At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, Chinese President Xi Jinping kicked off his state visit to France on May 5. It coincides with the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and France, and is of great significance to building on past achievements and opening up new prospects for bilateral relations.

During this visit, achieving carbon neutrality goals will, once again, be an important consensus reaffirmed by China and France, in relation to which, the joint promotion of nuclear energy cooperation and development as an important cornerstone for the two countries to achieve carbon reduction goals has attracted great attention.

Yu Jianfeng, Chairman of China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), and Jean-Bernard Lévy, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Electricité de France (EDF) jointly released A Prospective Study on "Bluebook" on Nuclear Energy to Support for Low Carbon on Monday in Paris.

"China and France, as major nuclear energy-producing countries in the world, play an irreplaceable role in promoting nuclear energy to address climate change and low-carbon transformation," Yu said.

He noted that nuclear energy cooperation is an important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France. Under the strategic guidance of President Xi and President Macron, nuclear energy enterprises in the two countries have adhered to the principle of "walking on the two legs of technological cooperation and industrial cooperation," and have achieved fruitful results.

The Global Times learned from the CNNC that the cooperation between the CNNC and the EDF opens a new chapter in the two countries' nuclear energy cooperation. This not only reflects the concrete implementation of the important consensus reached by the top leaders of the two countries, but also marks the 40th anniversary of the two countries' nuclear energy cooperation and witnesses the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France.

The move will also support China in building an innovative nuclear energy international cooperation network. In the future, the two countries will leverage their strengths to build a new pattern of cooperation and development that is interconnected and driven by innovation, supported by industry to promote the improvement of global nuclear governance, and make greater contributions to the economic and social development of China and France, as well as the construction of a global community of shared future for mankind.

One of the most stable cooperation areas

The nuclear energy cooperation between China and France has a long history and continues to deepen. Since the signing of the first cooperation agreement on the peaceful use of nuclear energy in 1982, China and France have always adhered to the principle of equal emphasis on scientific and industrial cooperation. Nuclear energy cooperation has become one of the most stable cooperation areas between the two countries.

As one of the earliest international nuclear energy companies to cultivate business in China, the EDF has been operating in China for more than 40 years and has become one of the largest foreign investors in China's power generation and energy services industry.

For a long time, the EDF has developed and deepened its partnership with the CNNC. The two sides regularly hold high-level meetings, and their cooperation covers multiple areas such as nuclear power research and development, construction, operation and maintenance, and fuel, achieving numerous results.

The CNNC and the EDF have actively participated in the interactive activities of international organizations, sending experts to support the work of international organization technical groups, conducting international research projects, and promoting international coordination and standardization. For example, they participated in the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'s nuclear safety standards development work, especially the recent Nuclear Harmonization and Standardization Initiative (NHSI) small modular reactor regulatory forum activities initiated by the IAEA, which is aimed at promoting the development of universal standards for small modular reactors, coordinate unified regulatory requirements, and promote the safe and reliable deployment of small modular reactors worldwide.

The EDF and the CNNC have also made important contributions to the standardization work of international standardization organizations and the International Electrotechnical Commission.

As the main force of China and France's nuclear energy technology cooperation, the CNNC has established long-term friendly cooperation relationships with French partners and achieved fruitful cooperation results. In the more than 40 years of nuclear energy technology cooperation, the CNNC and the French Atomic Energy Commission have established seven collaborative laboratories in areas such as reactor thermal hydraulics, severe accident management, aging and life management of pressurized water reactors, fast reactors, nuclear fusion, geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, decommissioning, and radioactive waste management. The two sides also signed and implemented over 500 special cooperation projects.

The CNNC has also successfully held six nuclear energy technology innovation seminars with the EDF, achieving good results in areas such as severe accidents, additive manufacturing, and material research.

Furthermore, the CNNC has also formed a consortium with Framatome to successfully bid for and implement the main machine installation project of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), and have conducted good cooperation with the Orano Group in areas such as the research on uranium resources.
To jointly build "artificial sun"

Cooperation in the peaceful use of nuclear energy has become an important part of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France. The scope of nuclear energy cooperation between the two countries is wide-ranging and diverse, but the most "high-energy" project undoubtedly is the ITER large-scale scientific project that the two countries are jointly working on.

Referred to as the world's largest "artificial sun," the ITER project is currently the largest and most influential international scientific project in the world, carrying the hopes of humanity for the peaceful use of nuclear fusion energy.

