"The sun is an eternal challenge in the journey of human exploration," Wang Jingxiu, academician at the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) and researcher at the National Astronomical Observatories of the CAS (NAOC), told the audience at a New Year's Eve event hosted by the Beijing Association for Science and Technology.
Having devoted 45 years to sun-related research, Wang has a deep understanding of the vital importance of the sun.
"The sun is the governor of the entire solar system. It created the Earth, which is the cradle of humanity. It also created the solar system, which is the habitat for humans. Studying the sun is studying the home of humanity," Wang told the Global Times.
In terms of scientific study, the sun, the closest star to Earth, is the only celestial body that allows for high temporal resolution, high spatial resolution, high spectral resolution, and high polarization measurement accuracy. Therefore, the knowledge accumulated from studying the sun has guided the entire human exploration of the universe.
After decades of development, solar physics research in China is at a leading juncture internationally. China's advantage lies in the study of solar activity and solar magnetic fields, but there is still a certain gap in solar internal structure research.
In fact, China's solar research has developed rapidly. In the 1960s, China created the world's best solar magnetograph, the Huairou Solar Magnetic Field Telescope, which marked a new beginning for solar research in China. In the field of ground-based solar magnetic field and velocity field imaging observations, especially in the research of vector magnetic field observations, China is a world leader.
Wang recalled that in 1999, using this telescope, Deng Yuanyong, currently director of the NAOC Huairou Solar Observing Station, Chinese academician Ai Guoxiang, and himself became the first in the world to measure the vector magnetic field in the solar polar region.
China ushered in a new era of solar exploration in 2021 with the successful launch of China's first solar exploration scientific experimental satellite, the Xihe. The satellite allows Chinese people to conduct detailed research on the rotation of the sun and the dynamics of solar eruption source regions. About a year later, China launched its first comprehensive solar exploration satellite, Kuafu, furthering the country's scientific endeavor to unravel the secrets of the sun.
Xihe is the name of the sun goddess in ancient Chinese mythology and Kuafu is a giant in Chinese mythology, who indefatigably chased the sun. With Xihe and Kuafu joining forces, "China has spread the romance of Chinese astronomy to space in its own way," Wang said.
Looking forward to the long-term study of the sun, Wang hopes that Chinese scientists will become the first to observe the north and south poles of the sun to measure the magnetic field and activities there.
"In solar observations, what has not been directly observed so far are the north and south poles of the sun. The importance of these poles goes beyond our imagination. Therefore, Chinese scholars want to do something that other countries have not done yet and assume a leading role in the study of the sun in the world," he said.
He also stressed the necessity of developing the scientific payload of China's probes to obtain more accurate data, which is crucial for solar exploration.
From many perspectives, Wuzhen, in East China's Zhejiang Province, a town with thousands of years of history, is not a name that automatically comes to mind when poverty and backwardness are mentioned. Even without considering its rich cultural history and connections to many famous figures, in the last few decades, it has become a well-planned tourist attraction known to most Chinese people.
As a typical ancient water town in the Jiangnan region, Wuzhen has a history spanning over 7,000 years and has been an established center for over 1,300 years. In the 1990s, the local government started to renovate the ancient town. The 21st century marked Wuzhen's transformation into one of the most popular tourist attractions in the region.
However, beyond the bustling tourist area, Wuzhen was rarely associated with "modernization" in any comprehensive way for a period of time. Outside the scope of the tourism industry, many people still lived in old villages in their old lifestyles.
This situation, however, began to change in June 2003 with the implementation of Zhejiang's Green Rural Revival Program, which plans to renovate about 10,000 incorporated villages and transform about 1,000 central villages among them into examples of moderate prosperity in all respects.
Xi Jinping, then secretary of the CPC Zhejiang Provincial Committee, promoted and deployed this modernization project to address the problem of imbalanced urban-rural development, creating a new development path for beautiful villages.
From duck farming to bamboo weaving
Chenzhuang village, like many other ordinary Chinese villages, had a long-term reliance on the animal husbandry and breeding as its main industry. "Chenzhuang used to be a specialized duck farming village, and every household would raise ducks on a fairly large scale," said Shen Siyuan, a member of the Chenzhuang village committee, to visiting Global Times reporters. "But the odor and waste generated by duck farming had a significant impact on the village's environment."
Transitioning from the backward poultry breeding ground to a traditional bamboo weaving craft was a long-term consideration by the village committee.
After closing down the environmentally damaging duck farms, many villagers joined the handicraft workshops of several bamboo weaving families in the village. In the workshops, the Global Times saw many villagers chatting and skillfully weaving bamboo items. Technical discussions or sharing sessions about bamboo weaving are routinely organized or spontaneously held among the villagers. When showing their bamboo weaving works to the Global Times, many of the former farmers turned bamboo artisans had proud smiles on their faces.
