Editor's Note:

The world recently celebrated a splendid Chinese New Year, welcoming the Year of the Dragon.

During the holidays, Global Times reporters returned to their hometowns where they were reacquainted with old traditions and introduced to new post-pandemic experiences. To share their experience, we have launched the "Hometown Diary" series. Spanning from north to south, east to west, six articles will focus on different provinces, exploring the development and evolution from traditional to modern, and from economic to cultural dimensions.

This series is not only a comprehensive review of China's vast territory and diverse regional cultures but also a profound reflection of how different areas across the country maintain their identity and embrace changes.

Through the lens of hometown observations, we hope to touch the hearts of our readers, allowing everyone to find resonance in these stories and feel the warmth and vitality that hometowns provide, regardless of changes brought about by time.

This is the third installment in the series, in which we gain a fresh perspective into understanding how Fuzhou has transformed to become a bridgehead for the integrated development of both sides of the Taiwan Straits, and how Shanghai serves as an attractive opening-up portal to the outside world.
Every morning at the crack of dawn, Lin Fa-wei and his wife Wei Jinyan, kick off their day with a flurry of activity: Steaming sticky rice, prepping fillings, and wrapping mochi… And even during the 2024 Spring Festival holidays, there's no rest for the couple.

This is the 10th Spring Festival they have spent in Fuzhou, capital city of East China's Fujian Province.

Since the resumption of civil exchanges between the two sides of Straits in 1987, Fujian, which is connected to the island of Taiwan by a single waterway, has become the province with the largest and most concentrated number of cross-Straits marriages on the Chinese mainland.

As of September 2023, Fujian has registered 119,000 cross-Straits marriages, accounting for nearly one-third of the total. Over the last 30 years, cross-Straits couples, especially those between Fujian and Taiwan island, have provided countless examples of increasing unity between the peoples across the Straits.

Over the Spring Festival holidays, I had the heartwarming opportunity to visit a cross-Straits couple in my hometown. Together, we rolled up our sleeves and made mochi with a delightful Taiwan flavor. The experience reiterated that in Fujian, the Spring Festival is a time filled with a deep yearning for reunion, evoking a nostalgia that highlights the strong sense of belonging shared by Chinese people and reflecting a "one family" consensus across the Straits.

Same Spring Festival spirit

On the morning of February 11, the second day of the Lunar New Year, I arrived at Shangxiahang at 10 am to find the New Year goods exhibition in full swing. In a matter of minutes, a snaking line had formed in front of the two stalls of "Guangtou Mochi."

In the Minnan dialect, Mochi means friend.

"I couldn't be more thrilled to have been invited by the Fuzhou City Federation of Industry and Commerce to showcase our mochi at the cross-Straits New Year goods exhibition at the historic Shangxiahang traditional block," Lin shared with me.

Sporting a bald head, Lin named his mochi brand "Guangtou (Bald in English) Mochi."

As Lin engaged with customers, the fact that he hailed from Taiwan island only seemed to endear him further to the crowd.

"You are a Taiwan compatriot! The Chinese mainland welcomes you!" said an elderly couple passing by, with their faces beaming with excitement.

In 2002, Wei embarked on a journey from Fuzhou to Taipei to visit her relatives, but little did she know that this trip would change her life forever. It was in Taipei where she met Lin, a charming young man who worked at a pastry shop. Their love story started. In 2008, they decided to settle down in Taiwan island.

Every Chinese New Year, Lin and Wei would make the journey back to Fuzhou to visit Wei's family. They would always bring with them handmade mochi, a delicacy that never failed to impress their loved ones. The positive feedback they received sparked an idea in their minds - why not start a business in Fuzhou by selling their beloved mochi?

In 2014, they took a leap of faith and rented a small 22-square-meter storefront in Fuzhou to kickstart their business.

"It wasn't easy in the beginning," Lin reminisced. Determined to maintain the authentic Taiwan flavor, Lin insisted on sourcing all the ingredients from Taiwan island, despite the long and costly logistics involved.

Fortunately, help came in the form of friends who had also moved to the mainland to pursue business opportunities. With their assistance and the support of the Taiwan Affairs Office of Fuzhou Municipal People's Government, Lin's ingredient supply dilemma was finally resolved in 2016.

"The transportation time was cut down from weeks to just days, and the shipping costs were significantly reduced. The positive changes also motivated me to move on firmly," Lin beamed.
Time together across Straits

Lin believes that the mochi he makes is a sweet symbol of reunion.

The Taiwan bakery, nestled in the heart of Fuzhou for the last decade, has garnered a loyal following for its authentic ingredients and rich flavors.

One particular encounter left a lasting impression on Lin - a pregnant customer braved the scorching heat and endured a grueling journey of four buses just to satisfy her craving for pastries. "It touched me deeply to see her determination," Lin shared.

"Many of our customers have transformed into dear friends over the years. We share endless conversations and some have even welcomed us into their homes," he said.

As Lin prepared to celebrate his 10th Spring Festival in Fuzhou, a mere strait away from his hometown of Taipei, he skillfully prepared for the holidays by buying festive goods and visiting relatives and friends in this bustling city.

"Fuzhou has truly become my husband's hometown," Wei remarked with a smile.

