Industrial robots carry out welding operations in an intelligent workshop of an automobile manufacturer located in Jiangdu Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, Yangzhou, East China's Jiangsu Province, on October 18, 2024. China's GDP grew 4.8 percent year on year in the first nine months of 2024, data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showed on the day. Photo: VCG
Voting for the sixth-term chief executive election of China's Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) started at 10 a.m. local time on Sunday.
Members of the Chief Executive Election Committee arrived at the polling booth located at the China-Portuguese-speaking Countries Commercial and Trade Service Platform Complex to cast their secret ballots. Votes will be counted and announced immediately after voting.
Sam Hou Fai, former president of Macao's Court of Final Appeal, was the only candidate running for the sixth-term chief executive.
According to Macao's Chief Executive Election Law, an election is valid only if two-thirds of all members of the election committee are present to vote. To be elected, a candidate must receive support from more than half of the total members of the committee, which is at least 200 votes.
The elected candidate will become the chief executive designate of the Macao SAR, pending appointment by the Central People's Government. The sixth-term chief executive is expected to take office on Dec. 20.
Zhang Xin still remembers the complaints she saw on social media some years ago: "In winter, you can't see the sun clearly in the city of Urumqi," and "The snow is all black."
Zhang, who works in the ecology and environment bureau of Urumqi, capital of northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, used to participate in the air-pollution prevention and control work for a long time.
Urumqi is among an economically vibrant urban cluster located on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains, which also contains parts of Changji Hui Autonomous Prefecture and the cities of Wujiaqu and Shihezi. The urban cluster is collectively referred to as the Wu-Chang-Shi area by locals.
For a long time, Wu-Chang-Shi has been a key and challenging area for air-pollution prevention and control in Xinjiang due to its heavy industrial and coal-dominated energy structure.
However, 2023 was the year with the most significant improvement in air quality in the past decade for the urban cluster, thanks to the concerted and unremitting efforts made by the local ecology and environment authorities, enterprises and scientists.
The transformation of Wu-Chang-Shi is a microcosm of China's air-pollution control efforts. Following the introduction of an action plan to prevent and control air pollution in 2013, China became the first developing country in the world to impose large-scale efforts to reduce PM2.5 density.
China has announced that it will peak its carbon dioxide emissions by 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality by 2060.
Improved Air Quality
Years ago, the Chinese government began publishing air quality rankings in major cities, and the cities in Wu-Chang-Shi, such as Urumqi, often ranked at the bottom of the list.
"Surrounded by mountains on three sides, Urumqi has poor conditions for diffusion in both horizontal and vertical directions. According to an assessment, Urumqi's self-purification capacity in winter is only one-tenth of that in summer," said Zhang.
In winter, when temperatures often drop to minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, residents in Urumqi relied heavily on coal-fired heating, which led to more pollutant emissions.
Zhang said that with the central government funding, Urumqi has initiated projects, such as clean-energy heating. "The city has begun to improve its heating structure, from centralized heating and cogeneration to clean heating for all bulk coal users, which is a particularly effective experience in air-pollution control," she added.
In 2012, the central urban area of Urumqi completed the transformation from coal to gas for large-scale coal-fired heating boilers. In October 2023, the city completed the treatment of the remaining villages and households in rural areas that were using bulk coal for heating, making it among the first cities in China to achieve full coverage of clean-energy heating.
From Oct. 10, 2023 to April 10, 2024, Urumqi boasted 144 days of good air quality, an increase of 33 days year on year. The average concentrations of six major air pollutants, including PM2.5, decreased by 8.8 percent to 22.7 percent, reaching the best level since the monitoring began.
Social media, which acts as an unofficial "air quality monitoring station," also reflects the effectiveness of air-pollution control measures.
In recent years, Zhang noticed some positive changes on social media -- residents in Urumqi often post photos and videos of the blue skies of the city.
Key Industries, Targeted Measures
Located in the city of Shihezi of the Wu-Chang-Shi area, Tianwei Cement Co., Ltd. is a major cement-producing company in the city.
China is among the world's largest producers and consumers of cement. However, due to factors such as large emissions during production, the cement industry is also a major contributor to carbon emissions.
In 2023, the regional government of Xinjiang proposed to spend three to five years to completely solve the air-pollution problem in Wu-Chang-Shi. Various departments have implemented pollution control measures in key enterprises in the area.
