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Tag: InternationalNews
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China’s swimming rising stars to shine at Paris 2024
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Chinese flooring at Paris 2024
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Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian announces first choice horse at Paris Olympics
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China’s rise in sci-tech: From stagnation to global power
Landline home phones were a luxury in China back in the 1970s, when an average employee earned a few hundred yuan a month but had to pay a staggering 3,000 yuan for a new installation. Now, in 2024, new installations cost only 100 yuan ($13.8), while the average salary has increased to thousands of yuan.
The Chinese people can enjoy such drastic price cuts thanks to the country’s sci-tech development. In the 1970s, China relied on imported telephone infrastructure. With no key technology at hand, the price of a phone service was largely decided by foreign tech powers. Now, China is a major player in 5G, with companies like Huawei and ZTE being industry leaders.
China’s transformation from an underdeveloped nation to a global scientific powerhouse is a result of strategic planning and sustained investment. The cornerstone of this remarkable journey was the launch of the reform and opening-up policies in 1978.
Prior to this, China was mired in economic stagnation and poverty. Agriculture dominated the economy, characterized by low productivity and yields. Industry was underdeveloped, inefficient and heavily reliant on sectors like steel and coal.
Furthermore, the Cold War had limited China’s access to advanced technology and new knowledge in foreign countries.
Recognizing the critical role of science and technology in driving economic growth, China made a pivotal shift in 1978 with the holding of the National Science Conference. The country’s decision makers recognized science and technology as a “productive force” – a Marxist concept that drives the society forward. They embarked on a mission to rebuild the country’s research infrastructure, foster collaboration with global researchers and align scientific endeavors with national development goals. In 1988, China’s leadership further promoted sci-tech as the “primary productive force.”
In 1995, China formalized its commitment to science by declaring it one of the two keys of national rejuvenation. The government further solidified this priority in 2006 with the Outline of National Medium- and Long-term Science and Technology Development Plan (2006-2020), elevating innovation to a national strategy.
This strategic focus bore fruit. By the end of 2023, China’s research and development expenditure had skyrocketed over 200 times compared to 1991, reaching a staggering 3.3 trillion yuan ($460 billion). This massive investment fueled a vibrant innovation ecosystem, attracting and nurturing a burgeoning scientific workforce that grew ninefold to 6.35 million full-time equivalents by the end of 2023.
The results are undeniable. China’s intellectual output has soared, with over 4 million invention patents granted by the end of 2023 – an 80-fold increase from 1991.
China’s journey is a compelling case study of how strategic investment in science and technology can transform a nation’s trajectory. By prioritizing research, development and innovation, China has catapulted itself into the ranks of global scientific leaders.
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Chinese rider Alex Hua Tian announces first choice horse at Paris Olympics
Alex Hua Tian, 34, is making the final preparations for his fourth Olympic Games at Pinfold Stables near Manchester Airport. Chocs, Chicko, and Stig have all been qualified for the Games, and he finally made the hard decision to choose one as his first choice.
“I’m really, really excited to say that Chocs is my first choice,” said the Hangzhou Asian Games champion. “He’s a horse that I’ve been partners with for seven years now since 2017. He is supremely talented. He’s probably the best horse I’ve ever sat on in my life. And if we can keep him fit and healthy between now and Paris, I’m really, really excited. He’s the type of horse that, as a rider, you dream to have at Olympic Games.”
Hua was the youngest eventing rider to compete at the Olympics when he competed at the Beijing Games in 2008. He missed the London Games but made appearances at both the Rio and Tokyo Games.
“It’s a big difference actually because this is my first Olympic Games that is in the Continent of Europe,” said Hua. “I’m based in Europe, I compete in Europe. And so normally, before the Olympics, we are quite used to quarantining the horses, all of the paperwork and logistics and health requirements, flying the horses, all of the stress and distraction that brings. And this time it’s quite different. We’re just driving the horses across to Paris, which is something we do a lot all the time.”
“I think this is in some ways much easier, the logistics is less of a distraction, and we can really concentrate on the preparation and the performance,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hua felt that it’s his first Olympics where his sport is really feeling at home. “The French are really strong, very passionate equestrians and also very, very passionate about eventing.”
“I think the venue will be iconic for being surrounded by all of the history of Versailles. And I think the audience will be very, very educated and very passionate about equestrians. So that’s something I’m really looking forward to too,” he added.
Hua admitted that as a soon-to-be four-time Olympian, he started to feel that he’d like to be quite competitive. “But then you have to manage your own expectations. You’re dealing with horses, so you can’t have everything your own way most of the time.”
