After recruiting journalists and "fisherfolk" to launch infringing activities in the South China Sea, the Philippines is about to play a new round of trick in staging another incident. Philippine media outlets recently reported that a Filipino non-governmental organization called Atin Ito, or "This is ours," is planning to rally a group of so-called Philippine fisherfolk to travel to the waters around China's Huangyan Dao (also known as Huangyan Island) in an attempt to use "fisherfolks" as "human shields, " to initiate a fresh round of provocation in the South China Sea and deliberately engage in "sadfishing" to the international community.

The Global Times noted from publicly available information that this so-called Filipino civic organization is, in fact, a "hired gun" fed by the US and long sponsored by US organizations. Atin Ito has continuously stirred up troubles in South China Sea and has been exerting its influence in the Philippine government's decision-making on the issue.

This organization's plan of direct involvement in the frontline of the South China Sea conflict further exposes the increasing interference from countries outside of the region, like the US, as they incite the Philippines to "step on the gas" toward confrontation in the South China Sea.
Upcoming publicity stunt

Multiple Philippine media outlets have recently covered the plan of this publicity stunt. Philippine news website rappler.com reported on May 8 that Atin Ito, a coalition that counts fisher and farmer groups, civic organizations, fisherfolk, and youth activists among its members, will travel to Huangyan Dao from May 14 to 17.

Rafaela David, one of the lead convenors of the coalition, said in a press conference on May 8 that "this is not a sightseeing excursion to seek out Chinese marine vessels or a provocation to incite conflict." However, this coalition also invited international observers to join the voyage to monitor and document the situation in the region and "witness firsthand the challenges faced by Filipinos in those waters."

David contradicted herself in her performance art by stating, "By mobilizing civilians and engaging in peaceful activities within our EEZ, we reclaim our space and assert our territorial integrity in a manner that champions peace and diplomacy."

According to Philippine media, about 200 participants are expected to join the mission, among them fisherfolk, volunteers, journalists, and observers. They are scheduled to set out from the Philippines on May 15 and trespass into waters adjacent to China's Huangyan Dao, bring supplies to Filipino fisherfolk, and deploy "symbolic buoys" bearing a provocative message: "The West Philippine Sea is ours."

This is not the first time that the Atin Ito has conducted so-called peaceful activities in the South China Sea, as this coalition had also organized dozens of fishing ships and a marine training vessel carrying Philippine civilians to bring Christmas gifts to local Philippine military personnel on islands and reefs in the region, according to Philippine media reports.

Ding Duo, deputy director of the Institute of Maritime Law and Policy at the China Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that Atin Ito's latest plan to stir up troubles around Huangyan Dao at a larger scale will likely first have Philippine fishing vessels staying from a distance, as they would need to coordinate with the Philippine Coast Guard and journalists to take staged photos.

The coalition will likely then play the staged show of "resupply," as they could have fishing vessels coordinate with Philippine governmental ships to conduct infringing activities, Ding predicted, noting that it is also possible that civilian vessels rallied by the organization will trespass into waters restricted by China under the demand of the Philippine Coast Guard, directly disrupt law enforcement operations by the China Coast Guard, or disrupt normal fishing activities by Chinese fisherfolk.

While this scheduled infringing plan seems big under the propaganda of the Atin Ito coalition and the Philippine media, its actual scale might fall short significantly. A source close to the matter told the Global Times that while the plan allegedly rallied over 100 civilian vessels, the fact is that only about 10 ships or so will likely end up joining the publicity stunt, with most of them operating in waters not far away from the Port of Masinloc.

The source said that Philippine government ships are expected to arrive in designated waters in the early morning of May 15, then the civilian ships will hold a regatta for entertainment near the Port of Masinloc. After that, these ships will scatter, with two Philippine commercial ships carrying journalists and social activists heading toward Huangyan Dao on May 16 and return to the Philippines on the same day.

Atin Ito is expected to hold a press conference in Manila on May 17 to continue to hype this farce, the source said.

Ding said that this organization's activities often fall short of expectations and follow fixed patterns. They usually hype up their activities beforehand, make high profile forecasts on domestic media and social media platforms, and instigate nationalist sentiments. At the same time, the organization also raises donations through its website, urging for supplies to Philippine fishing ships operating around China's Huangyan Dao and Ren'ai Jiao (also known as Ren'ai Reef). In addition, this organization also makes various publicity stunts, including live shows, press conferences, and seminars in a bid to increase its political presence.
'Hired gun' by US military

Although it publicly claims to be an independent Philippine organization pursuing peace, the actions of the Atin Ito coalition are more akin to a "hired gun" serving the US strategy in the South China Sea. In fact, its ability to coordinate resources within the Philippines, as well as its intricate relationships with pro-American figures in the US military and Filipino politics, all highlight that it is far from a simple Filipino civil organization.

In a recent field interview in the Philippines, Global Times reporters noted that similar to many Western civil organizations that serve political purposes, Atin Ito excels at expanding its influence in a people-friendly manner. For example, it manufactures and sells exclusive brand accessories, handicrafts, or tourist souvenirs. Through this method, it raises funds for activities, promotes its image, and advocates its political stance.

Ding said that, "the Atin Ito coalition seems to be a so-called non-profit civil organization, as it intentionally downplays its political color in its official website introduction and propaganda campaign, but in fact, it has a certain political background. This is first reflected in the fact that the actual leader of the organization, Rafaela David, is also the chairman of the Akbayan Party in the Philippines. Although this political party is relatively small in the Philippine political arena, it has been using various political issues in the Philippines to increase its presence and influence in recent years. Atin Ito and the Akbayan Party present a complementary relationship, as the Akbayan Party provides political resources for the activities of Atin Ito, and the activities organized by Atin Ito can increase the exposure of Rafaela David, granting her more political benefits."