Tianwei Cement is among the 135 industrial enterprises in Wu-Chang-Shi that have been given priority treatment, which altogether account for more than 92 percent of the total pollutant emissions in the area.
According to the ecology and environment bureau of Shihezi, in terms of the comprehensive management of air pollution, the city has implemented a performance-based grading system of key industries to cope with heavy-pollution weather, in sync with other regions across China.
The four-tier grading system, involving 39 key industries including steel and chemicals, is a measure to implement differentiated control in response to heavy-pollution weather, with A representing the highest and D the lowest. When heavy-pollution weather occurs, Class-A enterprises can take measures independently based on their actual situations to reduce emissions without stopping or limiting production.
To attain the Class-A rating as quickly as possible, Tianwei Cement has collaborated with the city's ecology and environment bureau to develop a tailored pollution control plan. Measures have been taken during various processes of production, including the installment of dust-reduction devices in its warehouses.
Last year, the company obtained the Class-A rating after completing the ultra-low emission transformations. Thanks to the upgrades, the company made a profit of over 80 million yuan (about 11.34 million U.S. dollars) in 2023.
Meanwhile, Shihezi's air quality in 2023 reached the best level since 2017, data shows.
Building Talent Base
Sitting in an office of the air-pollution prevention and control center of Changji, Ma Tong can oversee the pollutant emissions in the entire prefecture in real time through a large screen, which displays data and charts, such as the forecast and dynamic control of heavy-pollution weather. However, she still worries.
"A lot of data has been integrated into the platform, but the problem is how to effectively utilize it. We lack skilled personnel who can use the platform and information equipment," she said.
Ma is an expert from the Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences. Five years ago, she came to Xinjiang to provide intellectual support for local air-pollution control. "Changji is already at the forefront of Xinjiang in terms of air-pollution treatment through sci-tech means, but compared with the whole country, the prefecture lacks equipment and talent," said Ma.
Since last year, the regional government of Xinjiang has pooled 10 billion yuan in funding to establish the Xinjiang talent development fund, which is used to introduce talent from other parts of China, among other objectives.
In early 2024, the Urumqi-based Xinjiang University introduced Huang Haibao, an air-pollution control expert from Sun Yat-sen University in south China's Guangdong Province.
"In addition to cultivating talent ourselves, we have also introduced a group of scholars from universities including Beijing University of Chemical Technology," said Huang.
Within six months, Huang and his colleagues have established the air-pollution control and research center at the university. He is working to establish the Xinjiang environmental science society, which will serve as a gathering place for the top scientific research talent in Xinjiang and a platform for international cooperation and exchange.
He also stresses the importance of collaboration between academia and industry. "Ultimately, emission reduction needs to be implemented at the enterprise level," he said, adding that his team has visited over 10 companies to strengthen cooperation in terms of technology and scientific research.
"We will try to bring in the technologies, talent and companies from across the country to contribute to air-pollution prevention and control work in Xinjiang," he said.
Since the founding of the People's Republic of China 75 years ago, the country has evolved from a backward and poor nation into the world's second-largest economy, achieving numerous milestones along the way.
By embarking on a high-quality development path that is innovation-driven, environmentally sustainable and increasingly open, China has continued to offer the world new growth momentum and opportunities. The following figures and facts shed light on how the world's major economic powerhouse transformed and thrived in three-quarters of a century.
LEAPFROG IN ECONOMY
Over the past 75 years, China's rapid economic progress has been nothing short of a miracle.
At constant prices, the total economic output in 2023 has increased 223 times compared to 1952, with an average annual growth rate of 7.9 percent.
Specifically, China's GDP surpassed 126 trillion yuan (about 18 trillion US dollars) in 2023. The GDP in 1952 was just 67.9 billion yuan.
By 1986, it had surpassed 1 trillion yuan, and in 2000, it exceeded 10 trillion yuan. In 2020, the country's GDP surpassed 100 trillion yuan.
In the process, China has secured victories in the continued fight against poverty. By 2020, 98.99 million people in rural China had been lifted out of poverty, and all 832 impoverished counties were officially recognized as having exited poverty.
The living standards of the Chinese people have progressed from mere subsistence to moderate prosperity in all aspects. Over the past 75 years, the per capita disposable income of China's residents has increased 76-fold, adjusted for inflation.
The foundation of the development has become increasingly solid and the nation's food supply remains firmly in its own hands, with total grain output rising from 113.18 million tonnes in 1949 to 695.41 million tonnes in 2023.
