"National security is the foundation of national rejuvenation. In adhering to the overall concept of national security, we resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, safety, and development interests." On August 1, 2023, the official WeChat account of China's Ministry of State Security made its debut with these powerful words, becoming an important window, through which the whole society could gain an understanding of the work conducted by national security agencies.

China's national security agencies are responsible for counter-espionage work, while also undertaking functions such as safeguarding political agency and overseas security. The national security agencies have always been shrouded in mystery, representing a covert front line with special status and missions. They have played an important role in defending the state power, maintaining social harmony and stability, and protecting people's lives and property.

To mark the fourth Chinese People's Police Day which falls on January 10, Global Times reporters went to two border towns in North and South China - Manzhouli in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province, to conduct in-depth interviews with local national security officers, who faithfully practice the pledge of dedicated service to the people.

Head-to-head frontline battles

Manzhouli is covered in white snow amid the howling wind in December 2023. The city stands near the boundary marker of the China-Mongolia-Russia tri-border, and a borderline that stretches over 1,000 kilometers. Officers from the national security bureau of Manzhouli told the Global Times that this special geographical location has always made the city an important channel and springboard for hostile forces to infiltrate and sabotage the country. The continued sagas of silent struggles of infiltration and counter-infiltration, subversion and counter-subversion, and division and counter-division play out here on a regular basis.

During her first mission, Li Yue (pseudonym), a Generation-Z officer from the national security bureau in Manzhouli, experienced the acuteness and complexity of these struggles.

Similar to a plot straight out of a film, Li Yue had to disguise herself as a waitress in a restaurant to get closer to a suspect, in order to coordinate with her colleagues' next move.

"In the few steps that it took for me to come face to face with him, I tried to maintain my cool, not allowing myself to show any hint of nervousness. Trained professionals quickly notice such things, so I had to meet his gaze with a placid one," Li Yue recalled. 

Like any ordinary waitress, she greeted the suspect with a smile, led him to his seat, offered him a glass of water, took his order, and also attended to the rest of the diners. "My colleagues and I did a lot of work beforehand, making contingency plans for various possible eventualities. The suspect would never know that a covert operation was fully underway." 

Shortly after this mission, Li Yue changed her online handle to "actor." Exquisite "acting" skills were just some of the many skills and qualities possessed by the national security officers. The success of each operation relies on meticulous planning, creative thinking, strong psychological resilience, and unwavering courage.

Thousands of miles away on the Southwest China's border region, Xishuangbanna national security bureau officers guard the region with Laos and Myanmar, which stretches for nearly a thousand kilometers. Their main task is to prevent foreign spies and intelligence personnel from infiltrating or fleeing from China. 

In 2015, the Xishuangbanna bureau successfully cracked down on an espionage case that was remotely plotted by a foreign intelligence agency. In August of that year, the bureau received a tip from higher-level authorities that a man surnamed Li, who used to work in an important governmental department, had been subverted and recruited as a spy by a foreign intelligence agency while studying abroad. Signs showed that Li was about to escape the country recently, very possibly via Xishuangbanna.

After receiving the arrest order, the officers of the Xishuangbanna bureau carefully analyzed Li's possible escape routes, mobilized all forces to set up checkpoints and surveillance, and finally tracked him down.

Song Bin (pseudonym), a Xishuangbanna bureau official who participated in the operation to arrest Li, told the Global Times that "during the operation, we found that Li was using various anti-surveillance methods to evade arrest. Various signs indicated that there were personnel from foreign spy intelligence agencies behind him [who had taught him how to evade police detection]." 

On the sixth day of the arrest operation, Li arrived at an exit channel on the Xishuangbanna border. National security officials from the Xishuangbanna bureau, who were disguised as boat operators, waited at the exit channel and noticed that Li matched the photo in the arrest warrant and made their approach. 

"We asked to see his identity (ID) card if he wanted to take our boat to go abroad. He provided us with a fake ID card, which showed his registered place of residence as Southwest China's Sichuan," Song said. 

The Xishuangbanna bureau police would not be able to arrest Li if they could not confirm his identity, otherwise it would alert the target and the operation would fail. At this critical moment, one of the officials, who was familiar with various dialects in the southwest, had a brilliant idea: Now that Li had pretended to be a Sichuan native, why not converse with him in the Sichuan dialect? 

This sudden "test" caught Li off-guard, and his expression changed drastically, revealing his guilt. The Xishuangbanna bureau officials then confirmed his identity as the fleeing suspect. The officers also immediately revealed their identities before taking Li into custody while he pleaded not to be arrested.

