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China sets example as major country in this round of head-of-state diplomacy: Global Times editorial

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BEIJING, Nov. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Chinese President Xi Jinping delivered a speech titled “Shouldering Responsibility and Working Together in Solidarity to Build an Asia-Pacific Community with a Shared Future” on Friday at the 29th Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting. In the speech, he put forward China’s proposition on what kind of Asia-Pacific to build from the perspectives of peace and stability, prosperity for all in the Asia-Pacific, a clean and beautiful Asia-Pacific, as well as helping each other. Xi also expressed China’s willingness to commit to building new systems for a higher-level open economy and continue to share China’s development opportunities with the world, especially the Asia-Pacific. These farsighted and realistic remarks are highly in line with the common expectations of the regional and international community, and have resonated greatly both inside and outside the venue.

The APEC meeting is the last of the three important meetings of the “Asian moment,” and continues a prominent feature of the first two events: The participants share many similarities in their perceptions and elaboration of major regional and international issues. Even US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said he saw signs of a “convergence” in views about how to move forward in solving the world’s problems. This is a positive sign that makes us more confident in the future of mankind. It demonstrates that the consensus in the Asia-Pacific region and even the entire world still outweighs the differences and divisions. When the international situation is more tense, the “justice” lurking in the minds of the world will come to the fore, promoting the establishment and strengthening of dams to maintain peace and stability, as well as fairness and justice.

We have seen from the three meetings that at a time of complex and severe global challenges, it is entirely possible to realize solidarity in human society, and the key is that major countries should set an example. The host of the APEC meeting, Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, urged APEC leaders to focus on building a sustainable and inclusive world. French President Emmanuel Macron said bluntly in his speech that an increasing number of countries were being put in a position where they had to choose between an allegiance to Beijing or Washington, and “this is a huge mistake.”

The Asia-Pacific region is where we live and thrive, and also the source of global economic growth. The more turbulent the storm is, the more care should be taken for the prosperity of the common development of the Asia-Pacific. 

Although the three conferences have their own specific themes, “overcoming divergences,” “realizing unity” and “seeking development” have become the consistent theme of this “Asian moment.” Whoever practices true multilateralism and who truly closely links one’s own destiny with regional development will have a wider path and make more friends.

This round of China’s head-of-state diplomacy has gained a more comprehensive understanding and appreciation of China’s diplomacy around the world. President Xi held meetings with leaders of more than 10 countries and international organizations, increasing trust and dispelling doubts, and this is leading the development of bilateral relations. The important speeches at the G20 Bali Summit and the APEC meeting had far-reaching influence.

It is obvious that China’s proposition is highly consistent with the mainstream opinion of the international community. In the face of a turbulent and changing world, China has always maintained and practiced true multilateralism, and has always stood on the right side of history, on the side of peace, cooperation, fairness and justice, and on the side of human civilization and progress. This determines that China’s circle of friends will become increasingly big.

https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202211/1279918.shtml

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CCTV+: China-Africa Media Cooperation under the concept of “Sincerity, Real Results, Amity and Good Faith”

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BEIJING, Nov. 16, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The 6th Africa Link Union (ALU) Annual Meeting was held in Beijing on Monday, gathering 26 media representatives from 19 countries and regions to help strengthen media cooperation between China and Africa.

A group photo of media representatives.
A group photo of media representatives.

Hosted by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+), participants shared their views on how to deepen collaboration under the theme of “Sincerity, Real Results, Amity and Good Faith, Strengthening China-Africa Media Cooperation”.

In his opening address, Mr. Teng Yunping, president of CCTV+, gave a warm welcome to attendees from across the African continent and said China–Africa media cooperation has played an essential role in furthering relations between the two sides.

“The working mechanism of the ALU has brought us closer and closer, and has also built a bridge for people-to-people connections in terms of media communications between China and Africa,” said Teng, adding that the ALU has made positive contributions to the comprehensive development of China–Africa relations.