Philippine media reports showed that the Akbayan Party has been an active participant and organizer of many anti-China demonstrations in the Philippines, and Atin Ito was often present at these events. In return, the Akbayan Party actively gathers Philippine political figures to support the activities of Atin Ito.

Philippine media Palwan News reported in March that Philippine political figures such as Senator Risa Hontiveros, former ambassador Victoria Bataclan and civilian opinion leaders, as well as representatives from the British, Australian, Dutch, Swedish, and European Union embassies attended a photo exhibit and film screen held in Manila that month, when Altin Ito announced Huangyan Dao as a potential destination for its next mission of "delivering aid to fisherfolk." This highlighted the close ties between the coalition and the party.

In addition, the militaries of the Philippines and the US also do not hide their relations with Atin Ito. The Philippine Star, on May 3, reported that, Commodore Roy Vincent Trinidad, a Philippine Navy spokesman, voiced support on May 2 for Atin Ito's upcoming "civilian supply mission" to Huangyan Dao. "And so long as they abide by all the guidelines given by the government, we support all activities, civic society," he said.

Philippine naval vessels or Philippine Coast Guard vessels were also often seen accompanying Atin Ito's activities in their previous activities in the South China Sea, Philippine media reports showed.

A report titled America's Project Myoushu and the Philippine's Atin Ito Coalition is gearing up for a proof of concept that may lead us to war published on the Philippine-based Asian Century Journal in December 2023 asked, "Who is funding the Atin Ito Coalition and their operations? A marine convoy like this involves a tremendous amount of logistical planning and support not to mention the financial means to undertake one." It further questioned, "Who are the people behind the Atin Ito Coalition? They claim it's a civil society group aiming to further our country's vital security interests yet they defy our National Security Council's advice."

Citing an article titled Lighting Up The Gray Zone by US Air Force Captain Benjamin Goirigolzarri published on the US Naval Institute's website, the Asian Century Journal report said that the US established a new strategy in the South China Sea called Project Myoushu, which is a derivative of the US Naval Institute's Maritime Counterinsurgency (COIN) Project tailored specifically to counter China's "dominance" in the South China Sea. The project previously hyped the China Coast Guard's law enforcement operations in the South China Sea, attempted to incite public opinion and push for governments of countries in the South China Sea to become hard on China, and damaged the peace China and other countries in the region have created.

The Asian Century Journal report deduced that the Atin Ito Coalition is indeed a joint US-Philippines effort, as the Project Myoushu is described as an independent, civil society-led initiative that maintains separation from potential public perceptions of bias and bureaucratic obstacles that can hinder government-led efforts.

Further evidence the report provided is that the Project Myoushu as a concept was presented only in Manila in January 2023 at a conference hosted by local think tank Stratbase, and the report suggested that Stratbase is funded by the US. "So, there they are hiding in plain sight where no one is looking -- America's manipulative hands still pulling the Philippine government's strings," the report said.

Underestimated China's determination

Whether it is the so-called Philippine non-governmental organizations such as the Atin Ito coalition, or Project Myoushu behind it, their operating patterns are nothing more than orchestrated shows and staged behaviors to exert public opinion pressure on China, undermine China's efforts of pursuing peace in the South China Sea, and try to force China to make concessions over its sovereignty in the South China Sea issue. However, the Philippine politicians with these calculations clearly underestimated China's determination and will to safeguard its sovereignty.

Ding said that Atin Ito's plan cannot reach its goals. Given China's ability to safeguard sovereignty and maritime rights on Huangyan Dao, no matter what form or scale the Philippines uses to infringe and provoke, it will definitely be met with strong countermeasures.

Videos released by Philippine media showed that when dealing with the Philippines' infringement actions in waters off Huangyan Dao, the China Coast Guard's law enforcement forces have rich methods. During the handling process, a series of measures including verbal warnings, navigation route restrictions, and warning shots with water cannons were used based on different situations. Such law enforcement actions were conducted in accordance with laws and regulations, and were reasonable, powerful, but also restrained. It shows that China will resolutely safeguard its territorial sovereignty and maritime rights, and will not give the Philippines any space for hype from a legal perspective.

Chen Xiangmiao, director of the World Navy Research Center at the National Institute for South China Sea Studies, told the Global Times that some fanatics in the Philippines are driven by a revanchist mentality and repeatedly stage "the Farmer and the Snake" scenarios, attempting to copy the Ren'ai Jiao model - pursuing territorial sovereignty in the name of so-called fishing boat replenishment. In this regard, China's patience definitely has limits.

The normalization of the Philippines' trespasses is seeing confrontation replacing dialogue and cooperation as the main line for China and the Philippines to resolve conflicts over Huangyan Dao. The Marcos Jr administration's tough actions may earn diplomatic applause from the US and the West, but the frequent and tense confrontations on the frontline have also restrained the huge military, police and diplomatic energy of both the Philippines and China. Other than wasting economic investment and escalating the risk of unexpected events at sea, such moves have no other valuable benefits, Chen said.

Chinese economic officials have slammed the hyped “overcapacity” tag on Chinese new energy products on Friday, calling it “a carefully crafted narrative trap created by some countries with the aim of making it a pretext to implement trade protective measures.” While voicing strong objection to the action, they also warn against its dire consequences, which will disrupt the stability and smooth flow of global supply chains, hinder the global green transition and eventually backfire on the initiators of trade protectionism.

For some time, certain officials and media outlets in some countries have intensively accused China’s new energy products of “overcapacity.” These hypes are attempts to set the stage for unilateralism and the implementation of trade protection policies, according to an article posted on Friday on the WeChat account of the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country’s top economic planner.

Those allegations on China’s new energy products do not hold ground as they are neither in line with facts nor economic rules, the NDRC article said, while rebutting every piece of the fallacy with solid proof and data.

