China strongly opposes the US' so-called bills supporting the Taiwan island as a member of the IMF and has lodged a solemn representation with the US, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Tuesday.

The US House of Representatives advanced several bills concerning the island on Friday. One of them, the "Taiwan Non-Discrimination Act of 2023," sponsored by California Republican Young Kim, requires the US to advocate for Taiwan's membership at the IMF. 

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a regular press conference in Beijing on Tuesday that the so-called bill constitutes a gross interference in China's internal affairs, attempting to manipulate political issues under the guise of the Taiwan question and creating incidents that promoted "one China, one Taiwan" or "two Chinas" that violate the one-China principle.

China has expressed its strong dissatisfaction, firmly opposes the latest move by the US, and has lodged a solemn representation with the US, Mao said, emphasizing that Taiwan island has no legitimate reasons or rights to participate in international organizations such as the United Nations, which are reserved for sovereign states. 

Mao mentioned that on October 25, 1971, the 26th Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 by an overwhelming majority, explicitly recognizing  that the Government of the People's Republic of China as the sole legitimate representative of China at the United Nations, and demanding the expulsion of the representatives of the Taiwan island from the UN.

For over half a century, the UN and other specialized agencies, including the IMF, have adhered to the provisions of this resolution, the spokesperson said.

"Any issue related to Taiwan's participation in international organizations must be resolved under the One-China principle. The US should recognize the high sensitivity of the Taiwan question, immediately cease interfering in China's internal affairs, stop sending wrong signals to pro-independence forces in the island, and refrain from harming China-US relations and the peace and stability of the Taiwan Strait," Mao said.

At the invitation of Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman of the World Economic Forum, Viola Amherd, President of the Swiss Confederation, and Leo Varadkar, Irish Taoiseach, Premier Li Qiang of the State Council will attend the World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2024 and pay an official visit to Switzerland and Ireland from January 14 to 17: Chinese Foreign Ministry

"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 government agencies are placing significant emphasis on economic work and policy measures, underscoring their unwavering commitment to achieving the objectives outlined at the Central Economic Work Conference (CEWC), a tone-setting meeting for China's 2024 economic work.

The approach reflects China's confidence and determination to meet the targets for both economic and social development, fostering a positive outlook for robust economic growth in 2024, experts said.

On Tuesday, the first working day of 2024, Han Wenxiu, executive deputy director of the office of the Central Committee for Financial and Economic Affairs, said in an article published in the People's Daily that China's economic recovery and long-term improvement remain unchanged, with favorable conditions outweighing unfavorable factors.

It is expected that China's economy showed signs of improvement in 2023 compared with the previous year. In contrast to many other countries struggling with weak recoveries, soaring prices and high debt, China's economy is developing rapidly with stable employment, commodity prices and international balance of payments, Han said.

Han called for the implementation of policies that would help stabilize expectations, promote growth and boost employment. He also called for unleashing consumption potential and tapping into potential demand in the areas of urban renovation, migrant workers, education, healthcare and elder care.

The remark from Han came as top officials from major government agencies including the National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), China's top economic planner, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) and the Ministry of Finance (MOF), have delivered reports in recent days, focusing on economic work in 2024, on the heels of the CEWC.

The CEWC usually breaks down tasks in a very specific manner after the conference. With each government agency announcing its respective work arrangements at the beginning of the year, it will effectively stabilize expectations and bring significant benefits to economic stability and development, Li Chang'an, a professor at the Academy of China Open Economy Studies of the University of International Business and Economics, told Global Times on Wednesday.

The CEWC, which was held in December, called for enhancing confidence and determination.

Recent statements from various ministries and departments indicate that the government is highly focused on economic work and is strengthening macroeconomic regulation and policy coordination to achieve a positive economic recovery, Wang Peng, an associate researcher at the Beijing Academy of Social Sciences, told the Global Times on Wednesday.

In the agency's respective report, Zheng Shanjie, head of the NDRC, emphasized the importance of stabilizing expectations and enhancing confidence in China's economic development. "We have the ability to continuously improve our economic structure, strengthen growth momentum and maintain positive development trends," Zheng said.

In a report delivered in recent days, China's Finance Minister Lan Fo'an also expressed confidence in achieving the annual targets for economic and social development in 2023, which he said will lay a solid foundation for development in 2024.

The CEWC also specifically mentioned the need to vigorously promote new industrialization, develop the digital economy and accelerate the development of artificial intelligence (AI).

Jin Zhuanglong, minister of the MIIT, highlighted the need to cultivate and expand emerging industries, proactively plan for future industries, promote the use of AI in new industrialization and green and low-carbon development in the industrial sector.

