Spokesperson for the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lin Jian on Friday slammed Western media saying that chili pepper products sold in UK and US supermarkets contain ingredients from Xinjiang are probably produced using "forced labor" by citing a report by an anti-China academic Adrian Zenz, noting that the so-called report mentioned by certain media outlets is deeply flawed, and it pretentiously quotes some vague accounts by so-called anonymous witnesses, but does not provide any factual basis, and even lacks the most basic field investigation.
Lin said that, the fact is, the farming process of chili peppers in Xinjiang has largely been mechanized already in some major production areas, 100 percent of the chili peppers are now harvested by machines. "Is the report suggesting that there is 'forced machine labor?'" he asked.
Earlier this week, an international symposium on employment and social security was held in Urumqi, said Lin, noting that more than 200 participants from over 40 countries, regions and international organizations attended the event, and many said the Xinjiang they saw is very much different from the false propaganda they had seen from sources outside China.
"They condemned the 'forced labor' narrative, calling it a lie that deprives people in Xinjiang of their right to work, subsistence and development," Lin said.
Lin stated that from cotton to tomato and now to chili pepper, a handful of Western media and long-time disinformation manufacturers have concocted one lie after another about Xinjiang.
"But what's made up will not hide the truth; and a lie is still a lie even if it's told a thousand times. For those behind these same old clumsy theatrics, it is high time they quit this 'creative' business for good," Lin said.
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.
