“If you have any electricity related issues, please call us anytime and we will be happy to serve you!” On May 15, the State Grid Shandong Wenshang County Power Supply Company invited a Rainbow Party member service team to enter the farm of Rong Weizhen, a major grain grower in Yuanzhuang Township, to conduct inspections on the customer’s smart power devices.
In recent years, Wenshang County has promoted the development of smart farmlands. As of the end of 2023, a total of 793,200 mu（52,880 hectares）of high standard farmland had been built, including 26,000 mu（1,733 hectares）of advanced "digital farmland," had been cultivated. The cultivation of "digital farmland" is no longer based on experience and labor, but on the effective application of smart tools, online monitoring and analyses of data such as soil moisture, insects and seedling conditions.
Different from the past, the application of intelligent devices has new demands on power supply. In order to provide a safe and reliable power supply for agricultural development, the State Grid Shandong Wenshang County Power Supply Company focuses on the provision of power guarantee services through the construction of key "digital farmland" projects and the "one-stop" services for customers.
The company conducted a comprehensive inspection of 110 10kV power supply lines and 1588 transformers related to agricultural irrigation in the county through various means, such as manual line inspection, unmanned aerial vehicle autonomous inspection, and online monitoring on digital monitoring platform, to detect and eliminate defects and hidden dangers. At the same time, it also follows the grid management model of "people working in the grid, services finished in the grid," and organizes Rainbow Party member service teams to enter the fields, to inspect power equipment for farmers in the jurisdiction, check the safety and reliability of agricultural electricity, and provide support for agricultural production.
“The power supply service has been delivered directly to the farmland. I have planted more than 2,000 mu （133 hectares）of land, and I have never worried about electricity. Your company is awesome!” Rong said.
As the five-day May Day holidays came to an end on Sunday, China welcomed a bustling inbound tourism sector thanks to the country's cost-effective tour products as well as improved measures for foreign visitors, including visa-free policies and optimized payment services.
Experts said that booming tourism during the May Day holidays confirmed the attractiveness of the Chinese market for overseas travelers, and the improving environment for foreigners further showcased the country's commitment to opening-up.
According to a report sent to the Global Times on Sunday, Trip.com said that inbound tour bookings increased by 105 percent year-on-year with the remarkable effect of the visa-free policies.
Tourists from the 12 countries for which China unilaterally waived visas, along with Singapore and Thailand, which have mutual visa exemptions with China, increased by about 2.5 times year-on-year, read the report. Among Chinese provincial capital cities, inbound tour orders grew faster in Urumqi, Xi'an, Hangzhou, Kunming, Hefei and Chengdu.
Walking on the street, people could see UK tourists wearing traditional Chinese hanfu for travel photos at Beijing's Temple of Heaven. In Dongxing, South China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Vietnamese tourists took a bus to visit the cultural bazaar, enjoying a different journey involving China-Vietnam border customs.
"During a trip with my friends, I took a leisurely stroll around Jinhai Lake in the Pinggu district of Beijing. It was a breathtaking experience, immersed in the natural beauty of China. Green spaces surrounded the lake, and fresh breezes filled the air, creating a serene atmosphere," Ahmed Abdellah Faris, a journalist from Egypt, told the Global Times on Sunday.
China's mobile payment system is extremely convenient, with WeChat Pay and Alipay offering both ease of use and security. Additionally, Beijing, as an international metropolis, widely accepts Visa payments, providing numerous options for foreigners, he added.
"I also appreciate Beijing's subway system, which is extensive and affordable, with most trains maintained in a clean condition. Subway staff members readily provided directions in English, museum guides offered high-quality English explanations, and restaurant owners inquired whether we followed Muslim dietary restrictions. These thoughtful details made me feel warmly welcome in Beijing," he said.
The development of inbound tourism not only serves as a symbol of China's opening-up, but also marks the country's transition from being a major tourist destination to becoming a power in the global tourism arena, Jiang Yiyi, a vice president of the School of Leisure Sports and Tourism at Beijing Sport University, told the Global Times on Sunday.