The village's leader in bamboo weaving, who is an inheritor of the craft, Qian Jihuai quit his job working for a company and followed his father, Qian Xinming, to engage in bamboo weaving full time in 2007, in the era of the decline of bamboo weaving in Wuzhen. He came up with the idea of linking bamboo weaving with Wuzhen's tourism industry, and applied for a store at a tourist attraction and then tried to weave some Chinese characters out of bamboo as tourist souvenirs. It turned out that tourists loved these novel souvenirs.
Qian and his father therefore saw this as a new path to promote bamboo weaving and began developing related products. They traveled to other towns in China with a tradition of bamboo weaving and studied and researched extensively on the development of bamboo weaving in other countries.
"We gradually discovered that there was a lot of room for the expansion of bamboo weaving as an art," Qian said. He set up his own bamboo weaving studio with his father and brother, brought systematic bamboo weaving classes to schools, and introduced bamboo weaving skills to more people through online livestreams. In his studio, the Zhuyun Workshop, 15,000 visitors study bamboo weaving and take part in learning experiences every year. The workshop features many works of his fellow villagers, many of whom work there for a living.
According to Qian, the sense of happiness generated by social recognition is a new thing for many villagers who have been engaged in the poultry breeding industry for generations, but it has become an important part of achieving common prosperity in modern rural areas.
Such workshops are parts of an innovative project in Zhejiang that helps low-income groups increase their income. Currently, more than 7,000 such workshops have been established in the province, employing more than 340,000 people, with an average monthly income increase of about 2,600 yuan ($368) per person.
After the leveling of the land and the greening transformation, Chenzhuang has also built a leisure park in the village and a free library for villagers to read and check out books in the center of the village. When villagers recall their previous lives of duck farming to the Global Times, they find it hard to believe the changes.
From small towns into high-tech parks
Thanks to the Green Rural Revival Program, the image of the countryside has been comprehensively lifted in Zhejiang. A total of 2,170 featured villages and over 3 million beautiful rural courtyards have been built, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
In 2011, the program entered the stage of creating high-quality and beautiful villages. The integration of "lucid waters and lush mountains" into the new lives of the people of Zhejiang, as well as the significant changes in the environment, and the government's tremendous support for external talents, have attracted many investors and high-tech entrepreneurs.
In a high-tech park in Wuzhen, Global Times reporters met Jiang Jianguo, who used to work in display technology research in Silicon Valley, and has chosen to start a business in Wuzhen in 2019.
"When we planned to build a factory, we had high requirements and needed a very high-end purification workshop, and the local government helped us solve these problems with great seriousness," Jiang said. "This made us determined to establish our company in Wuzhen."
The high-end manufacturing industry in the field of electronic flexible screens created by Jiang has created new job opportunities and demonstrated the vitality of cutting-edge innovation and technology in this small town of Wuzhen, inducing the return of many young people who had migrated for work.
"In the past, if you wanted to find a good job, you had to go to first- or second-tier cities," said Shen Guyu, a young company employee, to the Global Times. "Now, you can work in high-tech enterprises in your hometown, and commuting is also very convenient." Some employees also expressed their expectations for more high-tech enterprises in small towns. "After having a second child, my partner and I hope to leave the big city and return to our hometown for the sake of our children," said another employee, Wang Hua. The landing of these high-tech enterprises in Wuzhen makes it possible for them to engage in cutting-edge industries in their hometowns.
By the end of 2022, Zhejiang had registered 9.43 million operating entities, to which the private economy contributed 67 percent of the province's GDP, 71.7 percent of tax revenue, and 87.5 percent of employment. The booming private sector has provided unprecedented opportunities for young people in villages and towns to increase their income, find employment, and to produce new ideas.
In 2021, Zhejiang's Green Rural Revival Program entered the "creating future and achieving common prosperity" stage. The boundaries between urban and rural areas have gradually disappeared, and the foundation for sustainable development has become more solid.
In Shufeng village, Wuzhen, one can feel the gradual birth of a future village.
When Global Times reporters arrived at Shufeng village, villager Yu Liqin was preparing to build a new house, and village official Jiang Chao had agreed to measure the homestead with her in a very unconventional way.
Jiang demonstrated the various conditions of his homestead through the intelligent management system to Yu. With the help of aerial footage and the demonstration system, they quickly determined the required data. "In the past, it might have taken us half a day to measure on-site, but now, with this system, we can complete it in just a minute," Jiang said.
