The Hangzhou Asian Games torch relay will kick off on Friday near the iconic West Lake, officials said at a press conference on Wednesday at the Main Media Center.
A total of 2,022 torchbearers will participate in the relay, ranging in age from 14 to 84 years old.
The torch has undergone 3,000 tests to prevent any possibility of being extinguished due to inclement weather, official said.
The relay is set to start its 13-day journey from the West Lake, a UNESCO world heritage site in East China's Zhejiang Province that dates back to the 9th century.
The torch will then journey through 11 cities in Zhejiang, including Huzhou, Jiaxing, Shaoxing, Ningbo, Zhoushan, Taizhou, Wenzhou, Lishui, Jinhua and Quzhou, before returning to Hangzhou on September 20 to complete its final leg.
This torch relay will follow the ideas of "green, intelligent, frugal, civilized," four concepts that are expected to be implemented throughout the games, which can be seen from the torch relay as well as the environmentally friendly building materials, low-tech construction means and sustainable venue facilities inside the Asian Games Village as well.
Du Zuofeng, a deputy commander of Hangzhou Asian Games Torch Relay Command Center, told the Global Times that, first of all, the torch relay route follows the conventions of international competitions, and second, "this is also an excellent opportunity to reflect the development of Zhejiang."
"In the process to nail down the relay routes, each city has always focused on the ideas of 'a poetic Yangtze River, a vibrant Zhejiang,' and strived to highlight the 'Zhejiang style," noted Du.
For example, in its starting point of Hangzhou, the relay route was named after "the Route of Heaven," which is taken from a local idiom "Up above there is Heaven; down below there are Suzhou and Hangzhou."
In Hangzhou, participants will travel through the Liangzhu Ruins, the West Lake and Qiantang River, a vivid reflection of Hangzhou's history, innovation and ecological civilization.
A number of famous athletes including badminton world champions Chen Yufei and Wang Yilü, swimming world champions Wang Shun and Ye Shiwen, and table tennis world champion Fan Zhendong will carry the torch.
Industry pace-setters such as Shi Yigong, an academician at West Lake University, digital economy representative Zhang Yong and Zero Magnetic Medical Technology Innovation Center Ning Xiaolin, who is also a representative of China's science and technology industry, will participate.
National-level "moral models" including Cui Yiwen and Peng Qinglin have also been invited to run for the event. The former was stabbed eight times to protect her classmate and the latter saved a drowning girl by jumping off a 12-meter-high bridge.
To allay the concerns that the torch might be put out during the journey, a total of 3,000 tests were made in various simulated conditions.
"The Hangzhou Asian Games torch has passed the tests such as indoor level 10 rotating winds, but also outdoor scenes imitating seaside, typhoon, heavy rain and wind conditions. The results show that the torch cannot be put out even under 300mm/h rainfall," added Du.
The flame for the Asian Games was ignited at the Archaeological Ruins of Liangzhu in June, which marked the beginning of the 100-day countdown to this intra-continental multi-sport event.
Meanwhile, a "digital torchbearer" campaign is being held online for fans who are unable to attend the off-line torch relay. More than 76 million people have participated in a virtual torch relay as digital torchbearers through online platforms, organizers said.
The Hangzhou Asian Games will open on September 23 and close on October 8, with 12,417 athletes and 4,975 officials from 45 countries and regions set to participate, the organizing committee announced.
Team China suffered a defeat against the top-ranked South Korean team with a score of 27-30 in women's épée team semifinal of the fencing event at the 19th Asian Games held in Hangzhou, East China's Zhejiang Province, on Wednesday. Despite only collecting a bronze medal, Olympic champion Sun Yiwen, a 31-year-old veteran, wasn't discouraged.
This team event marked the first time Sun led a new lineup consisting of young athletes Xu Nuo, Shi Yuexin and Tang Junyao. In a post-match interview, Sun said that the competition was a great learning experience. She and her teammates gained confidence and hope from playing at this level, and they will continue to work hard in future Olympic qualification events.
On Sunday, the first official competition day of the Hangzhou Asian Games, Sun faced the top-seeded South Korean fencer Song Sera in the quarterfinals of the women's épée individual event.
Despite a string of disappointing defeats, Sun remained composed and even smiled throughout the interview session in the mixed zone after the match.
On her third trip to the Asian Games, Sun is the only Olympic champion in the Chinese fencing team. Reflecting on the experience, she said, "Among the three Asian Games I have participated in, this one is particularly memorable. It is a competition held on home soil, and it is also the last edition of the Asian Games."
At the Tokyo Olympics, Sun became the first Chinese fencer in history to win the Olympic individual women's épée competition's top laurel.