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Xi Focus: Inspiring China’s reform with vivid metaphors
In a distinct fashion, Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, vividly communicates the country’s reform goals and methods to audiences both at home and abroad.
The following are some examples.
VENTURING INTO THE MOUNTAIN DESPITE KNOWING THERE ARE TIGERS
In April 2014, Xi delivered a speech at the College of Europe during his state visit to Belgium.
China needs to “venture into the mountain despite knowing there are tigers,” as its reform has entered a “deep water zone” where tough challenges must be addressed, Xi said.
Ahead of a visit to Latin America about three months later, Xi once again invoked the expression to proclaim to the world China’s unwavering determination and courage in furthering reform.
“We will advance reform with the political courage and wisdom of ‘venturing into the mountain despite knowing there are tigers,’ and with great dedication to working hard and achieving tangible results,” he said.
PLAYING THE PIANO WITH ALL 10 FINGERS
In an interview with a Russian TV station in February 2014, Xi said that Chinese leaders must “play the piano with all 10 fingers,” emphasizing the need to plan for the bigger picture while keeping all moving parts in play.
Since assuming the Party’s top post in November 2012, Xi has made “coordination” a keyword in the CPC’s endeavors to deepen reform so as to improve and develop socialism with Chinese characteristics and modernize China’s system and capacity for governance.
Amid changes in the domestic and global landscapes, China’s reform is confronting challenges on an unprecedented scale, involving a wide range of complex issues.
“It is crucial to enhance the coordination and mutual support among reform measures, ensuring that reforms across different fields and sectors align and synergize to maximize overall effectiveness,” Xi said in his inspection tour of east China’s Shandong Province in May this year.
CLEARING THE CAGE FOR NEW BIRDS
During his tenure as Party chief of Zhejiang Province, Xi put forward the expression “clearing the cage for new birds” to shed light on the transformation of a relatively extensive model of growth in the eastern province, which boasts a strong private sector.
Since he became general secretary of the CPC Central Committee in 2012, Xi has made use of this expression on multiple occasions. In March 2014, when taking part in deliberation in the annual national legislative session with lawmakers from Guangdong Province, China’s economic powerhouse and a pioneer in reform and opening up, Xi used the expression to stress the importance of deepening reform in all areas and promoting structural adjustments.
Xi called for efforts to advance industrial upgrading, give full play to the role of innovation in propelling progress, and embrace green development.
Three years later, also during the annual national legislative session, Xi mentioned the phrase again in a discussion with lawmakers from Liaoning Province, one of China’s earliest major industrial bases, emphasizing the necessity of replacing old industries with new ones amid the country’s economic transformation drive.
TWO WINGS OF A BIRD, TWO WHEELS OF A CART
Xi referred to the roles of reform and the rule of law in propelling China’s development as “two wings of a bird or two wheels of a cart” while addressing senior officials during a meeting in February 2015.
“Reform should be promoted under the rule of law and the rule of law should be enhanced in the process of reform. This is why we refer to them as ‘two wheels,’” Xi stressed.
ENGINE IGNITER
“If innovation is the new engine for China’s development, reform is the indispensable igniter,” Xi said in his address at the APEC CEO Summit held in Beijing in November 2014.
“To comprehensively deepen reform, we need to broaden the path for innovation,” Xi stressed in his address, pledging to enable the engine of innovation to run with full power.
China has reformed its talent evaluation system for years to boost creativity among sci-tech professionals. Provinces including Anhui, Shandong and Sichuan have introduced pilot programs to shift away from overemphasizing academic papers, professional titles, degrees and awards.
“In a new round of global growth, only reformers can advance, only innovators can thrive, and only those who reform and innovate will prevail,” Xi said.
A FAIR SHARE OF A BIGGER PIE
Addressing the G20 Hangzhou Summit in 2016, Xi used the metaphor “a bigger pie” to describe China’s development and stressed the necessity of “ensuring that people get a fair share of it.”
This is an answer to the question “for whom the reform was conducted.”
“We will resolve the most pressing problems affecting the immediate interests of the people to their satisfaction,” he said.
Achieving common prosperity is a basic requirement of socialism and an important feature of the Chinese path to modernization. Making “the pie” bigger while dividing it well has enriched both the theory and practice of common prosperity.
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Paris 2024 Gymnastics Preview: U.S. women aim high, China, Japan vie for men’s title
The U.S. women, who won team titles in 2012 and 2016, seem even more formidable, as Simone Biles has returned to superb form, winning the all-around world title in 2023 and taking a ninth national championship in 2024.
After the Tokyo Olympics, Biles took time to polish her signature Yurchenko double pike, upgrade her floor exercise, and recently produced a new dismount combination on bars.