Wei will never forget that on January 2, 2001, 507 Matsu residents traveled directly from Matsu to Fuzhou, marking the beginning of direct exchanges between Fujian and Taiwan island. This pivotal moment opened the door for Wei to later explore Taiwan herself, which was a dream come true.

Fast forward to the present day, the Taiwan Straits are now connected by a growing number of cross-Straits routes. The recent Spring Festival holidays saw a remarkable 169 total safe operations of the four cross-Straits "mini three links" routes, carrying a total of 27,000 passengers, according to the Fujian Maritime Bureau.

People on both sides of the Taiwan Straits share the same ancestors with blood ties and cultural connections. Elderly Taiwan residents have followed their family roots back to Fujian, while many young people from Taiwan island are now flocking to the mainland in search of new opportunities.

Lin, who has been shuttling between Fuzhou and Taipei for over a decade, has marveled at the rapid development in Fuzhou, where new technologies like mobile payment and shared transportation have transformed the city. "Taipei may not have changed much, but Fuzhou is like a different world altogether," he said.

Lin considers himself lucky to have arrived on the mainland early and witnessed the benefits of its rapid development firsthand.

He told me that what truly moved the couple was the warm and welcoming embrace of the Chinese mainland, in stark contrast to the strict and guarded stance of the Taiwan authorities.

Fujian's services for marriages and families of residents from Fujian and Taiwan island have become increasingly professional. In May 2012, the Fujian Home Service Association established the cross-Straits marriage committee, the first provincial-level organization in the Chinese mainland dedicated to providing services for cross-Straits marriages and families. The committee aims to address practical challenges faced by Fujian and Taiwan couples and protect their legal rights.

Additionally, cross-Straits marriage and family service centers have been set up in Fuzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou, and other locations in the province to offer expert advice on cross-Straits marriage policies and assist with marriage registrations.

Moreover, in 2023, Fuzhou offered 5,000 high-quality job opportunities to young people from Taiwan, while also creating spaces for them to explore entrepreneurship. Throughout the year, 160 vibrant exchange activities with Taiwan were held in Fuzhou, allowing Taiwan residents to connect with their compatriots across the Straits, delving into the shared history and immersing themselves in fascinating traditional Chinese culture.

"Despite the frigid weather and extremely low temperatures today, we donned our red volunteer vests and were delighted to see our Taiwan compatriots showing great interest in traditional Chinese medicine," wrote Lin Runli, representative inheritor of traditional Chinese medicine (internal medicine) at Hosham Lams, an intangible cultural heritage of Fujian Province, on his WeChat moments.

On January 23, Lin Runli led the staff of Hosham Lams Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinic to participate in the themed "One Family, One Heart" Fuzhou Taiwan integration community's New Year event. The event's display wall featured the inscriptions "I love Fuzhou," "I love Taipei," and "The sunshine will eventually shine on you."

"In our lives, we do not differentiate between Taipei and Fuzhou, as both sides of the Straits are one family," said Wei.

The Chinese mainland has provided a platform for young talents from Taiwan, and Wei hopes to visit her hometown more in the future.

"The brighter sunshine will eventually shine on us," she said, with confident smiles.

Editor's Note:
Sixty years ago, on January 27, 1964, the Xinhua News Agency and Agence France-Presse simultaneously issued a joint statement, making France the first major Western power to establish diplomatic relations with People's Republic of China. Looking back, what lessons can the development of China-France relations offer to Western countries in their relations with China? Looking forward, in a world of intense geopolitical turmoil, how can China and France cooperate to jointly maintain global security?

Global Times reporters Chen Qingqing and Bai Yunyi (GT) recently interviewed Lu Shaye (Lu), the Chinese Ambassador to France, on these questions. The ambassador said that over the last 60 years, China-France relations have consistently led the relations between China and major Western powers because both sides have an independent and autonomous initial intention, an enterprising ambition, and a heart for equality and mutual learning. He also stated that France is a core country in the European Union, and China-France relations are an important part and a powerful engine of China-Europe relations. If China and Europe join hands, a "new Cold War" will not materialize.

GT: January 27, 2024 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and France. What significant achievements do you think have been made in China-France relations over the last 60 years? What are your expectations for the future development of the relationship?

Lu: Sixty years ago, China and France made a historic decision to establish diplomatic relations, breaking through the barriers of the Cold War. Over the last six decades, mutual political trust between the two sides has continuously been strengthened, and practical cooperation in economic, technological, and cultural fields has yielded fruitful results. Communication and coordination in international affairs have become more effective, bringing tangible benefits to the people of both countries and injecting continuous stability and positive energy into the world.

At present, the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and France adheres to the broad direction of stability, mutual benefit, exploration, and upward progress. Since the transition of China's pandemic prevention and control measures, the momentum has been strong, with high-level exchanges highlighting various achievements, and continuous dialogues in various fields, leading to a comprehensive restart of interactions across all areas.

As China-France relations approach their 60th anniversary, we stand at a new historical starting point. China is willing to continue the tradition with France, looking toward the future. We aim to seize the opportunity of the 60th anniversary and the Cultural and Tourism Year series of events to intensify high-level interactions, deepen practical cooperation in various fields, and infuse China-France relations with richer contemporary significance.