Silent, dangerous mission

In the process of safeguarding national security, national security officials have also demonstrated their great spirit of dedication and sacrifice.

"We often have to face unexpected dangers, and in some critical moments, we can only put our lives on the line," an official from the Xishuangbanna bureau surnamed Yan told the Global Times. 

Yan recounted an instance in which a person suspected of engaging in activities that endangered national security fled to Xishuangbanna with the intention of leaving the country. During the arrest operation, while not sure of whether the suspect was armed, Yan and several other Xishuangbanna bureau officials decisively charged forward. 

"Although he was alone, he had received relevant military training and had a mindset of fighting to the death. At that critical moment, we didn't have time to think; we could only rush forward and firmly restrain him. Fortunately, his luggage only contained cash and some forged documents," Yan said.

Being able to endure hard work and loneliness is how many national security officers evaluate their own work. Jiang Dingbian (pseudonym), an officer from the national security bureau in Manzhouli, has devoted himself to security operations for nearly 30 years. He told the Global Times that those officers have to make long-term contingency preparations for every case. "It may take three to five years, or even more than a decade, to track down just one lead." 

The national security bureau in Manzhouli once arrested a target that had been under surveillance for years. Jiang spent three years in analyzing thousands of pieces of information before finally discovering evidence of the target's involvement in other illegal activities.

In order to promptly identify all possible risks, the national security bureau in Manzhouli has set up a room that is less than 20 square meters, where national security officers work in shifts around the clock. For a long time, this small space had no air conditioning and the water supply would occasionally be cut off. In the summer, the national security officers would often be drenched in sweat, while in the winter, they had to endure the freezing cold wind constantly seeping in through the cracks in the window at minus 30 C. 

"Some cases have made no progress after years of effort, which made me wonder whether it was worth persisting. But we cannot overlook any potential national security risks and threats. This is our original intention and our duty," Li Yue said.

Whole-society defense line

National security is the common aspiration and fundamental interest of all ethnic groups in the country. Safeguarding national security is also the shared responsibility of all ethnic groups in the country.

Manzhouli national security bureau officer Li Bin (pseudonym) said that since the first National Security Education Day on April 15, 2016, the whole society has become more actively involved in various efforts to safeguard national security. 

On one hand, the government, institutions, enterprises, and individuals actively cooperate with national security work and provide support. On the other hand, the whole society has formed an atmosphere of responsibility for national security and the public actively reports suspicious clues, providing strong support to the work of national security agencies.

Li Bin revealed that the national security bureau of Manzhouli once received a report from a retired person, who said to have found a telephone line of a classified unit that was tens of meters long pulled out in the courtyard, leading to a residential building across the street, on his way back home. 

The veracity of the situation was confirmed shortly thereafter. It was a staff member of the unit who privately set up the telephone line for personal use, risking the leakage of classified information.

The national security bureau of Manzhouli quickly contacted the unit and requested immediate rectification of the situation to eradicate potential risks. 

In 2015, the national security agencies officially launched the 12339 hotline for citizens. In 2018, China's Ministry of State Security launched the internet reporting platform website www.12339.gov.cn. In April 2023, the national security agencies honored individuals who had made contributions in reporting activities that endangered national security for the fifth consecutive year. In August 2023, the official WeChat account of the Ministry of State Security opened a reporting platform.

Some officials from the Yunnan national security department reached by the Global Times said that they have witnessed a significant increase in awareness in the recent past, along with an understanding and participation of the public in safeguarding national security. This has been reflected in the increased number and quality of reports received through the 12339 hotline.

In recent years, with the help of public reports, the Yunnan national security department has successfully solved multiple cases related to ecological and military security, preventing valuable samples of flora and fauna and sensitive military equipment information from being transferred to foreign intelligence agencies.

Selfless, anonymous heroes

"Sorry but I can't disclose the specific details due to confidentiality regulations;" "Please do not mention my name and personal information;" "As a national security officer, I am willing to be an anonymous hero." These are phrases that Global Times reporters have heard repeatedly during interviews, highlighting the uniqueness of covert operations - selflessness, anonymity, and humility.

In the archives of the national security bureau in Manzhouli, two large cabinets occupy an entire wall, filled with files on the same case. This case has spanned over 20 years, involving several generations of national security officers. Behind each page of these files are all-night efforts, undercover operations in harsh weather conditions, and thrilling covert confrontations. However, once they leave the office, these experiences are never mentioned and may never be known.