But it’s not just Biles that makes the American team stronger. Reigning all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee and 24-year-old Jade Carey also stand out. Lee is known for her excellence on the uneven bars, while Carey is a valuable asset on floor and vault.
There are, however, quite a few notable contenders that may pose a serious challenge for the U.S..
China’s Qiu Qiyuan defeated Biles on the uneven bars at last year’s world championships, and is eyeing glory in Paris. “It’s competitive, but if I can finish it smoothly, I will have a chance to win the title,” Qiu said.
Qiu’s teammate Zhou Yaqin, with a brilliant display on the balance beam, is also a strong candidate for the Olympic title.
In the women’s team event, three athletes from each team compete on vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. “Vault and floor may not be our favorite,” said Qiu. “We hope to have consistent and well-performed routines to make up for the difficulty.”
Having a breakout year in 2023 by taking a first-ever team silver medal in the world championship, Brazil’s squad, led by Tokyo all-around silver medalist Rebeca Andrade, is on the hunt for an unprecedented Olympic team medal for the South American nation.
France’s women’s team, having never previously finished higher than fifth at an Olympics, is in contention for a medal after a strong showing for a team bronze at the world championships last year.
Paris 2024 Gymnastics Preview: U.S. women aim high, China, Japan vie for men’s title
Source: XinhuaEditor: huaxia2024-07-16 16:48:30Gold medalist Simone Biles of the United States reacts during the awarding ceremony of women’s floor exercise final of the 2023 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Antwerp, Belgium on October 8, 2023. (Xinhua/Zheng Huansong)
The U.S. women’s gymnastics team aims for more gold medals at the Paris Olympics, while China and Japan contend for the men’s titles.BEIJING, July 16 (Xinhua) — The United States’ female gymnasts are looking to secure several gold medals at the upcoming Paris Olympics, particularly in the women’s team event, which they lost to the ROC at the Tokyo Olympics, while China and Japan will be the main contenders for the men’s titles.
The U.S. women, who won team titles in 2012 and 2016, seem even more formidable, as Simone Biles has returned to superb form, winning the all-around world title in 2023 and taking a ninth national championship in 2024.
After the Tokyo Olympics, Biles took time to polish her signature Yurchenko double pike, upgrade her floor exercise, and recently produced a new dismount combination on bars.
But it’s not just Biles that makes the American team stronger. Reigning all-around Olympic champion Suni Lee and 24-year-old Jade Carey also stand out. Lee is known for her excellence on the uneven bars, while Carey is a valuable asset on floor and vault.
There are, however, quite a few notable contenders that may pose a serious challenge for the U.S..
China’s Qiu Qiyuan defeated Biles on the uneven bars at last year’s world championships, and is eyeing glory in Paris. “It’s competitive, but if I can finish it smoothly, I will have a chance to win the title,” Qiu said.
Qiu’s teammate Zhou Yaqin, with a brilliant display on the balance beam, is also a strong candidate for the Olympic title.
In the women’s team event, three athletes from each team compete on vault, balance beam, uneven bars and floor exercise. “Vault and floor may not be our favorite,” said Qiu. “We hope to have consistent and well-performed routines to make up for the difficulty.”
Having a breakout year in 2023 by taking a first-ever team silver medal in the world championship, Brazil’s squad, led by Tokyo all-around silver medalist Rebeca Andrade, is on the hunt for an unprecedented Olympic team medal for the South American nation.
France’s women’s team, having never previously finished higher than fifth at an Olympics, is in contention for a medal after a strong showing for a team bronze at the world championships last year.
In the men’s competition, 2021 world all-around champion Zhang Boheng of China, a long-time rival of reigning Olympic and world all-around champion Daiki Hashimoto, is set to challenge for his first-ever Olympic title.
Japan have also sent a strong team to join Hashimoto that includes NHK Trophy men’s all-around title winner Shinnosuke Oka. Finishing second in the team final at the Tokyo Olympics, Japan were crowned world champions in 2023 and are looking to repeat their success in Paris.
The gymnastics competition of Paris 2024 will run through July 27 to August 5.
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Paris 2024 Judo Preview: France, Japan seeking to maintain dominance
The judo competition will be held at the Champ-de-Mars Arena from July 27 to August 3, featuring 15 golds in seven categories each for men and women respectively, plus a mixed team event.
The host team, led by Olympic champions Teddy Riner and Clarisse Agbegnenou, is particularly strong. The emergence of French judo talents in recent years has further reinforced their competitiveness.
France bagged eight medals at the Tokyo Olympics, with two golds, three silvers and three bronzes, while French media predicted that their judokas could win five to ten medals in Paris.