The CEWC also mentioned that proactive fiscal policies should be appropriately strengthened and improved in quality and efficiency.

Lan mentioned the MOF will further strengthen policy support and financial protection, and coordinate the use of policy tools such as taxation, transfer payments, government investment and financing guarantees.

The recent statements, which addressed all important aspects of the nation's economic work, conveyed a stable, proactive and pragmatic attitude. The introduction of these policy measures will help boost market confidence and enhance social expectations, injecting strong momentum into economic development, Wang said.

Experts expressed a high level of confidence that China was able to meet its economic growth target for 2023 of about 5 percent, and they anticipate a continued economic recovery in 2024.

China has released major economic figures for the first 11 months of 2023. Industrial output expanded at a better-than-expected 6.6 percent in November, the fastest pace in almost two years, and retail sales also showed steady 10.1 percent growth year-on-year, according to data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).

Recently, several international organizations and financial institutions have raised their forecasts for China's economy and remained upbeat about China's economic outlook for 2024.

The IMF recently raised its forecast for China's GDP growth in 2023 to 5.4 percent from 5 percent in October.

Strong growth in household consumption and supportive macroeconomic policies, including a special-purpose bond issue of 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion) are highlights for China's 2024 economy, Steven Alan Barnett, senior IMF resident representative in China, told the Global Times in an exclusive interview in December.

"It is expected that China's economic development environment in 2024 will be better. The main focus of economic work for 2024 will be centered on expanding domestic demand, stabilizing foreign investment and stabilizing foreign trade," Li said.

Volkswagen's announcement that no evidence of forced labor was found in its supply chain in Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region not only refutes lie spun by some anti-China forces in the West, it also reflects an intensified tussle between European business and political circles, as the latter politicizing human rights issues runs counter to market rules and European companies' interests, said Chinese experts. They also warned Europe against following the US in weaponizing claims of "forced labor," as such move will hurt Europe's interests more than the US.

The audit on Volkswagen's jointly owned plant in Xinjiang was carried by Loening Human Rights & Responsible Business GmbH, among the site's 197 employees in SAIC-Volkswagen (Xinjiang) Automotive Co.

The audit encompassed on-site document checks in Urumqi city as well as interviews with staff and executives of the legal entity in Xinjiang. Several on-site inspections, including walkabouts of the outdoor premises of the plant were also part of the auditing process.

As of November 1, 2023, the legal entity had 197 employees, of which 150 employees are of Han ethnicity, accounting for 76.1 percent, and 23.9 percent of employees are ethnic minorities including Uygurs.

Loening said that the employees are qualified, having worked for the company for a long time of up to 10 years, have a low work intensity and are being remunerated above the average in the region. Overtime work is next to non-existent.

There were no indications of any use of forced labor among the employees at the plant, it said.

The result serves as a strong rebuttal to certain Western countries' smear campaign hyping the claims of "forced labor" in Xinjiang, as the audit process was conducted independently, in accordance with US and European standard and in line with the truth, a professor specializing in human rights issues at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, who requested anonymity, told the Global Times.

Earlier this year, Volkswagen investors demanded that the carmaker request cooperation from SAIC to conduct an independent audit of labor conditions at the site in Xinjiang, Reuters reported. Volkswagen's China chief Ralf Brandstaetter said there was no evidence of human rights violations or forced labor when he toured the site in February.

Big German companies, such as Volkswagen, have become targets of blame by some forces in Europe over human rights issues in China, because Germany has the closest trade cooperation with China within the EU, said Cui Hongjian, a professor with the Academy of Regional and Global Governance with Beijing Foreign Studies University. He said that those forces intend to use big corporations to pressure Germany and they believe once Germany changes its stance on China, it would help form a tougher stance against China within the EU.

Cui noted that the Volkswagen case has proved that the tendency in EU using political issues to poison cooperation has repulsed the European business circle. Big European companies now find the judicial and legal environment they thrived on has been eroded by certain China hawks in the EU, noting that cases such as forcing companies to prove their innocence will be repeated as long as some in Europe still see China as a threat.

In September 2022, the European Parliament proposed a regulation to ban products made using forced labor, including child labor, in the European Union (EU) internal market. However, the regulation has stalled, as member states struggle to agree on a common position that would allow inter-institutional negotiations to begin.

Part of the rationale behind Europe's "forced labor" move is to push for supply chain reconstruction, which might run against market rules as well as companies' interests, said Yan Shaohua, a research associate professor at the Center for China-Europe Relations, Fudan University. He noted that Volkswagen's example mirrors a tussle between business and political circles in Europe and helps to clear some misperceptions toward Xinjiang in Europe.