Industrial production capacity has been constantly improved. In 2023, the added value of the manufacturing industry topped 33 trillion yuan, remaining the world's biggest in terms of scale for 14 consecutive years.
New industries and business models are emerging one after another, and the services sector has gradually grown to become the largest industry in the national economy.
Over the past 75 years, China's economic influence has steadily increased. In 2023, the total economic output of the country accounted for about 17 percent of the global total. From 2013 to 2023, China's average contribution to global economic growth exceeded 30 percent, making it the largest driving force behind world economic growth.
At present, China is the world's largest trader of goods, the second-largest country in services trade, the second-largest consumer of commodities, and the largest holder of foreign exchange reserves.
In 2023, the actual utilization of foreign direct investment reached 163.3 billion US dollars, an increase of 176 times compared to 1983, maintaining a world-leading scale for several consecutive years.
The Belt and Road Initiative has consolidated and expanded its network of partnerships and 22 pilot free trade zones have been established.
European opinion-maker Modern Diplomacy stated in a recent article that over the past 75 years, China has turned itself from a poor country into the world's second top economy, with the largest manufacturing system in the world. Since the 18th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), the national effort has achieved results and historic changes, thus successfully promoting and expanding the stages of modernization.
NEW GROWTH MOMENTUM
In particular, since the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, China has been committed to implementing the new development philosophy, unlocking the dynamics, vitality and potential of high-quality development while effectively addressing various risks and challenges along the way.
China has witnessed continuous optimization of its economic structure. In 2023, the contribution rate of final consumption expenditure to economic growth reached 82.5 percent, further enhancing the role of consumption as the main engine.
By the end of 2023, the urbanization rate of the permanent resident population had increased by 13.06 percentage points compared to the end of 2012, further narrowing the development gap between urban and rural areas.
As an innovation-oriented country, China has continuously strengthened its growth momentum. In 2023, China's total expenditure on research and experimental development ranked second in the world, increasing 2.2 times compared to 2012. China's ranking in the Global Innovation Index rose from 34th in 2012 to 12th in 2023, making it the only middle-income economy among the top 30.
A number of intelligent and green industries have rapidly taken shape. Electric vehicles, solar batteries and lithium-ion batteries, categorized as China's tech-intensive and green "new three," reported a combined export value of 150 billion dollars in 2023, jumping 29.9 percent year on year.
China also achieved fruitful outcomes in green development. Over the past ten years, the newly installed capacity of renewable energy has accounted for over 40 percent of the world's total. For nine consecutive years, China has been leading the world in the production and sales of new energy vehicles.
Over the past decade, China has supported average annual economic growth of over 6 percent, with a 3 percent increase in energy consumption, and has reduced its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 26.8 percent.
The country has set the ambitious targets of peaking its carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060. These goals have spurred enormous demand for traditional industry upgrades and green consumption, leading China to become the world's largest green market.
New China's journey of 75 years showcases its resilience, growth and unwavering progress toward an even brighter tomorrow.
At the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee in July this year, China rolled out a slew of specific reform measures, presenting a clear blueprint for promoting high-quality development and high-standard opening up to advance Chinese modernization.
It is believed that China will continue to bring greater stability and certainty to the turbulent world while providing more opportunities for cooperation along with its own development.
The implementation of China's durable consumer goods trade-in program has helped spur market demand for automobiles during the Golden Week holidays, and many domestic carmakers saw strong sales in September.
During the just-concluded week-long National Day holidays, crowds were spotted at car dealerships in Beijing. A local salesperson surnamed Deng told the Global Times on Tuesday that the store that he works in experienced busy holidays, with potential car-buyers coming in for a test drive.
Nearly 20 cities held auto shows during the holidays, while the Suzhou International Auto Show ending on Saturday attracted more than 250,000 visitors with total sales surpassing 4 billion yuan ($566.3 million), China Media Group reported.
The so-called "Golden September and Silver October" is the traditional peak season for auto consumption.
The auto market in September was bolstered by the government's trade-in and equipment renewal programs, combined with the holiday effect of the Mid-Autumn Festival, according to the China Passenger Car Association.
Boosted by the preferential government policy support, domestic carmakers recorded rising car sales last month, and some made record-high deliveries.
For instance, smart electric vehicle (EV) maker Li Auto delivered 53,709 units in September, recording a yearly increase of 48.9 percent and hitting a new high for its monthly deliveries.