The ITER device is a superconducting tokamak capable of producing large-scale nuclear fusion reactions, which will help humanity move further toward a continuous source of clean energy. Since its establishment in 2007, the ITER has been one of the largest international scientific engineering cooperation projects in the world. France is the location of the ITER project construction and headquarters, while China is one of the seven equal member parties of the ITER project, contributing 9.09 percent of the construction phase and 10 percent of the operation and decommissioning phase funding.

China joined the ITER project in 2006. Since the implementation of the project, China has always adhered to its international commitments, with Chinese enterprises and researchers bravely shouldering heavy responsibilities and working together with international counterparts to contribute Chinese wisdom and strength to the smooth progress of the project.

The CNNC has been actively involved in the development of the world's largest "artificial sun." In September 2019, a China-France consortium led by the CNNC signed the TAC-1 installation contract with the ITER, marking China's deep involvement in the installation of the core equipment of the tokamak device - the "heart" of the experimental reactor.

On February 29, 2024, the ITER organization signed a new the vacuum chamber module assembly contract with the consortium. China will once again undertake the installation of the core equipment, contributing wisdom and strength to the ITER project alongside France.

Shen Yanfeng, General Manager of the CNNC, said that the signing of the agreement means that the China-France consortium led by the CNNC has become the sole contractor for the main host installation of the ITER project. This demonstrates the CNNC's commitment to implementing President Xi's important instructions, opening up to the outside world, deeply participating in the global nuclear industry chain cooperation, building a new development pattern, promoting high-quality development of the nuclear industry, accelerating the advancement of China's modernization, and striving to create a vivid practice of a global community of shared future for mankind.

This will greatly enhance China's participation and contribution in international large-scale scientific projects, and help implement the "three-step" development strategy of nuclear energy - thermal reactors, fast reactors, and fusion reactors, Shen said.
Direction for nuclear energy development

The release of the "bluebook" undoubtedly takes the cooperation between China and France in the nuclear energy field to a new level.

The Global Times learned that the "bluebook" is the first strategic planning soft science cooperation between Chinese state-owned nuclear energy enterprises and partners in developed Western countries in recent years, marking a significant increase in China's nuclear industry strategic planning and soft science research capabilities and international influence, with obvious uniqueness and importance.

"The 'bluebook' is cooperation between China and France at the strategic research level in the field of nuclear energy, which has never happened before. It was included in the plan during French President Macron's visit to China in 2023," Luo Qingping, President of the China Institute of Nuclear Industry Strategy under CNNC, told the Global Times.

The release of the "bluebook" at the historical moment of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and France can also be seen as the opening of a new chapter in the nuclear energy cooperation of the two countries. In the future, China and France can combine the contents of the "bluebook" to deepen cooperation in promoting nuclear energy development, including cooperation in exploring third-party markets.

The Global Times found that the "bluebook" interprets the development ideas and practices of China and France in the field of nuclear energy through historical reviews and strategic research, providing an in-depth analysis of the future nuclear energy industry from a macro perspective.

The research mainly covers the current global status and trends of nuclear energy development, the role of nuclear power in addressing the climate change, progress in nuclear power safety and related technology standards, and measures to enhance the economic efficiency of nuclear power coupled with other new energy sources, systematically describing the current status of nuclear energy development and good practices in China and France.

In addition, the "bluebook" fully demonstrates China's strength in nuclear power construction, including its strength in third-generation nuclear power, fourth-generation nuclear power, small modular reactors, and the entire industry chain service capabilities.

It also describes important nuclear power products in China, such as the Hualong One, Linglong One, high-temperature reactors, and fast reactors, making it easier for the international community to understand China's nuclear power technology and product capabilities.

The release of the "bluebook" can expand the influence of Chinese nuclear power companies, especially the CNNC. Through the preparation of the "bluebook," China and France can reach a consensus on nuclear energy technology at the strategic level and enhance the international influence of nuclear energy technology in both countries.

The "bluebook" proposes three initiatives. First, China and France jointly advocate that every country in the world has the right to develop nuclear power, but safety must be the top priority in the development process, meaning that nuclear power must be developed under reliable safety supervision. Second, it points out to the world that nuclear energy can effectively support low-carbon development. China's future nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors and nuclear fusion are important solutions to the global energy problem. Third, it calls for urgent action to address the crisis caused by climate change, emphasizing that energy transformation is imperative, and the development of nuclear power is undoubtedly an effective approach.

Based on this "bluebook," there is a possibility of creating an internationally significant guiding document. The IAEA is also very interested in this "bluebook." Next, the CNNC will communicate with the IAEA to try to include the "bluebook" in their publication list for global promotion.

