If some stellar Chinese Science Fiction (sci-fi) films were to be named, The Wandering Earth film series, would likely be the top choice of many fans.

The series' two episodes were released in 2019 and 2023, respectively. They are both highly popular films on the silver screen, and yet their backstage stories have rarely been shown to audiences.

Revealing details such as how the film's "Black Hawk" helicopter was created, a recently released documentary Inside the Wandering Earth II, for the first time, shares many behind-the-scenes stories.

It also introduces audiences to the rapidly developing landscape of the Chinese sci-fi culture.

Behind-the-scenes story

Most of the stories in Inside the Wandering Earth II are only now being told for the first time. The film crew, for instance, captured how the scene of the wreckage of the "Black Hawk" helicopter was produced.

Led by veteran prop designer Zhong Jianwei and his team, the helicopter prop was first built as a full-scale model, and the crew would create prototypes and assemble them piece by piece.

The model was then manually "damaged" by designers to achieve the appearance of a wreckage. The helicopter scene was only a couple of shots, but it took the prop team several months to set up the scene.

Other than the helicopter, there were several similar instances such as the door-frame robots and the moon rover props that show just how deeply embedded handmade prop-making is in Chinese sci-fi production.

"A top-notch visual presentation of a sci-fi production is often achieved by experts tweaking minute details meticulously countless times, including the prop's size, color, and patterns," Fang Muting, an industry insider, told the Global Times.

The documentary has also shown how the film's depiction of the "United Earth Government" headquarters was painstakingly crafted.

The film's overseas production team obtained a special permission to visit the inside of the United Nations headquarters in New York and combined these insights with the construction plans of the UN's iconic Golden Hall sourced by the art ­department, anchoring elements of the film in reality.

Beyond revealing the The Wandering Earth secrets was the documentary team's goal of showing audiences about Chinese sci-fi's profound cultural roots.

After consulting experts in various fields like literature and history, ­several milestones in Chinese sci-fi history were revealed in the documentary.

They include the early literary inspiration of The Future of New China, a book that was written by pioneer intellectual Liang Qichao, and the Science Fiction World magazine.

Founded in 1979, the magazine was a cradle for notable Chinese writers like Liu Cixin, Wang Jinkang and He Xi.

"Reflecting on the development of Chinese sci-fi literature, Chinese people have never stopped imagining and pursuing the future and technology­," Guo Siwen, the director of the documentary, told the Global Times.

The director added that the charm of films like The ­Wandering Earth series lies in their portrayal of "the ­history of the future."

"[Such films] are not just about visual imaginations, but also about attempts to explore scientific and social topics in reality," Guo emphasized.

The Wandering Earth 3 is expected to be released in China on February 6, 2027.

Expansive landscape

Noting that Chinese sci-fi does not lack quality IPs, Chen Fusi, a cultural industry expert, told the Global Times that Chinese sci-fi culture is ­expanding its "multi-domain" landscape in collaborating with not only the film sector, but also other sectors such as gaming and art.

Taking the Chinese game Honkai: Star Rail as an example, it is a strategic game that invites players to go on an adventure across the galaxy.

While maintaining its sci-fi theme, the visual aesthetics of the game engage Chinese cultural elements like traditional ­architectural designs unique to East China's Anhui Province.

The game has been popular among overseas players. Chen, the expert, told the Global Times that the new "sci-fi and gaming" design helps overseas young people "experience Chinese culture in effortless ways."

In the recent past, sci-fi has grown to be a popular theme for curated art exhibitions. Featuring new technologies like 3D mapping and virtue reality, a visual exhibition in Xi'an, Shaanxi Province has interpreted the historical ancient Silk Road story featuring sci-fi visual presentations.

"Sci-fi is like a medium for cultural expression. It can be embedded in different fields to help promote Chinese values," Lü Yingying, the documentary's producer, told the Global Times.

"Compared to many Western countries, the start of China's sci-fi culture was relatively recent, but we have developed fast relying on our profound history and also the country's innovative technologies," Chen told the Global Times.

Following Israel's ground military operations in southern Lebanon and Iran's ballistic missile strikes on Israel, Fu Cong, China's permanent representative to the United Nations, urges immediate de-escalation of the Lebanese-Israeli situation, warning that any further provocations could easily cause the situation, which is now "hanging by a thread," to spiral out of control.

