area, indicating a regrettable course of conduct by the media. 

He called for certain Australian media outlets to play a more positive and more active role in promoting cooperation, peace, and development, highlighting the recent warming of relations and exchanges between China and Australia. 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi concluded on March 21 his first visit to Australia in seven years with positive signs signaling that normal bilateral ties are back on track. 

About one week after Wang's visit, China's Ministry of Commerce announced, on March 28, a decision to cancel anti-dumping and anti-subsidy tariffs levied on Australian wine. The removal of the tariffs shows a pragmatic attitude on both sides to solve their trade disputes through dialogue and negotiations, Chinese experts said, anticipating more robust development in trade and economic relations between the two countries.

On the doors of the women's toilets at Peking University Third Hospital Reproductive Center, it is hard to miss the stickers which bear the words "surrogacy" and "gender selection," along with a phone number. With couples from all over China coming to seek the help of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in the hospital where the first "In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)-baby" in China was born, these stickers are enticing, but also dangerous as surrogacy is illegal in China.

Song Lin (pseudonym), who has been receiving treatment in the reproductive center for five years, trying to have an IVF-baby, is one of those being allured by the stickers. "I have gone through two rounds of egg retrieval and five times of embryo transfer but I still cannot have my own baby… I felt exhausted and thought surrogacy may be the best answer," said Song.

However, when Song dialed the number on the sticker, she could not get through or was told the number does not exist. On WeChat, she later shared her experience in a mutual-aid group among women who are also trying to have an IVF-baby and some warned her of swindlers and some said people they knew had got babies via underground surrogacy services in South China's Guangdong Province.

Song finally gave up the idea of seeking surrogacy due to the high risk. But discussions over surrogacy have continued with underground surrogacy services growing in China due to the increasing demand, and the topic has recently attracted more attention as certain public hospitals in multiple places across China were reportedly involved in commercial surrogacy.

Several hospitals in Central China's Hunan and Hubei provinces, East China's Zhejiang Province and Guangdong Province were also reportedly connected with surrogacy organizations to offer ART related services to surrogate mothers or selling birth certificates, according to media reports. Local authorities vowed to crack down on the illegal use of ART. 

Underground business

According to "Administrative Measures for Human Assisted Reproductive Technology" released in 2001, medical institutions and medical personnel are not allowed to implement any form of surrogacy technology and medical institutions that implement surrogacy technology will be given a warning and a fine of up to 30,000 yuan and may be held criminally liable. In 2007, the former Ministry of Public Health (now the National Health Commission) revised several administrative measures and regulations related to ART and reiterated "the implementation of surrogacy technology is prohibited." 

But underground surrogacy service continues to grow in China with some organizations offering packaged service to cater to the different needs. 

"Our patients include those who prefer not to give birth and also those who suffer infertility or aphoria," Jessy, who works in a Beijing-based private medical institution, told the Global Times. 

The institution's services include offering egg and sperm retrieval of the clients in the institution and arranging blastocyst embryo transfer into the surrogate mother in public hospitals to "legalize" the procedure. The institution also provides antenatal care to the surrogate mothers. The total price is around 600,000 to 800,000 yuan, according to Jessy.

For those who worry about the legitimacy of surrogacy in China, Jessy said her institution could also help clients go to the US to use surrogacy, and the total fee is about $140,000.

Heated discussions

Although Jessy's institution also promised to offer health certificate to baby born through surrogacy to eliminate worries, the legal concerns still exist. In fact, for years, the discussions over whether surrogacy should be allowed among specific groups or how to further regulate the using of ART have been ongoing. 

There are also voices in China that strongly disapprove of surrogacy in any form with some noted that surrogacy not only violates human dignity and fair reproductive rights, it also causes legal disputes.

There are multiple legal risks related to surrogacy in China and contract disputes caused by surrogacy occur frequently as various parties have been involved in the contract. And the standards for judging similar cases and the application of foreign-related laws urgently need to be unified, Zhong Lan'an, a lawyer from the Beijing-based Jingsh Law Firm, told the Global Times. 

Surrogacy may involve issues such as custody and property inheritance for children born out of wedlock. It may also cause disputes over the spouse's reproductive rights, confirmation of parent-child relationship, liability for children's health, and liability for the surrogate mother's health, said Zhong. 

For cross-border surrogacy, additional legal issues, including nationality and immigration may arise given that different countries have different legal regulations on surrogacy, said the lawyer.

Despite the legal risks and prohibition of surrogacy in China, it has continued to be practiced to cater for the growing demand. Zhong noted that as China's population ages and the fertility rate continues to decline, some people who have a very urgent need to have their own children can have their demand met through surrogacy. But the surrogacy industry is full of chaos and needs to be regulated and managed through legislation.

Huang Wenzheng, a demography expert and senior researcher at the Center for China and Globalization, believes surrogacy should be allowed for some groups, including couples who are unable to have children and those who are past the fertile years but have lost their only child. 

Simply banning surrogacy may lead to thriving underground services, resulting in more chaos and illegal activities, said Huang, advising to improve legislations on surrogacy and strictly control the applied range of surrogacy and strengthen supervision of related industries.  

Although discussions over the ethical and legal dilemmas in surrogacy remain in China, many scholars who hold different views on surrogacy agree that the country needs to improve the legislation and regulation on surrogacy and adapt to the adjustment of reproductive policies, and the development of surrogacy technology. 

Moreover, efforts should also be made to ensure that citizens have access to safe, standardized and effective ART services, minimize the risks of assisted reproductive services, and improve medical conditions for couples who seek ART technologies, analysts suggest. 

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.