But the win came with a price. Sun suffered caudal vertebrae and knee injuries. It was not until October 2022 that she was able to resume training. In an interview following her return, Sun said the injuries had had a great impact on her career, adding that she had also made some mistakes after her return to sports.
Despite all that, Sun has put up an impressive performance at the Hangzhou Games.
Looking ahead to the Paris 2024 Olympics, Sun expressed her desire to stand on the podium once again. "In a sport like fencing, especially women's sabre, there is only one person who has won two championships, and two or three people have stood on the podium twice in a row. I believe I can continue to compete and hope to break through myself," she said.
The Games have also witnessed the final battles of several legendary veterans, such as 48-year-old Uzbekistani gymnast Oksana Chusovitina and 34-year-old table tennis great Ma Long.
Reminiscing on a career that has featured both ups and downs, Sun's goal isn't just about getting more medals anymore. She has set her eyes on inspiring younger Chinese athletes through her story and experience.
"As a veteran, compared with young athletes, I can bear more. In addition to injuries, I also have to overcome difficulties such as slow recovery caused by age. However, luckily, I have the ability to stay in the team and help young players grow faster with rich competition experience," Sun said.
"No matter what difficulties I encounter, I will never give up."
China's General Administration of Sport held a winter training mobilization meeting on Friday in Beijing. The meeting summarized the work and achievements for the Hangzhou Asian Games and analyzed the preparations for the Paris Olympic Games, pointing out that the preparations for the Paris Olympics have fully entered the final combat state.
Gao Zhidan, director of China's General Administration of Sport, noted at the meeting that Chinese athletes have strived and continuously achieved excellent results in major international competitions such as the Olympic Games and Asian Games. The Chinese sports delegation achieved both excellent results in sports and spirits at the Hangzhou Asian Games, successfully completing all participation tasks and achieving the goal of training and preparation for the Paris Olympics.
Currently, there are less than nine months left before the opening of the Paris Olympics. This winter training is the last winter training before the Paris Olympics and is a critical period for solidifying the foundation, enhancing capabilities, and preparing for participation.
Gao pointed out that it is necessary to organize this winter training work with the highest standards and strictest requirements, further enhance the comprehensive quality of Chinese athletes, and fully showcase the developmental achievements of China in the new era and the positive image of Chinese youth.
During winter training, Gao emphasized the need to make comprehensive preparation and projection, fully grasp the situation of the main competitors, form and strengthen one's own technical and tactical style characteristics by scientifically formulating countdown training and competition plans. The Chinese athletes also need to intensify their training, solidify the foundation, enhance strength, strictly manage overseas competitions and training, and calmly refine techniques. In terms of strengthening management, the involved departments will resolutely curb the spread of "fan circle" culture in the national team. On doping control, Gao stressed that China will continue to follow a policy of zero tolerance to ensure a clean sport.
Meanwhile, Gao emphasized that the preparation work for the Paris Olympics has fully entered the final stage. The athletes and their teams must shoulder the mission and strive to reach new heights at the Paris Olympic Games through this year's winter training.
The Austrian Cultural Center in Beijing recently invited artists Honey and Bunny to organize the performance art exhibition "Diets, resources, and aesthetics" at the Markor Cave Museum. This exciting event was organized to commemorate the International Day of Food Loss and Waste Awareness.
Food waste, environmental protection, food distribution, and sustainable use of resources are global issues that have attracted the attention of all sectors of society, and can be viewed from a variety of perspectives, including ethics, science, and art. This theme was deeply explored through "eating" art performances and food design, which were rich, revelatory experiences for audiences.
Since the establishment of diplomatic relationships between China and Austria in 1971, cultural exchanges between the two countries have been very active, and this performance art exhibition is a witness to the friendly exchanges between the two peoples.
A series of photographic artworks created by the artists Honey and Bunny on the subject of food are on display at the exhibition, complimenting wonderful performances through conversation sessions and performance art pieces, inspiring a deep understanding among audience and their reflections on "Diets, resources, and aesthetics." This exhibition is not only a friendly international art and culture exchange feast, but also deepens cultural cooperation between China and Europe.
While terrorist attacks and violence linked to racial division continue to increase in Europe and the US, Chinese experts warned on Tuesday that the Israel-Palestine conflict has brought to light the deep-rooted divisions within Western societies, as well as the contradictions of ethnic antagonism, and the Western countries should reflect on this, rather than evade the problem.
Two Swedish nationals were shot to death and a third one was wounded in central Brussels on Monday night, and a man who identified himself as a member of the Islamic State claimed responsibility in a video posted online, Reuters reported.