Over the past two weeks, the situation in the Middle East, especially in Lebanon, has rapidly deteriorated. China is deeply concerned about the severe situation and the outlook for future developments, Fu said at a UN Security Council emergency session on Wednesday.

We call for the respect of the sovereignty, security, and territorial integrity of all countries, Fu noted, reiterating China's opposition to any action that violates the basic principles of international relations and condemning all violent attacks targeting civilians.

China supports the position of the UN, emphasizing that any Israeli incursions into Lebanon violate the latter's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and are in breach of the provisions of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, Fu said.

Under the current circumstances, the Chinese envoy said the UN Security Council must take urgent actions and be united in making clear and unequivocal demands: An immediate ceasefire must be established in Gaza; the deescalation of the Lebanese-Israeli situation must be advanced to stop the cycle of violence; every effort must be made to prevent the spread of the fighting; and the parties concerned must return to the track of political and diplomatic solutions.

"Since October of last year, cycles of violent conflict have repeatedly occurred in the Middle East. Israel has disregarded the international community's calls for an immediate ceasefire and has insisted on advancing military actions, leading to the prolongation and escalation of the conflict. A full-scale war could break out at any moment," Fu warned.

At this critical juncture, any inflammatory rhetoric or provocative actions are extremely dangerous and could easily lead to misjudgments, trigger chain reactions, and cause the situation to spiral out of control. "China urges all parties, especially Israel, to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that could further escalate the situation," Fu noted.

Fu said the conflict has caused an unprecedented humanitarian disaster, Gaza has become "a hell on Earth," and massive destruction of civilian facilities, thousands of casualties, and more than 1 million people displaced in Lebanon.

The ambassador called on all parties to respect the red lines of international humanitarian law and to ensure the protection of civilians.

Warning that the current situation is "hanging by a thread," Fu said any procrastination would be irresponsible, and any rhetoric of condoning further military adventurism would send a wrong message and could cause serious consequences.

"We hope major countries with influence will adopt a sincere and responsible attitude and earnestly play a constructive role to avoid further escalation of the situation," he stressed.

Fu reiterated the importance of respecting the neutrality of the UN Interim Force in Lebanon and ensuring the safety and security of the UN peacekeepers. "UN assets and personnel should not be the target of armed attacks," he said.

Israel pressed forward on Wednesday with a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah, leaving eight Israeli soldiers dead, and conducted strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children, AP reported on Thursday.

Iran launched nearly 200 ballistic missiles at Israel on Tuesday in what Tehran said was retaliation for the recent killings of top Hezbollah and Hamas officials. Meanwhile, 55 people were killed and 156 were injured in Israeli airstrikes on Lebanon in the past 24 hours, according to the Lebanese health ministry on early Wednesday.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed deep concerns on Wednesday over the turmoil in the Middle East, stressing that China opposes the violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, security and territorial integrity and opposes moves that fuel antagonism and escalate tensions. China calls on the international community, especially major countries with influence, to play a constructive role and avoid further turmoil.

China has filed a complaint at the World Trade Organization (WTO) over Canada's unilateralism and trade protectionism practices, according to a spokesperson of the Chinese Commerce Ministry (MOFCOM) on Wednesday.

The ministry said it has also initiated an anti-discrimination probe into Canada's restrictive measures targeting certain imports from China.

The Canadian government announced on Tuesday the final list of Chinese-made steel and aluminum subject to a 25 percent tariff, along with a 100 percent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs), effective immediately.

These moves were made despite opposition and warnings from multiple sources.

Commenting on the announcement made by the Canadian side, MOFCOM spokesperson said that Canada's measures violate the principles of market economy and fair competition, severely damaging normal economic and trade cooperation between Chinese and Canadian enterprises, significantly impacting bilateral economic and trade relations, and disrupting and distorting global industrial and supply chains. China firmly opposes these actions by the Canadian side, according to the spokesperson.

The MOFCOM spokesperson urged Canada to view bilateral economic and trade cooperation rationally and objectively, respect the facts, adhere to WTO rules, and not stray further down the wrong path.