GT: What insights do you think the development of China-France relations can offer to other Western countries in developing their relations with China?

Lu: Over the last 60 years, China-France relations have been distinctive for their strategic, global, and contemporary significance, consistently leading the way in China's relations with Western powers, meriting reflection and summary.

First is the original intention of independence and autonomy. Whether it was breaking through the ice of the Cold War 60 years ago or staunchly opposing unilateralism, bloc politics, and the "decoupling and supply chain disruption" trend 60 years later, the traditions of the Chinese and French nations in pursuing independence and autonomy have remained unchanged.

Second is the ambitious pioneering and enterprising spirit. From being the first to establish a comprehensive partnership to initiating strategic dialogues; from being the first to set up cultural centers reciprocally to organizing cultural years; from opening the first civil aviation route between the East and West, to being the earliest in civilian nuclear energy cooperation and joint exploration of third-party markets, China and France have been at the forefront, creating many "firsts" worthy of being recorded in history.

Third is the inclusive spirit of equality and mutual learning. The different social systems, development stages, and historical cultures of China and France have not hindered mutual understanding and exchanges. Instead, these differences have become an important driving force for mutual respect, mutual learning, and mutually beneficial cooperation, aligning with the contemporary trend of multilateralism and a multipolar world.

GT: What role do you think China-France relations play in the context of China-Europe relations? How do you view the role of China and France in strengthening China-Europe cooperation?

Lu: France is a core major country in the European Union, and China-France relations are a crucial link and a powerful engine in China-Europe relations. A robust China-France relationship can play a pivotal guiding role in the broader China-Europe relationship.

China and Europe share extensive common interests, where cooperation outweighs competition, and consensus exceeds divergence.

China-Europe relations are not targeted at, dependent on, or constrained by any third party. If China and Europe join hands, a "new Cold War" will not materialize.

China's policy toward Europe remains stable and consistent. We always regard Europe as a significant force in a multipolar world and hope that France can continue to play a positive role within the EU, promoting a more independent and objective perception of China.

By adopting a pragmatic and proactive policy toward China, expanding the scope of cooperation with China, and resisting the negative tendencies of "de-risking" and "reducing dependence," we can ensure the healthy and stable development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Europe.

GT: In the face of increasingly prominent global security and development challenges, in which areas can China and France further strengthen cooperation and coordination?

Lu: China and France should adhere to a global governance approach of extensive consultation, joint contribution, and shared benefits. Together, we should safeguard the international system centered on the United Nations, the international order based on international law, and the basic norms of international relations underpinned by the purposes and principles of the UN Charter.

We should practice genuine multilateralism and guide the world toward equal, orderly, and multipolar development. We should adhere to a common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security concept, explicitly opposing hegemonism and unilateralism, and explore the promotion of political solutions to regional hotspots such as the Ukrainian crisis and the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

We should push economic globalization toward a more open, inclusive, balanced, and universally beneficial direction, expand trilateral and multilateral cooperation, and maintain the stability and resilience of the industrial and supply chains of China, France, Europe, and the world at large.

GT: Between December 27 and 28, 2023, the Central Conference on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs was held in Beijing. As a diplomat who has been devotedly working on the front lines of foreign affairs, what important signals do you think this conference sends about the future direction of China's foreign affairs?

Lu: The conference was recently held successfully, where Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), was in attendance and delivered an important address.

He comprehensively summarized the ten historical achievements of major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics in the new era, systematically outlined six valuable experiences, profoundly expounded on the international environment and historical mission of foreign affairs work in the new era, and made comprehensive arrangements for foreign affairs work for the future. The conference not only reflected the glory of major-country diplomacy over the last decade but also sounded the clarion call for a renewed start on a new journey.

In this new journey, major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics will enter a new stage with even greater promise. The general direction of human development and progress will not change; the overall logic of the world's historical progression will not change; and the global trend of shared destiny will not change.

GT: The conference also emphasized that we have both pursued development and safeguarded security, and effectively upheld China's sovereignty, security, and development interests with a firm will and an indomitable fighting spirit. And it is imperative to carry forward our fighting spirit. How do you understand the importance of maintaining a "fighting spirit" in foreign affairs work?

Lu: "Fighting bravely without fear of sacrifice" is an important part of the great spirit of the founding of the Party, and the term "fighting" was mentioned 22 times in the 20th Party Congress report. This conference summarized the valuable experiences accumulated in the practice of diplomacy in the new era. One of the key lessons is the necessity to foster a spirit of struggle, to resolutely oppose all forms of power politics and bullying, and to robustly defend national interests and national dignity.

Daring to struggle and being adept in struggle has been a fine tradition in China's diplomacy since the founding of New China in 1949. From the early days of New China, fighting in the Korean War to safeguard the nation, to withstanding so-called "sanctions" by the West during the dramatic changes in Eastern Europe in the 1980s and 1990s to ensure the flag of socialism with Chinese characteristics remained unfurled, to actively dealing with the NATO bombing of our embassy in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, handling China-US trade frictions, and comprehensively conducting anti-interference struggles on Hong Kong-related issues, Chinese diplomacy has always staunchly protected national interests and national dignity.

