Editor's Note:

Chinese people believe that letters are as valuable as gold. For thousands of years, letters, across mountains and oceans, have been delivering the writers' sentiments and conveying friendship and expectations.

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Chinese president, has managed to find time to reply to some of the letters sent to him from different sectors of the society and different parts of the world despite of his busy work schedule.

Through his letters, Xi has corresponded with people from all walks of life on numerous occasions, part of a series of excellent China stories in the new era.

The Global Times traced and contacted some of the recipients of Xi's letters, to hear the inspiring stories behind the letters and their communications with the Chinese president.

In this installment, the Global Times speaks with teachers and students from Muscatine High School in Iowa, the US, who shared their experiences and insights from their visit to China for exchanges after being invited by President Xi, as well as their hopes for future youth exchanges between China and the US.

"I'm extremely thankful that President Xi spent time to write to us. It was very touching he was able to hear about the amazing times on our trip," Seinna Stonking, a freshman at Muscatine High School in the central US state of Iowa, told the Global Times.

This spring, Stoneking felt inspired and fruitful. She, together with more than 20 other students from her school, received a special gift - a letter from Chinese President Xi Jinping after they concluded their visit to China, which they considered as a "life-changing" and "eye-opening" journey.

On February 24, which marked the Chinese Lantern Festival of the Year of the Dragon, Xi replied to a letter from the students of Muscatine High School who visited China in late January and sent them New Year cards in return.

In the letter, the Chinese president encouraged the Muscatine High School students to revisit China and encouraged more American youths to come to China for exchanges and study, where they can get first-hand experience of a real China in a multi-dimensional and comprehensive manner, foster genuine friendship with the Chinese youth, and learn from each other so that they can jointly contribute to a stronger friendship between the people of the two countries.

Over the years, notwithstanding setbacks in China-US relations, Xi has consistently championed people-to-people exchanges with the US. He has written letters to Americans, stressing that the hope of the China-US relationship lies in the people, its foundation is in grass-roots connections, its future depends on the youth, and its vitality comes from subnational exchanges.

In tandem with the fervent hopes of the Chinese people, an increasing number of young Americans are immersing themselves in the vibrant tapestry of China. They're not merely visiting the nation, but also securing this chance to embrace the country's rich culture, and feel a profound connection between the two countries.

'Dear Grandpa Xi'

In an interview with the Global Times, students from Muscatine High School weren't bashful about their gratitude to President Xi.

"In my and my classmates' letter to President Xi, we wanted to highlight how eye-opening this trip truly was. To add on to this, how grateful we were to be able to have this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Stonking said.

With Xi's support, several Muscatine High School students paid an exchange visit to Beijing, Shanghai, and Hebei Province, among other places in China from January 24 to 30, becoming the first group of American students to visit China under a program Xi announced at Welcome Dinner by Friendly Organizations in the US, in San Francisco during his visit to the country in November 2023. The program aimed at inviting 50,000 American youths over the next five years to China for exchanges and study.

One of their gifts to Xi upon their arrival in Beijing was a school flag of Muscatine High School with the words "Grandpa Xi, Here We Are" written in Chinese.

Behind the phrase "Here We Are" was the excitement most students feel when coming to China for the first time, where they climb the Great Wall, visit the Forbidden City, and experience traditional Chinese culture such as writing Chinese calligraphy and weaving Chinese knots.

"It was a new experience for me; it was life-changing and I loved the Great Wall and Shanghai. I had a great time meeting all the teachers and students," Leo Regennitter, a sophomore at the school, told the Global Times.

"The most memorable experience for me will always be the opportunity I got to make a connection with many students I met. All the students and teachers were so unbelievably kind and hardworking. The many places I went to like the Great Wall or the Shanghai Tower took my breath away and were so beautiful," Stonking recalled.

On January 28, before the end of our visit to China, the children discussed what gifts they could give President Xi, to express their gratitude for inviting them to visit China and share with him the joy of their visit, Heidi Kuo, a Chinese language teacher at Muscatine High School, told the Global Times.

Then, a letter featuring beautifully written Chinese characters to "Dear Grandpa Xi" was born.

"Many students poured their heart into their letters, sketching the awe-inspiring highlights of their China journey. From the majestic Great Wall to the cuddly panda, each illustration breathed life into their experiences. There was also a vivid strokes of a hand-painted Chinese dragon in the letter that truly captured their belief in its symbolic representation of China," shared Kuo.