Dispel misunderstanding

"Forced labor" topic has been frequently abused by Western countries, especially the US, to pressure foreign companies who do business with China and Chinese companies. Similar to Volkswagen, US shoe company Skechers had a batch of its products manufactured in China seized by US customs, citing the so-called Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, the Global Times learned from sources in 2022.

In order to meet the demand of the US customs, Skechers organized an independent investigation conducted by a third party, which found no evidence to support the "forced labor" allegations.

In September, US Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that it added three Chinese companies - Xinjiang Tianmian Foundation Textile Co Ltd, Xinjiang Tianshan Wool Textile Co. Ltd, and Xinjiang Zhongtai Group Co. Ltd - to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) Entity List for their business practices involving "persecuted" minorities in Xinjiang, media reported.

In response, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said that China has made clear time and again that the allegations of "forced labor" in Xinjiang are nothing but an enormous lie propagated by people against China to smear our country's image.

Washington is determined to spin "forced labor" lie in order to strip China from the global supply chain, as Xinjiang remains a relatively small market for the US. However, Xinjiang's market is much more important for Europe, thus if Europe follows the US to weaponize "forced labor" claims, European companies and its economy will feel the pinch, Cui said.

In 2021, Xinjiang recorded around 261.8 billion yuan ($41 billion) in foreign trade with EU countries in the first 11 months of the year, up 30 percent year-on-year.

As agreed between China and the EU, the 24th China-EU Summit will be held in Beijing on Thursday, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying announced on Monday.

Wang Yiwei, director of the Institute of International Affairs at the Renmin University of China said that as usual, human rights issue will be discussed between the two sides. "The Volkswagen case has proved that the reckless smearing of China and politicians' thwarting of China-Europe cooperation out of ideological prejudice has provoked antipathy among Europe's business communities, while the public is eager to get a more rational and objective picture of China."

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.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake struck Jishishan county in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Northwest China's Gansu Province on Monday midnight. As of press time, the earthquake has caused 105 fatalities and 186 injuries in Gansu and another 11 were killed in neighboring Qinghai Province.

Chinese President Xi Jinping issued important instructions on Tuesday regarding the earthquake in Gansu, demanding full-scale search and rescue efforts, proper resettlement of affected people, and maximum efforts to ensure the safety of people's lives and property. Premier Li Qiang also issued instructions.

It is the deadliest earthquake in terms of casualties in China following the devastating 2010 earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai Province, and the second-largest in magnitude. 

Notably, since the 2010 Yushu quake, the biggest earthquake had also occurred in Gansu Province with a maximum magnitude of 6.6, resulting in nearly 100 fatalities.

Houses and infrastructure related to water, electricity, and roads in and around the epicenter have been damaged to varying degrees.

It has also been found that the earthquake-stricken area in Gansu experienced mountain collapses, and there was displacement in the supports of a local bridge. 

"I live on the 16th floor and felt the tremors so strongly. The moment of the earthquake was feeling like being tossed up after surging waves… I woke my family up and we rushed down all 16 floors in one breath," A resident living near the epicenter surnamed Qin told media. 

It was freezing cold out there at minus 12 C, and Qin noticed his neighbors also fleeing from surrounding buildings, some wearing down jackets, some wrapped in blankets, and some even bare-chested.

The earthquake also affected the neighboring province of Qinghai. As of 6 am on Tuesday, the earthquake has resulted in 11 deaths and 140 injuries in Haidong city in Qinghai Province. 

Some houses have collapsed in counties and districts such as Minhe, Xunhua, and Hualong. Local electricity lines and communication networks are under urgent repair, and efforts in personnel rescue and disaster assessment are still ongoing.

In light of the severe disaster, the State Council's Earthquake Relief Command and the Ministry of Emergency Management have raised the national earthquake emergency response to Level II. The National Disaster Prevention and Relief Committee and the Ministry of Emergency Management have also elevated the national disaster relief emergency response to Level II.

Following the earthquake, a total of 1,440 firefighters from the national comprehensive fire and rescue teams were deployed to the disaster area for rescue efforts. Additionally, 1,603 firefighters from Gansu and surrounding provinces have been assembled and are on standby.

Army units from the PLA Western Theater Command swiftly prepared for emergency response. Over 300 officers and soldiers were mobilized overnight and arrived in the severely affected area by 4 am Tuesday to commence personnel search and rescue operations, road clearance, and other tasks.