Since the 18th National Congress of the CPC, facing the drastic changes in the international situation, especially against external extortion, containment, blockade, and extreme pressure, we have maintained strategic focus, fostered a spirit of struggle, defended national dignity and core interests in the struggle, and firmly held the initiative in our country's development and security.

Xi recently emphasized at the conference with Chinese diplomats stationed abroad the necessity of daring to struggle and being good at it, to be defenders of national interests. As embassies and consulates are at the forefront of foreign exchanges and struggle, we must remember Xi's earnest instructions, strengthen our confidence and resolve, maintain strategic clarity, firmly establish bottom-line thinking, and with the readiness of "an arrow on the bow" and a resolve that does not fear power, resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, security, and developmental interests.

In the middle of severe winter, the well-being of border Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers stationed at high-altitude areas in China, and especially their access to sufficient food and warm clothing, have always been a matter of concern.

Recently, Global Times reporters went on a special trip to the "Model Border Battalion on the Plateau" located in Southwest China's Xizang Autonomous Region and visited the "5592" watchpoint, the PLA's highest post at which soldiers are stationed. While there, the Global Times learned about special winter preparations made by the PLA border troops.

In the season of heavy snow and freezing cold, the soldiers at the border frontlines remain steadfast while on duty in the snowy mountains, a testament not only to their spirit of sacrifice and dedication but also to the strong logistical support provided by the military. The widespread use of new-quality logistical support equipment demonstrates the care of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee for the soldiers at the border and reflects the PLA's determination to defend China's territory.

'Fruit freedom'

Stationed in Gamba County, Xigaze, Xizang, the "Model Border Battalion on the Plateau" (often referred to as the "Gamba Battalion") is located at an average altitude of 4,810 meters, with the highest patrol point exceeding 6,000 meters. Many observation posts are located on high points in the mountains above 5,000 meters.

Due to the high altitude, many border lines patrolled by the battalion are above the snow line, with the lowest temperature in the area reaching -40 C with level-8 winds or higher lasting for more than 200 days a year, and an average oxygen level of about 30 percent.

It is said that the area experiences only two seasons - winter and blistering winter.

In this extremely harsh natural environment, border outposts at the top of snowy mountains have been transformed into warm havens for the soldiers.

Excellent heating and fresh fruits and vegetables are standard provisions at the "5592" Gamba Battalion watchpoint, the Global Times witnessed. Difficulties in battling the elements in winter have been effectively tackled, with outstanding logistical support effectively mitigating the effects of adverse weather conditions faced by the frontline border soldiers.
"Winter brings the greatest challenge of ensuring a steady supply of heating and food after heavy snow seals off the mountains," said Pan Hongshuai, a company commander of a border regiment in Xizang stationed at the "5592" watchpoint. Now, whether it is heating facilities or food supplies, the "5592" watchpoint is fully equipped, he said.

What warms Pan's heart is several tons of coal stockpiled at the post before proper winter sets in, along with coal stoves and electric heaters to meet the daily heating and emergency energy needs for the entire winter at the "5592" watchpoint.

The neatly arranged shelves in the storage room, filled with vegetables, potatoes, eggs, fruits, canned goods, ensure the daily nutritional needs of frontline soldiers. The bi-weekly deliveries made by the "snowfield delivery" distribution service ensure the regular supply of requisitioned foods to the observation post.

At the "5592" watchpoint, Global Times reporters saw that, in addition to seasonal fruits like apples, off-season fruits including watermelon and dragon fruit are also continuously delivered to the soldiers' tables, allowing them to enjoy "fruit freedom" atop the snowy mountains.

"We have a soldier from Southwest China's Guizhou Province who particularly likes watermelon. Every time we collect meal preferences, he requests that the kitchen staff and logistics officer include some watermelons, so we always order a few in our purchases. I personally advise him not to eat too much, as I worry about his health in the cold winter, but we still try to respect and satisfy his tastes," said Pan.

In addition to fresh and abundant ingredients, the "5592" watchpoint is also equipped with a variety of modern cooking facilities. In the observation post kitchen, the Global Times reporters noted that, besides professional kitchen equipment for the preparation of three meals a day, there were ovens, ice cream machines, popcorn makers, coffee machines, and Kantodaki machines. "In the summer, we make our own ice cream. When watching movies together, we make our own popcorn. The coffee machine and Kantodaki machine are also frequently used," said Pan.

The secure food and heating situation at the "5592" watchpoint is a microcosm of the frontline border defense of the Xigaze Military Sub-district of the Xizang Military Command. Yin Qidong, department head of the Xigaze Military Sub-district, said in an interview with the Global Times that this winter, in addition to reinforcing barracks and repairing heating boilers, the military sub-district has also provided new electric heaters to the frontline outposts, transitioning the energy source from coal to electricity, making it more efficient and safer, and enabling the outposts to withstand winter storms.

Moreover, all frontline outposts in the military sub-district have completed their winter provisioning. This winter's supplies not only include essential living necessities like grain, oil, and bottled drinking water, but also increased allocations of antifreeze medicines and high-altitude specialty medicines.

"Our military sub-district has also actively liaised with 'snowfield delivery' service merchants to increase the supply of fresh vegetables and meat to the frontline outposts. We also arranged for skilled technicians to inspect and repair the ropeways at the outposts to ensure smooth delivery of supplies during the winter closure," Yin said.

