The inaugural World Conference of Classics concluded in Beijing on Friday, with over 400 experts having engaged in in-depth discussions on topics related to classical civilizations during the three-day event.

The conference, jointly held by China and Greece, gathered heavyweight scholars and cultural luminaries. It has been seen as a move to encourage the world to draw from the wellspring of ancient wisdom for better mutual understanding.

Zhang Zhiqiang, director of the Institute of Philosophy at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said at the closing ceremony that the joint organization of the conference by China and Greece, along with the establishment of the Chinese School of Classical Studies in Athens, has created a new platform for cultural exchange and mutual learning. 

According to Zhang, many participating scholars described the conference as an unprecedented milestone in the history of classical studies, not only due to its scale but also because it has pushed the boundaries and enriched the paradigms of classical studies.

Jonathen Ready, professor of classical studies at the University of Michigan, said on Friday that the degree to which the conference brought together people from all over the globe is "almost unprecedented," and that it was a remarkable achievement.

Under the theme of "Classical Civilizations and the Modern World," the event aimed to provide a platform for exploring the modern value of classical civilizations, contributing wisdom and strength to tackle problems facing the development of human society, while also promoting exchanges and mutual learning as well as new developments in global civilization.

Xi Yanchun, deputy head of the Publicity Department of the Communist Party of China Shandong Provincial Committee, extended an invitation to global scholars at the closing ceremony, welcoming them to Shandong for a global initiative that aims to provide a platform for dialogue between Eastern and Western classical civilizations in the birthplace of Confucius.

At one of the sub-forums during the conference, Huang Dekuan, a professor from Tsinghua University, offered his insights on the field of Chinese classics.

As an emerging discipline, Chinese classics has great significance for strengthening the humanities in China, Huang noted. However, scholars from diverse academic backgrounds have differing perspectives on the core questions regarding the discipline's definition, objectives, and developmental strategies. To advance the field, it's essential to deepen research and discussions on these foundational issues, said Huang, adding that fostering a broader academic consensus can guide the sustainable development and growth of Chinese classics. 

Martin Kern, a professor from Princeton University, called for early China to be included as part of the global comparative antiquity. 

"The incredibly rich traditions of ancient China can contribute a wealth of new perspectives to the study of other civilizations and global antiquity as a system. Not only do Chinese scholars benefit from reading about Greece and the ancient Near East, but our colleagues in those fields will benefit just as much from reading about China. For our shared future, we must understand and inspire one another. And this is our only future," said Kern. 

"We must establish an institutional framework for shared discourses and a shared cultural and academic language that draws equitably on scholarship in different cultural traditions. Just as the ancient civilizations influenced one another across long distances, so must our scholarship be informed by that of other civilizations. This will make our scholarship cosmopolitan and deepen its substance," Kern noted. 

Against the backdrop of intense great-power competition in politics, trade, and technology, China has chosen to emphasize a platform dedicated to cultural exchange and reflection.

Chinese senior official Li Xi met with Italian leaders this week to deepen strategic ties, marking the 20th anniversary of the China-Italy comprehensive strategic partnership and advancing cooperation in areas like green energy and digital technology.

Li, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Secretary of the CPC Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, met with Italy's Senate President Ignazio La Russa, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in Rome during his visit from Wednesday to Saturday at the invitation of the Italian Senate.

During the meetings, Li highlighted the enduring ties between China and Italy, and called on the two sides to advance the consensus reached by Chinese President Xi Jinping and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in July.

Li emphasized cooperation through the "China-Italy Action Plan," which aimed at enhancing political trust and collaboration in existing and emerging sectors like green energy, the digital economy, and artificial intelligence. He also highlighted the importance of enhancing people-to-people exchanges and multilateral coordination in multilateral arenas such as the United Nations and Group of 20 (G20) to elevate China-Italy relations.

China and Europe share extensive common interests in upholding multilateralism, addressing climate change, and promoting global economic recovery, Li said, noting that China advocates for resolving relevant economic and trade issues through consultation based on pragmatic and balanced principles.

He urged the Italian side to view China-Europe economic and trade relations "with an open attitude and a long-term perspective," and play a constructive role in China-Europe consultations and negotiations.

China is willing to work together with Italy and other European countries to promote the healthy and stable development of China-Europe relations, he noted.

Li also hailed the successes of China's anti-corruption campaign, which has bolstered public trust in the Party. China will continue to pursue a unique approach to anti-corruption, leveraging institutional and legal strengths to create a system where officials "do not dare, cannot, and do not want to engage in corruption," achieving both preventive and comprehensive governance, he said.

China is committed to sharing governance insights and enhancing anti-corruption cooperation with other countries, including Italy, Li noted.

La Russa spoke highly of the historic friendship between Italy and China, praising the CPC's achievements in Party-building and China's modernization, affirming Italy's readiness to enhance exchanges between legislative bodies and political parties.

Tajani emphasized China's role as a vital economic partner, noting that Italy hopes to strengthen economic and trade exchanges with China, fostering a balanced and mutually beneficial relationship. He reiterated Italy's commitment to open economic policies and to actively working towards resolving trade frictions between Europe and China through negotiations.

Italy also seeks to work with China to promote global peace and stability amid today's challenges, he noted.

During his visit, Li also traveled to Venice to attend a cultural exchange event titled "Be a Contemporary Marco Polo, Build a New Bridge of Friendship," commemorating the 700th anniversary of Marco Polo's passing.

President Xi Jinping on Friday met here with Sam Hou Fai, who was newly elected as the chief executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region and recently appointed by the central government.

