上海花千坊爱上海

One year on, Ma Zhongli still has nightmares about the day his tile-roofed house collapsed.

At 11:59 p.m. on Dec. 18, 2023, a 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck the Bonan-Dongxiang-Salar Autonomous County of Jishishan in northwest China's Gansu Province.

The quake flattened Ma's home, taking with it not only his belongings but also his beloved wife. Across Gansu and neighboring Qinghai Province, over 150 lives were lost in the disaster.

"Even now, the day of the quake remains very clear," said 68-year-old Ma. "But I began to feel that the home I lost in my heart is slowly being rebuilt, piece by piece. Life has to go on."

In just five months, Ma's destroyed property was replaced with a newly built two-story house, complete with modern amenities, including running water, flush toilets, and air-source heat pumps. The cost of rebuilding -- about 200,000 yuan (27,800 U.S. dollars) -- was met thanks to a government subsidy of 75,000 yuan and a 50,000 yuan low-interest loan.

Ma is a perfect example of the county's residents, who are leaving behind their tragic past and starting new lives.
QUICK RECONSTRUCTION

Located at the crossroads of Gansu and Qinghai provinces, Jishishan is home to 280,000 people. It was hit hardest by the December quake, with more than 240,000 people directly affected and over 230,000 houses damaged.

China is among those countries most impacted by natural disasters, and has greatly improved its ability to deal with such crises and the post-disaster reconstruction.

In Jishishan, water, power, transportation and communication services were restored within 18 hours following the quake, while temporary prefab housing for affected residents was largely set up in just 8 days.

The local government launched more than 180 recovery projects in March. "Priority was given to those addressing housing, education and healthcare needs," said Ma Xiaolu, Party chief of the county.

The rebuilding process was anything but easy. Jishishan is nestled among the mountains at a maximum altitude of over 4,000 meters. The area is extremely cold, and since January, the county has seen 129 days of rainfall, including 25 wet days in September alone.
Despite these challenges, the speed of recovery has amazed many.

In some eight months, more than 17,000 workers labored around the clock, completing repairs on 28,927 households, rebuilding homes for 10,080 families on their original sites, and building 10,015 new houses in 13 resettlement areas.

Within 70-plus days, the county completed repairs on 209 schools, while 21 new schools were built in five months.

Relocation is more than just moving into a new home. It's a shift in lifestyle and mindset for residents who once lived in the mountains.

When Xinhua reporters visited the home of 73-year-old Chen Yulan, a resident of Dahe Village, the living room was bathed in sunlight streaming through large windows. It was furnished with a television, refrigerator and other essentials.

"My life has changed so much, and I've been doing my best to adapt, like learning to use a flush toilet and a gas stove," Chen said. "My grandson's school is much closer, and my son found better-paying work nearby."

"Wherever we are together as a family, that's home," Chen said.
"The efficient post-disaster reconstruction shows China's people-centered governance philosophy and institutional advantage of pooling resources to accomplish major undertakings," said Mao Jinhuang, a professor at the School of Economics under Lanzhou University.

Central to this recovery were the efforts of Communist Party of China members, who are often on the front lines during crises. In Jishishan, their active involvement was no exception, Ma Xiaolu said.

From the moment the quake struck, Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture, which administers Jishishan, activated its emergency response mechanism without delay. More than 2,600 county and township-level cadres were mobilized to spearhead rescue and reconstruction efforts.

NEW LIVES DESPITE CHALLENGES

Two months ago, Chai Yongzhong, a resident of Shiyuan Village, moved into his new house. Yet uncertainty lingered. What would the source of his income be in the future?

At 49, Chai was once one of the largest sheep farmers in the village. But the earthquake changed everything. His house and mud-brick sheep pen were reduced to rubble, forcing him to sell nearly all his flock.

Jishishan was once considered one of China's most impoverished regions. The local economy has long been fragile, and the earthquake further compounded the difficulties for farmers like Chai.