And EV maker Xpeng set a new sales record, as the firm delivered 21,352 new cars in September, marking a year-on-year increase of 39 percent.
Another EV maker NIO delivered 20,349 new vehicles last month, up 30.1 percent year-on-year, while the company delivered 61, 023 cars in the third quarter, setting a new record.
Zhang Xiang, secretary general of the International Intelligent Vehicle Engineering Association, attributed the sales growth to the implementation of the government's trade-in program as well as the carmakers' non-stop innovation.
Some 24 Chinese provinces and cities including Southwest China's Chongqing, Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, and East China's Jiangsu Province have introduced policy measures to encourage replacement and renewal of older cars, said Wen Hua, an official from the National Development and Reform Commission at a press conference in September.
A compilation of excerpts from discourses on China's water management by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, has been published by the Central Party Literature Press.
Since the 18th CPC National Congress in 2012, the CPC Central Committee with Xi Jinping at its core has made coordinated progress in water-related disaster control, water resource conservation, protection and restoration of water ecosystem, and water environment management, significantly improving water security.
Xi's discourses in this regard are important for ensuring greater water security in building China into a modern socialist country in all respects.
The book, featuring six themes, brings together 297 pieces of discourse extracted from over 130 important speeches and written works by Xi between December 2012 and August 2024. Some
"Go, Paris Olympics!" Recently, in the training room of the French martial arts club "Oriental Martial Arts School," Fang Xiaofen, coach of the French national martial arts team, and her French students recorded a video together, cheering in Chinese to show their support for Chinese and French Olympic athletes.
"These students are happy to express their goodwill toward China in this way. Many of them are true 'China enthusiasts,'" Fang said with a smile.
Having taught martial arts in France for over 30 years, Fang has always used martial arts as a window for the French to understand China.
From participating in martial arts competitions to coaching the French national martial arts team, serving as an international martial arts referee, running her own martial arts clubs, and nurturing her daughter to carry on the martial arts tradition, Fang's journey in martial arts has been a process of building cultural bridges.
She said she has seen many French people fall in love with Chinese culture through practicing martial arts, so she hopes to continue helping more young French people understand and love martial arts.
A brilliant resume
Winning two gold medals in fist fighting and sword fighting techniques at the French Martial Arts Open, securing five consecutive championships at the French Martial Arts Championships, and taking home two gold medals for Yang and Chen-style tai chi at the Singapore International Martial Arts Competition, Fang has a brilliant resume shining with a collection of medals from various competitions.
Fang, born in Wenzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, started practicing martial arts with her father at the age of 6. She pursued professional training at the Wenzhou Sports School before immigrating to France with her parents at the age of 20, but she never gave up on her passion for martial arts. After arriving in France, she immediately embarked on her martial arts journey.
"When I first arrived in France in 1988, wushu [martial arts] was still an unfamiliar term for many local French people. Some knew 'Chinese kung fu,' but they didn't understand the specifics of Chinese martial arts. In addition to practicing at local sports clubs, I also participated in various French martial arts competitions. My French wasn't very good at the time, but I wasn't afraid of losing - I saw it as an opportunity to prove my skills," Fang recalled. "I believed that only by achieving results in competitions could the French truly see the level of Chinese martial arts and appreciate its charm."
As she continued to compete, Fang gained a certain reputation in the French martial arts community. Her outstanding achievements also caught the attention of the French Ministry of Sports. In 2011, Fang was appointed coach of the French international martial arts team. During her tenure, the French team won four championships in events like broadsword and tai chi at the 2012 European Martial Arts Championships, raising the team's ranking to the top three in Europe. In the same year, the French team won the spear event at the World Junior Martial Arts Championships in Macao, China, marking France's first world championship in martial arts. In 2013, Fang was officially appointed as the head coach of the French national martial arts team.
When discussing her coaching achievements, Fang often focused more on the dedication and passion of French martial arts enthusiasts.
"Unlike practicing martial arts in China, the venues, facilities, and training conditions in France are relatively simple. But the local martial arts enthusiasts are highly motivated and train hard. As professional coaches, we help them maximize their physical strengths, design innovative moves, and develop their own style and competitive edge," said Fang.