A green future for humanity

According to data in the "bluebook," as of the end of December 2023, France has an installed nuclear power capacity of 61.37 gigawatts in operation, ranking second in the world, with an additional 1.63 gigawatts under construction. China has an installed nuclear power capacity of 53.15 gigawatts in operation, ranking third in the world, with an additional 23.72 gigawatts under construction. Both China and France are major nuclear energy-producing countries, with CNNC and EDF as key players in global nuclear energy development, each having their own advantages in nuclear power construction, operation, maintenance, and fuel supply, accumulating rich experience in the development of nuclear energy.

The continued cooperation between the two countries will provide strong momentum for the utilization and development of global clean energy technologies. China and France will continue to deepen cooperation in multiple areas such as nuclear engineering, nuclear power operation, and nuclear fuel cycle. They will promote the synergy between nuclear energy and renewable energy, formulate public policies focusing on low-carbon growth, accelerate the development of renewable energy such as hydropower, wind power, solar power, and geothermal energy, extend the lifespan of existing nuclear power plants, initiate new nuclear power construction projects, and optimize the cost of energy transition.

Furthermore, the two sides will cooperate to promote advanced nuclear energy technologies such as small modular reactors and fusion reactors. They will work together to advance the commercial deployment of small modular reactors. They will also strengthen international cooperation in the field of nuclear fusion research, the Global Times learned from the CNNC.

At the same time, they will promote the comprehensive application of nuclear energy, popularize technologies such as nuclear heating, seawater desalination, and hydrogen production, diversify the forms of nuclear energy utilization, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

They will also conduct research on the impact of climate change using nuclear technology, playing a special role in addressing issues such as water scarcity, soil erosion, land degradation, and increased diseases and pests in plants and animals caused by climate change.

Looking to the future, the CNNC and the EDF have reached a consensus that nuclear energy development is a realistic and important choice in the transition to a clean, low-carbon, safe, and efficient modern energy system, especially as nuclear energy expands from electricity generation to heating, steam supply, hydrogen production, and other applications, potentially accelerating the decarbonization of high-emission industries. The deepening cooperation in the nuclear energy field between China and France will undoubtedly bring more solutions and surprises to humanity.

Weighing a total of 31.5 kilograms, the sixth batch of scientific samples that was returned to Earth by China’s Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship has been delivered to scientists in Beijing on Wednesday. A day prior to that, the Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship touched down at the Dongfeng landing site in North China’s Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. 

The new batch of space samples include 32 types of life experimental specimens like human osteoblasts, a major substance for bone formation, protein crystals and organic molecules. 

Another 18 types of material samples such as high-temperature and extravehicular exposed materials are all contributed to this new batch of off world discoveries. The samples collected will serve around 23 different scientific projects.  

On Wednesday, the precious scientific cargo was handed to researchers at the Technology and Engineering Centre for Space Utilization, Chinese Academy of Science. A process of biological analysis including the transcriptome sequencing and proteomic researches will now be carried out by experts. 

A study of biological mechanisms of cells in a microgravity environment was conducted to assist better understand disease prevention and intervention. Future analysis on collected protein samples may also provide scientific support for new medicine and vaccine development.  

Technical staff from the space program also expect that collected material samples from space can enhance China’s researches on optimizing resource utilization of lunar soil. 

China’s Shenzhou-17 manned spaceship mission marks a new chapter in human-space success following the spacecraft’s taikonauts returning in good health. The taikonauts, Tang Hongbo, Tang Shengjie and Jiang Xinlin had been in orbit for 187 days before returning to earth. 

Amid the Shenzhou-17 mission, taikonauts completed the first extravehicular maintenance task in the history of China’s space program. 

“I believe that the shenzhou-18 crew will succeed us to complete the follow-up mission successfully. I am more convinced that in the near future, we will not only return to the space, but also let the Chinese space exploration go deeper and deeper. China’s aerospace industry is always worth looking forward to,” Tang Hongbo told media. 

Global hot tourist destinations will welcome a large number of Chinese tourists during the upcoming May Day holidays from May 1 to May 5. The return of Chinese tourists will greatly boost local economic growth through travel spending, analysts said, noting that China, with its growing consumption power, remains a major contributor to global growth.

China is one of the largest tourist sources and host countries in the world, and the expected boom in China's outbound and inbound tourism will continue to play a crucial role in the economic recovery of global tourism, industry observers said.

On several travel platforms, outbound travel bookings for the May Day holidays increased significantly, even on the high base set last year, with some services witnessing an increase of nearly 100 percent.