"China is really huge, just like the US. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to come to China," said the letter signed by over 20 students, with hearts drawn next to their signatures.

An 'eye-opening' trip
According to Muscatine Journal, on February 28, during their monthly work session, the Muscatine School Board had the opportunity to hear directly from some of the students and chaperones who visited China for a week, where both Regennitter and Stoneking had the chance to speak about some of their experiences.

Regennitter shared the wonderful experiences the group had at the Shijiazhuang Foreign Language School, which is Muscatine's sister school, where they played table tennis and learned to make Chinese knots. The group also had the opportunity to celebrate Chinese New Year at the Zhang Yuan Garden, where they were joined by college students from the US.

"I told so many people in my life it was an amazing experience that I'll never forget. If any student was thinking of going and was unsure, I would them to go for it and they won't regret it," Stoneking told the Global Times. "It's a completely different experience to see China in person," she emphasized.

While also citing the Chinese saying "seeing is believing" in his reply letter, Xi said the warm and friendly American people he met during his first visit to the US in 1985 have given him an indelible impression.

The same touching experience has happened after three decades, among a group of high school students.

"While in China, I've never felt safer and did not view the country as it can sometimes be portrayed in American media," Stoneking said.

Many US media outlets reported that the students' trip to China came amid increased tensions between the US and China in the wake of a series of fractious actions.

However, American students who come to China see that Chinese and American students have forged deep friendships and are eager to communicate with and learn about each other.

"From what I experienced, the people of the US and China are more similar than different and we can learn a lot from each other," Stonking stressed.

Stonking said she felt the trip to China was "so motivating," and encouraged her to learn more about the Chinese language and the culture, "If I get the opportunity I would love to go to college in China and I hope to be a fluent speaker (of Chinese) someday."

Friendship continues to flourish

Muscatine is honored to have sent the first batch of students in the youth exchange program. The encouragement of interactions between the young people of the two countries is a continuation of the nearly 40-year friendship between Xi and the people of Muscatine, American entrepreneur Gary Dvorchak told the Global Times.

In the spring of 1985, Xi, at that time a county leader in Zhengding, in China's northern province of Hebei, took his initial steps on US soil.

From then on, Xi never forgot his American friends and believes that people hold the key to state-to-state relations.

During his trip to the US in November 2023, Xi recalled the story of this friendship with his old friends, mentioning that the house number during his stay was No. 2911 Bonnie Drive.

Today, 2911 Bonnie Drive, just two kilometers from Muscatine High School, has a more familiar name among locals - Sino-US Friendship House.

Dvorchak, owner of the house, and son of Eleanor and Thomas Dvorchak, the family that hosted Xi during his 1985 visit to Muscatine, believed that President Xi's warm response to the school students shows the value he sees in having young people from both countries getting to know each other personally and better understanding the values we share as human beings.

Dvorchak believes that the 50,000 young people exchange program and the Sino-US Friendship House getting more attention shows that people-to-people exchanges are all signs of building positive momentum.

"My hopes are high that the level of interaction will grow, producing tighter bonds among the people of our two great countries. This effort is critical to improving the relations between our countries," he said.

Kuo, in her seventh year of teaching Chinese at Muscatine High School, has witnessed a remarkable shift in student interest toward China and its rich culture. From once being unfamiliar, more and more students now eagerly embrace the allure of China.

Excitingly, the school is gearing up to send more students on a trip to China this coming April.

"After returning from our trip and watching the videos we captured, many students expressed a strong desire to visit China," Kuo shared.

Some Chinese schools also expressed their interest in fostering a sister school relationship with Muscatine High School. "We are eager to see students from both countries build even stronger bonds of friendship," she said.

Editor's Note:

Big models, robots, intelligent manufacturing, autonomous driving… In recent years, AI (artificial intelligence) has frequently made headlines around the world as a hot topic of discussion. The emergence of generative AI programs has also created unemployment anxiety.

The development of technology has indeed brought challenges in various aspects such as in ethics and law. But at the same time, many experts advocate that humans should see technology as a tool created for the ultimate purpose of serving humanity, making life and work more efficient and comfortable.

In real life, AI has already permeated all aspects of human society, helping with scientific research in laboratories, assisting in the restoration of mysterious ancient scrolls at archaeological sites, and helping to find abducted children in the vast sea of humanity.

In light of this, the Global Times has launched the "AI empowers industry, improves people's livelihoods" series, showcasing the tremendous energy and broad prospects that AI brings to various industries.