The suspected assailant fled the scene after the shooting spree as a soccer match between Belgium and Sweden was about to start, prompting Belgium to raise its terror alert to the highest level. Hours later on Tuesday, Belgian police said that the suspected gunman was shot dead by police in a cafe, Reuters reported.
The shooting comes at a time of heightened security concerns in some European countries linked to the Israel-Palestine conflict.
A man of Chechen origin stabbed to death a teacher and severely wounded two other adults on Friday at a school in northeastern France, an act that President Emmanuel Macron denounced as "Islamist terror," said AFP.
What's more, an Illinois landlord accused of fatally stabbing a 6-year-old Muslim boy and seriously wounding his mother was charged with a hate crime after police and relatives said he singled out the victims because of their faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.
"Detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the on-going Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis," the sheriff's statement said.
Experts believed that the Israel-Palestine conflict is the trigger, but the deep divisions in the societies of the US and Europe are the source of increased ethnic hatred. Such a division will inevitably affect the strategic coordination and strategic autonomy between the US and Europe.
In recent days, police in US cities and federal authorities have been on high alert for violence driven by anti-semitic or Islamophobic sentiments. FBI officials, along with Jewish and Muslim groups, have reported an increase of hateful and threatening rhetoric.
Because Western societies have maintained an attitude of taking sides concerning the issue of the Israel-Palestine conflict, the existing disputes between the two countries have intensified, Li Haidong, a professor at the China Foreign Affairs University, told the Global Times on Tuesday.
The US and Europe are most affected because the problem was actually created by the two, Li noted. "The US and Europe need to face up to and resolve their own divisions first, rather than evading problems and stirring up conflict elsewhere."
On Thursday afternoon, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs once again expressed its strong opposition after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) hastily released the comprehensive assessment report on the dump plan of nuclear-contaminated wastewater of Japan's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.
Wang Wenbin, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs further reiterated three points at a press conference on Thursday. Firstly, Japan focuses more on saving cost instead of safeguarding marine environment and protecting people's life and health. Second, Japan did not have full consultation with the international community especially with stakeholders. Third, the dumping plan is a gamble with no precedent and it is full of uncertainties.
After the IAEA released its assessment report on Tuesday, relevant government ministries in China expressed strong opposition.
China's Ministry of Ecology and Environment (National Nuclear Safety Administration) said it has deployed environmental monitoring for marine radiation levels and will issue an early warning in time to effectively safeguard the interests of the country and the public health in case of any abnormalities.
Deng Ge, secretary general of the China Atomic Energy Authority (CAEA) told the media on Tuesday that the safety report by the IAEA on the Japanese government's plan to dump Fukushima nuclear-contaminated wastewater failed to fully reflect the opinions of all experts involved in the review and the conclusions were limited and biased.
Liu Senlin, an expert with the CAEA, who participated in the IAEA's technical working group for the assessment, said that the report, released in the name of the IAEA director general, was released without sufficient consultation with the experts in the technical working group.
He believes that the report released by the IAEA does not represent the IAEA's recognition of the legitimacy of Japan's decision to dump the treated wastewater into the ocean, nor does it represent the IAEA's approval or authorization of Japan's dump of nuclear-contaminated wastewater.
According to media reports, the Japanese government plans to start the release of treated radioactive wastewater from the defunct Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant as early as this August, bolstered by the IAEA's latest report to greenlight its plan.
Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday announced that competent departments of the Chinese government will enhance marine environment monitoring and strengthen inspection and quarantine of imported seafood and other products to safeguard people's health and food safety.
Although the IAEA said the plan "meets safety standards," the public, including local fishermen in Japan, and people in neighboring countries remain skeptical and their unease has not subsided. For example, around 33,000 people from Fukushima, Iwate and Miyagi in Japan have signed a petition protesting the dumping of nuclear-contaminated wastewater into the ocean, making a total of 254,000 signatures collected in these places since 2022 urging the Japanese government to suspend the plan, Japan's Kyodo News reported. Many in Seoul, South Korea also gathered Wednesday in the central Gwanghwamun square to protest Japan's dumping plan despite the IAEA's endorsement, South Korean media reported, noting that the protest has continued for weeks.
In response to Japan's decision to discharge nuclear-contaminated wastewater from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant into the sea, the Global Times has produced a series of cartoons condemning Japan's irresponsible behavior from different perspectives, such as public opposition, the radioactive contamination to marine organisms, and the Japanese government's selfish behavior against the global community.
The 8th Contemporary Mexican Film Cycle will kick off in several Chinese cities, brining filmgoers and Mexican cultural enthusiasts in China six classic Mexican movies, the Global Times learned from Mexican Consulate General in Shanghai.