Bookings for international hotels, air tickets, car rentals and other bookings have far exceeded that during the May Day holidays in 2023, according to a report by Fliggy, a domestic travel platform under Alibaba, sent to the Global Times. 

So far, the number of outbound cruise trip bookings has increased by more than 16 times year-on-year, and the products of some routes have been sold out on Fliggy. Ticket bookings for overseas amusement parks and scenic spots grew more than 90 percent. 

Meanwhile, there has been a rapid increase in bookings for local travel experiences, such as snorkelling in Thailand's Similan Islands to see the underwater world and hot air balloon rides in Turkey, on Fliggy.

Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the US, France, Vietnam and other countries are among the hottest outbound destinations for Chinese tourists during the May Day holidays, according to a report by Trip.com Group sent to the Global Times.

Thanks to the resumption of international routes and the improvement of flight supply, the outbound travel cost performance is higher than the May Day holidays in 2023.  The per capita purchase price of international air tickets fell by 19 percent year-on-year on Fliggy.

Many airliners have announced an increase in capacity for international routes. China Southern Airlines has launched a new route from Beijing Daxing International Airport to Riyadh and increased the frequency of flights between Beijing's Daxing and Macao to once a day. China Eastern Airlines has resumed the route from Daxing to Kuala Lumpur, while China United Airlines plans to open international routes to Russia, Japan and South Korea during the peak season. South Korea's Jeju Airlines has settled in Daxing airport, providing more choices for passengers.

The Global Times learned from Beijing Daxing International Airport that the average number of daily inbound and outbound passenger trips at the airport is expected to exceed 14,000 during the May Day holidays. 

Global tourism market boosted

Chinese outbound and inbound tourism is expected to accelerate in 2024, due to visa facilitation and improved air capacity, according to a forecast report released in January by UN Tourism, a United Nations agency responsible for tourism.

On Monday, China's Embassy in Georgia announced that the mutual visa waiver agreement between the two countries will come into effect on May 28, expanding the number of China's visa-free partners.

So far, China has concluded visa-free agreements with more than 150 countries covering different passports. 

Since the beginning of 2024, China's tourism sector has soared compared with the average level of the international market, and there are great expectations both at home and abroad for China's tourism market, analysts noted.

According to a forecast by the China Tourism Academy, the number of outbound trips by Chinese tourists will reach 130 million in 2024. 

This figure is close to the number of Chinese outbound tourist trips in 2019 before the COVID-19 pandemic, which stood at 155 million. 

Chinese tourists spent $133.8 billion on outbound tourism in 2019, with per capita consumption of $863, ranking first in the world in outbound tourism expenditure, accounting for 23.8 percent of global total, according to statistics from UN Tourism.

Analysts said that China could regain the crown of tourism expenditure in 2024. The 2019 figures clearly show why global tourism markets are eager for the return of Chinese tourists. China remains an engine and a contributor to global economic growth. 

According to official data, China's contribution to global economic growth is approximately 30 percent, underscoring the country's central role in the world's economic system.

"With their strong spending power, Chinese outbound tourists will significantly boost the global tourism market," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Monday.

Wang also noted that tourism is not a one-time consumption activity, and will drive the development of a series of related industries, such as catering, entertainment and retail. 

"This spillover effect can further magnify the driving role of tourism on economic growth through consumption," said Wang.

Momentum of consumption

Zhang Yi, CEO of iiMedia Research Institute, told the Global Times that consumer spending could hit a new high during the May Day holidays in China, boosted by several shopping festivals and trade-in activities, which will further boost the country's economic growth.

"Consumption is a key link in domestic economic circulation and an important engine of economic growth," Zhang Lingyun, a member of the academic committee of the China Tourism Academy, told the Global Times on Monday.

Experts said that there is still potential for further growth in consumption after a nearly 5 percent growth in the first quarter, and the momentum of consumption will provide new impetus to the economic growth of the world's second-largest economy and refute "Peak China" narrative hyped by some Western observers and media.

According to statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), China's total retail sales of consumer goods rose 4.7 percent year-on-year to 12.03 trillion yuan ($1.7 trillion) in the first quarter of 2024, indicating a steady expansion in consumption after a surge during the Spring Festival holidays in February.

"What boosted China's strong consumption power is government policy promotion and social security. To meet people's aspirations for a better life, China is shifting to a consumption-oriented economy," said Zhang.

Analysts also pointed out that the increase in consumption reflected spending power. In the first quarter, the per capita disposable income nationwide was 11,539 yuan, a nominal increase of 6.2 percent over the same period in 2023, and a real increase of 6.2 percent after deducting price factors, according to the NBS.