China announced Tuesday it will launch the Shenzhou-19 manned spaceflight mission at 4:27 am on Wednesday, unveiling the crew lineup. Leading the mission will be Commander Cai Xuzhe, a veteran taikonaut who previously flew on the Shenzhou-14 mission in 2022. Joining him are two astronauts making their first journey into space - Song Lingdong and female astronaut Wang Haoze. 

Lin Xiqiang, a CMSA spokesperson, shared the news at a Tuesday press conference.

Born in 1976, Cai was selected as part of China's second batch of astronauts in 2010.

Commander Cai is set to return to the China Space Station on the Shenzhou-19 manned mission 22 months after his last flight on Shenzhou-14, setting a record for the shortest interval between missions in the history of Chinese astronauts, Global Times has learned.

Song was born in 1990 and joined the third astronaut cohort in September 2020. The Shenzhou-19 mission is Song's debut in space.

Wang, also born in 1990, was a former senior engineer at the country's leading space contractor China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp (CASC), and became part of China's third batch of astronauts in 2020. Wang is also the country's first female spaceflight engineer, according to the China Manned Space Agency on Tuesday.

Global Times learned from the Sixth Academy of the CASC, Wang, after graduating with a Master's degree in 2015, joined Beijing Institute 11 of the Sixth Academy, taking on the overall design task of engines. 

The Sixth Academy provided 58 main propulsion and attitude-orbit control engines, along with critical equipment like the thermal control subsystem and life support system pumps and valves. The Sixth Academy will escort astronauts with its top-quality engine products, ensuring the mission's complete success. 

In a press briefing on Tuesday in Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, Cai told Global Times that China's manned space program is like a relay race, with countless aerospace professionals participating, building, and carrying on the legacy. "Astronauts are part of this endeavor. Both of my teammates were born in the 1990s, and we share a common goal to represent our country with pride. Together, we strive, we run forward."

"Today, I can share that we have been training together for over a year, consistently maintaining peak readiness and adhering to the highest standards. After such a long time working side by side, we've become a united team. My two teammates are courageous, confident, positive, and have a strong sense of responsibility and mission. They are quick learners, adaptable, and being with them makes me feel younger and more confident," Cai remarked.

Lin, during the Tuesday press conference, also revealed that the fourth batch of Chinese astronauts will not only execute China Space Station missions but also the country's manned lunar missions in the future. And therefore, their training subjects emphasize essential skills such as living, working and maintaining health in a weightless environment.

The selection of the fourth batch Chinese astronauts has concluded in May and total of 10 astronaut candidates made to the final list, with eight of them to be space pilot and two as payload experts. Their training started in August, according to Lin.

Subsequently, based on the training outline and overall plan, training tasks will be conducted in an orderly manner, covering over 200 subjects in eight major categories, following a step-by-step approach from basic to advanced levels, he said. 

Astronauts will master specialized skills including extravehicular activities, equipment maintenance, and space science experiments. Additionally, in preparation for future manned lunar missions, training will further develop astronauts' capabilities in spacecraft operation, lunar rover driving, celestial navigation, geological fieldwork, as well as adapting from weightlessness in space to walking with loads on the lunar surface, the spokesperson revealed.

Two payload experts selected in the fourth batch astronauts are from China's Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, and they joined the team on August 8. "We believe that the fourth batch of astronauts, including those from Hong Kong and Macau, will complete each training task on schedule and with high quality, gradually becoming the backbone of future manned space missions," Lin said on Tuesday. 

Lin also said that the lunar rover proposal underwent two selection rounds. Ultimately, the teams from the CASC's Shanghai Academy of Spaceflight Technology and the China Academy of Spacecraft Technology won the top two spots. 

Each team demonstrated unique strengths in innovation and advancement, and both received contracts to develop a prototype of the lunar rover, progressing in parallel. Following the completion of the prototype phase, a comparative assessment will be conducted to determine the final team responsible for developing the lunar rover for China's first manned lunar mission.

Commenting on the situation of two NASA astronauts stranded in the International Space Station, Lin remarked that "human spaceflight activities are always accompanied by risks and challenges, and the safety of astronauts is a top priority for governments worldwide and for people around the globe. As industry peers, we are closely following the developments regarding the delayed return of the US astronauts. Reflecting on the sequence of events, we commend NASA for prioritizing astronaut safety, and we wish the two astronauts a safe return."

China's manned space program always prioritizes quality and safety, placing astronaut safety above all. Since entering the application and development phase of the China Space Station, the program has fully implemented a quality assurance system covering every stage — from individual component production to final assembly and testing at the launch site — conducting regular reviews and rechecks to ensure that no issues go unresolved before launch. 

To address potential threats like space debris collisions that could cause leaks in the space station, the program has continuously optimized its emergency response plans. Compared to the early operational phase of the space station, the time available for astronauts to handle emergencies has increased fivefold, significantly enhancing the safety of both the space station and its crew. In extreme situations, astronauts can either return early aboard an in-orbit spacecraft or rely on a standby emergency spacecraft for rescue, he said.

"Currently, a Long March-2F Y20 rocket and Shenzhou-20 spacecraft stand by in the Jiuquan assembly building, ready to quickly transition into launch mode if necessary to execute an emergency rescue mission for the space station, ensuring the safety of the astronauts," Lin stated.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for pooling strength to advance reform in a steady and sustained manner, as he addressed senior officials attending a central Party school study session.

Xi, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, made the remarks at the opening of the study session at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee (National Academy of Governance) for principal officials at the provincial and ministerial level.

The session is themed on implementing the guiding principles of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which rolled out a new package of comprehensive reforms for the country.