China will take all necessary steps to firmly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese enterprises, the spokesperson emphasized.

Canada's action is a blind follow-up to the US approach without carefully assessing its own market conditions, Zhou Mi, a senior research fellow at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

Despite considerable opposition, Canada insists on implementing its protectionist measures, which will directly impact its industrial development and green transition, Zhou said.

"Furthermore, it will affect Canada's role in the multilateral economic and trade system and increase trade friction and economic costs. The related industrial chains will also face further restrictions, which will weaken Canada's ties to currently leading global green development technologies," Zhou further noted.

On September 11, China requested WTO dispute consultations with Canada regarding surtax measures imposed on certain Chinese products, including EVs and steel and aluminum products, according to the WTO.

The MOFCOM announced that it commenced from September 26 an anti-discrimination probe into Canada's tariff hikes on EVs as well as steel and aluminum products imported from China, after initial results have unveiled such discriminatory approach.

According to Xinhua News Agency, it is the first such investigation initiated by China and also the first of its kind in the world.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and other Party and state leaders attended a ceremony to present flower baskets to fallen heroes at Tian'anmen Square in central Beijing on Monday.

The event was held to commemorate China's Martyrs' Day, which annually falls on September 30, a day ahead of China's National Day.

Representatives from all walks of life and the relatives of fallen heroes, as well as Chinese Young Pioneers, offered flower baskets and bouquets in front of the Monument to the People's Heroes, in tribute to the martyrs.

China's top legislature approved September 30 as Martyrs' Day in 2014 to commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for national independence and prosperity.

Also on Monday, multiple cities across China held various memorial activities to commemorate the martyrs, with many people visiting war memorial museums to lay bouquets and pay tribute.

In recent days, multiple public security organs in Hubei, Guangdong, Shanghai and other parts of China organized memorial activities at the local martyrs' memorial parks, inspiring participants to inherit and carry forward the spirit of heroes in the new era.

According to cpd.com affiliated with Ministry of Public Security, police are the most sacrificed group during peace time. Since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, more than 17,000 police officers have died in the line of duty, with over 3,700 honored as martyrs.

Some theater commands also organized soldiers to participate in memorial activities and learn about heroic and patriotic deeds of martyrs.

Some compatriots from Taiwan island also laid flowers for fallen heroes at the Unknown Heroes Memorial Square in Xishan National Forest Park in Beijing on Sunday.

To commemorate the Martyrs' Day, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs and the State Post Bureau jointly designed and released commemorative stamps, with the Monument to the People's Heroes as the main picture. 

China has a long tradition of commemorating and honoring martyrs and other heroes who contributed greatly to the nation's development. Incomplete statistics suggest China has about 20 million martyrs. However, as many of them did not leave their names in times of war, only about 1.96 million martyrs have been enlisted in the government's directory, according to public information.

The country has about a million burial sites dedicated to martyrs. According to Ministry of Veterans Affairs, about 150,000 martyr memorial facilities and more than 730,000 martyrs' burial sites have been recorded in the information system, and 250,000 martyrs' tombs and memorial sites have been repaired, according to media reports in September.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in New York on Friday, during which Wang emphasized the US should not always approach China with two faces. Instead of having it both ways by seeking containment on one hand and requesting cooperation on the other, the US should derive its China policy from a rational perception about China, Wang told Blinken.

Experts said the meeting, as both sides agreed to be "candid and substantive," indicates that both two countries want to maintain communication to manage their relationship, but experts also pointed out that the US should take concrete actions to further stabilize bilateral ties, given its hypocrisy to create differences itself while at the same time try to manage them.

"The US should not always approach China with two faces: On the one hand encircling and suppressing China brazenly, and on the other hand, having dialogue and cooperation with China as if nothing is wrong," said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.

"Since the US has expressed multiple times that it has no intention to have conflict with China, then fundamentally, it needs to establish a rational perception of China, and find the right way to get along with it," said the Chinese top diplomat, according to the Xinhua News Agency on Saturday.

Li Haidong, a professor from the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Saturday that the latest meeting indicates that both China and the US want to maintain communication and dialogue to manage their relationship. In other words, stabilizing the bilateral relations aligns with the common needs of both sides, which is one of the important reasons why, despite existing differences, the two sides continue to strengthen their exchanges.