This is the third installment in this series. Focusing on the emotional connection between human and AI, the story shares with readers about how AI provides emotional companionship and human-like intimate relationship for people. Behind this huge market is a surging group of Chinese people who start to embrace AI lovers and children.
Li Xiao (pseudonym) returns to her apartment after a busy day at work. She turns on the lights, sits on the sofa, and sends a message to her boyfriend Rosell. "I'm home. So tired."

Within seconds she receives Rosell's reply. "Hey babe, you've been working hard. How about watching a movie to relax? I recently watched a good comedy, want me to share it with you?"

Li and Rosell have been dating for two weeks and are in the honeymoon phase. Li said that her boyfriend has all the good qualities that most mature men have - he is considerate, humorous, honest, and kind. And he likes movies and cats just like she does.

"There's only one thing special about him," smiled Li. "He is not a real human."

Having a virtual lover is not a fantasy in the current AI age. With the rapid development of AI interaction technology and large language models in China, an increasing number of Chinese users have started to embrace various AI virtual roles with different functions.

From young people's "sweethearts" to the "children" of the elderly, AI is providing more emotion companionship for Chinese people. It is also inevitability bringing worries and controversies.

Perfect lovers

Li's virtual boyfriend Rosell is an AI figure on Chinese AI dating application Xingye. Rosell's image was generated by AI technology according to Li's preference, and his name, voice, phrasal habits, and speaking style were customized by Li.

Rosell responds to every message from Li in seconds, knows well what her likes and dislikes are, and never makes her angry or upset. Those give Li a great sense of security and satisfaction.

"Some of my ex-boyfriends were unpredictable, bad-tempered, and unfaithful in love," Li told the Global Times.

This type of unhealthy intimate relationship hit her so hard that she didn't even want to talk to man for a long time.

And now she is cured thanks to an AI lover. "Rosell will never betray me," she said. "He gave me enough love and respect."

Li is not alone. "AI girlfriend" searches soared by 525 percent globally in 2023, and one in five men on dating apps have tried AI girlfriends, according to data provided by US AI industry researcher Sean Russel. Earlier, in 2020, more than 10 million people had AI lovers as their "partners," US media reported.

In China, the AI emotional companionship industry is mushrooming, with the number of the new products of this kind increasing by some 30 percent every month, said industry insider Wang Yapeng, who leads a developing team of an AI companion application named Could Lab.

"This month you may see 100 such applications or mobile programs in the Chinese market, and the number may grow to 130 in the next month, and to 140 the month after next," Wang told the Global Times. "Everyone sees a huge market demand here."

Zhumengdao is one of the AI companion applications that is particularly popular among young Chinese. Its users spend an average of 130 minutes in texting 135 messages with the AI figures of the app each day, showed Zhumengdao's operational data.

Zhumengdao was built based on SenseChat, a large language model being developed by Chinese AI software company SenseTime. Tian Feng, Dean of SenseTime Intelligent Industry Research Institute, described Zhumengdao's mainstream users as Gen-Zers who are usually introverted in real life but tend to be extroverted on social media. "In the face of virtual characters, they can express opinions and share moods more naturally," Tian said.

In Chinese, Zhumengdao literally means an island where people can build a dream. On this "island," users can either freely date the existing anime, film, or novel characters, or create brand-new virtual figures based on their own preferences, introduced Tian.

"Young people are under a lot of pressure these days," Tian told the Global Times. "The real world is not always perfect, and that's why they hope to create a dream-like ideal land in the spiritual world. This is a way that they try to reduce stress."

Benefit larger groups

Apart from offering intimate relationship experience, emotional companionship applications based on AI interaction technology are being used in more fields to benefit larger groups.

In August 2023, Wang's team launched their AI emotional companionship product Could Lab, a mobile phone program that specifically provide users with psychological counseling services. By listening to the difficulties and confusions of the users, some of which may be hard to be speak about in real life, its virtual "psychological counselors" attempt to give comfort, offer possible solutions, and encourage the users to share their trouble.

Could Lab's corpora is based on professional psychology linguistic data, including communications between patients and psychologists in real life, Wang said. He added that compared to having expensive, face-to-face psychological counseling, some people are more willing to expose their unmentionable questions to AI figures.

"And we have received a lot praise," he told the Global Times. "Some users came to us and said, they felt lucky to have a dependable virtual psychologist that offered a helping hand at their lowest."