Started in 2013, the film cycle China is held to celebrate Día del Cine Mexicano, or the National Mexican Cinema Day, which falls on August 15 each year.
The film cycle presents audiences in China with the latest Mexican film productions by some of Mexico's most outstanding directors. They are committed to exploring various forms of film expression, showcasing to the world the colorful and infinite possibilities of today's Mexican film industry, said the Mexican Consulate General in Shanghai
The film cycle will be held in Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou. In Shanghai, the first film - Alamar (To the Sea) directed by Pedro González-Rubio - will be screened on Saturday afternoon at The Miguel de Cervantes Library.
Alamar was shot at Banco Chinchorro, which was listed as a biosphere reserve by the UNESCO in 2004. It tells the story of a five-year-old Italian-Mexican boy reuniting and going sea fishing with his fisherman father during holidays.
The other five movies scheduled to be screened are: Noche de fuego (Prayers for the Stolen), El camino de Xico (Xico's Journey), Güeros, Post Tenebras Lux (Light after Darkness), and A morir a los desiertos (To Die in the Desert).
El camino de Xico will be screened with a Chinese dubbing track. The remaining films will be screened in Spanish with Chinese subtitles.
The film cycle is jointly being held by the representative office of the National Autonomous University of Mexico in China, the Mexican Embassy in China, as well as the Mexican consulates general in Shanghai and Guangzhou.
The public can register to the screenings in Shanghai through the WeChat account of the Miguel de Cervantes Library
In his report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, proposed to comprehensively advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through a Chinese path to modernization - the modernization of a huge population, of common prosperity for all, of material and cultural-ethical advancement, of harmony between humanity and nature, and of peaceful development.
Advancing Chinese modernization is a systematic endeavor and also an exploratory undertaking. It is through this framework that we wish to illustrate the process of the Chinese path to modernization through a series of landmark projects, touching stories, and visionary plans.
In this installment, we trace along the stream of the Xin'an River, which flows in East China's Anhui and Zhejiang provinces, some of China's most-developed regions facing the dilemmas of industrial development and ecological protection. Through a collaborative and creative way, a cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanism has been built, setting a model in pursuing harmony between humanity and nature.
Xin'an River, which originates in Huangshan, East China's Anhui Province starting at an altitude of 1,629.8 meters, winds its way for over 300 kilometers through picturesque mountains and valleys, and eventually converges in Chun'an county, East China's Zhejiang Province, creating the Qiandao Lake before flowing into the Qiantang River.
With rapid economic and social development, in the early years, the upper reaches of the Xin'an River basin suffered from ecological degradation due to rapid industrialization and urbanization. Industrial pollution, domestic waste, and agricultural runoff expanded sharply, leading to a year-on-year decline in water quality.
The once clear river water became a source of concern for the people on both banks. The shared fate of drinking from the same river made the people of Anhui and Zhejiang realize the urgency of working together to protect their "mother river."
In the new era, the relationship between key breakthroughs and collaborative governance in major river basins has become a subject of Xi Jinping's Thought on Ecological Civilization, evolving from theoretical innovation to practical exploration.
"We shall protect ecosystems as preciously as we protect our eyes, and cherish them as dearly as we cherish our lives," Xi has said, stressing that the development model of "killing the hens for eggs" and "draining the lake for fish" is at a dead end, and the future will be illuminated by eco-friendly development that is in accordance with the rules of nature.
As China's first pilot program for cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanisms, the ecological governance of the Xin'an River basin has provided a new approach for cross-regional ecological mechanisms, especially for the local governments facing the dilemmas of industrial development and ecological protection.
From being a pilot to becoming a model, from financial compensation to industrial cooperation, from collaborative governance to mutual development, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces have continuously innovated their cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanism, gradually forging a path of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation.
Explore a new path
The Qiandao Lake is known for its picturesque landscapes characterized by mountains, pristine waters, and an archipelago of islands. The ever-changing scenery of the lake and mountains resembles paradise on Earth. Today, it attracts a multitude of tourists and serves as a habitat for many wild animals.
However, in the past, the area presented a different picture. At that time, Huangshan city was undergoing rapid industrialization and urbanization. Some wastewater and garbage made its way into Qiandao Lake through the Xin'an River, causing deterioration of water quality in certain areas and the proliferation of blue-green algae, which posed a threat to the survival of fish.
How were the emergent pollution issues addressed in the Xin'an River basin? In 2011, Xi gave an important instruction, emphasizing the significance of protecting Qiandao Lake's high-quality water resources, stating that Zhejiang and Anhui should consider the overall situation, control pollution at its source, and pursue a mutually beneficial and win-win path.