In response, the county has prioritized industrial transformation in its recovery efforts, focusing on modern agriculture, livestock breeding, and the development of greenhouses.

Next to his new home, Chai built a 95-square-meter modernized sheep pen. With policy subsidies, he received 33,000 yuan to help with the construction, and further support is available to help him restock his herd.

"We'll take it step by step," Chai said with a smile. "Soon, things will get back on track."

A 196-mu (13.07-hectare) cattle-and-sheep breeding center was established in Chenjia Village. The center currently houses 4,250 breeding ewes and 800 cows. It will benefit over 700 relocated families and provide quality livestock to farmers at prices below market rates.
Meanwhile, in Hejia Village, more than 70 steel-framed greenhouses are scattered around. Inside, relocated villagers tend rows of zucchini, cucumbers and melons, many of which have already hit the market.

"Over 30 nearby residents come to work here every day, each earning 100 yuan per day. Once they master the farming techniques, they can apply to lease a greenhouse," said Zhang Tongbiao, who manages the greenhouses.

Ma Zhongli's son now takes on odd jobs nearby, and Ma lives with her daughter-in-law, Ma Gashe, and three grandchildren in their new home. By the window, pots of hydrangeas bloom in vibrant red clusters, while two trees in the yard, pruned and wrapped in insulation strips, stand ready for the arrival of spring.

On her phone, Ma Gashe keeps photos of their old home, with its lush garden that her late mother-in-law lovingly cared for. "I hope this home will also become a place of beauty and life, just like the old one," she said.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday China supports the early realization of peace in Syria, and supports the country in finding a rebuilding plan that meets the wishes of the people through inclusive dialogue.

Wang made the remarks when asked about China's views on the current situation in Syria during a joint press conference with Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty after the China-Egypt foreign ministers' strategic dialogue in Beijing.

Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, said China is highly concerned about the situation in Syria, which has been volatile recently.

China has long pursued a policy of friendship and cooperation with Syria, never interfered in Syria's internal affairs, and respected the choice of the Syrian people, he said.

"We support Syria in realizing peace at the earliest, implementing Security Council resolution 2254, advancing the domestic political process in accordance with the principle of 'Syrian-led, Syrian-owned', and finding a rebuilding plan that meets the wishes of the people through inclusive dialogue," said the minister.

Wang added that the future Syria should firmly oppose all forms of terrorism and extremist forces. Meanwhile, the international community should earnestly safeguard Syria's sovereignty and territorial integrity, respect Syria's ethnic and religious traditions, and allow the Syrian people to make independent decisions.

All countries should work together to extend a helping hand to Syria, push for the lifting of the illegal unilateral sanctions imposed on the country over the years, and ease its grave humanitarian situation, Wang said.

The Global Times Annual Conference 2025, themed "Moving forward in Partnership: Resonance of Values between China and the World," is held in Beijing on Saturday. In the first session, experts and scholars engaged in discussions on the topic "Exploring the path of great power relations: differences and consensus."

Wu Xinbo, director of the Center for American Studies at Fudan University, said that there are three key points to watch in major power relations next year. First, China and the US will enter a new round of competition. While the strategic challenges are severe, there are some tactical opportunities. Second, in terms of ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, US-Russia relations will undergo some loosening and adjustments. Third, China's relations with other major powers will face new opportunities, and the overall diplomatic environment facing China will see significant improvements.

Regarding China-US relations, Wu emphasized that the development of the relationship follows its own historical logic. At certain stages, cooperation between the two countries was more prominent, driven by the balance of power and mutual interests. Currently, China and the US have entered what the US terms a "strategic competition" phase, which, in reality, is a period of US' efforts to contain and suppress China. While this phase is not what we hope for, it is, in some sense, consistent with the logic of great power relations.

In Wu's view, whether under a Democratic or Republican administration, US' basic positioning toward China and the fundamental design of its China policy will not change in the short term. However, from a longer-term perspective, the strategic competition between China and the US shows periodical characteristics. Wu noted that in the future, the US may realize that its efforts to contain and suppress China have not been effective, and that the cost to its own interests is too high and unsustainable, stressing that in that case, the US policy toward China will likely be adjusted.