According to Gansu earthquake administration, multiple consecutive tremors occurred late at night, with the maximum magnitude reaching 6.2. A total of 140 aftershocks have been recorded, with the largest measuring 4.1 in magnitude. 

Areas in other regions including Southwest China's Sichuan Province, Northwest China's Shaanxi Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, also experienced tremors.

The China Earthquake Networks Center has organized experts to conduct analysis on the seismic activity near the epicenter in Gansu, which occurred in the southeastern part of the province, approximately three kilometers from the nearest fault line - the northern edge fault of Laji Mountain. 

Preliminary analysis of the focal mechanism indicates that this earthquake was a thrust rupture. 

The active tectonic zone in southeastern Gansu lies in the northern part of the North-South Seismic Belt in China and is an important region on the northeastern edge of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau. Due to the long-term compression between the Eurasian Plate and the Indian Plate, intense tectonic activity occurs in this region, characterized by the development of numerous deep-seated faults.

Within a 200-kilometer radius of the epicenter of this earthquake, there have been three earthquakes measuring magnitude 6 or higher since 1900. All were either isolated or main shock-aftershock type earthquakes.

The significant casualties this time also stem from the poor seismic resistance of buildings, relatively dense population in affected areas, and the timing of the quake when people are usually asleep and unable to evacuate in time.

The Earthquake Early Warning System, jointly developed by the Institute of Care-life and the China Earthquake Administration, told the Global Times that it had alerted the regions ahead of the earthquake. 

It provided warning to the Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture located 56 kilometers from the epicenter 12 seconds before the quake, and some 20 seconds to regions adjacent, including Gansu's capital city of Lanzhou. 

Preliminary statistics show that domestically manufactured mobile phones, televisions, and other devices equipped with the warning system were able to issue alerts in advance within the affected earthquake zone. 

Children cheer during celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of Kenya's independence at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi, Kenya, on Dec. 12, 2023. Kenya's Jamhuri Day or Independence Day, observed on Dec. 12 each year, is one of the most important national holidays in Kenya. Kenya obtained its independence from the United Kingdom on Dec. 12, 1963.(Photo: Xinhua)

NBA superstars used to visit China during their season break, connecting avid basketball fans who are thousands miles away from North America. 

After the COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to such activities, Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks led the list of NBA players resuming trips to the world's most populous country where basketball remains highly popular. 

Despite not being the first NBA star to visit China this year, the presence of Antetokounmpo - known in China as "Letter Bro" due to the difficulty of pronouncing his surname - backed by his honors such as back-to-back NBA regular season MVP awards in 2019 and 2020 as well as an NBA championship title in 2021, ignited a wave of fervent excitement among fans.

Though this was not his first trip to China, the "Greek Freak" seemed to embrace his nickname, even posting a picture on Instagram on his flight to China, captioned as "Greetings from the Letter Bro!" 

The popularity of Letter Bro in China was evident as the fans followed his bus by taking pictures, with them wearing the Bucks shirt with Antetokounmpo's name and number on it. 

Now without any competitive schedule, Antetokounmpo, on a promotional tour this time, got more time to interact with fans. Before coming to Beijing, he tried dragon boat and lion dance and visited a local school to unveil a new basketball court in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province. 

In Beijing, he taught students how to do the basketball trick Euro step after refereeing a game between two student team. 

Among many other highlights, he emphasized to the players that "having fun" is the most vital part of maintaining passion for the sport.

Additionally, Antetokounmpo participated in a training session with China's national under-16 basketball team in Beijing on Saturday. 

This demonstrates his willingness to engage with young basketball players and share his knowledge and skills with them. Bearing the accolades he has won, Antetokounmpo could inspire and motivate young players to pursue their passion for the sport.

Such a promotional tour brings significant commercial opportunities for players for sure, but it could also serve as a platform for cultural exchange. 

It enables the NBA stars to interact closely with Chinese players and fans, fostering a love for sports in general and basketball in particular, especially among the youngsters. 

It also allows Chinese fans to witness firsthand the skills and charisma of their favorite stars.

This exchange of cultures enriches the fan experience and fosters a sense of unity among basketball enthusiasts worldwide.

Antetokounmpo's visit highlights the power of sports in bridging cultural gaps and promoting mutual understanding, as it showcases the vibrant and passionate basketball culture in China. 

Basketball has become a universal language, bringing people together by transcending borders. 

Through his interactions with Chinese fans and players, he exemplifies the positive impact that athletes can have beyond the court. 

His visit not only elevates the sport but also reinforces the importance of fostering connections and understanding between different cultures.

 Through basketball, we can celebrate our shared love for the game and appreciate the diverse beauty of our global community.