Japan demonstrated its strength in judo at the Tokyo Olympics, winning nine gold medals. In Paris, judokas Hifumi and Uta Abe, both defending Olympic champions, are expected to become the first siblings in Olympic history to successfully defend their titles.
The powerhouses will also face challenges from teams including Azerbaijan, South Korea, Georgia and Mongolia, which may have a considerable impact on the medal tally.
China will send six female judokas to the Paris Olympic Games to compete in the women’s 48kg, 52kg, 57kg, 63kg, 78kg and over 78kg categories.
Among them, Ma Zhenzhao, who won the women’s 78kg category at the Hangzhou Asian Games, is one of the gold favorites, and so is her compatriot Xu Shiyan, who ranked fifth at the Tokyo Olympics in the over 78kg category. Besides the two veterans, others are all Olympic debutants.
Yang Yung-Wei of Chinese Taipei is currently ranked world No. 1 in the men’s 60kg category and is expected to make breakthroughs in Paris. Matthias Casse of Belgium, who ranked first in the men’s 81kg category, is hopeful of winning gold, as he claimed two gold medals at the IJF Grand Slam this year.
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Interview: China, Kazakhstan make joint contribution under SCO for better world, says Chinese ambassador
As founding members of the SCO, China and Kazakhstan have always played active roles as advocates, promoters, and contributors to the development of the SCO and cooperation across various fields, he told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Over the years, the two countries have closely cooperated, promoting the SCO to actively adapt to the evolving international situation and the needs of member countries, he said, adding that the two countries have vigorously deepened mutually beneficial cooperation in trade, transportation, energy, agriculture, science and technology, education, and culture, and promoted high-quality development of the Belt and Road cooperation.
Several SCO member countries are also participants in the cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), he said, adding that the political, economic, and people-to-people cooperation under the SCO framework highly conforms to the five major areas of the BRI, namely policy coordination, infrastructure connectivity, unimpeded trade, financial integration, and closer people-to-people ties.
The Shanghai Spirit practiced by the SCO also aligns closely with the core values of the Silk Road Spirit, he added.
The SCO has established a comprehensive security cooperation mechanism, including joint drug control, combating the “three forces” — terrorism, separatism, and extremism, as well as transnational organized crime, and provided a solid security shield for the BRI, he said.
SCO member countries are committed to cooperation in science and technology, culture, education, tourism, environmental protection, and health, laying a solid foundation of public support for the BRI, said the ambassador.
The SCO’s practical cooperation is increasingly deepening, not only promoting economic development and improving people’s livelihoods in related countries but also providing important support and continuous momentum to the enhancement and upgrading of the BRI, he said.
Zhang said that China and Kazakhstan are good neighbors, good friends, and good partners. Over the past 32 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, bilateral ties have withstood the test of changing international dynamics and achieved new breakthroughs.
Under the guidance of the two heads of state, the cooperation mechanisms at various levels between China and Kazakhstan have been operating smoothly, with new breakthroughs continuously made in various fields, injecting new momentum into the development of bilateral relations and cooperation in various fields, he said.
Noting that both countries firmly support each other on issues concerning their core interests and in safeguarding their respective sovereignty, security and development interests, Zhang said they also resolutely oppose interference in other countries’ internal affairs and double standards, while pursuing cooperation through practical actions for common development despite differences among civilizations and social systems.
Zhang said that China and Kazakhstan have yielded fruitful results in the Belt and Road cooperation, and enhanced cooperation in fields such as automobile manufacturing, cross-border e-commerce, new energy, cultural exchanges, and higher education.
The two countries closely cooperate within the frameworks of the United Nations, the SCO, the Conference on Interaction and Confidence Building Measures in Asia, and the China-Central Asia mechanism, practicing true multilateralism and jointly promoting the international governance system to develop in a more just and reasonable direction, he added.
The ambassador said that the two countries have been continuously deepening people-to-people exchanges, achieving fruitful products in education, science and technology, culture, tourism, and archaeology cooperation.
The two countries will continue to strengthen exchanges and cooperation, create more efficient and convenient platforms to this end, and lay a more solid foundation of public support for developing the China-Kazakhstan permanent comprehensive strategic partnership, he said.
He said that China-Kazakhstan relations have entered a new “golden 30 years” facing new opportunities and challenges.
Taking President Xi Jinping’s coming visit as an opportunity, China is ready to work with Kazakhstan to strengthen strategy alignment and policy coordination, deepen mutual political trust, and jointly build a China-Kazakhstan community with a shared future featuring everlasting friendship, strong mutual trust and solidarity, so as to make joint contributions to regional and global stability and development, he added.