The increase in disposable income comes from China's stable economy, which also explains why the yuan maintains its resilience in the foreign exchange market, while multiple currencies including the yen, won and rupee continue to depreciate against the US dollar.

Dozens of foreign diplomats commended the expertise and efficiency of China's grassroots lawmaking process, while rejecting the notion that the Western model is the only form of democracy, as they visited a local legislative liaison station in Beijing on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, ambassadors and diplomats from 36 countries visited a local legislative liaison station in Beijing's Chaoyang District, where they held meetings with grassroots lawmakers and observed a fundamental step of China's whole-process people's democracy.

The Nanmofang Township Legislative Liaison Station visited by the foreign envoys is one of the 43 legislative liaison stations in Chaoyang District, and is one of the most grassroots institutions in the Chinese legislative system. Established by the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Chaoyang District, it is where grassroots deputies discuss legislative drafts and collect suggestions from the public.

During the visit, the foreign diplomats audited a consultation meeting on the Law on Deputies to the National People's Congress and Local People's Congresses, which was attended by grassroots deputies from all walks of life.

After the consultation meeting, they took part in a symposium with the deputies and officials from the Standing Committee of the People's Congress of Chaoyang District, sharing their views, questions and observations of China's grassroots legislative process.

The ambassadors interviewed by the Global Times said that it is their first time to observe China's whole-process people's democracy at the grassroots level, and they are impressed by the level of expertise and efficiency, and diversity in participation.

"This is the first time that I've had the privilege and the opportunity to observe a lower level of the People's Congress," Michael Campbell, Nicaragua's Ambassador to China, told the Global Times after the event. "We've had the chance to see that the whole-process people's democracy model has been improving, which is very important."

Campbell said he was impressed by the diversity in the grassroots legislation in terms of the backgrounds of the participants. "You have professors, you have doctors, you have lawyers … Everybody was debating on the same bill that will eventually go to the upper level," he said. "When the bill reaches the national level, it already has the suggestions of all walks of life. So when it's finally approved, everybody is willing to implement it."

Campbell, who has also been invited to the national two sessions - the annual legislative and political consultative sessions - in March, believes that China's whole-process people's democracy will continue to strengthen and improve, as everybody has their voice to make China better.
China has more than 2.77 million lawmakers at five levels of legislative bodies. Among them, there are less than 3,000 national deputies, while county and township-level deputies account for about 95 percent of the total number of lawmakers. The vast majority of these grassroots deputies, or 94.5 percent of the total, are directly elected.

Abu Bakarr Karim, the Sierra Leone Ambassador to China, and Anne Lafortune, Seychelles Ambassador to China, both described what they witnessed as "impressive."

"You can actually see the level of consultation that takes place at the grassroots level," Karim told the Global Times. "I was impressed by the level of expertise."

Karim noted that he would like to communicate with his local parliament back in his country about his observations and discuss whether they can learn more from it.

Lafortune said she was always aware of China's whole-process democracy but has never seen it up close as she did during the visit.

"I was impressed by the different ways that the grassroots people are able to voice their opinion," she said. "It has shown that China is really committed to making sure its people are actually heard."

Lafortune noted that there are many models of effective democracy, and each country can see their own way to approach it. "China is moving forward. This version apparently fits China," she said.

Campbell, the Nicaraguan Ambassador, noted that it is obvious that the "Western model of democracy" is not the only definition of democracy.

"It is one of the greatest mistakes that the West is making right now - instead of investing in their model, they are busy promoting false narratives related to the democracy of other countries," he told the Global Times. "Each country has to decide what is most appropriate for them."

One of the most important things about China is that it respects the democracy model of other countries, he said, while Western democracy is promoting interventionism, warmongering and false narratives.

China appreciates Hungary's commitment to being a force for peace and stability in Europe amid the complex international situation. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also commended Hungary for steadfastly deepening cooperation with China despite interference and pressure during a meeting with visiting Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto in Beijing on Wednesday.

The top Chinese diplomat also said China hopes Hungary will promote a rational and friendly view of China's development in the EU, encourage the bloc to pursue a more proactive and pragmatic policy toward China, and strengthen strategic communication between China and the EU.

During his talk with Szijjarto, Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said Hungary has unique influence and a commitment to independence, noting it has long adhered to a friendly policy toward China.