In addition to visa-free measures and an array of measures to help foreigners enjoy a hassle-free payment environment, the restoration of international flights is progressing steadily.
"In the first half of this year, I believe that the country has resumed more than 80 percent of the international routes, compared with pre-pandemic levels," Jiang said.
Outbound trips were also in the spotlight. According to Trip.com, Chinese outbound tours covered nearly 200 countries during these five days, with Southeast Asia, Japan and South Korea becoming popular destinations.
The tourism growth rate for countries in the Middle East such as Oman, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait was higher, with a year-on-year increase of more than three times.
On Saturday, the Cuban government announced that it will adopt a visa-free policy for Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports starting from May, the Xinhua News Agency reported on Sunday.
"China has been one of the world's biggest outbound tourism markets, making a substantial contribution to global tourism development, particularly in the post-pandemic recovery period. Outbound tourism has played a significant role in promoting economic development and offering job opportunities in many countries," Jiang said.
Steven Alan Barnett, senior IMF resident representative in China, said on April 24 at the launch of the IMF World Economic Outlook in Beijing that China will continue to be the main driver of the global economy, contributing one-quarter to the world's GDP.
As China's top leader is visiting France, Serbia and Hungary this week, the China-Europe freight train services, a direct reflection of economic and trade ties, have reported significant business growth. Industry insiders said on Tuesday that the train services mirror the need to strengthen and deepen bilateral cooperation, not competition, between China and Europe.
Since the beginning of this year, the intercontinental freight train services have seen robust development, driven by demand. Major transportation hubs from Manzhouli in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region to Wuhan, Central China's Hubei Province, all reported positive growth so far this year.
Meanwhile, high value-added goods such as the "new three" products - new-energy vehicles, lithium-ion batteries and photovoltaic products - have been an important part of the trade.
Compared with the same period last year, cargo volume has increased by about 10 percent this year, primarily driven by new and value-added products, Tommy Tan, president of Shanghai EPU Supply Chain Management Co, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
Efforts are focused on increasing the transportation capacity and improving service offerings, with the hope of providing more stable options for customers, Tan said.
Tan's company has been operating China-Europe freight trains to multiple European cities, including Lyon in France and Budapest in Hungary. There has also been discussion about establishing services to Serbia, he said, expressing his optimism about the future demand for China-Europe freight trains in these regional countries.
From January 1 to May 5, the port of Manzhouli in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, along with Suifenhe and Tongjiang in Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province - the three major transportation hubs for China-Europe freight train services - have reported the delivery of 210,000 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) and the dispatch of 2,000 trains, according to China Railway Harbin Bureau Group Co. This achievement occurred nine days earlier than last year, marking a historic record.
The train traffic at these three ports accounted for about one-third of the nation's total.
There have been more trains dispatched between cities in China and Europe since the launch of the freight train services. For example, when Wuhan launched its first China-Europe freight train service to Lyon in April 2016, which marked the nation's first international freight train service directly to France, there was only one train per week. Now there are one or two per day.
The rapid development of China-Europe freight trains reflects the increasing complementarity and expansion of trade, and economic cooperation between China and Europe, which is truly a demonstration of win-win results that serve the interests of all countries involved, Kang Shuchun, director of the China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
The positive figures also show that China's "new three" products have strong demand in Europe and are expected to become the main exports from China in the foreseeable future, Kang said.
Meanwhile, European agricultural and sideline products, high-tech products and artificial intelligence products are continuously entering the Chinese market, meeting the growing demand of the Chinese people for high-quality goods. The China-Europe freight trains play a "guarantee" role in facilitating these exchanges, said Kang.
In the middle of ongoing global challenges like the Red Sea crisis, cross-border freight train services are receiving widespread praise for their dependability, effectiveness and affordability.
Industry insiders said that since the Red Sea crisis began, there has been a noticeable uptick in the volume of imports and exports facilitated by the China-Europe freight trains. This surge is attributed to a growing number of international traders opting for rail transport due to disruptions in sea shipping.