With regards to the claim that “the overcapacity of China’s new energy exports was a result of insufficient domestic market and thus have to sell to the global market at a low price,” the NDRC blasted it with a reference to the fundamental law of international industrial division and cooperation.

Take the US exports as an example, it noted. About 80 percent of high-end chips produced in the US are destined for export, and the country is also the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas, while one-fifth of US agricultural products are shipped to China, however, the US has not been accused of exporting “overcapacity” in these areas. In contrast, China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) exports only represented 12.5 percent of its total output last year, showing that China's new energy products currently mainly satisfy domestic demand.

It is also key to view the global supply-demand relationship from a developmental perspective, or the demand of global market and its development potential, the NDRC said, lambasting the claim that “China’s new energy capacity has surpassed global demand, making other countries unable to absorb.”

The NDRC highlighted a bunch of data by IEA which showed that the forecasted global demand for NEVs and power battery by 2030 will be almost five times from China’s capacity in relevant industries in 2023. In terms of the cumulative photovoltaic installed capacity, the projected global demand by 2030 is calculated to be around 9 times from China’s capacity in 2023. All underscore huge room for future demand growth.

On the one hand, the advantage is built upon a vast domestic market, a complete industrial system, intense market competition and continuous technological innovation under market mechanism, the NDRC pointed out. On the other hand, individual country has been encouraging and supporting the growth of relevant industries amid global green transition, and in particular the US is providing prodigious subsidies and tax incentives to new energy industries through legislation such as the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

There isn't a “China overcapacity,” but a US overcapacity of anxiety stemming from a lack of confidence and smears against China, Lin Jian, spokesperson from China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said at a press briefing on April 30.

During US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent visit to China, he pointed finger at China over the so-called “unfair trade practices and the potential consequences of industrial overcapacity to global and US markets,” naming some industries including electric vehicles, batteries, and solar panels. US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen recently reiterated in an interview with Reuters the "overcapacity" in China, claiming that the so-called overcapacity in China is not only a problem faced by the US, but also by Europe, Japan, India and Mexico.

It is indeed despicable and hypocritical for nations to proclaim that addressing global climate change is their “noble mission,” while simultaneously adopting protectionist measures under the pretext of “overcapacity” to suppress the development of new energy industries in other countries, according to the NDRC article.

Such actions not only undermine the global efforts to combat climate change but will also backfire, the NDRC warned, while citing a list of examples from the past decades that show that there’s no winner out of trade protectionism.

Also, the moves could wreak havoc on the stable operation of global new energy industry supply chains, creating “blockages,” “choke points,” and “breakpoints” that affect the efficiency of economic operations and may even trigger various potential risks, the NDRC stressed.

“Economic globalization has become a major trend. Countries are interdependent and integrated into a community of shared interests. Being open and inclusive, and pursuing win-win cooperation is the only correct choice,” the NDRC article concluded, urging countries to oppose the politicization of economic and trade issues or make them security issues, advocate for “tearing down walls rather than building them, for openness rather than isolation, for integration rather than decoupling, and promote the construction of an open world economy.”

The China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) raised deep concerns regarding the European Commission's selective transparency and potential discriminatory application of the Foreign Subsidies Regulation (FSR) against Chinese products.

The CCCEU submitted a comprehensive response on Tuesday to the EC's recent initiation of in-depth FSR investigations into Chinese companies that participated in a solar photovoltaic project tender in Romania, according to a statement released by CCCEU.

The rebuttal voiced a range of concerns about various shortcomings in the EC's actions and its potential ramifications for Chinese businesses operating in the European market.

The chamber noted the heightened scrutiny imposed on Chinese companies compared to those subjected to non-EU entities in the same tender process. "This selective enforcement of the FSR raises serious questions about the fairness, objectivity, and consistency of the Commission's approach," the chamber said.

On April 3, the EC launched two in-depth FSR investigations on two bidders involved in the tender process for Romania's 110MW solar photovoltaic park project. Afterward, the commission conducted a raid on a Chinese company's offices in Poland and the Netherlands without prior notice on April 23, following another probe targeting Chinese wind turbines which began on April 9.

The FSR has increased uncertainties for Chinese bidders, causing concern about the EU's growing protectionism and misapplication of policy tools, the chamber noted in the statement, urging the European Union to ensure Chinese enterprises' operations in Europe in "a fair, transparent, and non-discriminatory environment."

Since the end of 2023, the bloc has launched a series of subsidy investigations targeting Chinese businesses in emerging sectors such as electric vehicles, solar panels, and wind turbines, which has been labeled by China's Ministry of Commerce as protectionist behavior that distorts fair competition.

Top executives at BMW and Volkswagen on Wednesday warned against imposing EU import duties on electric vehicles made by Chinese automakers, saying it could upend the bloc's Green Deal plan and harm automakers that import cars made in China. The comments were in response to the bloc's probe launched in October into Chinese automakers for alleged subsidies and extra tariffs, Reuters reported.

In Thursday's statement, the Chamber also contended that the EC has not provided sufficient justification or interpretation of "foreign subsidies" under the FSR, and expressed concern about the burden placed on Chinese companies by the broad information requests and the potential disclosure of sensitive business data.

The chamber's observations follow the recent publication of EU summary notices, inviting stakeholders' feedback. Throughout the legislative and implementation process of the FSR, the chamber has been actively involved, stressing the importance of legality, transparency, and non-discriminatory application.

In mid-December, Beijing was covered in heavy snow, while about 2,300 kilometers away, Hanoi remained a tropical summer. A visit brought the two places closer, and displayed a highlight moment in the China-Vietnam relationship.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, paid a state visit to Vietnam from December 12 to 13, at the invitation of the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and State President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam Vo Van Thuong.

Nearly 40 cooperation documents between China and Vietnam are on display at the premises of the CPV Central Committee. When visiting the premises, Xi said with delight - our cooperation is fruitful and dazzling.