In the battlefield of safeguarding national security, the invisible gunshots and unheard gun battles have never ceased. It is because of the silent dedication and perseverance of every national security officer that the sovereignty, security, and development interests of the country are protected, and the peaceful lives of the people are undisturbed.

Jiang said that many national security officers silently dedicate their entire lives to their work, without receiving applause and without the spotlight and dazzling stage. They quietly exit the stage after remarkable service, and the driving force that supports them is their firm belief in their hearts.

Currently, the meaning, purpose, and value of national security in our country are richer than at any time in history, and the internal and external factors affecting the same are more complex than at any time in history. The challenges faced in safeguarding national security are unprecedented. As national security officers have stated, "We always maintain a state of readiness, prepared to fight against any behavior that threatens national security."

Hidden in silence, the sword shines in invisibility. In this new era, Chinese national security agencies are embarking on a new journey to faithfully fulfill their duties, safeguard national sovereignty, security, and development interests, be an integral part of the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, and compose a new anthem for nameless heroes.

Chinese private aerospace firm iSpace completed the country's first reusable launch vehicle test on Sunday. The achievement marks a milestone in China's development of space technology.

The Hyperbola-2 is the company's latest model for reusable launch vehicle tests. During the flight, the vehicle reached an altitude of 343.12 meters, with a flight time of 63.15 seconds, and landed with a landing speed of 1.1 m/s and a landing attitude angle of 1.18 degrees.

The rocket had its first stage test flight on November 2, with a well-controlled descent and touchdown. I-Space then spent less than 20 days on preparation and maintenance work for the rocket.

The test flight verified the reuse capability of a full-size liquid-oxygen-methane rocket and its reliability for low-altitude descent and touchdown, as well as the testing process, norms, and standards. It also verified the company's rocket recovery system, marking a step forward in the global market of reusable launch vehicles.

The successful test flight of the Hyperbola-2 rocket represented more than just a technological breakthrough for iSpace. In the field of reusable launch vehicles, large companies including SpaceX and Blue Origin have established dominant technology advantages. The success of the iSpace test signals that the Chinese company is making strides in the emerging market.

China has continuously invested in the space sector and maintains advancements in key areas. On Sunday, the Yaogan-39 satellite was successfully launched from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in southwest China's Sichuan Province, marking the completion of the 500th flight mission of China's most iconic Long March series rockets.

China's private companies have been increasingly involved in the development of space technology in recent years. On Saturday, Landspace successfully launched a Zhuque-3 rocket with three satellites, Honghu, Honghu-2, and Tianyi-33, marking the first time the startup company has sent satellites into orbit.

The China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC) announced on Thursday the global opening of the next generation artificial sun, "China Circulation-3," after the group's affiliated Southwestern Institute of Physics signed an agreement with the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The initiative invites scientists worldwide to come to China and collaborate toward the shared goal of pursuing "artificial sun energy."

The "China Circulation-3" is currently China's most advanced and largest-scale nuclear fusion device, also referred to as China's next generation "artificial sun." 

In August this year, it successfully achieved high-constraint operation mode under a plasma current of 1 million amperes, marking a significant advancement in China's magnetic confinement nuclear fusion device, propelling it to the forefront of international research. 

Over the years, the Southwestern Institute of Physics has been deeply involved in the development of key components for ITER, the world's largest "artificial sun" project, CNNC said, and together overcame numerous engineering and technical challenges.

This involvement of the Chinese institute has led to the accumulation of extensive experience in the construction, debugging, operation, and maintenance of fusion devices, laying a solid foundation for China to integrate with international advanced technology and eventually construct its own fusion reactor. 

Due to the similarity in the principles of the two experiments, the openness of "China Circulation-3" will not only focus on addressing key technical issues of interest to the ITER but will also enhance China's research and development capabilities and foster talent development.

In April this year, the other Chinese "artificial sun," the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), which is also the world's first fully superconducting tokamak device in operation, saw a major breakthrough as it achieved a high power, stable, 403-second steady-state long-pulse high confinement mode plasma operation, setting a new world record for steady-state high confinement mode operation of a tokamak device.

Developer of the EAST, the Institute of Plasma Physics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said that they are aiming to use the EAST to generate fusion power before the centenary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls in 2049.

The ruins of an ancient city in Nanjing, East China's Jiangsu Province, have recently been dated to more than 3,000 years ago. The discovery has pushed back the recorded history of Nanjing by 600 years.

The discovered site has been identified as the ancient city of Changgan, which was once been depicted by China's great Tang Dynasty (618-907) literati Li Bai in his poetry collection Ballad of Changgan.