China-Hungarian relations are based on mutual respect and mutual benefit, with a positive momentum in various fields of exchange and cooperation, said Wang. China is confident in the development of bilateral relations and practical cooperation.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Hungary, presenting a new important opportunity for the two countries, said Wang. He noted that China is willing to maintain close communication with Hungary, implement the important consensus of the leaders of both countries, continue the traditional friendship between China and Hungary, deepen political mutual trust, promote cooperation in building the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and advance bilateral relations to a higher level.

China appreciates Hungary's commitment to being a force for peace and stability in Europe amid the complex and intertwined international situation, and commends Hungary for steadfastly deepening cooperation with China despite interference and pressure, said Wang.

Wang said the mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Hungary in various fields has yielded fruitful results, benefiting not only the two peoples but also demonstrating that China is an opportunity rather than a challenge, and a partner rather than a competitor for Europe.

As Hungary will take over the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union in the second half of this year, China hopes that Hungary will promote a rational and friendly view of China within the EU, encourage the bloc to adopt more proactive and pragmatic policy towards China, strengthen strategic communication between China and Europe, create more positive expectations for mutually beneficial cooperation, and promote the sustained, stable, and healthy development of China-EU relations, said Wang.

Szijjarto said China is a major country with global influence, and Hungary welcomes China to play a greater role in maintaining world peace and stability.

In the current turbulent international situation, the strong and powerful development of Hungary-China and Europe-China relations is particularly important.

Over the past 75 years of diplomatic relations, the solid mutual trust and friendly cooperation between Hungary and China have translated into tangible results, bringing great benefits to the Hungarian people, said Szijjarto.

He stressed that Hungary opposes "decoupling" and always believes that viewing China as a threat will only lead to missed opportunities, while treating China as a partner is the right choice.

Hungary welcomes China to further increase investment in Hungary, and is willing to promote key project construction within the framework of the BRI, continuously deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in various fields between Hungary and China, elevate bilateral relations to a new level, and promote stable and healthy development of Europe-China relations.

The two sides also exchanged in-depth views on common concerns such as the Ukraine crisis.

Before US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming visit to China, US officials adopted their usual tactic of using harsh language to apply pressure on China, expressing so-called strong concerns about China's support for Russia and the Taiwan question. Chinese observers stated that the recent frequent visits of Blinken and a string of US officials to China recently indicate that Washington is unable to solve domestic and global issues without cooperation from China. Therefore, when seeking help from Beijing, the US would be wise to communicate with China respectfully and as equals, rather than condescendingly. 

Blinken will meet with senior Chinese officials in both Shanghai and Beijing during his April 24-26 visit, CNN quoted a senior US State Department official as saying on Saturday. 

The US State Department said Saturday that Blinken would "discuss a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues," including the Middle East, the war in Ukraine, the South China Sea and the Taiwan Straits.

He will also talk about progress made in "resuming counternarcotics cooperation, military-to-military communication, artificial intelligence, and strengthening people-to-people ties" and will reaffirm how important it is for the US and China to be "responsibly managing competition, even in areas where our two countries disagree," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said, according to media report. 

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian welcomed Blinken's upcoming visit at Thursday's media briefing, but provided no further details. 

Negative factors

After the meeting of the two heads of state in San Francisco last year, China-US relations have to some extent stabilized, but negative factors keep on increasing. Blinken's visit is to implement the consensus of the two heads of state, but from the so-called focus points announced by the US government, it is possible that the visit will widen the differences and create more negative factors, Lü Xiang, research fellow at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday. 

Lü pointed out one example as Filipino and US forces will conduct their annual joint military exercises soon, including simulations of sinking ships, which is widely seen as targeted at China. 

During his upcoming visit, Blinken will also reportedly ask Beijing to avoid "provocative" measures during next month's inauguration of Lai Ching-te, who was elected as Taiwan's regional leader in January, AFP quoted a US official as saying.

Blinken's tactical goal this time is clearly to launch a verbal offensive against China, including on the South China Sea, trade issues, and the Taiwan question, in order to put pressure on China, Lü noted. 

He believes that if Blinken puts forward these propositions, China will definitely hit back resolutely. China will also be highly vigilant on the Taiwan question and won't let the US hurt its core interest. 

As the US has already entered the presidential election season, the Biden administration, although deeply mired in domestic political competition, is unwilling to show weakness at this time, and no matter how unprepared it is in dealing with those global issues, officials from the Biden administration are still trying to show that it is capable and strong, said Lü. 

Abandon condescending approach

CNN on Saturday quoted an official from the US State Department as saying that Blinken plans to "reiterate our deep concerns regarding the PRC's support for Russia's defense industrial base, as well as its human rights abuses and unfair economic and trade practices." 