The meeting also saw the signing of the Cooperation Agreement on AMSP (All Media Service Platform) between Teng Yunping, CCTV+ president, and Ousman Abdelmoumine Bechir, CEO of Tchad 24.

Mr. Teng Yunping signed the Cooperation Agreement on AMSP with the CEO of Tchad 24.
Mr. Teng Yunping signed the Cooperation Agreement on AMSP with the CEO of Tchad 24.

Ms. Song Jianing, Deputy Director of the China Global Television Network (CGTN), said: “For better aggregating the news content of the world’s main media and creating effective in-depth diversified international cooperative media in the long-term, CGTN is willing to provide African media partners with more media public products in the future, and to conduct closer exchanges and cooperation.”

“CCTV plus has become a significant source of news content for our station,” said Ms. Susan Ng‘ong’a, Chief Executive Officer of Kenyan broadcaster Switch TV.

“Switch media looks to further build alliances within the African Link Union through creating a world class product of professional news content and strengthening the partnership for years to come,” she said.

“Thanks to the China Media Group, CGTN, CCTV+ for the collaboration. We have learned from you, we have adapted to new working methods such as the AMSP platform for example,” said Mr. Martin Ngningaye, Chief Executive Officer of Afrique Média from Cameroon. He said the exchanges of audiovisual content have allowed audiences to discover the truth about China and learn more about the splendor, cultural diversity and tourism sites in the respective countries, and especially to realize the neutrality and rigor in the processing of information.

Media representatives also shared their opinions on covering significant international events and their future plans for Chinese and African media cooperation after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), as well as further development of the ALU at the meeting.

The event also saw the winners of the ALU News Awards from 2021 to 2022 being announced, honoring members that have made outstanding contributions to the development of the cooperation platform over the past year.

The ALU was initiated by CCTV+ and media organizations across Africa in 2016, aiming to promote media cooperation and exchanges between China and Africa.

PR Newswire

CGTN: China and UAE collaboration for a shared future

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BEIJING, Nov. 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — China and the United Arab Emirates’ diplomatic ties are nearing four decades, but their economic and cultural ties go back far deeper, in the times of the ancient Silk Road. Stationing in Beijing since 2017, Ali Al Dhaheri, the UAE’s Ambassador to China, has extensive insights into China’s development.

H.E. Dhaheri speaks highly of remarkable achievements China made in the past decade in improving people’s livelihood and maintaining long-range economic growth. Today, China has become a powerhouse for global growth and a hub for technological innovation. In his opinion, China’s success is unprecedented and a testament of CPC’s firm leadership.

According to H.E. Dhaheri, China’s enormous and positive changes are not only taking place in cities but also villages. In his trip to Malipo county, Yunnan Province, he saw singing and dancing villagers live in happiness and satisfaction. This experience left him deep understanding of China’s approach of poverty alleviation which he believes is a model for other developing countries to emulate. In addition, he believes that as China is laying out an ambitious blueprint for future transformation with its Fourteenth Five-Year Plan, the country’s high quality development will be truly historic with positive repercussions throughout the world.

H.E. Dhaheri says, as Comprehensive Strategic Partners, the UAE and China share similar development paths, concepts, and goals. And their partnership has many milestones. One is healthcare, especially manufacturing a new vaccine in the UAE in collaboration. This partnership can therefore serve as a model for developing countries to explore paths to modernization.

China is the UAE’s largest trading partner, and the UAE is China’s largest non-oil trading partner in the Middle East and North Africa. The latter is also among the first countries to join the Belt and Road Initiative, reviving the ancient Silk Road ties. The two countries benefit from strong mutual trust, multilateralism, and international collaboration.