The ancient city reveals circular trenches, wall foundations, water wells and a sacrificial pit for a pig. Consecutive excavations over the past six years have gradually unveiled the architectural layout of the city site.

The circular trenches, in particular, are considered a distinctive feature that signifies the site's past as a city.

"In ancient times, trenches played a crucial role in a city's defense. Therefore, the presence of a defensive system featuring trenches and walls is a significant indication of an ancient city," stated Chen Dahai, the lead archaeologist of the project and an associate professor at the Nanjing Archaeological Research Institute.

The site was discovered to trace back more than 3,000 years, indicating its establishment during the Shang (c. 1600 BC-1046 BC) and Zhou (1046 BC-256 BC) dynasties.

This discovery has extended Nanjing's recorded history by an additional 600 years.

Historian Fang Gang told the Global Times that "the city of Nanjing was traditionally believed to have been founded 2,500 years ago." It is renowned for being the capital of the country for 13 dynasties, including the notable Song (420-479) and Ming (1368-1644) dynasties.

"The dating of the discovery places it around 3,100 years ago. It stands as a remarkable archaeological find in Nanjing in 2023," said Wang Wei, chairman of the Chinese Archaeology Council and also chief expert for China's Project to Trace the Origins of Chinese Civilization.

Archaeologist Lu Zhaojun told the Global Times that the new discovery may also provide "details about ancient Chinese peoples' cultural practices, ritual beliefs as well as their daily lives."

He also emphasized that, in addition to architectural remains, the site should contain artifacts that belonged to people living 3,000 years ago.

Several pieces of pottery with orderly triangle decorations were discovered at the site. These wares are diverse and include ritual vessels such as the ding (a ritual food vessel).

Archaeologist Wang Meng, a specialist in Shang and Zhou dynasty archaeology, told the Global Times that "pottery" was the primary medium for crafting utensils during that era. In addition to the ding, pottery dou and gui were commonly used as cooking utensils, serving as "dishes or containers for liquids, typically wine."

"Those patterns like the triangles decorating the pottery wares are also interesting. They are the results of the exchanges between the cultures of northern and southern China," Wang noted.

Pig bones and charcoal substances were also found at the site, documenting the lives of the Shang and Zhou people.

The ancient city of Changan was discovered within the Nanjing's West Street Ruins and is located close to another historical site called the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing, also known as Dabaoen Temple.

The West Street Ruins cover a total excavation area of 12,000 square meters. More than 10,000 pieces of various archaeological items have been found at the site, including the "ancient city of Changgan."

"I've visited the West Street Ruins once. It is huge and has a lot of interesting discoveries like brick kilns and small alleys that were created by ancient people. You can see the lively city scene back then," Wang noted.

"The new discovery, along with the West Street Ruins' history shows the historical continuity of Chinese culture," Wang emphasized.

Both the West Street Ruins and its Changgan ancient city are now part of the West Street Archaeological Site Park program. The program is dedicated to better exhibiting the historical site to the public through cultural events and activities.

China's Guo Hanyu won the women's singles tennis gold medal at the FISU Games on Sunday by making a comeback victory over Chinese Taipei player Yang Ya-yi 2-6, 6-1,6-1 

"The FISU Games have been fruitful for me," Guo told reporters after the match, as Sunday's win came on top of her silver medal in the women's doubles with teammate Jiang Xinyu on Saturday.

"I enjoyed the match today after seeing room for improvement in yesterday's defeat," said the Southwest University student athlete, who had won the doubles title in the previous FISU Games in 2019 in Napoli, Italy. 

Guo was one of the two flagbearers for China at the opening ceremony of the FISU Games. She said it gave her more of a boost rather than pressure. 

"It gives me a little pressure but more importantly impetus," Guo told the Global Times.

Guo played the match under the gaze of tennis great Zheng Jie, one of the Chinese female tennis trailblazers who won the Grand Slam doubles title at the Australian Open and the Wimbledon Championships in 2006.

Zheng, who is a Chengdu native and now a vice president of the Chinese Tennis Association (CTA), has been promoting tennis among the young generation in the recent years.

In 2010, she initiated youth tournaments with the aim of increasing the number of opportunities for young players to compete. 

Over the past 14 years, the CTA has incorporated more than 90 youth tournaments into their ranking system, providing ample chances for aspiring young talents to showcase their skills. 

"Nowadays, young Chinese tennis players, if they are willing to play, can find matches to play, which is something I never could even imagine during my playing career," Zheng told the Global Times. 