The US House of Representatives on Saturday approved billions of dollars in new US military aid for Ukraine to help combat Russia. The foreign aid package passed on Saturday also includes military support for Israel, and funding for allies in the Asia-Pacific, including island of Taiwan. 

Chinese experts said this foreign aid package mirrored Biden administration's lousy performance on handling foreign affairs. When Biden realized the Russia-Ukraine conflict is beyond US' ability to solve, he forced the House of Representatives to pass a bill to support Ukraine, in order to showcase its strength and to muddy the waters to extricate themselves by blaming the US' failure on China's "support" for Russia. 

After overcoming the obstacles of sending support to Ukraine, Washington will inevitably focus on obstructing China's trade with Russia. China will face new struggle with the US in terms of defending its sovereignty in foreign trade, said experts, noting that Washington should be clear that it has very few tools to pressure China in this regard. 

US foreign aid has prolonged the crisis in Ukraine. As of January 2023, the US commitment to Ukraine amounted to $76.8 billion, of which military aid accounted for the largest share, $46.5 billion, or 61 percent. US media revealed that 40 percent of US military aid to Ukraine is used for the mandatory purchase of US equipment and training services, known as "tied aid." Part of the military aid is a financial loan that will become a long-term liability for Ukraine, said the report released by China titled "the Hypocrisy and Facts of the United States Foreign Aid."

On global issues, apart from expressing "concerns" over China's cooperation with Russia, Blinken will also reportedly discuss the situation in the Middle East. The US has repeatedly called on China both publicly and privately to press Iran to exercise restraint as tensions simmer between it and Israel, according to CNN.

After Iran launched a retaliatory attack on Israel earlier this month, Biden told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu he should consider Iran's strikes a win, since they had been largely unsuccessful and demonstrated Israel's ability to defend itself. Biden had already made clear to Netanyahu that the US would not participate in any offensive operations against Iran in response, a senior administration previously told CNN.

Experts suggest that Blinken's upcoming visit, coming as the US presidential election draws near, signals the US government's desire to engage in stabilizing ties with China to avoid any potential incidents that could negatively impact the Biden's election prospects.

The recent frequent visits of Blinken and other US officials to China indicate that without China, it will be difficult for the US to achieve its plans for domestic, regional and global issues. Therefore, the US hopes that China will help it resolve the problems it faces, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times.

However, since the US is seeking help from China, it should do so on the basis of equality and respect in its communication with China. But now, it seems that the US is adopting a pressuring and commanding attitude towards China. This is not conducive to communication, so the US needs to correct its attitude, Li noted. 

Among Chinese job seekers, the third and forth month of the year are known as "Golden March" and "Silver April," as they are the traditional peak season for both employers and employees when it comes to recruitment. Since March, job fairs have been heating up across the country.

Data shows that the post-Spring Festival job market continues to grow, with recruitment by companies increasing for four consecutive weeks. The service consumption, high-end manufacturing and new energy sectors were hotspots in the job market in the month following the Spring Festival. 

At the same time, the job market this spring has been undergoing structural changes, with industries and positions related to the development of new productive forces, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and big data, in high demand.

A campus job fair held at Nanjing Tech University in East China's Jiangsu Province recently provided thousands of jobs, with positions related to automation engineering and data analysis in the mechanical industry attracting the attention of graduates, the China Central Television (CCTV) reported. 

In Shanghai, a job fair jointly organized by five local universities, including Shanghai Jiao Tong University and East China University of Science and Technology, attracted more than 730 companies and offered 18,000 positions covering over 10 industries, according to CCTV. 

Approximately one-third of the participating companies are in Shanghai's three leading industries - AI, integrated circuits, and biomedicine. The demand for AI talent has reportedly been significantly higher this year, with nearly 30 percent of the positions offered by the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute being new emerging positions.

Liu Honglei, a deputy director of the human resources department of the Shanghai Artificial Intelligence Research Institute, told CCTV that understanding of AI among participants this year was much higher compared with recruitment fairs in 2023. According to media reports, the number of college graduates in China is expected to reach 11.79 million in 2024, an increase of 210,000 compared with 2023. 

In order to help college graduates seize this golden period of recruitment, the Chinese Ministry of Education issued a notice in March calling for specialized action. The action focuses on the current difficulties in promoting employment, optimizing employment guidance services and further aggregating social resources for college graduates to seek employment.