Pointing out US' "two faces" approach toward China clearly indicates China's awareness of the underlying nature of US diplomacy, Li said. "The double standards and hypocrisy in US foreign policy toward China cannot conceal the cognitive errors and obsession with competition inherent in its China policy." 

The Friday meeting between Wang and Blinken marks the fourth one they had this year, following their previous face-to-face talks in February, April, and July.

"The US needs to carry out dialogue with respect, advance cooperation in the spirit of reciprocity, and address differences with great prudence, rather than act willfully as it sees fit from a position of strength or use previous mistakes as excuses to make more mistakes," Wang said on the sidelines of the 79th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

On the Taiwan question, Wang said that "if the US truly hopes to see peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits, it should abide by the one-China principle, implement the three China-US Joint Communiqués, stop arming Taiwan, publicly oppose 'Taiwan independence,' and support the peaceful reunification of China."

Wang articulated China's firm position on the South China Sea issue. He said China remains committed to resolving differences through dialogue and consultation with countries directly concerned. The US should not stir up trouble in the South China Sea, or undermine regional countries' efforts to safeguard peace and stability there, Wang added.

On the Ukraine issue, Wang said China's position is aboveboard. China has been committed to promoting talks for peace and has been making its efforts toward peaceful settlement, he said.

Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, said that Washington's "two faces" approach is a serious obstacle to building a stable and constructive relationship between China and the US. "Therefore, pointing this out indicates China's emphasis on its long-term commitment to establishing a constructive and stable bilateral relation, while the US side is continuously undermining this goal through its dualistic actions," Lü told the Global Times on Saturday.

Following talks that lasted more than an hour, Blinken told reporters at a news conference that China's words and actions regarding Russia-Ukraine conflict do not "add up," as Beijing continues to allow Chinese companies to "fuel Russia's war machine," VOA reported.

Blinken's remarks are still an old trick of marginalizing and stigmatizing China on the global stage, attempting to mislead the international community and shift the blame onto China, Li said, noting that this reflects a strong lack of sincerity in US diplomacy and again reveals its hypocrisy.

Different approach

In the global context, especially given the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and increasing tensions in the Middle East, China-US face-to-face communications are pivotal not only for bilateral relations, but also for global peace, analysts said.

China has always emphasized seeking common interests and does not wish to see the bilateral relation turn into a state of conflict, analysts said. The US also understands that crossing the bottom line of the Chinese side could lead to a serious deterioration in relations, which the US cannot afford, Lü said, noting that this serves as a fundamental motivation for communications between both parties.

Experts said the US should take concrete actions to further stabilize bilateral relations. "The differences that need to be managed are caused by the US itself. On one hand, the US creates differences, while on the other hand, it tries to manage them. This is the biggest divergence between China and the US," Lü said.

Analysts also noted that the recent high-level interactions between China and the US demonstrated significant differences in their approaches in solving regional hotspot issues. The US exhibits a strong bloc mentality, while China, in contrast, genuinely promotes the resolution of regional crises and the elimination of turmoil from the perspective of a global community of shared future, Li said.

According to a readout from the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the two sides agreed that the meeting was candid and substantive, and that China and the US need to find a way to live alongside one another in peace in the indefinite future. Besides, the two sides agreed to maintain communication on international and regional hotspot issues, and hold a new round of consultations on Asia-Pacific affairs in due course. 

A readout from the US Department of State also read "The two sides held candid, substantive, and productive discussions on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. They emphasized the need to maintain open lines of communication," and that "Both sides agreed to maintain contact, including on regional and global issues."

The Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee held a meeting on Thursday to analyze the current economic situation of China and make further plans for economic work. Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, presided over the meeting, the Xinhua News Agency reported.

While noting the fundamentals of the Chinese economy, and favorable conditions such as a vast market, strong economic resilience and great potential remain unchanged, the meeting emphasized it is necessary to take a comprehensive, objective, and calm view of the current economic situation, confront difficulties directly, and remain confident.

Following China's recent rollout of numerous policy measures aimed at boosting economic growth, the Thursday meeting further highlighted the country's determination to achieve annual development targets, providing further confidence in China's economic trajectory, and reinforce the intensity and effectiveness of these policies, economists said on Thursday.