H.E. Dhaheri stresses that countries around the world should remain committed to a shared vision of commonality, comprehensiveness, and cooperation. He expects more cooperation between the UAE and China in the future, and he himself, is delighted to be a bridge builder between the two countries and the two peoples.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-11-13/China-and-UAE-collaboration-for-a-shared-future-1eVyS6nqMk8/index.html

PR Newswire

Yangtze finless porpoise: Protecting China’s ‘Smiling Angel’

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BEIJING, Nov. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — A news report from China.org.cn on China’s efforts to protect Yangtze finless porpoise:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeeZpJbI6zk

In a recent poll, netizens voted to name a rare Yangtze finless porpoise. Efforts to protect this endangered species have shown promising signs in China during the past few years.

Recently, an online poll was held to choose a name for a Yangtze finless porpoise code-named “YYc.” After the voting concluded, a team of experts selected “Hanbao” from the most popular replies, which has the same pronunciation as “hamburger” in Chinese. The name really suits it since the calf’s chubby body is just like a hamburger. Moreover it was born in Wuhan, central China’s Hubei province. “Hanbao” means “Wuhan’s treasure” in Chinese.

Hanbao is indeed a treasure.

The 2-year-old male calf is China’s first artificially-bred second-generation Yangtze finless porpoise. Its father Taotao is the world’s first Yangtze finless porpoise to be bred naturally in an artificial environment.

The breeding of Hanbao shows that Yangtze finless porpoises born in an artificial environment can produce offspring, marking a breakthrough and a new stage in the artificial breeding of the species.

But why has such a little porpoise drawn so much attention?

Because it’s undoubtedly cute, but also critically endangered.

According to data and scientific surveys, from 1992 to 2012, the number of Yangtze finless porpoises, an iconic species of the Yangtze River, plummeted from about 2,700 to around 1,040.

The decreasing speed is shocking. If protection is not strengthened, the endangered mammal is very likely to suffer the same fate as the baiji dolphin, nicknamed the “Goddess of the Yangtze River,” which is now considered functionally extinct.

To conserve the “Smiling Angel,” affectionately named for its mouth fixed in a permanent grin, over the past decade, China has imposed a 10-year fishing ban in the Yangtze, enacted the Yangtze River Protection Law, and launched the Yangtze River Finless Porpoises Rescue Action Plan (2016-2025). Efforts have also been stepped up in research and practice through on-site conservation, ex-situ conservation, and artificial breeding and reproduction.

Fortunately, the protection work has delivered encouraging results. The rate of decline has slowed significantly and bottomed out around 2017. One year after the fishing ban was implemented in 2021, a population survey showed positive momentum, with nearby residents reporting seeing “more and plumper Yangtze finless porpoises.” The aquatic animals can often be seen swimming in groups, with calves cuddling up to their mothers. At conservation reserves along the Yangtze River in Hubei, the number of the porpoises has increased from the original five to 150. Four artificially-bred Yangtze finless porpoises including Taotao have grown up healthily.

These achievements can be attributed to the joint efforts of the government, research institutions and the general public. However, despite the enhanced protection, we still have a long way to go in helping the species to recover. Various problems still need to be addressed, such as unattended areas in on-site conservation and the risk of complete failure of ex-situ conservation.

In the next 10 years, 20 years, 100 years… the conservation efforts cannot and will not stop, so that future generations can see a large number of finless porpoises navigate the clear waters of the Yangtze.

China Mosaic

http://www.china.org.cn/video/node_7230027.htm

Yangtze finless porpoise: Protecting China’s ‘Smiling Angel’

http://chinamosaic.china.com.cn/2022-11/11/content_78513611.htm

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PR Newswire

CGTN: How to protect wetland and build a shared future for all life on Earth?

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BEIJING, Nov. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — More than a billion people across the world depend on wetlands for their livelihoods – that’s about one in eight people on Earth. However, these lands are Earth’s most threatened ecosystem.

According to the United Nations, 35 percent of the world’s wetlands have disappeared since 1970.