"The Xin'an River basin is the pioneer in the construction of ecological compensation mechanisms in China," said Wu Zhixu, deputy director of the Chun'an sub-bureau of ecology and environment in Hangzhou. Wu revealed that the Anhui segment of the upper Xin'an River accounts for over 60 percent of the total inflow into the Qiandao Lake, making it crucial for the lake's water quality.
In 2012, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces initiated the first nationwide pilot project for a cross-provincial ecological compensation mechanism along the Xin'an River. They established a compensation standard system with the philosophy "those who benefit compensate, and those who protect receive compensation."
The agreement stipulated that as long as Anhui Province achieved water quality standards at the provincial boundary, Zhejiang Province's downstream region would compensate Anhui to the tune of 100 million yuan ($13.8 million) annually. If water quality standards were not met, Anhui Province would need to compensate Zhejiang with the same amount.
During the implementation of this policy, with increasing exchanges between upstream and downstream areas, Zhejiang and Anhui provinces learned from each other's governance experiences, and gradually formed a collaborative work pattern encompassing joint planning, water quality monitoring, garbage collection, law enforcement emergencies, and multilateral exchanges.
Through the joint efforts of both provinces, three phases of pilot projects were conducted in the periods of 2012 to 2014, 2015 to 2017, and 2018 to 2020. Over the course of more than a decade of implementing the Xin'an River ecological compensation mechanism, the central government and the two provinces of Zhejiang and Anhui collectively allocated a total of 5.7 billion yuan in compensation funds.
Chun'an county received a total of 7.5 billion yuan in ecological and environmental protection subsidies, driving the investment of 11.2 billion yuan in ecological and environmental protection. Additionally, 31 projects were incentivized through specialized financial incentives for green transformation, attracting an investment of 4.52 billion yuan.
Today, the comprehensive governance level of the Xin'an River basin has significantly improved. The Qiandao Lake continues to maintain excellent water quality, and its water source is categorized as one of the first "China Good Water" water sources, earning the honor of being one of the first national-level ecological protection and construction demonstration areas, among others.
Moreover, the two provinces of Zhejiang and Anhui have transitioned from a single fund compensation approach to engaging in diverse explorations. The potential value of the ecological compensation mechanism in driving local economic structural transformation and promoting high-quality economic development has gradually become evident.
For instance, in the agricultural sector, an agreement was signed between Jiukeng town in Chun'an, Zhejiang, and Huangtian town in Shexian county, Anhui, to collaboratively cultivate talent in the field of tea and enhance the cooperative efforts in breeding excellent tea varieties. This has turned tea cultivation and tourism into pillar industries driving rural revitalization in the local area. In the field of culture and tourism, the Xin'an River basin has interconnected multiple 5A-level scenic spots and traditional villages along its course.
The Xin'an River basin, serving as an exemplary model, is transitioning from the "joint protection of one river" to the "shared prosperity of one region," providing one of the finest illustrations of the Chinese path to modernization, showing that Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era is the "master key" for analyzing and resolving issues.
An inspiring reference
Experiences in the cross-provincial ecological compensation practice in the Xin'an River-Qiandao Lake region also provides a good reference for many other cities and villages in the Yangtze River Delta region.
Xiayang village in Zhejiang's Anji county, for instance, is a popular camping destination with a plethora of natural attractions. It received more than 5,000 camping tourists in 2021, with annual tourism income reaching 2.13 million yuan ($293,324).
But that year, while happy with their booming tourism, some local villagers were also worried about a possible decrease in tourists in the near future because of the then polluted Xiayang stream flowing through the village.
"The industrial wastewater and household waste discharged from the upstream villages can cause pollution and hurt the water environment, and that may discourage campers and affect our village's tourism business," Bao Xin, secretary of the Xiayang village branch of the Communist Party of China (CPC), told the Global Times.
The upper reach of Xiayang stream passes through several villages in Anhui's Guangde city. Due to problems including inadequate communication and different water protection standards, it was difficult to carry out cross-provincial water pollution control work initially, Bao recalled.
The "Xin'an River mode" inspired Xiayang's villagers, who voluntarily went to the upstream villages at the beginning of 2022 and discussed joint management and protection of Xiayang stream's water environment with the residents there. After eight months of concerted efforts on both sides, they issued a series of water quality assessment measures, which involve four villages in Zhejiang and Anhui through which Xiayang stream flows.
According to the measures, each month, the downstream Xiayang village tests the quality of the water in the stream's cross-provincial sections. If the quality reaches the agreed-upon standard, Xiayang village will pay the involved upstream villages 300,000 yuan that month as an ecological compensation.
