Over the last four years, China-Solomon Islands cooperation under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) has achieved fruitful results, bringing profound benefits to both nations. In a recent interview with the Global Times, the first Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands expressed confidence in the future cooperation between China and the Solomon Islands.
"The Solomon Islands will undoubtedly become a magnet for Chinese business investments," Li Ming, who served as the Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands from September 2020 to September 2023, told the Global Times.
According to Li, the development of China-Solomon Islands relations has been multifaceted. At the highest level of engagement, Prime Minister Sogavare has made two official visits to China, establishing a comprehensive strategic partnership of mutual respect and common development for a new era. Head-of-state diplomacy has charted a grand blueprint for high-quality joint construction of the BRI and provided strategic guidance for bilateral relations.
In terms of infrastructure connectivity, China has become the Solomon Islands' largest infrastructure cooperation partner. China-aided facilities like the Pacific Games' main stadium and the Solomon Islands National University dormitories have become local landmarks, providing essential support for the hosting of major sporting events, promoting economic and social development.
Regarding trade facilitation, China has been the Solomon Islands' largest trading partner for several consecutive years. China provides 98 percent tariff-free treatment to products from Solomon Islands in nearly all categories, and both countries are steadily advancing cooperation in inspection and quarantine, creating favorable conditions for the expansion of exports of agricultural and fishery products from the Solomon Islands to China, leading to an increase in incomes for its people.
In terms of financial connectivity, an increasing number of Chinese companies are turning their attention to the Solomon Islands. During Prime Minister Sogavare's visit to China in July, a "China-Solomon Islands High-Level Enterprise Exchange Meeting" was held in Beijing, at which Chinese enterprises in agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, energy and mineral resources, infrastructure, telecommunications, and tourism engaged in in-depth communication with representatives from the Solomon Islands. It is believed that in the next phase, the Solomon Islands will become a magnet for Chinese business investments.
In terms of people-to-people exchanges, China has established friendly relations with multiple provinces and cities in the Solomon Islands. More than 100 young students from the Solomon Islands have come to China to further their studies under government scholarships. China also continues to be committed to improving the Solomon Islands' medical and healthcare conditions by donating a large quantity of medical and epidemic prevention supplies, and Chinese medical teams have alleviated the suffering of many patients in the country. When the Chinese navy's Ark Peace hospital ship visited the Solomon Islands, it treated tens of thousands of patients in just one week.
In September 2019, the Solomon Islands established diplomatic relations with China, becoming one of China's newest diplomatic partners. Less than a month after establishing diplomatic ties, Prime Minister Sogavare visited China and signed a Memorandum of Understanding on jointly building the BRI, media sources reported.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the friendly cooperation between the two countries has steadily advanced and has been at the forefront of China's relations with Pacific island countries, becoming a model of solidarity, cooperation, and joint development among large and small countries and developing countries.
In a previous interview with the Global Times in May, former ambassador Li said, "As the first Chinese Ambassador to the Solomon Islands, my most prominent impression after arriving in the Solomon Islands was the enthusiasm and expectations of the Solomon Islands' government and people for China-Solomon Islands relations."
He told the Global Times that since the establishment of diplomatic relations, both governments and peoples have been committed to promoting friendship, expanding cooperation, and have achieved fruitful results, proving with practical actions that the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and the Solomon Islands is on the right side of history.
"Various sectors of the country's society have shown significantly increased enthusiasm for cooperation with China, with a more resolute attitude toward upholding China-Solomon Islands relations, and support for the One-China principle has become a common consensus among various sectors," he said.
Editor's Note: Is China-US relationship locked in an increasingly intense rivalry or is there possibly a "window of opportunity" to mend strained ties between the two countries? A number of recent visits to China by high-ranking US officials were made, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, Climate Envoy John Kerry, and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. Veteran US diplomat Henry Kissinger also visited China in July. Where is the China-US relationship headed as high-level interactions increase? Einar Tangen (Tangen), a senior fellow of the Beijing-based think tank Taihe Institute, founder and chairman of China Cities Bluebook Consulting and former chairman of the State of Wisconsin's International Trade Council, shared his insights with Global Times (GT) reporter Li Aixin, during the 7th Taihe Civilizations Forum held on Tuesday.