In 2022, Shufeng village was selected as one of the first provincial-level pilot "future villages" in Zhejiang. They began using digital technology to create a sustainable rural area, and the fully automated intelligent system started assisting villagers in their daily lives and work. Subsequently, a high-tech seedling base was established in Shufeng village. Villagers could either lease their land to the base or work as employees there.
Inside the 30,000-square-meter intelligent greenhouse in the village, the Global Times encountered Li Jingquan, a villager come employee who was testing a 5G inspection robot. This intelligent greenhouse integrates various new technologies such as artificial intelligence, the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and big data. On a large display screen, the growth status of all plants and intelligent suggestions are shown. Additionally, an intelligent seedling planter is available to quickly and accurately transplant seedlings.
"With the help of this technology, the seedlings we cultivate are stronger and have a higher survival rate than before, allowing villagers who are engaged in planting to continuously increase their income and production," Li said.
By 2025, Zhejiang plans to build over a thousand "future villages" and narrow the gap between the highest and lowest per capita disposable income within the province to within 1.55, truly reducing the gap between rural and urban areas.
In Wuzhen, the villages and high-tech enterprises the Global Times reporters see are a reflection of the transformation of Zhejiang's villages under the guidance of the Green Rural Revival Program over the last 20 years.
During this period, the urban and rural areas of Wuzhen have developed in tandem, and each village has seized upon its own characteristics and embarked on its own path.
Twenty years later, when people think of Wuzhen again, they will think not only of the tourist attraction, but also of the annual World Internet Conference, theater festival, unique rural life, and attractive investment and employment prospects, which provide a vivid model for the modernization and development of more small towns.
As one of the oldest art schools in the world, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (RAFA) in Antwerp has constantly reinvented itself since it was founded in 1663. To promote the exchange of ideas and strive for greater creativity, RAFA established an exchange program with the Central Academy of Fine Arts (CAFA) in Beijing. This year marks RAFA's 360th anniversary. To celebrate this momentous occasion, RAFA and CAFA organized a unique project.
On November 2, the first collaboration between students from both schools materialized. For this project, students from the two schools exchanged artworks and, as a result, works by students of the RAFA were shown at the CAFA Art Museum until November 12. The works by CAFA students will be displayed at RAFA from November 30 to December 8. What makes this exchange even more profound is that all these magnificent works will be preserved in the archives of both schools, creating a lasting connection between the two institutions.
To support this great initiative, the Public Diplomacy Counsellor, Johan Van hove, attended the RAFA exhibition opening ceremony at CAFA and met its new president Lin Mao, several well-known professors from CAFA, the director of RAFA Johan Pas, and curators Peter Bosteels from Antwerp and Qiu Zhijie from Beijing. They discussed the development of cultural exchanges between both institutions and countries.
Art knows no borders; art does not have a nationality. It is a bridge that connects two countries. Through this incredible exchange between Antwerp and Beijing, it celebrates the diversity of human creativity and the countless possibilities of even more exceptional collaborations between China and Belgium in the years to come.
Germany has shown a growing interest in strengthening economic ties with Southeast Asia. It is crucial that this cooperation is based on mutual benefits and win-win outcomes, rather than being driven by political agendas that could lead to a split of supply and industrial chains connected to China.
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz met with leaders of Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand last week, a development that some German media outlets claimed represents the German government's aim to diversify trade relations in Asia and become less dependent on China.
For instance, the Chinese website of German publication Deutsche Welle published an article on Friday headlined "Scholz's speed dates: Looking for Southeast Asian partners to replace China?"
While topics like Southeast Asia replacing China may be attention-grabbing, given some Western politicians' pursuit of so-called de-risking, it is irresponsible to play up such a topic when it lacks much practical basis.
Anyone who is familiar with China-Germany trade data will understand how far-fetched the topic is. Despite various geopolitical headwinds in recent years, China remains Germany's most important trading partner, and bilateral trade far exceeds Germany's trade with the three Southeast Asian countries.
In 2023, Germany's trade in goods with the three Southeast Asian countries totaled a mere 38 billion euros ($41.4 billion), while bilateral trade between China and Germany reached 299 billion euros in 2022 and 253 billion in 2023.
The Asian industrial chain is a complete one, with all countries in the region depending on each other and promoting each other's development. China and Southeast Asia have long shared a mutually beneficial relationship, and both sides are willing to push economic and trade cooperation to a higher level. With the implementation of the Belt and Road Initiative and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, industrial chains in China and ASEAN are expected to be further integrated.
It is true that in recent years, with rising labor costs in China, some labor-intensive manufacturing industries have shifted to some Southeast Asian countries, but many of those shifts are the results of China's industrial chains being extended due to various factors.