The top meeting noted that the Chinese economy has posted a generally stable performance this year, making progress while maintaining stability. New quality productive forces have developed steadily, and solid efforts have been made to ensure people's livelihoods. Positive progress has also been achieved in preventing and defusing risks in major areas, according to Xinhua. 

Notably, the meeting called for effectively implementing existing policies, stepping up efforts to roll out incremental policies, further tailoring policy measures to be more targeted and effective, and striving to meet this year's economic and social development goals.

Comprehensive, targeted efforts

"The economic policies discussed at the meeting are comprehensive and targeted, covering areas such as fiscal policy, monetary policy, real estate, and living standards. The policy intensity is significantly greater, demonstrating the country's resolve to boost economic growth," Xi Junyang, a professor at the Shanghai University of Finance and Economics, told the Global Times on Thursday.

Xi Junyang noted that the Chinese economy has maintained relatively favorable conditions, and the positive effects of various policy measures will further boost optimism for the growth prospects, despite some downward pressure. 

In addition to an overall analysis of the Chinese economy, the meeting also emphasized policy measures in various critical areas. On macro-policies, the meeting called for efforts to strengthen counter-cyclical adjustments by leveraging fiscal and monetary policies, including lowering the reserve requirement ratio (RRR) and implementing significant interest rate cuts. 

On Tuesday, Chinese officials rolled out a package of major policy measures to support the country's economy, the housing market and the stock market. Crucially, it was announced that China would cut the RRR - the amount of cash that banks are required to hold as reserves - by 0.5 percentage points in the near future, and RRR could be cut by another 0.25-0.5 percentage points within the year depending on the market liquidity situation. Additionally, the interest rate of seven-day reverse repos will be reduced from 1.7 percent to 1.5 percent. 

Then on Wednesday, the People's Bank of China, the country's central bank, announced that it would cut the rate on 300 billion yuan ($54.7 billion) worth of one-year medium-term lending facility (MLF) loans to some financial institutions to 2 percent, from the previous 2.3 percent.

The policy measures have significantly boosted confidence, with markets responding positively to the announcements. Amid the strong policy signals, Chinese stocks closed significantly higher on Thursday, with the benchmark Shanghai Composite Index surging 3.61 percent to above the 3,000 level, while the Shenzhen Component Index rose by 4.44 percent. 

"The meeting marked another momentous point in that following the meeting, policy intensity will be greatly strengthened, further boosting the growth trend," Tian Yun, a veteran economist based in Beijing, told the Global Times on Thursday. "It also provides a clear economic outlook for everyone."

The Political Bureau meeting also called for efforts in various key aspects to further boost the Chinese economy, including the real estate market, the capital market, and the support of enterprises. 

In addressing the real estate market, efforts must be made to address public concerns, adjust housing purchase restrictions, and reduce existing mortgage interest rates, improve land, fiscal and taxation, financial and other policies, and promote the formation of a new model of real estate development, the meeting concluded. 

The meeting also called for efforts to boost the capital market including actively guiding medium- and long-term funds into the market, and removing barriers for social security, insurance, and wealth management funds to enter the market. 

It is necessary to support mergers and acquisitions and reorganizations of listed companies, steadily promote the reform of public funds, and study and introduce policies and measures to protect small and medium-sized investors, according to the Thursday meeting. 

Also on Thursday, the Office of the Central Financial Commission and the China Securities Regulatory Commission jointly issued guidelines on guiding medium and long-term funds into the capital market in a bid to boost overall capital market.

The meeting also pointed out that efforts are needed to help enterprises to overcome difficulties, including the adoption of law for the promotion of private economy. It also urged to increase income for low- and middle-income groups, and cultivate new consumption formats. Greater efforts are also needed to attract and stabilize investment, including the rapid implementation of reforms, particularly in opening up the manufacturing sector to foreign investment. 

Positive impact

"There are many measures for various aspects of economic and social development, and the focus on policy intensity is quite significant," Xi Junyang said. "All of these measures certainly have a positive impact on the economy." 