GT: How would you comment on the recent series of visits by US officials and veteran US diplomat? What message did they convey? Tangen: You have to separate Henry Kissinger from the other four. The administration people simply came to "gaslight" China. Kissinger was at the signing of the Three Communiqués – he is a living reminder that the US agreed to one-China policy. His hope, like the hope of all rational people, is that an armed conflict can be avoided. The other four were part of, in essence, a "gaslighting" operation. Publicly declaring a desire to engage with China while engaging in hostile acts – military provocations in the Taiwan Straits, the South China Seas, anti-China congressional and the administration acts and statements… But, you can't expect someone to want to talk with you, if you keep slapping them.
GT: Will these visits make any difference to the US' China policy? Tangen: No. The major issue is the Biden administration's lack of a China, or for that matter an international, strategy. Containing China is not a strategy and it isn't working. China continues to forge ahead, for example, pioneering new methods that can replace silicon with gallium, which would revolutionize chip design, capabilities, and fabrication. Another example is the Huawei Mate 60 phone, which is using a 7 nanometer chip which allows it to equal Apple's iPhone. If the intent was to contain China, US policy is actually working in reverse. We live in an interconnected global supply chain, where progress and prices come from research, competition, and efficiency. China has for the last eight years led the world in the installation of industrial robots, is leading the world in making its industries cost competitive, as domestic wages rates rise, by instituting Industry 4.0 systems. In such a world the US, instead of competing, seems intent on spreading uncertainty, strife, and Inflation, in an awkward attempt to maintain its hegemony, in a world that is already multipolar.
GT: Will Huawei's case impact the US policy of decoupling with and suppressing China? Tangen: I doubt it. Washington is gripped by a national hysteria, similar to what it experienced under former senator Joe McCarthy. If anyone says anything good or neutral about China, talks about rational policy or realities, they are labeled "panda huggers" who can't be trusted. Today, being Asian subjects you automatically to suspicion and increases your chances of being racially profiled, as well as verbally and physically attacked. Every Asian in government and academia is being viewed as a potential spy. Asian students aren't allowed to enroll in hard science courses. All of this under the pretext of national security. Where there have been trials, the government has lost the overwhelming number of cases, as with the numerous cases where academics have been accused of spying. The result, a growing outflow of Chinese scientists and executives, leaving the US, as Asian students look elsewhere for advanced education. The US is a nation racked by poverty, homelessness, crime, gun violence, political polarity, and racism. For those seeking the American Dream, the reality has become disappointing. In cases of Asian hate crimes, which increased 342 percent in 2021, according to a nationwide study by California State University in San Bernardino, Washington's standard response, decry the violence, but continue the anti-Asian rhetoric that fans it. As Huawei has shown, investing in people, processes, and competition, is more effective than efforts to decouple/de-risk/suppress.
GT: Some observers tend to think the period from now until November is a "window of opportunity" for the recovery of China-US relations. What's your take on this?
Tangen: I can't see a window, domestic politics is, as always, front and center for Biden. He is focused almost exclusively on next year's election. Staying in power is the objective, governing is a sideline.
Since taking office as president, he has not been able to unify the country, or even follow through on his campaign issues. He criticized Donald Trump for his unilateral imposed tariffs, but has kept many of them in place, despite saying they were hurting the American people more than Chinese businesses.
He hasn't created a workable policy toward China. He hasn't been able to articulate a global vision, unless repeating Donald Trump's America First is a global vision. The world is not safer today than it was when Trump left office.
His idea of global diplomacy, is using India's chairing of the G20 to water down any criticisms against the US for: broken climate change funding promises, undermining the WTO, inaction on global health, poverty, debt and development issues. India got agreements on outstanding WTO cases the US had brought, an India-US joint venture military jet engine factory, and support for an India-Europe transportation corridor, which the US Congress would never fund, while the US turned a blind eye on Kashmir, corruption, the caste system, and human rights.
For example, instead of a strong statement on the trail of broken developed country promises to deliver 100 billion a year for developing world climate mitigation, there was a statement that there would be an effort to triple the amount of renewable energy. Ironically, a policy, if followed through, would favor China, since China is the dominant force in those industries.