The rise of Chinese exports of intermediate products and machinery equipment to ASEAN demonstrates the extension of industrial chains. The shift is in line with the general direction of accelerating industrial upgrading and transformation in China, and it also contributes to the prosperous development of Southeast Asia. It helps Chinese companies by reducing the pressure of rising domestic labor costs and growing trade protectionism against China.
The China-Association of Southeast Asian Nations Free Trade Area (CAFTA) took effect many years ago and contributed greatly to the liberalization and facilitation of trade among the 11 countries that signed it.
China still aims to upgrade the liberalization of trade and investment with ASEAN and is trying to work with ASEAN to conclude negotiations for version 3.0 of the CAFTA as soon as possible, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
Apparently, ASEAN is in the process of trade integration and mutual development with various countries and regions. ASEAN's deepening trade cooperation with any country will only bring more cooperation potential for China, instead of substituting for it.
For instance, Germany - which has not signed a free trade agreement with China - could enjoy market dividends in China through some Southeast Asian countries, while China could make use of its partnership with ASEAN countries when it comes to entering the EU market.
During the rise of Asian economies, the emphasis should always be on how to expand the space for cooperation and promote integration, instead of pursuing narrow-minded replacement, which will only lead to vicious competition and more conflict. No country can completely replace another in the global industrial chain.
It is a positive development if Germany is genuinely committed to enhancing cooperation with Southeast Asian countries. This collaboration can act as a stepping stone, rather than a replacement, for Germany's partnership with China, potentially opening up more opportunities and prospects for the prosperity and development of Asia. It would be self-defeating if one aims at driving a wedge between China and ASEAN.
China is actively taking measures to stabilize its real estate market, the National Financial Regulatory Administration (NFRA) said on Wednesday, as it emphasized the need to promote a virtuous cycle between the financial sector and the housing market.
With nationwide property industry meetings, China is pushing to promote the country's challenged housing market.
During the NFRA's meeting on Wednesday, the administration stressed the need to implement city-level real estate financing coordination mechanisms and enhance the efficiency of the new white list mechanism, to meet the financing needs of real estate enterprises.
It is part of the administration's latest effort to support the housing market. Li Yunze, head of the NFRA, told reporters on Monday that the administration will continue to aid the economy's recovery and improvement, which will include reducing the interest rates on existing first-home loans to reduce buyers' interest expenses.
In another move, the Shanghai Real Estate Trade Association held a meeting attended by major property developers.
The meeting, held on March 7, saw participation by 11 companies, including China Poly Group, China Resources, China Railway Construction Corp and Shanghai Baohua Group. According to the association's WeChat account, attending companies reached a consensus that Shanghai's real estate market is still undergoing adjustments and participants called for more policy adjustments.
The real estate market often sees a surge in March and April. However, such trends are not evident this year, indicating ongoing adjustments in the market, Hui Jianqiang, a veteran industry analyst, told the Global Times on Wednesday.
Despite an increase in inquiries after the Spring Festival holidays, Shanghai's real estate companies reported low transactions.
Companies have put forth several policy suggestions, calling for improvements in purchase restrictions, land auctions and refining the supervision of pre-sale funds.
In a bid to revitalize the real estate sector, discussions similar to those in Shanghai have taken place across various regions, including Heze in East China's Shandong Province, Hefei in East China's Anhui Province and Wuhan in Central China's Hubei Province.
Recent measures in first-tier cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen - have relaxed purchase restrictions, but these are seen more as a loosening of earlier constraints rather than incentives to boost the market, resulting in limited effects, Hui explained.
Despite downward pressure, there are signs of stabilization in China's real estate market. Data from the National Bureau of Statistics showed a 0.3 percent month-on-month decrease in new home prices in first-tier cities in January, narrowing 0.1 percentage point from December.
The future of real estate sales in first-tier cities heavily relies on policy easing to stimulate the market, Hui stated. He believes that further relaxation of policies could attract external capital to Shanghai's real estate market, potentially outperforming last year's performance.
Local homebuyers in Shanghai are adopting a wait-and-see approach, a resident surnamed Zhang told the Global Times that the market has stabilized but there's no sign of a rapid upturn anytime soon.
Prices for secondhand homes have returned to levels seen in 2019 and 2020, while new home prices are influenced by purchase policies.
"My colleagues from outside Shanghai who have yet to buy a home remain on the sidelines… and do not feel rushed to make a purchase," Zhang added.
Since 2012, China has witnessed an extraordinary economic transition, with historic achievements in all aspects of the economy from its size to quality. Such an unparalleled feat does not just happen, especially during a tumultuous period in the global geo-economic landscape and a tough phase in China's economic transformation and upgrading process. It was Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era that guided the country in overcoming various risks and challenges, and in keeping the China economic miracle alive.