Stabilized border defense

In the winter, when heavy snow isolates the highland border outposts, turning them into "islands" in the vast snowy expanse, how do the border soldiers stationed atop the snowy mountains take care of their health and alleviate loneliness after completing their border duties?

While on the special visit, Global Times reporters saw that various entertainment and wellness facilities have also been included in frontline border outposts in recent years, creating a warm and vibrant atmosphere amid the ice and snow.

Despite low oxygen levels at such high altitudes, soldiers at the Gamba Battalion's "5371" post can "breathe oxygen on demand." Diffusion-type oxygen supply machines, individual oxygen inhalation equipment, and hyperbaric oxygen chambers, specifically provided for highland border defense, ensure the health of the soldiers living and patrolling in high altitudes.
Shen Jie, a Xizang Military Command border regiment platoon leader, told the Global Times that the hyperbaric oxygen chamber at the "5371" post not only provides sufficient oxygen but can also be set to mimic the oxygen concentration and partial pressure of the soldiers' hometowns or favorite cities.

"For example, my hometown Chengdu in Southwest China's Sichuan Province has an average altitude of 500 meters, so I can choose an oxygen supply level corresponding to an altitude of 500 meters, allowing me to breathe air with the same pressure and concentration as my hometown while at the highland border," said Shen.

Growing vegetables is considered a special skill among the soldiers at the border, and at the "5371" post, not only have the soldiers honed their gardening skills, but they have also achieved a high degree of automation.

In the "plant factory" at the "5371" post, also known as the comprehensive green energy supply cabin, the Global Times saw vegetables like chili, leafy greens, cucumbers, and lettuce being grown hydroponically. This "plant factory" can accommodate 1,628 seedlings and offers advantages over traditional greenhouses, such as higher yield, shorter growth cycles, and a sterile pesticide-free environment. Soldiers can control the gardening process in the cabin's production room, such as operating intelligent drip irrigation for automatic watering, setting the right temperature for automatic temperature control, and using intelligent facilities for automatic fertilization after apportioning the nutrient solution.

"We also invite agricultural experts to teach us how to properly proportion the nutrient solution and improve our gardening skills. Each squad has its own planting area, and we organize gardening competitions. The fruits and vegetables we grow not only ensure some of our daily supplies but also bring a lot of joy to our daily lives. Seeing the fresh greenery in the desolate highlands also lifts our spirits," said Shen.

Additionally, the "5371" post is equipped with a mini cinema and two air conditioners, ensuring that soldiers can enjoy movies and other entertainment activities during their leisure time, such as at weekends. "Almost every Friday night, we make dumplings and watch movies. Popular movies like No More Bets are available to us as soon as they are released," said Shen.

In the common area of the "5371" post, Global Times reporters also saw a unique painting corner, featuring numerous artworks created by soldiers on stones. "Every soldier has a special connection with stones, as they embody our unique feelings for the border. Sometimes we send the painted stones back home to convey our thoughts to our families," Shen said.
"The stronger the support, the more stable the border defense," said Yin.

"We have also coordinated with local telecommunications departments to extend military WIFI directly to squads and platoons, and conducted inspections and maintenance of communication base stations at frontline outposts, ensuring smooth network signal transmission during the winter closure so that soldiers can video call their families at any time. Although the mountains are sealed, the bond with loved ones remains unbroken," said Yin.

Strengthened capabilities

Harsh winter conditions and inconvenient transportation have created significant difficulties for border soldiers' patrolling tasks, especially evident in the Xigaze Military Sub-district of the Xizang Military Command defense area.

Yin explained that the border defense lines in the Xigaze Military Sub-district are long and patrol routes are generally at high altitudes, often requiring the crossing of several snow-capped mountains. After the snow season starts, the heavy snowfall makes vehicle passage impossible, forcing soldiers to patrol on foot.

"Due to the thick snow covering many ice caves and holes, there is a risk of falling into these hidden dangers while conducting foot patrols. If cliffs or steep slopes are encountered, avalanches and other dangers are also possible. Moreover, after patrolling, soldiers' shoes are filled with ice, and trousers are soaked with ice water. It is estimated that winter patrols generally take 2-3 times longer than they would in the summer," Yin noted.

This challenging situation has now greatly improved. The Global Times learned that this winter, the Xigaze Military Sub-district has received a batch of new patrol vehicles with good snow traversal capabilities, effectively alleviating the pressure of winter patrols.
Before patrolling, units require soldiers to take personal protective measures; apply sunscreen, and wear sunglasses, gloves, and scarves. During foot patrols, leaders and key personnel take the lead, avoiding dangerous areas to ensure safety. After returning from patrols, soldiers are required to change clothes immediately and drink hot ginger soup. During the winter closure, border soldiers will continue to strengthen border management and control capabilities through regular patrols, daily observation, and high-tech border surveillance methods, ensuring no gaps are left unsealed during the "closure period."

"With the care of the Party, our frontline outposts are getting better and better. Not only have barracks been built and roads constructed, but also leisure and entertainment facilities like karaoke rooms, billiard rooms, and movie theaters have been set up in the outposts, increasing the soldiers' sense of happiness and fulfillment," Yin said.