The announcement of the new transportation corridor (the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor) as a competitor to the Belt and Road Initiative is laughable.
The BRI has been around for 10 years, it has demonstrated its resolve with a trillion dollar's worth of investments in projects that according to The Chartered Institute of Building, the BRI will boost world GDP by over $7 trillion per annum by 2040.
The Biden Administration's idea, developed last October, after criticizing the BRI as a waste of resources aimed at "debt-trap diplomacy," was to connect Europe to India, as a competitor to China’s BRI.
Question is, in an increasingly isolationist Congress, how would Biden be able to get funding for a project that has nothing to do with Making America Great.
It is true, as the presidential election gets closer, Biden would like to have some sort of temporary economic rapprochement with China if it could improve the domestic economic situation. The obvious choice would be to remove Trump's economic tariffs, but he is afraid of being labeled "soft on China", so it is doubtful he will pull the trigger.
The main difficulty is there is no coherent China engagement policy, just an emotional desire to contain it. As we all know, it's hard to adjust feelings.
GT: After G20, Biden paid a short visit to Vietnam, where he said US outreach to Vietnam is not about containing China. Did he mean it?
Tangen: It's difficult to know what Biden means when he talks. He constantly says he's not trying to contain China, that he adheres to the Three Communiques, and the “one-China” policy, but he has said four times that he would support Taiwan island militarily if force was used to unite the breakaway province.
Actually, Biden says many things the White House says he doesn't mean. Quite frankly, in the US, as well as internationally, there are concerns about what he means, as the White House seems to continually reinterpret whatever he says.
The irony with Vietnam is the US waged a brutal war that resulted in millions of civilian and military deaths, millions of tons of bombs, massive areas deforested by Agent Orange, and unexploded ordnance, like cluster bombs, which continue to kill and maim civilians to this day.
Vietnam is run by the Communist Party that drove the US out of their lands. Biden's pitch is we don't like Communist China, we want to ally with Vietnam, a Communist country, against your neighboring Communist country, because they don't share our values.
It doesn't make any sense, but the Vietnamese, for their part, are happy to take whatever they can get and thumb their noses at the US as they continue negotiating arms deals with Russia.
On a larger level, this has become a prevalent pattern. India was able to obtain concessions from the US, while not joining in on trade sanctions and outright condemnation of Russia over Ukraine, in fact India is now the largest importer of Russian oil, which ironically, they buy cheap and then sell to Europe. India continues to use the Russian S-400 missile system, as well as numerous armaments and other weapons systems, while also getting US jet engines and weapons systems.
South Africa has been more than willing to vocalize its amused contempt for Washington's attempts at coercion. Saudi Arabia has followed its own economic interests, when it comes to oil supplies and pricing. But, both countries continue to maintain cordial diplomatic relationships with Washington.
GT: Do you think there is still a cure or a key to resolving the strained China-US ties?
Tangen: The key is for Washington to recognize that the days of its hegemony have gone, replaced by a multipolar world, but that is something that the current Washington elites are incapable of doing. Therefore, change will have to come from the American public, the voters.
Why would the American public want change, because about five decades ago the middle class accounted for 62 percent of the US population, today, it is only 50 percent. Inflation is decreasing real wages month by month, consumer debt is higher than it has ever been, loan defaults are skyrocketing, about 60 percent of consumers live paycheck to paycheck, and 40 percent don't have $400 in case of an emergency, small business are reigning in their investments. Meanwhile, the Fed continues to raise interest rates, oblivious to the fact that the inflation is coming from service side wage increases, which continue to increase.
It will be up to the American people to reverse the course, because the elites in Washington have it firmly in their mind that China is the enemy, and that every problem in the US is China's fault, even if, like the ever growing deficit, it is a domestic issue of poor governance.
In the end, governments are measured in terms of how they take care of their people. The first role of government is to provide a safe, orderly environment. In this the US failed. It is now commonplace for those in government to say, "Buy a gun, because we can't protect you, you have to protect yourselves." You see the shootings in schools and workplaces, on the streets, in shopping malls and people's homes. You see videos of shoplifters brazenly robbing stores, drug addicts, beggars, mentally ill, and homeless, living on the streets. Crime has become an epidemic.