"Taiwan independence" is a dead end, and the US' insistence to support it by force will inevitably inflict harm to itself and suffer the consequences of its actions, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Monday, after the White House announced that it has approved a military package of $567 million in defense support to Taiwan region. 

US President Joe Biden on Sunday approved $567 million in defense support for Taiwan, the White House said, according to Reuters.

In response to US' latest move, Lin Jian, a spokesperson of Chinese Foreign Ministry, said at a Monday press briefing that the US' latest arms supply to China's Taiwan region, severely violates the one China principle and the stipulations of the three China-US Joint Communiques.

The US move is in fact to support and encourage Lai Ching-te and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities in their stubborn pursuit of "Taiwan independence" and their provocation against the one China principle, Lin stressed.

This once again proves that the greatest threat to peace and stability in the Taiwan Straits and the most significant damage to the cross-Straits status quo come from the secessionist activities of Taiwan independence forces and the connivance and support they receive from external forces led by the US, Lin stated. 

"Taiwan independence" is a dead end, and the US' insistence on "supporting it with force" will inevitably harm itself and face the consequences of its actions, Lin said on Monday. 

"We urge the US side to abide by the one China principle and the three China-US Joint Communiques, and to stop arming Taiwan in any way," Lin said, "No matter how many weapons the US provides to Taiwan, it will not shake our firm determination to oppose 'Taiwan independence' and safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity."

Residents and holders of residence permits in East China's Fujian Province have been able to apply for travel endorsements to Kinmen, an island located off the coast of Fujian, administered by the island of Taiwan, according to the Exit-Entry Administration Bureau under Fujian Provincial Department of Public Security on Friday.

Eligible individuals can apply to the department for an individual or a group tourist endorsement valid for six months. Travelers can depart from the Wutong and Shijing ports via the "mini three links" maritime route and return through the same ports within the allowed duration of stay.

According to the Xinhua News Agency, the maritime safety administration in Quanzhou has established a dedicated window for the ship traffic management system to strengthen dynamic monitoring of passenger ships, and ensure shipping companies comply with baggage and safety requirements, while strictly enforcing regular maintenance and overhaul systems.

The maritime sector will also strengthen the coordination with the meteorological department, urging ships to strictly adhere to sail bans.

A Fujian resident surnamed Chen told the Global Times on Saturday that he has always wanted to travel to the Taiwan region but didn't have the chance in recent years due to previous policy restrictions and his schedule. He said this is a good opportunity for him to visit Kinmen, noting that "both sides of the Taiwan Straits are one family."

On August 30, the Ministry of Culture and Tourism announced the resumption of allowing  residents in Fujian to travel to Kinmen. The local government of Kinmen also organized a warm welcome ceremony for the first tour group from the mainland since the pandemic on September 22.

The group of over 20 tourists arrived in Kinmen from Xiamen, Fujian and were on a two-day sightseeing tour that ended on September 23.

The recent resumption of travel endorsements signals goodwill from the mainland, Zhang Wensheng, deputy dean of the Graduate Institute for Taiwan Studies at Xiamen University, told the Global Times on Saturday. He noted that the local residents of Kinmen are also eager for mainland visitors, as their presence would benefit tourism and contribute to local economic development.

Chen Yu-jen, a legislator from Kinmen, described the move as a positive start and expressed hope for more frequent progress between the two sides of the Taiwan Straits. 

She added that the relationship between Kinmen and Xiamen would grow closer, according to the United Daily News, a media outlet from Taiwan.

China's central bank on Friday announced a cut in the reserve requirement ratio by 0.5 percentage points for financial institutions.

Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended congratulations to the faculty, students and alumni of the Communication University of China on its 70th founding anniversary.

In a reply letter to its faculty and students, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, called on the university to cultivate more high-caliber journalism and communication professionals.