As China embarked on the quest to become a great modern socialist country amid global changes unseen in a century, Xi's economic thought has been and will continue to be the guiding principle for development in China for years to come, and have great significance for the world. What is Xi's economic thought? What does it mean for China and the world?
To answer these questions, the Global Times has launched this special coverage on Xi's major economic speeches and policies, and how they are put into practice to boost development in China and around the world. This year's two sessions - China's annual legislative and political consultative sessions - officially concluded on Monday, after national lawmakers and political advisers spent a week or so, on mapping the country's social and economic development blueprint for 2024 and beyond.
Often described as one of the most important political events, the two sessions, during which a slew of development goals are determined, offer a critical window for the world to view the latest economic trends and policy priorities in the world's second-largest economy.
More importantly, Chinese President Xi Jinping's agenda and major speeches during the two sessions provide the most crucial insights into the development path of the Chinese economy.
During this year's two sessions, Xi participated in three deliberations or group discussions with national lawmakers and political advisers, during which he also delivered important speeches. And a key theme emerged from these meetings and speeches: The Chinese top leader has put new quality productive forces front and center in China's economic agenda in 2024 and for many years to come.
As a relatively new concept that was first put forward by Xi during an inspection tour of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province in September 2023, new quality productive forces has become a key phrase in China's political lexicon in recent months. Xi's emphasis on the phrase further highlighted its significance in China's economic policymaking and China's future development paths, as officials across the country have and will continue to roll out measures to boost innovation and generate new productive forces.
China's pursuit of new quality productive forces, which place the main focus on innovation and technological self-reliance, comes as China's economy faces a profound transformation from old growth drivers to sustainable ones, and as the global geo-economic situation has grown increasingly complex - characterized by the US' relentless technological crackdowns and growing protectionism. Therefore, developing new quality productive forces is critical for China's sustainable, high-quality development, Chinese lawmakers, political advisers, and economists said.
Top leader's focus at two sessions
During each year's two sessions, Xi often visits and holds meetings with national lawmakers and political advisors, and delivers major speeches on key national issues. This year, the Chinese president made three such visits, in line with the number made during the two sessions in 2023.
On the afternoon of March 5, Xi participated in a deliberation with fellow lawmakers from East China's Jiangsu Province during the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature.
Xi called for focusing on high-quality development as a top priority, urging efforts to step up innovation, foster emerging industries, adopt forward-thinking plans to develop future-oriented industries, and improve the modernized industrial system. He stressed the development of new quality productive forces according to local conditions, according to the Xinhua News Agency.
The top leader also made remarks about developing new quality productive forces or related issues such as technological innovation at the other two such deliberations he participated in.
On March 6, Xi participated in a joint group meeting during the second session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body. Xi called on political advisors and all people in the science and technology sector to strengthen basic research and apply basic research, strive to achieve breakthroughs in core technologies in key fields, and create new drivers to develop new quality productive forces.
Then on March 7, Xi attended a plenary meeting of the delegation of the People's Liberation Army and the People's Armed Police Force at the second session of the NPC. He stressed deepening reform to comprehensively enhance strategic capabilities in emerging areas. He also said that China's drive to accelerate the development of new quality productive forces has provided rare opportunities for the development of strategic capabilities in emerging areas.
The successive remarks about the new quality productive forces on three different occasions accentuated the top leader's focus on the issue and its importance in China's economic development, not just this year but in the years to come, national lawmakers, political advisers, and experts said. "The concept offers guidance for our country to take advantage of the historical opportunity of a new round of technological upgrade and aims to develop strategic emerging industries and future industries," Guo said.
Developing new quality productive forces is a decisive step in the economy's high-quality development course, Guo Guoping, an NPC deputy and a vice director of the Key Laboratory of Quantum Information of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told the Global Times.
New quality productive forces refers to innovation-led, advanced productivity that is freed from traditional economic growth mode and productivity development paths, is high-tech, high efficiency and high quality, and is in line with the new development philosophy, Xi said during a group study session of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee in February, stressing that developing new quality productive forces is an endogenous requirement and a pivot of high-quality development. From concept to action
Thanks to the top leader's focus, while the concept of new quality productive forces has only been around for a few months, it has been rising rapidly in China's political and social lexicon and has become a buzzword across the country. More importantly, it has already been put into action in China's economic policymaking.
The Central Economic Work Conference in December 2023, which set top economic policy priorities for 2024, also heightened the development of new quality productive forces. New quality productive forces also became the subject of the first group study session held by the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee this year, according to Xinhua.