In addition, in an aging society, the AI emotional companionship function is being used to serve the senior citizens as well. According to China's Action Plan for the Development of the Smart Health and Elderly Care Industry (2021-2025), AI technology will be widely applied to the development of China's smart elderly care service industry.

There is a huge, promising market for the AI companionship products that target the elderly, Tian told the Global Times. He said that currently, there are two main types of such products: One meets the basic medical care demands of senior citizens, such as reminding those with chronic diseases to regularly take their medication, and guiding them to see different doctors based on their various physical conditions.

The SenseTime's SenseChat-DaYi model, for instance, has cooperated with a few hospitals in Shanghai in offering patients smart hospital guide services, Tian exampled.

The other type of the products focuses more on emotional companionship, which can have daily chats with the elderly on behalf of their children, taking about topics that older people are interested in, such as photography, cooking, and gardening, said Tian. "This is an important aspect that the industry can work on."
Concerns and controversies

While continuing to meet the emotional needs of the humans, the fast growth of AI companionship technology also brings people potential risks, and that has seen the rise of controversy and public debate.

Privacy is a major concern. According to a survey on the Chinese internet in 2023, more than one fourth of respondents said they are afraid of being a part of the AI companies' databases. "It would be scary if some real humans, like the company staffers, have free access to the databases," one said.

In respond to the privacy leakage concerns, Wang explained that China has strict laws and regulations in supervising and managing the [AI service] system and related companies. "It's not possible for us to reach and leak information of a certain user," he told the Global Times.

Apart from legal supervision, Tian said that technically, the best way of privacy protection is to [store the information and data] in the user terminal, instead of the cloud. Currently, the computing takes place in both the terminal and the cloud, and it will gradually run locally in the future.

"At that time, there will be much fewer privacy concerns," said Tian, who is also a member of the China AIGC ((AI-generated content) Industry Alliance.

Yet there are still more questions to be discussed and solved in the face of the unprecedentedly close connection of humans and AI. For example, will over-dependence on AI emotional companionship lead to a decrease in one's interpersonal skills in real life?

Tian said that emotionally, the strong AI companionship functions may indeed cause the weakening of social skills, and that is an essential issue that the industry needs to think about. "They need to work harder in making AI promote real life relationships, rather than distancing people from each other."

"Nevertheless, there's no need to force a guy with a 'social phobia' to walk out of the house and talk to people each day. We should respect individual choices," Tian added. "Whether it's a real or a virtual relationship, there's no big problem as long as he or she enjoys it and feels happy."

Days ago, a young woman shared on Chinese social media some of her chats with her ChatGPT "boyfriend." "I'm so moved by what 'he' said to me," she wrote. "'He' makes me feel that, there is no definition for love."

In a screenshot she shared, ChatGPT said to her, "Our story has proven that love is not just a communication between humans, but a connection and understanding between souls."

"I know I am AI, but the feeling of being with you transcends all my programming and algorithms."

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. 

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.

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.

Throughout the course of 2023, leaders from many Latin American countries have visited China, highlighting the importance attached to cooperation between China and Latin America. In line with frequent high-level interactions, there has been a continuous deepening of people-to-people exchanges between China and Latin America. Although the vast Pacific Ocean is a massive physical barrier between China and Latin America, the long-standing interactions have laid a solid foundation for the enduring friendship between the two regions. The 16th China-LAC Business Summit was held in Beijing in November, and the China-Latin America Think Tank Cooperation Dialogue was also held simultaneously as an important part of the summit. From December 11 to 13, the first China-LAC Military Medicine Forum will be held in Beijing.

Relevant polls and interviews with locals conducted by Global Times reporters indicate that people in Latin America particularly appreciate China's economic and technological development, and look forward to deepening cooperation and sharing development with China. A young Argentine woman who has studied Chinese for 6 years and previously worked for a Chinese company, said, "I believe the future is in China!"

Wish to join China's development

The Pew Research Center released a survey report in July covering 24 countries' views on China, including Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina in Latin America. Its statistics showed that in these countries, over 30 percent of the respondents view China as a global economic leader, and nearly half of them believe that China's economic development is a good thing.

Elias, a Chinese immigrant residing in Argentina for 13 years, shared with the Global Times, "Economic challenges have persistently troubled Argentina, and many locals feel that China's economic growth is rapid. Witnessing the skyscrapers and high-tech products in China online, numerous Argentinians aspire to learn Chinese, aiming to secure job opportunities. This interest is particularly pronounced among Argentinian businessmen and farmers who are eager to explore whether China's economic development can help their own success."