For the people

As Xi emphasized during his phone talk with Nguyen Phu Trong in January 2020, the significance of expanding China-Vietnam cooperation lies in making people from both countries gain a greater sense of achievement and happiness.

From Xi's signed article titled "Building a China-Vietnam Community with a Shared Future That Carries Strategic Significance And Writing Together a New Chapter in Our Modernization Drive," published on December 12 by the Vietnamese Nhan Dan Newspaper, to Xi's speech at a meeting with representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese people who have contributed to the China-Vietnam friendship the following day, at which one example was mentioned twice - Vietnam's first urban light rail project, the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, built by a Chinese company.

Luong Thi Hai Van, a Vietnamese vice professor at the Guangxi University for Nationalities, told the Global Times that her friends in Hanoi are so happy with the convenience brought by the metro line. "Hanoi is the capital city of Vietnam with a dense population and traffic jams during peak hours. But now the traffic jams have been greatly eased. This is a 'revolution' for the people living in Hanoi," Luong said.

The metro line, constructed by a Chinese company, is a landmark project that connects the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) with Vietnam's "Two Corridors, One Economic Circle" strategy. The line is approximately 13 kilometers long with 12 stations. The entire journey takes only 23 minutes by metro train, which is nearly 1 hour faster than traveling by car and 20 minutes faster than traveling by motorcycle. The line has already served nearly 20 million passenger trips so far, making travel in Hanoi more convenient.
Du Bin, deputy chief engineer of the Chinese construction enterprise China Railway Sixth Group's overseas branch and project manager of the Cat Linh-Ha Dong metro line, told the Global Times that one of the most impressive memories during the project construction was the scene when the first locomotive arrived at the construction site. The installation of the large locomotive lasted until 3 am in the light rain, yet the streets were still filled with people who came to watch. Some said they were eagerly looking toward to a ride on Vietnam's own light rail metro.

Nowadays, "the metro has become a popular spot in Hanoi's urban development and a favorite place for people to take trendy photos," Du said.

There are many other similar examples. In 1997, the China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) undertook the construction task of the Nguyen Van Linh Parkway - a highway that stretches from Ho Chi Minh City further south to the southern part of Vietnam, with a total 12 lanes and length of 17.8 kilometers. Before the highway was built, the construction site was almost entirely marshland and the highway had to cross 10 rivers. The time given to the contractors was fairly short.

For a time, it was considered mission impossible. But now, the highway, which literally spans 10 rivers with its widest part being 120 meters, is operational.

Lu Yen, a Chinese-Vietnamese employee of the CSCEC, told the Global Times that a good transportation infrastructure brings prosperity to a region. Nguyen Van Linh Parkway and the surrounding auxiliary roads have successfully connected seven districts, and the entire road is surrounded by greenery.

Lu said before the construction, the road was only a 6-meter-wide dual carriageway, with small shops and scattered tin houses on both sides, making the already congested road even more difficult to navigate. Now, the Ho Chi Minh City Medical University Hospital, Ton Duc Thang University, as well as business zones, and shopping malls like ViVo City, Parkson, have settled around the parkway, greatly improving the lives of local residents.

Lu passes by Nguyen Van Linh Parkway every day on her way to work. "Looking at the projects that I participated in, looking at the towering buildings and the supporting facilities around them, I feel that not only have the roads been widened, but also has our space for happiness," she said.

Opportunities for future

In 2015 and 2017, Xi visited Vietnam twice as the general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and the Chinese president. Similar to the most recent visit, Xi attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, Hanoi, in both previous visits.

"The memory of those fiery and exciting years of our two peoples is kept alive," Xi said on December 13, when recalling the times when the two countries were fighting for national independence and liberation, adding that "today, we remain firmly committed to our shared aspiration forged in the early days and are pursuing win-win cooperation."

During the visit in November 2017, Xi attended the inauguration and handover ceremony of Vietnam-China Friendship Palace and the inauguration ceremony of the Hanoi China Culture Center, then shook hands and extended warm greetings with the present Chinese and Vietnamese guests, encouraging them to make positive contributions toward strengthening friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.

"When Xi visited Vietnam in 2015, he gave a speech to Chinese-funded institutions, overseas Chinese, and students. I attended the event," Miao Renlai, president of the Chinese Business Association Ho Chi Minh City Branch, told Global Times. Miao recalled that Xi's voice was magnetic and pleasant.

"Xi spoke to us like a parent - friendly, approachable, and inspiring… He introduced the development of bilateral cooperation between China and Vietnam, which encouraged us and boosted our confidence in developing our businesses and careers in Vietnam," Miao said.

In 2017, when Xi visited Vietnam for the second time, Miao also made a special trip to Hanoi from Ho Chi Minh City to welcome Xi and hence experienced the warm welcoming atmosphere both at the airport and along the way from the airport to the hotel where Xi stayed.

Miao told the Global Times that Xi's visit not only brought new opportunities to him, but a breakthrough in entire bilateral trade between China and Vietnam. Looking back at the past achievements of the China-Vietnam cooperation, its breadth and depth are remarkable. China has been Vietnam's largest trading partner for consecutive years, and Vietnam is China's largest trading partner in the ASEAN and fourth-largest trading partner globally. From about $100 billion in bilateral trade volume in 2017 to a total two-way trade turnover of $175.57 billion in 2022, the trade volume has almost doubled in recent years.

There are some eye-catching figures: In the first 10 months of this year, the number of China-invested projects in Vietnam ranked first among all foreign investment projects in the country, with the investment amount increasing by 98 percent year-on-year. China is Vietnam's largest fruit and vegetable export market with a turnover of $2.75 billion, up 160 percent over the same period in 2022 and accounting for 65 percent of the country's total fruit and vegetable export turnover.