In one of the northern exhibition halls of the National Museum of China, a sculpture of a gargoyle, which was originally designed as a foremost part of the rainwater drainage system of Paris' famed Notre Dame cathedral, sits silently among orderly arranged devices, ready to accompany visitors on a journey between the past and the present, the virtual and the real.

With Notre Dame cathedral about to complete its restoration and reopen to the public in December after a massive fire, an immersive augmented reality (AR) exhibition depicting the cathedral's history of construction, destruction and reconstruction will kick off at the National Museum of China on Thursday.

The exhibition, jointly held by the museum and the Public Establishment in Charge of the Conservation and Restoration of Notre Dame de Paris and sponsored by the L'oreal Group, is also part of celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-France diplomatic ties and the China-France Year of Culture and Tourism.

Although this is a touring exhibition, the unique part of the stop at the National Museum of China is four original sculptures embellishing the cathedral and reflecting the mid-19th century taste for symbols and a fantasy Middle Ages, including a gargoyle, a chimera and a plant-covered human figure. The Chinese curatorial team of the National Museum put forward the idea of adding real cultural relics to the AR exhibition to enhance immersion and successfully reached an agreement with the French side.

"We would like to relate the history of the Notre Dame de Paris, a shared cultural legacy of the whole world with a novel digital method that has been approved and appreciated by younger generations," Zhu Xiaoyun, director of the Department of International Cooperation of the National Museum of China and the Chinese curator of the exhibition, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Zhu noted that the exhibition, a result of China-France cultural cooperation, interprets the meaning of exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations very well. 

"Mutual learning refers to learning from each other's advantages. What the exhibition showcases regarding how a cultural legacy with a history of more than 800 years has been revived from fatal destruction provide us new insight into the museum's duty to conserve immovable cultural legacies," Zhu noted.

Stepping into the exhibition hall, visitors can use a provided tablet computer to travel across the ocean and through time to see the world of Notre Dame. There are over 20 cylinder-shaped tables set in the hall with a QR code pasted on each one. When scanning these codes with a tablet, a portion of a painting depicting the cathedral at different eras unfolds so that visitors can see the many details of its history, such as how its Gothic ceiling was built.

Building a private conversation with the cathedral throughout the exhibition, visitors can explore the secrets of its Gothic architecture, including its religious background and historical changes, in the virtual world by clicking the buttons on the screen. According to the curator, the information about the cathedral is so vast that it would take at least four hours to finish scrolling through the entire content on the tablet.

Four original fragments of the building are arranged among these devices, allowing visitors to shuttle between the virtual and real worlds and get closer to the essence of French culture.

"This was just a digital exhibition at the beginning in which we used new technology to introduce something that the public doesn't know very well. Now we also have real artifacts. This is important because we are using all these elements to recreate reality and to provide more information," Gergely László, director of operations and quality of French tech company Histovery and also the French curator of the exhibition, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

Zhu said that cultural institutions in China and France have jointly launched a series of events to celebrate 2024's special anniversary and promote people-to-people exchanges. This year, the cultural symbol that is Notre Dame will be a messenger for this celebration.

The exhibition will travel to Hong Kong after the Beijing leg.

Editor's Note:

"I lost my son, essentially," American tech mogul Elon Musk said in an interview on July 22. He said in the interview that he was "tricked" into agreeing to trans-related medical treatment. The changes in his son led Musk to despise the "woke culture." Many right-wing individuals and Republicans in America share Musk's views on the so-called "woke culture," but for many left-wing individuals and Democrats, "woke culture" is seen as a progressive ideology. "Woke culture" has evolved into a cultural conflict surrounding identity politics in America, and this ideology has also spread to Europe, stirring up the political and social landscape.
Obscure definitions

In recent years, Musk has been heavily critical of "woke culture," describing it as a threat to modern civilization and even stating that his previous acquisition of Twitter, now X, was to combat it. However, when asked to define what "woke culture" is, this tech giant's description was not accurate.