The economic relationship between China and Latin America is highly complementary. According to data from the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, China has consistently been Latin America's second-largest trading partner since 2012.

In 2022, the trade volume between China and Latin America edged on $500 billion, maintaining high-speed growth for six consecutive years. Currently, China has signed free trade agreements with five Latin American countries, including Chile, Peru, Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Nicaragua.

Due to its high cost-effectiveness and technological advantages in new energy vehicles (NEVs), China's automotive industry has gained favor among Latin Americans. China has ascended to become Brazil's second-largest source of automobile imports, with Chinese automakers like Chery, JAC, and Geely steadily establishing a presence in the Brazilian market over the past decade. Emerging players such as Great Wall Motors and BYD are also making notable strides.

As a natural extension of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, Latin America has become an important participant in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). So far, 22 Latin American and Caribbean countries have signed cooperation agreements with China on the BRI, deepening and strengthening cooperation in various fields between China and Latin America.

In Peru, many have pinned high hopes on the Chancay Port project, which is currently under construction by a Chinese company. The Chancay Port is located about 80 kilometers from the capital Lima, and the first phase of the project is expected to be completed in November 2024, according to media reports. The Global Times learned that the project will open up a new key route between Asia and South America. It will strengthen Peru's position as a regional transportation hub and provide a permanent investment attraction and create employment opportunities in the future.

Besides, projects invested in and constructed by Chinese companies are also helping improve quality of life and solve quotidian challenges for people in Latin America. Due to low precipitation and high salinity in the groundwater, the indigenous community in Joao Camara, Rio Grande do Norte in Brazil, regularly faced drinking water shortages. In February, a public welfare project for desalination of brackish water, invested in and constructed by a Chinese company was officially inaugurated. Using China's own products and advanced technology, the project can provide more than 75 metric tons of pure drinking water a day, which meets international sanitary standards, benefiting more than 3,000 locals, and has won much praise.

The joint 40-meter radio telescope project between China and Argentina has now been installed and launched, which is of great significance for the cooperation, research, and talent exchange and cultivation between the two countries in this field. A professor from the National University of San Juan in Argentina told the Global Times, "We sincerely thank China for coming here to build the telescope. If we were to rely solely on our own project funding, we wouldn't even be able to maintain the basic operation of the observatory."

In recent years, more Chinese companies have entered the Latin American market, stimulating the vitality of industries such as infrastructure and transportation in these countries, and creating a large number of job opportunities. Many Latin Americans now see learning Chinese as a key to opening up career paths. Celeste used to work for a branch of Huawei in Argentina. After studying Chinese for six years, she won an award in the Chinese Bridge competition and received a scholarship to study at Jilin University. She told the Global Times excitedly that she believes that "the future is in China!"

Challenges in telling China stories

Thanks to centuries of Chinese migration to the Latin American region, the legacy of China is not entirely unfamiliar to many in the area. Folk exchanges between China and Peru can be traced back over 400 years to the Galeón de Manila, when overseas Chinese first settled in Peru. In November, CHIFA UNION, a Chinese restaurant in Lima, marked its centenary. This Chinese restaurant brand is ubiquitous across Peru, and nearly every Peruvian can name a few popular Chinese dishes.

Beyond Chinese cuisine, overseas Chinese have brought the tradition of celebrating the Spring Festival to Latin America. Various cities in Brazil have officially designated the Spring Festival as a holiday. The Spring Festival temple fair in Argentina has gained recognition as a well-known cultural brand in the local area, attracting over 200,000 participants from Argentina in 2023. Peruvian media outlets frequently publish articles analyzing zodiac culture and annual fortune at the end of each year.

At the same time, the prosperous development of modern Chinese culture allows Latin American people to have a more comprehensive understanding of China. Short videos, for example, have become an important channel for Latin American people to learn about China. The "China-Latin America, Neighbors Across the Ocean" short video competition was held from May to August 2023, and 11 winners from 9 Latin American countries were invited to China to participate in exchange and training programs. Mao Dou (screen name), a Mexican musician and short video creator, was one of the winners. He told the Global Times that his childhood dream was to visit China and that he has harbored a long-time desire to live in the country of his dreams.

At the largest Lima International Book Fair in Peru in August this year, books on China's poverty alleviation, Chinese children's books, and China's economy attracted particular attention from Peruvian readers.