Fans watching the game at the Sichuan International Tennis Center in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province, were troubled by the rain, as it has postponed the men's singles as well as pairs final.

Some 30,000 runners competed in the Beijing Marathon in the early morning of Sunday, starting at the Tian'anmen Square in downtown Beijing.

The race in the Chinese capital, dubbed the country's flagship marathon, attracted over 130,000 runners to register for the 30,000-slot lucky draw, as all participants, regardless of athletic skill level, are required to take on the full distance of 42.195 kilometers.

Chinese runner Chen Tianyu brought fresh competition to the race traditionally dominated by elite African runners, as he finished in the overall seventh place with a time of 2:08:11. Geleta Ulfata of Ethiopia won the championship in 2:07:41.

Though the result, surpassing the previous best domestic time set by Ren Longyun of 2:08:15 in 2007, Chen's time was just one second short of seeing him qualify for the Paris Olympics. But it makes him the third-fastest Chinese runner of all time, following compatriots He Jie and Yang Shaohui who clocked in 2:07:30 and 2:07:49 respectively at the Wuxi Marathon in March 2023.

"My original goal was to finish in under 2 hours and 10 minutes, but I felt great when competing with the elite runners," Chen, who is no stranger to endurance races, told reporters after the race, before crediting the optimization of the racecourse that reduced turns and slopes that contributed to his achievement.

The racecourse for the Beijing Marathon, the oldest marathon in China as it inaugurated in 1981, is considered picturesque, as it features several iconic landmarks in the ancient and modern metropolis including the Military Museum of the Chinese People's Revolution and the CCTV Tower, before concluding at the Olympic Park near the Bird's Nest or the National Stadium where the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympic Games and 2022 Winter Olympic Games were held.

Tandem marathon races were also held on Sunday in a number of provincial capitals across China, including Xi'an, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province; Ji'nan, East China's Shandong Province; Zhengzhou, Central China's Henan Province; Changsha, Central China's Hunan Province as well as Chengdu, Southwest China's Sichuan Province.

Running fever

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, marathons had grown in popularity in China.

In 2018, China witnessed a marathon boom with 278 certified events held in the Chinese mainland, followed by a total of 330 races in 2019, before a 2020 dip to just 51 races, according to the Chinese Athletics Association (CAA).

World Athletics road running manager Alessio Punzi said earlier in October that 68 Chinese running events filed their applications to World Athletics in 2023, while a total of 133 road races across China were registered between January and June, according to the CAA.

For those unable to make it to the Beijing event, an online race was also held on the popular fitness tracking site Keep, where participants who finished a recorded marathon race elsewhere stood to win a commemorative medal. As of press time, nearly 30,000 people had registered in the online race. 

Alongside an increase in the popularity of marathons in China is an increasingly health-conscious population in the country. 

A 2020 National Fitness ­Activities Report released by the Beijing-based ­National Fitness Monitoring Center revealed that among adults, walking and running were the two most popular physical activities, accounting for 22.7 percent and 19.8 percent, respectively.

"Hosting marathon races could immediately boost local tourism and further stimulate local economic growth, as it is a good marketing tool which utilizes good word of mouth if the events are well organized," Mao Jiale, a Chengdu-based sports commentator, told the Global Times on Sunday.

"Nowadays fitness and health have taken root in people's hearts, as we see the number of people taking exercise growing, especially after the national policy on fitness was introduced."

Recent statistics show that the number of people who regularly participate in outdoor exercise in China currently exceeds 400 million. 

Health concerns

Some fans raised concerns over the air quality in the Chinese capital on Sunday when the Beijing Marathon was held, as data from the China National Environmental Monitoring Centre designated it as "mild to middle pollution." 

This is not the first time that organizers have had to contend with air quality issues. 

It is, however, "extremely difficult" to reschedule the event as nearly half of the participants had made their way to Beijing from other cities across the country, an official with the organizing committee told the Global Times.

Jiang Chong, a physiotherapist who is also an occasional distance runner, warned that amateur distance runners should be aware of the consequences if they decide to participate in an ultramarathon.

"The path to marathon success is no walk in the park. Injuries to the hip, knee, and ankle joints are regularly suffered by marathon runners, as it is in fact a challenging endeavor to finish a marathon," Jiang told the Global Times.

"Targeted training in strength, speed, and endurance is paramount. Simply lacing up your running shoes without adequate preparation can lead to injuries that may prematurely end one's love affair with the sport."

She underlined that it takes scientific training, gradual progress, and setting achievable goals to successfully tackle the full 42.195-kilometer race.