At a conservative breakfast meeting in Iowa on June 1, 2023, former US president Donald Trump stated, "I don't like the term 'woke' because I hear, 'Woke, woke, woke.' It's just a term they use, half the people can't even define it, they don't know what it is."

The Australian news website The Conversation commented that Trump's words "inadvertently highlighted the confounding and contradictory nature of American politics today."

"The term 'woke' can be either an insult or a marker of pride - it can shift depending on the context," said the article.

According to the Spanish newspaper El País, the term "woke" has been used for years to "describe those who are sensitive and involved in the struggle against social injustice, especially in US politics, but also in the politics of other countries following suit perhaps to a lesser degree."

"Woke was a label proudly worn by activists in pursuit of social and climate justice: From Black Lives Matter (BLM) to the #MeToo movement, and the fight against global warming. Woke seemed to advocate a new era of equality and justice," read the article.

It's been reported that many media and political figures have claimed that the "woke culture" is only about justice and decency. It showed that the country acknowledged the cruelty of its past and recognized that its past still shapes this country's present.

However, according to ABC News, "woke" is used as a derogatory term by some Republicans to refer to identity-based social justice issues pushed by some Democrats and progressives.

USA Today quoted a Florida Governor Ron DeSantis spokesperson who called "woke" a slang term for "progressive activism" and a "general belief in systemic injustices in the country."

Manhattan Institute scholar Zach Goldberg believes that "woke" signifies more than just "left-wing radicalism" and essentially involves believing that differences in outcomes between groups - whether based on race, "genders," or sexes - are largely a product of oppressive societal forces and structures, read the USA Today article.

In fact, the term "woke" was originally created by progressive African Americans and was used in the early to mid-20th century in the racial justice movement. According to the website of the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, stay woke "became a watchword in parts of the black community for those who were self-aware, questioning the dominant paradigm and striving for something better."

The Smithsonian Folkways Recordings, an American popular record company, includes the protest song "Scottsboro Boys" sung by Lead Belly in the 1930s, in which the term "stay woke" is often considered to be the earliest source of the word. The "Scottsboro Boys" refers to nine black teenagers who were falsely accused, in 1931, of raping two white women in Alabama, and later eight of them were hastily sentenced to death. The case is one of the most famous civil rights cases in American history. According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, the term "woke" became more widely used in 2014 as part of the BLM.

"The term 'woke' has become so divisive that it is harming support for the issue it is meant to be highlighting," according to Al Jazeera. "The broad use of the term has caused it to become heavily weaponized by both the left and the right, turning what was once a welcoming creed into a toxic and divisive word, particularly in Western countries including the US, Canada, the UK, and other European nations," it said.

A New York University student told the Global Times that today's "woke culture" has gone too far, with "woke" individuals always tending to label those who disagree with them as "conservatives" or "Trump supporters," and sometimes things that were acceptable to say the year before suddenly become "offensive" at the present time. Jason, an engineer living in New Jersey, believes that the so-called "woke culture" is a pseudo-concept created by American interest groups to incite division among the public in order to ensure their continued control over American society.

According to USA Today, Democrats seem to view this term as a badge of honor, while Republicans see it as something that must be stopped. The struggle over "woke culture" in the US has spread to various fields.

US right-wing vs 'woke capitalism'

Due to resistance from conservatives against "woke culture," the US has witnessed the emergence of an "anti-woke culture" movement, with Governor DeSantis as one of its leaders.

According to ABC, DeSantis enacted the "Parental Rights in Education" bill and the "Stop WOKE Act" in Florida, implementing policies that limit classroom discussions on race, oppression, gender, and sexual orientation. The state government also banned funding for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs on public university campuses and rejected the introduction of an Advanced Placement African American Studies course in state high schools.

Notably, the battle over "woke culture" in education is not confined to Florida. In 2023, more than 20 states across the US considered or approved new laws targeting DEI programs.

The term "woke capitalism" was coined by conservative columnist Ross Douthat in a 2018 New York Times article, defining it as corporations supporting progressive causes to maintain their societal influence. Some view the practice of casting black actors in traditionally white roles in films as an example of "woke capitalism."