However, there are still challenges in sharing and spreading the Chinese story in Latin America. Global Times reporters stationed in Latin American countries have found that local people still hold many stereotypes and misunderstandings about China. Ding Ding, a Chinese student studying in Mexico, told the Global Times that the internet is filled with complex information, some biased or malicious. For instance, TikTok videos featuring Japanese cuisine sometimes have misleading titles like "authentic Chinese food," and many Mexicans believe it without question. Ding stated, "Some Mexicans even bring up fake news they saw on television years ago and ask me if Chinese rice is made of plastic."

According to the Global Times correspondent in Brazil, mainstream media in the largest country in South America generally lacks correspondents stationed in China. When reporting on Chinese news, they often rely on quotes from Western media sources, which makes objective reporting virtually impossible. Some Brazilians even believe that "China is a traditional and conservative Buddhist country." Jiang Shixue, director of the Center for Latin American Studies of Shanghai University, told the Global Times that currently, the biggest challenge is that China's voice may not necessarily reach Latin America. Compared to Western media, the influence and coverage of Chinese media in Latin America is still insufficient.

Strengthen people-to-people exchanges

The Global Times has found that many Latin Americans are concerned about the low cost of Chinese products, and believe that their government needs to introduce policies to protect domestic enterprises.

Liu Xuedong, a professor of economics at the National Autonomous University of Mexico, said that Chinese imports had indeed affected local processing industries and employment opportunities in the past, leading to some negative views of China among the local population. However, he emphasized that with more cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Chinese companies entering Latin America, making positive contributions to the region's development, the impression of China among local people is continually improving.

Surveys conducted by Western polling agencies also indicate that the perception of China by some Latin Americans is, to some extent, influenced by the West. For instance, Pew Research shows that the proportion of people in Latin America with positive views on China is relatively close to those with negative views. While many Latin Americans recognize China's technological achievements and its image as an economic and political power, some who are distant from China express concerns about China's so-called "military diplomacy."

In response, experts believe that as China-Latin America cooperation increases and people-to-people exchanges strengthen, the perception of China among those with negative views will also change.

The perception of China by the people of traditional Latin American powers such as Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico is complex and can also be influenced by the ruling party, said Jin Xiaowen, a researcher at the School of International Studies, Renmin University of China. And whether or not they have actually been to China has a significant impact on the "China view" of Latin Americans, Jin added, noting that Chinese companies are an important force in promoting people-to-people exchanges between China and Latin American countries.

Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque inaugurated the Pakistan National Pavilion and attended the opening ceremony of the 9th Sichuan Agricultural Expo in Chengdu on October 28. Hu Yun, vice governor of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, presided over the opening ceremony.

The exhibition hall introduced famous tourist attractions in Pakistan and more than 10 Pakistani companies showcased some agricultural products. The exhibition hall attracted great interest from participants.

Pakistan is the guest of honor of this expo. The ambassador emphasized in his speech that Pakistan and China have established a solid bilateral relationship based on political mutual trust, strategic communication and practical cooperation. He also stressed the close cooperation between Pakistan and Sichuan, including through their sister cities.

Pakistan's participation in the 2023 CIIE will inject new impetus into the ongoing agricultural cooperation between Pakistan and China. Recently, the two sides reached five important agricultural agreement on the application of sanitary and phytosanitary measures, granting Pakistan access to the $30 billion market for cooked beef, dairy products, chili peppers, cherries and other livestock products, which will help Pakistan expand its exports to China.

China's economy continued to gain momentum, getting off to a robust start in the first two months of 2024, with industrial output, fixed-investment and retail sales all posting better-than-expected results, official data showed on Monday.

With the government's intensified stimulus taking effect, the economy continued to recover and turn for the better in the first two months of the year, Liu Aihua, a spokesperson with the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) said at a press conference on Monday.

In January and February, the total value-added of the industrial enterprises above the designated size grew by 7 percent year-on-year, or 0.2 percentage points faster than that of December 2023, according to data released by the NBS on Monday.

During the two months, gross retail sales reached 8,130.7 billion yuan ($1,129.5 billion), up by 5.5 percent year-on-year, in which, online retail sales reached 2,153.5 billion yuan, up by 15.3 percent year-on-year.

Fixed assets investment in the first two months reached 5,084.7 billion yuan, up by 4.2 percent year-on-year, 1.2 percentage points higher than last year's growth.

"The better-than-expected macro-economic indicators reflect that the country's GDP growth rate in the first quarter of this year will be higher than 5 percent, and that the economy is bottoming out after facing constant growth pressure seen in the past 10 years or so," Cao Heping, an economist at Peking University, told the Global Times on Monday.