The most remarkable achievement during Xi's latest visit was the joint announcement of a new positioning for the two parties and two countries, which is to build a China-Vietnam community with a shared future that carries strategic significance.

"Vietnam, China sign 36 agreement documents for cooperation," read a headline by the VnExpress. Experts said, compared with previous high-level visits, the achievements reached during the latest visit are the most extensive in terms of coverage, the largest in terms of quantity, and the deepest in terms of cooperation.

Detailed cooperative plans are listed in the joint statement. Even in terms of the South China Sea, where controversies and disputes exist, there are specific promotions of cooperation.

For instance, the two sides agreed to continue effective joint patrols on the Beibu Gulf and military ships' mutual visits as well as deepen exchange and cooperation mechanisms between the naval and coast guard forces. They also agreed to study the establishment of methods for resolving civil and border trade disputes, and promote legal and judicial cooperation between localities that share the borderline in appropriate forms.

Other future-oriented plans include effectively deploying an economic-trade cooperation zone, focusing on intensifying investment cooperation in such fields as agriculture, infrastructure, energy, the digital economy, and green development, and promoting standard-gauge railway connectivity across the bilateral border while studying and promoting the building of Lao Cai-Hanoi-Hai Phong standard-gauge railway route.

"I have always looked forward to the day when I can take a Chinese high-speed train home. Now, I feel that this hope is not far away," Miao said.
Increased happiness index

Ten years ago, Xi proposed the four-point principle of "amity, sincerity, mutual benefit, and inclusiveness" in developing neighborhood diplomacy, and clarifying the direction of how "neighbors who cannot be moved" can coexist. Ten years later, fruitful results have been achieved. China has established a bilateral community with a shared future with a growing number of neighboring countries.

Light was shed upon the principle again on December 13 in Hanoi. During his speech at the meeting with representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese people, Xi stressed: "What we are pursuing is not modernization just for China itself… We are ready to share more of the benefits of Chinese modernization with our neighbors… And we should pursue our respective paths to socialism and deliver the gains of industrialization and modernization to more people of our two countries."

An example can be found in the Chinese-Vietnamese employee of the CSCEC Lu's story. She said the CSCEC not only provides job opportunities for the locals, but also carries out training programs to help improve local workers' technical skills. "When we have more stable income, improved infrastructure, and a better living environment, our happiness index is increased."

According to Miao, when Chinese enterprises go abroad, they must prioritize localization of the companies - not only recruiting local talent, but cultivating local people to take up management positions. "Our business associations often talk to the Chinese-funded enterprises and remind them to comply with local laws, regulations, religious culture, and customs; to live and work in harmony with Vietnamese citizens for mutual benefit," Miao said, adding that China is not developing on its own, but developing together with everyone. "In this way, people from other countries will respect us more and when every Chinese person is respected aboard, that means China's genuine rise," Miao stressed.

"China and Vietnam are connected by mountains and rivers," goes the song "Vietnam-China," a classic Vietnamese song about the traditional friendship between the two countries. It carries the message - neighbors wish each other well; just as loved ones do to each other.

China-Vietnam relations are a microcosm of China's interaction with the world. "Our two Parties are both Marxist parties that bear in mind the overall interests of the world, and our two countries are both responsible members of the international community. And both of us should play a major role in advancing human progress," Xi expressed his wishes during his speech at the meering with the representatives of young Chinese and Vietnamese people.

It is widely believed that the construction of a China-Vietnam community with a shared future will become a new starting point for the development of bilateral ties. This will not only help people of the two countries to live a better life together, but also bring more positive energy to the Asia-Pacific region and the world.

Businesses and experts see more potential in economic and trade ties between China and New Zealand as bilateral relations get stronger, highlighted by the ongoing visit of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to the island nation this week.

As the two countries deepen cooperation in traditional sectors like dairy and aquatic products, industry insiders and experts said that there are burgeoning areas such as tourism, the green economy and digital economy where their complementarity can further be leveraged.

The comments came as the two countries marked the 10th anniversary of the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership.

New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon met with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Wellington on Monday.

During the meeting, Wang noted that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and New Zealand, the countries had set numerous records of "firsts," driving bilateral relations to the forefront of China's relations with developed countries, according to the website of China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

China is happy to see New Zealand's continued participation in the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation, and looks forward to working with New Zealand to explore the new growth areas of cooperation such as science and technology, green and innovation while strengthening the cooperation in traditional fields, Wang said.

The Chinese economy enjoys both a solid foundation and a broad space for growth, which will continue to inject more impetus into the world economy and bring new opportunities to New Zealand, the Chinese foreign minister said.

At the meeting, Luxon also expressed his expectations for deepening cooperation in various sectors including economic and trade issues, education, tourism, agriculture and technology.

Wang is the highest-ranking Chinese politician visiting the country since he went there in 2017.

The visit has drawn wide attention, with businesses seeing even brighter prospects for bilateral economic and trade ties, the core of the bilateral relationship, experts and industry insiders told the Global Times.

The relationship between China and New Zealand has consistently been at the forefront of China's ties with developed Western countries, creating numerous milestones, Chen Hong, director of the New Zealand Studies Centre at East China Normal University, told the Global Times on Monday.

Economic and trade relations serve as the cornerstone of bilateral ties, with New Zealand products such as beef, lamb, dairy items and seafood gaining increasing popularity among Chinese consumers. Economic and trade relations have been robust and mutually beneficial, with China's value-for-money products also appealing to New Zealand consumers.

In addition to traditional sectors, both countries have vast potential for cooperation in the fields of the green and blue economies, as well as in the realm of the digital economy, Chen Hong said.

The strong China-New Zealand relationship also serves as a model, particularly for Australia, to learn from, especially after the downturn in China-Australia relations during the previous Morrison government, said Chen Hong.

Among various bilateral exchanges, tourism has been an important factor, with greater potential for growth.