Themed “Wetlands Action for People and Nature,” the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Contracting Parties (COP14) to the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands is being held from November 5 to 13, with its main venue in China’s Wuhan, and a parallel session in Geneva, Switzerland, in both in person and online formats.

This meeting gives us an opportunity to raise awareness, strengthen cooperation, and scale up wetlands action across the world, Chinese President Xi Jinping hailed on Saturday when delivering his speech via video at the opening ceremony of the events.

Xi vowed China will pursue modernization of harmony between humanity and nature, promote high-quality development in the wetlands conservation cause and promote international exchanges and cooperation.

What China has done?

With four percent of the world’s wetlands, China has met the diverse needs of one-fifth of the world’s population for wetland production, living, ecology and culture.

In his speech, Xi noted that historic achievements have been made in wetlands conservation in China. The country has increased the area of wetlands to 56.35 million hectares, put in place a protection system and enacted a Wetlands Conservation Law, according to Xi.

Since it acceded to the Ramsar Convention in 1992, China has established and improved its legal framework for wetland protection as well as systems for protection management, project planning, and investigation and monitoring. It has also fulfilled its obligations under the convention and continued to expand international cooperation in this regard.

The central government has spent 19.8 billion yuan (about $2.73 billion) on over 4,100 projects to advance wetland protection and restoration across the country since 2003.

China now has 64 wetlands of international importance and 29 wetlands of national importance, as well as 901 national wetland parks.

Last month, China released a plan for wetland protection for the 2022-2030 period, aiming to increase its wetland protection rate to 55 percent by 2025, while increasing the number of wetlands of international importance and national importance by 20 and 50, respectively.

The Chinese president also introduced China’s further plan of incorporating 11 million hectares of its wetlands into the country’s national park system, adding a national wetlands conservation plan and major conservation projects will be implemented.

Path to global ecological conservation

The Chinese president Saturday urged efforts to build global consensus on prizing wetlands, advance the global process of wetlands conservation and enhance people’s well-being globally by leveraging the role of wetlands.

China will build an international mangrove center in Shenzhen and supports the convening of a conference of the World Coastal Forum, Xi announced.

According to China’s white paper on biodiversity conservation, the country has provided support for more than 80 developing countries in biodiversity conservation under the framework of South-South cooperation.

China has also made ecological cooperation a key part of Belt and Road cooperation. In 2021, China launched “the Belt and Road” Green Development Partnership Initiative with 31 partner countries, calling for international cooperation to achieve a green and sustainable economic recovery and promote low-carbon, resilient and inclusive economic growth post-epidemic.

Moreover, China has taken an active part in international conferences and activities, including the United Nations Summit on Biodiversity and the Leaders’ Summit on Climate, giving impetus to biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

These cases are a microcosm of China’s concrete steps to promote global ecological cooperation, with the notion of building a shared future for all life on Earth as the underpinning.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-11-05/Xi-addresses-COP14-on-wetlands-conservation-1eIkUeITohW/index.html

PR Newswire

CGTN: China, Tanzania upgrade ties to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership

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BEIJING, Nov. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — China and Tanzania have enjoyed a long-lasting friendship and comprehensive cooperation, and the development of the relations is being promoted at a higher level with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s arrival in Beijing for a three-day visit. 

The two countries on Thursday announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Hassan, the first African head of state China received after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. 

A ‘true and reliable’ China–Tanzania friendship  

Noting that the two countries should take the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as a guide to advance cooperation in various fields in the next stage, Xi said China will continue to import more Tanzanian products, support Chinese companies in investing and doing business in Tanzania and provide assistance for Tanzania’s economic and social development. 

He said China has always viewed its relations with Tanzania from a strategic perspective and has always been a reliable friend. 

The bilateral trade between China and Tanzania has developed rapidly. The trade volume reached $6.74 billion, up 47.1 percent year on year. Among them, Tanzania’s exports to China amounted to $606 million, up 47.3 percent year on year, and the growth rate was faster than the average level in Africa, according to Chinese statistics. 