"Warming up adequately before running, stretching after running, and training progressively are the foundations of consistent long-distance running," Jiang said.

"It is not only a matter of joints, but it also tests the effectiveness of the cardiovascular system. Regular medical checkups will also help to detect problems in time before worse problems occur."

Japan will start procuring Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US in fiscal year 2025, a year earlier than initially planned, Japan's defense minister Minoru Kihara announced on Wednesday at a press event in Washington after holding his first face-to-face talks with his US counterpart Lloyd Austin, the Kyodo News reported. Chinese military observers warned that if Japan intends to target other countries, it will also be included in the scope of potential counterstrikes. Moreover, the US' plan to deploy Tomahawk cruise missiles on its allies in the Asia-Pacific region, targeted at China, is an underestimation, and will ultimately be futile.

As part of preparations to acquire "counterstrike" capabilities, or the ability to hit enemy bases should the need arise, Japan plans to purchase 400 Tomahawks, which have a strike range of around 1,600 kilometers.

The defense chiefs "shared the recognition" that the procurement of Tomahawk Block-4 missiles will begin in the fiscal year starting in April 2025, the Kyodo News cited a Japanese official as saying, noting that the purchase still needs to be approved by the US Congress, with both sides, for this reason, refraining from calling it formally "agreed."

Tomahawks, first used in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, are allegedly able to cover Chinese coastal areas and are deemed essential by Japanese officials to beef up Tokyo's defense capabilities until Japan deploys home-developed ones.

Japan's deployment of Tomahawk missiles from the US aims to strengthens its ability to launch preemptive strikes and enhances military cooperation with the Washington, Song Zhongping, a Chinese military expert and TV commentator, told the Global Times on Thursday.

He explained that the sale of Tomahawk cruise missiles to Japan primarily focuses on their deployment on Aegis-equipped warships.

Chinese observers believe the US allows Japan to rearm itself and is helping Japan to acquire long-range attack capabilities to turn Japan into a more important pawn against China, while Japan wants to help the US to fight China in a bid to realize the "normalization" of its national defense force and achieve large-scale military expansion.

However, if Japan dares to launch attacks on other countries at sea, its own territory will also become a target for retaliation, therefore, Japan should not miscalculate and think that it can use weapons and equipment without facing consequences, Song warned.

In August, Australia announced it would spent $833 million to boost its long-range strike capabilities as it finalized a deal to buy more than 200 Tomahawk cruise missiles from the US, making it one of the three countries to have Tomahawks along with the US and the UK.

Experts said deploying Tomahawk missiles in allies reflected the US ambition of beefing up its military strength in the Asia-Pacific region and speeding up the construction of a "Tomahawk missile encirclement circle" targeting China.

Both Australia and Japan will undoubtedly face retaliation if they use their missiles to threaten the homelands of other countries. Both countries need to ask themselves what is more important: serving as pawns to maintain US hegemony or ensuring the security of their own nations? Song said.

The military expert also noted that countries daydreaming about forming an encirclement of China are overestimating their capacities, Song noted.

Jakarta-Bandung HSR officially opens on October 17.

Although the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution on Friday on Gaza which calls for an immediate and sustained humanitarian truce leading to a cessation of hostilities, Israel still launched the second phase of its war against the Gaza Strip, bringing death toll on Palestine side since the war to nearly 8,000, mostly civilians including women and children.

Chinese analysts said that despite mounting pressure from the vast majority of the international community to stop the bloodshed, the international community is failing in its efforts because the US, a permanent member of UN Security Council with veto power and the protector of Israel in this region, has gone to great lengths to pave the way for a ground attack in the name of "counterterrorism" and "self-defense" of Israel and with the fast rising death toll, the conflict is likely to spill over to the whole Middle East.

On Friday, by a recorded vote of 121 in favor to 14 against, with 44 abstentions, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution titled "Protection of civilians and upholding legal and humanitarian obligations," with countries including China, Russia, France, as well as Arab and Muslim countries, voting in favor, and even close US allies like the UK and Japan abstaining, while the US, Israel and a few other countries voted against.

The US has asked for China's help to prevent escalation of the crisis during US Senate majority leader Chuck Schumer's trip to China earlier this month, and during the latest meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in the US, Secretary of State Antony Blinken expressed the view that there is a need to return to and implement the two-state solution, which is in line with China's stance about political solution of the Palestine-Israel issue.