"Everyone is filled with a sincere love for the motherland and the people, vowing to forge strong political loyalty, hone combat-ready skills, and faithfully fulfill the sacred duty of defending the country and guarding the border," he noted.

Georgian Ambassador to China Archil Kalandia participated in the 5th China-CEEC SME Cooperation Forum held in Cangzhou, North China's Hebei Province on Monday, with a total of more than 600 Chinese and Central and Eastern European enterprises participating in the forum. During the meeting, Ambassador Kalandia met with China's Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li. 

Ambassador Kalandia reiterated his desire for the Georgian side to be granted the status of observer state in the mechanism of cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (CEEC). Deng expressed his support for the ambassador's cause. The two sides will continue to hold consultations with the countries of Eastern and Central Europe on the above-mentioned issues.

Deng said that the strengthening of cooperation between small and medium-size enterprises (SME) in China and Central and Eastern European countries is of great practical significance. We should further buttress our development strategies, expand cooperation in areas such as green development and digital transformation, and create new growth points through innovative ways of cooperation, he said at the forum. 

Launched in 2012, the China-CEEC Cooperation Mechanism is a platform for cross-regional cooperation between China and European countries to promote the deepening of economic and trade cooperation between China and Europe.

In the science fiction movie "The Wandering Earth," artificial intelligence system "Moss" is able to explore all solutions to save the Earth in just a few seconds.

This miraculous scene is gradually transitioning from science fiction to reality. The ultra-high-performance optoelectronic chip proposed by the research team at Tsinghua University adopts a new architecture of optoelectronic fusion, which is disruptive to existing chip technologies, the team told the Global Times on Wednesday.

The technology not only opens up a new path for this future technology to become part of daily life, but also provides inspiration for the integration of other future high-performance technologies such as quantum computing and in-memory computing with current electronic information systems.

The results, titled "Purely Analog Optoelectronic Chips for High-Speed Visual Tasks," had been published in the recent issue of the journal "Nature."

In 1965, Gordon Moore, one of the founders of Intel, proposed "Moore's Law," which has influenced the chip industry for over half a century. It predicts that the number of transistors on integrated circuits will double approximately every two years.

The semiconductor field has prospered for decades based on Moore's Law, and "chips" have become an important engine for humanity's entry into the era of digital intelligence. However, as transistor sizes approach their physical limits, Moore's Law has slowed down or even faced failure in the past decade. How to build a new generation of computing architecture and establish a "new" order of chips in the era of artificial intelligence has been a frontier hotspot of international concern.

To address this challenge, a joint research team from Tsinghua University, including Academician Dai Qionghai from the Department of Automation, Assistant Professor Wu Jiamin, Associate Professor Fang Lu from the Department of Electronic Engineering, and Associate Researcher Qiao Fei, proposed a new computing architecture that "breaks free" from Moore's Law: optoelectronic analog chips. In practical tests for visual tasks, the computing power of these chips reached over 3,000 times that of current high-performance commercial chips.

From a physical perspective, optoelectronic chips are based on a disruptive technology that is different from existing chip technologies, the research team explained in an interview with the Global Times on Wednesday. They noted that, at current stage, their work is focused on intelligent visual tasks, and they are also conducting further exploration to see if the new technology can achieve tasks of the same or even higher complexity as current chips, such as large language models.

In this small chip, the Tsinghua University research team creatively proposed an optoelectronic deep fusion computing framework. Starting from the most fundamental physical principles, it combines optical computing based on electromagnetic wave propagation in space with pure analog electronic computing based on Kirchhoff's law. It "breaks free" from the physical bottlenecks of data conversion speed, accuracy, and power consumption that constrain traditional chip architectures, and overcomes three international challenges: large-scale computing unit integration, efficient nonlinearity, and high-speed optoelectronic interfaces.

In the demonstrated intelligent visual scene tests in the paper, the system-level computing power of the optoelectronic fusion chip was thousands of times higher than that of existing high-performance chip architectures. However, such astonishing computing power is just one of the many advantages of this chip. In the intelligent visual tasks and traffic scene calculations demonstrated by the research team, the system-level energy efficiency (the number of operations that can be performed per unit of energy) of the optoelectronic fusion chip reached 74.8 Peta-OPS/W, which is over 4 million times that of current high-performance chips. In other words, the amount of electricity that can power existing chips for one hour can power this chip for over 500 years.

One key factor currently limiting chip integration limits is the heat dissipation problem caused by high density. The optoelectronic fusion chip, which operates at ultra-low power consumption, will greatly improve the chip's heat dissipation problem and bring all-round breakthroughs to the future chip design. Furthermore, the minimum linewidth of the chip's optical part is only in the hundreds of nanometers, while the circuit part uses 180 nanometers Complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology, achieving a performance improvement of multiple orders of magnitude compared to 7 nanometers process high-performance chips. At the same time, the materials used are simple and easily obtainable, and the cost is only a fraction of the latter.

Will the emergence of this cutting-edge chip technology help China achieve a "overtaking on the curve" in chip research and development? In response to this question, the research team told the Global Times that the research and development competition in the traditional chip technology field is becoming increasingly fierce, and facing international challenges such as the slowing down of Moore's Law, the world is seeking new computing architectures. It can indeed be understood as a kind of "curve" opportunity. Whether we can achieve "curve overtaking" depends on the joint efforts and ecological construction of all sectors. We are also working towards this goal.