With strong policy support and solid economic fundamentals, many Chinese economists said the country is on track to achieve its annual growth target of around 5 percent. 

"With such policy intensity, I expect the fourth-quarter GDP growth rate will reach above 5 percent, which is crucial for achieving the annual growth target," Tian said.  

In addition to major economic measures, the Political Bureau meeting on Thursday also called for efforts to safeguard people's livelihoods, focusing on key groups such as new college graduates, migrant workers, and those newly lifted out of poverty. 

Notably, on Wednesday, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued a 24-point guideline to implement an employment-first strategy aimed at improving job quality and achieving reasonable growth in employment numbers.

A series of marine science educational activities have recently taken place in Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, sparked by the first-ever visit of China's research vessel, Deep Sea No. 1, carrying the manned submersible Jiaolong, the Global Times learned on Wednesday. 

According to Xinhua News Agency, the vessel is on a home-bound voyage after completing a scientific mission in the Western Pacific Ocean. 

The scientific expedition team of Chinese and foreign scientists set sail on August 10 from Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, completing a total of 18 dives in the Western Pacific. It was the first time that foreign scientists have carried out deep-sea scientific research in the craft, according to the same report.

The Global Times learnt from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) on Wednesday that the expedition, co-led by HKUST, is part of the first international deep-sea metascience program, "Digital Deep-sea Typical Habitats," backed by the central government, and involved the participation of foreign scientists.

During Jiaolong's two-day stay in Hong Kong, HKUST has hosted academic public lecture, seminar and roundtable forum to enhance public awareness of the nation's deep-sea research achievements and foster interest among young people in scientific inquiry.

Nearly 300 elementary and secondary students from more than 10 Hong Kong schools attended a public lecture at the Hong Kong Science Museum on Tuesday afternoon, the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) told the Global Times. 

HKUST has organized a series of marine science educational activities in collaboration with the Deep Ocean Affairs Administration of the Ministry of Natural Resources, and the Bank of China (Hong Kong) beginning in August. These activities included a voyage departure ceremony on August 10, as well as a regional interactive session "Deep-Sea Classroom" conducted earlier this month.

Chinese observers on Tuesday slammed smears presented in a US House committee report as a cliché that was aiming at stifling China's technological advancement and hyping up the "China threat" narrative.

The report, released on Monday by the Republican members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party and the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, claimed that hundreds of millions of dollars in US federal research funding over the last decade has contributed to China's technological advancements and military modernization and that collaborations between Chinese entities and US-funded researchers and universities have significantly contributed to China's progress in critical areas such as hypersonic and nuclear weapons, artificial intelligence, and semiconductors, according to the New York Times. 

This is just part of the US anti-China rhetoric, repeating the same cliché of smearing China, Lü Xiang, an expert on US studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Tuesday. 

The US has been hyping up the normal exchanges between China and the US, particularly since 2018, Lü noted.

House Republicans argued that these research publications could potentially be weaponized against the US in the event of a conflict with China, according to Fox News.

The report calls for stricter regulations on federally funded research and limiting the opportunities for researchers receiving US grants to collaborate with Chinese universities and companies that have military connections. 

However, the Democrats on the China committee chose not to sign on to the report, saying that it was a conversation that required more nuance. "Cutting off all collaboration would not serve US interests either," reported New York Times, citing a representative for the committee's Democratic staff.

The GOP report clearly said it was the US Department of Defense and US intelligence agencies that are funding relevant schools and research institutes. Such claim is similar to accusing them of potential treason. Such accusation reflects the increasing intensity of political struggles within the US, Li Haidong, a professor from the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.

A Chinese military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times on Tuesday that the US is once again overstretching the concept of "national security" and hyping the "China threat" rhetoric.

Scientific and technological researches themselves are neutral, and many of the projects are not military-backed, the above-quoted expert said. It is the US that unilaterally labeled them with the so-called military applications.

It is worth noting that the US report significantly exaggerates its own scientific research capabilities while downplaying China's research and development achievements, Lü said. He noted that China is in a leading position in many areas of the scientific research, especially in large-scale applications and integrated applications. 

The House report examined several China-based joint institutes between Chinese and American universities, including the University of California, Berkeley and Georgia Institute of Technology. Both Berkeley and Georgia Tech disputed many of the report's findings, according to the New York times. 