Hassan said Tanzania regards China as a “true and most important friend” and is willing to be a trusted partner of China forever. 

She said Tanzania will continue to firmly support China on issues concerning China’s core interests, such as the issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong. 

The two leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents on trade, investment, development cooperation, digital economy and green development.  

The two sides also issued a joint statement on establishing a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, covering issues such as leveraging the guiding political role of head-of-state diplomacy, elevating two-way trade, and strengthening coordination and cooperation in international affairs, among others. 

Building a China–Africa community with a shared future 

In 2013, during his visit to Tanzania, Xi put forth the guiding principles of China’s policy toward Africa, namely sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, which have since become China’s basic policy on pursuing solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries. 

Xi told Hassan that under the new circumstances, the sound development of China–Tanzania relations not only serves the common and long-term interests of the two countries but also is of great significance to building a China–Africa community with a shared future in the new era. 

China is ready to create new opportunities for Africa with its new development, take infrastructure as the guide, strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and financing, and foster new drivers of China–Africa cooperation, he said.

Hassan said her country will join China in taking the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as an opportunity to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields and build bilateral relations into a model of Africa–China relations in the new era. 

Highlighting the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in promoting the development of African countries, she said Tanzania will continue to actively participate in and support the development of FOCAC. 

FOCAC is an effective platform and multilateral mechanism for China and African countries to conduct collective consultations and carry out pragmatic cooperation. 

Since the establishment of FOCAC, Chinese enterprises have built more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 1,000 bridges, nearly 100 ports and a large number of hospitals and schools in Africa, said Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian during a conference on China–Africa cooperation through FOCAC in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam in October. 

In 2021, China–Africa trade volume was $254.2 billion, and China’s stock of direct investment in Africa exceeded $56 billion, 25 times and 100 times that of 2000, when the forum was established, respectively, according to the Chinese envoy. 

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-11-03/President-Xi-meets-Tanzanian-counterpart-in-Beijing-1eF2emfkt20/index.html 

PR Newswire

CGTN: China, Germany highlight cooperation ‘in times of change and instability’

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BEIJING, Nov. 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, the first EU leader to come to Beijing after the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, paid an official visit to China on Friday.

Noting the complex and fluid international landscape, Chinese President Xi Jinping told Scholz that the two major countries, with great influence, should work together “in times of change and instability” and contribute more to global peace and development.

Scholz stressed that his country hopes to maintain communication and coordination with China to better safeguard regional and world peace and security.

China–Germany cooperation benefits EU, and the world

As Germany is a pivotal country in the EU, the continent’s prosperity is closely associated with Germany, and thus deepening China–Germany and China-EU cooperation will serve the interests of both sides and beyond.

During their meeting, Xi stressed that China is ready to work with Germany to build a future-oriented all-round strategic partnership and push for new progress in China–Germany and China-EU relations.

China and Germany should respect each other, accommodate each other’s core interests, adhere to dialogue and consultation, and jointly resist the interference of camp confrontation, Xi said.

China is ready to strengthen coordination and cooperation with Germany and the EU in international affairs and jointly find solutions to global issues such as climate change, biodiversity protection and food security, said the president.

Scholz said that the world needs a multi-polar pattern and the role and influence of emerging countries should be taken seriously. 

Germany opposes camp confrontation, he stressed.

Meanwhile, the two leaders also exchanged views on the crisis in Ukraine. China supports Germany and the EU in playing an important role in promoting peace talks and building a balanced, effective and sustainable European security framework, Xi said.

“This is a critical moment for both Germany and China. Their relationship may not be based on shared political values, but on reciprocal interests, on the common fight against climate change and the strong willingness to build a multilateral world,” said Song Xin, former political adviser at the European Parliament, in an article published on CGTN.

Liu Lirong, an associate professor at the Institute of International Studies of Fudan University also told CGTN that China–Germany cooperation not only benefits the EU but also the world.