The second duty of government is to provide opportunity. Education, a social safety net and policies that encourage entrepreneurship and innovation, fair legal systems, a government that can regulate, without smothering, these are elements of what is needed to create opportunities. Right now though, the US isn't providing what is needed, (but is providing) too big to fail industry oligarchs, a massive and growing national debt, under-funded education, cuts to social welfare, overly expensive healthcare, social and political divisions, international policies that are closing rather than opening markets, and are making investment abroad more uncertain.
Examples of unsustainable and lost opportunities: TSMC has said a chip made in Taiwan will be 30 percent less expensive than the same chip made in an American factory. Actions to prevent the sale of computer chips and chip making equipment are closing the Chinese market, which is one third of the world market, to US companies. Bans on US investments in Chinese companies means they won't be able to participate in China's innovation and general economic rise.
So, while the US cites capitalism, open markets and competition, Washington doesn't accept the realities of what this means, if it doesn't benefit the US.
Washington's real problems are domestic, they are tied to its development and governance models, China is just a convenient scapegoat for issues the US refuses to address.
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) is currently in session, gathering all approximately 190 member states to address critical global issues and matters concerning each member state. UNGA serves as the most representative voice of the global international community, with developing countries, or member states of the Global South, holding a significant numerical advantage.
The concept of the "Global South" is a relatively recent phenomenon that encompasses all developing countries, including what were previously referred to as emerging markets. In a sense, it stands in contrast to the developed north, or the developed world, predominantly comprising OECD member states, for instance.
However, there is a danger that the US sometimes categorizes China as a developed country, artificially and arbitrarily, suggesting that China should not be considered part of the Global South. In reality, China is a vital member of the Global South and represents the fundamental interests of developing countries worldwide in many ways.
Given the substantial numerical advantage of the Global South, I believe the US and developed countries can't dominate the UNGA. The US may do whatever it wants, for example, to attempt to hijack the agenda or promote its own topics. However, members of the Global South possess independent perspectives and can formulate their own conclusions. They will genuinely champion issues they care about and vigorously defend their legitimate interests, which may not align with the interests promoted by the US or the developed countries as a group. The separate agenda pursued by the US differs significantly from the challenges and opportunities faced by developing countries. The US prioritizes "America First" and sometimes discriminates against other states, particularly countries in the Global South, or is unwilling to promote the legitimate interests of developing countries worldwide.
The reason why Western-led groups struggle to address concerns of countries in the Global South, such as climate change and other issues, primarily lies in the fundamental contrast in interests between developed countries and the developing world, or the Global South. For instance, when it comes to climate change, what China emphasizes is on the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities. This means that humanity should collectively address the climate crisis with a shared goal and unwavering commitment. Given that developed countries have collectively contributed significantly more to pollution than any of the developing world's members, it is completely reasonable that they contribute more to assist the international community in mitigating the adverse impacts of climate change. However, many developed countries are coming up with all sorts of excuses to delay their so-called commitments or even cancel their obligations.
One of the dilemmas facing humanity is that while China is very eager to promote peace, stability, development and poverty alleviation, not only within its borders but globally, the US appears committed to fostering a cold war mentality, dividing countries into opposing blocs, and even using the threat of war as a means to achieve political goals that they cannot attain through other means.
For example, it is evident that the US has important plans for India. It attempts to bind India onto the bandwagon of the US with their anti-China policy and hostility toward China. However, decision-makers in Washington may have seriously misjudged India's commitment to foreign policy independence as a great and proud nation. India stands as one of the world's great nations, with a rich history of civilization that has endured for millennia. Looking ahead, India's population is projected to be the largest globally for many decades to come. This reality carries great expectations that India will do the right thing in promoting peace, stability and cooperation rather than betting on a cold war or hot war, or giving up its independence to align its fate with countries like the US.
From the Chinese perspective, we do not want to compete with anyone. We just want to promote the merits of countries, do the right thing and advocate for globalization, fair trade, unrestricted exchange of goods, services, ideas and people across national boundaries. China respects all countries as equals, regardless of their size, rather than manhandling them.