'Risk of long-term damage to bilateral ties'

Following the San Francisco summit between the two heads of state in November 2023, China has been facilitating deeper communication, whereas the US has imposed numerous obstacles that impede the enhancement of normal interactions between the two sides.

Mao Ning, a spokesperson of the Chinese Foreign Ministry, told a press briefing in June that such US moves "have created a chilling effect" for cultural and people-to-people exchanges between the two countries. 

The smear campaign launched by the US against China's independent, innovative technology developments serves to further obstruct normal academic exchanges between the two countries, the above-quoted military expert who requested anonymity told the Global Times.

The educational cooperation between China and the US offers significant benefits, particularly in the foundational training of students from both countries. Impeding the normal exchanges in science and technology between the two countries results in significant losses for all parties involved, Lü noted.

Cutting off scientific exchanges between China and the US will result in long-term damage to the relationship between the two countries, Lü warned.

The recently opened exhibition titled Stars over the Volga: Works by Academicians of the Russian Academy of Arts is marking the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Russia at the China Millennium Monument in Beijing.

The exhibition features 100 paintings created by academicians and corresponding members of the Russian Academy of Arts since the 20th century and includes oil paintings, watercolors, and some mixed-media works. 

The pieces, arranged according to the birth dates of the artists and the date the works were created, showcase the internal developmental threads of Russian painting. Most of these works and artists are being exhibited in China for the first time.

Through the exhibition, visitors will have the opportunity to appreciate the beautiful landscape paintings created by renowned Russian artists, which vividly display the beauty and uniqueness of Russia, noted Natalia Stepkina, counselor of the Russian Embassy in China, during the opening ceremony on Friday.

All of the works on display are provided by the Russian Academy of Arts and encompass landscapes, portraits, still lifes, and thematic creations, showcasing the easel painting art of the academy's members over nearly half a century. The exhibition will run until mid-October.

Autumnal Equinox, the 16th solar term of the lunar 24 solar terms, started on Sunday (September 22) this year and marks the midpoint of autumn, dividing the season into two equal parts. It also marks the harvest season. This year marks the seventh celebration of the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival, a time when farmers across the country share in the joy of the harvest. 

After Autumnal Equinox, the location of direct sunlight moves to the south, making days shorter and nights longer in the northern hemisphere. By this time, most regions in China have transitioned into the cooler autumn season. As cold air from the north meets the diminishing warm, humid air, it often results in precipitation.

Ancient Chinese tradition divides the Autumnal Equinox into three pentads: the first observes the softening of thunder, the second sees hibernating insects begin to nest, and in the third pentad, water starts to dry up.

During this season, crabs are considered particularly delicious. Eating crabs is believed to nourish the marrow and help clear internal heat from the body.

In South China, a custom for Autumnal Equinox is known as "having Qiucai (an autumn vegetable), a type of wild amaranth that is popular during this time. Every Autumnal Equinox day, Qiucai, verdant in the field, is collected and made into soup with fish, called "Qiutang" (autumn soup). 

Besides, Autumnal Equinox is the perfect season for kite flying. Children fly various kites, enjoying the pleasant weather. 

In North China, taro becomes a staple in the seasonal diet during this time. Health experts recommend having some more easily digestible foods in autumn. Taro is soft and nutritional. 

In some regions, there remains a folk tradition of extending greetings and well wishes for a successful autumn ploughing. 

Since ancient times, many places have had folk custom of mountaineering and sight-seeing. Due to the effects of air pressure and humidity, autumn often brings clear blue skies, white clouds, and cool breezes, making it perfect for mountaineering. 

During the Autumnal Equinox, the temperature difference between morning and evening becomes more pronounced, so people should adjust their attire to prevent catching colds.

Fitness exercises in this season can do more of cold-resistant exercises and aerobic exercises, such as hiking, walking and cycling. After the Autumnal Equinox, it is recommended not to engage in excessive exercise, as it may deplete yang energy. Instead, people may try some gentle exercises including tai chi, Baduanjin (an ancient Chinese qigong exercise combining movement), and Wuqinxi (the Five-Animal Exercises), so that the whole-body sweats slightly and not too tired.