“China is the second largest economy in the world, and Germany is the largest economy in the EU. Chinese-German cooperation is of great significance in addressing many global challenges such as climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic and global food security,” Liu said.

China–Germany cooperation shows huge potential 

The German chancellor’s visit coincides with the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Germany.

Over the past 50 years, China–Germany practical cooperation has deepened, and bilateral trade has grown by nearly a thousand-fold, Xi said, adding that the two sides should continue to make the “pie” of common interests bigger. 

In this regard, he highlighted revitalizing cooperation in new areas such as new energy, artificial intelligence and digitalization while expanding the potential of cooperation in traditional areas.

Scholz said that China is an important economic and trade partner of Germany and Europe, and his country is ready to deepen economic and trade cooperation with China.

Germany firmly supports trade liberalization and economic globalization and opposes “decoupling”, he stressed.

China was Germany’s most important trading partner in 2021 for the sixth consecutive year. The trade volume between them has mushroomed to more than $250 billion in 2021 from less than $300 million at the very beginning of diplomatic relations.

In the first nine months of this year, foreign direct investment into the Chinese mainland expanded 15.6 percent year on year to 1.00376 trillion yuan. In U.S. dollar terms, the inflow went up 18.9 percent year on year to $155.3 billion, data from China’s Ministry of Commerce showed.

(Cover: Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, November 4, 2022. /Xinhua)

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-11-04/Xi-meets-German-Chancellor-Olaf-Scholz-1eGlonnwv1S/index.html

PR Newswire

CGTN: Yan’an Spirit to inspire rural revitalization drive

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BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Big red apples hanging on trees is a common sight in Nangou Village in the harvest season. It’s one of the villages that’s lifted itself out of poverty by cultivating apple orchards in northwest China’s Yan’an City, Shaanxi Province. 

The city boasts a yearly apple output of 4 million tonnes — one ninth of the total apple output in the world’s largest developing country. 

With a population of around 1,000 people, Nangou Village got rid of poverty in 2018. 

President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, headed directly to Nangou after getting off the train on Wednesday afternoon during his first inspection tour after the conclusion of the 20th CPC National Congress.

In an orchard there, Xi chatted with villagers, asking in detail about how they grew apple trees and picked fruits, what species of apple they planted, what prices their apples were sold at, and about their income. He also inquired about how the village had expanded apple orchards and developed other industries.

“General Secretary Xi asked us about our incomes and I said that we’re doing really well right now,” said villager Zhao Yongdong, adding that the orchard’s income is 50,000 (over $6,800) to 60,000 yuan in a bad harvest year, and that he can earn an extra 10,000 yuan a year if he works at the rural cooperative.

Noting the low humidity and precipitation suitable for apple tree growth on the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi, Xi also praised the application of modern technologies including drip irrigation, dwarf planting and fruit selection production lines in improving fruit quality and production efficiency.

Acknowledging the absolute poverty problem as solved, Xi stressed that more efforts need to be continued to improve people’s lives.

“The Communist Party of China is a Party of the people and for the people. The CPC is committed to serving the people and doing a good job for their benefit,” Xi said.

People oriented and hard work is the Yan’an Spirit

What Xi said echoed with the CPC’s fundamental purpose of serving people wholeheartedly, which was first written into the Party Constitution during the seventh CPC National Congress held in Yan’an in 1945.

Hailing Yan‘an as a holy site of the Chinese revolution and the cradle of New China, as veteran revolutionaries including Mao Zedong led China’s revolution from inception to completion, and transformed the prospects of the country, Xi said the spirit of Yan’an also highlights the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work.

Despite the tight blockade by the Kuomintang forces in 1941, the CPC soldiers and local villagers in Nanniwan, Yan’an worked at full steam in the fields wielding hoes and shovels to turn the desolate mountains and barren land of northern Shaanxi into farmland to realize self-sufficiency.