This year's Government Work Report also highlighted efforts to develop new quality productive forces. According to the report, China will strive to modernize its industrial system and develop new quality productive forces at a faster pace. It also said that China will step up research on disruptive and frontier technologies, and will launch an AI Plus initiative.
The top leader's emphasis on new quality productive forces was echoed throughout the two sessions, where lawmakers and political advisers enthusiastically talked about the concept and vowed to make great efforts in developing new quality development.
Shan Zenghai, an NPC deputy and chief engineer of Chinese construction equipment giant Xuzhou Construction Machinery Group (XCMG), who participated in the deliberation of the Jiangsu delegation on March 5, said he was inspired by the top leader's remarks on new quality productive forces.
"The encouragement from top leadership greatly boosted our confidence in sticking to innovation-driven growth, bolstering the real economy and promoting high-quality development," Shan told the Global Times.
Zhou Bin, another NPC deputy from Yancheng, Jiangsu, who also attended the deliberation, told the Global Times that Xi's important remarks on new quality productive forces have offered scientific guidance for opening up new development tracks and shaping new development momentum.
Many officials vowed to take concrete actions to develop new quality development forces. Wu Qingwen, an NPC deputy and mayor of Suzhou, Jiangsu, said the city has the foundation, the condition, and the responsibility to take a lead in developing new quality productive forces, vowing to step up scientific and technological (sci-tech) innovation and bolster the city's high-end equipment, biomedicine, new energy industries among others, and create "new engines" such as artificial intelligence (AI).
Solid progress, great potential
When it comes to sci-tech innovation and the development of new growth drivers, China has already made great strides, thanks to the focus and support from the top leadership, national lawmakers, political advisers, and experts said.
Despite various challenges, including the US' relentless crackdown campaign, China has already become an innovation power. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) on Thursday, China remained the leader in international patent applications, followed by the US, Japan, South Korea, and Germany.
At the end of 2023, the number of high-value invention patents held on the Chinese mainland had exceeded 1.66 million, an increase of 25.7 percent year-on-year, and the number of effective high-value invention patents acquired in strategic emerging industries had reached 1.17 million, accounting for 70 percent of the total, according to Xinhua.
Also highlighting the steady progress in and importance of forming new growth drivers is the fact that the shift in China's three most popular exports. In the past, the three most popular items China exported were clothes, furniture, and home alliances, which were relatively low-value and labor-intensive; however, new-energy vehicles, solar batteries, and lithium-ion batteries have become China's tech-intensive and green "new three," with a combined export value of 1.06 trillion yuan ($150 billion) in 2023, jumping 29.9 percent year-on-year.
Moving forward, the development of new quality productive forces has great potential in China, as its huge marketplace ensures full testing, application, and evolution of new technologies and new business models, Xu Jiuping, a professor at Sichuan University and a member of the National Committee of the 14th CPPCC, told the Global Times, pointing to the support of national innovation policies.
Underscoring such policy support, the central government has pledged to allocate 370.8 billion yuan ($51.51 billion) for science and technology in 2024, an increase of 10 percent, with a focus on basic research, applied basic research, and national strategic tasks in science and technology, according to the budget adopted at the two sessions.
Liu Donghao, the founder of Guizhou Big Data Protection Engineering Security Research Center, died on March 5, the company confirmed through their WeChat account on Saturday.
Liu also served as the secretary-general of the board and the CEO of Big Data Protection Engineering Security Research Center (Guizhou) Co.
The center was established in November 2017, and was a collaborative project initiated by the Guiyang city government and Alibaba Group, focusing on advanced research and development in data security, aiming to pioneer new governance models and industrial practices.
Since 2017, Guizhou has been actively exploring and practicing data security measures. The establishment of the center was a significant step in this endeavor.
Against the backdrop, the center was tasked with conducting Data Security Capability Maturity Model (DSMM) pilot compliance assessments and fostering the data security industry, in line with Guizhou Province's adoption of the national standard cooperation model for DSMM, CRI Online reported in May of 2023.
The center led by Liu, has developed a comprehensive system called DSMM for assessing data security capabilities across industries, which can identify weaknesses and offer strategic solutions through consultation, certification, and training. By focusing on prevention and addressing existing issues, it aims to enhance overall industry security and risk management.
In 2021, the center introduced a pioneering data security governance framework and industry development system based on DSMM principles, national standards, regulations, and assessment methods. This initiative, centered the DSMM national standard, shapes data security governance practices in Guizhou.