Encouraged by eco-compensation policy and the consensus on green development, the upstream villages started to work harder in improving Xiayang stream's water quality. In 2022, one of the villages, Shijun, spent 800,000 yuan in building two sewage treatment terminals, and local villagers spontaneously set up a volunteer team to patrol along the stream. Now the clear stream has become Shijun village's popular water rafting destination, bringing it new opportunities to develop ecotourism.
Xiayang stream is a part of the Xitiao Stream - an important tributary of the Taihu Lake. Traversing Jiangsu and Zhejiang provinces, the 2,445-square-kilometer Taihu Lake is China's third-largest freshwater lake, as well as an essential "water tank" for people in the Yangtze River Delta region.
From the previous blue-green algae's "hard-hit area" to the current boundless clear water, Taihu Lake is a good example of Yangtze River Delta provinces and cities working together to improve water quality and the ecological environment in recent years.
Since 2007, Jiangsu's Wuxi city has spent 110 billion yuan in improving the water environment of Taihu Lake. It has salvaged a total 20.55 billion tons of blue-green algae between 2007 and 2022, accounting for more than 90 percent of the whole blue-green algae being salvaged in the lake.
In Zhejiang, Huzhou city shut down or relocated all the industrial companies within five kilometers of Taihu Lake. It has also removed more than 1,000 mu (0.67 square kilometers) of aquaculture nets from Taihu Lake and its surrounding waters.
More cross-provincial policies and measures were carried out to better protect water quality. In September 2022, Shanghai, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang together released an announcement to establish and improve an integrated mechanism in protecting local cross-border water sources. Earlier in September 2020, the three sides jointly introduced a special protection plan for the cross-border waters there.
Ecological conservation is of vital importance for the sustainable development of the Chinese nation, Xi said as the country marks its first National Ecology Day on August 15, calling it a major political issue that concerns the mission and purpose of the CPC as well as a major social issue that bears upon public wellbeing.
He noted that on the new journey of building a modern socialist country in all respects, efforts should be made to maintain strategic resolve in advancing ecological progress and promote high-quality development in sync with high-standard protection.
Li Junjie and Dou Hao are People's Daily reporters; Shan Jie and Huang Lanlan are Global Times reporters
A giant engraved "Great Stone" stands at the entrance of the China-Belarus Industrial Park in Minsk, capital of Belarus. Advertisements for "Great Stone" can also be seen on highways linking the city center to the park. The name "Great Stone" was given by Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko to the park as it embodies "the cornerstone of the friendship between the peoples of China and Belarus." Nobody could ever have imagined the forest would one day turn into a shining pearl of the Belt and Road Initiative. From a "piece of white paper" to "a shining new city," what has made the industrial park what it is today? What difficulties did the park weather to keep thriving amid today's complicated geopolitical atmosphere? Reporters from the Global Times entered the largest foreign investment project in Belarus to find out the secret of its prosperity.
Miraculous development
At the entrance of the park, there's a giant display board that says "time is money, efficiency is life" in both Chinese and Russian. In Belarus, local people, amazed by the speed of construction of the industrial park, developed an idiom that says, "You will never step into the same China-Belarus Industrial Park."
The park is located near the center of Belarus and sits on transport links within easy reach of the Moscow-Berlin international highway to Russia and Central Europe. The Belarus government set up a customs office inside of the park, to speed up customs clearance and provide quick service for commerce, bonded warehouse storage and others.
Foundation of the park was laid in 2014. Since the second half of 2015, the China-Belarus Industrial Park has developed rapidly. Developed within the framework of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the park has witnessed rapid expansion.
In an exclusive interview with the Xinhua News Agency earlier this year, Lukashenko noted it is the largest project attracting investment in Belarus and a landmark cooperation project within the BRI framework as it was promoted by the two heads of state personally and prized by the two governments.
As of August, a total of 114 enterprises had settled in the China-Belarus Industrial Park, involving various fields such as machinery manufacturing, e-commerce, new materials, traditional Chinese medicine, artificial intelligence and 5G network development. Intended investment exceeds $1.3 billion.
If there's any secret behind the park's rapid development, it is the high-quality coordination between China and Belarus, as well as support from leaders from both countries, head of the park's administration Alexander Yaroshenko told the Global Times.
Yaroshenko once served as deputy minister of the Ministry of Economy of Belarus and was appointed as head of the park's administration in 2016. "When President Lukashenko handed me this job, he told me, 'We have a bunch of deputy ministers, but we have only one China-Belarus Industrial Park, so your job as head of the park's administration is very important.' So you can see how much importance he attached to the industrial park and his high expectations," said Yaroshenko.