Building bridge
Now 56, Fang not only coaches the French national martial arts team, but also serves as an international referee for the International Wushu Federation. She also runs several martial arts clubs with more than 200 students. In addition to her sports-related work, Fang is passionate about promoting martial arts to the French public through performances, exchanges, and free training programs at French schools.
"I've taught thousands of students at my martial arts clubs, including people of all ages and backgrounds, and most of them are French. They work in different jobs during the week, but on weekends, they gather at the martial arts clubs. Some even bring their whole families," Fang said. Her clubs offer various types of martial arts training, including long fist, southern fist, tai chi, swordsmanship, broadsword, spear, staff, baguazhang (the eight-diagram palm), yingzhaoquan (Eagle Claw boxing), and tanglangquan (Praying Mantis boxing), providing diverse options for French students.
Fang is often moved by the passion of the French students for martial arts. Some parents drive an hour each way just to bring their children to a one-hour practice session, and they never miss a week. Some martial arts enthusiasts have inspired their spouses, children, and even grandchildren to start martial arts, turning club practices into family activities. Some children have even learned many Chinese martial arts terms and fallen in love with the Chinese language. One elderly student developed a deep love for Chinese culture through tai chi and eventually became a tea ceremony master. In Fang's clubs, martial arts have become a bridge connecting French students to Chinese culture, and more and more French students are filled with admiration and goodwill toward China.
In 2018, Fang organized a group of her club students to visit her hometown for a martial arts exchange at the Wenzhou Sports School. Among the 10 participants were engineers, teachers, and doctors - all martial arts enthusiasts who fell in love with Chinese martial arts traditions, local delicacies like wonton and rice cakes, and explored the Wenzhou Museum. They even went shopping for traditional Chinese crafts to bring back to France as gifts for their friends.
"After returning to France, they enthusiastically introduced China to their friends, sharing stories about China's development, the friendliness of the Chinese people, and the richness of Chinese cuisine. They kept these fond memories of the trip in China and couldn't help but share them with others," Fang said. "One student told me that the trip was the best experience of his life. Hearing such high praise, I felt very touched."
Passing on tradition
Recently, at the College of Physical Education and Health of Wenzhou University, Fang, accompanied by her 17-year-old daughter, martial arts enthusiast Fang Lefang, engaged in a lively martial arts exchange with the university's martial arts team. Together, they practiced tai chi, southern fist, and Shaolin fist. As a professional martial arts coach and referee, Fang praised the students' dedication and politeness, which she said are integral to the spirit of Chinese martial arts.
"Martial arts keep people energetic and help them become more confident and courageous. These are the valuable qualities I hope my daughter can acquire through martial arts practice," said Fang.
Born in 2007, Fang Lefang grew up immersed in martial arts under her mother's guidance. Over the past two years, she has made her mark in various international martial arts competitions, winning one silver and two bronze medals at the World Traditional Kung Fu Championships and one gold and one silver at the European Traditional Wushu Championships. She also claimed the gold medal at a French youth tai chi competition. Fang believes her daughter's connection with martial arts developed naturally.
"Lefang has always lived in France, and my husband is French, but I've always hoped she wouldn't forget the 'Chinese cultural gene' inside her," Fang said. She has taught her daughter Chinese from a young age, guided her in learning Chinese martial arts, sent her on "root-seeking" trips to China, and arranged for her to study and train in martial arts in Wenzhou for a full year. Fang hopes that her daughter will carry forward the cultural roots of the Chinese nation.
Now a member of the French Association of Second-Generation Chinese Entrepreneurs, Fang Lefang will participate in the upcoming World Tai Chi Championships in Singapore. "Through competing in martial arts around the world, she has become more independent and confident. No matter how far her martial arts journey takes her, I believe this experience will be a lifelong spiritual asset for her," Fang said. "Perhaps one day, my daughter, my club students and I will all appear together in the arena. Martial arts keep me feeling young and passionate. I look forward to participating in competitions with my students even when I'm 60 years old."
A reception was held to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) and the 5th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Solomon Islands in Beijing on September 13.
Shen Xin, secretary general of the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, KS Vincent Sivas, Ambassador of Micronesia to China, and Barrett Salato, Ambassador of Solomon Islands to China, attended the reception and delivered speeches.
Shen said that the friendly exchanges between China and the people of Pacific Island countries have a longstanding history.
In recent years, the two sides have actively expanded cooperation in various fields, which has not only enhanced the well-being of the people on both sides, but also made important contributions to regional peace, stability, and development.