A special review of this research, invited by the journal Nature, pointed out that the appearance of this chip may allow the new generation of computing architecture which will be integrated into daily life much earlier than expected. Academician Dai Qionghai, one of the corresponding authors of the paper, stated, "Developing a new computing architecture for the era of artificial intelligence is a summit, but truly implementing the new architecture in real life to solve major national and livelihood needs is a more important challenge and our responsibility."

The Chinese embassy in the Philippines criticized the US for voicing further restrictions on chip exports to China on Thursday, saying the act violates market norms and disrupts global supply chains.

The implementation of semiconductor export restrictions by US not only contravenes the most-favored-nation treatment principle outlined in Article 1 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, and the provisions of the WTO Agreement on Technical Barriers to Trade, but also goes against market laws, disrupts normal trade order, impacts the international production and supply chain stability, and constitutes blatant economic bullying, a spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in the Philippines said on Thursday. 

The US justifies restricting chip exports to China on the grounds of "national security," but those measures overstretch the scope of national security, obstruct trade of civilian-use chips, the spokesperson said.

The criticism comes in the wake of a visit by a US delegation to the Philippines, led by the US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, during which, “security issues were prominently discussed over pragmatic cooperation between the Philippines and the US,” the spokesperson said, accusing the US of coaxing and misleading allies into opposing China's technological progress, questioning the sincerity of the US in addressing the Philippines' development challenges.

China urges the US to cease politicizing and weaponising economic, trade, and technological issues, and discourages its allies from decoupling and disrupting supply chains with China. China has vowed to take necessary measures to protect its legitimate rights and interests, said the spokesperson.

During her visit, Raimondo announced more than $1 billion in investments by American companies in the Philippines, while saying that the US "will do whatever it takes" to limit China's technological capabilities, Bloomberg reported on Monday.

The China-Europe Railway Express has seen a significant uptick in operations, with nearly 3,000 trains dispatched in the first two months of 2024. The expansion underscores the service's growing role in facilitating faster and safer freight services for China-EU trade amid changing global logistics dynamics.

According to China Railway, the China-Europe Railway Express operated 2,928 trains in January and February, carrying 317,000 20-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers of goods, marking rises of 9 percent and 10 percent year-on-year, respectively. The network has expanded to cover 120 cities in China, and it reaches 219 cities in 25 European countries. 

The trend has been partly driven by the rising demand from European countries in the wake of the Red Sea crisis, as businesses seek reliable alternatives to sea transport. Yuan Xiaojun, a manager at China-Europe Chang'an, which operates freight trains, said there has been a significant uptick in inquiries and bookings for the trains, with February seeing a 20 percent to 30 percent increase in operations. 

Lu Zhao, head of a Chengdu-based freight forwarding company, highlighted the China-Europe Railway Express' ability to provide stability and predictability for international supply chains, with its consistent transit times proving a crucial factor for industries that are reliant on timely deliveries. 

The growing preference for rail transport among China-Europe traders has also led to a diversified range of goods being transported, with specialized trains now carrying equipment and vehicles from major Chinese manufacturers to Europe. 

In the first two months of 2024, the China-Europe Railway Express operated over 30 customized trains for companies such as Zoomlion Heavy Industry, Sany Heavy Industry, Geely, and Foton Motor. Throughout 2023, more than four provinces introduced specialized trains for new energy vehicles (NEVs), amid rising demand for NEVs in Europe. 

Moreover, the service is diversifying beyond just rail, with integrated sea-rail transport routes enriching the connectivity. A recent shipment of electric water heaters from Thailand to Germany, passing through Laos, Vietnam, and China, exemplifies the logistical achievements possible with this multimodal approach. 

Since its launch in 2011, the China-Europe Railway Express has become a cornerstone of Eurasian trade, as a reliable, efficient, and safe freight option. With over 85,000 trains operated by the end of February, the service not only signifies a pivotal shift in trade dynamics but also highlights the potential for continued growth in global logistics and supply chain resilience.

Chinese researchers have successfully developed a 65,000-channel bidirectional brain-computer interface(BCI) chip, believed to be " far ahead" in terms of innovation of ultra-high-density implanted BCI system in the world, said Huang Li, a deputy to the National People's Congress (NPC) and chairman of Wuhan Guide Infrared Co -- a high-tech firm specializing in infrared thermal imaging technology. 

The technological breakthrough has made China a world leader in BCI chip development, Huang said during the second session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC) on Friday.

Huang detailed that the company has developed a two-way BCI technology with 65,000 channels, while foreign counterparts have developed 3,000 channels in one-way, Huang said in a note sent to the Global Times on Sunday.

"This kind of BCI chips can be used in many areas of new medical applications, including controlling prosthesis through human thoughts and treating nervous system diseases such as epilepsy, Alzheimer's disease, depression, and Parkinson's disease," Huang noted.

BCI is basically a technology that enables a person to control an external device using brain signals. It is a cutting-edge new technology that previously appeared in only science fiction, but it is moving from academic exploration to practical use." 

China has already made solid progress in the field. In the latest major development, a research team at Tsinghua University recently published the details of cases in which two paralyzed patients regained a degree of movement through wireless, minimally invasive BCIs. One of the patients, paralyzed for 14 years, drank water from a bottle using robotic hands for the first time.