LGBTQ+ rights have also become another "battleground" in US bipartisan conflicts. According to PBS in March 2023, since beginning his campaign, Trump has targeted LGBTQ+ communities, stating that if elected, he would sign executive orders to cut federal funding to schools promoting Critical Race Theory, transgender mental disorders, and other "inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content" to American teenagers.

In contrast, President Biden and Democrats, as reported by AFP, have signed multiple executive orders supporting LGBTQ+ rights. On June 15, 2022, Biden, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic leaders, met with LGBTQ+ representatives at the White House to show solidarity.

Wang Yufan, a scholar at the Department of American Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times that the popularity of "woke culture" and identity politics in the US is related to its economic inequality.

She explained that growing income inequality, with wealth concentrated among a few rich individuals, has increased economic pressure on the middle and low-income classes, who are more likely to support "woke culture" emphasizing fairness and justice. Identity politics has also become a crucial means for them to express themselves and strive for economic equality.

The Guardian noted that in the US, various groups, including whites, blacks, Latinos, and Asians, men and women, all feel attacked, bullied, persecuted, and discriminated against. Coupled with record inequality levels, identity politics is evident on both ends of the US political spectrum.

Wang believes that on one hand, "woke culture" and identity politics have raised public awareness of issues such as racial and gender discrimination, promoting social discussion and resolution, and playing a positive role in advancing social equality and inclusion.

On the other hand, "woke culture" has become a form of political correctness, being oversimplified and symbolized, leading to overcorrections. Additionally, the left's "woke culture" has faced backlash from right-wing conservatives, leading to more severe social divisions. The cultural wars between the two parties over "woke" and "anti-woke" have intensified political polarization, creating a vicious cycle.

Spreading across ocean

The concept and actions of "woke culture" born in the US have crossed the Atlantic, sparking an "anti-woke culture" movement in Europe.

According to an Independent report in December 2021, six months prior, most French people would have mistaken the term "woke" for the "wok" used in cooking, but by the end of 2021, the concept of "woke" had taken France by storm.

The French media reported that this term, originating from the American black rights movement, had not entered the French public's consciousness until 2021, when it appeared multiple times in political debates. For example, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo publicly stated that she would not base her campaign on "woke culture."

Many Western media outlets and politicians are highly wary of "woke culture." For instance, a 2021 article by Euronews argued that the ideology behind "woke culture" and "cancel culture" endangers European democracy. Al Jazeera also warned that "woke culture" can sometimes stifle meaningful causes. Additionally, many people have been "canceled" simply for expressing views differing from "woke culture."

Wang noted that similar to the US, the impact of "woke culture" in Europe is complex and diverse. On one hand, it has increased attention to racial equality and social justice in European countries.

On the other hand, it has also caused social divisions. "Woke culture" has led European societies to reckon with colonial histories and overemphasize identity, exacerbating group conflicts and social estrangement, causing a backlash from far-right forces, and promoting the rise of far-right parties in Europe.

China on Saturday expressed strong dissatisfaction and opposition to US' finalized steep tariff hikes on certain Chinese products, calling the US compounding mistakes and urging it to correct wrongdoings. It also vowed to take necessary measures to protect Chinese firms' interests.

The US announced on Friday that it has finalized sharp tariff hikes on certain Chinese products following a four-year review to "strengthen protections for strategic industries," despite opposition from various sectors. Analysts warned that this self-willed tariff hike will ultimately harm US industries in the long run.

"China is strongly dissatisfied with and firmly opposed to the tariff increase on certain Chinese products," a spokesperson for the Ministry of Commerce of China (MOFCOM) said on Saturday, noting that the US should immediately correct its wrongdoings and cancel all additional tariffs on Chinese products. China will take necessary measures to firmly safeguard the interests of Chinese enterprises.

China has repeatedly lodged serious representations to the US side on the Section 301 tariffs, and the WTO has already ruled that these tariffs violate its rules. Instead of addressing this, the US has further increased tariffs on Chinese products, compounding its mistakes, the spokesperson noted.