Jason Chen, head of the New Zealand-China Travel Exchange Association, who also owns a travel agency in New Zealand, told the Global Times on Monday that he has good expectations for the high-level government meetings during the visit of China's foreign minister in terms of a possible boost for the tourism industry in the island country.

The year 2019 was the China-New Zealand Year of Tourism, with outbound travel from China to New Zealand reaching 587,700 in terms of arrivals. However, due to the pandemic, the number of tourists traveling to New Zealand has significantly decreased, Jason Chen said.
While there has been a recovery in terms of the number of Chinese tourists visiting New Zealand, it has not recovered to the pre-pandemic level.

"With high-level visits, we expect to boost the development of the tourism industry in both China and New Zealand. Booming tourism will help further revive the New Zealand tourism industry and boost its economy," Jason Chen said.

At the same time, the tourism industry insider said that as the bilateral relationship gets closer, the New Zealand government will consider introducing short-term visa-free policies for Chinese tourists, making it more convenient for more Chinese people to visit the island country for sightseeing and tourism.

In the dairy sector, business potential is strong. In a statement previously sent to the Global Times, Teh-han Chow, CEO of Fonterra's greater China division, said that the China market is incredibly dynamic and a strong driver of international trade and investment.

China's emphasis on openness creates opportunities for businesses to engage in mutually beneficial partnerships, expand market access, and contribute to economic growth, Chow said.

Bilateral relations have seen a positive trend, with important meetings and interactions at both the government and business levels taking place, following the visit of then New Zealand Prime Minister Chris Hipkins to China in June 2023, charting a good course for bilateral relations.

Both countries marked many "firsts" in their bilateral relations. China is New Zealand's largest trading partner. New Zealand was the first Western country to support China's accession to the World Trade Organization and the first Western country to decide to join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

In March 2017, New Zealand became the first Western developed country to sign a cooperation agreement with China on the Belt and Road Initiative.

Based on mutual respect and equality, the relationship between China and New Zealand has maintained steady momentum since the establishment of diplomatic ties, yielding many fruitful outcomes, Chen Hong said.

New Zealand's economic development has also directly benefited from closer ties with China, including a free trade agreement. China's ongoing consumption upgrade continues to inject new impetus into the island country's economic recovery in the post-pandemic era, Chen Hong said.

China’s foreign trade in Jan-Feb hit record high, up 8.7% y-o-y

Chinese mainland authorities have released sweeping guidelines to support East China's Fujian Province in exploring new paths for cross-Straits integrated development, outlining a flurry of specific measures to boost economic and trade cooperation between Fujian and Taiwan region in a wide range of areas from services trade and small businesses to high-tech industrial clusters. 

Many Taiwan entrepreneurs on Tuesday hailed the new measures as concrete steps to help businesses from the island to further explore and expand in the mainland, stressing the cross-Straits integrated development is an irreversible trend. Some Taiwan entrepreneurs also expressed doubt about the Democratic Progressive Party's (DPP) willingness and ability to develop the regional economy. 

Analysts also said that the move fully demonstrated the mainland's goodwill in supporting Taiwan's regional economy and Taiwan compatriots' livelihoods, in stark contrast to the DPP authorities' secessionist rhetoric and actions, which run counter to the development interests of the region. More importantly, if the DPP authorities continue to pursue secessionist actions and jeopardize cross-Straits cooperation, the mainland will take firm actions in response, analysts noted.

On Tuesday, the Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) said that after the mainland suspended preferential tariffs on 12 chemicals from Taiwan under the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA), in response to the DPP authorities' restrictions on mainland exports, the DPP has not taken any effective measures to lift those restrictions and has instead tried political manipulation. 

Currently, relevant departments are studying to further suspend preferential tariffs and take other measures on fishery, machinery, auto parts, textile and other products in line with the ECFA, the MOFCOM said.

In a circular made public on Monday, the Ministry of Commerce, the Taiwan Work Office of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology outlined 14 measures in five economic and trade areas, including supporting Fujian's opening-up and cooperation with Taiwan, high-quality trade and integrated industrial development. 

Specifically, the circular said that Fujian will explore and establish an institutional system and regulatory model that is conducive to advancing cross-Straits integrated development. Efforts will be made to attract Taiwan petrochemical, textile, machinery, cosmetics and other industry projects to Fujian, and help them explore international markets under the Regional Comprehensive Economic Cooperation, or RCEP, a regional trade agreement among 15 Asia Pacific countries includes the ASEAN members, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

According to the guidelines, measures will be taken to support micro and small businesses from Taiwan to explore the mainland market. Efforts will also be made to support Taiwan businesses' in participating in the new industrialization process and guiding them to invest in advanced manufacturing and high-tech industries. Fujian will also leverage its advantages in the digital economy, integrated circuit (IC), new energy, lithium battery, petrochemical, textile and other sectors to build a Fujian-Taiwan industrial clusters with global competitiveness. Notably, Fujian will build a cross-Straits IC industrial cooperation pilot zone.

The guidelines come after the CPC Central Committee and the State Council announced in September 2023 that Fujian will be built into a demonstration zone for the integrated development across the Taiwan Straits, in a move aimed at deepening integrated development in all fields and advancing the peaceful reunification of the country. 

Coming as the DPP authorities on the island continue to hype secessionist rhetoric ahead of the election of regional leader, the concrete measures offered much-needed assurance for Taiwan businesses and boosted their confidence in future cross-Straits economic and trade cooperation despite noise from the DPP authorities and some in the West. 

Boosting confidence

"This new circular will be of great boost to [Taiwan's] future exchanges and development with Fujian and will support more Taiwan businesses to invest in Fujian," Lai Cheng-i, chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce of the Taiwan island, told the Global Times on Tuesday, noting that industrial cooperation in areas such as services and semiconductors will be boosted. 