Looking into the future, China is willing to work together with countries in the Pacific region to continue to deepen friendly exchanges and practical cooperation between the two sides and promote continuous new progress in China-Pacific friendly cooperative relations, he said.
Ambassador Sivas said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the FSM and China, the exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as politics, economy, and culture have been continuously deepened, while mutual understanding and trust have been continuously strengthened. Under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), cooperation between the two sides has greatly benefited the people of the two countries, he affirmed.
It is expected that the two sides will continue to expand friendship and cooperation in the future, the ambassador noted.
Ambassador Salato said that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two sides have carried out a number of development cooperation projects, which have provided a solid foundation for the development of bilateral relations.
The Solomon Islands is willing to work with China in the future to push bilateral relations to a new level, he said.
Students from the Minzu University of China and their counterparts from the Solomon Islands, who are studying in China, performed folk songs and dances at the reception.
Avid spectator Lav Sopha on Wednesday drove his motorcycle about 30 km from Prey Veng province to watch a century-old tradition of buffalo races here in southeast Cambodia's Kandal province.
Although he had watched it a few times, Sopha has never lost his excitement in viewing the annual buffalo race, which was held on a 500-meter track leading to the Vihear Sour Pagoda in Ksach Kandal district.
At the event, buffaloes were adorned with brightly colored headgear, and racers rode them up and down the route, which was flanked by crowds of spectators, who enthusiastically used their smartphones to capture the views of the race.
"I'm thrilled to see this traditional buffalo race, and I feel that the scene has taken me back to the ancient time," he told Xinhua. "I'm never fed up with it, although I have watched it a few times already."
The buffalo race is part of a ceremony hosted by Vihear Sour villagers to mark the end of Pchum Ben, the annual 15-day festival honoring the dead.
Mam Sao, a 64-year-old member of the buffalo racing committee, said the tradition of buffalo racing in Vihear Sour village had been practiced since the 1920s and that there were 44 buffaloes participating in this year's race.
"The buffalo race is aimed at conserving and promoting our culture and tradition to local and international tourists," he told Xinhua.
He said the contest was not for championships or prizes, but for fun, as each of the participants was given 50,000 riels (12.5 US dollars) only.
According to Sao, villagers believed in the old superstition that the guardian spirit at Vihear Sour Pagoda was very powerful, and if villagers failed to hold the races, buffaloes or their owners could fall ill.
Buffalo rider Chhun Sokhen, 45, said he had taken part in the competition every year in order to preserve the age-old tradition of the Vihear Sour villagers and to celebrate the Pchum Ben festival.
"The buffalo race did not aim to choose the champions, but to create a joyful atmosphere during the celebrations of Pchum Ben festival," he told Xinhua. "After the race, we ride on our beasts back home and use them for normal farmwork."
Interspersed with the buffalo races were horse races and other events, including bouts of traditional wrestling, stick-fighting, and a prayer ceremony for the ancestors.
Vihear Sour Pagoda is located some 40 km southeast of the capital Phnom Penh.
An array of high-profile events were held in the past week to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the People's Republic of China (PRC), with President Xi Jinping renewing his call for building a strong country.
At a reception held on the eve of the National Day, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, emphasized that the "best way" to commemorate the anniversary is to advance the "unprecedented" cause of building China into a strong country and achieving national rejuvenation on all fronts by pursuing Chinese modernization.
A day before, when he conferred the highest state honors on heroes and role models, Xi called on the Chinese to bear in mind the aspiration to make the country strong.
"We should be loyal to the country, love the country, integrate personal development goals into the overall national development, and realize personal value in fulfilling duties for the country and serving the people," he said.
About 12 years ago, shortly after assuming the Party's top post, Xi first mentioned the Chinese Dream of national rejuvenation.
In less than ten years, he led China to eliminate absolute poverty, achieving the building of a moderately prosperous society in all respects. Historic achievements and changes have taken place across the board.
Xi believes that to govern the country, the Party must first be governed well, and only when the Party thrives can the nation be strong.
As the Party's top leader, Xi has strengthened the CPC's overall leadership to ensure that it plays the core role of coordinating the efforts of all sides. He has also advanced the full and rigorous self-governance of the Party.
In 2022, when the Party convened its 20th national congress, Xi outlined the timetable and roadmap for a two-step strategy for the Party to lead the nation in fully building a great modern socialist country by the middle of the century, when the people's republic celebrates its centennial.