In terms of efficiency, railways offer a clear advantage over maritime transport. Following a decade of substantial development, China-Europe freight trains now complete their journeys in approximately 12 days, a significant contrast to the typical sea transit time of 35 to 45 days.
As for cost, rail freight is comparable to sea transport, especially considering the diminishing price gap when rerouting via the longer Cape of Good Hope route.
The cross-border cargo train services have become an increasingly important stabilizer and catalyst of the global supply chain. What is behind the positive growth of the train services is the growing need for cooperation, not competition, between the East and the West, Wang Yiwei, a professor at the School of International Relations at Renmin University of China, told the Global Times on Tuesday, extending his expectations for stronger trade as both sides uphold mutual respect and win-win cooperation.
Although South Korea's semiconductor exports have surged in recent months, the industry, an engine of economic growth in South Korea, is facing stiff headwinds, which suggests that Seoul should do more to prevent US chip restrictions from further squeezing the development space of South Korea's semiconductor industry.
Recent media reports said some South Korean chip companies would sell their stakes in subsidiaries based in China. Against the backdrop of US restrictions on chip supplies, these reports led to speculation among investors as to whether South Korean chipmakers will scale back their operations in China.
We hope the answer is negative. China is an important production base and sales market for South Korean chip enterprises. If Seoul is unable to protect these companies' interests and further exposes them to US economic coercion and bullying, which may prompt these enterprises to reduce their presence in China, South Korea's semiconductor industry will suffer heavy losses.
Citing people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported that the US has revoked licenses that allowed companies including Intel and Qualcomm to ship chips used for laptops and handsets to Huawei.
Such efforts fueled a new round of commentary that Washington will further tighten export restrictions on semiconductors and chip manufacturing equipment. South Korea is unlikely to remain unaffected. Seoul should do its utmost to minimize the losses for the South Korean economy.
As for China, it should be noted that Washington-initiated trade war has forced the country to pursue a path of independent innovation and overcome challenges in commercializing chip technologies. With persistent investment, China aims to climb the semiconductor value chain and expand chip production capacity.
If some South Korean companies decide to sell their stakes in subsidiaries to local Chinese enterprises, it is hoped that such sales can facilitate deeper cooperation and interaction between Chinese and South Korean companies, especially in the fields including technology. Amid uncertainty generated by US restrictions on chip supplies, South Korean companies should strengthen their presence in China, one of their most important markets, through various means. Seoul should help companies to resist pressure from the US, offering more space for China-South Korea semiconductor cooperation to grow.
Semiconductors are a key foundation of South Korea's export-driven economy. The South Korean economy is facing headwinds on multiple fronts, including inflation, currency depreciation and a shrinking population. The Financial Times published an article with the headline "Is South Korea's economic miracle over?" Exiting the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea's economic growth has been relatively slow, standing at 4.3 percent in 2021, 2.6 percent in 2022 and 1.4 percent in 2023, according to the Korea Times.
The semiconductor industry is a key component of the South Korean economy. The South Korean government should prioritize efforts to drive the economy and, in this process, the semiconductor sector is of the utmost importance to the economic recovery.
It's no secret that Washington wants South Korea to further restrict the export of advanced semiconductor technology and tools used for making high-end chips to China, but this is not in line with the interests of South Korean companies. As pressure from the US increases, if Seoul continues to make compromises and is even forced to take sides in Washington's chip war against China, South Korean chip companies will suffer serious losses. The country's economic recovery will also be negatively affected.
In recent times, there have been signals indicating that Seoul wants to further strengthen the US-South Korea alliance and lean more toward the US in political and economic affairs. South Korean policymakers should remain sober to avoid sacrificing the interests of South Korean companies to consolidate the US-South Korea alliance. Otherwise, South Korea's economy is likely to expand at a slower pace as the US forces South Korea to take sides in its tech cold war.
President Xi Jinping left Budapest on Friday, wrapping up his fruitful three-nation Europe visit, which both Chinese and European analysts believe injects momentum into China-Europe relations as well as future multipolarity and global stability.