Rapid development of the park also mirrored the elevation of bilateral ties. According to statistics, the bilateral trade volume between China and Belarus in 2022 reached $5.08 billion, setting a new record. On a diplomatic level, the two countries established an all-weather comprehensive strategic partnership in 2022.
Special appeal
Enterprise in the park come from 16 countries. Apart from China and Belarus, there are companies from the US, EU, Switzerland and Singapore, Yaroshenko, standing in front of a world map, introduced to the Global Times reporters. "Our industrial park is very international."
One of Yaroshenko's favorite stories when it comes to attracting investment goes like this. "Six years ago, owners of a US company came to the industrial park by private jet. Said he wanted to see the park with his own eyes. Later he told me he made a huge mistake, for he bought too little land in the park. 'I should have bought land twice as big here!'"
Apart from the advanced infrastructure, the park's considerate policy services are also what makes it so appealing to companies. The park has a "one-stop" efficient service system for enterprises. All approvals involving enterprises are completed in the park, providing full-process services such as investment negotiation, company registration, project access and land transfer.
"In the one-stop service hall, companies can complete all procedures within one or two hours. Yet in other places, it may take seven hours to a month," Deputy Director General of the Industrial Park Development Company Ren Fei told the Global Times. The one-stop service hall is a lesson learned from China's Suzhou Industrial Park. Moreover, companies who settle in the China-Belarus Industrial Park can enjoy preferential policies on visas, customs clearance and taxes.
The Belarusian company Human Craft, which manufactures medical prostheses, settled in the park at the end of 2022. Anton Naczyński, general manager of the company, told the Global Times that the reason the company chose this park is because the park's management helps every company develop and expand into the overseas market. He hopes that within such an environment, his company and Belarus' medical prostheses can reach the world's advanced level.
New Silicon Valley
However, the park has encountered challenges from COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine crisis in recent years. Yet Ren brushed off the impact of those events on its development.
"In 2017, there were 10 companies in the park. Since 2018, the number of companies settled in the park stayed at 18 to 20 annually. Despite the impact of COVID-19, 20 new companies chose our park in 2021, and the number in 2022 was 19," said Ren. He expects a record 23 or 24 new companies will be landing in the park this year.
The reason for such growth is the park's timely adjusting of measures to weather the impact of geopolitical shock and Western countries' sanctions. Ren said since the Russia-Ukraine crisis, the park has adjusted the source structure for attracting investment.
"Previously, many enterprises that came here were oriented toward the European and US markets. Now, the focus is mainly on the Eurasian Economic Union market, as well as investments from member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization," said Ren.
Meanwhile, when facing sanctions from the West, several banks in Belarus have also received assistance from the park in accessing the Chinese yuan payment system. This has helped resolve many payment difficulties for enterprises through bilateral currency settlements, said Ren.
He also told the Global Times that they are intensifying efforts to address transportation issues through the China-Europe Railway Express, partially offsetting the impact of disrupted maritime shipping in Belarus following the Russia-Ukraine crisis.
In the eyes of many, the park is not only an industrial park, it is also an "intelligence new city" that is endowed with a beautiful and pleasant environment.
In the medium to long term, the park aims to attract more than 100,000 industrial population and become an international comprehensive development zone.
Shymanovich Aliaksandr, an employee from the China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach)'s Belarus branch, told the Global Times that the park is full of happiness because there are many green trees here, and one can breathe the freshest air at any time. The production space, living space, and natural space are also all well integrated.
Alexey Kliuchnikov, chief of the R&D department of YTO Technology, a leading agricultural machinery supplier in China that also opened an office in the industrial park, said that working in the company not only offers a significantly higher income compared to the average level in Minsk, but also provides many opportunities to exchange ideas with Chinese counterparts and learn the latest technologies.
"Our goal is to make this place a 'new Silicon Valley in Central and Eastern Europe,'" Ren said proudly. In his eyes, the park is not just a project, but a manifestation of the passion and ideals of a group of people.
Standing on the observation platform of the Jawa 7 coal-fired Power Plant in Indonesia, one enjoys a panoramic view of the lush and vibrant mangrove forest, where numerous marine birds frolic and mate. It is difficult to associate this idyllic scene with the image of a traditional power plant, billowing black smoke engulfing the surroundings and causing air pollution. And yet the image couldn't be further from the truth as this is one of the most efficient, stable and environmentally friendly power plants in Indonesia, co-built by Chinese and Indonesian constructors under the framework of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
On December 13, 2019, Unit 1 of Java 7 was put into power generation four months ahead of schedule, and the whole plant was put into commercial operation on July 8, 2021. The project, built through a joint venture between China Shenhua Energy and Indonesia's state-run power company PT Pembangkit Jawa Bali (PJB), consists of two sets of 1050 mW-generating units, with an annual power generation capacity of approximately 15 billion kilowatt-hours, marking it the largest single capacity, highest parameter, and most advanced power plant in Indonesia.