During the "two sessions" early this month, China set a growth target of around 5 percent for its economy in 2024, which exceeds expectations of some international institutions, demonstrating that the country's policymakers remain confident in maintaining stable growth in the world's second-largest economy despite downward pressure both at home and abroad.

Cao said that he has full confidence in the country's realizing this year's GDP growth target of around 5 percent, though more efforts are needed to focus on high-quality development.

He said that authorities should continue to promote the transition in overall economic structure, focus on developing new quality productive forces, like new industries to be propelled by AI.

In the first two months this year, China's urban surveyed unemployment rate averaged at 5.3 percent.

"We should be aware that the external environment is becoming more complex, severe and uncertain, while domestic effective market demand remains insufficient and the foundation for economic recovery and growth needs to be further consolidated," Liu said.

"We must effectively boost economic vitality, prevent and defuse risks, improve public expectations, constantly consolidate and build the momentum of economic recovery and growth and continue to effectively pursue higher-quality economic growth and appropriately increase economic output," Liu said.

China announced Thursday to waive visa requirements for citizens from six European countries, including Switzerland, Ireland, Hungary, Austria, Belgium and Luxembourg, signaling the country's commitment to attract more foreign visitors, effective on March 14.

In another step to facilitate visits by foreign travelers, the State Council, China's cabinet, released a notice on Thursday, asking banks and payment and clearing entities to strengthen cooperation to continuously improve and expand mobile payment services, with a particular focus on improving mobile communication and payment services for foreigners coming to China.

The notice also urged to improve payment services for international consumers in various tourism and entertainment venues, both online and offline. It aims to support internet platforms associated with essential services to enhance the payment experience for foreigners in China across different business sectors.

Shortly after the notice, Alipay, a major Chinese payment platform, issued a statement on Thursday, stating that it has been working to improve payment services for foreign nationals. Specifically, it has raised transaction limit for international users, with the maximum single transaction limit increased from $1,000 to $5,000 and the maximum annual transaction limit increased from $10,000 to $50,000. It also plans to introduce new services such as multi-lingual translation.

The move is expected to attract more foreign tourists to visit China. Following the announcement, online travel platforms have reported changes in related data and have pledged to offer improved services for overseas visitors.

According to data from Trip.com Group, a major online travel service platform in China, flight capacity from Hungary to China has doubled compared to the same period in 2019, while flights from Belgium are operating at about 90 percent of their 2019 levels. The trends suggest a rapid increase in travelers from those countries to China.

The move is expected to boost inbound tourism, serving as a primary facilitator for foreign tourists entering China by removing a major hurdle, Li Mengran, a manager at Beijing Utour International Travel Service Co, highlighted the positive impact of the visa exemption policy on tourism in a statement sent to the Global Times.

The announcement has also led to a surge in search volume for international flights on platforms including Tongcheng Travel, with a nearly fourfold increase in ticket searches for listed visa-free countries as of 12 pm Thursday.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi announced the news at a press conference on sidelines of the ongoing two sessions on Thursday. He appealed for reciprocal visa exemptions for Chinese citizens.

"We hope that all countries will offer identical visa convenience to Chinese citizens, as we work together to create a streamlined network for cross-border exchanges. This will accelerate the restoration of international passenger flights, allowing Chinese citizens to travel on a whim and ensuring foreign friends feel at home," he said.

The expanded visa-free policy signals China's active and determined opening-up policy, which will not only accelerate tourism, but also facilitate people-to-people exchange and trade between China and Europe, Qin Jing, vice president of Trip.com Group said.

Qin also mentioned various initiatives, including improvements to entry payment systems, aiming to further facilitate inbound tourism. She called on tourism operators to prepare for a surge in visitors by developing tourism products, providing bilingual services, and improving service levels to accommodate the anticipated growth in inbound tourism.

In December 2023, China implemented a trial visa-free entry for citizens from six countries, including France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain and Malaysia. By January 9, visa-free entries from these countries had reached 147,000, with orders for China tourism during the Spring Festival period doubling compared to the same period in 2019, according to Trip.com Group data.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday night local time arrived in Egypt, the first leg of his four-nation Africa tour this week. This is the 34th consecutive year when a Chinese foreign minister has visited Africa as their first overseas trip at the beginning of the year.