Liu stated that the "Guizhou practice" has now been widely implemented across China, setting a model for cities and provinces such as Sichuan, Tianjin, Jiangsu and Chongqing, spanning industries of telecommunications, taxation, government affairs, and manufacturing. This initiative effectively exports the DSMM national standard, driving the industrialization and scaling of national data security standards.
Guizhou has become one of the regions with the largest number of ultra-large data centers in the world, and the growth rate of digital economy has ranked first in China for several years in a row.
The province's growth rate of digital economy has ranked first among Chinese provinces for seven consecutive years, with its added value accounting for about 37 percent of last year's GDP, according to Guizhou Daily.
The provincial government vowed to focus on AI to develop new quality productive forces, aiming to build an internationally competitive computing base in 2024, Jing Yaping, director of the Guizhou Big Data Development Administration said during this year`s National People's Congress, according to chinanews.com.cn.
China's merchandise trade in the first two months of 2024 hit a record high of 6.61 trillion yuan ($918.3 billion), up 8.7 percent year-on-year, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) announced on Thursday, beating forecasts and signaling a good start to the new year.
Experts said that exports had gained growth momentum, thanks to expanding demand and rising product competitiveness. In the longer term, China's foreign trade will show stable and positive expansion, supporting the GDP growth target of about 5 percent.
Exports in the first two months rose 10.3 percent to 3.75 trillion yuan, and imports were up 6.7 percent to 2.86 trillion yuan.
"Foreign trade saw a better-than-expected performance in the January-February period, mirroring the resilience of the country's economy with expanding domestic and external demand," Tian Yun, an economist based in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday.
ASEAN remained China's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade totaling 993.24 billion yuan, up 8.1 percent year-on-year and accounting for 15 percent of China's total trade.
The EU was China's second-largest trading partner, with bilateral trade of 832.39 billion yuan, down by 1.3 percent. The US was No.3, with trade up 3.7 percent to 707.7 billion yuan.
In the first two months, trade with Belt and Road Initiative partner countries reached 3.13 trillion yuan, up 9 percent.
Zhou Maohua, an economist from China Everbright Bank, said on Thursday that the record trade figures reflected the recovery of overseas demand, the optimization of the export structure and a boom in new export drivers.
Electromechanical products accounted for nearly 60 percent of Chinese exports, with automatic data processing equipment, integrated circuits and automobiles showing significant growth, the GAC said.
Exports of automatic data processing equipment reached 195.45 billion yuan, up 7.3 percent, while exports of integrated circuits soared 28.6 percent and those of vehicles increased 15.8 percent.
"The figures mirrored China's continuous industrial upgrading and showed that the competitiveness of its high-tech products and equipment manufacturing industry in the world was increasing," Tian noted.
Conditions were also favorable for trade by private enterprises. Their total trade stood at 3.61 trillion yuan, up 17.7 percent, accounting for 54.6 percent of the total - an increase of 4.2 percentage points from the same period last year.
"Growth in exports led to an increase in domestic production, while the increase in imports reflected strong domestic demand, both of which will help drive the country's GDP growth in the first quarter this year," Wang Peng, an associate research fellow at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Thursday.
The Government Work Report, delivered by Chinese Premier Li Qiang on Tuesday at the opening meeting of the second session of the 14th National People's Congress, set a GDP growth target of about 5 percent for 2024.
The government vowed to work to steadily increase the volume and raise the quality of foreign trade, with efforts including supporting businesses in diversifying their overseas markets and increasing new growth drivers for foreign trade, including trade in intermediate goods and green trade.
Tian noted that boosted by support policies, foreign trade will maintain moderately positive growth throughout the whole year with an expansion of 3-5 percent.
"China's foreign trade is expected to hit a record high this year, contributing more to the realization of the country's GDP growth target," Tian said.
Fostering artificial intelligence (AI) literacy is a long-term endeavor that involves cultivating students’ interest and ability from a young age. A deputy to the National People’s Congress (NPC) suggested on Monday the country integrate AI literacy education into the nine-year compulsory education curriculum, introduce a general AI course, and incorporate relevant content into primary and secondary school activities.
AI stands as a new driver of technological revolution and industrial transformation. Accelerating the development of a new generation of AI is a strategic issue that will determine whether China can seize the opportunities presented by AI innovation, said Lei Jun, CEO of Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi and a deputy to the NPC.
Looking at the long-term trends, there is a growing demand across industries for talent skilled in basic AI. However, based on the current practical technological level of generative AI in China, there is a clear shortfall of the talent, Lei said.
The shortage of AI talent with a diverse skill set is even more acute. Strengthening talent cultivation in the field of AI will be a key factor in the continued upgrading of China’s industries, he added.
“Therefore, I am for promoting AI literacy education included in the compulsory education system,” he said.