Humanity stands at a significant crossroads, facing the choice between peace, stability and development, or the path of war, confrontation and conflict. China will continue to do what it believes to be right and promote the legitimate interests, not only of China but also of Global South member states in general. I hope that UNGA will serve as a crucial platform for countries from various perspectives to express their views and that any conflicts of interest can be peacefully resolved through diplomacy rather than escalating tensions to the point of no return.
With interest rates for existing mortgages for first-home purchases lowered starting from Monday, some 40 millions borrowers in China will enjoy the benefit of this support policy in the property sector. The move is expected to spur consumption and investment amid current economic headwinds, experts said.
The term "interest rates of existing mortgages for first-home purchases lowered from Monday" hit the hot searches on Chinese social media Weibo on Monday morning.
Most home buyers received text messages from banks or sought information on banks' apps. The reductions vary by the city, the time of purchase and the time when the credit contract was signed with the bank.
Mortgage interest rates in big cities are generally higher, and the total loan amounts are also higher. Buyers in such cities will see their payments fall more than those in smaller ones.
People who bought apartments in 2021, when mortgage policies were tightened and interest rates were relatively high, will more clearly feel the positive effects of rate cuts this time, according to Yan Yuejin, research director at Shanghai-based E-house China R&D Institute.
"The adjustment of mortgage rates could represent a significant innovation in housing policies. Market sentiment has been quite positive on the first day of the policy's implementation," Yan told the Global Times on Monday.
"Everyone is very supportive of the national policy, which has genuinely brought benefits to people, and their confidence in the real estate market has been further bolstered," Yan noted.
A house owner surnamed Bai, who bought a house in 2021 in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong Province, told the Global Times on Monday that he could save as much as 1,000 yuan ($136.8) per month after the adjustment.
Prior to the adjustment, Bai's mortgage rate was 120 basis points above the loan prime rates (LPR), a market-based benchmark lending rate. Now the rate is the same as the LPR, which is 4.3 percent, he was told by the bank.
"That will effectively reduce my monthly financial burden, which makes me very happy and more motivated to work harder and spend more to improve my living conditions," Bai said.
The move announced on Monday will help reduce borrowers' mortgage interest payments, stabilize and expand housing demand, and promote the sound and stable development of the country's real estate market, Dong Ximiao, chief research fellow at Merchants Union Consumer Finance Co, told the Global Times on Monday.
"It will also help narrow the interest rate gaps between existing mortgage loans and new loans, and ease the early mortgage payment rush," Dong said, adding that the risk from mortgage irregularities will also be diminished.
From a long-term view, these changes will later translate into consumption and willingness to invest, he noted.
The lowering of mortgage rates will benefit about 40 million borrowers. If the interest rate of a 1 million yuan mortgage for a 25-year term is cut from 5.1 percent to 4.3 percent, borrowers' interest payments will drop by over 5,000 yuan each year, according to analysts.
By the end of June, Chinese lenders held 38.6 trillion yuan in outstanding individual mortgage loans, statistics showed.
The support measures for the property sector echoed calls from the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee in July, which urged an adaption to a new situation, where major changes have taken place in the relationship between supply and demand in China's real estate market.
Over the past two months, Chinese authorities have launched measures ranging from lowering interest rates to easing restrictions on home purchases in a bid to bolster the stagnant property sector.
Last year was a tough one for the sector, with property investment falling 10 percent on a yearly basis, the first decline since records began in 1999.
China’s official manufacturing purchasing managers' index (PMI) for September came in at 50.2, its first time in positive territory since April, after a consecutive increase over the last four months, reads a National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) release on Saturday, reflecting recovery momentum across the country’s manufacturing sector.
Manufacturing is a vital pillar in China’s economy, thus the September manufacturing PMI signaled the recovery of the general macroeconomy, Li Changan, a professor from the Academy of China Open Economy Studies of the University of International Business and Economics, told the Global Times on Saturday.
Zhao Qinghe, a senior statistician from the NBS, said that recovering market demand had accelerated business activities across the manufacturing sector. In September, the production index came in at 52.7 percent, up 0.8 percentage point month-on-month; new order index recorded at 50.5 percent, up 0.3 percentage point month-on-month.