During his inspection of the Hongqi Canal, or the Red Flag Canal, in Linzhou City of central China’s Henan Province on Friday, Xi said the enterprising spirit of self-reliance and hard work in building the canal was inherited and passed on from the Yan’an spirit.

Residents in Linxian County, now known as Linzhou City, used to suffer from the lack of water. In 1960s, local people spent nearly 10 years to build the canal crossing the steep Taihang Mountains, between 800 and 1,736 meters above sea level, to divert water. 

The Red Flag Canal itself is a monument to the heroic spirit of the people of Linxian County who did not resign themselves to fate or give in to defeat, Xi said.

He called on all members of the Party to promote the fighting spirit, strengthen the fighting capacity, resolutely overcome various difficulties and challenges ahead, and harness the indomitable fighting spirit to open up new horizons for the cause of the Party and the country.

The report to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) stressed the country will continue to put agricultural and rural development first, consolidate and expand achievements in poverty alleviation, and reinforce the foundations for food security on all fronts.

Xi called on Party members to promote rural revitalization in a wholesome manner, implement the policies of enriching villagers, and speed up the modernization of agriculture and rural areas in a bid to help villagers lead a more prosperous life.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-10-31/Yan-an-Spirit-to-inspire-rural-revitalization-drive–1ezSQhg2qjK/index.html

PR Newswire

Global Times survey: Chinese youngsters more confident, objective facing the West

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By GT staff reporters

BEIJING, Oct. 24, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — More Chinese youngster agreed that China can look at the West from an equal position. But there are also a notable part of them who acknowledge that China still lags behind the West in some aspects such as technologies, social welfare and film and television industries, and call for enhanced exchanges with Western countries, according to a latest survey of the Global Times Research Center. 

The results showed that nowadays Chinese youngsters are growingly confident in their own country given China’s magnificent achievements, but meanwhile they also have a very objective and clear understanding that the major gap between China and the West lies in the field of ideology. To achieve the long-term development goal, China still needs to continue efforts and learn and cooperate with the West in various fields, analysts said.

Being confident while also acknowledging our own shortcomings, this is in fact a higher level of confidence, Yang Xiyu, a senior research fellow at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

The West in this survey includes the US, member nations of the European Union, the UK, Japan, Australia, Canada and New Zealand.

The survey was conducted in September and October, covering 1,655 youngsters aged 14-35 from 110 Chinese cities.

The survey showed that nearly 65 percent of the respondents agreed that now China can look at the West from an equal position, with two main reasons that “it is the natural result of China’s continuous development and strengthening” and “China plays a prominent role in the international arena and should be more confident.” Some of the group agreed that China and the West have their own advantages in different fields and can learn from each other.

This generation of young people grew up in an age when China began to accumulate capacity. They have witnessed the process of China’s rapid progress to a modernized state, and have enjoyed the benefits of modernization, Chinese analysts said.

Despite the confidence, Chinese youngsters are aware that China still has a long way to exceed the West in many other fields and achieved its long-term development goal.

According to the survey, 2.5 percent of the respondents warned that “there is still an obvious gap between China and the West, so we should not be blindly overconfident.”

In specific fields, 24.5 percent of the respondents agreed China still lags behind the West in technologies; 22.6 percent thought China is behind the West in social welfare and 16.6 percent thought we lag behind the West in film and television industry.

About 37 percent of the respondents called for strengthening exchanges and communications with the West via social media platform; 31.8 percent called on more cooperation in environment protection and 31.1 percent called for expanded trade and investment.

The younger generation in China has shown confidence in viewing the West, and they can also see some of our own shortcomings, and I think admitting our own shortcomings is a higher level of self-confidence, analysts said.

Having the courage to admit inadequacies and face up to the gaps are actually an important part of strategic self-confidence. In other words, self-confidence includes not only challenging competitors, but also valuing competitors and facing them squarely, analysts noted.