During primary and secondary schooling, students are at a critical period of cognitive development. They are most active and sensitive in their thinking and are most receptive to new things, Lei said.
From fundamental principles to practical applications, it is crucial to comprehensively ignite the interest of primary and secondary school students, cultivate their cognitive and applied abilities in AI, he noted.
It is also recommended to strongly promote the establishment of AI-related majors in Chinese universities, Lei said.
Currently, 498 universities in China offer undergraduate programs in AI, and 209 universities have registered or applied for undergraduate programs in “Intelligent Science and Technology.” However, the numbers represent a relatively low proportion in the backdrop of more than 3,000 universities in China, Lei said.
He also suggested that large technology companies and educational institutions could help cultivate talent specializing in the practical application of AI.
In recent years, many enterprises have emerged as key drivers in the development of AI technology. These companies possess vast data and computing resources, as well as application scenarios. However, there is a severe shortage of high-level AI training capabilities in the talent market.
AI is one of the hot topics discussed by NPC deputies at this year’s two sessions which offers the world a window to observe the country’s development this year.
Lou Qinjian, spokesperson for the second session of the 14th NPC, said at a press conference on Monday that legislation related to technological innovation will be advanced, with a particular emphasis on delving into crucial cutting-edge fields like AI and biotechnology.
China’s AI industry is experiencing rapid growth, with the core industry reaching a scale of 500 billion yuan ($69.46 billion). The number of AI enterprises has exceeded 4,300, and innovative achievements continue to emerge, according to data from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology.
The latest revision of the Law on Guarding State Secrets has unsurprisingly triggered a new round of Western media hype about concerns over China's investment environment, but such slander is just a distortion of the actual situation. China's efforts to improve its laws and regulations to safeguard national security will not be in conflict with its push to promote further opening-up, and an updated legal system could even play a more active role in providing a safer environment for foreign investment.
Chinese lawmakers on Tuesday voted to adopt a revised Law on Guarding State Secrets. A report by the Voice of America Chinese edition on Thursday said that the revision of China's Law on Guarding State Secrets will exacerbate a chilling effect, posing major operational challenges for foreign businesses in China, while The Wall Street Journal said on Wednesday that the revision has encompassed sensitive information that did not previously fall under its scope, which in turn "potentially adds to foreign businesses' concerns over the risks of operating in the country," and "adds a potentially broad new category of restricted information."
According to the National Administration of State Secrets Protection, the aim of the revision this time is to further strengthen the protection of state secrets so as to maximize the rational use of information sources and to better protect China's core interests and national security.
But this does not mean that the law will interfere with normal business activities, nor does it mean that it will discriminate against or put new restrictions on foreign investment. As long as foreign businesses in China are operating normally according to law, there is no need for them to worry about triggering such restrictions.
Any foreign business operating in China needs to abide by Chinese laws and regulations, including the Law on Guarding State Secrets. This is not an excessive request, but a basic principle that applies to any country. Only those with ulterior motives will be concerned about the potential impact, and they are the ones the revision is meant to deter from harming the interests of the country and its people.
The emergence of new technologies and applications such as big data, cloud computing and artificial intelligence is accelerating a new technological revolution, creating high demand for laws to support China's independent innovation and development of relevant technologies. This is why the newly revised law has significantly increased technology-related content, adding several provisions that demonstrate a focus on protecting confidential technology innovation and technology security.
Against the background of some Western countries abusing national security excuses to impose unilateral sanctions on Chinese technology companies and suppress China's technological development, it is entirely justified for China to take appropriate measures to ensure its interests in scientific and technological development.
There is no contradiction between this reasonable demand and China's attitude of encouraging foreign investment. Anyone who has basic knowledge of China's opening-up policy would not believe Western media outlets' slander that claims Chinese policies are complicating its investment environment with additional legal risks.
When meeting with a US Chamber of Commerce delegation in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Premier Li Qiang made it clear that China will open its door even wider to the outside world, continue to foster a market-oriented, law-based and internationalized business environment, and provide more support and convenience for US companies and those from other countries to invest and do business in China.
China has been committed to expanding its opening-up to attract foreign investment in recent years, with its huge market and enormous potential luring an increasing number of foreign businesses to invest.
During this process, China has also worked on improving relevant laws and regulations, with an eye to ensuring a safer and steady market environment. This is because an up-to-date legal system is part of the efforts to open its market further. These measures aimed at ensuring the fair operation of the investment environment are conducive to protecting the legitimate rights and interests of foreign companies and providing a stable law-based business environment.
It's hoped that more foreign businesses will recognize and share the development opportunities of the Chinese market, rather than falling for groundless slander.