Lai said that all businesses from around the world, including those from Taiwan region, seek to enter the mainland market given its massive size. "I think Taiwan's business community is looking forward to continued positive development across the Taiwan Straits. This is the general trend." 

Teng Tai-Hsien, secretary general of Straits Economic & Cultural Interchange Association, also said that Fujian has offered Taiwan compatriots equal treatment in both living and investing, which is "very attractive" to Taiwan compatriots. 

"I think the industrial integration and cooperation between Taiwan and Fujian will likely surpass other regions in the future, and the future prospects are promising," Teng told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

Following the announcement of the establishment of Fujian as a demonstration zone for the integrated development across the Taiwan Straits, mainland authorities have taken a slew of measures to support that. In November, the Ministry of Public Security's exit and entry administration announced new entry-exit policies for Taiwan compatriots, including streamlining the application process for travel passes.

"With support from so many mainland government departments, these measures also demonstrate the mainland's unswerving efforts to promote the integrated development of cross-Straits economic and trade cooperation and its goodwill toward Taiwan compatriots," Wang Jianmin, a senior cross-Straits expert at Minnan Normal University in Fujian, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

Wang said that in stark contrast to the mainland's goodwill, the DPP authorities have only been interfering, disrupting and undermining cross-Straits economic and trade cooperation, which will only squeeze the space for cross-Straits cooperation and directly harm the vital interests of Taiwan compatriots.

In addition to its secessionist words and deeds, the DPP authorities have been trying to cut cross-Straits economic and trade ties, while disregarding provisions in the Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement (ECFA) between the mainland and the island. DPP authorities have imposed restrictions on more than 2,500 mainland products. In a firm response, the mainland suspended preferential tariffs under the ECFA on a dozen chemical products from Taiwan starting on January 1.

Analysts said the mainland has made it clear that it would firmly counter the DPP's actions that undermine cross-Straits cooperation and hurt the vital interests of Taiwan compatriots, while at the same time taken favorable policies to boost cross-Straits integrated development and support Taiwan compatriots.

"I think the mainland's policies fully reflect its goodwill toward Taiwan. They are not what some in Taiwan claim to be 'trade barriers' aimed at sanctioning Taiwan," Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Taiwan Research Institute at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Tuesday. "The mainland has always maintained goodwill toward Taiwan compatriots and also hopes that Taiwan compatriots would treat Fujian as their home."

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) producer BYD Co overtook US-based Tesla Inc to become the world's biggest EV maker in the fourth quarter of 2023 for the first time, according to latest data from the companies. This had added another milestone to a historical year for China's auto industry as it's poised to propel China to become the world's biggest auto exporter. 

BYD's success, which also include an impressive growth rate throughout 2023 that outpaced Tesla and other EV makers, is a microcosm of the achievement in China's upgrade of its vast manufacturing industry, export sector and the domestic market - all crucial to China's high-quality development, experts said. 

On Tuesday US time, Tesla said that it delivered 484,500 EVs in the final quarter of 2023, which also marked a new record for the company. However, that means BYD, which said on Monday that it had sold about 526,400 EVs during the same period, overtook Tesla to become the world's biggest EV maker in the fourth quarter of the year for the first time.

For the whole year of 2023, Tesla retained its spot as the biggest EV maker, as it delivered a total of 1.8 million EVs, larger than BYD's total sales of about 1.57 million units. Still, BYD's recorded a year-on-year sales growth rate of 73 percent for 2023, far outpacing Tesla's sales growth of 38 percent. Such sales growth rate has also led many to speculate that BYD will surpass Tesla to become the world's biggest EV maker in 2024. 

This is also significant considering that BYD's market capitalization, at 573.17 billion yuan ($80.21 billion) as of Wednesday, represents only a fraction of Tesla's $778.42 billion. Over the past six months, BYD's shares dropped by 28.85 percent, while Tesla's shares fell by 11.22 percent. 

Despite such a huge gap in the financial market, analysts expect that BYD is well positioned to maintain its lead in EV sales in 2024 over Tesla. 

Hu Qimu, a deputy secretary-general of the digital-real economies integration Forum 50, said BYD's success is due to a slew of factors, including its own technological innovation, major policy support for industrial upgrading, a complete and stable domestic supply chain - which all helped BYD to make high-quality but affordable EVs. 

"Given all these factors, it is no wonder that BYD surpasses Tesla," Hu told the Global Times on Wednesday.  

In a statement it sent to the Global Times, BYD noted that it has grown to be the world's biggest EV company, and since its passenger car export strategy in May 2021, it has exported to 58 countries and regions around the world.

"Going forward, BYD will continue to promote the overseas expansion of passenger cars and continue to accelerate the global expansion of new-energy passenger cars," the company said. 

BYD's milestone also came as China's whole EV sector saw a bumper year in 2023. According to the latest data from the China Association of Automobile Manufactures, in the first 11 months of 2023, China's exports of new-energy vehicles jumped 83.5 percent year-on-year to 1.09 million units. Thanks to such rapid growth, China's total auto exports reached 4.41 units, up 58 percent year-on-year and outnumbering Japan's 3.99 million units during the same period. 

This also represents a landmark event for China's auto industry as it becomes the world's biggest auto exporter after surpassing Japan in 2023 and Germany in 2022 - two countries that had been dominating the world's auto market for decades. 

Industrial upgrading

The success of BYD as well as the whole Chinese EV sector directly reflect solid progress China has made in relentlessly pushing for industrial upgrade and high-quality development, experts said.

Cui Dongshu, secretary general of China Passenger Car Association, said BYD and other Chinese EV makers have benefited greatly from China's vast domestic market as well as the country's efforts to boost industrial transformation and upgrade. 