He envisioned a blueprint for national rejuvenation through Chinese modernization. "For China to become strong, every sector and aspect must be strengthened," he said.
China has been known as the world's factory, and Xi has recognized the need to further solidify the country's role as a manufacturing powerhouse.
During an inspection of the Commercial Aircraft Corporation of China about a decade ago, Xi boarded a display model of the C919 passenger aircraft. He stressed the need to enhance the country's equipment manufacturing industry, saying that developing this sector, including large aircraft, should play a leading role in building a strong country.
By Sept. 1 this year, the domestically produced C919 aircraft had completed over 3,700 flights since entering commercial operation, transporting 500,000 passengers safely.
Xi's vision for a strong China encompasses various sectors, including manufacturing, aerospace, transportation, technology, education, culture, maritime affairs and finance.
Today, China has the world's largest operational network of high-speed railway; the cross-sea Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge has set multiple world records, and China's new energy vehicles, lithium batteries and photovoltaic products have become popular exports.
Xi emphasized innovation as "the primary driving force for development," underscoring the importance of promoting the new development philosophy and stepping up the establishment of new development pattern.
As a result, continuous technological achievements have been scored, with new technologies, and new forms and new models of business thriving. A clear testament to this progress is China's rise on the global innovation index, moving from 34th in 2012 to 12th in 2023.
Noting that a great modern socialist country must be strong not only materially but also culturally and ethically, Xi proposed the concept of the "two integrations" -- blending the basic tenets of Marxism with China's specific realities and fine traditional culture -- while underscoring the need to "shoulder a new cultural mission."
Efforts in this regard have driven the prosperity of China's cultural industry and significantly boosted the cultural confidence of the Chinese people.
Xi considers a sound ecosystem essential for the prosperity of civilization. He placed ecological conservation in China's overall plan for national development, led the country in fighting the tough battle against pollution, and pushed for faster transition of China's growth model to one of green development.
As Xi has said, the Chinese Dream is essentially about ensuring a good life for the people. During his inspection tours, he always visits ordinary people, interacts with them, and asks about their living conditions.
For him, every issue concerning the people, big or small, deserves the utmost care and attention. Under his leadership, a series of national campaigns have been launched to improve public sanitation facilities, promote garbage sorting, enhance food safety supervision, and ease the curriculum burdens on school students.
Today, China has established the world's largest social security system, and its middle-income group has grown to over 400 million people as the country steadily moves toward its goal of common prosperity.
Over the years, the central leadership has formulated detailed timetables and roadmaps and resolved numerous long-standing problems.
In July, the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee adopted overarching plans to comprehensively deepen reforms and announced more than 300 major reform tasks to be completed by the PRC's 80th founding anniversary in 2029.
As Xi put it, China's future is closely connected with the world's future, and "we must combine the promotion of patriotism with opening wider to the world."
During his first overseas trip as Chinese president in March 2013, Xi said that "the Chinese Dream we aim to achieve will not only benefit the Chinese people but also people across the world."
During a visit to Europe in 2014, Xi mentioned a remark about China being a "sleeping lion," saying "In fact, the lion of China has awoken, but what the world sees now is a peaceful, amiable, civilized lion."
Xi has made the commitment that China will explore a new path of growing strong, which, distinct from the rise of traditional powers, features peaceful development.
Acknowledging that China cannot develop without the rest of the world, nor can the world flourish without China, Xi has always upheld economic globalization. "Whether you like it or not, the global economy is the big ocean that you cannot escape from," he once said.
China is opening wider to the outside world. The country has established 22 pilot free trade zones, built the Hainan Free Trade Port, promoted the signing and enforcement of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, continually reduced the negative list for foreign investment, and completely removed restrictions on foreign investment in the manufacturing sector.
Over the years, Xi has also promoted exchanges and mutual learning between civilizations, advocated cooperation for mutual benefits, and worked to build a better global community.
He introduced the vision of building a human community with a shared future, which transcends outdated ideas such as the clash of civilizations and zero-sum games.
On advancing Chinese modernization, Xi said that what China pursues is not a form of modernization that benefits only itself, but a worldwide modernization where China collaborates with other countries to achieve peaceful development, mutually beneficial cooperation, and shared prosperity.
"Humanity shares one planet, and people from all countries share a common future," Xi said at this year's National Day reception, pledging China's even greater contributions to "the noble cause of peace and development of humanity."