The main environmental indicators are considerably superior than the local emission standards, and it has become a model for local low-carbon and environmentally friendly power generation with advanced technology, Zhao Zhigang, head of the plant's developer PT Shenhua Guohua Power Jawa Bali, told the Global Times.
"The project placed significant emphasis on environmental protection during construction and operation, resulting in the creation of this wetland landscape where people and nature coexist in harmony," Zhao said. He noted that in Southeast Asian countries, local residents attach great importance to environmental protection and consider the good natural environment to be an important foundation for sustainable development. Based on this common recognition, protecting the region's mangrove forest has become a shared responsibility for Chinese and Indonesian operators of the power plant.
To safeguard the rare mangrove forest from harm, a series of measures have been put into action, including the planning of mangrove ecological protection zones, the reintroduction of dominant mangrove tree species, the installation of mangrove protection signage, and the appointment of dedicated personnel to oversee mangrove preservation in various regions. Chinese contractors also take the initiative to seek cooperation with local mangrove conservation agencies, and the company spends more than 200,000 yuan ($27,443.12) a year on mangrove protection, Zhao said.
Zhao mentioned that throughout the construction period, any large construction machinery had to follow alternative routes to circumvent the mangrove forest.
When Global Times reporters visited the power plant in July, the area of the mangrove forest had expanded from 9 hectares when the construction began to approximately 17 hectares. It has become an ideal home for marine birds, lizards, mongooses, and other animals. Nearly 3,000 different marine bird species nest in this mangrove forest. Lizards, otters, snakes, crabs, fish, and other species safely reproduce here.
As the sun sets, a 4-kilometer-long pipeline, coated in seven-color anti-corrosion paint, comes into sight, representing the coal transport facilities. It serves as the "lifeline" of the power plant, connecting it to the dedicated coal terminal like a rainbow ribbon. Zhao elaborated that the coal conveying system on the bridge employs a green and environmentally friendly enclosed conveyor belt, significantly reducing coal dust emissions. "It is the longest and fastest pipe belt conveyor for coal transportation in Indonesia," said Zhao.
Additionally, the power plant utilizes new generation low-nitrogen burners, and seawater desulfurization processes, achieving an overall desulfurization efficiency of up to 99.65 percent, significantly higher than local standards. The company has also left room for further optimization of emission standards.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo inaugurated Jawa 7 in 2017. "The PLTU adopts ultra-supercritical technology which is environmentally friendly and allows higher energy conversion efficiency compared to the previous PLTU conventional technology," the Indonesian Energy Ministry spokesman Dadan Kusdiana stated in a press release upon Widodo's visit.
Zhou Lisha, a researcher with the research institute of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of China's State Council, believes that as the first independently developed supercritical million-kilowatt thermal power unit with independent intellectual property rights, the Jawa 7 will be practical in showing the world that China's international energy cooperation under the BRI is not about exporting outdated production capacity, but about exporting the most advanced and efficient clean energy technologies.
Indonesia is strategically located between the Pacific Ocean and the Indian Ocean, with unique advantages in location, population, market, and resources, and holds enormous potential. However, the shortage of electricity supply has been constraining its development.
As of the end of 2022, the plant has generated a total of 31.5 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity and paid $45.64 million in taxes. It greatly alleviates electricity shortages in the Java region, and is also a strong driver for local economic growth and social development.
The Global Times has learned that the power plant is an industry reliant on advanced technology; however, Indonesia faces a shortage of relevant academic programs in universities and talent development systems to support it. Job opportunities provided by Chinese companies are seen as good learning opportunities for many local people after graduation. It is estimated that during the operation period, it has provided nearly 700 jobs for local graduates.
Rizka Anggraini, a local employee at the project, told the Global Times that currently, Indonesian employees account for about 70 to 80 percent of the project's workforce. After graduating, she chose to join a Chinese company in the hope of seeing how traditional energy technologies in China achieve near-zero emissions.
"We implement a mentorship system in the project, and my Chinese mentor provides me with detailed guidance. Indonesians also have good opportunities for promotion," Anggraini said.
She also mentioned that Chinese companies annually organize visits for top Indonesian employees to power plants in China for educational purposes, and she eagerly anticipates the chance to participate in one of these visits.