At a farewell event held by Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban and his wife on Friday, Xi said China is now advancing the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through Chinese modernization, and China's high-quality development and opening-up will provide more opportunities for Hungary.
On Thursday, China and Hungary decided to elevate bilateral relations to an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership for the new era. To enrich the new relationship, the two sides are committed to enhancing synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Hungary's "Eastern Opening" policy, said a joint statement released after Xi's meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban.
According to the statement, the two sides will further deepen cooperation on finance, encourage financial institutions of both sides to provide financing support and financial services for trade and investment cooperation, further tap the cooperation potential in green finance and other fields, and continue to jointly issue green Panda bonds. They will also strengthen exchanges and cooperation on land and spatial planning, expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges and cooperation, and strengthen coordination and communication on tourism policies.
"In a world clouded by the threat of protectionism and economic decoupling disguised as de-risking, economic and trade cooperation needs a surrounding atmosphere of trust and mutual respect. The now elevated strategic partnership between China and Hungary can generate not only such a solid atmosphere, but also the solid ground for long-term secure investment environment," Zoltan Kiszelly, director for political analysis of the Budapest-based political think tank Szazadveg Foundation, told the Global Times.
Hungary was the last leg of Xi's Europe visit, which also included France and Serbia. This is the first time in five years that Xi has visited Europe, and each stop during the trip had its own highlights and memorable moments.
In Serbia, Xi was greeted by thousands of Serbians in Belgrade. President Xi and Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic signed a joint statement on the building of a China-Serbia community with a shared future in the new era, making Serbia the first European country to build such a community with China. In the joint statement, the two countries decided to deepen and elevate the China-Serbia comprehensive strategic partnership.
On his first day in France, President Xi said during a trilateral meeting in Paris with French President Emmanuel Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen that China-EU cooperation is "complementary and mutually beneficial" in essence. China-EU relations enjoy a strong endogenous driving force and bright prospects for development, and this relationship does not target any third party, nor should it be dependent on or dictated by any third party, Xi added.
Xi and Macron also held talks at the Elysee Palace. President Xi said that the two sides should stay committed to the spirit that guided the establishment of their diplomatic ties, namely, independence, mutual understanding, long-term vision and mutual benefit, and enrich it with new features of the new era. Xi and Macron also reached agreements to strengthen cooperation among small and medium-sized enterprises.
The next day, amid falling snow in the picturesque mountains in the Hautes-Pyrenees Department in southwestern France, Xi and his wife Peng Liyuan were warmly received by Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron at a mountain restaurant for a closed meeting. Experts believe that this personal touch marks a new climax in high-level exchanges that can boost mutual trust and understanding.
Building trust
Despite the EU's definition of China as "a partner for cooperation, an economic competitor and a systemic rival" and voices calling for de-risking, a milder version of the US' "decoupling" rhetoric, President Xi's Europe trip was preceded by a series of visits from European leaders to China this year - German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and the prime ministers of Belgium and the Netherlands. Serbian President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Orban both participated in the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation when they held bilateral talks with President Xi.
Zivadin Jovanovic, president of the Belgrade Forum for a World of Equals, who served as the minister of foreign affairs of the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia between 1998 and 2000, told the Global Times that President Xi's Europe visit represents continuity of the highest-level dialogue and expression of a mutual interest to reinforce the strategic Europe-China partnership and cooperation.
"The visits to France, Serbia and Hungary, as well as the tripartite meeting between Xi, Macron and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen have led to the conclusion of many new agreements for future cooperation and to the removing of unnecessary barriers," Jovanovic said.
Some Chinese experts noted that as intensifying major-power competition and geopolitical rivalry deal a heavy blow to the existing global order, the importance of China-Europe relations is rising, as is the complexity of this relationship. There have been voices from Western media saying that China's boosting of its relations with Europe aims to undermine the transatlantic relationship between Europe and the US and even to undermine the European Union.
Xin Hua, director and chair professor of the Center for European Union Studies, Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times that this mind-set underestimates Europe's interests.