In addition to job fairs at universities, recruitment of migrant workers also started off strong this year due to factors such as the recovery of the consumer market, talent mobility during the spring recruitment season, and accelerated industrial upgrading and transformation.

According to media reports, in the first quarter of this year, driven by the New Year and Chinese Spring Festival holidays, the consumer market in various regions continued to heat up, with the most vigorous demand being for sales-related positions. Industries such as catering and manufacturing with high staff turnover have also increased recruitment efforts to meet the high demand during the peak season. 

In the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, which is known in China as the "top city of live streaming e-commerce," the demand for positions such as couriers and sorters remains high due to the high volume of deliveries. In established first-tier cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, as well as new first-tier cities like Chengdu, Chongqing, Hangzhou and Wuhan, relatively high levels of economic development have led to more demand for instant delivery services.

With an increase in inbound international tourists, there is also a surging demand for foreign language tour guides. The daily income of English-speaking tour guides ranges from 400 to 600 yuan ($55-83), which is 100 to 200 yuan higher than Chinese-speaking tour guides. For some other lesser-known languages like Russian, the daily income of tour guides can exceed 1,000 yuan, according to workercn.cn, a news portal affiliated with the Workers' Daily newspaper.  

Xu Lixia, general manager of an international travel agency, told the website that from January to April, their agency's 10 English-speaking guides handled 240 tour groups. 

Furthermore, specialized job fairs for women, veterans or overseas students have also been held in many places to connect these groups with more suitable jobs and provide them with more precise guidance.

A woman who spent 546,800 yuan ($75,538) on breast augmentation discovered that the fillers contained proteins sourced from camels, bats, and chimpanzees, and the case has sparked heated discussion online. It has also shed light on safety concerns within the rapidly growing cosmetic surgery industry in China.

In 2022, Lanlan was introduced to a beauty and cosmetic surgery institution called "Chu Mei Ren" in Beijing, which touted a breast augmentation technique that involved no surgery or synthetic implants, instead utilizing the consumer's own blood tissue for cultivation, promising a 20-minute procedure resulting in larger breasts.

The institution's director claimed their technique held an exclusive national patent and normally charged 1.94 million yuan for the procedure. However, through a referral discount, Lanlan managed to negotiate the fee down to 546,800 yuan.

According to Lanlan, the operation lasted only 20 minutes, leaving no visible scars. However, over time, she noticed asymmetry and experienced persistent discomfort in her breasts.

During a routine medical examination, a breast ultrasound revealed foreign bodies within her breasts. Subsequent examinations in two different hospitals confirmed the presence of unknown injection fillers and non-native tissue, as well as implants.

Lanlan underwent further surgery, costing an additional 200,000 yuan, to remove the foreign substances. Despite extensive cleansing, traces of the fillers remained, posing potential health risks.

Analysis of the filler samples revealed proteins from various animal sources, including camels, bats, and chimpanzees. Lanlan, now seven months pregnant, faces anxiety over breastfeeding due to the complications from her breast augmentation surgery.

In addition, Lanlan's mother also underwent the same procedure with the same institution, spending over 600,000 yuan, and she experienced breast pain and deformities as well.

The surgeon who operated on Lanlan was found to be a general surgeon at a hospital in Beijing, with no record of multiple institutional practices, violating regulations that require such a record, according to CCTV.

Recently, CCTV reporters revisited Chu Mei Ren institution for investigation but found it closed.

This case sheds light on the safety concerns within the rapidly growing cosmetic surgery industry in China. According to data released by the National Health Commission in January, there are a total of 18,584 compliant medical aesthetics institutions in China (excluding public institutions and private comprehensive ones).

Data from the iResearch institute showed that as of 2020, only 12 percent of medical aesthetic institutions in China were legally compliant, with over 80,000 "black institutions" operating. Legally compliant physicians accounted for only 24 percent, while the number of illegal practitioners is more than 100,000.

The regulatory authorities in China have been intensifying their supervision of the medical aesthetics industry. On April 9, the State Administration for Market Regulation issued a notice announcing the launch of a nationwide campaign from April to November 2024 to regulate advertisements in key sectors including the medical aesthetics industry, which will target unauthorized ads promoting unrealistic beauty standards and crack down on platforms and influencers promoting illegal medical aesthetics during live streams.

In May 2023, 11 government departments, including the State Administration for Market Regulation, jointly issued guidelines asserting that cosmetic procedures must fall under medical activities, requiring compliance with healthcare laws.

The increased supervision of the medical aesthetics industry aims to regulate registration, qualification verification, and information sharing, as well as curbing illegal practices and ensuring public safety.

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.