"The biggest factor behind Chinese EV's success is the technological transformation. In addition, the Chinese market also offered a huge advantage for them to grow," Cui told the Global Times on Wednesday, noting that China's auto industry, especially the EV sector, has seen relatively better growth than other countries around the world thanks to China's policy supports. 

For its success, BYD also pointed to various policies, including China's continued reform and opening-up, support for private businesses and the building of a new development model. 

"Looking back, we feel more and more strongly that it was the reform and opening-up that gave birth to BYD, and it was the new development concept that created huge opportunities that strengthened BYD," the company said in the statement.

Policy support for the EV sector is just part of China's broader effort to transform and upgrade its industrial system, which has become a top priority in the pursuit of high-quality development. The Central Economic Work Conference held in December, which set priorities for economic work for 2024, listed the development of a modern industrial system led by innovation as a top priority.

Hu said that China's industrial transformation and upgrade has made great strides. "Through industrial transformation and upgrade, our international competitiveness is also strengthening and in terms of the macroeconomic situation, all three main drivers have been revitalized," he said. 

One example of industrial upgrade revitalizing China's main economic drivers is the exports of EVs. Lithium batteries and solar panels became a highlight of China's exports in 2023, and they have been described as "the new three items" of China's exports sector, a drastic shift from the previous "three items" of China's exports - clothes, furniture and electronics. 

In the first three quarters of 2023, total exports of "the three new items" jumped by 41.7 percent year-on-year, compared to a mere 0.6 percent in China's total exports during the period due to weak external demand. 

Major Chinese airports saw record transport resulting from rising demand in 2023, with airports in Xinjiang and Xizang in particular welcoming record volumes of passenger throughput.

Xinjiang Airport Group Co reported record high of passenger throughput of 40.61 million as of December 31, 2023, facilitating 490,000 takeoffs and landings. Annual passenger throughput and takeoffs and landings have returned to 108.2 percent and 113.2 percent of 2019 levels, respectively, the group said. 

Among the airports in Xinjiang, passenger throughput across nine airports in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region including Urumqi, Kashi, Korla and Aksu all exceeded that of 2019. Annual passenger throughput at Urumqi Diwopu International Airport exceeds the 25 million mark for the first time, reaching 25.08 million passengers.

In 2023, Xinjiang Airport Group launched a total of 451 domestic routes and 20 international routes.

Xizang Autonomous Region Administration of the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) also reported a record high of 6.897 million passenger trips in 2023, representing growth of 106.1 percent over 2022, also marking a record high. Among the airports in Xizang, annual passenger throughput at Lhasa Gonggar International Airport reached 5.47 million, a year-on-year increase of 111.8 percent. Annual passenger throughput of Qamdo Bangda Airport reached 424,000, a year-on-year increase of 60 percent, the bureau said. 

Currently, there are 12 airlines operating in Xizang, with the flying footprint covering 169 routes across 74 cities.

The rapid recovery of aviation industry has provided a solid foundation greater airport activity, market watchers said. 

CAAC data showed that the scale of domestic route passenger traffic in 2023  exceeded  pre-epidemic levels, with an increase of 1.5 percent compared to 2019, and the fastest recovery among all types of transportation modes in China. 

Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport reported a passenger turnover of 65 million in 2023, ranking first for domestic airports. In July alone, the airport handled 6.05 million passenger trips, becoming the first domestic airport to handle more than six million passengers in a single month since 2020.

In 2024, China's domestic passenger transport will continue to grow steadily, passenger volume on domestic routes is expected to reach 630 million throughout the year, exceeding 2019 levels by 7.7 percentage points, the CAAC said.

The CAAC predicted that China's international passenger traffic will continue to rebound, with the number of flights expected to reach 6,000 flights per week at the end of 2024, recovering to the 80 percent of levels seen before the epidemic. 

China's civil aviation will enter a new cycle of sustained, rapid and healthy development, as the country's transport sector returns to a period of natural growth, the CAAC said.

Police in Meigu county in Liangshan, Sichuan, recently received a report from the School of Ecology and Nature Conservation, Beijing Forestry University, which said that a black-necked crane with a tracker for scientific research had remained in a static status for an extended period. The institute asked for an investigation into the condition of the migratory bird. 

The police immediately formed a task force to investigate into the incident in the outskirts of a sparsely populated hamlet. 

After extensive investigations and visits, the police finally tracked down the suspect surnamed Jike. 

Jike confessed under interrogation that he illegally captured and killed the rare species of the endangered wildlife animal black-necked crane. 

According to Jike, he happened to see the big bird resting on the river bank on his way home and the idea of catching and eating the bid just occurred to him. A thought that he soon followed up on.  

According to the judicial appraisal results by a forestry judicial appraisal center in Sichuan, the bird killed by the suspect was a black-necked crane, which is one of China’s national first-class key protected animals. The tracking device tied to the bird’s foot and the serial number show that the black-necked crane was exactly the one that was used for ecological study of migration of the crane by the college institute. 

Jike has been placed under criminal detention by the police for the suspicion of the crime of endangering precious and endangered wildlife animal. The case is currently under further investigation. 

According to media reports, the black-necked crane is the only species of crane endemic to China and is among the 15 crane species that currently exist in the world. It is also the only crane species in the world that grows and breeds on plateaus, earning it the titles of “plateau fairy” and “plateau divine bird.”

China’s top legislature passed regulation on February 24, 2020 to strictly ban the illegal wildlife trade and eliminate bad habits of eating wild animals in China to safeguard people’s health and livelihoods. 

According to China’s Criminal Law, anyone who illegally captures, kills, transports, purchases or sells national protected, precious, endangered wildlife and their products, shall be sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years or faced with criminal detention, along with a fine. 

In cases of serious circumstances, the punishment may be extended to 5-10 years of imprisonment, along with a fine. In particularly severe cases, the sentence may be more than 10 years of imprisonment, along with a fine or confiscation of property and assets.