"China and Europe need each other. In a certain sense, Europe needs China to counterbalance the US, given the contradictions and divergences between Europe and the US. Europe will not shut its door to developing relations with China," said Xin.
"There is no fundamental conflict of interests between China and Europe. For Europe, the real risk would be to do without China," Sébastien Périmony, an expert from the Schiller Institute in France, told the Global Times.
He Zhigao, a research fellow with the Institute of European Studies from the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, believes that if China and Europe work together, camp confrontation, bloc politics and a new Cold War will not emerge, and this is related to the future of an equal and orderly multipolarity.
"From the perspective of global economic development, if China and Europe work together to develop, protectionism, decoupling and de-risking will not happen. This is related to the future of inclusive globalization," said He.
Périmony added that it is obvious to any rational person that the only solution to today's problems lies in a multipolar world based on the concept of mutual development, with new agreements in place for a security architecture and win-win growth strategies for all of the world's nations.
When asked about the local court’s latest ruling on banning controversial song “Glory to Hong Kong,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on Wednesday that taking necessary measures to prevent anyone from using and disseminating songs with the intention of inciting separatism and insulting the national anthem is a legitimate and necessary action.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government previously requested the court to issue an injunction prohibiting the dissemination of the song "Glory to Hong Kong" for illegal purposes, but this was rejected by the original court.
The government filed an appeal earlier, arguing that the injunction aimed to prevent others from using the song to incite separatism. It emphasized that legal activities such as "news reporting" and "academic research" won’t be affected.
The Court of Appeal handed down its judgment, stating that, according to evidence from the Chief Executive, the criminal activities involved in the injunction posed a national security risk.
The Court of Appeal believed that these criminal activities needed to be immediately stopped and accepted the administrative authority's assessment. Prosecutions alone were insufficient to address serious criminal issues, and there was an urgent need for an injunction to assist in maintaining national security.
Therefore, the Department of Justice's appeal was upheld, and the injunction was issued, according to local media reports.
The Department of Justice said the song could be confused with the national anthem of the HKSAR.
The Department of Justice previously requested the court to issue an injunction prohibiting the dissemination of "Glory to Hong Kong" in any form, with the intention of inciting separatism or the intention of advocating for the separation of Hong Kong from China
It argued that this could be confused with the national anthem of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or could imply that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is an independent country with its own national anthem, intending to insult the national anthem.
The Court of Appeal pointed out that the criminal issues involved in the injunction were serious, and the court needed to intervene immediately.
Furthermore, individuals engaging in these criminal activities online are difficult to identify. The court believes that taking legal action against them individually might not be feasible, and a more effective approach would be for the operators of online platforms to cease these activities.
The court emphasized that the injunction has taken into account the freedom of speech and rights involved, and allows certain legitimate activities related to the song to remain unrestricted, such as academic or journalistic activities.
According to the lawyer representing the Department of Justice, “Glory to Hong Kong” has been mistakenly treated as the national anthem 887 times, saying that violence is not the only means to overthrow a government in today's society; spreading rumors and false information can be a more effective weapon.
The controversial song has the potential to rally people to overthrow the government and has even been misused multiple times at sporting events.
The HKSAR Chief Executive John Lee welcomed the court ruling on Wednesday, saying that since the occurrence of the 2019 black violence and Hong Kong version of the color revolution, the song has frequently been used to incite activities harmful to national security and to promote “Hong Kong independence.” It was also falsely presented as HKSAR's national anthem, thereby insulting the national anthem and seriously damaging the nation and the HKSAR.
The injunction effectively protects national security and the dignity of the national anthem. It targets illegal acts with criminal intent and makes it clear that these behaviors are unlawful. It also safeguards the freedoms and rights that law-abiding Hong Kong residents enjoy under various laws, including the Basic Law, Hong Kong National Security Law, and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance. These include freedoms of speech, academic research, and the press.
The judgment is described by Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok as targeted and emblematic, emphasizing that it specifically addresses four types of behavior that already constitute criminal offenses.