"The US Section 301 tariff measure is a typical unilateralism and protectionism. It not only seriously undermines the international trade order and the security and stability of global industrial chains and supply chains, but also fails to improve the US' trade deficit and industrial competitiveness. It also pushes up the prices of US imports, and the costs are ultimately borne by US companies and consumers," the spokesperson noted.

The tariff increase package under the Section 301 investigation on Chinese products included a 100 percent tariff on electric vehicles (EVs), a 50 percent tariff on photovoltaic cells, as well as a 25 percent tariff on EV batteries, ship-to-shore cranes, steel and aluminum products, beginning from September 27, according to a notice released by US Trade Representative's Office (USTR) on Friday.

A 50 percent duty on Chinese semiconductors is due to start in 2025.

The tariff increase decision leaves the top tariff increases announced by US President Joe Biden in May largely unchanged.

The spokesperson cited a report on WTO compliance by the US published by the MOFCOM on Thursday, which criticized Washington for undermining the multilateral trading system, engaging in unilateral trade bullying, applying double standards in industrial policy, and disrupting the global industrial and supply chains by politicization and weaponization of economic and trade issues, willfully wielding the "tariff baton" under the guise of "de-risking."

During a recent business visit by a Chinese delegation to the US, business communities from both countries called for upholding market principles and the spirit of contracts, opposing trade protectionism, and safeguarding the interests of enterprises on both sides. They also stressed the importance of maintaining the security, stability, and smooth flow of global industrial and supply chains, a spokesperson for the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, China's trade promotion agency, said on Saturday, responding to the US finalized tariff hikes.

Back in May, US ports and terminal operators pushed back against the Biden administration's proposed 25-percent tariff on ship-to-shore cranes manufactured in China citing the added cost pressures the gateways would incur that could exceed $130 million, media reported.

The American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) in July urged the USTR office to reverse the decision to impose a 25 percent tariff on Chinese-built ship-to-shore cranes.

"Simply put, AAPA is confident that the tariff, if imposed, will not meet its stated objectives," said Cary Davis, AAPA's President and CEO, as posted on AAPA's website. "Instead, it will only result in negative outcomes, including grave harm to port efficiency and capacity, strained supply chains, increased consumer prices, and a weaker US economy."

"This is not about economics. From a trade perspective, there is no reason for the US to raise tariffs. The decision was made out of a generalized concept of 'national security.' This is purely a political act," He Weiwen, a senior fellow from the Center for China and Globalization, told the Global Times on Saturday.

It is not just American industries that have been opposing the tariffs. An International Monetary Fund (IMF) spokesperson criticized the move in May, saying it "can distort trade and investment, and fragment supply chains."

Back in July, the US postponed the implementation of increased tariffs on Chinese imports, originally set to take effect on August 1. Analysts pointed out that such a delay may be due to concerns among US businesses from various industries, which voiced strong opposition to the initial announcement of the tariff hikes on certain Chinese imports.

A spokesperson for MOFCOM said on September 5 that the Office of the USTR previously sought public comments regarding its tariffs review results, and most opinions were against imposing tariffs or applying for an expansion of tariff exemption, which demonstrates that the practice of the US is not well-received.

Extra tariffs are protectionist measures that are harmful to trade. They will affect American companies related to these products, as well as global companies in the supply chain of these products, Li Yong, a senior research fellow at the China Association of International Trade, told the Global Times.

"The US approach is bound to be opposed by industries because when the US imposes tariffs, it is ultimately its consumers who bear the costs," said Li.

Analysts also emphasized that it would be difficult for the US to find substitutes for some Chinese products in the short term, or if possible, only at a significantly higher cost.

"The US approach is bound to be opposed by industries because when the US imposes tariffs, it is ultimately its consumers who bear the costs," said Li.

Analysts also emphasized that it would be difficult for the US to find substitutes for some Chinese products in the short term, or if possible, only at a significantly higher cost.