As an entrepreneur in the high-tech sector, Huang recently submitted a motion that focuses on supporting research and development in the BCI field at the ongoing NPC session in Beijing, with the aims of promoting the country's capability to produce fully domestically made BCI systems and related products.

"We should seize the opportunities of the new round of technological revolution and industrial transformation, actively leverage our own strengths and strive to achieve growth in the fields of low-altitude economy and BCI innovation," Huang told the Global Times.

Still, many companies have found navigating the approval process for a commercial medical BCI device a challenge, and Huang said the authorities should establish a green channel for registration and the market approval of BCI products.

China has highlighted the development of "future industries" as a key part of its development plan for the next few years, and frontier technologies including BCI may grow to be one of the new quality productive forces. 

Huang said China should develop its own and controllable BCI system and enhance the innovation ability of core technologies and products in key sectors including BCI innovation to propel China's economy in the coming years. 

To achieve this goal, the Government Work Report, which was delivered to the NPC on Tuesday, stated that China will vigorously advance new industrialization, make more breakthroughs in core technologies, and promote the cultivation of emerging industries and future-oriented strategic industries such as hydrogen power, new materials, bio-manufacturing, commercial spaceflight, quantum computing and life sciences.

Dubbed as the "Silicon Valley of China", Wuhan, capital city of Central China's Hubei Province, where Guide Infrared is based, Wuhan Guide Infrared Co has enjoyed ample supply of talent and policy support to promote industrial innovation, especially cutting-edge technologies to develop strategic emerging industries.

"In our next step, the company will establish a globally influential brain science research and treatment center and introduce advanced global BCI teams to settle in Wuhan, helping the city's BCI-related industries to lead the world," Huang said.

A group of CPPCC members are putting forth a proposal, recommending the inclusion of nuclear-generated electricity into the country's green electricity certification, as the country's expanding fleet of nuclear generators are capable of providing over 160 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year now.

Proposed by Yang Changli, a member of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) and chairman of Chinese nuclear giant CGN, and 13 other CPPCC members, the proposal noted that nuclear electricity hasn't been included into the national green electricity certification, which impeded efforts in realizing the country's carbon neutrality goals and the long-term development of the country's nuclear industry.

China's top political advisory body, the CPPCC National Committee, opened its annual session in Beijing on Monday.

China established a green electricity certification system in 2017 and electricity generated from wind and solar sources are awarded with certification and gain a premium at electricity market trading.

The proposal noted that electricity generated from nuclear power stations has the lowest carbon emissions among renewable energy sources, citing data from the International Atomic Energy Agency. 

One kilowatt hour of nuclear-generated electricity only emits 5.7 grams of carbon emission, compared with 74.6 grams from solar, 64.4 grams from hydropower and 13.3 grams from wind.

To date, total installed capacity of nuclear power generations in operation and under construction in China has exceeded 100 million kilowatts, accounting for 21.2 percent of the world's total with first-rated safety record, according to Yang.

The fact that nuclear power companies do not have access to official green electricity certification has prevented them from meeting the rising market demand for green electricity and curbed the supply of green power.

In the face of the sector's steady expansion, China's nuclear power generation capacity is set to reach 10 percent of the nation's total power generation capacity by 2035, according to estimates.

As of the end of 2023, China had 55 nuclear power generators in operation, generating 4.86 percent of all power generated in the year, which helped reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 323.3 million tons, according to China Nuclear Energy Association.

China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU) told the Global Times that the voting outcome of Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) on February 28 is perceived as a response to the apprehensions widely shared by the business communities. It addresses worries regarding burdensome compliance and excessive administrative costs that could potentially result from the proposed CSDDD rules.

The response came after the EU failed to pass a law in favor of the CSDDD on February 28.

Reuters reported that not enough envoys from the 27 EU members backed the law for it to proceed, with opposition led by Germany's pro-business Free Democrats, part of the three-party governing coalition, who argued it would burden business with excessive bureaucracy.

The rules did not name China directly, but the rules would have required EU firms with more than 500 employees and €150 million ($162.7 million) net turnover worldwide to conduct detailed audits of their suppliers and partners.

China is the EU's second largest trading partner, largest source of imports and third largest export destination. If the bill is passed, it is widely believed that Chinese companies will become important targets of its supervision.

Chinese experts also said the legislation itself lacks credibility and appears to be an attempt to use human rights and environmental issues to suppress China, which is doomed to fail.

In a written submission to the European Commission back in May 2022, the chamber expressed concerns regarding the proposed CSDDD rules, citing potential unbalanced, disproportionate, and ambiguous obligations for all business operators.

Our members also voiced apprehensions that CSDDD might necessitate subject companies undertaking due diligence along their entire value chains, both directly and indirectly, at a level surpassing their control and capabilities, CCCEU said.

The CCCEU and its members reaffirm they are supportive of international and multilateral initiatives when it comes to respecting human rights and environmental protection.

Chinese authorities have been rejecting EU accusations of so-called human rights violation. The groundless accusation on China's human rights conditions, spreads disinformation, tarnishes China's image and gravely violates China's internal affairs, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a press conference in December.