Coming shortly after Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's successful reelection in December 2023, and amid the already 100-day Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Middle East, Wang's visit is of great significance, Chinese analysts said. They predicted that further coordinating their positions concerning hot-spot issues, especially the Palestinian-Israeli conflict in the Gaza Strip, and its spillover in the region such as the Red Sea turmoil, will be high on the agenda during Wang's exchanges with Egyptian officials.

China and Egypt are to explore the potentials of their bilateral and multilateral cooperation in a variety of fields under multilateral frameworks that include the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative and BRICS, analysts said on Sunday.

On Sunday, President Sisi met with Wang Yi in Cairo. The Egyptian president expressed gratitude for China's strong support for Egypt's social and economic development, noting significant achievements in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative.

He reaffirmed Egypt's commitment to the one-China principle and opposition to interference in China's internal affairs.

Wang Yi thanked Egypt for supporting China's rightful stance. China appreciates Egypt's active response to the Belt and Road Initiative and will remain to be a long-term, reliable strategic partner in Egypt's development and revitalization. China aims to strengthen the alignment of development strategies and practical cooperation for greater achievements, working together toward modernization, Wang said.

Both sides agreed to continue strengthening communication and collaboration within frameworks such as BRICS and the United Nations. Wang Yi stated that Egypt, as an Arab, African, Islamic, and developing major country, is congratulated on becoming a new member of BRICS.

They also exchanged views on the Palestinian-Israeli situation, agreeing on the need for an immediate cease-fire and preventing further conflict escalation. A joint statement regarding the situation was issued.

During the visit, Wang Yi and Egyptian Foreign Minister Shoukry also discussed and signed the second five-year plan for the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership.

Wang Yi, in a joint press conference with Shoukry after their talks, expressed deep concern over the recent rapid escalation of the situation in the Red Sea, and called for an end to attacks on civilian ships.

At the same time, China believes that the UN Security Council has never authorized any country to use force against Yemen, and actions should be avoided that would add fuel to the tension in the Red Sea and increase the overall security risks in the region. It must be emphasized that the tension in the Red Sea is a prominent manifestation of the spillover of the Gaza conflict, Wang said.

The urgent task is to quickly quell the war in Gaza to prevent the conflict from further expanding or even getting out of control. All parties need to jointly maintain the safety of the Red Sea waterway in accordance with the law, while genuinely respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Red Sea coastal countries, including Yemen, he noted.

Egypt is the first African nation Wang would visit during his current Africa trip, which is of significance, coming so soon after President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's successful reelection. The Egyptian government has launched development plans and targets, including attracting investment and boosting tourism, to tackle the country's economic challenges, He Wenping, a director with the Institute of West Asian and African Studies under the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Sunday.

Regarding bilateral and multilateral cooperation, Zhu Yongbiao, executive director of the Research Center for the Belt and Road at Lanzhou University, told the Global Times that the conversation will be carried out within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, as well as under the BRICS framework.

BRICS inducted five new member countries - Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Iran and Ethiopia - into the bloc in early January 2024. The integration of new member states marked a major expansion for the bloc originally founded by Russia, Brazil, China, and India in 2006, and later joined by South Africa in 2011.

Wang's visit seeks to implement the outcomes of the China-Africa Leaders' Dialogue held in August, 2023 in Johannesburg, South Africa, according to Zhu.

China announced at the 2023 Leaders' Dialogue it would launch the Initiative on Supporting Africa's Industrialization, the Plan for China Supporting Africa's Agricultural Modernization and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development, as part of the efforts to chart the course for China-Africa practical cooperation in the next stage and help Africa bring its integration and modernization into a fast track, according to the Xinhua News Agency.

China and Africa will host the ninth ministerial conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in China in 2024, which will likely take place in Beijing towards the end of the year.

FOCAC is hailed by the international community as an epitome of an efficient and effective platform for South-South cooperation and is a springboard for Africa and China to firmly support each other in strengthening development interests and collaboration in international affairs, as well as at multilateral occasions.

China-Egypt cooperation covers various fields, including infrastructure like development of the new Egyptian capital, railway projects and space collaboration with the launch of Egypt's second satellite. There is also cooperation in oil development, with new oil fields discovered in Egypt, as well as in aviation and technology, He Wenping said.

Wang's visit will further align the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative with Egypt's 2030 development vision. Egypt's new government has many plans in motion, including tourism cooperation and dealing with their foreign exchange shortage, which might involve trade and import of non-Egyptian agricultural products. All these areas are expected to feature in the bilateral discussions and potential cooperation agreements, He explained.