However, according to the votes in the UN General Assembly and the Security Council, it shows that Washington holds a very different position compared not only to China but also to the vast majority of the international community in terms of a humanitarian truce, so to what extent China and the US can work together in stopping the crisis is still in question, as experts said this can happen only when Washington realizes that it should not stand on the wrong side of the history.  

Long and difficult war

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told the nation on Saturday night that the military has opened a "second stage" in the "war against Hamas" by sending ground forces into Gaza and expanding attacks from the ground, air and sea, and he warned that the war will be "long and difficult," per Associated Press report.  

The AP reported on Sunday that Gaza residents described the massive bombardment from the land, air and sea as "the most intense" of the three-week Israel-Hamas war. It knocked out most communications in the territory late on Friday and largely cut off the besieged enclave's 2.3 million people from the world.  

According to Palestine's state TV on Sunday, the death toll from the relentless Israeli bombing of Gaza and clashes in the West Bank since October 7 has risen to 7,814, the Anadolu Agency reported. It said in a statement that 21,693 others were wounded as a result of Israel's actions "against our people."  

Liu Zhongmin, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University, told the Global Times on Sunday that once Israeli forces launch a ground attack that aims at a long-term occupation of some areas of Gaza and seeking the complete elimination of Hamas, "the death toll will rise much more sharply than at present."

Street combat will be extremely brutal, the bombardments will be more intense, and due to the blockade, more civilians and the wounded will die because of the shortage of medicines, food and water. Israeli forces will also sustain heavy casualties because by using their network of tunnels, Hamas is capable of inflicting significant casualties on Israeli forces, Liu said.

With the rising death toll, the pressure on Israel and the US will rise as well, and if Israel's military offensive results in more casualties of Palestinian civilians, regional major powers like Iran and Saudi Arabia, as well as those who have already established diplomatic ties with Israel like Turkey and Egypt, will take further actions, said Wang Jin, an associate professor at the Institute of Middle Eastern Studies of Northwest University. 

"Even though some of them might be reluctant to get involved, the fury among their nationals will force them to take actions, as helping Palestinians resist Israel is the shared and top political correctness among the Muslim world," Wang Jin noted. 

Furies from Muslim world

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi said in a statement on X (formerly known as Twitter) on Sunday that the "Zionist regime's crimes have crossed the red lines, which may force everyone to take action. Washington asks us to not do anything, but they keep giving widespread support to Israel. The US sent messages to the Axis of Resistance but received a clear response on the battlefield." 

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said at a huge rally in Istanbul on Saturday that "Israel, you are an occupier" and he accused the Israeli government of behaving like a "war criminal" and trying to "eradicate" Palestinians, according to media reports. "Of course, every country has the right to defend itself. But where is the justice in this case? There is no justice - just a vicious massacre happening in Gaza." After this, Israel said Saturday it was recalling its diplomatic staff from Turkey, media reported. 

Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry denounced Israeli ground operations in Gaza in a statement released on Sunday on X, which it said would threaten the lives of Palestinian civilians and result in inhumane dangers.

The kingdom, which was heading toward normalizing relations with Israel before this round of conflict, warns of the danger of continuing to carry out these flagrant and unjustified violations that are contrary to international law."  

On Thursday, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Egypt and Morocco, in a joint statement, condemned the targeting of civilians and the "flagrant violations of international law" in Gaza. 

Iran, which considers Israel as an enemy, is likely to take more direct action to support forces like Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthi movement in Yemen, and Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Egypt are likely to allow and encourage NGOs and other groups to break through the Israel's blockade of Gaza to provide humanitarian supplies to the Palestinians in the region, experts said. 

Israel is facing a tough situation, as the war will not end in the short term as long as it insists on eliminating Hamas, and the casualties will increase terribly on both sides. However, if it stops the operation and accepts a truce, it will face huge pressures domestically, and the US will also share these problems, pressures and embarrassments with Israel before the end of the bloodshed, Chinese analysts noted. 

Editor's Note:

China and Pakistan's "ironclad" friendship has long been characterized by strong diplomatic ties, economic cooperation and strategic collaboration. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) as well as the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project under the BRI. Over the last decade, the CPEC has achieved fruitful results which have not only deepened bilateral cooperation but also opened up new avenues for regional connectivity and economic development. What has the CPEC brought to Pakistan over the last decade? What will be prioritized in the next decade? On the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the CPEC, Global Times reporters Xie Wenting and Bai Yunyi (GT) talked to Pakistani Ambassador to China Moin ul Haque (Haque) on the development of the CPEC.  

GT: This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). How does Pakistan assess the overall impact and achievements of the CPEC on Pakistan's economy and development?