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PR Newswire

CGTN: How does China set tone for future of “One Country, Two Systems”?

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BEIJING, Oct. 22, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The report delivered by Xi Jinping on Sunday at the opening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC) in Beijing came at a pivotal point with China embarking on a new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects.

Unveiling the blueprint for building a modern socialist China in all respects, Xi devoted an entire division of his report to highlighting the importance of “One Country, Two Systems.”

“This policy must be adhered to over the long term,” he vowed, eliminating doubts and misunderstandings about the future of “One Country, Two Systems.”

‘Best institutional arrangement’

The past decade has witnessed historic progress and changes in China’s drive to materialize the vision of “One Country, Two Systems” in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) and the Macao Special Administrative Region.

The SARs’ legal systems and enforcement mechanisms for safeguarding national security have been established. The law on safeguarding national security in the HKSAR was enacted, while the region’s electoral system was also refined. Macao also started proceedings to amend its law on safeguarding national security.

In his report, Xi applauded “One Country, Two Systems” as great innovation of socialism with Chinese characteristics. “It has proven to be the best institutional arrangement for ensuring sustained prosperity and stability in Hong Kong and Macao after their return to the motherland.”

He affirmed the principle of “the people of Hong Kong administering Hong Kong and the people of Macao administering Macao” and a high level of autonomy for the two SARs.

Stressing Xi’s report served as a guideline for future actions of the SARs, John Lee, chief executive of the HKSAR, said he was encouraged by the report’s rich content on “One Country, Two Systems,” Hong Kong and Macao affairs as it reveals the great importance that the central government attaches to work related to the SARs and “One Country, Two Systems.”

Lee said the country has always been the strongest backing for the HKSAR in the past five years when the city has gone through the most severe test since its return to the motherland.

Chief Executive of the Macao SAR Ho Iat Seng also hailed that Xi’s report has given a clear direction to Macao for the successful practice of “One Country, Two Systems.”

He noted the report “illustrated that the central government places great importance in, and is cordial regarding its care for ‘One Country, Two Systems,'” and greatly bolstered Macao residents’ confidence in the city’s development.

Integrating into national development

In his report, Xi pledged to help the two regions resolve the deep-rooted and conflictual problems encountered in the course of their development, stressing efforts will be made to support Hong Kong and Macao in better integrating themselves into national overall development.

A key step for advancing “One Country, Two Systems” as well as a vital entry point for the two SARs to integrate themselves into the country’s overall development has been the development plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), which was planned and advanced by Xi himself.

The GBA is comprised of the two SARs, and nine cities in neighboring Guangdong Province. The total area is around 56,000 square kilometers, and covers around 6 percent of the Chinese population.

Over the past years, the GBA has swiftly turned plans into actions. A one-hour living circle has been basically formed within the GBA with the construction and operation of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link, and other cross-river channels connecting the Pearl (Zhujiang) River estuary’s eastern and western banks. The total mileage of rail lines in service in the GBA has reached nearly 2,500 kilometers.

In 2021, the number of GBA companies on the Fortune Global 500 list amounted to 25, compared with 17 in 2017, which also surpassed the New York Bay Area for the first time.

The GBA’s GDP hit 12.6 trillion yuan ($1.97 trillion) last year, 2.4 trillion yuan more than in 2017. With less than 1 percent of the country’s land mass, the GBA created 12 percent of the national GDP.

Zhao Chenxin, deputy head of the National Development and Reform Commission, on Monday told a news conference on the sidelines of the ongoing 20th CPC National Congress that China will ramp up efforts to make the GBA an exemplary model for high-quality development, focusing on promoting technological innovation, boosting coordinated industrial development, and improving people’s livelihoods.

https://news.cgtn.com/news/2022-10-21/How-does-China-set-tone-for-future-of-One-Country-Two-Systems–1ejG7iY1ne8/index.html