Specifically, PMI readings for equipment manufacturing hit 50.6 percent, high-tech manufacturing hit 50.1 percent and consumer goods manufacturing hit 51.3 percent, all returning to the expansion territory.
However, the increasing large commodities price and enterprises’ active purchasing lifted the general price index for the manufacturing sector. NBS data showed that the index of raw material purchasing in September reached 59.4 percent, and index of producer price reached 53.5 percent, all hitting a high for 2023.
Zhao noted that ‘China’s manufacturing sector recovery is still facing challenges from fierce competition, high cost and intensive financing, while various policy support measures will further push the momentum of overall economy recovery.
“The steady increase of manufacturing sector in recent months reflected that government’s policy support measures targeting the sector are taking effect, and have been boosted by the government’s focus on fostering advanced manufacturing technologies,” Li said.
In August, profit of China's industrial enterprises above designated size bounced back from negative to positive territory, recording a 17.2 percent year-on-year increase, the NBS revealed on Wednesday.
Observers said that PMI usually reflects market activities which will flow through to private sector profits.
The NBS also revealed the PMI for non-manufacturing in September which stood at 51.7, up 0.7 percentage points from August. The ongoing Golden Week holidays for the Mid-Autumn Festival and the National Day showed strong momentum across China’s consumption market.
As an important phase of the whole industrial chain, domestic consumption which is under recovery will further advance a f manufacturing recovery, Li noted.
A combination of Tianzhou-5 cargo spacecraft and Long March 7 carrier rocket has been rolled onto the launch pad. The cargo spacecraft will ferry goods to the China Space Station: CMSA
As China completed another feat on Tuesday, sending the country's first civilian taikonaut to China's space station, stargazers worldwide expressed willingness to carry out more cooperation with China in the aerospace field, despite an ever-intense China-US relation. Although the US government has not stopped their smears and attacks on China's space development, some academicians and institutes from the West are willing to collaborate with China for the advancement of science, as there is no border, no politics in the vast universe, Olivier Contant (Contant),the French-American Executive Director of the International Academy of Astronautics, and Erick Lansard (Lansard), a professor at the Nanyang Technological University, told the Global Times (GT)in an interview.
GT: Witnessing China's progress in the aerospace field in recent years, how do you believe the development will contribute to the advancement of mankind's knowledge?
Lansard: In recent years, there has been some acceleration in China's development. The first time I visited China was in 1996 for the 47th International Astronautical Congress in Beijing, first time hosted by China. Over the years, I have witnessed the progress and development of the Chinese space program. The long-term plan that China drafted several years ago has been implemented, and that has been truly amazing. Despite political tensions, the international space community maintains the interest in continuing discussions among different countries and actors.
GT: The US has been continuously hyping a "space race" with China, with NASA Chief Bill Nelson repeatedly attacking China's space programs, accusing China of stealing technology from the US. How do you think about Nelson's remarks and the future cooperation between China and the US in space?
Contant: Everyone has their own political purpose for saying what they say. The NASA chief represents a state organization, but in the science community, we focus more on our research and tend to have more nuanced opinions according to our areas of cooperation.
At the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) we recognize expertise all over the globe. And this year we are jointly awarding the Laurels for Team Achievements to both the Chang'e-5 International Team in China and the International Artemis 1 Mission Team in USA.
Also, our Academy is having a major role in the IPSPACE annual conference together with the International Peace Alliance and CIIC in China and other international organizations. The moto for 2022 was "One space, One home". This shows so well the efforts we jointly perform to promote international cooperation not only for the future but for the present time. In addition, we have just participated in the inauguration of the International Innovation Research Institute which will also provide opportunities for international cooperation, including between USA and China.
Lansard: Let me say that when it comes to collaboration, regardless of the country involved, establishing trust among different stakeholders is crucial. Trust means ensuring a genuine win-win situation and respecting each other's contributions, including specific know-how and Intellectual Property. Science provides an excellent platform for collaboration because it inherently offers mutual benefits
What's more, it's important to make a clear distinction between space agencies, which are empowered by the governments to implement policies, and individual researchers and scientists, that can collaborate with the blessing of their national space agencies.Science has the power to unite people.