Haque: The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a flagship project of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) marked a new phase in China-Pakistan relations by placing economic cooperation and connectivity at the center of the bilateral agenda. 

This year, as we celebrate the CPEC's 10th anniversary, it is an opportune time to review and reflect upon its achievements and successes. The CPEC has been a "game changer" transforming the economic landscape of Pakistan. It has helped Pakistan to develop and upgrade its transport and communication infrastructure and address our essential energy needs. A network of highways and motorways has provided more reliable China-Pakistan connectivity across the Karakoram Mountains and smoother inland communications. 

Around 50 projects under the CPEC have been completed with a total investment of approximately $25 billion. The creation of over 200,000 jobs through these projects has helped Pakistan to improve livelihoods and reduce poverty, leading to the economic empowerment of its people. 

The CPEC has seen the success of important early harvest projects and has now entered into its second phase which is even more promising as it broadens the scope of cooperation and focuses on socio-economic development, science and technology, agricultural cooperation, and industrialization. 

GT: What specific sectors have benefited the most from the CPEC? How has it contributed to job creation and economic diversification in Pakistan?

Haque: Fully aligned with the national development agenda of Pakistan, the CPEC is the key to our socio-economic development and is an excellent example of an open, coordinated, and inclusive development paradigm that benefits all parts of the country and all segments of the society. Governed by the Cooperation Framework, the CPEC is supported by four pillars: Gwadar Port, energy, transport infrastructure, and Industrial Cooperation. 

Construction of Gwadar Port is a key CPEC Project, and is now operational and ready to serve as a hub for trade and investment. Phase I of the Gwadar Free Trade Zone has been completed. In order to support these economic activities, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the Eastbay Expressway in June 2022. In a few months' time, the Gwadar New International Airport (GNIA) will be inaugurated. We are confident that all these projects will lend a fresh impetus to the high-quality development of Gwadar Port in the coming years. 

Similarly, our energy cooperation, under the CPEC has been satisfactory. Thirteen new energy projects have been completed, injecting 8,000 MW of electricity into the system, boosting industrial output, and thus contributing to steady economic growth. 

Transport infrastructure cooperation, under the CPEC, has also achieved significant progress. Signature projects like the KKH-II (Havelian-Thakot), the Peshawar to Karachi Highway (Sukkur-Multan), and the Lahore Orange Line are fully operational. Both sides are also committed to implementing the ML-1 railway and Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) projects, once matured.  

Industrial cooperation, under the CPEC is pivotal for the second phase of its high-quality development. In 2022, both sides signed the CPEC Framework Agreement on Industrial cooperation. The Special Economic Zones (SEZs), being developed under the CPEC, are aimed to rejuvenate Pakistan's industrial sector and further spur economic development.

Socio-economic development cooperation, under the CPEC, has also achieved remarkable progress. So far, 27 projects in six areas of agriculture, education, health, poverty alleviation, energy, and professional training have been implemented leading to an improvement of people's livelihoods. 

GT: As the CPEC enters its second decade, what are Pakistan's priorities and expectations for further cooperation with China under this framework?

Haque: Building high-quality infrastructure and enhancing connectivity and regional integration would be prioritized in the second phase of CPEC development. 

Speaking at an event hosted by Pakistan to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the CPEC, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif underscored that the "CPEC is not merely a collection of different projects but a symbol of prosperity and shared development" for the entire region, including neighboring countries. He added that the first phase of the CPEC was about fixing the "hardware" side of development, and the upcoming second phase would upgrade the "software" of development by focusing on agriculture, science and technology, skill development, innovation, industrialization, economic growth, health, and education.

In that context, Pakistan and China would hold regular meetings of the CPCE's Joint Working Groups (JWGs) to evaluate and review progress made by each side in relevant fields. This would enable us to attain desired results expected from CPEC. 

GT: How does Pakistan view its role in the broader context of the BRI and its potential to foster regional economic integration and connectivity?

Haque: Pakistan considers the historic BRI is a win-win proposition aimed at bringing shared prosperity for humankind. It has emerged as a new model for deepening regional connectivity and economic integration among partner countries. The BRI provides a strong impetus for a wave of globalization by boosting bilateral and multilateral trade and foreign direct investment projects. 

Through a network of various corridors, the BRI is reshaping the geo-economics of the participating countries and has become a beacon of hope for them.

The BRI has also significantly contributed to stabilizing supply chains along the route while promoting a culture of economic resilience through industrialization, creation of jobs, entrepreneurship promotion, innovation, and advancing technology.