The injunction doesn't impose additional restrictions. It targets those who possess particular intentions when engaging in activities like playing the song, Lam said. He explained that the banned behavior includes disseminating the song with the intent to incite others to separate the nation, or to mislead people into thinking that Hong Kong is a sovereign state with its own national anthem.
Lam noted that the court agreed on the necessity of issuing the injunction and acknowledged the importance of free speech. The injunction does not impose unreasonable restrictions and will not affect legitimate news or academic activities, the official said.
Lam also said the injunction is not aimed at any internet service provider or social media, hoping that the injunction will persuade network providers not to facilitate illegal activities. He said the court referenced evidence that network providers, especially Google, clearly indicated they would respect the court's decision. According to Google's policies, the company will also comply with the law, remove content that violates legal requirements, and not permit misleading, deceptive, or hate-inducing speech to spread on their platform.
Lam said the court stated there was no evidence that any network provider mentioned any difficulty in removing the related content.
Some local legal experts welcomed the court’s decision. Louis Chen, a member of the Election Committee and general secretary of the Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation, told the Global Times on Wednesday that the ban reflects the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in Hong Kong.
“The spirit of the rule of law lies in upholding fairness, justice and social order. The nature and harmfulness of ‘Glory to Hong Kong’ are well known, and the Department of Justice's timely appeal and the ruling of the Court of Appeal are in line with the spirit of the rule of law in Hong Kong and the spirit of national security law,” Chen said.
Willy Fu, a law professor who is also the director of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong & Macao Studies, also welcomed and supported the Court of Appeal's decision, which he said clarified the scope and effectiveness of the injunction.
It provides a solid legal basis for preventing and stopping behaviors and activities harmful to the country, not only preventing malicious individuals from using the internet to spread seditious, separatist, and harmful remarks that undermine national security but also setting things right and maintaining order, Fu noted.
Internet administrators must remove such illegal remarks in accordance with the requirements of the injunction, and local residents will not mistakenly cross the "red line" of the law, the expert said.
They can continue to enjoy the human rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Hong Kong national security law. This reflects that law enforcement agencies are acting in accordance with the law, subject to judicial oversight, and in line with international standards, demonstrating the justice of the rule of law, Fu added.
When asked about the local court’s latest ruling, Lin, the spokesperson of the Chinese FM, said, “it is not a diplomatic issue.”
Taking necessary measures to prevent anyone from using and disseminating songs with the intention of inciting separatism and insulting the national anthem is a legitimate and necessary action for the Special Administrative Region to fulfill its constitutional responsibility of safeguarding national security and the dignity of the national anthem, Lin emphasized.
In ancient times, shells served as decorations, tools, religious artifacts and currency, as well as canvases for art. However, archaeological evidence of this practice has been scarce, and research in this area has been lacking.
Recently, Chinese scholars for the first time recreated images of shell paintings from over 2,000 years ago, based on findings at an archaeological site dating from the Warring States period (475BC-221BC).
A paper authored by Professor Luo Wugan and a team from the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences and several other universities was recently published in the prestigious Journal of Cultural Heritage. It traces the history of shell paintings, a unique art form, back to at least the Warring States period in China.
Observations through three-dimensional video microscopy revealed that the production of the shell paintings began with precise delineation and positioning of images using raised lines. This technique is reminiscent of methods widely used in jade carving. The intricacy and precision of the craftsmanship on such small and fragile shells is highly impressive.
Subsequent comprehensive analysis using X-ray fluorescence and Raman spectroscopy revealed the various pigment components used in the colored decorations of the shell paintings: the vibrant red pigment was sourced from cinnabar, the fresh green hue was attributed to malachite, and the deep, mysterious black color derived from the use of charcoal.
Technological archaeological research on shell paintings also indicates that this distinctive art form seemed to flourish in northern China during the Warring States period, with its influence extending into the Han dynasty. These shell paintings also exhibit a rich variety of subjects, with lifelike characters and sophisticated compositions, making them of immense historic, scientific and artistic value.
Chinese President Xi Jinping will pay state visits to France, Serbia and Hungary from May 5 to 10, foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday.