GT: Several months ago, the European Space Agency announced that they would stop their plans to send astronauts to the Chinese space station. Do you think it is a result of US' pressurization upon Europe?
Contant: It's important to recognize that each nation has its own considerations. China is opening up, and it's beautiful. Just like in any relationship, cooperation can have its ups and downs. We need to listen to each other, adapt, find middle ground, and move forward together.
At the IAA we are working on cosmic studies with international researchers, experts and leaders and this includes US, Europe, and China. We have published about 80 studies with contributions of specialists from about 45 countries. It's unique as such international participation maintains a balance of different views.
GT: Do you or your colleagues look forward to visiting China's space station one day? What kind of projects do you want to carry to the space station?
Contant: Definitely, as the IAA is a non-governmental academy like a giant family of the most prestigious experts and scientists, where we appreciate each other, know each other, and are friends regardless of countries.
We are open to collaboration with any space station. We envision exciting projects in various fields, such as agriculture, where we can conduct extensive testing on seeds and vegetables that hold potential benefits for humanity on Earth. Additionally, we are interested in exploring energy solutions and carbon capture techniques. Such collective efforts aim to advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the benefit of our shared future.
Lansard: Most likely, scientists and researchers will stay on ground! I would recommend that the Chinese authorities are inviting and facilitating access to space for universities and research labs, by providing opportunities to embark scientific or technological experiments onboard the Chinese space station, as well as small experimental satellites (nanosatellites, cubesats) that could be launched directly from the space station.
This approach would help fostering collaboration between universities and would encourage idea sharing. It's a great way to support universities, especially considering that they often have limited funding but that they are rich in innovative ideas. It takes time to develop an initial idea and bring it to maturity, so having a platform for sustainable collaboration is extremely valuable.
GT: What other potential fields that you would like to engage with China?
Contant: In deep-space, China is investing a lot of effort in finding exoplanets to understand the origin of life and discover any form of intelligence or life on other planets. That would be an important area of collaboration. Additionally, planetary defense is key to mitigate any potential threats to Earth from asteroids or other dangers that need the joint efforts from all space players. Space Solar Power is also a promising field and the Academy has recently set up a Permanent Committee with international players, including China.
Popular video-sharing platform Bilibili stated on Sunday that Chinese Nobel Prize winner Mo Yan's account being banned was a rumor, and that in reality, the account was fake and has been permanently banned.
Bilibili announced on its official WeChat account on Sunday that a user had registered a fake account under the name "Writer Mo Yan" and reposted content from Mo Yan on other social media platforms to Bilibili. Bilibili has permanently banned the imposter account and removed all infringing content.
Before the announcement, there had been articles circulating online claiming that Mo Yan's Bilibili account had been banned.
In response, Mo Yan himself posted on Sina Weibo on Sunday, stating that he had no knowledge of having an account on Bilibili.
Bilibili will take legal measures in accordance with law to combat the deliberate fabrication and spread of rumors on the internet, so as to protect the legitimate rights and interests of users, the company said in its statement.
Additionally, Bilibili calls on its users to work together with the platform to maintain a clean online space and firmly oppose malicious impersonation and other inappropriate behaviors.
China is considering holding degree holders who use artificial intelligence (AI) to ghostwrite their theses legally responsible. The draft of the Degree Law was submitted to the Standing Committee of the 14th National People's Congress, China's top legislature, for deliberation on Monday.
The draft lays out legal responsibilities for actions such as degree holders using or impersonating another's identity to gain admission qualifications, employing artificial intelligence to author thesis papers, and institutions granting degrees unlawfully, as reported by the media on Monday.
Academic misconduct includes plagiarism, forgery, data falsification, using artificial intelligence to produce a thesis, impersonating another's identity to obtain admission qualifications, and securing admission qualifications and graduation certificates through illicit means like favoritism and cheating. The draft also addresses other illegal or irregular behaviors that, when exhibited during the study period, should prevent the awarding of a degree.
The draft states that if an individual who has already obtained a degree is found to have used illegal means to do so, the degree-granting institution must revoke the degree certificate. This decision should be made following a review by the degree evaluation committee.
